The Complete GivingTuesday Guide for Non-Profits

A practical ten-week plan for GivingTuesday on 1 December 2026: goal, story, matching gift, assets, email calendar, run sheet, thanking and measuring.

What is GivingTuesday and when is it in 2026?

GivingTuesday is a global movement that began in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. According to givingtuesday.org, the 2026 edition falls on 1 December 2026. For your non-profit it is a natural moment to ask: the day has its own name, its own media attention and a deadline that supporters understand.

Why a ten-week plan?

The organisation itself advises non-profits to start building in the summer so there is momentum by December. We turn that into a concrete plan: ten weeks, from today (Friday 2 October) to one week after the day. Week 1 starts on Monday 5 October, week 9 is the week of 1 December, and week 10 is the follow-up.

• Week 1: set the goal and the audience.
• Week 2: story and matching or challenge gift.
• Weeks 3-4: assets, page and tech ready, then test everything.
• Weeks 5-6: ask your inner circle first, then a public teaser.
• Weeks 7-8: bring in ambassadors and count down.
• Week 9: the day itself.
• Week 10: thank, measure, learn.

You do not need to think big

You do not need a team of ten. A small association with two volunteers can follow this plan if it chooses: one goal, one story, one page. Anything that feels like a step you cannot manage, cut it. A half plan that gets done beats a perfect plan that stays in a drawer in October.

Check before you start

• Is 1 December a good day for your audience, or does it clash with your own event or the Saint Nicholas rush? You can also make your own "GivingTuesday week".
• Do you already have a year-end appeal planned? See whether you can fold the two together instead of asking twice.
• Who decides? Name one owner who spends ten minutes every Monday checking this plan.

Week 1: set a goal you can reach

Week 1 starts on 5 October. A good GivingTuesday goal is concrete, small enough to reach and big enough to be exciting. Do not start with "as much as possible". Start with an amount that pays for something supporters can picture.

Work backwards instead of inflating

1. What do you want to fund? For example "warm meals for one winter".
2. What does it cost? Use the real figure from your budget.
3. How many people can you realistically reach? Look at your mailing list, followers and volunteers.
4. Calculate: goal divided by average gift = number of donors you need.

Worked example (invented numbers): you want 3,000 euros. An average gift of 40 euros means 75 donors. If you assume 2 in 100 people you contact will give (an assumption, not a promise), you need to reach about 3,750 people. Only 800 contacts? Then 3,000 euros is too ambitious, or you need ambassadors who approach their own networks. Adjust the goal or widen the reach.

Also pick goals that are not money

• Number of new donors (often more important than the total).
• Number of new email addresses with consent.
• Number of people who choose a monthly gift.
• Number of volunteers who sign up.

Who is your audience?

A common rule of thumb: existing donors give sooner than strangers. So name three circles: (1) board, team and volunteers, (2) existing donors and members, (3) sympathisers and new people. Your plan starts in circle 1 and ends in circle 3.

Week 1 checklist

• Goal in euros and in number of donors, on paper.
• An owner and a back-up.
• A list of your contacts per circle.
• A fixed time for your weekly ten minutes.

Week 2: tell one story, not ten

Week 2 starts on 12 October. People give to a person, a place or a concrete result, rarely to an org chart. GivingTuesday's own toolkit advises leaning on emotional storytelling with photos and video rather than static graphics. We turn that into one core story you reuse in every channel.

The five sentences of your story

1. Who: a person, animal or place people can hold on to.
2. Problem: what is going wrong, in plain words.
3. Your role: what exactly does your association do?
4. The ask: what do you ask for, and what happens with the money?
5. The deadline: why now? Because it is 1 December, and because your challenge gift ends then (see next chapter).

Template to copy

Every Tuesday Mira, 74, stands at our door for a warm meal. This winter we get far more requests than we can serve. With 3,000 euros we can give 60 meals a week until 31 March. On 1 December, GivingTuesday, we are asking 75 people to bring that amount together. Will you be one of the 75?

