Mark your calendars—Tuesday, December 3rd is a date that’s been circled, highlighted, and flagged by fundraisers for months. For those deep in the trenches of planning your organization’s Giving Tuesday campaign, the promise of relief on December 4th might be the only thing keeping you going!
But while that post-campaign exhale will feel amazing, don’t hang up your fundraising hat just yet—because your work is far from over.
The Power of Giving Tuesday
What started in 2012 as a modest initiative by the 92nd Street Y in New York City to counteract the consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday has grown into a global movement. By 2013, CanadaHelps brought the campaign to Canada, and today, Giving Tuesday is celebrated in over 90 countries worldwide. It has become the single most powerful day for generating revenue for charitable organizations—a day when abundance is redefined as the willingness to give back.
Thanks to its social media-driven nature, Giving Tuesday does more than drive donations. It’s a megaphone that connects you with new audiences, building awareness and bringing fresh supporters into your orbit. This is where the real opportunity begins.
The Real Work Starts December 4th
Once the dust settles, the most critical phase begins: stewarding your new supporters. These individuals—some of whom may be engaging with your cause for the first time—are the seeds of future growth for your organization. So how do you nurture these new relationships?
Tips for Effective Post-Giving Tuesday Stewardship
- Identify and Tag New Donors
Ensure your CRM or donor management system captures these new supporters as a distinct group. Whether you use tags, filters, or lists, identifying first-time donors is key to crafting a personalized follow-up. - Send a Heartfelt Thank-You
Send a personalized thank-you message within 24–48 hours. This could be an email, handwritten note, or even a video message from your team. Be specific and reference their gift and its potential impact to show how their support matters. Above all else, show gratitude first this should be a communication based solely on thanking. - Invite Them to Be Part of Your Community
Invite engagement and suggest ways they can stay engaged, like attending events, volunteering, or signing up for newsletters. A great tip is to develop a welcome series of emails introducing your organization, its mission, and other opportunities for support. - Celebrate Success Together
Sharing Giving Tuesday results show donors the collective impact of everyone’s contributions with stats, stories, or a thank-you video. It doesn’t need to be fancy, but it does need to be timely and sincere!
Giving Tuesday isn’t just a fundraising juggernaut—it’s a powerful reminder of the incredible generosity that unites people worldwide. On this one special day, acts of kindness of every size ripple across the globe, bringing much-needed positivity and connection to a world that’s craving both more than ever. Now that’s a movement we can all rally behind!
