Toolkits

Looking for idea starters, simple activation, or social media messaging? Our Giving Tuesday Now Toolkit has templates, graphics, and more.

Giving Tuesday Toolkit for Nonprofits

Countdown to #GivingTuesday

Announce. Share your plan and goal in a press release or host a virtual community launch party, and start spreading the word about your plans for GivingTuesday on social media. It’s best to announce early to get your community prepared and excited to give.
Build a drumbeat. Schedule regular social media messages to talk about your organization’s work and how your community can best support your mission. You can use our Save the Date graphic and sample social media posts.
Think about a match or other challenge. If you are organizing a fundraising campaign, talk to supporters about providing a match or challenge grant to build extra excitement on GivingTuesday.
Email your supporters again to remind them that GivingTuesday is coming and specific details about how they can get involved. Check out the sample emails below.

Week of November 6th

Pitch your local press. Share your campaign plans with local media. We see a lot of coverage for GivingTuesday — don’t wait to pitch your story to TV, radio, and local newspapers.
If you haven’t yet, email a calendar invite to everyone on your lists. Once you have your lists segmented, you can even customize those calendar invites with specific instructions and links for different groups. (eg. social media ambassadors, donors, reporters)
Equip your p2p fundraisers, board, and your ambassadors by creating a simple one-sheet with sample social media messages, graphics, and ideas for how they can help get the word out about your GivingTuesday campaign.

Week of November 20th (1 week before GivingTuesday)

Go big on social media! Stay top of mind with your supporters— tweet, post, snap, TikTok, share to invite your community to join with you on November 28. Remember to use the hashtag #GivingTuesday in your messages so we can retweet and share your plans. Make use of your scheduling tools!
Schedule a few emails for during the week and over the weekend to remind your supporters that the big day is coming.
Remind Black Friday and Cyber Monday shoppers to save some energy for GivingTuesday.
Remind your ambassadors that there’s 1 week to go, re-up your one-sheet and thank them in advance.

November 27th (The Day Before)

November 28th (GivingTuesday!)

It’s GivingTuesday! Remember to update your community about your campaign throughout the day. Share where you are against your goal and use the buzz and momentum from the day to build excitement for your campaign. Thank donors and people who are helping to amplify your campaign.
Post on social media all day long. Go live, share a photo every hour (no need to create anything new, reuse your existing content), highlight stories of generosity from your community. Talk about how critical your mission and your how your organization is working to create change in your community.

November 29th (The Day After)

Send a personalized thank you to your staff, donors, volunteers, partners, faculty and community.
Post some #ThankYouWednesday posts on social! Celebrate your community of clients, volunteers, staff, and supporters.
Share your success with us! Email the GivingTuesday Lebanon team at givingtuesdayleb@gmail.com with your success, photos, or announcements we can share.
Use the momentum from GivingTuesday to boost your winter fundraising and rally further support for your mission.

Get The Word Out About #GivingTuesday

HOW TO TALK ABOUT GIVINGTUESDAY 2023

Key Messages

- GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement, unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world.
- While GivingTuesday happens every Tuesday, the annual celebration of generosity will happen on November 28, 2023.
- GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Over the past 10 years, this idea has grown into a year-round global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.
- GivingTuesday is an opportunity for people around the world to stand together in unity⁠⁠—to use their individual power of generosity to remain connected and heal.
- People can show their generosity in a variety of ways during GivingTuesday⁠⁠—whether it’s helping a neighbor, advocating for an issue, sharing a skill, or giving to causes, everyone has something to give and every act of generosity counts.
- At a time when we are all experiencing the pandemic, generosity is what brings people of all races, faiths, and political views together across the globe. Generosity gives everyone the power to make a positive change in the lives of others and is a fundamental value anyone can act on.
- GivingTuesday emphasizes opportunities to give back to communities and causes in safe ways that allow for social connection and kindness even while practicing physical distancing.
- We all have gifts to give, and with social media, online giving, delivery, mail, and phones, there are limitless ways to use your generosity to support others.

GETTING YOUR SOCIAL CHANNELS READY

Update your social pages using the GivingTuesday graphics and be an ambassador for the movement.
Announce that you’re participating in GivingTuesday and build anticipation with a countdown to November 28! Don’t forget to link to a calendar invite.
Use the hashtag #GivingTuesday – the buzz amplifies your reach by expanding your normal audience + encouraging new supporters to get involved with your nonprofit! (Please use “camel caps” in your hashtag for accessibility!)
Make sure your social pages show your organization in its best light. You’re going to have lots of new people looking at your profile pages – can they easily discover your impact within the first few seconds of scrolling? Make sure you’re posting often over the next few weeks about your organization and its impact.
Launch a group. Now’s a great time to launch a virtual group to build your community – people are craving a sense of togetherness. Consider a WhatsApp group for your top donors, a Facebook group for your p2p fundraisers, or an Instagram close friends list for influencers to repost your content to their own feeds.
Start planning for how you’ll show up virtually on Nov 28. Produce a few Facebook or Instagram live streams throughout GivingTuesday and show off your mission!
Don’t hesitate to experiment. Try something that’s out of your comfort zone or try a new tool to engage your supporters, like SMS, TikTok, or Messenger Apps.

