3 tasks to prioritize before GivingTuesday

When it comes to planning your strategy for GivingTuesday, it may be hard to decide which tasks to prioritize. In this article we suggest 3 simple things you can do to prepare for this year’s GivingTuesday, in advance of the biggest giving day of the year.

GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: A day that encourages people to do good on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving. Many organizations leverage GivingTuesday to raise additional funds online. Whether GivingTuesday figures prominently in your fundraising plan this year or you’re choosing to take a lightweight approach instead, it’s important to finalize your plans and test your key operations at least two weeks before GivingTuesday.

Here are 3 tasks to prioritize before GivingTuesday:

Task 1: Finalize your donation form

For best results, your online payment form should be simple and easy for donors to complete. Resist the temptation to collect too much information. If you’re a Little Green Light customer, you can use our GivingTuesday template.

Task 2: Test your donation form

Confirm your form is working as you intend by testing it ahead of time. In Little Green Light, you can test your form without actually making a gift. We recommend testing your form at least a couple of weeks before GivingTuesday, so you have time to make any necessary changes (and then test it again!). This suggested timeframe accommodates the Thanksgiving holiday and will give you time to make sure you’re prepared for GivingTuesday.

Task 3: Draft your acknowledgment

Prepare an acknowledgment template in advance so you’re ready to say thank you as soon as gifts are made. Your donors will appreciate the promptness of your communication. Plus, you’ll save yourself the stress of having to create a thank-you letter under a time crunch.

Conclusion

Regardless of your strategy for GivingTuesday, preparing in advance will serve you and your donors well. If you’re looking for more resources, check out GivingTuesday’s Toolkit for Nonprofits, our free guide on how to retain donors after a giving day, and this blog post on how to use LGL’s pre-built GivingTuesday donation form.