On December 1, GivingTuesday will attract the generosity of the entire world. Though nonprofits of all types may seem to take center stage, data shows that on #GivingTuesday “religious organizations remain the most popular cause to donate to in America, receiving 38% of the funds raised.” (Source)
So why not leverage #GivingTuesday for churches?
Community or partner collaboration for #GivingTuesday began trending a few years ago. These types of campaigns are especially fitting for the spirit of this day of gratitude. Even more collaboration can occur when you include non-financial donations (volunteering, non-cash gifts, etc) in your appeal.
A community project is an ideal way to rally your members and neighbors to accomplish something local together. The easiest way to participate is to partner with a nonprofit already participating in #GivingTuesday and support their campaign.
But churches could also consider collaborating with other local churches, schools or businesses to fundraise for a specific local need that relates to underserved families or children. Some whole towns have created their own #GivingTuesday event with great success.
Remember that SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound—create better results.
#GivingTuesday is primarily an online event, though email can be successful for older demographics. Teens and young adults will be skilled at choosing a theme and memorable hashtag for your cause and encouraging givers to post #unselphies (which gained popularity after Typhoon Haiyan) on social media.
Partners can participate in a variety of ways:
Local newspapers and radio stations are always looking for news, so be sure to share your #GivingTuesday cause and collaboration on these channels, too. Create a flyer or poster to put in store windows. The more organizations participating, the less this will look like you’re just promoting your church.
In the days and weeks leading up to #GivingTuesday, promote your church, community or partner nonprofit’s event to your members and ask them to help by giving and sharing details about your cause online, with a link to donate online.
Consider friendly competition between groups, perhaps incentivized by a prank against the leaders from one or more of the collaborating organizations (identified and approved in advance, of course).
Fundraising experts at Hubbub state that if you “add someone to a leaderboard and tell them what position they’re in, their competitive nature will take over.”
On #GivingDay itself, update donation results frequently via social media, especially as the day draws to a close. Progress bars and leaderboards provide a psychological nudge proven to prompt givers to reach to achieve the goal and encourage others to help the drive finish strong.
Last year, #GivingTuesday donations totaled $1.9 billion, with $511 million of that being donated online. Is your online giving platform fast, secure and user-friendly?
If it requires donors to go to a third-party site or set up an account, then the answer is NO. If it contains too many fields or is complicated and glitchy, it’s NOT.
Here are some links to free #GivingTuesday resources:
Take our quick assessment of your current giving system and receive a customized report with your results.