35 Giving Tuesday Ideas + Tips to Shatter Your Goals
Your nonprofit’s donors lead busy lives—managing their careers, maintaining social relationships, and pursuing their personal goals. Because of this, it can be challenging to keep them continually involved in all that you’re doing to fulfill your mission. That’s why Giving Tuesday is such an important time for any nonprofit, no matter your size or cause.
Established as a global generosity movement, Giving Tuesday is a day that’s all about making a difference. In this guide, we’ll discuss everything your nonprofit needs to know to make the most of this powerful opportunity, including:
- Giving Tuesday: FAQs
- How to Prepare for a Giving Tuesday Campaign
- Top Giving Tuesday Fundraising Ideas to Raise More
- Giving Tuesday Tips to Boost Engagement
With enough preparation, your nonprofit can turn these 24 hours into a springboard for increased donations, stronger donor relationships, and greater awareness for your cause.
Giving Tuesday: FAQs
Ready to become a Giving Tuesday expert? Start by exploring these frequently asked questions to set your team up for success:
What is Giving Tuesday?
Giving Tuesday is a global day of generosity that takes place every Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the U.S. It’s a chance for nonprofits, businesses, and individual people to come together and contribute however they can toward making the world a better place.
Since its inception, Giving Tuesday has raised more than $13 billion for nonprofits. Last year, in the U.S. alone, 34 million people participated in Giving Tuesday, contributing a total of $3.1 billion to charitable causes. Now, nearly 100 countries have launched national movements on this day.
Who can participate in Giving Tuesday?
Anyone can participate in Giving Tuesday. For example:
- Individuals can donate, make in-kind gifts, participate in community service projects, and spread the word about causes they care about.
- Nonprofits can raise funds, acquire new donors, build community partnerships, and spread awareness of their missions.
- Companies can give to nonprofits, plan team volunteering activities, organize donation drives, and match the donations their employees make.
- Grantmakers can issue challenge grants, sponsor nonprofit events, and host capacity-building workshops.
Your nonprofit can even take this opportunity to collaborate with other nonprofits that have missions and values that align with your own. In doing so, you can broaden your reach and amplify your impact together.
How does Giving Tuesday benefit nonprofits?
Giving Tuesday taps into a global pool of donors, volunteers, advocates, and sponsors for more than just a single day. Donor acquisition growth rates are 4.4 times higher on Giving Tuesday than at any other time of the year, and about 40% of these donors give again the following year.
Plus, since Giving Tuesday only lasts 24 hours, the urgency can inspire some donors who may have been on the fence to take action.
How to Prepare for a Giving Tuesday Campaign
Since Giving Tuesday is such a fast-paced day for nonprofits, you need to build a strong plan to ensure that everything runs smoothly and successfully. Use these basic steps to prepare for your next campaign:
- Assess your past performance. If you’ve participated in Giving Tuesday before, take a look at what you did well and what you can improve on. Consider metrics such as the total funds you raised and the number of new donors you acquired. Ideally, you should be able to refine your strategies to boost your results year after year.
- Set a goal and budget. Decide on a goal that’s specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound (SMART). This framework can help you set reasonable and actionable expectations for your campaign. Then, evaluate the resources you have available to outline a budget for your team to work with.
- Create your Giving Tuesday content. Design eye-catching images, collect testimonials, prepare your donation page, and nail down your campaign messaging. Aim to present a cohesive image of your nonprofit across all of your content.
Be sure to promote your Giving Tuesday campaign at least a month before the actual day to put it on your community’s radar and build excitement.
Top Giving Tuesday Ideas to Raise More
There are countless possibilities for raising funds on Giving Tuesday. If you’re not sure how to best engage your donors this time around, explore our list of the top fundraising ideas for Giving Tuesday:
1. Crowdfunding
A crowdfunding campaign is perfect for harnessing Giving Tuesday’s wide reach to bring in a lot of donations from around the world. To get started, all you need to do is follow these easy steps:
- Set up a crowdfunding page. Start by choosing a crowdfunding platform with low processing fees and a “Keep it All” model that ensures you can receive all the funds you earn regardless of whether you reach your fundraising goal before the deadline. Then, create your page by uploading images, adding giving levels, and telling your story.
