As a nonprofit, it’s likely that you run multiple fundraising campaigns each year. However, these campaigns have the potential to increase their effectiveness when paired with a cause awareness day. Think of #GivingTuesday or even more specific days, such as Earth Day, International Day of the Girl and World AIDS Day. A cause awareness day provides your campaign with a theme, specific date to launch it on, as well as a national or even international audience.

From the hundreds of cause awareness days to choose from, find the day or days that most resonate with your organization’s mission to craft a specific campaign. Start by downloading our 2019 cause awareness day calendar below so you’ll know what to plan for. Then, keep reading to learn what you’ll need to do in preparation of a campaign on your chosen awareness day(s).

Update your website

One of the goals of your cause awareness day campaign should be to drive traffic to your website. Because of this, you’ll want to make sure it’s looking its best. Take some time to click through your website as if you were a brand-new visitor. Be especially conscious of the following areas:

• Your mission: Is your nonprofit’s mission easy to understand from your home page?
• Donations: Is it easy to make a donation or find the donation page?
• Contact: Is your contact information easy to find? Is it easy to subscribe to your e-newsletter?
• Social media: Are your social media channels listed on your site? Do the links all work?

Extra tip: You may also want to consider creating a donation page specific to this campaign. This will allow you to gather information from the campaign’s donors, gauge how many people donated to your campaign and track how many people visited the page but didn’t donate. Not only will this information grow your donor list, but it can also inform you of what does and doesn’t work for your audience. Use it to help you make any changes necessary so that your next cause awareness day campaign is an even greater success.

Update your social media channels

Your social media channels are the places potential donors will likely first hear about your cause awareness day campaign. Be active on your channels during the month leading up to the campaign, paying special attention to the ones you know your audience is most involved on. Here, being active means posting content as well as interacting with other accounts. This is a great way to show current and potential donors that you are involved and listening.

You’ll also want to make sure your contact information is current, that your website link works and all your profile and header images reflect your brand well.

Extra tip: If you have the time and resources, create images specific to your campaign. This could include slightly tweaking your nonprofit’s logo to include your cause awareness campaign’s name or hashtag,

Update your e-newsletter

Before your cause awareness day campaign launches, you’ll want to include a note about it in your e-mail newsletter. Make sure all your recent leads and new email subscribers have been added to your contact list. Then, do a quick check of your e-news at a whole. While your content likely changes, there are some elements that might stay the same for every email. Double check that your images are high resolution and sized correctly. Click on all the contact information and links to make sure they are connected to the right webpages. Lastly, view your email on a smart phone to make sure it looks just as great there as it does on a computer screen.

Extra tip: Do create emails specific to just your cause awareness day campaign, in addition to mentioning the campaign in your regular updates. These emails can direct readers to your donation page (if you’ve made one) or social media channels—wherever they will find the most information about your cause and campaign goals. We’ve written a whole slew of posts on our blog about how to create great emails for fundraising campaigns. Start there and use what you learn to craft the campaign emails.

Once all the pieces are in place for your campaign, you’re ready for the planning stage. Start by reading our previous post that explains how to create successful cause awareness day campaigns. Or, subscribe to our newsletter to receive how-to’s for the best marketing and fundraising plans for nonprofits right in your inbox.

2019 Cause Awareness Day Calendar

Download Calendar

January

Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month
Cervical Health Awareness Month
Dry January
National Blood Donor Month
National Glaucoma Awareness Month
Thyroid Awareness Month

6-12 – Obesity Awareness Week
11 – National Human Trafficking Awareness Day
16 – National Religious Freedom Day
20 – World Religion Day
21 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
20-26 – Healthy Weight Week

February

American Heart Month
Black History Month
National Cancer Prevention Month
National Children’s Dental Health Month
Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

1 – National Wear Red Day (Women’s Heart Disease Awareness)
2 – World Wetlands Day
4 – World Cancer Day
3-9 – Burn Awareness Week
7 – National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
10-16 – National Cardiac Rehabilitation Week
14 – V-Day (Violence Against Women)
14 – National Condom Awareness Day
14 – National Donor Day
16 – World Whale Day
17 – Random Acts of Kindness Day
20 – World Day of Social Justice
20 – Love Your Pet Day
22 – World Thinking Day
25 – Mar 3 – National Eating Disorders Awareness Week
26 – World Spay Day
27 – World NGO (Non-Governmental Organizations) Day
28 – Digital Learning Day
28 – Rare Disease Day

March

Brain Injury Awareness Month
Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month
National Kidney Cancer Awareness Month
National Nutrition Month
National Professional Social Work Month
National Save Your Vision Month
National Women’s History Month
Red Cross Month

3 – World Wildlife Day
8 – International Women’s Day
10 – National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
10-17 – Brain Awareness Week
10-17 – National Sleep Awareness Week
13 – K9 Veterans Day
14 – World Kidney Day
15 – National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence
15 – World Consumer Rights Day
15 – World Sleep Day
18-24 – National Youth Violence Prevention Week
18 – National Public Defense Day
19 – National Agriculture Day
20 – National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
21 – National Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
21 – World Down Syndrome Day
22 – World Water Day
24 – World Tuberculosis Day
30 – Earth Hour

April

Alcohol Awareness Month
Autism Awareness Month
National Child Abuse Prevention Month
National Counseling Awareness Month
National Humor Month
National Minority Health Awareness Month
National Sexual Assault Awareness & Prevention Month
National Youth Sports Safety Month
Parkinson’s Awareness Month
Stress Awareness Month
Testicular Cancer Awareness Month
World Habitat Awareness Month

