Fundraising

How to Maximize Matching Donations for GivingTuesday

Matching gifts have become a staple of modern fundraising. Learn how you can maximize your gifts by integrating matching gifts into your GivingTuesday and Giving day campaigns

Sharada Koti

Published: 

November 25, 2025

Discover AI Summary

• Get your data in shape early: Start by cleaning up your CRM to easily identify donors whose employers offer matching gifts, making your outreach much more targeted for GivingTuesday. This proactive step can dramatically boost your fundraising campaigns.



• Make matching simple for donors: Create one clear, easy-to-find spot on your campaign page that explains how matching gifts work, provides search tools, and outlines the simple steps to complete a match. This removes friction and improves donor participation.



• Tell a powerful story: Focus on one compelling narrative that shows donors the real-world impact of their generosity, helping them deeply understand how their matched gift truly amplifies positive change. This personal connection drives alumni engagement and giving.



• Empower your community: Engage your board, alumni ambassadors, and volunteers to share the message; their personal connections and credibility can significantly widen your reach and encourage more matched gifts. This strategy builds stronger alumni engagement.



• Don't leave money on the table: Automate follow-up reminders to donors after their gift, gently prompting them to complete their employer's matching gift forms, as billions go unclaimed each year due to simple oversight. This is a practical way to maximize your fundraising totals.



• Streamline with smart tools: Consider using platforms that integrate with your CRM, like Almabase, to automate identifying match-eligible donors and sending personalized reminders, making the whole process more efficient for your team and better utilizing your CRM data.

Donor behavior shifts throughout the year, but the weeks leading into the holidays always bring a noticeable rise in generosity. It’s also the moment when many institutions start thinking about how Giving Tuesday matching donations can amplify that momentum and help reconnect with supporters who are ready to make a meaningful year-end contribution and gently encourage renewed engagement to turn one-time donors into long-term supporters.

This is also when the value of a matching donation becomes clearer to donors. GivingTuesday gives you a natural opening to talk about GivingTuesday matching funds, show how they work, and offer easy ways for supporters to submit a GivingTuesday donation match. With some early planning, budget reviews, message alignment, and timing, you can plan your GivingTuesday finances wisely and make the process feel organized rather than rushed.

Today, we’ll explore how to maximise matching donations by setting up a workflow that’s simple for both your team and your donors. You’ll learn how to surface matching opportunities earlier, communicate them more clearly, and remove small barriers that often stop donors from completing a match. With the right steps in place, you can double alumni impact and ensure that every match-eligible gift has a better chance of being completed on GivingTuesday.

When is Giving Tuesday 2025?

GivingTuesday typically falls on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, marking the start of the year-end giving rush. This year, it falls on December 2, 2025. Over the years, participation has continued to grow globally, with more institutions using the day to highlight community impact, broaden donor engagement, and strengthen year-end fundraising efforts. 

What Are Matching Donations (and Why They Matter)

Corporate matching donations are programs where an employer matches the charitable gifts their employees make. The mechanics are simple-  an employee donates, and the company contributes a second gift. In most cases, companies offer a 1:1 match, but many go further with 2:1 or even 3:1 programs, volunteer hour matches, or special giving-day matches for causes their workforce cares about. But despite how simple the process can be, it’s still one of the most overlooked opportunities in fundraising. Each year, an estimated $4–7 billion in matching gift funds goes unclaimed because many donors either don’t know they’re eligible or never complete the match request.

Educational institutions are especially well-positioned to benefit from these programs. Alumni networks span a wide range of industries, including many companies with strong matching-gift policies. Colleges and universities also tend to have clearer communication channels like email, advancement portals, reunions, and GivingTuesday campaigns, where they can regularly surface reminders about matching. Because alumni already feel a connection to their institution, they’re more likely to take the extra step of submitting a match when the process is explained clearly. All of this makes matching gifts a natural fit for education-based fundraising.

How to Maximize Matching Gifts on GivingTuesday ( Step-by-Step)

Here’s a step-by-step guide based on what we’ve seen work consistently well for institutions of all sizes- 

1. Start by laying out a clear blueprint for this year’s campaign

Before anything else, map out how you want this year’s GivingTuesday matching-gift plan to run. Outline your core messages, identify which donor groups you’ll focus on, plan your pre-launch timeline, and decide where matching gifts will appear across your channels. A simple shared document helps everyone stay aligned and reduces last-minute stress.

2. Get your data in order and match-eligible donors early

A strong GivingTuesday plan always begins with clean, usable data. Update employer information, fix old records, and tag donors who have submitted matches in the past. Using a CRM like Raiser’s Edge NXT or an integrated platform like Almabase makes this much easier. These tools help you automate employment updates, segment donors based on match-friendly employers, and quickly build lists of supporters who are most likely to complete a match. When you’ve identified these groups in advance, your outreach becomes more focused and more effective.

