5 ways to say thanks on #GivingTuesday

#GivingTuesday is designed to encourage online gifts on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, but there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to this annual online giving event.

Everyone can determine how best to incorporate #GivingTuesday into their existing year-end appeal efforts. You can even augment your fundraising efforts and strengthen relationships by using #GivingTuesday to thank your supporters.

Here are 5 ways to harness the power of #GivingTuesday and celebrate the people who support your mission:

Make your communications donor-centric

Share donor spotlights on social media and make sure your communications are donor-centric. The day is about celebrating what your donors make possible, so connect your donors directly to their impact!

Recognize your development committee

Use #GivingTuesday to appreciate and energize your development committee. Send handwritten thank-you notes or host a thank-you breakfast for these important supporters.

Create a donor video

Create a brief thank-you video to share on social media and send directly to your donors by email. You don’t need a professional videographer to make this happen; you can use a free tool like Animoto to mix photos into an appealing video.

Reach out to event sponsors

Follow up with your event sponsors from the past year. Send them a holiday greeting with an update on what their funds helped accomplish. Share an inspirational story with a photo conveying the impact.

Thank your volunteers

Recruit colleagues and board members to help you make calls to volunteers to express gratitude for their service. For your most active and dedicated volunteers, put together a photo book for them with photos and stories that demonstrate the impact of their time and efforts.

Check out givingtuesday.org for more resources and ideas to help you plan for #GivingTuesday. It’s the perfect opportunity to give thanks to all the important people who believe in your mission and support it with their time, effort, and donations.