What do Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and birthdays have in common? These are holidays where you give and receive presents. Holidays put people in a giving mood, and you should capitalize on that with your fundraising campaigns.
Building your fundraising campaigns around special occasions motivates people to give – it makes your campaign feel relevant and urgent. You can make up your own occasion – but going by calendar observances is a good place to start.
Also, be sure to check out our guide on how to maintain and develop your fundraising calendar.
Here’s a list of 25 holidays and observances that you can build your fundraising campaigns around:
- Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month – January
- Black History Month – February
- Valentine’s Day – February 14th
- Women’s History Month – March
- Read Across America Day – March 2nd
- National Sexual Assault Awareness Month – April
- National Volunteer Week – Last week of April
- Administrative Professionals Day – April 24th (Just kidding!)
- Mental Health Awareness Month – May
- National Day of Prayer – May 2nd
- Cinco de Mayo – May 5th
- National Nurses Day – May 6th
- Mother’s Day – Second Sunday in May
- National Child’s Day – First Monday in June
- Gay and Lesbian Pride Month – June
- Father’s Day – Third Sunday in June
- Senior Citizen’s Day – August 21st
- Women’s Equality Day – August 26th
- National Wilderness Month – September
- National Arts and Humanities Month – October
- Child Health Day – First Monday in October
- Military Family Month – November
- Thanksgiving Day – Fourth Thursday in November
- World AIDS Day – December 1st
- National Day of Persons with Disabilities – December 3rd
- Human Rights Day – December 10th
What holiday you use is going to depend a lot on what your mission is. But some observances – like National Volunteer Week – can fit just about anything you do.
Find an observance that works for you, and get to brainstorming. You could start an online giving campaign that culminates on that holiday. Or use it to kick off some brand new videos or messaging. Start early, and keep your messaging on theme.
Using a calendar event to tie your fundraising together gives a sense of urgency and relevance. So what are you waiting for? Start planning!
