Giving Tuesday is a global movement to give nonprofits a lift during a time of year when people are focused on end-of-year giving. In the U.S., Giving Tuesday is held the Tuesday following Thanksgiving. This day brings together a unique combination of nonprofits, civic organizations, businesses and corporations, and individuals "to encourage and amplify small acts of kindness."

Why You Should Be Excited About Giving Tuesday

Matching Funds: The rise of peer-to-peer fundraising, such as Facebook fundraisers, has been a tremendous facilitator for Giving Tuesday. In fact, this year Facebook and PayPal are teaming up to match up to $7 million in donations.

Major Donors: The 2018 Trends in Giving Report delivered a real shocker: Of people surveyed, 49% were major donors ($100,00+) who said they prefer to give online. Raise your hand if you'd like a $100,000 gift via Facebook fundraisers on November 27th. Exactly.

How to Make the Most of Giving Tuesday

You need to do a little homework to make the most of Giving Tuesday. These tips will make it easy for people to give, and will ensure you get all of the funds raised without any administration fees.

Put a Donate button on your Facebook page

Make it easy for people to send you a two-click donation - even if they don't participate in a Facebook fundraiser

Update your cover photo

Ensure your page is polished and up to date. Also ensure that you have the photos uploaded that you want people to choose from when they create a Facebook fundraiser for you.

Make sure your "About" description is short and impactful

Boil it down to one or two short sentences that describe what you do and the impact you have. This is difficult writing, but it's worth the effort.

Sign up for Facebook Payments

Sign up for Facebook Payments (it's free) and you'll get 100% of the funds raised for you in a couple of weeks. If you don't, the money will go through Network for Good and you'll get a check in about three months - minus administrative fees.

Create a Goal & a Campaign

Let your Facebook audience know you are participating and have a goal. Create a series of social media posts that include photos, impact statements, and videos. Tell your community that Facebook and PayPal are giving away $7 million in matching funds and encourage them to give.

Start a Fundraiser

You don't have to wait for someone to start a fundraiser for you. On Giving Tuesday, start a fundraiser from your nonprofit's page and ask your community to share it. Remind them again about the matching funds.

Facebook has put together a toolkit with suggested copy, suggestions for impactful videos, and more. These tips aren't just helpful for Giving Tuesday either; this is a great template for your next campaign after Giving Tuesday is over.