- Promote your campaign. Share your crowdfunding page in your email newsletter, social media posts, website, and blog articles to maximize awareness both leading up to and on Giving Tuesday. Follow up with updates on your fundraising progress throughout the day to keep the momentum going and inspire more people to help you reach your goal.
- Thank all of your donors. Whenever someone makes a gift, promptly thank them for their support. The more valued they feel, the more likely they’ll be to share your campaign with their friends and family, spreading their passion and dedication to your mission.
Throughout your campaign, keep an eye on the number of donors, average gift amount, and page traffic source to get an idea of how well you’re doing. For example, suppose you notice that many donors reach your crowdfunding page through Instagram. In that case, you might decide to post more interactive updates on that particular platform since it’s bringing you the most traffic.
Fundly: The Top Crowdfunding Platform for Giving Tuesday
There are several crowdfunding platforms that can support your Giving Tuesday fundraising, from Fundly to GoFundMe. To make your campaign especially engaging, look for one with a comprehensive set of tools and features that allow you to go beyond creating a simple crowdfunding page.
Fundly, in particular, is the top crowdfunding platform for Giving Tuesday due to the following benefits:
- Instant fundraising. It only takes minutes to start collecting donations with Fundly, making it a quick and easy fundraising idea for Giving Tuesday.
- Risk-free. When you create a free crowdfunding campaign, you won’t pay anything until you receive your first donation.
- Low fees. Fundly has a 0% platform fee and only charges the traditional credit card processing fee that all crowdfunding websites charge.
- Deep social integration. Fundly’s social media integrations make it easy for supporters to share your campaign with their networks. Plus, any updates you make on your page will automatically be posted to your connected social media accounts.
- Personalization. Unlike other crowdfunding websites, Fundly fundraising pages can be completely customized. Change the color scheme, add your logo, and make your page unique to your cause.
Setting up a crowdfunding campaign on Fundly is easy for both tech-savvy and new fundraisers alike. However, if you run into any questions, Fundly has a full support team that’s always available to help.
Example of a Successful Giving Tuesday Crowdfunding Campaign
The Family Violence Appellate Project (FVAP) is a nonprofit dedicated to appealing court decisions on behalf of domestic violence survivors. The organization created a crowdfunding campaign on Giving Tuesday so that they could continue to provide their services for free. A generous donor even agreed to match all donations made to the page.
By including powerful images, a detailed description, and various giving levels, the campaign managed to raise over $10,000 more than its fundraising goal.
2. Matching Gifts
Matching gifts on Giving Tuesday is a win-win-win situation for everyone involved. As corporate social responsibility (CSR) becomes a higher priority among companies around the world, there are more and more opportunities to make your donors’ dollars go further. Many companies will match the donations their employees make to nonprofits at a 1:1 ratio or higher, though 78% of donors are unaware if their employer has a matching gift program.
Start by spreading awareness and encouraging donors to check their eligibility on Giving Tuesday. On your campaign page and in your other marketing materials, share a brief description of matching gifts and how they work.
You can even arrange for a one-time matching gift partnership with a company that is drawn to your nonprofit’s cause and shares your values. They can agree to match all the donations you receive on Giving Tuesday while you boost their brand awareness by including their name and logo on your various Giving Tuesday marketing materials.
3. Fundraising eCards
Giving Tuesday is all about connecting as many people to your cause as possible within a short timeframe. By creating fundraising eCards, you can both collect donations to support your mission and encourage donors to help you spread the word by sending them to other people in their network.
Set up special Giving Tuesday eCards by:
- Choosing a user-friendly eCard platform.
- Creating eye-catching designs with your nonprofit’s colors and logo.
- Uploading the eCards to your website or online store.
Even after Giving Tuesday is over, you can continue raising funds by coming up with new designs for birthday wishes, holiday greetings, event invitations, and more.
4. Peer-to-Peer Fundraising
Loyal supporters are a great asset to your fundraising efforts! That’s why you should plan a peer-to-peer campaign to coincide with Giving Tuesday. By leveraging your supporters’ networks, you can reach even more donors. Plus, adding a competitive component to your campaign will motivate your fundraisers to reach their goals.
