Time to Take Stalk: A Summer Guide to Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday falls on December 2nd this year, and (I’m cringing as I type this!) it will be here before you know it.

The effort you invest into Giving Tuesday planning during these hot summer months will pay off when the holiday giving season arrives in full force.

Giving Tuesday isn’t a niche idea anymore. It’s here to stay and continues to grow. Last year, CanadaHelps reported a record-breaking 19.5% increase in funds raised on Giving Tuesday compared to 2023.

Here are four things to lock down now for a stress-free, high-impact Giving Tuesday campaign:

1. Set Your Goal ​First things first: what does a win look like? Define it now. Whether it’s increasing total dollars raised, new-to-file donors, or monthly gift signups, a clear goal creates infectious energy and gives your community something real to celebrate when you cross the finish line together.

2. Break New Ground ​ Giving Tuesday is noisy. The most common gripe we hear about Giving Tuesday is how clogged our inboxes can be with what feels like the same “ask” over and over. So, how will your campaign get noticed? Decide now what is one—yes, just one—new and exciting thing you want to test or try that will help your campaign stand out. Think of Giving Tuesday as a safe space where you can let your imagination run wild.

For example, how will you make your subject lines stand out when they’re alongside so many other Giving Tuesday appeals? Could you amp up and use personalization in a new way? Try new variable copy in the email body? Or add a thermometer to your landing page to track progress?

Try not to see Giving Tuesday’s brief duration and the high level of competition as reasons to opt out of participating. If anything, these are an invitation to innovate and grow.

3. Secure Your Match ​ A matching gift is campaign magic. It provides urgency and doubles the joy of giving. Start those conversations now with a loyal company, foundation, or major donor. Securing that commitment early will give you peace of mind as the big day approaches.

4. Source Your Story ​ People don’t give because it’s Giving Tuesday; they give because they care about your mission and the difference they can make in the world through you. Find the one powerful, emotional story to be the centrepiece of your communications, and plan how best to share it on each campaign channel.

Get these four things done this month, and you’ll be thanking yourself come December when the long summer days are a distant memory.