How Your Nonprofit Can Plan Ahead for #GivingTuesday

I know, I know – it’s too early to talk about December. On the East Coast, we just got comfortable ordering Pumpkin Spice Lattes and pulling out our fall boots. We don’t want to discuss Christmas and certainly not year-end giving right now!

Think again! 

Don’t let your nonprofit be left behind – start planning for #GivingTuesday and year-end giving now.

Network for Good found that 30% of annual giving occurs in December – with #GivingTuesday jumpstarting the giving season.

[Tweet “Donations on #GivingTuesday grew a whopping 73% in 2013 versus 2012 @JuliaCSocial “]

In 2013, the number of charities participating and receiving donations on #GivingTuesday grew 28%!

Double the Donation’s team has compiled advice from over 30 experts on how nonprofit organizations can plan for and implement a successful online fundraising campaign on #GivingTuesday.

I was lucky enough to be featured, and here was my nugget of wisdom:

The key to success in a #GivingTuesday campaign is planning ahead. Plan for the day as you would a big in-person fundraising event, with tasks, deadlines and responsibilities.

Do not leave the promotion of your campaign up to one person – get a group involved and form a #GivingTuesday committee! Encourage donors, volunteers, board members, staff, and community members to spread the word about your campaign online via the social media channel they like best.

Create an example Social Media Kit with graphics and sample tweets and posts to make it super easy for people to share the info. Don’t forget to thank people afterward and follow up with everyone who participates to let them know the results, and create momentum for next year!

To read what the other experts have to say, visit Double the Donation’s blog post, Expert Advice on Taking Advantage of #GivingTuesday.

[Tweet “Get #GivingTuesday tips from 30 experts: http://bit.ly/YaUwFv @2xdonations “]

For more on getting started with #GivingTuesday, check out these resources:

11 Ways Nonprofits Can Reach Donors on #GivingTuesday

Summer School: Making #GivingTuesday Work for Your Nonprofit

29 Ideas for #GivingTuesday 2014 you haven’t thought of

Is your nonprofit participating in #GivingTuesday? Why or why not? Leave your thoughts in the comments!