Your ‘’Day After” GivingTuesday Plan

Less than one in five new donors who donated on GivingTuesday will give a second gift, according to the Fundraising Effectiveness Project.

We must do better.

GivingTuesday’s “Data Commons” says something similar in their report “Rethinking Resilience: Insights from the Giving Ecosystem.”

Yet general statistics don’t have to be your reality! 

Rachel Muir’s terrific post, Four Strategies to Retain Your #GivingTuesday Donors, shares her thoughts on this vital subject.

Here’s how you can beat the odds.

Keep the momentum going after GivingTuesday

Keep the momentum going and continue engaging your supporters. Take these steps to have a stellar post-GivingTuesday:

1. Reflect and analyze

Review your results from GivingTuesday, including the total amount raised, donor demographics, and the success of your different approaches and social media channels. Share the hard data with your Development Committee and have a conversation about it. By taking this step you’re infusing data-driven strategic thinking into your fundraising program. Use your data from GivingTuesday to inform your post-GivingTuesday strategy. Refine your approach for next year by learning from what worked and what didn’t.

2. Thank your donors the day after

Express your gratitude to GivingTuesday donors promptly. Send personalized thank-you messages, emails, or letters to acknowledge their support—even if you have an automated email acknowledgement message. Make phone calls or send text messages that solely express your thanks. That alone will make you stand out.

3. Share the impact

Share the impact of your GivingTuesday donations. Update your supporters on how their contributions are making a difference and achieving your organization’s goals. Remind them of your initial GivingTuesday goals.

4. Consider doubling

Try using a crowdfunding platform to ask a new segment of your past supporters to match the GivingTuesday contributions. You segmented your donor list based on their giving history, interests, and engagement level, right? Plus, you customized your messaging for each group to increase relevance and impact, correct? If not, commit to doing so going forward.

5. Engage your supporters

Encourage your supporters to become advocates for your cause. Ask them to share their stories and experiences with your organization and invite others to contribute.

6. Take advantage of matching gifts

Partner with corporations or major donors to offer matching gift opportunities. You may inspire more people to donate, knowing their contribution will be doubled. A service like Double the Donation can help you streamline this effort.

7. Consider: What if every Tuesday was GivingTuesday?

#GivingEveryTuesday is a series of weekly opportunities to come together to give, volunteer, and show kindness in shared moments with communities, causes, and countries around the world. Developed by the GivingTuesday leader community, #GivingEveryTuesday offers opportunities to increase civic participation, drive giving, and build connection and empathy. They’ve done the work for you! Subscribe here and follow their calendar.

8. Provide regular updates

Keep your supporters informed about the progress of your post-GivingTuesday campaign, and what’s ahead for your year-end giving. Share updates, success stories, donor giving stories, and milestones. This is the work retaining your donors!

9. Optimize for mobile

Make sure your fundraising efforts are mobile-friendly, as many people donate online and with mobile devices.

10. Follow up with non-donors

Don’t forget to follow up with individuals who didn’t donate on GivingTuesday. Send them directed messages explaining the ongoing need and how their contribution can make a difference. Find out why they’re missing in action by using a donor survey.

11. Sustain engagement

How many of your GivingTuesday donors joined your monthly giving program? If they haven’t, invite them to join so as to encourage their long-term support. Regular engagement maintains relationships with donors.

12. Evaluate and adjust

Continuously monitor the performance of your post-GivingTuesday campaign and make adjustments as needed. Use those analytics and donor feedback to refine your strategy.

13. Express gratitude again

After your post-GivingTuesday plan or year-end drive concludes, make sure to express gratitude to your donors and share the final results, so they know the impact of their support.

Remember that post-GivingTuesday fundraising is an opportunity to build on the momentum generated on GivingTuesday and sustain your organization’s funding. By following a well-structured plan and engaging your supporters effectively, you can continue to raise funds and make a meaningful impact.

Please let us know how you make out by sharing your experiences below.