3. Focus on compelling storytelling

In every successful GivingTuesday campaign I’ve worked on, the turning point has been a strong story. Donors respond when they can see a real person, a real moment, or a real outcome tied to their gift. Instead of trying to communicate multiple impact areas at once, choose one powerful story to carry the message.

This could be a student whose scholarship eased a financial burden, a family supported through an emergency fund, or a program that grew because donors stepped in at the right time. Keep the format simple: a short video filmed on a phone, a quote that feels honest, or a before-and-after snapshot that shows progress.

The goal is to help donors understand why their matched gift matters. When they can clearly imagine the difference their support makes and how matching gifts amplify that impact, they feel more connected to the cause and are more likely to take the extra step to complete a match request.

4. Set a clear, attainable goal 

A well-defined goal gives your GivingTuesday plan structure and helps donors understand what they’re contributing to. Instead of announcing a broad target like “Help us raise more this year,” break it down into something achievable and measurable: a certain number of matched gifts, unlocking a board-sponsored match pool, or reaching a milestone within a specific time window.

You can also design smaller “momentum goals” throughout the day, such as unlocking a departmental match during a two-hour window or hitting 50 matched gifts before noon. These micro-milestones work incredibly well because they keep the energy steady instead of saving all excitement for the final hour.

As the day progresses, share updates through email, social media, and your campaign page. Even simple posts like “30 more matched gifts will unlock the next $5,000 in matching funds” help supporters feel like they’re part of something active and time-sensitive.

5. Create one reliable spot that explains matching gifts and encourages participation

Donors are more likely to act when information is easy to find and easy to understand. A dedicated matching-gift section on your GivingTuesday page removes friction and keeps instructions consistent across channels.

This section should include:

  • a searchable employer tool or a list of major employers known to match
  • 2–3 simple steps to submit a match request
  • a short video or visual explaining how matching works
  • FAQs addressing common concerns (processing times, deadlines, documentation)
  • a brief reminder about why matching matters to your institution

You can also highlight examples from previous years, like “120 donors submitted match requests last year,” or “Top matching companies from our alumni community.”

When this page becomes the single source of truth, your team doesn’t have to answer the same questions repeatedly, and donors feel more confident engaging with the process.

6. Involve your board, ambassadors, and volunteers to widen your reach

From experience, some of the most successful campaigns come from institutions that treat their board, ambassadors, and volunteers as active partners instead of passive supporters.

Here’s how they can meaningfully support your matching-gift efforts:

  • Board members can help by lending their voice and networks. A short message from a board member adds credibility and reaches audiences your regular communication may not. 
  • Alumni ambassadors can share personal social media posts explaining why they give and encourage coworkers, especially those at match-active companies, to get involved.
  • Volunteers can help with behind-the-scenes tasks like responding to comments, directing donors to your matching-gift page, or posting reminders in campus groups.
  • Student groups can record quick videos or host a short livestream talking about the impact of GivingTuesday, making the campaign feel more community-driven.

Personal voices create credibility that institutional messaging alone can’t match. When donors see familiar names cheering on the campaign, engagement rises naturally, and match questions get answered faster because the information circulates more widely. 

7. Use social media intentionally to keep the campaign active

Social works best when updates feel real and in-the-moment. Institutions that maintain steady visibility tend to see higher engagement and more match participation. A few simple tactics go a long way:

  • Go live for quick updates
    A short livestream of two to five minutes is enough. Show progress, introduce a student ambassador, or give a behind-the-scenes look at your campaign hub. These moments make the day feel real, not scheduled.
  • Use Facebook and Instagram stories to build momentum
    Stories are great for hourly check-ins, quick shoutouts, and reminders to check employer match eligibility. Post short updates like “25 matched gifts unlocked this hour” or “We’re halfway to our goal.” Visuals help donors understand where you stand without reading long captions.
  • Use LinkedIn for employer-focused messaging
    Highlight companies that are known for matching gifts, tag alumni who work there, or share a short post about how matching programs multiply impact. LinkedIn audiences expect professional, workplace-related content, so this fits naturally.
  • Post short student or staff videos
    A 20–30 second clip of a student saying why GivingTuesday matters to them feels personal and encourages donors to participate in a match. It doesn’t need to be overly produced; sincerity is more effective.
  • Respond to comments and questions quickly
    When donors ask about match eligibility or where to give, a fast response helps remove hesitation. Real-time support on Facebook or Instagram can move someone from “I’ll do it later” to giving immediately.
  • Spotlight supporters throughout the day
    Celebrate when a donor submits a match or when an employer has multiple matched gifts. These acknowledgements help others feel encouraged to act.

