Giving Tuesday is an opportunity to energize your entire year-end fundraising strategy. With more than 35 million participants annually, it’s a global giving movement that challenges nonprofits to condense weeks of campaign planning, outreach, and stewardship into just one day. But with the right preparation and teamwork, you can make that one day count for months to come.
To help you condense the campaign planning process, let’s break it down into three simple phases:
1) planning and goal-setting,
2) writing and repurposing, and
3) executing and stewarding.
Phase 1: Planning and goal-setting
Every strong fundraising campaign starts with data and direction, and Giving Tuesday is no different. So, to start, gather the data that will drive your decision-making by reviewing your past GivingTuesday performance. Was there a specific appeal that resonated with your donors? Which donor segments were most likely to engage or donate? Are you hoping to raise more than you did last Giving Tuesday? The answers to these questions will help you set a baseline for this year’s Giving Tuesday goals.
From there, define a clear purpose for this year’s campaign. Giving Tuesday donors are often driven by urgent, goal-based messaging—it gives them a reason to take action on that specific day. For example, are you filling a funding gap, launching a new initiative, or rallying around a timely community need? Once your objective is set, develop a theme and story that communicates your immediate cause.
During this phase, it’s also essential to map out Giving Tuesday roles for your team—who will set your goals, manage your data, send your communications, and engage your community? This will make your responsibilities clear, and collaboration smooth.
Phase 2: Writing and repurposing
This is the phase where your Giving Tuesday cause comes to life. Start building your campaign content—from donation page copy to emails and social posts—around a consistent, emotionally-engaging story or theme. Since you will be competing for donors’ screen time during those 24 hours, remember to keep your messages short, heartfelt, and specific about impact: what each gift will accomplish and why it matters.
To ensure your cause cuts through the noise of Giving Tuesday, it’s a good idea to involve board members, alumni, or local partners in this phase, as they can share your campaign within their circles. To add excitement and visibility to your Giving Tuesday communications, consider a giving challenge or matching gift opportunity.
If you’re on a time crunch, remember that you don’t have to write every appeal, email, and thank-you letter from scratch:
Phase 3: Executing and stewarding
Once you’ve created all of your campaign materials, it’s time to determine your rollout plan. Many organizations take to social media on Giving Tuesday to take advantage of hashtags and sharing. Whether you’re scheduling your posts ahead of time or sending them out in real time, it’s important to maintain momentum with timely updates. DonorPerfect experts have found that giving usually peaks at 6:30 PM, 11:00 PM, and 11:59 PM, so scheduling communications around those times can help maximize participation.
After the big day, stewardship takes center stage. Start your stewardship plan by segmenting your Giving Tuesday donors by type—new, repeat, and major (donors who gave above a certain threshold)—and determine your workflow for sending each person a tailored thank-you message. Expressing gratitude promptly and personally builds stronger relationships and sets the tone for year-end appeals.
Planning a Giving Tuesday campaign doesn’t have to feel like running uphill. When you prepare thoughtfully and close the loop with heartfelt stewardship, the day becomes a powerful launchpad for deeper engagement and year-end success.
Download a free checklist to share with your team: Get The Giving Tuesday Cheat Sheet, created by DonorPerfect fundraising experts.
