4 reasons to host a nonprofit Giving Day on GivingTuesday

GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement that inspires individuals to give back through volunteer work, philanthropy, and other acts of kindness. It has grown into the largest day for philanthropy and is celebrated on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving throughout the world. 

On GivingTuesday 2022, $3.1 billion was raised in just 24 hours, making it easy to see how much of an impact GivingTuesday can create for nonprofit organizations, communities, schools, hospitals, and other purpose-driven causes. 

To maximize your results on this holiday, consider hosting your own dedicated Giving Day. Giving Days are 24-hour fundraising events aimed at raising awareness for your cause, attracting new and existing supporters to your campaign, and driving donations. In this guide, we'll explore four reasons why your organization should consider hosting a Giving Day on GivingTuesday and provide tips for making it a success. Let's dive in!

1. Leverage the momentum of social media 

The primary avenue for donors to discover new causes and giving initiatives is through social media. In fact, #GivingTuesday garners billions of impressions on social media each year. 

By hosting your own Giving Day, you can take advantage of this widespread attention and direct it toward your nonprofit. Follow these four tips to build a social media presence for your GivingTuesday campaign:

• Create a social media content plan. Design a social media calendar that outlines the messaging, visuals, videos, and hashtags you intend to use, along with the platforms you will be active on.
• Use influencers to amplify your message. Reach out to thought leaders in the space who have a large following and ask them to share your message with their networks. This will help increase your reach and engagement. 
• Make it easy for donors to take action. Ensure your social media messaging includes clear and easy-to-follow calls-to-action (CTAs) with a donation link or specific instructions on how to participate in your Giving Day. 
• Engage with your audience. Engage with your audience in real time by responding to comments, thanking donors, and sharing regular updates throughout the day to keep the momentum going.

With these tips, you can attract more donors, gain more visibility, and achieve your fundraising goals on GivingTuesday. Plus, when you host a Giving Day with the Bonterra Donor Engagement Giving Days (formerly GiveGab), we highlight your efforts across our own social media channels. That means added awareness for your initiative among our wide audience of philanthropic-minded individuals!

2. Provide donors with a simple way to connect with your cause 

Giving Days are a convenient way for donors to engage with the causes they care about and allow participating organizations to highlight their impact and communicate their most pressing needs. For the best results, use your nonprofit website as a central hub for these activities. 

Creating a space for donors to learn about your nonprofit can make them feel more connected to the Giving Day and will create a meaningful experience that can translate to repeat giving. Ensure your site is optimized for GivingTuesday by:

• Creating a dedicated GivingTuesday landing page. Create a dedicated page on your website to showcase your Giving Day campaign with all the information potential donors need to know, including the goal, the impact of donations, and clear instructions on how to donate.
• Making it easy to donate. Include a prominent donation button or link on your website so that it's easy for donors to find and access. You should also use a reputable donation provider and a secure payment processor to instill trust in donors.
• Highlight social proof. Highlight social proof, such as testimonials or real-time donation feeds, on your website to encourage others to donate.
• Optimizing for mobile. With more and more donors giving on mobile devices, it's essential that your website is mobile-responsive and user-friendly. 

If you’re looking to outsource this process, our dedicated project managers will work with you to ensure that your website gives supporters a strong understanding of your Giving Day purpose. 

3. Amplify efforts to raise funds, attract supporters, and share success 

Giving Days like GivingTuesday are an opportunity to expand upon your fundraising initiatives in new and creative ways. With our Giving Days solution, you’ll receive access to the following innovative features: 

• Peer-to-Peer (P2P) fundraising: Expand your network and reach new donors by allowing supporters to fundraise on behalf of organizations participating in your Giving Day. 
• Sponsor recognition: Proudly display and give instant recognition to your sponsors directly on your Giving Day homepage. 
• Matching capabilities: Matching gifts incentivize donors to make a greater impact by multiplying the value of their gifts. Through our platform, gifts are automatically matched to applicable funds. 
• Prize incentives: Create healthy competition by displaying your available prizes on a dedicated prize page! 
• Leaderboards: Our leaderboards track your Giving Day’s top performers and display them right on your homepage to increase engagement. 

Leveraging these unique fundraising ideas will help you break through the noise and stand out to donors on GivingTuesday. 

4. Kick-off year-end fundraising efforts

The majority of charitable giving occurs during the last few weeks of the year. Use the excitement from GivingTuesday, along with what you learned from your campaign results, as a segue into your year-end fundraising efforts! 

Your follow-up messaging between GivingTuesday and year-end should include your goals, how close you are to meeting them, and what exactly you are trying to accomplish with your supporters’ gifts. 

We encourage our Giving Day partners and their participants to leverage the data and results from their larger campaign to help inform their year-end strategies. Communicate your Giving Day results and inspire continued giving through personalized messaging using your segmented donation report.  

By sharing the impact of previous gifts, along with what future contributions would allow your nonprofit to accomplish, you can retain donors and strengthen your relationships. Being vocal after GivingTuesday and transparent about year-end goals will prime them for that future ask. 

A final note about hosting a Giving Day on GivingTuesday

Hosting a Giving Day on GivingTuesday can be a powerful way for nonprofits to engage with their donors and raise funds to support their causes. With creative fundraising ideas and a Giving Days solution, you can make the most of the heightened awareness around giving on GivingTuesday and drive more meaningful change in your community.