#GivingTuesday Donations on the Rise

By Maya Bur

The day after Thanksgiving, the holidays hit full force. And it’s not just the radio stations blasting “Here Comes Santa Claus” every half hour—it’s the shopping frenzies of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Thankfully, (no pun intended) for the past four years we’ve had a day to shift the focus away from materialism and back to the true spirit of the holidays: Giving Tuesday.

On Giving Tuesday 2015, charities raised more than $116 million dollars in online donations. This year’s total is estimated at $168 million.

Achieve studied Giving Tuesday 2016 at eight organizations of various sizes, releasing the results
in a report titled “#GivingTuesday: Attracting Millennial Donors.” The study examines how organizations can garner Millennial support for Giving Tuesday 2017. It found that:

• Seven of eight organizations began their promotions in November, but one began marketing for Giving Tuesday in September; this organization had the greatest positive difference between its fundraising goal and the actual outcome.
• Of the variously sized organizations surveyed, 100 percent used both Facebook and their own websites to promote for Giving Tuesday, while 88 percent used Twitter and 55 percent used Instagram.
• Non-digital methods were significantly less utilized—just 33 percent promoted with calls
and letters, and 33 percent used traditional peer-to-peer fundraising.

Obviously, digital strategy is vital on Giving Tuesday. Facebook and your organization’s website are absolutely necessary, but other channels of communication, including non-digital, are important to reach all generations, and from all angles. Starting promotions early may also be a way to increase your organization’s success on Giving Tuesday—don’t wait until November to begin marketing.

Now that the year-end rush has subsided, take time to look back on your organization’s Giving Tuesday 2016 results. It’s never too early to reflect and take notes for #GivingTuesday2017.

Check out the full report at goo.gl/0G8Bpv to learn more.