These light-touch moments help donors feel connected and remind them to check their match eligibility throughout the day.

8. Make giving simple and quick

A smooth donation experience makes a big difference. Make sure your donation page is mobile-friendly, quick to load, and simple to complete. Add a small reminder like “See if your employer matches your gift” and, if possible, include a searchable employer field right on the page. When giving feels easy, match participation naturally increases.

9. Automate follow-ups to help donors complete their matching gift

A well-timed follow-up is one of the easiest ways to increase completed match requests, and automation makes this effortless. After someone gives, set up an automatic email that reminds them to check their employer’s matching-gift program and submit the required form. When platforms like Almabase sync donor and employment data from NXT, these reminders can be personalized so donors only receive the guidance that’s relevant to them.

This small automation helps capture match dollars that often get forgotten, and it saves your team the time they would otherwise spend sending reminders manually.

10. Acknowledge your donors 

A prompt, sincere thank-you helps donors feel seen. Whether it’s a short email, a quick video, or a note from a student, appreciation that feels personal goes a long way. Keep communication clear and transparent so donors know how their gifts are being stewarded.  Recognizing the impact of their gift and the potential match sets a positive tone for future engagement. When people feel valued and see the outcomes of their generosity, they stay engaged, trust your institution more deeply, and are far more likely to give again.

Tools to Simplify Matching Gift Management

If you’re looking to simplify how your team tracks and manages matching gifts, the right tools make a noticeable difference. Integrations with platforms you already use can automate much of the work that would otherwise take hours.

When you connect Blackbaud with Almabase, donor identification and segmentation become much easier. Almabase can pull donor data directly from Blackbaud NXT, keep it up to date, and automatically group donors based on factors such as employment information, past giving, or potential match eligibility.

This means your team isn’t digging through spreadsheets or sending generic reminders. You can reach the right donors with clear, timely communication while letting the systems handle the heavy lifting in the background. A small investment in the right software often results in more completed matches and a much smoother experience for both staff and supporters.

Tying it together

A strong matching-gift strategy can make your GivingTuesday campaign more organized, more predictable, and easier for your team to manage. Institutions that plan well usually begin by getting their data in order, identifying where matches are most likely to come from, and making the steps clear for donors from the start. Keeping matching gifts visible throughout the campaign also helps maintain momentum and reduces confusion later.

What often gets overlooked is how much these campaigns teach you. GivingTuesday reveals patterns, who engages early, who responds to match prompts, where communication feels strong, and where your team might need better tools. Treating the campaign as a learning moment helps you shape a smarter, more donor-friendly approach for the future.

If you’re looking to make matching gifts easier to manage, give us a shout or book a demo with us and  our team can help you figure out the best way to use Almabase for your goals.

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Sharada Koti

‍Sharada is a freelance blogger and communication trainer who loves exploring the intersection of education and training. When not working, she enjoys reading and dabbling in calligraphy.

Related Blog Posts

Every year, GivingTuesday (or Giving Tuesday) gives schools the chance to rally their communities around generosity. With the right Giving Tuesday campaign ideas, you can turn a single day of giving into something that strengthens your institution’s pride, deepens connections, and funds the programs that make a difference. Last year alone, donors contributed $3.6 billion across the United States, marking a 16% jump from the previous year

But a successful Giving Tuesday campaign doesn’t happen by accident. In this blog we will take you through a few proven strategies you can adopt to make sure your Giving Tuesday campaign is at its most effective. 

1. Start Planning Early (September–October)

The institutions that meet (and often surpass) their Giving Tuesday goals have one thing in common: they start early.

Giving Tuesday lands right after Thanksgiving, competing for attention with Black Friday sales, holiday shopping, and countless nonprofit appeals. To cut through the noise, your best move is to begin preparing well before November, ideally in September or early October.

The good news? You don’t have to build your plan from scratch. GivingTuesday's official website offers a 12-week countdown planning guide that walks you through exactly what to do each week leading up to the big day. Starting three months out gives you the breathing room to think creatively, build momentum, and avoid the last-minute scramble.

Snippet from GivingTuesday’s website

Here’s what early planning gives you:

  • Time to craft a compelling purpose: When you plan ahead, you can dig deep into what makes your campaign meaningful instead of rushing to fill space with generic messages.
  • A clear roadmap: Early preparation helps you chart every milestone, from when to brief ambassadors, post teasers, send reminders, to finally thanking your donors.
  • Defined donor segments: Alumni, parents, and faculty all care about different aspects of your school. Knowing who you’re speaking to lets you tailor your message for each group.