Digital Tactics to Spread the Word

Send your supporters a calendar invite. Literally. Attach a calendar invite file to your email (or use something like Add Event). You should provide exact instructions for what you’d like them to do on GivingTuesday including a link if you want them to donate.
Start a series of emails to build up anticipation of the big day. One a week to start, then build as the days get closer.
Over the Thanksgiving holiday make sure your staff’s email auto-responder mentions your upcoming GivingTuesday campaign with instructions for how to participate!
Did you know that each year, an estimated $4-7 Billion USD is in corporate matching gift funds goes unclaimed? Ask your donors if their employers will match their donations to your cause!

Social Media Activation Ideas

- Encourage your supporters to share their “unselfie!”
- Empower your supporters to run a P2P fundraiser on behalf of your organization.
- Organize a Facebook or Instagram live conversation about your mission. Invite other accounts to amplify the message.
- Ask your social media followers to share stories of why they support your organization. Retweet their replies!
- Organize a challenge (on TikTok or Instagram Reels)! Encourage your partners and friends to spread generosity on social media by getting creative.
- Get a vendor or small business to sponsor a social media contest to benefit your organization.
- Encourage your supporters to share what they’ve been doing to spread generosity in their local communities. Whether or not that has to do with your cause. Let’s overwhelm the world with GOOD.

Sample Social Media Messages

Mark your calendar! Nov 28 is #GivingTuesday. How will you give?
Save the Date: #GivingTuesday is November 28! We’re proud to be a part of this global celebration of giving.
Ahead of #GivingTuesday (Nov 28), we’re sharing ways you can express generosity. Insert ideas for how your community can get involved in your mission or help move the needle on your cause.
There’s a fundamental truth that gives us hope – that together we can do extraordinary things. Join us on #GivingTuesday and let’s rally to insert mission + your URL
#GivingTuesday is an opportunity for people around the world to stand together in unity—let’s rally to… insert your GivingTuesday goal.
Together we give. Learn how your generosity makes a difference on #GivingTuesday: URL
Throughout today we’re sharing how ORG is working with our community to MISSION and ways that you can join the movement. URL #GivingTuesday
Everyone can have an impact on #GivingTuesday! Join ORG on November 28 by pledging your time, skills, voice, dollars to support MISSION. Learn more at LINK
Giving is not just about making a donation. It is about making a difference. Throughout #GivingTuesday today, we’re sharing the many different ways you can support ORG

Sample Email Template - SAVE THE DATE

To Supporters - Save The Date

Subject Line: Join Us for GivingTuesday – the Global Day of Giving on Nov 28, 2023

On November 28, 2023, people all around the world are coming together to tap into the power of human connection and strengthen communities and change our world. Will you be one of them?

[Name of organization] will be participating in GivingTuesday and we need your help!

By joining the GivingTuesday movement, you’re proving that in times of uncertainty, generosity can bring the whole world together.

Here is how you can get ready to give:

Mark your calendar [Link to a custom calendar invitation for Nov 28 that includes your organization’s donate link]

Give.

On November 28, go to [insert your organization URL or GivingTuesday landing page] and give. You can also support our organization in these ways [insert link to a blog post that outlines other needs like a wishlist, virtual volunteer opportunities]

Spread the word.

Encourage your friends and family to join you in creating real impact on November 28 by sharing what our mission means to you and why you support our organization (here are some ideas). Make sure to use hashtag #GivingTuesday and tag us so we can share!

Let’s rally together to build stronger communities.

Learn more at [insert your organization URL]

Sample Email Template -GIVE TODAY

To Supporters - GIVE TODAY

Subject line: Together we can

In times of uncertainty, there’s a fundamental truth that gives us hope – that together we can do extraordinary things. Over the past year and a half, people worldwide have been uniting to stand up, help out, give back, and heal. Whether that’s through donations to community organizations or assisting neighbors with everyday tasks, generosity has been making a positive impact on the world. Together, acts of kindness and compassion have been driving forces in overcoming challenges and fostering a sense of global unity.

[ORG] is participating in GivingTuesday today, the global day of unity and giving. As you know, our organization [Describe in 2-3 lines the critical work your organization is doing in your community and how your nonprofit will be participating]

But we can’t do this without you!

Not only do we need your support, we need your help to spread the word. Please tell your friends and family why you believe in our work and encourage them to support us too!

Join the movement today! [Insert bullet points for how supporters can contribute, details about any special plans you have for today, including links to livestreams, donate pages, social media challenges, etc.]

Thank you for being a part of the [Organization] team. Together we can [insert your mission].

Sample Email Template - To Board Members

To Board Members: In advance of campaign

Subject line: |*FNAME*|, we need your help!

Hi [board member name],

GivingTuesday is only [x] days away and [Organization] is starting to plan our big celebration. This is a big day for us, we’re aiming to raise [insert goal or a line about how much you raised last year or how you’re using the day to go big on your kick off for end of year]. This is where you come in. We’re asking all of our board members to help us rally our community and maximize GivingTuesday.

