A single giving day can change the trajectory of an organization. Minnesota’s own 2023 Give to the Max Day raised $34 million for more than 6,600 schools and organizations across the state (BWF is headquartered in Minnesota).
With GivingTuesday on the horizon, there’s no better time to ensure your giving day stands out and inspires maximum participation. We’re sharing our top strategies to strengthen donor relationships and inspire lasting support.
1. Rally Your Supporters Around Big Ideas
Your giving day campaign is an opportunity to showcase your organization’s mission and vision. Focus on a bold, inspiring goal that connects with your supporters and encourages them to make a difference. Whether it’s funding a new project or expanding current programs, rallying around a transformative idea makes your campaign memorable and impactful.
2. Broaden Your Community and Engage New Audiences
Your giving day is an ideal time to bring new people into the fold. Use targeted social media content, email marketing, and community outreach to increase your visibility. Reach new audiences who resonate with your mission, using this special day to increase brand awareness and donor engagement.
Pro Tip: Share your campaign across all channels. An omnichannel approach will help ensure that you reach the broadest possible audience.
3. Leverage Donor Data to Personalize Outreach
Tap into your donor database to segment your supporters based on their giving history, interests, and volunteer involvement. Personalize your outreach to speak directly to each donor’s journey with your organization, increasing engagement and the likelihood of participation.
Action Step: Start by creating donor segments (e.g., recurring donors) and crafting personalized messages for each. Then look to your data to identify other key constituent groups for whom you can develop more specific messaging.
4. Engage Volunteers as Giving Day Advocates
Your volunteers are some of your most passionate advocates. On your giving day, engage them as ambassadors to help spread the word and amplify your message through peer-to-peer fundraising. A team of enthusiastic supporters can boost awareness, reinforce a community-centered approach, and significantly expand your campaign’s reach. Here’s a great example.
5. Highlight the Impact of Donor Contributions
One of the best ways to motivate donors is by showing them the real-life impact of their gifts. Use success stories, photos, or videos to highlight the difference their contributions have made. Whether it’s providing educational resources, funding new medical equipment, or supporting community programs, showing donors how their contributions make a difference can be incredibly motivating and reinforces the value of giving day contributions.
Action Step: Create a blog or webpage of public accomplishments—updated and shared throughout the year—like the World Wildlife Fund. These success stories will provide a repository of donor and giving success stories that you can pull from during your giving day.
6. Foster an Internal Culture of Philanthropy
A successful giving day starts from within. Encourage your team to engage, share your campaign, and contribute. An engaged, mission-driven internal team often translates to more authentic, passionate messaging externally.
Pro Tip: Host giving day information sessions to generate excitement, brainstorm creative ways for individuals and teams to engage, and answer any questions about how to participate.
7. Celebrate Giving as a Larger Community Movement
Position your giving day as part of a larger philanthropic movement locally, nationally, or even globally. Giving days provide an accessible entry point for supporters who may not have previously considered donating. Encourage gifts of all sizes, focusing on the collective power of your community’s generosity, reinforcing that every contribution has value and adds up to significant impact.
Pro Tip: Use a visual breakdown or infographic to illustrate the full impact of your community’s support in a clear and easily shareable format.
8. Build Trust Through Transparency
Trust is a cornerstone of donor relationships. Transparency builds trust. Be upfront about your giving day goals, how donations will be used, and the expected impact. Clearly and consistently communicate with donors, sharing updates on the impact of donations to cultivate long-term donor trust and loyalty.
Pro Tip: Create an automated series of communications for all donors after your giving day that recognizes their support, cultivates the sense of community and connection that leads to long-term donor relationships, and transitions toward cultivating the next gift.
9. Experiment with New Messaging and Align Initiatives
Your giving day is a great time to test new messages and introduce upcoming projects or campaigns. Try using personalized video messages, interactive content, or previews of future initiatives to gauge donor interest and lay the groundwork for ongoing engagement.
Action Step: Run an A/B test on key messages with a small audience to see which resonates best. Test messaging for an upcoming capital campaign or different types of messages for key constituent groups to identify interests and motivations.
Final Thoughts
Giving days are more than a one-day event. They are a unique moment to forge deeper, lasting relationships and are a gateway to sustained community engagement and mission-driven support. Each of these strategies can help you strengthen your outreach, connect authentically, and create a foundation for sustained growth.
To supercharge your giving day, focus on intentional planning, creative strategies, and clear communication. By focusing on authentic connection and long-term goals, you’ll be able to transform your organization’s impact and inspire ongoing generosity.