Start now by planning backwards from Giving Tuesday. What should happen a month before? Two weeks before? One week before? Lock in those milestones early and you’ll be thanking yourself later.

2. Define a Purpose That Inspires Giving

A number can be motivating, but a purpose is unforgettable.

A goal might say, “We want to raise $25,000.”, but a purpose says, “We’re raising $25,000 to launch scholarships for three first-generation students this year.” One is a target; the other tells a story of the real impact donors could be making. When your campaign clearly connects donations to outcomes, people give with confidence and heart.

A message that inspired giving could look like:

  • “Create emergency grants for students facing unexpected financial hardship.”
  • “Expand mental health counseling to serve 50 more students this semester.”
  • “Renovate our aging library into a modern learning commons.”

Whatever you choose, make sure your purpose reflects your school’s mission and resonates emotionally with your supporters. When donors can picture the result, they’re far more likely to take action.

3. Craft Relatable Messaging

Your Giving Tuesday message has just a few seconds to capture attention and spark generosity. The best ones are short, emotional, and focused on impact.

A simple framework that works:

  • “Every gift, big or small, helps a student [insert specific outcome here] this Giving Tuesday.”
  • Avoid vague phrases like “achieve their dreams.” Instead, make it tangible: “get the textbooks they need to succeed” or “attend a field trip that brings lessons to life.”

Take NYU’s example. Their messaging connected the global GivingTuesday movement directly to tangible student impact.

"GivingTuesday is about unleashing the power of generosity worldwide. At NYU, it means investing in the next generation of leaders whose work will create lasting change. Your support today can provide scholarships, mentorship, emergency funds, and countless opportunities for students to flourish at NYU."

Notice how they started with the big picture (global generosity) but quickly zeroed in on specific ways donations make a difference Then, they immediately connected that message to real outcomes: scholarships, mentorships, and emergency funds. That balance between vision and specificity is what makes a message stick.

And don’t forget to mention that small donations matter. Many people assume their $10 or $25 won’t move the needle, but it absolutely does. Try messages like:

  • “Just $25 provides school supplies for a student in need.”
  • “Your $50 gift covers a week of after-school tutoring.”

Sample Giving Tuesday Messages for Schools:
Create three to five variations of your core message and rotate them across platforms. Include your school’s unique hashtag alongside #GivingTuesday to boost visibility. Need inspiration? Check out Kansas State University’s social media toolkit for adaptable message ideas.

4. Design a Branded Giving Tuesday Graphic

For Giving Tuesday, visuals are your first impression with potential donors. A well-designed graphic makes your campaign instantly recognizable and emotionally engaging.

Rockhurst High School in Kansas City nailed this with their #RockGivingTuesday campaign. Their posts consistently featured:

  • their school branding and colors
  • the official #GivingTuesday logo
  • a clear “Double your impact” call to action

That consistency built trust and recognition at a glance.

You don’t need to start from scratch. GivingTuesday.org offers free branded templates and logo guidelines to help you maintain a professional look while saving time.

What Makes a Great Giving Tuesday Graphic?

  • Use school colors: Your audience should recognize your brand instantly while scrolling.
  • Include a clear CTA: Add short overlays like “Donate Now,” “Support Students,” or “Double Your Gift.” Make the next step obvious within three seconds.
  • Strategic hashtag and logo placement: Keep the official #GivingTuesday logo visible but secondary to your school branding (often in a corner or footer), and pair it with your custom hashtag.

5. Build a Dedicated Giving Tuesday Landing Page

Directing donors to your general donation page might seem simple, but it could actually hurt conversions. On Giving Tuesday, people expect a focused, emotionally engaging experience that feels unique to the day.

A dedicated Giving Tuesday landing page reminds visitors why they’re giving and shows exactly how their gift will be used.

Here’s what to include:

  • A mobile-friendly donation form: More than half of donors give through mobile devices, so your form must look and work perfectly on a phone.
  • Short, emotional copy and visuals. Use photos or quick videos of students and keep the text crisp.
  • Small suggested amounts. Giving Tuesday thrives on volume. Include $10, $25, $50, and $100 options.
  • A live progress bar. Real-time updates build excitement and urgency.
  • A testimonial or video story. Let a student or parent explain, in their own words, why this campaign matters. Authenticity beats polish every time.

Take inspiration from Grace School’s approach. They embedded a short student video on their landing page and linked it in social posts to drive emotional connection.

6. Promote Strategically on Social Media

Social media can turn your Giving Tuesday campaign from good to unforgettable, but it takes planning your content calendar and rhythm. Create a simple calendar that builds anticipation, peaks on Giving Tuesday, and ends with gratitude.

