Giving Tuesday Ideas to Help Nonprofits Crush Their 2025 Fundraising Goals
The holiday season isn’t just a time for shopping, it’s a time for charitable giving, and having a strong online fundraising campaign is more important than ever.
A 2024 Dunham+Company study found that 68% of donors now give through online platforms (up from 65% in 2023), and 45% donate using a smartphone (up from 40%).
One of the biggest drivers of online giving is Giving Tuesday, a global day of giving that was launched in 2012 to encourage people all over the world to give back to causes and issues that matter to them.
In 2025, Giving Tuesday falls on December 2, so it's time to put your holiday fundraising campaign into action. Follow these tips to make this Giving Tuesday a success for your nonprofit.
- Use strategic hashtags. Use #GivingTuesday and #GivingTuesday2025 in your social media posts to raise awareness about your nonprofit, encourage new donors and volunteers, and draw attention to your holiday fundraising efforts.
- Refresh your visuals. Update your social media profile photos, banners, and homepage graphics with imagery that conveys generosity, community, and impact.
- Set—and show—your giving goal. Nothing motivates donors like a visible goal. Display a real-time progress bar or counter on your site and share updates across channels to keep supporters engaged. a giving goal.
- Don’t overlook email marketing. While social drives awareness, email still converts. According to the 2025 M+R Benchmarks Study, 17% of all online giving originated from email, with an average donation of $121. Keep your subject lines short, personalized, and action driven.
- Try fundraising via text message. Mobile giving continues to grow—SMS fundraising revenue increased 8% in 2024. On average, mobile campaigns generate $96 per 1,000 messages sent.
- Activate your community. Encourage your team, partners, and supporters to share your campaign using branded hashtags and short personal messages about why your cause matters.
- Optimize for mobile users. Ensure your site loads quickly and looks great on phones. A 2024 Dunham+Company report showed that nearly half (48%) of donors complete gifts on mobile devices.
- Create mission-driven content. Publish a blog or video explaining how donations impact your mission. Highlight real stories of change and outline how Giving Tuesday gifts will be used in 2025 to make measurable progress.
- Add clear “donate” buttons everywhere. Your donate button should be visible in your header, footer, and key pages. Link to a dedicated landing page outlining ways to give, volunteer, or match donations.
- Leverage social media giving tools. Social giving keeps rising: in 2024, nonprofit audiences grew 4% on Facebook, 9% on Instagram, and 97% on TikTok. Use built-in donation stickers, reels, and livestreams to engage younger audiences.
- Tell your story authentically. Use short-form video and behind-the-scenes content to show your team’s dedication and impact. Authentic, emotional storytelling continues to outperform high-production content.
- Show gratitude and report back. Once Giving Tuesday ends, thank donors publicly. Share results, update totals, and preview how 2025 donations will be used to advance your mission.
For more ideas, visit the Giving Tuesday website for templates, press releases, campaign timelines, and downloadable graphics you can brand for your nonprofit.
