The GivingTuesday Toolkit

Fits when one or more supporters can commit a fixed sum ahead of time. Get the terms in writing: amount, ratio, deadline, what happens if gifts fall short, and how the partner wants to be named. Report progress against the match during the day. If the partner will give the full amount regardless of the result, avoid implying that the money is lost without the public's help. GivingTuesday's guide to organizing a match includes a sample request email.

A sponsor releases a gift when the campaign reaches a number of donors, whatever the size of each gift. This rewards participation and suits the pattern of rising dollars and falling donor counts, because a $10 gift moves the counter as much as a $1,000 gift. Count unique donors rather than transactions, and show the counter on the donation page or in posts.

Fits organizations whose supporters have strong personal circles: families, alumni, performers, volunteers. Needs a platform that supports personal pages or tracked links, an ambassador kit, and someone to coach and thank ambassadors. Remind ambassadors to share only their own stories.

Fits when your work needs steady income through the year. Offer monthly amounts tied to what they make possible, send a welcome series, and make it easy to change or cancel. Offer the monthly option clearly, but do not pre-select it; unexpected recurring charges lead to refunds and complaints.

Fits organizations with hands-on work or a wish list. Plan shifts, drop-off sites, and a way to acknowledge goods by description, leaving the dollar value to the donor. A drive can run alongside a money ask for people who prefer to give in other ways.

Ask supporters to contact officials, sign up for alerts, or share a resource, and follow up with what their action achieved. 501(c)(3) organizations must stay within lobbying limits; see Law, tax, and compliance.

Plan a technical rehearsal, live captions, and a clear giving moment. If guests receive food, tickets, or gifts in return for payment, written disclosure rules apply to the deductible amount.

Some community foundations and giving platforms run shared GivingTuesday campaigns with matching pools or prizes. Their registration and content deadlines often fall weeks before GivingTuesday, so check them early and read the fee and payout terms.

Some organizations use GivingTuesday to thank supporters, share results, or invite volunteers, then make their ask later in December when inboxes are less crowded with appeals. This can suit small organizations and groups whose supporters receive many appeals. Put the later ask on your calendar before the day.

A donor needs a written acknowledgment from your organization to deduct any single contribution of $250 or more. It names your organization, states the amount (or describes non-cash property), and says whether the donor received goods or services in return, with a good-faith estimate of their value. Send it promptly, since the donor needs it before filing. Source: IRS Publication 1771.

When a donor pays more than $75 and receives something in return, such as an event ticket, a meal, or a premium, you must give a written disclosure that states the deductible amount. Low-cost token items can be exempt; Publication 1771 explains the limits.

For donated goods, describe the items in the acknowledgment and leave the valuation to the donor. Artists who donate their own work can generally deduct only the cost of materials, not the market value. Source: IRS Publication 526.

Starting with 2026 tax returns, filed in 2027, taxpayers who take the standard deduction may deduct up to $1,000 of cash gifts to qualifying charities, or $2,000 for married couples filing jointly. Gifts to donor-advised funds and supporting organizations do not qualify for this deduction. Taxpayers who itemize face a new floor: the first 0.5 percent of adjusted gross income (AGI) in charitable gifts is not deductible. Donors who are 70½ or older can also give from an individual retirement account (IRA) through a qualified charitable distribution (QCD).

You can mention the new deduction in appeals, but point donors to the IRS or a tax advisor for their own situation. Sources: IRS Publication 6196, National Association of Tax Professionals, Taft law bulletin.

Around 40 states regulate charitable solicitation, and many require registration before you ask their residents for gifts. For online fundraising, many state regulators look to the Charleston Principles, advisory guidelines published in 2001 by the National Association of State Charity Officials (NASCO). Under those principles, a website alone does not usually trigger registration in another state, but targeting that state's residents, or receiving repeated or substantial gifts from them, can. State laws and practices differ, so check with your state charity regulator or your state association of nonprofits. Background: NASCO, Nonprofit Quarterly on the Charleston Principles.

Texts sent from software through ordinary 10-digit phone numbers in the United States require Application-to-Person 10-Digit Long Code (A2P 10DLC) registration through your texting provider. Nonprofits can register under a charity use case, which can bring better delivery or pricing. Approval can take days or weeks, so register well ahead. Text only people who opted in, and include opt-out instructions. Example guide: Twilio's nonprofit registration guide (vendor documentation).

Raffles, drawings, and sweepstakes fall under state gaming laws, and many states require a license or limit who may hold them. Check your state's rules before you add a prize to the campaign.

State the match accurately: who gives it, how much, the ratio, the deadline, and whether it is paid regardless of the outcome. If you tell donors their gifts fund a specific project, you are generally bound to use them that way; if you might raise more than the project needs, say so in the appeal, for example with "and where the need is greatest."

Publish a privacy policy that says how you use donor information, honor unsubscribe requests, and do not sell or trade donor lists without consent. The AFP Donor Bill of Rights describes expectations many donors hold. Keep donor and client data out of consumer AI tools (see AI prompts).

In the United States, Meta's charitable giving tools, including donate buttons and fundraisers, route gifts through PayPal Giving Fund, which grants the money to enrolled nonprofits, often within 15 to 45 days. Enroll and test well before GivingTuesday. Supporters can start birthday or personal fundraisers for you. These tools have not been available to charities in the European Economic Area (EEA) since July 2024. Because people who give inside Facebook may not share their contact details with you, also post links to your own donation page so you can thank and keep those donors.

Use Reels and Stories for behind-the-scenes moments and progress updates, collaborative posts with ambassadors or partners, and a link to your donation page in your profile and Stories. Fundraiser stickers and donate buttons run through the same Meta tools as Facebook.

Board members and volunteers can reach their professional networks here. Thank your match partner with their permission, and remind supporters to check whether their employer matches gifts.

Short, human videos filmed on a phone tend to work: a staff member explaining one thing, a behind-the-scenes moment, a volunteer's view. Caption every video. Use trends only when they fit your voice. Longer YouTube videos suit a full story, with the donation link in the description.

Useful for progress updates and conversation during the day. Audience size varies a great deal by community, so check where your own supporters are.

Helpful for neighborhood organizations. Follow each group's rules on fundraising posts, and offer a non-money way to help, such as a drop-off drive or volunteer shift.

Supporters forwarding a short message to friends can outperform public posts for small organizations. Organization-sent texts need opt-in consent and A2P 10DLC registration (see Plan, Law, tax, and compliance).