For those of you unfamiliar with #GivingTuesday, the movement was created with the idea that after all the thanks fall silent and all the Black Friday and Cyber Monday spending come to a close, we should have a day dedicated to giving back.
Henry Timms, the founder of #GivingTuesday and executive director of 92Y, stepped up to the podium to share some insights about the 4 M’s that are shaping this year’s #GivingTuesday movement for social good.
Here are four key points to focus on this year.
1) Mobile Giving Is On The Rise
Last year, 17% of all donations made on #GivingTuesday came from a mobile phone. Just a few years ago, we didn’t even have internet on our cell phones.
With mobile donations expected to soar even higher this upcoming year, your nonprofit can’t afford not to be ready for your supporters that will look to their phones to make a donation on #GivingTuesday.
2) Matching Grants Make All The Difference
65% of Fortune 500 Companies offer matching grants to nonprofit organizations. However, $6-$10 Billion dollars of these grants go unclaimed every year!
Your nonprofit can tap into this. When donors know that their donation will be matched, they feel empowered, and the average donation while an organization has a matching grant in place is 51% higher than the average donation without a grant, and that’s before they receive the grant money.
Download your #GivingTuesday planning guide
3) Measures Help Create Marketing Strategies
The story of today helps us see where it be tomorrow. With giving as a whole up 7.1% from last year, it’s essential we understand the facts and speculate why.
- Twitter was 3 times more successful than all other social media outlets combined to spread the message of #GivingTuesday.
- 63% of donors were women.
- For the past 40 years the GDP for Giving has been stagnant at 2.0%. Last year, it raised to 2.1%.
With these statistics in mind, they can help identify where you can pinpoint the focus of your next #GivingTuesday campaign as well as where there may be holes in marketing strategies.
But while we can only provide so much macro data, your own micro data can tell you much more about ways you can better interact with your potential donors.
This year, by tracking a few simple metrics you can help provide all the information you need to develop the optimal fundraising strategy for your next #GivingTuesday campaign. keep tabs of:
- The amount of donations that come in because of #GivingTuesday as compared to all other times of the year
- The gender of your donors
- The breakdown of how your donors were referred to your donation page (twitter, email, website, word of mouth etc.)
- Where your non-profit got the most attention on social media
Keeping track of just a few simple measures can tell you so much about who your audience is and give you even more ideas on how to engage them.
4) Meaning Is What Makes It All Worth It
#GivingTuesday isn’t about just giving money, it’s about doing good. Some additional ways to encourage your donor base to join in the spirit of giving is to ask them to give:
- Time- Encourage your supporters to volunteer for something in your organization in most need of attention. People want to use their time to make a difference, all you need to do is show them how they can help.
- Talent- Know a great musician? Or artist? Or filmmaker? Or basket weaver? Asking someone to use their talent to raise funds or participate in an event gives them an opportunity for them to do something they love for a great purpose. When passion and purpose align, it causes others to pay attention and they will be inspired to give.
- Treasure- Asking donors to give more than just a dollar amount, but rather asking them to meet a need, is a great way for them to feel connected to what your organization is doing.
#GivingTuesday is more than just a day of giving, it gives people the chance to show empathy towards those in need in a tangible way. It gives the people around the world the opportunity to connect with what makes us human and unite as a force for social good.
Raise More With Less Effort on #GivingTuesday
Don’t let clunky technology keep you from reaching your #GivingTuesday fundraising goals.
You can create a #GivingTuesday campaign that you and your donors will love, helping you raise more with less stress and frustration.
Plus, you’ll save tons of time on administrative tasks and data management, so you have more time to invest in your fundraising strategy.
