This GivingTuesday planning guide contains 12 steps your nonprofit can take to set goals and develop a fundraising strategy for GivingTuesday. If you haven’t already, register now for #GivingTuesday on Mightycause to access fee-free fundraising for your nonprofit, along with free webinars and fundraising resources. Once you’ve registered, you can shift your focus to start #GivingTuesday planning for the big day on December 1st, 2026.
We’ve developed this handy #GivingTuesday planning guide to help you get started!
Giving Tuesday Planning: 12 Steps to Success
1. Build your GivingTuesday team
Select a staff member or volunteer as a point person , someone who has strong leadership and organizational skills and can commit to the entire campaign timeline and process. This person doesn’t have to do all of the Giving Tuesday planning themselves, but will be organizing your staff and volunteers to make sure everything gets done, so choose someone who understands what steps need to be taken to get the job done at every level. You’ll want to make sure this person is comfortable delegating work and multitasking. A Development Coordinator or volunteer with fundraising experience would be great picks for this role!
2: Determine your fundraising priorities
Before you start setting fundraising goals or creating campaign materials, take a step back and define what success looks like for your organization.
While many nonprofits focus solely on how much they want to raise, GivingTuesday can also help you strengthen donor relationships, attract new supporters, and build momentum for year-end fundraising. Start by reviewing your fundraising data from the past year. Look for trends, identify your biggest opportunities, and think about where your organization can grow.
Ask yourself:
- Did we retain donors from last year’s GivingTuesday campaign?
- Are we trying to acquire new donors?
- Do we want to grow our recurring giving program?
- Are there corporate partners or major donors we should engage?
- What feedback have we received from donors, volunteers, or staff?
By identifying your priorities first, you’ll create a GivingTuesday campaign that’s aligned with your organization’s broader fundraising goals – not just a one-day event.
3. Decide on a GivingTuesday goal
How much are you looking to raise for your GivingTuesday fundraising campaign? Make sure your financial goal is achievable – if you have an amazingly successful day, you can always set a stretch goal to keep donations coming in, but you want to set yourself up for success. Consider the size of your existing base of donors when setting your goal.
4. Choose a clear campaign focus
One of the biggest mistakes nonprofits make is trying to raise money for everything. Instead, build your GivingTuesday campaign around one clear, compelling focus.
Your campaign should answer one simple question:
“What are we asking donors to make possible?”
Rather than asking supporters to “help our organization,” connect their gift to a specific outcome.
For example:
- Expand your food pantry.
- Fund 500 meals for local families.
- Provide scholarships for youth programs.
- Rescue and care for shelter animals.
- Restore a community park.
- Support one month of emergency services.
A focused campaign makes it easier to tell a compelling story, create consistent messaging, and help donors understand the impact of their gift. Once you’ve chosen your focus, carry it throughout every part of your campaign, from your donation page and fundraising emails to your social media posts and thank-you messages.
5. Craft a GivingTuesday message that inspires action
Your campaign messaging should be centered around motivating your supporters to give. The strongest GivingTuesday campaigns combine four essential elements:
Relevance
Why does your work matter right now? Help donors understand why this moment is important.
Authenticity
Share real stories from the people, animals, or communities you serve. Authentic stories create emotional connections and build trust.
Urgency
GivingTuesday is only one day. Explain why donors should act now instead of waiting.
Impact
Show donors exactly what their gift will accomplish.
Instead of saying: “Please support our organization.”
Try: “A gift of $50 today provides a family with groceries for an entire week.”
Whenever possible, make your donor the hero of the story. Focus on what their generosity makes possible rather than your organization’s needs.
6. Prepare your campaign assets
Creating content at the last minute leads to rushed messaging and unnecessary stress. Preparing your campaign emails, social posts, videos, and photos ahead of time allows your team to stay focused on engaging donors once GivingTuesday arrives.
Before your campaign launches, gather everything you’ll need to promote your fundraiser, including:
- Impact stories and testimonials
- Photos and videos that capture your work
- Organization statistics and key facts
- Social media graphics
- Email banners
- Campaign logos or branded graphics
- Donor thank-you graphics
Creating these assets in advance also helps maintain a consistent look and message across your website, emails, and social media channels.
7. Build your communications plan
Even the best GivingTuesday campaign won’t succeed if supporters never hear about it.) A communications plan helps you reach donors multiple times with consistent messaging before, during, and after GivingTuesday. Identify the channels you’ll use and start working on a strategy to engage your donors leading up to and on Giving Tuesday.
Consider creating content for:
- Email marketing
- Social media
- Your website homepage
- Blog posts
- SMS or text messaging
- Board member outreach
- Volunteer communications
- Corporate partners
See Creating an Effective Communications Plan for Your Nonprofit for tips that will help you make sure your key messages come across on all channels! Rather than sending one fundraising email, plan a series of communications that build excitement throughout your campaign.
A simple schedule might look like this:
| Timing | Message |
|---|---|
| Two weeks before | Save the date |
| One week before | Share your campaign story |
| Day before | Reminder to give tomorrow |
| GivingTuesday morning | Campaign launches |
| Midday | Progress update |
| Final hours | Last chance to give |
| Following day | Thank supporters and share results |
Consistency builds familiarity, and multiple touch-points help ensure your campaign stays top of mind.
