5 Things to do Post GivingTuesday

This GivingTuesday you worked exceptionally hard to reach your organization’s goals and are already thinking about how to put these new donations into work for your community. 

You downloaded all the resources, told your story on social media, and assembled a team to rally behind your cause.  Surely, you can hang up your GivingTuesday hat, not to be touched again until 2023, right? Think again! The best part of your campaign has just begun; the part where you get to show your gratitude to everyone involved and foster new relationships that were created on Nov. 29, 2022.

Below are five simple things your organization should be focusing on post-GivingTuesday. 

1. Thank, Thank, and Thank again

Following your GivingTuesday campaign, it’s critical that you thank everyone involved with the day to show your appreciation for all they contributed. Running a fundraising campaign takes a great deal of effort and support but it is an incredibly rewarding experience for everyone involved. 

Giving thanks is an easy thing to do that will immediately send a message to your supporters and stakeholders that they made a big impact on your organization. 

FACT: A lack of appreciation has been found to be a primary cause of poor donor retention among nonprofits across the United States. Dedicate as much time as you can following GivingTuesday – an entire day if possible – to reach out to everyone to say “THANK YOU!”. 

Here’s a checklist of some of the potential people you should thank:

 Members of Your Staff & Board

This group is arguably the most involved with your organization and the least acknowledged. At most nonprofits, there is an “all hands on deck” culture, meaning your entire staff and board most likely had a hand in supporting your GivingTuesday campaign in some capacity. Whether it was in their job description or not, it is important that each team member feels like their contribution was noticed. This not only boosts morale but also allows the whole organization to celebrate the impact of GivingTuesday together. 

Sponsors

These are the major donors and community partners that wanted to work alongside you to make your GivingTuesday campaign a success. Their contributions played a tremendous role in allowing you to run marketing and outreach initiatives that brought more people to your organization on GivingTuesday. They may have even made a significant gift to your organization themselves. Make sure you are providing key insights into how they helped make an impact on your organization. If a sponsor feels like they made a real difference with their contribution they will be much more willing to give to future fundraising campaigns. 

Fundraising Champions

Think of your fundraising champions as the cheerleaders of your organization. These are the people that are so passionate about your work that they want to spread the word with everyone they know. They are a big reason why your organization brought in so many awesome new donors and much-needed funds. Ensuring they feel appreciated for their efforts will create an even closer relationship and empower them to go even further in their outreach for future campaigns. 

Donors

For donations made through our GiveGab platform, your donors will automatically receive a thank you receipt that is entirely customizable to your organization. Still, we encourage you to find additional ways to put a personal touch on your “thank yous” following this special fundraising event. Think of fun and simple ways you can go above and beyond. For example, you could send out handmade notes in the mail or pick up the phone! Anything you can do to make your donors feel special will go a long way in fostering relationships to lead to long-term giving. 

Volunteers

These individuals do so much for your organization because they truly want to see your mission flourish. Your volunteers are always there to help support your work, and GivingTuesday was no exception. Thanking your volunteers by throwing a virtual appreciation party or finding another fun way to celebrate them will keep them excited to keep coming back to help. 

2. Put Meaning Behind Your Numbers

After GivingTuesday, your organization will have an influx of new data around your donors’ behavior and the success of your campaign. Dedicate time to dive into these numbers to get a deeper understanding of their significance and how you can put these findings into action. 

Gather your GivingTuesday metrics around online donations, offline donations, the number of new donors versus old donors, the impact of your fundraising champions (if applicable), volunteer involvement (if applicable), social media metrics (the number of posts, interactions, new followers, etc.), and sources of donors (email, social media, phone, your campaign page, your website, etc.). 

On GiveGab, your organization will have access to the following metrics: 

• Average online gift size. 
• Percentage raised by your peer-to-peer fundraisers. 
• Number of new donors acquired. 
• Percentage of fees covered. 
• & More! 