The numbers and the name in this template are invented. Only use real people and real amounts, and always ask permission for names and photos. Do not show recognisable children without written permission from their parents.

One story, four lengths

• A two-line version for social media and subject lines.
• A short paragraph for email.
• The full text for your donation page.
• A thirty-second spoken version for your volunteers.

Check

• Does it include the result of a gift ("60 meals"), not only the problem?
• Would someone who does not know your organisation understand it?
• Do you have a good photo or short video of a real situation?

Matching and challenge gifts

A matching gift means a company, foundation or major donor promises to double every euro that comes in during a set period, up to a cap. A challenge gift is similar: someone promises an amount if you reach a certain target. Both give you an honest deadline and a reason to ask on this particular day.

How to arrange it

1. Make a list of five candidates: a local business, a board member, a loyal major donor, a service club, a foundation.
2. Ask personally (phone or coffee), not through a mass email. Explain the goal, the date and what their contribution makes possible.
3. Agree the terms: cap, period (for example 1 December from 00:00 to 24:00), what counts (only new donors? all gifts?) and what happens if the cap is not reached.
4. Put it in writing in a short email, even if it is a friend.
5. Ask permission to mention their name or logo.

Template for your ask

Hi Els, 1 December is GivingTuesday. We want to raise 3,000 euros for warm meals. Would your business match up to 1,500 euros: for every euro that comes in that day, up to that amount, you add a euro? We take care of the communication and only mention your name if you want us to. Can I call you next week?

Communicate honestly

• Never say gifts are "doubled" if there is no real commitment.
• State the cap: "up to 1,500 euros".
• Say what happens to the match money if the goal is missed.
• During the day, show how much of the match is still available; it creates urgency that is true.

No match found?

Do not panic. You get a similar effect with a challenge from the inside: board members commit 500 euros in advance if 50 donors come forward. Or choose a milestone with a reward in words ("at 75 donors we will publish the video of the first meal"). Cannot keep the promise? Then do not make it.

Weeks 3-4: assets, page and tech

Weeks 3 and 4 run from 19 October to 1 November. On the day itself there is no time to build. Have everything ready two weeks before you ask the public.

Your donation page

• One page with the story on top, one clear button and few choices.
• Amounts with meaning: "25 euros = 10 meals" (use your own numbers!).
• An option for monthly giving next to one-off.
• Works on a phone: test it yourself on your own mobile and with a Bancontact or iDEAL payment.
• A thank-you screen with the next step: share, volunteer, subscribe to the newsletter.

The materials

1. Two or three photos and a short video of at most 45 seconds, with subtitles.
2. A graphic with your goal and the date 1 December for social media (square and portrait).
3. An email signature with the page link for your team.
4. A short text for a website banner and, if you use one, a pop-up.
5. A ready-made "share this" text for ambassadors, with the link.

The test round

• Make a test gift yourself and check that the thank-you email arrives.
• Ask someone who does not know your organisation to open the page and say: what is being asked here?
• Check the links in all your texts.
• Add UTM parameters to links per channel (email, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn) so you can see later what worked.

Who does what on the day?

Write down now who watches the page, who answers messages, who thanks people, who updates the total and who takes photos. For a small association that may be two people: fine, as long as the tasks have names.

The email and social calendar

A common rule of thumb is not to do it all in one email or post. Spread the ask over weeks, and start with the people you know best.

The overview

• Week 5 (2 Nov): personal messages to board, team and your ten most loyal donors. Ask them in advance to give or to pledge a first gift, so the counter does not start at zero.
• Week 6 (9 Nov): public teaser on social media and in your newsletter: "On 1 December we are doing something special. Save the date." No ask yet, but a reason to come back.
• Week 7 (16 Nov): email 1 to your list with the story, the goal and the match. Social post with video. Ambassadors receive their share text.
• Week 8 (23 Nov): email 2 with an update ("X already pledged") and a testimonial. Three social posts.
• Week 9, before the day (30 Nov): short reminder: "Tomorrow is the day."
• 1 December: morning email, midday update, evening email "last hours".

