Guest post by Jenna Sauber, CauseVox.
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As December 2nd starts to creep closer on the calendar, you may be starting to feel the squeeze. You may be thinking, “We have so much to do and so little time!” or “There are three people on my nonprofit staff and we’re all really busy!”
We hear you, and we get it.
A 24-hour giving campaign may seem like a lot of extra work on top of what you’re already doing for holiday or seasonal fundraising, especially when you’re working with a small budget and small staff.
But we also know first-hand the power of the nonprofit community, and it’s easy to see that collaboration and partnership are at the very heart of the #GivingTuesday movement.
That being said, you may still be wondering where to get the extra help you need to pull together a successful #GivingTuesday fundraising campaign, with only a few weeks to go.
Here are three of our favorite hidden resources – and yes, we hope you’ll share the secret with others!
1. Your Community
It may seem obvious, but it’s true: your best asset is your nonprofit’s own community.
This means your email list, your social media followers, your direct mail list, your website visitors…the list goes on. These people are already waiting for more opportunities to support you, so they should be the first people you go to for help.
And as we know, people are always looking for ways other than donating to show love for their favorite causes.
Consider these requests of your community:
- Ask them to spread the word on social media and other places online. Offer guest blogging opportunities, appoint social ambassadors, and provide website banners and badges to show support. #GivingTuesday could also be a great day to let one of your super activists manage your Instagram account for the day, or to host a Twitter chat.
- Call for submissions of personal stories relevant to your #GivingTuesday campaign. Use them in the lead up to December 2, and on the big day to inspire people to give.
- Challenge them to fundraise on your behalf. Ask your biggest fundraisers to take things to the next level for this 24-hour giving campaign, and reward the first 10 to 20 to sign up. Make it worth their time and effort.
2. Your Peers
#GivingTuesday has made it easier than ever for organizations to partner and support each other on this global day of giving.
If we all give to each other first, we set an example for the world. Don’t hesitate to visit and review discussion boards, Facebook groups, blogs (like this one and others), Twitter hashtags, and more to find the latest conversations, tips, and resources on #GivingTuesday.
And more likely than not, your nonprofit friends and partners will be participating in the campaign as well, so find a time to share ideas and see if there is an opportunity to collaborate.
Definitely try these first:
- #GivingTuesday search on Twitter
- org: chock full of toolkits, videos, blog posts, and case studies
3. Your Organization
Why go back to the drawing board when you may be able to repurpose something that has worked in the past? We’re not suggesting you completely copy a previous fundraising campaign, but there’s no reason you can’t borrow bits and pieces and tailor them to work for #GivingTuesday.
Don’t forget to look into:
- Case studies and reports on your organization’s most successful marketing and fundraising campaigns. What worked that could be used again? What might be fun to bring back with a new twist?
- The experience and institutional knowledge of your staff and board. Solicit ideas and tips from team members and board who have been around longer than you. They may know something you don’t that could turn into a great campaign idea, or they could offer support you didn’t know you had.
- Existing materials and relationships. Don’t reinvent the wheel if you don’t have time. Repurpose toolkits or graphics, and ask consultants or vendors if they can pitch in with some extra work as part of an existing project or order.
Sometimes, finding resources doesn’t have to mean scrambling for more budget, setting aside other priorities, or hiring more staff.
Often, our best and most reliable resources are right under our nose – we just have to know where to look. What are some of your favorite resources that you’ll be using as you get ready for #GivingTuesday?
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Jenna Sauber is a crowdfunding and digital marketing expert at CauseVox, a peer-to-peer fundraising software for nonprofits. Check out what CauseVox is doing for #GivingTuesday.
