Giving Tuesday is a Launchpad, Not a One-Day Event

Giving Tuesday is a Launchpad, Not a One-Day Event

If you’re treating Giving Tuesday like a one-and-done campaign, you’re missing the point – and the potential.
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I want you to think of it differently. Think of Giving Tuesday as your momentum builder. The snowball at the top of the year-end giving hill. Not just a date on the calendar, but the kickoff to your most generous season of the year.

When you plan it right, Giving Tuesday becomes the moment your donors start paying attention again. The moment they re-engage, make that first gift, and feel the energy behind your mission. It gives you stories to tell in December, a list of donors to follow up with, and progress to build on.

This isn’t about chasing trends. This is about strategy.

And if you want it to work, you’ve got to start now.

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Give your donors a real reason to act.

My friend, Jake Strang said it best:

“As fundraisers, we need to ask ourselves what our donors are asking themselves: ‘Why today?’”

That question is everything. Your donors want to make a difference – not just by giving, but by giving on a day that matters.

Giving Tuesday answers that question. It creates urgency. It offers momentum. It taps into a global spirit of generosity and focuses it on your mission.

But only if you’ve done the work to meet them there. If the messaging isn’t clear, if the plan is rushed, if it’s just another email in the inbox… you’ll miss the moment.
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The magic is in the lead-up. And the lead-up starts now.

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Here’s what to focus on while you still have time:

1. Line up your challenge match now.

A matching gift is one of the strongest incentives you can offer on Giving Tuesday. But the kind of donors who fund matches – your board, your loyal givers, your major donors – need time.

Time to understand the impact.
Time to coordinate logistics.
Time to feel ownership of the campaign.

Don’t treat your match as a checkbox on a planning list. Build it as a strategic asset. Ask now, while there’s room to shape it well.

2. Invite your major donors into the campaign early.

Don’t just ask them for money. Give them a role.

They can:

• Make their own gift early to seed momentum
• Participate in challenge matches
• Help recruit other donors or ambassadors
• Share their own giving story on video or social

Major donors want to be part of something bigger. Giving Tuesday gives you a clear “why now” to help them say yes.

3. Pre-load your pledge list.

Here’s one I swear by: Take pledges before the day. Use events, meetings, or board gatherings to ask for early commitments.

Then, on Giving Tuesday, your team has a clear list to follow up with. These aren’t cold calls – they’re reminders. “Today’s the day.” That kind of focused effort drives real results.

4. Plan for analog tactics (they still work).

Want to send handwritten postcards? Want to use the phone effectively? Want to get a thank-you letter in the mail before year-end?

You need to start now.

Donors are inundated with email. But the mailbox? That’s a quieter space. A handwritten note cuts through. A real phone call builds connection. These tactics take time, and that’s exactly why they work.

5. Build your multi-channel plan early.

When you start now, you don’t have to rely on one message in one channel. You can actually coordinate email, social, print, phone, and even live events with intention.

That’s how you stand out.

You can code your appeals. Track what’s working. Share updates in real time. You have space to think like a strategist, not a last-minute firefighter.

6. Leave a little space for improv.

You’re not planning to control every detail. You’re planning to give yourself room to respond.

Maybe a donor offers a surprise match. Maybe a social post gains traction. Maybe the campaign falls just short at midnight, and you need to extend.
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When your plan isn’t packed too tight, you can adjust with ease – and sometimes those pivots are what make the day feel alive.

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Stop treating Giving Tuesday like a checkbox.

Treat it like what it really is: your launchpad.

The starting line for your most generous season.
The moment your donors start leaning back in.
The energy surge you’ll need to carry you through December.
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And the best part? You don’t need to overhaul your shop to make this happen. You just need to start early, plan with purpose, and stay connected to why it all matters in the first place.

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If you’re looking for a sign to start working on Giving Tuesday 2025… this is it.

Get your match lined up.
Draft that pledge form.
Sketch out your outreach plan.

Then get ready to make this the year your Giving Tuesday becomes more than a day – it becomes a difference-maker.
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Cheers,

P.S. Like this kind of insight?
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