Just because supporters are asking for contributions doesn’t mean you don’t have a role to play. Ensure that your fundraisers are equipped with all the resources they need and don’t forget to welcome new donors to your organization’s family.
5. Walk-a-thon
Giving Tuesday falls after Thanksgiving, which means many of your supporters might love a chance to get active and work off that turkey—for a good cause, of course! Plan a walk-a-thon event in your local community to take place on the morning of Giving Tuesday.
Advertise your event as family-friendly so that supporters of all ages can attend. You can even give your walk a fun theme that relates to the season or your cause. Walkathons allow for plenty of creativity, so don’t be afraid to think outside the box.
6. Pledge Campaign
Giving Tuesday can provide a sense of urgency that inspires many people to take action and donate to your nonprofit. To maximize engagement with your campaign, consider accepting pledges. Those who can’t give now can simply pledge to donate a certain amount at a later time.
Following Giving Tuesday, be sure to send timely reminders to fulfill pledges. Reach out through each donor’s preferred communication method to ensure that they don’t miss your messages. Provide an update on the impact of all the funds you’ve managed to raise so far and highlight what you can continue to accomplish with pledged funds.
7. Recurring Giving
Your nonprofit should plan to keep its donors engaged long after Giving Tuesday is over. By launching and promoting a recurring giving program, you can make it easy for them to contribute regularly to your mission.
Your Giving Tuesday donation page should make it easy to opt into recurring gifts. Be sure to specify what certain gift amounts—such as monthly donations of $10, $25, and $50—will help you achieve, so donors can better visualize their impact. Once they’ve joined, your recurring donors should be able to change their giving frequency, update their payment method, and opt out at any time.
8. Silent Auction
The excitement of Giving Tuesday pairs well with a silent auction. Not only will donors be motivated to support your cause, but they’ll also jump at the chance to receive an awesome gift.
Silent auctions require a lot of planning, including procuring unique or rare items and experiences as well as recruiting volunteers to assist donors with checking in and placing bids. If you’re interested in organizing one, you’ll need to prepare well in advance.
9. T-Shirt Fundraising
T-shirts are universal, so they’re the perfect fundraising product for your Giving Tuesday efforts. Find an online retailer that lets you design professional-quality t-shirts in a variety of styles. Don’t forget to include your nonprofit’s logo or name on your shirts!
If you sell your shirts ahead of Giving Tuesday, encourage supporters to snap a picture of them wearing their beautiful new tees and post it using the hashtag #GivingTuesday. Their online promotion will get the word out about your organization and might even inspire their followers to buy a shirt too.
10. Branded Merchandise Sales
There’s no better motivator than receiving a cool, useful product from your favorite nonprofit. To boost your Giving Tuesday, you can sell branded merchandise. This is a great way to promote your cause after the giving day because every time your donors wear your products, they’ll be marketing your organization to everyone who sees them.
To sell branded merchandise, you’ll need to find a wholesale provider where you can design and purchase your items in bulk. You can sell your merchandise at your Giving Tuesday event or on your nonprofit’s website.
11. Text-to-Give
Many organizations already use text-to-give as a means to accept donations for Giving Tuesday—and for good reason! Text giving is a convenient way for donors to give because they can do it anytime they have their phones handy.
Look for a text-to-give provider that is secure and makes donating easy for your supporters.
12. Facebook Fundraiser
Facebook is the world’s most popular social media platform, with over three billion active users around the world. Because of this, it can be a highly effective tool for both building excitement for Giving Tuesday and raising funds on the day itself.
By signing up for Facebook’s fundraising tools, your nonprofit can launch fundraisers directly on the platform itself, accept tax-deductible donations, and track metrics such as the number of donations you’ve earned over a certain period of time. Plus, anyone on Facebook can create their own fundraiser on behalf of your nonprofit. You can use Messenger to share tips and templates with these dedicated supporters to boost their success on Giving Tuesday.
13. In-Kind Donations
Some people may not have the means to make a substantial monetary gift to your nonprofit on Giving Tuesday. However, there are many other ways they can contribute to your mission, such as through in-kind donations.