2 – World Autism Awareness Day
2 – International Children’s Book Day
3 – National Day of Hope
7 – World Health Day
7-13 – National Volunteer Week
7-13 – National Library Week
10-16 – Parkinson’s Awareness Week
11 – World Parkinson’s Day
14 – National Dolphin Day
19-21 – Global Youth Service Days
20 – Volunteer Recognition Day
21 – Easter Sunday
22 – Earth Day
22-28 – National Environmental Education Week
25 –Malaria Awareness Day
25 – Take Your Daughters and Sons to Work Day
26 – Arbor Day
30 – Adopt a Shelter Pet Day

May

ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) Awareness Month
Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Better Hearing and Speech Month
Clean Air Month
Foster Care Month
Hepatitis Awareness Month
Lupus Awareness Month
National Arthritis Month
National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month
National Brain Tumor Awareness Month
National Celiac Disease Awareness Month
National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
Mental Health Awareness Month
National High Blood Pressure Education Month
National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month
National Stroke Awareness Month
National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month

5-11 – Be Kind to Animals Week
5-11 – National Hospital Week
6 – National Nurses Day
6-12 – National Nurses Week
6 – Melanoma Monday
7 – National Teacher Day
8 – World Red Cross Day
10 – World Lupus Day
11 – World Fair Trade Day
12 – World Migratory Bird Day
12 – Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Awareness Day
12 – Mother’s Day
12-18 – Women’s Health Week
13 – National Woman’s Checkup Day
17 – International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia
17 – Bike to Work Day
18 – International Museum Day
18 – HIV Vaccine Awareness Day
18 – Armed Forces Day
20 – National Rescue Dog Day
21 – World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue & Development
21 – Brain Injury Awareness Day
23 – World Chron’s and Colitis Day
27 – Memorial Day
29 – National Senior Health and Fitness Day
31- World Multiple Sclerosis Day
31 – World No Tobacco Day

June

Cataract Awareness Month
International Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
National Great Outdoors Month
National LGBTQ Pride Month
National Migraine & Headache Awareness Month
National Safety Month
Men’s Health Education and Awareness Month
Professional Wellness Month

2 – National Cancer Survivors Day
5 – World Environment Day
8 – World Oceans Day
10-16 – National Men’s Health Week
14 – World Blood Donor Day
16 – Father’s Day
19 – World Sickle Cell Day
20 – World Refugee Day
27 – National HIV Testing Day
27 – PTSD Awareness Day

Download Calendar

July

Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month
National HIV Awareness Month
National Parks & Recreation Month

1-7 – Clean Beaches Week
4 – Independence Day
11 – World Population Day
28 – World Hepatitis Day
29 – International Tiger Day
30 – World Day Against Trafficking in Persons
31 – National Mutt Day

August

American Indian Heritage Month
Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month
National Breastfeeding Month
National Immunization Awareness Month
National Water Quality Month
Psoriasis Awareness Month

1-7 – World Breastfeeding Week
1 – World Lung Cancer Day
6 – National Night Out
8 – International Cat Day
9 – International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples
12 – International Youth Day
12 – World Elephant Day
17 – National Nonprofit Day
17 – World Honey Bee Day
19 – World Humanitarian Day
26 – International Dog Day

September

America on the Move – Month of Action
Biodiversity Month
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
Fruits & Veggies – More Matters Month
Baby Safety Month
Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month
Healthy Aging Month
Leukemia Awareness Month
Lymphoma Awareness Month
National Alopecia Areata Awareness Month
National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month
National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
National Cholesterol Education Month
National Infant Mortality Awareness Month
National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
National Sickle Cell Awareness Month
Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
World Alzheimer’s Month

5 – International Day of Charity
8 – International Literacy Day
8-14 – National Suicide Prevention Week
10 – World Suicide Prevention Day
13 – National Celiac Awareness Day
21 – World Alzheimer’s Day
21 – International Day of Peace
22 – World Rhino Day
23-27 – Malnutrition Awareness Week
25 – National Women’s Health and Fitness Day
27 – National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
28 – World Rabies Day
28 0 Family Health and Fitness Day
29 – World Heart Day

October

Cyber Security Month
Down Syndrome Awareness Month
Energy Awareness Month
Healthy Lungs Month
Hunger Awareness Month
Learning Disabilities Awareness Month
National ADHD Awareness Month
National AIDS Awareness Month
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
National Liver Cancer Awareness Month
SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) Awareness Month

4 – World Animal Day
5 – World Teachers Day
6 – World Cerebral Palsy Day
6-12 – Mental Illness Awareness Week
7 – World Habitat Day
7-13 – National Fire Prevention Week
10 – National Depression Screening Day
10 – World Mental Health Day
10 – World Homeless Day
11 – International Day of the Girl
12 – World Arthritis Day
16 – World Food Day
17 – International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
18 – National Mammography Day
21 – Lung Health Day
21-25 – National Health Education Week
23-31 – Red Ribbon Week
29 – World Psoriasis Day
31 – Halloween

November

American Diabetes Month
Great American Smokeout Month
Lung Cancer Awareness Month
National Alzheimer’s Disease Month
National Epilepsy Awareness Month
National Family Caregivers Month
National Hospice Month
National Native American Heritage Month

10-16 – World Kindness Week
11-15 – American Education Week
13 – World Kindness Day
14 – World Diabetes Day
15 – National Philanthropy Day
15 – America Recycles Day
19 – World Toilet Day
21 – Great American Smokeout
25 – International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
28 – Thanksgiving

December

National Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention Month
National Human Rights Month

1 – World AIDS Day
3 – International Day of People with Disabilities
3 – #GivingTuesday
5 – International Volunteer Day
9 – International Anti-Corruption Day
10 – International Human Rights Day
18 – International Migrants Day
22-30 – Hanukkah
25 – Christmas
31- New Year’s Eve

Download Calendar