Giving Days are the perfect opportunity to engage with your supporters both online and off!

Hosting an event in tandem with your participation in a Giving Day can be a great way to increase engagement with your community.

Here are four Giving Day event ideas to get you started!

1. Morning Events

Press Conference:

Kick off your Giving Day bright and early by inviting your local media groups to join you (and other participating nonprofits too!) for a press conference. This is a great opportunity to share your plans for the day, including your fundraising goals. 

Breakfast Celebration:

Partner with a cafe, bagel shop, coffee cart, etc., to help promote your organization and Giving Day on the morning of the event. Invite your supporters to join you for a cup of coffee to help kick-start the giving celebration. 

2. Afternoon Events

Volunteer Opportunity:

Highlight your mission in action by giving your supporters the chance to help you out by dedicating their time to your cause. This is also a good opportunity to take photos and videos to share on social media for those that can’t attend.

Learn about Meaningful Giving Day Assignments for Volunteers

Meet & Greet:

Invite your supporters to pop into your office or anywhere where your mission is in action to meet your team and see your hard work behind the scenes. You can provide snacks or drinks to your visitors and even offer tours at different hours throughout the day.

3. Evening Events

Happy Hour:

Invite your supporters to join you for a drink at a local bar or restaurant to celebrate your success and thank them for their ongoing support. This is a great opportunity to mingle with your supporters and learn more about why they are passionate about what you do.

Restaurant Fundraiser:

Connect with a restaurant offering a portion of their profit during a given period of time to your organization. Many chains already have these programs in place, making it easy for you to set up a night for your nonprofit, as long as you plan it with enough time to book the day you want.

4. All Day Events

Local Business Partnership:  

Create a promotion with a local business to help you expand your presence and encourage their customers to be a part of the giving fun.

Facebook Live:

Facebook Live is a virtual event that allows supporters to connect with you online. Facebook will send your supporters a notification when you go live.  Give a tour of your facilities, show off a project that’s in progress, highlight your volunteers in action, or just say thank you to your supporters for being a part of the day.

Be creative and have fun. This content can still be shared after you go live, too.

Tabling:  

Is there already an event going on in your community? A street fair? A conference? A block party? A farmers market? Set up a table! Bring some swag from your nonprofit (general information, pens, stickers, t-shirts, brochures) and some treats to draw people in.

You can even bring a laptop or encourage people to use their smart phones to donate to your organization during the Giving Day.  Make sure to take photos and share them on social media!

With a memorable Giving Day event, you can see improved engagement with your community on the day-of and beyond!