Some thoughts on (yes) Giving Tuesday

Why talk about Giving Tuesday in January? Isn't that old news?

Because this is the best time of the year to make plans for your year-end goals.

I recently spoke with two non-profits who had very different Giving Tuesday stories.

The first organization had not been in touch with their donors or social media bases for months: no newsletters, no emails, no social media, no phone calls. Nothing. As such, when they put out their Giving Tuesday messaging, they received nothing in return.

(I should make clear: this nonprofit does wonderful things for the communities they serve and are deserving of praise, involvement, and financial support. Like many orgs, they were suffering from a severe lack of staffing and were doing all they could with what they had). 

The second organization I spoke with sent monthly emails. They had a regular social media presence. Their annual report arrived well in advance of year-end campaigning. They also formed a strategy and put something out there for Giving Tuesday. 

And guess what? They more than DOUBLED the previous year's campaign, gaining new donors, new connections, and new individuals who felt energized by their work and wanted to learn about and support it. 

The moral of the story? Take some time now to plan out your annual communications calendar. It doesn't have to be fancy and it doesn't have to be extensive. But it needs to be steady and consistent. You need to show up in real ways that don’t involve asking for money.

It’s not even specifically about Giving Tuesday. It’s about developing a meaningful relationship with everyone who wants to support you so that, when the time comes for you to ask, they welcome it. 

We don’t have to think about this in terms of fundraising. Let’s think about gardening. 

I do a lot of gardening and, while January can seem the bleakest month to me, I enjoy admiring the fruits (or vegetables) of my labor in cans in the pantry, in the deep freezer, in the root cellar. I think about all the work my family and I did over the spring, summer, and fall to make this happen.

I sit down and take a moment to cherish the beautiful benefits I get from the garden when it's cold and yucky out and I need something fresh and ripe. And then, I take another moment to mentally take stock of the seeds and tools I have on hand, and make a plan for the months ahead.

And the cycle begins again.

It’s the same thing with creating a fundraising communications plan. You work steadily to develop relationships most seasons of the year and then, when the time comes, you can harvest (so to speak!) the rewards.

If I can help you get yourself set up for the new year, let's chat. You can book a 20-minute call with me  by clicking here.

Happy New Year!

To making our gardens grow,

Abbey

Each month, I’ll share a few fundraising resources from around the internet which I think readers might find useful:

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Attention, small VT nonprofits