With #GivingTuesday fast approaching, YMCAs, JCCs, and other nonprofits will be working to take advantage of the hype and reach out to their communities. Members are bombarded with messages about Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and many are tired of retailers constantly reinforcing the commercialization of the season and are ready to do a little something to give back.
#GivingTuesday this year will be on December 2nd, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. It is a day of giving founded up by the 92Y and the United Nations Foundation to offer people a way to fit holiday giving into the official start of the holiday shopping season.
According to fundraising consultant, Lauren Flannigan, “I think [#GivingTuesday] is a great opportunity to bring awareness to the Y’s charitable mission, especially at a time when many Ys are launching their annual campaigns.”Here are some resources that will help you take advantage of #GivingTuesday at your YMCA or JCC:A recent blog post from the Foundation Center offers some tips and helpful resources to help you get ready for not just #GivingTuesday but all your fundraising efforts for the end of the year.
Be sure to check out the #GivingTuesday website for lots of free resources. The #GvingTuesday site also reminds nonprofits to make the Wednesday following #GivingTuesday, #ThankYouWednesday and follow up with as many of those wonderful donations as possible.
Use social media to “harness the awesome fundraising potential of #GivingTuesday,” says Kerri Karvetski on the Nonprofit Marketing Guide site. Karvetski also advises nonprofits to move quickly to get the word out about your organization’s participation in #GivingTuesday.