12 Giving Tuesday Templates: Email, Social Media, and Text

Giving Tuesday has grown by leaps and bounds since it first began in 2012 – both in awareness and participation. In 2023, over $3.1B was raised by 34 million donors on Giving Tuesday! Nonprofits of all shapes and sizes are using this international day of giving to spread the word about their mission, reach new donors, and push their fundraising efforts forward.

To be successful during these 24 hours of giving, one thing’s for sure – you need to be able to communicate to your donors wherever they are. And in this digital world, that is through email, social media, and text messaging.

To reach the right donors, you need the right messaging. We’re here to help! In this blog, you’ll find tips, tricks, and templates for how to create successful:

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Giving Tuesday Emails

Email remains a key pillar in any effective marketing strategy – including Giving Tuesday. Nonprofits can benefit greatly from it because it’s simple, inexpensive, and fast. Plus – let’s not forget the shareability that email has, making it easy for your supporters to spread the word about your mission to their friends, family, and colleagues.

The tricky part of Giving Tuesday is how crowded the fundraising arena is in those 24 hours. With so many worthy missions fragmenting your donors’ attention, it’s essential to stand out. Let’s go over the 5 key elements to a successful Giving Tuesday email and dive into some templates.

The 5 Elements of A Giving Tuesday Email

1. Acknowledge your donor relationship

To begin your Giving Tuesday email, first introduce yourself and acknowledge the relationship your organization has with the recipient. For example: “You have played a huge role in the success of our organization for years. We can’t thank you enough for supporting us as a frequent donor and volunteer.”

If you don’t have the capacity to personalize each letter, you can segment your donors based on how you’ve interacted with them in the past:

  • Current donor
  • Previous volunteer
  • Board member
  • Corporate partner
  • Local business partner

2. Begin storytelling

Next, begin storytelling! Be sure to include 3 key elements in your email:

  • Need: First, outline the need that your nonprofit addresses.
    • Explain who or what is in need of help.
    • Give real life examples of your organization’s needs.
  • Solution: Following the need is outlining the solution.
    • What result is your organization seeking?
    • What does it look like when that solution comes to life?
  • Hero: What’s everyone’s favorite part of any story? The hero. While your nonprofit is doing incredible work for your mission, it’s all made possible by the generosity of your donors. Make them the hero of your story – every time.

3. Provide a clear call-to-action

Now that you’ve established your reader as the hero of the story, it’s time to tell them how you’re calling them to help. Don’t assume they know what you’re looking for. Be as specific as possible in your request by including:

  • What your organization is asking for: donations, volunteers, etc.
  • Impact statements: $25 will provide meals for a family of 4 for a week, $50 will send one of our kids to summer camp, etc.

It’s easier to get these details out of the way in the beginning of the letter. Take some of the work off of the donor and give them specific examples when possible.

4. Explain the benefits

After clearly stating what you’re asking for from your donors, it’s time to introduce the “why.” Include the impact that your reader can make and how it will benefit them by outlining:

  • How the proceeds from the event will be used.
  • How they will be recognized for their contribution.
  • If the donation will be tax-deductible.

Including the “why” behind your request often distinguishes your request from others and builds a connection between your potential donor and your cause.

5. Thank your donors

Always, always, always thank your donors. It’s such an important element of an email and sometimes overlooked in the craziness of Giving Tuesday. Be sure to:

  • Thank them for their consideration, time, and investment in your mission.
  • Avoid the temptation to sign the email from your entire organization.
  • Make your email personal to deepen your donor relationship.

Giving Tuesday Email Templates

To spark some inspiration, here are a few templates that utilize the best practices outlined above.

Week before Giving Tuesday

Hello [name]!

Our team works hard to support and bring awareness to [organization’s cause]. I am so [grateful for the role you’ve played in pushing our mission forward/grateful for the opportunity to get you involved].

In the last year alone [statistic about the need that your organization addresses]. Ever since [year of founding], our team has been [hosting events, raising money] to help [specific positive impact of your organization].

What if we all came together to support [organization’s mission]? We can!

Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving on the first Tuesday on December – and [organization’s name] is participating. We’re humbly asking for your support. We have a goal of [raising $x]. Will you help us?

Your support is essential and very much appreciated.

CTA: GIVE NOW.

Day of Giving Tuesday

Today is the day! During the next 24 hours, people around the world will come together to participate in a global day of giving – Giving Tuesday.

At [organization’s name] we have a goal of [raising $x] in just 24 hours. Thanks to supporters like you, we believe it’s possible. Will you help us?

  • $25 donation can [impact statement].
  • $50 donation can [impact statement].
  • $100 donation can [impact statement].
  • $250 donation can [impact statement].
  • $500 donation can [impact statement].

CTA: SHOW YOUR SUPPORT

P.S. – Share your support on social media by letting your loved ones know today is the day to support [organization’s name] on #GivingTuesday!

During Giving Tuesday

Wow! Thanks to the generosity and enthusiasm of our donors, we have already raised [$X]. We need [$X] more to reach our goal – can you help us get there?

If you feel called to give, you can make a quick donation that will help us [impact statement]. Don’t miss out on the chance to be a part of something life changing!

Giving Tuesday only comes around once a year. Help us cross the finish line strong.

CTA: DONATE NOW

Giving Tuesday Email Best Practices

As you develop your Giving Tuesday email strategy, you may be wondering “When is the best time to send a Giving Tuesday email?” or “How often should I email my supporters?” The truth is, there’s no magic formula to email marketing. If there were, we’d be sure to tell you. But what we can provide are a few final best practices.