8. Recruit fundraisers and campaign ambassadors
You don’t have to run your GivingTuesday campaign alone. Recruiting supporters to help spread the word can dramatically expand your reach and introduce your organization to new donors.
Consider inviting your:
- Board members
- Volunteers
- Staff
- Loyal donors
- Community partners
- Corporate supporters
These advocates can share your campaign with friends and family, post about your mission on social media, or even create their own fundraising pages through a peer-to-peer campaign. Peer-to-peer fundraising is especially effective because people are more likely to give when they’re asked by someone they know. It also helps small nonprofits reach entirely new audiences without increasing their marketing budget.
Want to learn more? Read our guide, Everything You Should Know About Peer-to-Peer Fundraising, and learn how to launch a successful peer-to-peer fundraising campaign.
9. Get your board involved
Your board can be one of your greatest fundraising assets on GivingTuesday, but only if you give them a clear role. Rather than simply asking board members to donate, invite them to actively participate in your campaign. They can help expand your reach, inspire new donors, and build momentum throughout the day.
Here are a few ways to engage your board:
- Create a Board GivingTuesday fundraising team.
- Ask each board member to make a personal fundraising ask to friends and family.
- Turn fundraising into a friendly competition with prizes for the most donors or dollars raised.
- Encourage board members to share your campaign on social media and email their networks.
- Ask a board member to provide or help secure a matching gift.
Providing board members with ready-to-use email templates, social media posts, and talking points makes it much easier for them to participate and increases the likelihood they’ll actually do it.
A matching gift is one of the most effective ways to motivate donors to give on GivingTuesday. When supporters know their donation will be matched, they’re more likely to give and often give more generously.
Start by identifying individuals or organizations that may be willing to sponsor your campaign, such as:
- Major donors
- Board members
- Local businesses
- Corporate sponsors
- Foundations
Once you’ve secured a match, make it a central part of your campaign messaging. Mention it in your emails, social media posts, and donation page to create urgency and encourage supporters to maximize their impact while the match is available.
Looking for sponsors? Our guide, Securing Corporate Partnerships for Your Nonprofit, shares practical tips for building relationships with local businesses and corporate partners.
Want to dive deeper? Download our free GivingTuesday Matching Grants Guide to learn how to secure, promote, and maximize matching gifts for your campaign.
11. Prepare for GivingTuesday
GivingTuesday can move quickly, so having a plan for the day itself helps your team stay organized and responsive. Before launch day, assign responsibilities so everyone knows their role.
Your GivingTuesday plan should include:
- Who will monitor donations?
- Who will respond to comments and messages on social media?
- Who will post campaign updates throughout the day?
- When will fundraising emails be sent?
- How will you celebrate fundraising milestones?
- Who will thank donors in real time?
Don’t forget to test your donation page before the campaign begins. Make sure all donation links work properly, your page displays correctly on mobile devices, and any matching gifts or fundraising goals are clearly communicated.
12. Steward your donors after GivingTuesday
Your GivingTuesday campaign doesn’t end when the donations stop coming in. Following up with donors is one of the most important steps in building long-term relationships and encouraging future giving.
Start by thanking donors as quickly as possible, ideally within 24 to 48 hours. Then continue the conversation by sharing the results of your campaign and demonstrating the impact their generosity made possible.
A simple follow-up plan might include:
- An immediate thank-you email
- A campaign recap with fundraising results
- Photos or stories showing donor impact
- A personalized thank-you for major donors and fundraisers
- An invitation to stay involved through volunteering, recurring giving, or your year-end campaign
One of the biggest benefits of a huge giving event like Giving Tuesday is that you’ll have the opportunity to pick up new donors and spread your message to new audiences. Develop a strategy for ensuring that the new donors you pick up on Giving Tuesday stay engaged in your nonprofit’s work and come back to donate to your organization again! Thoughtful stewardship helps turn one-time donors into long-term supporters.
Frequently Asked Questions About GivingTuesday Planning
When should nonprofits start planning for GivingTuesday?
The best time to begin planning your GivingTuesday campaign is 3 – 4 months before GivingTuesday. Starting early gives your team time to set fundraising goals, recruit supporters, create marketing materials, and secure matching gifts.
What makes a successful GivingTuesday campaign?
Successful GivingTuesday campaigns have:
- A clear fundraising goal
- A compelling story
- An optimized donation page
- Multiple email appeals
- Fast donor thank-yous
How much should a small nonprofit try to raise?
Rather than comparing yourself to larger organizations, set a goal based on your donor base and previous fundraising performance. A realistic, achievable goal builds momentum and keeps supporters engaged.
Do we need a matching gift?
No, but matching gifts can significantly increase donor participation by creating urgency and encouraging larger donations.
Can a nonprofit participate without a large budget?
Absolutely! Many successful GivingTuesday campaigns rely on authentic storytelling, email marketing, social media, peer-to-peer fundraising, and volunteer ambassadors.
Want more tips for #GivingTuesday planning? Be sure to register for GivingTuesday on Mightycause to access fee-free fundraising for your nonprofit and other helpful resources.