In addition to the regularly scheduled #GivingTuesday on December 1, the GivingTuesday organization has deemed May 5, 2020, #GivingTuesdayNow, an event “set to set to spark an increase in grassroots generosity, citizen engagement, business and philanthropy activation, and support for communities and nonprofits around the world.“
This day on May 5 is focused on providing opportunities to give back to communities, nonprofits and causes in safe ways that also allow for social connection, support and kindness while being respectful of physical distancing orders.
The benefits of participating in #GivingTuesdayNow
The partners at GivingTuesday have made it easy to get involved and as such, this campaign makes for an easy way to showcase your cause. Many nonprofits are struggling with resources at the moment; the biggest benefit of being a part of this movement on May 5 is that you can do so with limited staff—they have images, templates, logos and toolkits already made for you to download and use as a way to create buzz around your cause. And, as a global movement, there will be more conversations happening on May 5 around how to support causes worldwide; being a part of that conversation can be a positive boost for your organization. If you were struggling with how to get a campaign going during these trying times, #GivingTuesdayNOW has made it easier for you.
It’s not all about fundraising
Kindness and support is a recurring theme for #GivingTuesdayNow which means the focus does not have to be all about dollars. Think of ways that you can show support and encourage others to show support of your cause—a thank-you event, a social media live event, a contest to entice others to share the good word about your organization—there are many ways to participate without a formal ask.
If you do plan to fundraise, here are some simple guidelines to follow:
7 easy-to-follow #GivingTuesdayNow guidelines
Before May 5
1. Get your tech ducks in a row by building a special donation page to track results. Create special messaging and be sure to match the brand/theme of your campaign on this page. For help, here are 8 elements of a successful fundraising landing page.
2. Let supporters know how you’ll be participating. Use your social media channels and email to ‘prime the pump’ and give your audience a sneak peek of what’s to come on May 5. Encourage them to share your pages and mailing lists with friends and family so that others can join in on the day with you.
3. Create campaign content that can be pre–scheduled or that will be able to post live on May 5. This can include blog posts that talk about the movement, what you’re doing and why. It can be pre-scheduled email solicitations. It can be social media posts or pre-recorded videos. The more you’re able to create and plan for content ahead of time, the easier it will be to respond in real-time on the day of the campaign.
On May 5
4. Send out email solicitations throughout the day; the first one can be created beforehand and the subsequent emails should play off one another. For example, send your first email in the morning and then and email mid-way through the day and one toward the end of the day. Your final email can have a ‘there’s still time!’ message while your mid-day message can give an update on where you are at toward your donation goals.
5. Use social media posts throughout the day to showcase progress, give shout-outs to participating donors and organizations (by use tag features) and showcasing impact stories. Some of these posts can be pre-scheduled (i.e. impact stories) while others should be posted in real-time. Don’t forget to post your links for how to give with each update!
After May 5 and beyond
6. Send your supporters thank you emails (we reached our goal or still time to give).
7. Post similar social media thank you postings.
Don’t forget to use the hashtag #GivingTuesdayNOW to not only show your support for this global giving day but to also create awareness for your organization. Need more ideas? You can sign up for daily reminders and ideas for participation on the #GivingTuesdayNOW website.
For more information on the movement, visit the FAQs area on the #GivingTuesdayNow website.
And if you’re really looking to plan ahead for #GivingTuesday 2020, we have insight on how to get ready for that winter giving event as well and our year-end online fundraising webinar from 2019 is applicable if you’d like a free walk-through of how to set up an online fundraising campaign.
Good luck in your endeavors, we are excited to see the support that May 5 brings!