Leading up to Giving Tuesday, make a list of any items or services that might be useful to your nonprofit. Then, share it on your website and other communication platforms. For example, an animal rescue might ask for donations of pet beds, treats, toys, and cleaning supplies. Or, it might benefit from a graphic designer’s pro bono services to create compelling marketing materials for Giving Tuesday and the year-end fundraising season.
14. Volunteer Grants
Volunteers already commit their time, skills, and energy to your organizations, but there’s a way to deepen their impact even further. Many companies, in addition to matching gifts, have a volunteer grant program through which they donate to the nonprofits their employees regularly volunteer with.
80% of these companies give between $8-$15 per hour volunteered. However, it’s important to note that some programs have a minimum number of hours that an employee has to volunteer before they qualify for a volunteer grant. While it might not be feasible to ask your supporters to fulfill all of these hours on Giving Tuesday, use this opportunity to remind long-time volunteers to check their eligibility and recruit new volunteers who want to make more of an impact.
15. Balloon Raffle
All you need for a balloon raffle are balloons, raffle tickets, and a prize for the winner. Supporters can pay $1 to pop a balloon and receive a ticket. Near the end of your event, you can announce the winner.
Generally, balloon raffles are effective when combined with other fundraising events like a family fun day, ice cream social, or fundraising picnic when you have a lot of supporters in one location. If you plan on hosting an event on Giving Tuesday, consider organizing a balloon raffle to raise even more funds.
16. Restaurant Partnership
Who doesn’t love good food? And supporting a good cause while having a good meal makes everyone happy! That’s why partnering with a local restaurant is a great way to supercharge your fundraising on Giving Tuesday.
Here’s how it works: ask a local restaurant, coffee shop, or bar to donate a percentage of the night’s funds to your cause. In return, you’ll promote the business and encourage donors to come dine there. Not only will donors enjoy a great meal, but they’ll also leave happy, knowing that they supported a good cause.
17. Family Fun Day
Giving Tuesday is a great opportunity to bring your supporters together to raise money and awareness for your cause with a family-friendly event. A family fun day is an event that involves games and activities that the whole family can enjoy!
Charge an admission fee to enter the festivities and sell concessions to raise money. Remember to schedule some time during the event to let donors know why you’re raising funds.
18. Karaoke Night
Who can resist a night filled with fun and singing? Karaoke is an event that lets everyone—no matter what age—join in on the fun. For your event, you’ll need karaoke equipment, but before you go out and buy your own, see if you can rent what you need.
Host your karaoke event at night on Giving Tuesday to help you finish the day off strong. And remember, during the event, let people know why you’re raising funds and thank them for their support.
19. Viral Video Challenge
Over 17 million people uploaded a video for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, making it a prime example of how you can raise money with a fun interactive video. Before Giving Tuesday, you can create your own video challenge and ask supporters to donate and upload a video of themselves completing your challenge.
People will be curious to see where the video originated from and you’ll raise a ton of money for your cause on Giving Tuesday.
20. Ink Your Supporters
A fun way to raise awareness for your cause? Give your donors temporary tattoos with your organization’s logo! When a supporter contributes, they can take a photo with the tattoo and post it to their social media accounts with #GivingTuesday.
When other people see the posts, they’ll be curious to learn more about your crowdfunding campaign and donate to your cause.
21. Themed Party
Giving Tuesday primarily lives online, but you can bring the fun to the real world by hosting a themed fundraising event. Make your theme relevant to your nonprofit’s cause. For example, if you’re an animal rights organization, encourage guests to bring their furry friends. If you’re a food bank, cater your event with health-conscious (and yummy!) dishes prepared by your staff.
No matter what theme you go with, make sure to include a photo booth at your event so that guests can commemorate their Giving Tuesday fun and share their experience with friends online.
22. Virtual Tour
Your nonprofit’s supporters may be located all over the country or even the world, but that doesn’t mean you can’t provide them with a behind-the-scenes glimpse into your everyday impact. Consider live-streaming a virtual tour of your facilities on Giving Tuesday, complete with interviews with your staff members and beneficiaries.
During the tour, keep participants engaged by sharing polls, providing a live chat option, and answering any questions they may have. In addition to charging a registration fee for the tour, you can encourage more support by providing a donation link that’s easy to access at all times. Once the tour is over, you can upload it onto your website for those who weren’t able to attend during that specific time.
