Every November, I hear a version of the same scary little statement, and it still sends a chill up my spine:
“Giving Tuesday is passé. It’s crowded, overdone, and basically pointless.”
Let me tell you: It’s not passé. It’s not pointless. And your nonprofit absolutely should not sit it out.
Even if you’re not naturally digital-forward, Giving Tuesday is one of the simplest, highest-ROI fundraising opportunities of the entire year. If your donors are online (and they are) and you have their email addresses, you’re already equipped.
And as we head into the final stretch before Giving Tuesday, let’s talk about a few traps that quietly sabotage campaigns, and the Giving Tuesday fundraising strategies that can help you avoid them.
Or as I like to say: “Once upon a midnight dreary… you forgot to secure a match.”
One of the most overlooked Giving Tuesday strategies is also one of the most powerful:
a compelling matching gift.
Before you assume your donors will see it as transactional, take a closer look at your file. Some of the best match prospects are:
Donor club members ready for an upgrade
$1,000+ donors who recently gave in September or October
Major donors who normally give in November or December but haven’t yet this year
I once worked with an organization that avoided asking major donors to help fund a Giving Tuesday match because they feared it would cheapen the relationship.
The following year, after unimpressive results, they tried again, and several donors eagerly agreed to create a group match, which tripled Giving Tuesday revenue.
Why did it work? Because it wasn’t transactional. It was positioned as a way to amplify their impact. And donors love that.
"I pondered, weak and weary… over many disjointed messages."
A common mistake nonprofits make on Giving Tuesday is trying to get too clever with varied messages across channels.
Creativity is great. Fragmentation is not.
When donors see different stories, different goals, or different tones across email, direct mail, and social media, they aren’t charmed. They’re confused.
And confusion always leads to poor performance.
In fact, research shows that nonprofits using three or more coordinated channels with a unified story see a shocking 494% increase in response rates over organizations using just one channel.
One message over multiple channels leads to better results.
This is one of the simplest Giving Tuesday fundraising strategies your organization can implement immediately.
Our communications strategy team helps nonprofits align email, social, and mail pieces into one cohesive Giving Tuesday campaign.
"Ah, distinctly I remember… data and testing can’t wait."
Successful Giving Tuesday and year-end campaigns are built on careful data preparation, segmentation, and testing.
The temptation to draft one “big email blast” is all too real, especially when November gets busy. But organizations that don’t prepare their data or that send generic appeals to every donor typically see:
lower open rates
lower response rates
lower average gift sizes
And then they assume Giving Tuesday “doesn’t work for them.”
A well-prepared file, smart segmentation, and a clear message can help you outperform industry averages like a 0.19% email response rate and $124 average one-time gift.
If you want stronger fundraising results on Giving Tuesday, segment early and message intentionally.
This article helps walk you through six big questions you should ask yourself when cleaning up your nonprofit's database.
"Long I stood there, wondering, fearing… that you hadn’t thanked your donors."
You’ve worked hard to prepare your campaign. You wrote the emails. You built the match. You posted the social media. And then… Giving Tuesday ends. And the acknowledgment plan ends up getting "played by ear".
Please don’t.
Your follow-up is a strategic asset, not an afterthought. In fact, a thoughtful thank-you is one of the best Giving Tuesday fundraising strategies that you can use to strengthen donor loyalty.
Before November 30th, plan:
A same-day thank-you email
An update if you hit your match
A warm follow-up that welcomes new donors and invites them to give again or consider monthly giving
Timely, thoughtful stewardship sets the tone for the new year. And if you met your match goal? Celebrate it and let them know!
If you want a deeper checklist to guide your preparation, here are 10 practical tips for a successful Giving Tuesday campaign.
Giving Tuesday isn’t passé. It’s not optional. And it’s not something to do “just because everyone else is.”
With the right preparation of a matching challenge, unified messaging, clean data, and strong stewardship, your nonprofit can turn Giving Tuesday into one of your highest-performing fundraising days of the year.
You don’t need a massive team or fancy software. You just need a solid strategy and the confidence to execute it.
To learn more about strategies that can dramatically increase results, read our guide on a proven Giving Tuesday strategy that boosts fundraising performance.
Here’s to your best Giving Tuesday yet!
Mark your calendar: Giving Tuesday is December 2 this year.
The most effective strategies include securing a compelling match, segmenting your donor file, sharing unified messaging across multiple channels, using data to personalize appeals, and following up quickly with genuine acknowledgments.
Ideally, in September or October, but strong results are still possible with solid November preparation focused on donor segmentation, messaging, and a clear match.
Small nonprofits succeed when they tell one clear story, use a relatable match amount, show donor impact, and focus on existing supporters instead of trying to reach everyone.
Impact stories, match announcements, donor testimonials, progress updates, and gratitude messages, which are all aligned across email and social channels.
AmPhil’s consultants help nonprofits design year-end campaigns that perform.
Talk to a fundraising expert today.