Here’s an example of what that might look like:

  • Two weeks before: Start teasing your campaign: share behind-the-scenes prep, introduce ambassadors, post countdowns.
  • One week before: Increase frequency with student stories and preview posts.
  • Three days before: Go into campaign mode with multiple daily updates.
  • On Giving Tuesday: Post morning, noon, and evening. Share live updates like “We’re 65% there! Help us hit 75% by 3 p.m.!” and student thank-you videos.
  • The day after: Celebrate impact, show gratitude! Share totals, photos, and heartfelt thanks.

And some platform-specific tips:

  • Facebook: Great for longer updates and older alumni. Consider Facebook’s donation tools.
  • Instagram: Focus on visuals and short Reels featuring student voices.
  • LinkedIn: Target professional alumni with posts on career readiness and community impact.

Take a page from Save the Elephants. Their Giving Tuesday video of elephants roaming freely, coupled with a triple-match promise, stopped people mid-scroll. For schools, that could be students in action, classrooms buzzing, or alumni sharing quick stories. Even a small paid ad budget ($100–$200) can expand reach to specific alumni groups or parent audiences.

7. Activate Your Ambassadors

Here’s the not-so-secret secret behind the most successful Giving Tuesday campaigns: they’re powered by people. Specifically, it's peer-to-peer fundraising: alumni ambassadors, parent volunteers, student leaders, and faculty champions who create their own mini-campaigns and ask their personal networks to give. When a message comes from someone you know, it hits differently.

Research backs this up: 56% of donors say they’re more likely to give when asked by someone in their circle.

How to make it happen:

  • Recruit early. Reach out in September or October to your most active community members.
  • Set clear expectations. Tell them exactly what you're asking for: "Share three social media posts between November 20-28" or "Send an email to 10 friends asking them to give."
  • Keep them updated. Send regular progress reports. Celebrate when individual ambassadors hit milestones. Create some friendly competition with a leaderboard.
  • Thank them publicly. Feature your top fundraisers on social media and in follow-up communications. Recognition matters.

The best part is that ambassador-driven campaigns often bring in new donors who never would have heard about your school otherwise.

The official GivingTuesday Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Toolkit highlights that donors are far more likely to give when a request comes from someone they know and trust, rather than from the institution itself. The toolkit also offers simple ways for ambassadors, such as alumni or parent volunteers, to create personalized fundraising pages, share campaign links across their networks, and rally support for your school’s cause.

8. Use Email to Build Momentum

Email remains one of the most elegant and effective tools for Giving Tuesday: simple, direct, and measurable. But success comes from a sequence, not a single blast.

Try the Four-Email Timeline:

  1. Announcement Email (Two weeks before) -
    Subject: “Mark Your Calendar: Giving Tuesday is December 2”
    Introduce your campaign and purpose without asking for donations yet. The goal here is to build anticipation.

  2. Reminder Email (Three days before) -
    Subject: “3 Days Until Giving Tuesday! Here’s How Your Gift Makes an Impact”
    Share a story, break down donation impact, and remind them to save the date.

  3. Day-Of Appeal (Giving Tuesday morning) -
    Subject: “It’s Giving Tuesday. Will You Support Our Students Today?”
    This is your big ask. Keep it urgent and clear, include progress updates, and link to your donation page multiple times with prominent CTAs.

  4. Thank You Email (The next day)
    Subject: “You Did It! We Reached [X]% of Our Goal!”
    Celebrate the success and show impact through photos or short videos. Gratitude drives retention.

Bonus Tip: Segment Your Messages:

Don't send the exact same email to everyone. You can boost your email open rates average by personalizing your approach.

Create different versions for:

  • Alumni: Focus on nostalgia and paying it forward to the next generation
  • Parents: Emphasize direct impact on current students and school improvements
  • Faculty/Staff: Highlight internal pride and collective impact

Minor tweaks to subject lines and opening paragraphs can make a huge difference in engagement.

8. Make Giving Simple and Seamless

Even the most inspiring campaign can lose momentum if donating is a hassle. Think about it from a donor’s point of view: they’re scrolling on their phone during a quick break, they see your post, feel moved to give, click the link… and then get stuck on a clunky, confusing donation form that doesn’t work well on mobile. That’s a lost gift (sometimes multiple ones).

Here’s how to keep the process effortless:

  • Optimize for mobile. More than half of nonprofit emails are opened on mobile devices, and donation forms are no different. Test your form on phones and tablets to make sure it’s smooth and intuitive.
  • Simplify form fields. Ask only for essentials: name, email, and payment information. Your form shouldn’t require account creation or extra details unless absolutely necessary.
  • Offer flexible payment options. Credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal give donors convenient choices. In 2024, digital wallet donations more than doubled, proving ease drives results.
  • Highlight recurring giving. Include a checkbox like “Make this a monthly gift” with a note such as “Your $25/month supports a student all year long.” 

