Haven’t Started Giving Tuesday + EOY Campaign Prep? It’s Go Time.
We’re in the second week of October, and if you haven’t started planning your Giving Tuesday and/or year-end fundraising push yet, now’s the moment to dive in. The good news? You still have time to pull together a thoughtful, effective campaign.
The bad news? If you wait until November, you’ll be stuck rushing, recycling old messaging, or missing the opportunity altogether.
Don’t Wait.
Giving Tuesday is just one day…that also kicks off the most generous stretch of the year.
Studies consistently show that:
30% of all annual giving happens in December.
12% of all giving occurs in the last three days of the year.
Your November lead-up and December launch communications need to work in sync. Developing a smart plan in October sets you up to capture attention early, tell a cohesive story, and stay top of mind when donors are most ready to give.
Lock In Your Theme + Messaging
Your campaign’s success hinges on a clear, compelling theme. This isn’t a tagline, it’s the emotional thread that connects every email, post, and appeal.
Ask yourself:
What impact stories best reflect your mission right now?
What emotion(s) do you want donors to feel? Hope, gratitude, urgency, belonging, etc?
How will your year-end message stand out in a crowded inbox?
Once you decide on a theme, draft a short messaging brief outlining your key message, call-to-action, and visual tone. You’ll use this to ground and align your power team (designer, writer, and social media manager) so everything looks and sounds consistent.
Build Your Asset List
A clear plan now keeps you from scrambling later. Here’s what to prioritize:
Core campaign materials
Donation or campaign landing page (with clear visuals + messaging)
Campaign header
Impact story and/or video
Testimonials that can be used across various channels
Branded email template and social graphics
Communications (This is a guide, not an end-all-be-all)
3-5 emails (save the date, launch, match announcement, final push, thank you)
4-6 social posts (mix of storytelling, urgency, and gratitude)
2-3 text messages
Website homepage banner and/or pop-up (use the latter sparingly)
Short video clips or Reels for social
Bonus materials (if time allows)
Donor or volunteer spotlight
Staff or board thank-you video
Printed postcard for loyal supporters
Create a shared calendar or project tracker. It can be a Google Sheet. It can be Asana. Use anything except the back of a napkin. Assign ownership and deadlines for each piece.
Create Your Campaign Timeline
Here’s what October-December should look like if you start today. Assign exact dates accordingly.
Mid-October: Finalize theme, messaging, goals, and creative direction
Late October-Early November: Design assets, write emails and social posts, build donation page
Mid-November: Schedule emails, test landing page, prep social calendar
Late November: Launch teaser posts + Giving Tuesday countdown
December: Execute campaign, share impact updates, thank donors
This schedule keeps you proactive, rather than writing appeals while eating leftover pecan pie and shopping Black Friday deals during Thanksgiving weekend.
Leverage the End-of-Year Momentum
Your Giving Tuesday campaign should be simple. No one has time for fancy messaging when there are emails coming in by the second. It also acts as a springboard for December.
Some tips:
Gather stories and photos from Giving Tuesday to repurpose later in December.
Reinforce your theme in every communication from December 1 through New Year’s Eve.
Manage your social media expectations. It’s great for awareness and frequency. Don’t expect significant gifts because of one Instagram post.
Use text messaging appropriately. You don’t want to be subject to ‘Delete and Report Junk.’
The biggest surge comes in those final days of the year. Donors are reflective, grateful, and often looking for meaningful ways to give back (and get that tax deduction) before December 31. Don’t miss that window because your team was still catching up on design files or approvals.
If You Skip Giving Tuesday, That’s Okay
Not every organization wants to run a Giving Tuesday campaign, and that’s okay! If you skip it, still plan to show up. Thank your donors, post a behind-the-scenes moment, or share impact stories without an ask. Then roll your full energy into your year-end appeal.
It’s October, and the clock is ticking. You don’t need perfection, you need a plan.
Start with your theme. Map your assets. Build your timeline. Remember that donors want to feel connected to your mission this time of year. When you plan ahead, you’ll tell a stronger story, raise more money, and finish the year proud of what you accomplished.
Because the last thing you want to say on November 30 is, “We should’ve started this weeks ago.”