Email template for the morning of the day

Subject: Today Els' business doubles your gift

Hi {{first_name}}, today is GivingTuesday. Until midnight a local business matches every gift up to 1,500 euros. That means 60 meals a week until the end of March. Give here in two minutes: [link]. Thank you, the team at [name].

Rules for email

• Only send to people who gave consent; include an unsubscribe link in every email.
• Send a fitting reminder to people who did not open the first email, not to those who already gave.
• Exclude people who gave from the asking emails and send them a thank-you instead.

Rules for social media

• One channel done well is usually enough: pick where your audience really is.
• Different visuals, same link with its own UTM label.
• Put the link in the text or your bio, and answer comments the same day.
• Ask team members to change their profile photo or banner to the campaign.

The day itself: 1 December hour by hour

On the day itself you win by being present. People give when they see others giving and see that someone answers.

A sample run sheet (adapt to your own team)

• 07:30: open the page, make a test gift, check the counter. First post with video.
• 08:00: morning email to your list.
• 09:00: board and team post personally in their own words.
• 10:30: thank the first donors in your channels (with permission, otherwise anonymously: "Thanks to the first 12!").
• 12:00: progress update: "1,100 euros to go, and the match runs until midnight."
• 14:00: short testimonial or photo of a real situation.
• 16:00: personal messages to people who opened the email but did not give, without pressure.
• 18:30: evening email "last hours" to those who have not given yet.
• 21:00: final standing and call; show what is still to win.
• 23:30: last thank-you in advance, such as "thank you, whatever happens".

Template for the progress update

It is noon and we stand at 1,900 of 3,000 euros. 47 people have given. Thank you! Until midnight a local business matches every gift up to 1,500 euros. Join in: [link].

If it goes wrong

• Payment page slow or down: say so honestly, offer an alternative (bank transfer with reference) and extend the campaign by a day if needed.
• The total lags behind: do not exaggerate. Honest urgency works better than panic.
• A critical comment: reply briefly, kindly and factually, and take the conversation private if needed.

What not to do

• Do not post the same ask every hour.
• Do not email "give now" to people who already gave.
• Do not glue yourself to the screen all day: plan breaks and a second person.

Week 10: thank and follow up

Week 10 begins on 7 December. The thanks and the follow-up decide whether a new donor is still there next year. The good news: a timely, personal thank-you sets you apart from most organisations.

Thanks in three layers

1. Immediately: an automatic confirmation email with a warm text. Make sure that text is filled in before the day starts.
2. Within 48 hours: a personal email or message from a real human, with the result ("thanks to your 62 donors the total stands at 3,340 euros").
3. Within two weeks: a phone call or handwritten card for your biggest donors and all new monthly donors.

Template for the thank-you email

Subject: Thanks to you: 60 meals a week

Hi {{first_name}}, we made it: 62 people gave 3,340 euros together, and Els' business matched up to 1,500 euros. From January we will serve 60 more meals every week. Your gift makes that possible. We will keep you posted with photos in January. Warm thanks, [name].

All numbers are invented. Use your own result.

Thank your partners too

• Match donor: a personal email with the result and a photo, plus the permission you need for public thanks.
• Ambassadors and volunteers: a message about what their effort produced.
• The team: a moment to look back together.

The follow-up: keep the relationship warm

• An impact update after 3 to 6 weeks with a photo or a figure.
• An invitation to new donors to join your newsletter, only with their consent.
• A gentle invitation to give monthly, only after the thanks and the result, not in the same email.
• Tax certificates: check which rules apply in your country and when to send them. Consult the official source of your tax authority, because conditions differ per country and per year.

Week 10 checklist

• All donors thanked (digitally) and big donors called.
• New donor data neatly in your list.
• Impact update scheduled.

Measuring and learning

Measure to decide better, not to judge yourself. Choose a handful of figures and write them on one sheet.

