Use a giving day to raise money — and awareness — for your nonprofit
September 6, 2017
What are you doing November 28? If that date doesn’t ring a bell, your not-for-profit probably hasn’t made plans to participate in National Giving Tuesday. But considering the opportunities associated with it, maybe it should.
What is it?
Giving Tuesday, or National Day of Giving, was created to encourage Americans to contribute to charity during the holiday season, similar to how they participate in commercial shopping events such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Like Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday wouldn’t be possible without technology. Participants use social media to raise awareness about issues and how their nonprofits are responding to them. Raising money online is a central goal, but Giving Tuesday is also intended to educate potential supporters and encourage them to volunteer in their communities.
Since its establishment in 2012 by New York City’s 92nd Street Y, Giving Tuesday has grown into an enormously successful global event. It has more than 40,000 charitable, for-profit business and government participants, and in 2016 it raised more than $168 million in a 24-hour period.
Get involved
If you’re interested in participating, sign up at GivingTuesday.org. You must be registered as a 501(c)3 organization and you’ll need to provide a link to your own website or a third-party payment service that supporters can use to make donations. Donors can’t directly give money to your charity through the Giving Tuesday website. What the site does offer, however, are free marketing tools and advice on leveraging your social media presence and support base for maximum impact.
Your nonprofit’s participation in this designated day can be minimal or substantial, depending on your resources and greater objectives. If this is your first year, try a simple, focused goal. For example, use the day to remind supporters to make tax deductible gifts by year end. Or publicize the list of supplies your facility needs on an ongoing basis.
Start planning
If you hope to participate this November, start planning now. Or, consider participating in another 24-hour fundraiser. In addition to city-specific events held throughout the year, such as Pittsburgh’s Day of Giving and Seattle’s GiveBIG, there are more general options, such as Give Local America.
Upcoming Events
Qualified Intermediary Conference
December 9-10, 2019
2019 Changemakers of New York
December 10, 2019NYGFOA Long Island Holiday Seminar
December 10, 2019Global Institutional Real Estate Investor Forum
December 11-12, 2019Tax Executives Institute Annual Tax Symposium
December 12, 2019Exempt Organizations Conference
December 17, 2019Wilmington Trust Philanthropic Speaker Series
December 17, 20192019 Nonprofit Symposium
December 17, 2019Responsible 100 Awards Luncheon
December 18, 2019TCJA updates and the Impact on Nonprofits, Donors and Beyond
December 19, 2019Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning
January 13-17, 2020NYSSCPA Annual Nonprofit Conference
January 16, 2020IMN Winter Forum on Real Estate Opportunity & Private Fund Investing
January 22-24, 2019Disaster Recovery Journal’s Spring 2020 Conference
March 15-18, 2020View All Events