With less than two weeks to go until 2014’s Giving Tuesday, it’s our goal to make sure your nonprofit is prepared to reap the benefits. Follow these last-minute tips to ensure that your 2014 Giving Tuesday campaign goes off without a hitch!

 

 

 

• Make sure you have a solid plan in place.

In an ideal world, your nonprofit would have started developing a strategy for Giving Tuesday months ago, but this isn’t a perfect world and life happens. First things first, don’t panic. You can STILL reap the benefits! If you don’t have a plan in place, get to it today (seriously – right now!), but keep it simple. You can always build on it next year.

• Get your team on board.

Since Giving Tuesday is a socially charged movement, make sure that you stay engaged with fans. Schedule team members to monitor your social media accounts throughout the day. Prior to Giving Tuesday (especially since it falls in the midst of holiday season), ensure your staff members can access all social media accounts and understand their game plan. Make sure e-mails are scheduled with clear directions on how to donate to your cause. Because Giving Tuesday is only a one-day event, there’s not too much room for error. Put the extra effort in ensuring all information is correct.

• Follow through with promises.

If you planned ahead and have sponsors and/or matching gift campaigns running parallel with your Giving Tuesday, it is vital your nonprofit follows through with all promises made on your end of the sponsorship agreement. If you agreed to give them visibility on social on Giving Tuesday, first and foremost, make sure this happens.

• Have a clear call to action.

Make it ridiculously easy for your donors to give and share information about your Giving Tuesday campaign. The purpose of Giving Tuesday is to raise awareness about generosity and giving back to the community, so people will be fired up and ready to give, but your nonprofit needs to make giving accessible with a clear call to action. Also, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to create some messages your donors can post to their social accounts with all the info on how to give to your nonprofit. Make it as simple and easy as possible.

• Be creative and have fun.

10,000 nonprofits across the world participate in Giving Tuesday. How do you make your nonprofit stand out? Take a chance. Don’t be afraid to be bold, fun, and energetic in your asks.

• Be thankful.

Don’t forget to say thank you.