Here are some ways that you can help.

We’ve set a goal to achieve 100% giving by board members on November 28. [Reminder about give/get if applicable]
Help us organize matching funds for our organization. Matching funds provide great incentives for both new and existing donors and motivate them to act fast to double their impact on our cause. You can help by contributing to our matching grant pool and asking your networks to contribute too. [Insert some more info about who you’ve reached out to already and some of your ideas about how you’ll organize your match]
Help us spread the word. Here’s link to a Google Drive with sample emails you can send to your friends and family and sample social media messages for LinkedIn or Facebook. Personalize these messages and share why our mission matters so much to you! [insert link to a custom toolkit you make for them for easy sharing]
Please also consider fundraising on our behalf. [insert information about your p2p program]

Thank you, [Name], for your ongoing commitment to [mission]. We simply could not do this without you. Please contact us if you have any questions or need any assets to help with your outreach.

Thanks in advance for making GivingTuesday 2023 our best yet!

Sincerely,

[Name][Title][Org]

Sample Press Release

Contact:

[CONTACT NAME]

[CONTACT ORGANIZATION]

[PHONE]

[EMAIL]

[ ORGANIZATION NAME] Celebrates GivingTuesday, joining millions around the world participating in the global generosity movement on November 28, 2023

[INSERT LOCATION] [INSERT DATELINE] – This GivingTuesday,

[ORGANIZATION NAME] will inspire generosity by [TOPLINE DETAILS OF CAMPAIGN].

GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement, unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and their world. GivingTuesday will kick off the generosity season this year by inspiring people to give back on November 28, 2023, and throughout the year.

[ WHY YOUR ORGANIZATION JOINED GIVINGTUESDAY AND DETAILS OF YOUR INITIATIVE INCLUDING GOALS, PARTNERS AND PAST SUCCESS, IF APPLICABLE]

People demonstrate generosity in many ways on GivingTuesday. Whether it’s helping a neighbor or stranger out, showing up for an issue or people we care about, or giving to causes we care about, every act of generosity counts. GivingTuesday has raised billions of dollars for critical causes around the world and gets billions of impressions on social media from people and organizations speaking up for the causes that matter to them and encouraging others to get involved in their communities.

“GivingTuesday inspires people all around the world to embrace their power to drive progress around the causes they care about, not just on one day but throughout the year.” said Asha Curran, GivingTuesday’s CEO, and co-founder. “With country and community leaders, millions of organizations, and countless givers of all kinds, GivingTuesday is creating a shared space where we can see the radical implications of a more generous world.”

Those who are interested in joining [ORGANIZATION NAME]’s GivingTuesday initiative can visit [URL]. For more details about the GivingTuesday movement, visit the GivingTuesday website (www.givingtuesday.org), Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/GivingTuesday) or follow @GivingTuesday and #GivingTuesday on Twitter.

About [INSERT ORGANIZATION NAME]

[INSERT ORGANIZATION BOILERPLATE]

About GivingTuesdayLeb.com

GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world. GivingTuesdayLeb.com began in 2019 as a local campaign to promote nonprofits in the Lebanon and Warren County area. The goal is to shine a light on the work being done to help our community while highlighting the needs of local charities including volunteers, donations, and monetary gifts. GivingTuesdayLeb.com strives to build a community that focuses on generosity and togetherness, unlocking dignity, opportunity, and equity in Lebanon and Warren County.

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GivingTuesday Ideas for Nonprofits

While many organizations fundraise on GivingTuesday, others get creative with how they participate. Here are a few ideas:

Host a holiday food drive for your community, fill a gap in services, or solve an immediate need in your community.
Host a festival (in-person or virtual) so that local residents can learn about the missions of several organizations.
Use the day to rally new volunteers
Mobilize your community to give their voice to your cause – whether that involves signing a pledge, advocating for policy change or your mission.
Spend GivingTuesday thanking your supporters.
Fundraise for your organization.
Fundraise for another organization. Give your megaphone to amplify historically under-funded organizations.
Find ways to collaborate with others. Our community is bigger than just one organization and we are not competitors. It will take all of us to work together to build the just + generous world that we seek.
Host a takeover on your social media pages and feature organizations that you work with
Host 24 hours of gratitude. Post about things your organization is grateful for.
Volunteer to act as fiscal sponsor for a local mutual aid group or community organization.

GivingTuesday Do's and Don'ts

Don’t center the supporter as the single hero of your story. Make sure the story is always about “we;” what we can accomplish together, as a community.
Don’t create exclusivity that hinges on haves and have nots. Everyone has something to contribute. Make space for everyone who wants to get involved in your mission.
Don’t believe in the fixed pie fallacy. It hurts the sector and also goes against the principles upon which GivingTuesday was founded: power is for everyone to share and wield together and there’s enough money for every nonprofit to get the support they need
Don’t talk about how your organization doesn’t have overhead and that all donations go toward your mission.
Do shift the tone of your GivingTuesday campaign from obligation to opportunity. Make it joyful. Try new things. Invite new people. Celebrate the change you’re creating in the world.
Do make GivingTuesday your own!