23. Charity Concert
At the end of the day, remember that Giving Tuesday is a celebration. Bring your nonprofit’s community together for a night of musical entertainment by hosting a charity concert. Plan ahead by choosing a suitable venue and reaching out to local artists who may be willing to perform for free or for a reduced price. You can even seek out corporate sponsors who could cover some of your event’s costs.
Encourage people to purchase tickets to your Giving Tuesday concert by setting up an easy registration page and offering early bird discounts. Consider providing a virtual, live-streamed option for people who won’t be able to attend in person.
24. Trivia Night
Hosting a trivia night is a Giving Tuesday fundraising idea that’s bound to attract supporters who love a little friendly competition. You can either poll potential attendees to decide on a theme or come up with questions related to your cause. For example, a nonprofit that’s dedicated to marine conservation might plan a “Sea Life” trivia night for Giving Tuesday.
Ask participants to pay an entry fee to sign up as an individual or a team. Consider conducting it all online so more people can get involved and come up with some prize ideas—such as gift cards or branded t-shirts—to encourage competitors to do their best.
Giving Tuesday Tips to Boost Engagement
Now that you have an assortment of compelling Giving Tuesday ideas at your fingertips, keep the following tips in mind to maximize your results:
1. Use compelling visuals.
To stand out on Giving Tuesday, you need to make your fundraising page and marketing materials pop. Incorporate eye-catching visuals that will attract donors’ attention and help them develop emotional ties to your cause. For example, consider sharing:
- Before-and-after images that illustrate your nonprofit’s impact.
- Infographics with statistics related to your cause.
- Behind-the-scenes videos of your daily work.
- Snapshots of your staff, beneficiaries, or volunteers.
Before sharing any names or pictures of people, be sure to obtain their permission first. By respecting their comfort levels and preferences, you can deepen your nonprofit’s relationships with them over time.
2. Tell engaging stories.
A concise, captivating, and error-free message can do more than just tell donors about your cause. Telling a story gives you the chance to share the impact that your donors’ support will have. For instance, consider sharing:
- A day in the life of a staff member.
- An individual beneficiary’s success story.
- A key volunteer’s contributions and why they got involved.
When people have a better understanding of your cause and why it’s important, they’ll be more likely to contribute to your Giving Tuesday campaign.
3. Include attention-grabbing calls to action.
In all of your Giving Tuesday communications, make it clear exactly how people can support your nonprofit. Include a clear, attention-grabbing call to action (CTA) on your social media posts, email newsletters, and website pages. Encourage more people to click through by:
- Keeping them short and straightforward.
- Making them stand out visually.
- Adding words like “Make a Difference Today” or “Get Involved Now” to add urgency.
While you might want people to learn more about your mission, make a donation, and volunteer on Giving Tuesday, avoid including multiple CTAs in the same message so supporters always know exactly what next step you’d like them to take.
4. Share frequent Giving Tuesday updates.
Throughout the day, keep donors informed about your fundraising progress. Let them know when you hit milestones, highlight key contributors, and emphasize what you’re trying to accomplish with the donations you earn. In doing so, you can keep them involved and encourage them to spread the word to their friends and family.
In each of your updates, use donor-centric language to make supporters feel like true partners in your nonprofit’s impact. For example, you might say something like: “Thanks to the generosity of donors like you, we’re halfway to reaching our fundraising goal for Giving Tuesday! This is another huge win for our community, and we look forward to all the new vegetable beds we’ll be able to add to our community garden.”
5. Optimize your donation page.
To provide your donors with a streamlined giving experience on Giving Tuesday, take the time to optimize your donation page. Be sure to:
- Incorporate your nonprofit’s logo and colors across the page.
- Make the page mobile-responsive.
- Add alternative text to images to improve accessibility.
- Share suggested giving amounts.
- Include a fundraising thermometer to build excitement.
You can even conduct A/B tests by testing two versions of your donation page, varying a single element such as images or suggested giving amounts, to make additional improvements to your giving process.
