5 Tips For Engaging Major Donors Around Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday is becoming one of the biggest fundraising days of the year. This global day of giving takes place on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and started primarily online, driven by a hashtag. Despite its association with grassroots donors, Giving Tuesday presents a unique opportunity for nonprofits to engage with major donors as well. In this blog post, we'll cover a few strategies for effectively engaging your major donors when it comes to Giving Tuesday.

1. Segment Your Major Donor Pool

First things first, make sure that your major donors are not just receiving the same appeals as other donors and supporters. Segmenting your email list allows you to control which donors receive which messages and ensure that your VIPs don't feel unnoticed or receive lowball asks. By segmenting your major donor pool, you can tailor your messaging and approach to each donor's interests and giving history.

2. Don't Be Afraid To Reach Out

Just because you've removed major donors from your broader communication list, don't miss the opportunity to engage them! Whether you're asking them for a gift to anchor your Giving Tuesday campaign, or using the occasion as an opportunity to start talking about a year-end gift, you can use Giving Tuesday as an opportunity to have conversations about your programmatic goals, your fundraising goals, and the important role that your major donors play in your organization's success.

3. Ask For Matching Gifts

Matching funds can be a powerful tool for engaging donors around GivingTuesday, and asking a major donor to match a certain amount of smaller gifts provides an attractive gift option to them as well. Knowing that the impact of their gift is multiplied through incentivizing others to get involved can help major donors feel a sense of leadership and community, alongside the satisfaction they receive from funding your work.

4. Make A Non-Monetary Ask

As some of your organization's biggest supporters, most major donors see themselves as far more than checkbooks or ATMs. They give because they care deeply about your mission and they want to play a role in your work. By engaging major donors in a holistic way, asking them to volunteer, serve on a committee, introduce their network to your organization, or another non-monetary opportunity to support, you can build stronger relationships with them and increase their commitment to your organization.

5. Lay The Groundwork For Your Year-End Appeal

Giving Tuesday can be a great opportunity to start a conversation about your organization's goals for the year ahead. For many nonprofits December is the biggest fundraising month of the year, so use the enthusiasm and energy around Giving Tuesday to start getting your biggest donors excited about what is to come and start setting up for your December meetings.

Giving Tuesday is a great opportunity to engage donors of all sizes, including major donors. If you're looking for more resources for effectively engaging your major donors, check out our Donor Cultivation and Stewardship Plan Template!