The six figures that matter

1. Total raised (including the match, listed separately).
2. Number of donors and average gift.
3. New donors versus existing donors.
4. Number of monthly donors you gained.
5. Source per channel (via your UTM labels): email, social, ambassadors, website.
6. Costs: hours, ad budget, any platform cost.

Worked example (invented numbers)

You raised 3,340 euros from 62 donors: an average of about 54 euros. 41 donors came via email, 14 via social media, 7 via ambassadors. 23 donors were new (37 percent). You spent 60 volunteer hours and 0 euros on ads. The questions you draw from that: did email work best, so should we start it earlier next year? Did new donors mostly come via ambassadors, so should we give them more tools next time?

What to watch

• Open and click figures for emails are indications, not exact truth, because mail programs can load or block images.
• Compare with yourself (last year, last campaign), not with other organisations.
• Look at the donors you still have in six months: that is the real win of the day.

A one-page learning document

1. What went better than expected? 2. What went slower than expected? 3. Which channel gave the most per hour of work? 4. What do we do differently next year? 5. Who takes that on? Date:

What is a good result?

You decide that against your goal from week 1. Give yourself an honest verdict: goal reached, nearly reached or not. Each of the three is useful information for next year.

What you can do for this in WeGlow

You can run this plan with any tools. If your organisation uses WeGlow.world, these parts support the steps above.

• Donation form with amounts and labels: one-off and monthly gifts, each with its own amounts, and a label per amount such as "a warm meal". The form runs in three steps: amount, details, summary.
• Write the story with Glowie: Glowie rewrites your fundraiser story in three tones (personal, professional, urgent). You keep your original until you confirm.
• Glowie drafts: Glowie can propose a campaign, donation form or event as a card, and you confirm before it goes live.
• Ambassadors: supporters start their own fundraiser page for a campaign or event. A good tool for weeks 7 and 8.
• Thank-you email: after a gift a thank-you email goes out automatically, as long as your organisation has filled in a thank-you text. Fill it in during week 3.
• Payment methods: Mollie, Stripe and Payconiq, with Bancontact, iDEAL and cards among the methods in the donation widget.
• Tax certificates: you send them with one click to all eligible donors (not automatic, and following Belgian rules).
• WeGlow Mail: build your emails with a block editor, schedule them and see sent, opened and clicked per email. With the tag {{first_name}} you address people personally. WeGlow Mail is free up to 250 contacts in every plan; with the Pro platform plan (40 euros per month or 400 per year, excl. VAT) mailing is included up to 2,500 contacts.

Your plan in WeGlow, week by week

1. Week 3: build and test the form with labels; fill in the thank-you text.
2. Week 4: Mail templates ready, send a test to yourself.
3. Weeks 5-8: schedule emails by date and hour.
4. Week 9: keep an eye on the counter and your mail statistics.
5. Week 10: send certificates and the thank-you email.

Try it in your WeGlow dashboard. Check the current prices in your dashboard, as they can change.

Frequently asked questions

Read next

More on this topic:

• The complete end-of-year fundraising guide
• The complete guide to a fundraising event
• The Complete Non-Profit CRM Guide

Sources

All example figures and names in this guide are invented and labelled as such. Rules of thumb are labelled as rules of thumb. Checked on 2 October 2026.

• GivingTuesday: 1 December 2026 date; global movement created in 2012.
• GivingTuesday toolkit for nonprofits: 2026 date; advice on starting early, peer-to-peer and emotional storytelling, no registration, two to three emails on the day.
• dsc.be: free registration on the Belgian platform.
• European Commission, data protection: GDPR basics for email and donor data.
• Belgian Data Protection Authority: consent and direct marketing.

More from Glowie

• End-of-year fundraising checklist for charities
• GivingTuesday email and social media ideas
• GivingTuesday in Belgium, the Netherlands and France
• GivingTuesday matching gifts and challenges explained
• How to budget a fundraising event

More about WeGlow

• How WeGlow works
• Pricing
• Our story