6. Provide various payment options.
Your nonprofit can secure even more gifts during Giving Tuesday by accepting a variety of payment options on your donation page. Donors have differing preferences when it comes to how they make purchases and transactions, so consider allowing payment methods such as:
- Checks
- Credit and debit cards
- Venmo
- Cryptocurrency
- Donor-advised funds
According to The Giving Block, over $2 billion in cryptocurrency is estimated to have been donated as of January 2024. Staying on top of these trends and learning how to better appeal to your donors can position your nonprofit as a forward-thinking organization in its community.
7. Communicate through multiple channels.
When asking for donations on Giving Tuesday, don’t limit your appeals to just one or two platforms. Depending on their interests and habits, people have different preferences when it comes to how they would like to hear news about your nonprofit. Be sure to promote your Giving Tuesday campaign through:
- Your website
- Social media
- Direct Mail
You can even segment your donor database according to communication preference to enhance the effectiveness of the messages you send.
8. Encourage user-generated content.
Producing high-quality, consistent, and engaging marketing materials for Giving Tuesday takes a lot of effort. Fortunately, you don’t have to leave it all up to your nonprofit’s team. Boost your reach and engagement during Giving Tuesday by encouraging user-generated content from your supporters.
Consider creating a campaign-related hashtag specific to your nonprofit and asking your supporters to use it when posting content related to your mission. Then, host photo contests or invite people to share stories about their personal connections with your cause. Don’t forget to express your appreciation for these users by shouting them out on social media or even entering them into a raffle to win branded merchandise from your nonprofit.
9. Promote your advocacy activities.
With so much buzz and excitement surrounding Giving Tuesday, take the opportunity to call attention to your nonprofit’s advocacy efforts. Inform your supporters about policy issues related to your cause and encourage them to get involved by:
- Signing a petition.
- Attending a virtual rally.
- Messaging legislators on social media.
Use metrics such as the number of petition signatures you collect to assess how many people are engaging in your advocacy activities throughout the day.
10. Seek influencer partnerships.
Influencers can shine a much larger spotlight on your nonprofit during Giving Tuesday. Of all the nonprofits surveyed by M+R, about half of them are working with influencers to expand their reach and visibility. To tap into more potential donors for your fundraising campaign through influencer partnerships, keep the following tips in mind:
- Find influencers in spaces relevant to your nonprofit’s mission or cause.
- Provide influencers with all the background information they need to know about your organization and your Giving Tuesday campaign.
- Share compelling images and messaging templates for influencers to use.
To build partnerships that last beyond Giving Tuesday, remember to follow up and thank each influencer for lending their voice to your mission, both publicly and privately.
11. Express your appreciation.
Since Giving Tuesday takes place every year, this means your nonprofit has the chance to improve its fundraising and engagement results over time. To build on each year’s support, develop a thorough appreciation plan for everyone who contributes to your campaign. While 55% of U.S. donors prefer to be thanked for their gifts via email, this doesn’t mean you can’t vary your strategies. Consider:
- Sending thank-you eCards.
- Producing an appreciation video.
- Spotlighting key donors on social media.
- Hosting a dedicated appreciation event.
- Creating a digital donor wall.
Additionally, you can send out surveys to your donors and volunteers to collect feedback on their Giving Tuesday experience with your nonprofit. Based on their input, you can adjust your approach for even better results next year.
Wrapping Up: Making the Most of Your Giving Tuesday Ideas
Giving Tuesday is one day that can make a lasting impact on your nonprofit and those you serve. After each campaign, regroup with your team and assess your performance. Note your total amount raised, average donation size, donor retention rate, and other relevant metrics to serve as a benchmark for your future fundraising efforts.
With a mindset for improvement and the right fundraising tools at your side, you’ll be well on your way to planning a Giving Tuesday campaign that your supporters can’t wait to get involved in.
For more tips and best practices to hone your fundraising strategy year-round, check out these additional resources:
- 200+ Easy and Fresh Fundraising Ideas for Any Cause. Need to refresh your fundraising calendar? Find all the ideas to inspire your planning in this comprehensive list.
- Top Crowdfunding Websites to Raise Support for Any Cause. A crowdfunding campaign is a highly engaging way to raise funds no matter what time of year. Explore the best websites to consider in this guide.
- Donation Requests: Top Companies That Donate to Nonprofits. Harness the power of corporate philanthropy by learning about the top companies that support nonprofits like yours.