9. Say Thank You and Show Impact

The campaign doesn't end when Giving Tuesday is over. In fact, what you do the next day might be just as important as what you did during the campaign itself. Donor retention is a bit of a challenge right now: that means if you don't immediately thank your Giving Tuesday donors and show them the impact of their gift, there's a chance they won't give again.

The City University of New York (CUNY) used their dedicated thank you page at cunytuesday.org as a central hub to express gratitude and celebrate their record-breaking Giving Tuesday 2024 campaign.

Follow up effectively:

  • Send an impact email within 24 hours. Don’t wait. The emotional connection is strongest right after the gift.

Example:

"Thanks to 237 donors like you, we reached 120% of our $20,000 goal! That means we can fully fund our student emergency grant program and help 15 students overcome unexpected financial challenges this semester."
  • Share results on social media. Post photos, videos, donor shoutouts, and final totals. Let supporters feel part of something bigger.
  • Update your landing page. Swap the donation form for a bold thank-you message and highlight the results. Include visuals of students celebrating or short videos showing how gifts are making a difference.
  • Send personalized thank-you notes. Acknowledge ambassadors and top donors by name. Even digital notes work: “Your personal fundraising page brought in $2,500 thank you for your incredible support!”
  • Feature impact stories in newsletters. Keep the momentum going by sharing how gifts are being used through December and January.

With these steps you can cultivate long-lasting relationships with your supporters.

10. Repurpose Content Throughout the Year 

Your Giving Tuesday campaign is a treasure trove of content you can use year-round.

  • Student testimonials can become centerpiece stories in your annual appeal.
  • Ambassador videos can feature on your website or alumni magazine.
  • Scholarship recipient stories can drive your next email campaign.

Use Giving Tuesday as a springboard for recurring donations. A follow-up email in January might say: “Your Giving Tuesday gift made a real difference. Would you consider making it monthly?”

Highlight your most engaged ambassadors in annual reports or invite them to participate in alumni boards. Celebrate your super-fans! They’re critical for future campaigns.

Social proof also matters: “Last year, 500 donors came together on Giving Tuesday to raise $35,000” is a powerful motivator for new donors and ambassadors.

Back in 2021, the School of the Holy Child in Rye, New York, used a smart strategy that still works beautifully today. Their GivingTuesday campaign celebrated the success of the previous year, proudly sharing that in 2020, their community raised $375,000 from 525 donors — and invited supporters to help surpass that goal. The result? They raised $402,855 in 2021, proving how past impact can motivate even greater generosity year after year.

Giving Tuesday doesn't have to be a one-off event. When you treat it as part of your larger annual fundraising strategy, you maximize its impact well beyond a single day.

Final Thoughts

Giving Tuesday is only growing. With projections estimating $4 billion raised in 2025, schools that show up prepared will see significant returns.

But true success is at the confluence of an effective hashtag, a simple but elegant landing page, and driving connection with your donors. It comes from showing donors exactly how their gift makes a difference. It comes from making it easy to give and impossible to ignore.

Start early. Tell compelling stories. Activate your community. Make giving frictionless. Show gratitude.

When you follow this approach, Giving Tuesday can be your most successful campaign yet. Almabase helps schools bring it all together: personalized campaigns, streamlined donation processing, and purpose-built tools that maximize giving. Request a demo today and transform how your school connects with donors.

How to Improve Your School’s Giving Tuesday Campaign

GivingTuesday is a key part of the end of the year fundraising season. Learn how to make the most of this global day of charity for your educational institution

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October 29, 2025

12 minutes

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With the overwhelming success that Giving Tuesdays have shown to have brought to schools and universities across the globe, it is time we started talking about how to make the most of your Giving Tuesday.

Giving Tuesday, widely recognized as an annual day of giving, is a great opportunity for your school or university to engage with potential donors and raise funds. 

With Giving Tuesday 2021 just around the corner, here’s our checklist to help you plan an awesome Giving Tuesday. 

Plan ahead & set clear goals

1. Choose your core team, define responsibilities, and have regular meetings to plan and track execution

2. Set a defined structure, target audience, and actionable goals while creating the plan

3. Finalize the budget

4. Identify and begin to solicit prospective donors and other sponsors

5. Create a branded donation page to showcase your school spirit. Data shows that donors are much more comfortable to donate on a donation page that looks like yours than to an unbranded Venmo or Paypal page.

Build a compelling campaign theme

1. A unique and compelling theme helps your donors connect better and acts as an incentive for them to donate to a cause that they believe in. One of our customers, Don Bosco Prep High School raised more than $25K, asking its alumni to donate towards the specific cause of building a Wellness Center for its students. 

