GivingTuesday: How to Spark Generosity & Drive Donations
GivingTuesday isn’t just another day on the calendar—it’s a proven growth moment if you plan it with intention. In this session, CanadaHelps’ Nicole Danesi and GivingTuesday’s Victoria Leonhardt unpacked what’s working now, from clear, human-centred storytelling to right-sized goals, matches, and momentum beyond the day. They also shared fresh examples you can copy this season and answered rapid-fire audience questions on standing out, setting goals, and stewarding new supporters.
Nicole set the context with new CanadaHelps data: in 2023, GivingTuesday outperformed December 31 on the platform for the first time — $16.2M raised in 24 hours — while overall participation in the day has risen steadily among charities (28% in 2018 to ~42% in 2024). Put simply: good fundraising now includes GivingTuesday, full stop.
Top 10 Takeaways
Treat GivingTuesday as non-negotiable
If you ran a retail brand, you wouldn’t skip Black Friday; the same logic applies here. The day is crowded—so plan to stand out, not sit out.
Use the day to acquire and re-engage
Fewer people are giving overall, but those who give are giving more. Use GivingTuesday to welcome new donors and re-activate current ones with clear, relevant asks.
Participating orgs raise more—by a lot
Charities that engage in GivingTuesday raised 2.5× an average day; by 2024 the lift grew to 3.6×. Good fundraisers are using the day as a core tool.
Set one clear goal (and add stretch goals)
Your goal doesn’t have to be dollars—new monthly donors, email signups, or volunteers are all valid. Pick one, then add stretch goals to rally momentum.
Localize your message
Giving has become more localized. If you’re national, segment by region or program where possible so supporters see themselves in the work.
Offer more on-ramps than money
The largest share of people both give, volunteer, and donate items. Design multiple “ways in” so more folks can act.
Secure a match—any amount helps
Matches motivate, whether $500 pooled by your board or a day-of call from a long-time donor. Line this up early if you can.
Prime awareness early; ride the full week
In the U.S., giving lifts from the Friday before and stays above baseline until the Friday after; priming stories and reminders pays off.
Message like a human, not an institution
Frequent, specific updates (“We’re halfway to 400 donors; will you help us finish?”) make people feel part of a community. Don’t fear unsubscribes—optimize for engaged supporters.
Think season, not day
Tie GivingTuesday into your year-end plan, your volunteer journey, and your stewardship. Keep new supporters involved beyond giving money.
Watch the Full Recording
Real-world examples you can borrow
Partridge Creek Farm (Michigan) set a $5K goal to purchase its community-garden land, added stretch goals up to $10K, and pivoted when a day-of $5K match appeared—ultimately exceeding $10,850. They pre-captured sunny-season visuals and updated copy on the fly. Tip: show the tangible outcome at each tier.
Streaming Tuesday (Italy) mobilized gamers/influencers to choose a charity they personally cared about and fundraised live—authentic voices > institutional posts. Tip: recruit a few advocates to reach the many.
Lasagna Love (US/Canada/Australia) activated “volunteer chefs” with peer-to-peer pages, local supply drives, and playful personal matches (e.g., “I’ll match up to 20 cans of sauce”). Tip: equip volunteers to fundraise and gather items inside their own networks.
Common Ground (global) ran The Things We Carry—a storytelling-first campaign blending in-person gatherings and digital activations, raising ~$904K from Nov 18–Dec 31. Tip: make GivingTuesday the spark in a longer arc.
Audience Q&A highlights
“Isn’t GivingTuesday oversaturated?”
Nicole’s take: it’s busy—and still essential. Stand out with specificity (one program, one community, one clear goal), and communicate throughout the day so supporters feel part of a shared effort.
“What if our donors are mostly friends and family?”
Lean into direct, human outreach. A personal email from a staffer invited Nicole to join a small peer-to-peer fundraiser—she’s now done it two years running. Relationship > institution.
“How should first-timers set goals?”
Choose one goal (not always dollars): new donors, monthly signups, volunteer commitments, email subscribers, etc., and build your campaign around it.
“We’re national—how do we stay personal?”
Segment if you can. Giving skews local; tailor stories and CTAs by region/program so people see the nearby impact.
“Do pre-stories help or just add noise?”
They help. Awareness starts lifting the Friday before and stays above baseline through the following Friday. Seed short stories and previews in the lead-up.
“What about donors who can’t give right now?”
Invite other acts of generosity—time, items, voice—and keep them close. Older, wealthier donors are carrying more of the giving load; steward broadly, ask specifically.
“How many emails is too many on the day?”
Think morning goal → midday progress → evening finish line. Clear, communal updates drive participation; optimize for engaged supporters over list size.
“Are small matches worth the effort?”
Yes. Board-pooled or donor-sponsored, even $500 can kickstart momentum. Line up in advance if possible.
Impactful quotes
“Good fundraising includes GivingTuesday, full stop.” — Nicole Danesi
“Set a goal that’s realistic to your size—then add stretch goals to rally your community.” — Victoria Leonhardt
“These weren’t institutions saying ‘give to us’—they were everyday people saying ‘this work matters and here’s why.’” — Victoria Leonhardt
“Frequent, specific updates make me feel like I’m part of something bigger.” — Nicole Danesi
Your quick GivingTuesday checklist
Choose one primary goal and 1–2 stretch goals.
Prep specific, human stories and visuals (capture content ahead of time if seasonal).
Line up a match (board pool, donor, or corporate). Any amount helps.
Plan 3 emails on the day with clear progress updates; schedule social posts and a final-hour push.
Offer multiple on-ramps (donate, volunteer, give items, share a story).
Integrate the day into your year-end plan and post-day stewardship.
What’s next?
GivingTuesday works when it’s about people, not just a prompt. If you aim for one clear outcome, invite generosity in many forms, and communicate like a human, you’ll turn a crowded day into a community moment—and convert momentum into long-term support.
Big thanks to Nicole Danesi (CanadaHelps) and Victoria Leonhardt (GivingTuesday) for sharing their insights and examples.
