By now, you probably have a list of Giving Tuesday ideas on paper. Now it is time to put them into practice.

Last month, we discussed ways for you to show your donors the impact they have made throughout the year. Donors always want to see and know that their generous donations are being used for the good of others. They want to hear stories of success, and they want to feel like they are part of your mission.

To accomplish that, you need to engage your donors. Interact with them and make them feel like they are being heard. Show them that their gifts are more than just a dollar sign. Giving Tuesday, this year on November 30, is a day when people around the world come together for the collective good — their generosity being part of a global movement. What started in an office building in New York City, has grown into more than 70 countries with a Giving Tuesday campaign.

Making sure your donors know about the importance of this day can be a big step toward accomplishing your Giving Tuesday and end-of-year campaign goals.

What Makes Giving Tuesday Important?

When it comes to communication for your organization, tools like social media, email, and blogs can be powerful ways to get your message across. But understanding who your audience is behind your computer screen is just as essential.

We can start by looking at Giving Tuesdays of the past to see where donors are located and how they might be giving. 2020 was a difficult year for many, but donors recognized the worldwide need and stepped up to help. During last year’s Giving Tuesday on December 1, over 33 million adults participated in Giving Tuesday in the U.S. alone, 23% more than 2019. $2.47 billion was raised in the U.S., a 25% increase from 2019. Of that amount, over $750 million was donated online, another 25% more than 2019.¹ In fact, during the early months of 2020, organizations saw a 30% bump in online giving compared to 2019.²

Those increases are assuredly pandemic-related, but they do point to a growing trend in which people want to give and are looking for safe and convenient ways to do so. Since Giving Tuesday started in 2012, overall and online donations have grown each year.

How To Engage Your Donors

By understanding the scope of Giving Tuesday, you can start engaging with your donors and letting them know of what it means to be a part of it.

To do so, your messaging needs to be focused and consistent across all channels. Make your messaging be one that speaks to the outcome of your goals, not just the goal itself. Doing so tells your donors the immediacy of the need and where their money is going from the start.

On social media, create your messaging to be one that your followers can interact with and be able to share their own stories. It is a great place to share immediate updates and provide online giving options. Email is a place where you can share the latest blog, newsletter, or further information about upcoming events. If you want to add a personal touch, voicemails and text messages allows you to speak with your donors directly.

Working across all different channels widens your audience and opens opportunities for donor retention and higher giving amounts. Using frequent asks for those making “micro” donations, dollar amounts up to $100, can be meaningful in driving consistent donations, but those willing to give more shouldn’t be forgotten. Those “micro” donations represented 57% of overall donations in 2020, but higher donations between $101 and $5,000 were just over 40%.² Implementing a matching gift program gives donors a reason to give more as they can see their gift double.

The more you remind donors of the impact they make while sending frequent updates and results of your campaigns shows the care you have for your donors and for your community. With all this in mind, a single day like Giving Tuesday can be the beginning to a successful end-of-year campaign.

¹ Giving Tuesday 2020 Impact Report

² Giving Tuesday: A Lookback at 2020 U.S. Giving Data & Trends