After Black Friday and Cyber Monday…
TOOLKIT
GivingTuesday.ca | @GivingTuesdayCa
United Way Centraide
GivingTuesday Toolkit
Local United Ways Centraides (UWCs) have been participating
in GivingTuesday in lots of different ways over the past few
years. Find out how your local office can get in on this global
movement.
Table of Contents
2
What is
GivingTuesday?
5
Ways to
Participate
13
Resources &
Contacts
3 - 2016 Highlights
4
Why Participate?
11
Get Started 3 Easy Steps!
14
Frequently Asked
Questions
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What is
GivingTuesday?
GivingTuesday is a global day of giving that happens each year
after Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
It’s a time when Canadians, charities and businesses come
together to celebrate giving and participate in activities that
support charities and non-profits.
There is no “right” way to participate as long as it supports
generosity and giving. Donate, volunteer time, help a neighbour,
or spread the word.
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2016 Highlights
“Around the world, #GivingTuesday is a grassroots movement
that illustrates the impact we can have when we all pull together.
The investments we make—in both time and funding—can help
solve the urgent problems of today and will make the next
generation stronger. “ - President Barack Obama
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Why Participate?
• GivingTuesday is a great way to engage staff, volunteers,
your agencies and the public to participate in a global
movement for generosity.
• It’s an excellent way to close out your annual campaign with
one last push.
• You can also use the day to say thank-you, get more
volunteers, make a big announcement or celebrate a
successful campaign.
• It’s a great way to tell your story, raise awareness for your
cause and inspire your donors and non-donors with how
you make a difference.
• Your GivingTuesday campaign will benefit from the
GivingTuesday social media buzz and the collective voice of
the GivingTuesday community.
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Ways to Participate
1. Offer a matching gift program.
Matching donations are a great way to get donor attention and
motivate immediate action. Check out this matching offer that
helped United Way Centraide Ottawa in the final days of their
campaign.
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2. Partner with a local business.
You already have great partnerships with businesses in your
community. Work closely with one or more of them to help you
create an exciting and fun activity to engage the public.
Last year in Halifax, street teams
collected hugs and each hug
benefitted United Way Halifax
(and two other charities).
TIP:
Check out these
business resources
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3. Start a movement in your community.
In 2016, the 4th year for GivingTuesday in Canada, there was a
groundswell of GivingTuesday activity, organized by local civic
groups in 30+ cities across the country. Mayors, from coast to
coast proclaimed November 29th, 2016 as “GivingTuesday”.
These civic
movements created
a platform for a
deeper level of
engagement
between charities,
businesses and local
residents.
United Ways Centraides are uniquely qualified to lead this kind
of initiative or join an existing group.
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4. Recruit volunteers.
Organize a volunteer drive
for your local office or for
your agencies. Lots of
companies and individuals
are looking for
opportunities to volunteer
for GivingTuesday.
Check out these resources from Volinspire and Volunteer
Canada.
TIP:
Ask a local
media
personality to
help raise
awareness by
becoming a
social media
ambassador for
your cause.
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5. Engage your agencies.
Your agencies want to get involved and get active for
GivingTuesday - so why not work with them and find out what
you can do together? Set up a booth at the local mall or
organize a Giving Fair like the University of Guelph did in 2013.
It’s a great way to educate people about local charities and
inform them how they can give back. You can invite your
agencies to showcase volunteer opportunities and highlight how
they make a difference.
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6. Thank your community.
GivingTuesday is a great time to celebrate the generous donors
and volunteers that support you all year long. You can invite
donors to a special thank-you breakfast or announce the results
of a successful campaign.
TIP:
You can also make a video and distribute it on your
social channels. Check out this great piece from
Centraide Richelieu-Yamaska:
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Get Started 3 Easy Steps!
1. Register as a GivingTuesday partner here.
This way you will stay connected to the GivingTuesday
community and have access to tools and resources that will
help make your celebration a success.
TIP:
Be sure to check here whether your city is
hosting its own movement so that you can
choose to be affiliated.
2. Set a goal and plan an activity.
No effort is too small. Once you have your idea, be sure to use
the resources we’ve put together for you here.
Note: GivingTuesday is a movement, not a donations
processor; however, you can easily add a DONATE NOW
button to your GivingTuesday.ca profile page that links to
your own donations URL or to a donation form at
CanadaHelps.org.
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3. Make some noise!
Be sure to get the word out to
your community and
maximize your reach. Don’t
forget to use your website
and social media channels.
TIP:
GivingTuesday Canada wants to promote your
activity, so be sure to tweet @GivingTuesdayCa
and ‘Like’ the Facebook page.
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Resources & Contacts
Check out these free GivingTuesday resources for charities:
• Toolkits
• Webinars
• Graphics, logos and videos
Need some help developing your GivingTuesday
campaign? Have a plan and just want some help
shouting it from the rooftops? Be sure reach out
to the GivingTuesday Canada Team – we’re here
to help!
givingtuesday.ca/contact
@GivingTuesdayCA
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Frequently Asked
Questions
What is GivingTuesday?
Most people know about Black Friday and Cyber Monday … now we have
GivingTuesday, November 28, 2017. It is a new global movement for giving and
volunteering, taking place each year after Black Friday. The “Opening day of the
giving season”, it’s a time where charities, companies and individuals join together
and rally for favourite causes. In the same way that retailers take part in Black
Friday, the giving community has come together for GivingTuesday. We ask that
partners create and commit to a project for GivingTuesday and then help spread
the word to their networks.
How did GivingTuesday start?
GivingTuesday was started in Canada by a group of organizations including GIV3,
CanadaHelps.org, and now includes over 5,700 partners. GivingTuesday was
originally started in the US in 2012 by the UN Foundation, the NYC 92Y and several
other community organizations. GivingTuesday is just one day.
What about the rest of the year?
GivingTuesday is “the opening day of the giving season”. Giving is a lifelong
commitment, and a giving day is a special celebration, a reminder to all of us to
think of others and our communities as well as ourselves. The most successful
GivingTuesday campaigns were planned and launched weeks before
GivingTuesday, and many lasted until the end of December. Of course, we also
encourage giving back throughout the year, whether through donations,
volunteering or acts of kindness. GivingTuesday is more than a moment, it’s a
movement.
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Did GivingTuesday make a difference last year?
Over 5,700 partners came together for the 4th annual GivingTuesday in Canada in
2016. The movement also went Global, with activities in 98 countries and
endorsements from The White House, Bill Gates and the Clinton Foundation.
Canadian online giving has increased by +353% since 2012 as measured by
CanadaHelps.
Can organizations get donations through the GivingTuesday website?
GivingTuesday is a movement, not a donations processor; however, you can search
for a charity and donate through CanadaHelps on the GivingTuesday.ca website.
Does GivingTuesday charge any fees?
GivingTuesday is a free, open and inclusive movement. There are no fees to
become a partner and no hidden charges for participating in GivingTuesday
activities. Charitable donations made through GivingTuesday.ca are processed by
CanadaHelps.org and are subject to standard CanadaHelps fees which are low,
non-commercial rates covering credit card fees and processing.
Who can participate/partner?
Everyone! GivingTuesday is a public movement and we encourage everyone to get
involved. To be an official partner, you must be a registered charity or non-profit
with a specific GivingTuesday initiative, or a business, school, or community group
committing to a project to benefit at least one registered charity or non-profit.
Families and individuals are encouraged to join the movement by giving and
volunteering in whatever ways matter to them, or by getting their favourite charity
involved in GivingTuesday.
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