You are also able to access donation times and donor zip codes for a more in-depth look at your donors’ behavior and makeup. Was there an increase in donations right after a social media post or email? Did the most number of gifts come in from surrounding cities that had the most peer-to-peer fundraisers? How can you use these insights to help your organization’s fundraising flourish? 

Using this data will help you discern and keep a record of what worked and what didn’t so you can adjust your plan accordingly for the next campaign. With limited resources, shifting your fundraising direction and focus can be difficult. Having data to back you up will play a huge role in getting your staff and board members to support your new endeavors. 

Request feedback to gather even more data to drive your decisions. Create a post-campaign survey to send out to your supporters and donors before GivingTuesday becomes a distant memory. You’ll want their honest feedback that you can then use to help inform your next campaign. 

3. Hold a Debrief for your Organization

With your data in hand and new ideas in your head, you are ready to show off your GivingTuesday findings to your staff and board members. Schedule a post-GivingTuesday debrief to discuss the success and impact of your campaign. Creating space for open conversation will allow your team to reflect on the day and think critically about how this annual campaign could be improved the following year. 

Present the data you discovered in a visual way with charts and graphs to keep your team engaged. Share the numbers but also remember to explain the significance these numbers have on your organization. Have a pre-made list of questions to discuss as a group. For example, if you found that 70% of gifts came from females, ask the group how your organization can better engage with the male demographic. Having questions prepared allows you to keep the conversation on topic and focused on solutions. 

Make sure to end the debrief with a tangible list of action items and assign these tasks to the appropriate parties. Things move quickly in the nonprofit sector and GivingTuesday prep for 2023 will be on the top of your mind before you know it. This time, your organization will be prepared with well-planned ideas stemming from your debrief. 

4. Follow up with Your Supporters

Your donors gave to your GivingTuesday campaign because they are passionate about the work you do and want to see your efforts continue to grow. They have invested in your mission and believe in the impact their gift will make. Keep them engaged after GivingTuesday by sharing the results of the big day. 

Have a press release prepared in advance that you can update the day after GivingTuesday with your fundraising results. Acknowledge the impact the day had on a current or future project and compare your results to a past campaign (if applicable). Make sure to mention your supporters and anyone else you feel should be acknowledged for making the success of the day possible. Use key pieces of information from the press release to announce results on your preferred social media channels and via email. 

Your donors will be excited to see the results of your campaign, and it will make them feel good knowing that they helped contribute to your success. Tie in your results with the tangible impact it will make on your work. Share that you raised over $5,000, for example, but also be sure to mention how many dog beds, hours of childcare, or the number of meals these funds will provide. Giving deeper meaning to your GivingTuesday stats will not only increase awareness but give your donors a sense of pride in helping you make these things happen. 

Following up with your donors also keeps the conversation with them going long beyond GivingTuesday. Since they have just made a financial contribution, give them a new call to action that will generate more engagement and commitment to your organization. For example, ask them to follow your social media accounts, volunteer, or attend a virtual tour. Donors will feel touched that you thought of them, and you will create your organization’s next super fans! 

5. Kick-Off Your Year-End Fundraising:

Use the momentum and what you learned from your GivingTuesday results as a segue into your year-end fundraising efforts. When thanking your supporters, remind them that the New Year is soon approaching and there’s still time to make those final donations to help your organization reach its goals for the year and for donors to use as charitable tax deductions! 

You’ll want to introduce your year-end fundraising efforts when thanking your supporters for their contributions following a donation or other act of giving. Let them know in your message that the success of your GivingTuesday campaign has contributed significantly to your annual fundraising goals to help with your mission. 

Provide your supporters with a campaign link that contains information about your year-end goals or a specific need you’re looking to fill with these end-of-the-year donations. Similar to your GivingTuesday campaign, make sure this one is also customized and branded according to your cause and includes a compelling story that inspires action. 

With GiveGab’s fundraising solutions, we give you all the tools you need to activate giving year-round. Learn more about how we can support your next campaign!