  • Segment your list based on donor type.
  • Perform A/B tests on subject lines and calls-to-action.
  • Ensure your email is easy to read and mobile optimized.
  • Do quality assurance for spelling, grammar, and links.
  • Include a clear call-to-action to give.
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Giving Tuesday Social Media Posts

There’s no denying the power of social media and the important role it plays during this global day of giving. In order to be successful, it’s important to strategize how your team will use your social media platforms before, during, and after Giving Tuesday.

In order to capture your audiences’ attention and ignite them to give, we’re here to provide you with ideas, best practices, and templates to help your profile shine on your supporters’ timelines this Giving Tuesday.

Giving Tuesday Social Media Best Practices

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn are powerful tools in your fundraising toolkit – especially on this upcoming global day of giving. Set yourself up for success by following these best practices.

Build Up the Anticipation

Have you ever heard of the Rule of 7? This marketing concept suggests people need to encounter your brand seven times before taking action. For Giving Tuesday, this means nonprofits need to have multiple positive interactions with their supporters before your campaign begins.

Consider building anticipation for Giving Tuesday with a series of countdown posts.

Get Creative with Your Ask

Think of Giving Tuesday as an opportunity to not just raise funds. It’s also a great way to deepen your donor relationships, spread awareness about your mission, and gain volunteers.

Make sure your donors know they have the ability to share, not just their money – but their time, skills, voice, and goods to your worthy mission.

Stand Out from the Crowd

To get more impressions and engagement on your social media posts, it’s important to get creative and experiment with new ideas. Otherwise, your content will get lost on your supporters’ timelines.

Think about inviting one a member of your organization or someone who has benefitted from your mission to do a social media takeover. Host a contest to get people aware of and involved in your mission. Or go live on Instagram or Facebook. The possibilities are endless!

Don’t be Afraid to Use Video

Video is a powerful tool for nonprofits. It involves leveraging a compelling narrative in a visual experience to put your donors at the heart of the story and make an emotional connection.

Yes, quality matters – it reflects your brand. But let’s be clear. The goal of a Giving Tuesday video IS NOT to go and produce a Hollywood video! It’s to produce a video that highlights your nonprofit’s mission with quality that is good enough that it isn’t distracting for viewers.

This way, your message will shine through on your social media platforms and your fundraising engagement will soar.

Share your Gratitude

Social media isn’t just a tool to ask for donations. On Giving Tuesday, it’s equally as important to use your platforms to share gratitude. Thank your donors individually and collectively throughout the day.

When you continue to engage with your supporter on social media, even after you’ve received the gift from them, you emphasize to them that they are an important part of your nonprofit’s community.

Giving Tuesday Social Media Templates

To help your organization thrive on social media this Giving Tuesday, we’ve put together these social media templates.

Before Giving Tuesday

You’ve heard about #BlackFriday and #CyberMonday, but what about #GivingTuesday? [Organization name] is participating in this international day of giving. We can’t wait to bring our community together to support [mission].

Stay up to date with all things Giving Tuesday and more by [following us/subscribing to our newsletter].

During Giving Tuesday

It’s here… #GivingTuesday! In the next 24 hours, we’re looking to [raise $X] to support [mission]. Help us start the day of strong by making a donation and clicking that share button!

Last year we were able to raise [$X] to provide [tangible impact of your Giving Tuesday donations] Can you help us crush that number this year? Donate now, spread the word, and follow along for more exciting updates as the day continues!

ONLY ONE HOUR LEFT! We’re so grateful to the [X people] who have donated today. While we’ve made serious progress, we’re not done yet! There’s still time for you to show your support and help push us to the finish line!

After Giving Tuesday

THANK YOU! We set a goal of [raising $X] this #GivingTuesday, and thanks to [X donors] we were able to raise [$X]! Because of your unwavering support, we will be able to [tangible impact of your Giving Tuesday donations].

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you! And a special shoutout to our top supporters today [@username, @username, & @username].

Giving Tuesday Text Messages

Especially in this virtual, socially distanced world we’re living in, reaching your donors through text messaging is essential to your Giving Tuesday strategy.

These short messages give your organization an opportunity to build excitement around Giving Tuesday, send updates about your fundraising progress, and show your appreciation to your donors.

Here are a few templates to get you started.

Before Giving Tuesday

Save the date… Giving Tuesday is coming on December 1st! You can make a difference during these 24 hours of giving by making a donation to [organization name]. Until then, check out our website or follow us on social media [links to both].

During Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday is here! We’re so thankful for the support of our donors just like you. In the next 24 hours, we’re looking to raise [$X]. Can you help us?

You can help push us over the finish line! With only 2 more hours to give, we are just [$X] away from our goal. Ready to show your support?

After Giving Tuesday

The results are in… we were able to raise [$X] in support of [mission topic] in just TWENTY-FOUR HOURS! From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your support. We couldn’t be more grateful!

Get Ready for Giving Tuesday with OneCause

This Giving Tuesday, when your donors are called to give, be sure you’re providing them with the giving experience they deserve. This means delivering high-quality, secure online giving portals for your campaign.

This is where OneCause’s Online Fundraising solution can help.

By making online giving sites easy to set up (we’re talking 15 minutes or less) and instantly mobile optimized, nonprofit teams have a chance to create compelling, engaging content about your nonprofit. Your team can get up and running on a new, completely customized fundraising site in no time. Each site includes many key features, including:

  • Thermometers, giving timelines, and social donor walls
  • Customizable donation levels and form questions
  • Compelling online donation forms
  • Social media integrations
  • Mobile optimized pages

Raise more for your cause this Giving Tuesday by offering stronger engagement with OneCause Online Fundraising software.

Wrapping Up!

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