Countdown to Giving Tuesday: Supercharge Your Fundraising Strategy ⏳

Corporate Giving Programs: Amplify Your Reach with Corporate Partners 💼 

Many companies run special initiatives around Giving Tuesday, offering nonprofits a chance to benefit directly from their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts. By partnering with these companies, nonprofits can raise visibility and donations during the busiest charitable season of the year.

📌 A Few Examples

United Airlines MileagePlus Donation Match 

United Airlines will match up to 5 million MileagePlus miles donated to featured charity partners for Giving Tuesday 2024. Nonprofits should apply well in advance, as the application process takes 2 to 4 weeks. This initiative allows nonprofits to leverage frequent flyer miles as donations, which United will match to increase their impact.

Starbucks Giving Match Program 

Starbucks partners (employees) can nominate nonprofits to receive support through the Starbucks Giving Match Program. Nonprofits must be nominated by a local Starbucks partner to receive matches for financial donations or volunteer hours. Starbucks matches financial contributions of $25 or more, and contributes $5 per volunteer hour logged by its partners. Nonprofits should connect with local Starbucks stores to build relationships and be considered for nomination.

Register on Major Giving Platforms for Increased Exposure 🌐

To fully capitalize on Giving Tuesday, nonprofits should register on major platforms where companies and donors look to contribute. These platforms help connect nonprofits with a broad audience, providing opportunities to benefit from corporate matching gift programs or individual donations during high-volume giving periods like Giving Tuesday.

📌 A Few Examples

Fidelity Charitable

Nonprofits can register with Fidelity Charitable to be eligible for donations from Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) holders. Fidelity promotes giving heavily during Giving Tuesday, making it a prime opportunity to tap into one of the largest pools of charitable assets.

Benevity 

Benevity’s corporate giving platform connects nonprofits with large companies like Google and Nike, enabling nonprofits to benefit from corporate matching gift programs. By registering on Benevity, nonprofits can access employee donation matching opportunities during Giving Tuesday.

GlobalGiving 

By registering on GlobalGiving, nonprofits gain access to a global network of donors. GlobalGiving actively promotes its nonprofit partners during Giving Tuesday with matching campaigns, helping them reach new supporters and increase their visibility.

Tools to Maximize Your Giving Tuesday Campaign 🚀

This Giving Tuesday, nonprofits need the right tools to boost engagement, track their success, and connect with their supporters effectively. Here are the top tools your organization should consider to enhance your campaign strategy and make the most of the big day.

Canva Pro – Create Engaging Visual Content

Giving Tuesday thrives on eye-catching visuals and compelling stories. Canva Pro allows nonprofits to easily design professional-quality graphics for social media, emails, and websites without needing advanced design skills. From campaign banners to donor thank-you cards, Canva Pro’s templates are specifically designed to help you create visually stunning content that resonates with your audience.

Pro Tip: Use Canva’s social media scheduling tool to ensure your Giving Tuesday posts are perfectly timed throughout the day. Nonprofits can access free Canva Pro licenses as part of Canva’s nonprofit program.

Learn more about Canva for Nonprofits

Hootsuite – Manage Social Media Campaigns Efficiently

Social media plays a critical role in spreading the word about your Giving Tuesday campaign. Hootsuite helps you schedule, manage, and track all your social media content in one place. With real-time analytics, you can see which posts are performing best and adjust your strategy throughout the day to maximize engagement.

Pro Tip: Use Hootsuite’s social listening tools to monitor conversations around your nonprofit and Giving Tuesday hashtags, and interact with potential supporters in real-time.

Learn more about Hootsuite

Bitly – Track and Shorten Campaign Links

If you're sharing your Giving Tuesday campaign across multiple platforms, keeping track of all those links can be overwhelming. Bitly allows you to create custom, branded short links that not only look professional but also provide detailed tracking insights. Know exactly where your donations are coming from—whether it's email, social media, or your website—and optimize your outreach efforts accordingly.

Pro Tip: Use Bitly to create custom URLs for specific social media platforms, so you can track which platform is driving the most donations.

Learn more about Bitly

Nonprofit News 📰

While many nonprofits prepare for Giving Tuesday, here are some of the latest developments in the nonprofit sector that should not be missed.

Study Finds Over One-Third of GoFundMe Appeals in the U.S. Are for Healthcare Costs

A study led by the American Cancer Society (ACS), published on October 16, 2024, found that 35.9% of all GoFundMe campaigns in the U.S. between 2021 and 2023 were related to medical financial hardships or Health-Related Social Needs (HRSNs). Researchers used Natural Language Processing (NLP) to analyze over 91,000 cancer-related fundraising stories. The findings emphasize the heavy reliance on crowdfunding for medical expenses, especially among cancer patients, raising concerns about the fragility of healthcare safety nets. ACS President Lisa Lacasse called for legislative actions to expand healthcare coverage and reduce medical debt.

Corporate Giving Sees Slight Increase, But DEI Programs Are in Decline

A report from Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose (CECP), released on October 17, 2024, shows that corporate giving increased by just 2% from 2021 to 2023, after adjusting for inflation. The report, titled "Giving in Numbers: 2024 Edition," surveyed 219 large corporations. Despite 87% of companies having formal corporate-purpose statements, more than half (53%) reduced their giving over the period. The report also highlighted a decline in support for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, which had seen increased attention in recent years.

Charles E. Lakin Foundation Commits $165 Million for Community Revitalization in Western Iowa

On October 16, 2024, the Charles E. Lakin Foundation announced a transformative $165 million grant to the Community Foundation for Western Iowa. The funds will go toward improving housing, childcare, education, and community development in the region. Additionally, the Barr Foundation awarded $34.5 million to 92 community organizations in Massachusetts, and the Duke Endowment committed $15 million to aid in disaster relief efforts following Hurricane Helene in the Carolinas.