GivingTuesdayNow: Rallying Donors and Volunteers in a Time of Global Crises

2020 has seen massive social upheaval across all industries and sectors, but it has also inspired people of all ages and professions to do what they can to support others. This summer we hosted a webinar on one of the early large-scale days of giving and support: GivingTuesdayNow. Kathleen Murphy, Director of Digital Strategy at GivingTuesday, joined us to share lessons learned from organizing and leading #GivingTuesdayNow.

#GivingTuesdayNow: A Response to a Moment of Extraordinary Need

COVID-19 inspired a global desire to help—here at Taproot we saw record numbers of experts signing up to donate their skills and time. The Giving Tuesday team saw the shifts taking place and knew there was an opportunity to turn that inspiration into action. They assembled a global group of partners and on-the-ground leaders to turn the spike in generosity into support—and GivingTuesdayNow was born. The impact of the day was outstanding, and included social activity in more than 145 countries, over 3 billion social impressions, and $503M+ in online donations!

GivingTuesdayNow Case Study: Project Hope Worldwide

Project Hope Worldwide needed to replace their gala—an event that normally raises the bulk of their total budget each year. By adapting their program they went from raising $2,500 on GivingTuesday 2018 to $50,000 on GivingTuesdayNow! Some of the lessons they shared from their fundraising success were:

• Make it simple with toolkits, coaching, and automate as much as possible. People are busy, so try to make participating simple. Project Hope Worldwide made a step-by-step walk through for how to create a campaign, provided templated emails and social media posts, and gave all volunteer fundraisers a Facebook group where they could cheer each other on.
• Use your network. Who are your most active, faithful, supportive people? Try reaching out to them personally. Current or former volunteers who have worked with you pro bono could be ideal network members to lean on for advocacy and support!
• Learn from those around you. Pay attention to what tactics you see others using. And don’t limit your research to just other fundraisers—look to grassroots activists and movement builders as well.

Together we can make a difference—even at a distance.

Research shows that donors want to participate in more than one way—and by participating in non-financial ways, they are likely to give more over time. Virtual volunteering is an ideal option, and Taproot Plus is a resource for building bold, innovative, fully-remote campaigns. Volunteers sign up because they want to be part of something bigger than themselves—to connect in a time when people are yearning for togetherness. Pro bono is both an excellent tool for planning a GivingTuesday fundraiser and a digital-friendly way to connect with the skilled volunteers who care most about your mission.

Ready to start planning your GivingTuesday campaign for 2020?

Use these tips to get organized, plan your pro bono projects, and launch a successful fundraising campaign:

• Plan with pro bono! Plan how volunteers skilled in email marketing, SEO, graphic design, PR, marketing strategy, social media, and more can fuel your campaign. Check out our previous post on launching a successful GivingTuesday campaign with the support of skilled volunteers.
• Balance leading and following. Provide leadership but be sure to let your volunteers and your community express themselves and make projects their own.
• Invite supporters to participate in multiple ways. Options let volunteers choose to give in the ways that are most meaningful to them (time, talent, leadership, networks, etc.).
• Embrace the urgency of the moment. Tie your engagement to the importance of this moment. Many skilled volunteers have been inspired by struggles they see in the world right now—share how your project will make a difference.
• You don’t need to design a brand-new project. Make your GivingTuesday campaign a part of your existing strategy or an opportunity to approach current work differently.
• Remember: Relevance + Creativity + Urgency = Fundraising Success. Participating organizations are most successful when they can craft a clear, do-able campaign that demonstrates each of these three qualities.

Planning some pro bono projects for your  GivingTuesday celebration? Get started now on Taproot Plus.