#GivingTuesday

2. Build all of your communication collateral about the Giving Day around it

3. Create a unique hashtag to help spread the word about your Giving Day further and faster on social media.

Mobilize your ambassadors

1. Bring your ambassadors on board to promote your Giving Day and take ownership or share your team’s responsibilities

2. Solicit personal appeals from influential people of your school like teachers, famous alumni, board members, etc. further inspiring donors to donate

3. Spread the word about your Giving Day extensively amongst your faculty and staff inclusive of board members, class representatives, and chapter admins

Ensure a smooth giving experience

1. With recent trends suggesting that an increasing number of donations are being made from mobile devices, ensure that your platform is mobile compatible

2. Enable peer-to-peer solicitation for your donors to reach out to their network

3. Display challenges and leaderboards to help donors get a sense of their contribution and encourage more participation through healthy competition

Leverage social media marketing

1. Create a detailed communication plan and calendar much ahead of your Giving Tuesday

2. Build a social media toolkit to help your team and ambassadors promote your Giving Tuesday campaign

3. Use Facebook or Instagram Live scheduling to actively engage with your donors and share with them live updates on the day itself to influence bigger contributions.

Leverage different content formats & multiple channels

1. You don’t have to necessarily stick to one format or channel. Experiment with multiple formats such as images, videos, or long-form captions.

2. Videos can help a great deal in the promotion of your Giving Tuesday campaign and encourage donors. Just a short video created with a smartphone can create a more personalized approach aimed at your donors. Try to involve the head of school or faculty in creating these videos.

3. Utilize offline channels to promote your campaign. Publishing updates in your print newsletter and distributing flyers in local coffee shops are some of the techniques you can try to publicize your campaign offline.

Thank all those who contributed

Sending a simple and short thank you email to your donors at the end of the day is a great practice to let them know how thankful you are for their contribution. Ensure that this note doesn’t ask for another donation and instead, only is a means of expressing gratitude. The thank-you gesture has shown to have increased the chances of the same donors contributing again.

Giving Tuesday has become a global movement that celebrates and supports giving and philanthropy with events throughout the year.

We wish your team make it BIG and make the best of this Giving Tuesday.

Need more pointers on planning your Giving Day?
Check out our Comprehensive Guide on Planning A Giving Day for Schools & Universities.

how to plan a successful giving day

How to make the most of Giving Tuesday?

Get this GivingTuesday checklist for hosting a successful campaign for your school, college, or university in 2021. Boost alumni donations & drive peer-to-peer fundraising.

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September 30, 2020

12 minutes

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Giving Tuesday has become one of the most significant fundraising moments of the year, with organizations worldwide mobilizing their communities to give back. For educational institutions, it’s an opportunity to reconnect with alumni, celebrate school spirit, and fund programs that directly impact students. The average email open rate on Giving Tuesday 2024 was 21.56%, with a click-through rate of 2.57%, indicating strong donor engagement via email campaigns.

In this blog, we’ll explore ten real-world Giving Tuesday email examples from schools and nonprofits, examine what makes them effective, and share practical tips you can use to boost donor engagement this year.

What is Giving Tuesday?

Giving Tuesday is a global day of generosity that takes place annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. It began in 2012 as a social movement encouraging people to do good, and has since grown into a worldwide event involving individuals, nonprofits, and educational institutions. It evolved as a response to the consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, inviting individuals and organizations to give back to causes they care about.

For schools and universities, it’s a moment to also celebrate community impact, highlight student stories, and engage alumni around shared values. Campaigns that tie giving to real outcomes, such as scholarships, research opportunities, or student welfare, tend to resonate the most.


10 Giving Tuesday Emails that Boost Donor Response

1. The countdown email

Giving Tuesday countdown email example
Source: Canada Helps

Countdown emails are a great way to not just promote your cause but also to inform your potential donors of your upcoming plans for Giving Tuesday. You should ideally have multiple emails (30 days away, 14 days away, 7 days away, etc. for example) as the day gets closer. This is also particularly great if you have an in-person or online event attached to your event.

💡If you are planning an event, add a button that allows your recipient to add the event to their calendar.

2. The thank-you email

Giving Tuesday thank you example
Source: Qgiv

A core part of any fundraiser, thank-you emails are nowadays a necessity. You can keep it simple with a personalized thank you note, or you can provide readers with the opportunity to find resources they might like, join communities and events with like-minded people, or see how their donations will be used in the future.

3. The personal story email

Giving Tuesday storytelling email example
Source: The YMCA

Personal stories are a great way to tell heartfelt and impactful stories to inspire giving. You can zoom in on an individual’s story to give your recipients a glimpse into the lives they are impacting through their gift. Remember that when it comes to raising funds, you can never underestimate the impact of a powerful story.

4. Emails with videos

Giving Tuesday video embed example
Source: Really Good Emails

Whether it’s a simple hyperlinked thumbnail or an embedded video, giving your readers more to go on beyond just words can go a long way in setting your ask apart. Since it’s possible for certain email clients or apps to block embedded media, it would probably be best to do this for contacts that are already in touch such as past donors or active alumni members.

5. Community-focused emails

Giving Tuesday community focused email example
Source: Really Good Emails

If your Giving Tuesday fundraiser has a strong connection to particular chapters, affinity groups, or geography locations, you can center your emails around building a supportive community aligned to common causes. The goal is to make donors feel like they can be a part of a bigger family of like-minded supporters.

6. Impact-focused emails

Giving Tuesday impact example
Source: Really Good Emails

You can highlight the support you’ve garnered and how that has translated into real-world impact in your emails. Think graphs, journeys, percentages, and impact numbers that give your recipients confidence in how their contributions will be used.

7. Matching gift announcements

Giving Tuesday matching gift example
Source: Milled

Matching gifts not only increase your funds raised but also inspire giving from eligible potential donors. This email should be sent just before or as the campaign launches, prominently featuring the match to create urgency and double the perceived impact of a donation.

8. Recurring gift email

Giving Tuesday monthly gift example
Source: Go Fund Me Pro

Targeting your most engaged one-time donors, this email focuses on the power of a monthly donation to create sustained, long-term impact. Highlight the total annual impact of a small monthly gift and explain why sustained funding is critical to your long-term mission.

9. A non-monetary ask

Giving Tuesday volunteer example
Source: WOCRC

Not everyone can donate, but they can still help. This email encourages advocates to share the campaign with their network or contribute in equally important ways. Leverage your existing community for peer-to-peer sharing and invite volunteers to help out.

10. The results update email

Giving Tuesday thank you example
Source: Virtuous

After your thank you email, the next email you send should probably have something to do with how your Giving Tuesday went, including key numbers such as how many funds were raised, some key shoutouts, and of course, a couple of words of gratitude. These are just the basics and your institution or organization’s own email can be as minimal or as detailed as you need it to be.


Tips for Writing Effective Giving Tuesday Emails

While inspiration matters, execution drives results. Here are tested ways to strengthen your Giving Tuesday emails:

1. Segment your audience.
Avoid sending the same message to everyone. Segment by alumni, parents, students, or past donors. Alumni may respond better to nostalgic stories, while parents might engage more with student success narratives.

2. Personalize your message.
Use merge tags to include names, past donation amounts, or causes supported. Referencing a donor’s previous impact (“Your gift last year helped fund...”) can increase click-through rates and repeat giving.

3. Make your CTA unmistakable.
Your call-to-action button should be clear, visible, and direct: “Give Now”, “Support Students Today”, or “Double Your Impact”. Keep the design mobile-friendly, as most users read these emails on their phones.

4. Mobile-first design.
Design emails primarily for smartphones since most recipients check messages on mobile devices. A clean, responsive layout ensures readability and higher engagement.

5. Short, urgent subject lines.
Keep subject lines short and use action-oriented language, e.g., “Match alert: Give by noon to double your impact!” This grabs attention and encourages quick action.

6. Clear impact statements.
Show donors exactly what their contributions accomplish. Concrete examples, like “$25 provides one week of meals for a student”,make giving tangible and motivating.

How Almabase Empowers Schools & Universities for Giving Tuesday

Running a Giving Tuesday campaign shouldn't feel like juggling ten different tools at once. That's where Almabase comes in. It brings your communication, donations, and reporting together in one streamlined platform, so your advancement team can focus on what matters most: connecting with donors.

You can segment your alumni by class year, giving history, or engagement level, then craft messages that actually speak to them. And because Almabase syncs seamlessly with systems like Blackbaud RE NXT, every gift is tracked automatically: no manual entry, no spreadsheet chaos.

Book a demo with Almabase

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, the best Giving Tuesday campaigns feel genuine. They're clear about their goals, relevant to their audience, and authentic in their ask.

Before launch day, test your subject lines, preview your emails on mobile, and schedule follow-ups for the week after. With thoughtful planning and the right tools, your Giving Tuesday campaign can do more than raise funds and strengthen your school’s community for years to come.

10 Giving Tuesday Email Examples That Donors Will Love

We've scoured the internet and found your some email examples you can use to inspire your Giving Tuesday campaign this year and drive donations!

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October 14, 2025

12 minutes

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