Five ways to make Giving Tuesday count this year
From Amanda Kirby, Senior Account Director/Strategist
Fall is almost here. And with it comes a season of campaign deadlines, event planning and donor communications. While most people are thinking about pumpkin spice and holiday shopping, Rescue Mission fundraisers know what’s really coming: the busiest season of the year, and the one that carries the most weight for the people walking through your doors this winter.
Tucked between Thanksgiving and Year-End campaigns is Giving Tuesday! It provides another opportunity to amplify your message…and it’s an opportunity your Mission can’t afford to miss.
Thanksgiving vs Giving Tuesday: Does Giving Tuesday still matter?
Now in its fourteenth year, Giving Tuesday has become a global movement of generosity. And 2025 was one of its strongest showings yet:
- U.S. donors gave an estimated $4 billion in 24 hours, up 13% over 2024
- 38.1 million people in the U.S. took part in some form, up 6% over 2024
- More than 110 countries participated
- Since its launch in 2012, the movement has generated an estimated $22.5 billion
When looking across BDI’s Rescue Mission partners last year, Thanksgiving drove 60% of holiday revenue while Giving Tuesday drove 40% when looking at Digital revenue in November. Giving Tuesday is one moment inside a season, and it performs best when both holiday campaigns are an integrated part of your Q4 fundraising program.
The real power of Giving Tuesday showed up somewhere else in the data: one quarter of donors who gave to BDI Rescue Missions on Giving Tuesday were brand new to the file.
In many ways, Giving Tuesday is an entry point to your Mission’s front door. If Rescue Missions build it as an acquisition and engagement moment that feeds your Year-End campaign, you’ll get far more out of the day than a single revenue number.
Here are 5 ways that Rescue Missions can maximize Giving Tuesday in 2026:
Giving Tuesday Tip #1: Make It a Match
It’s no secret that Matching Gift Challenges work. Last year across BDI’s Giving Tuesday campaigns, average gift increased by 47% when a matching offer was in place compared to campaigns without one.
That’s a meaningful lift. Matches give donors urgency, clarity and confidence at a moment when a dozen other organizations are asking for their attention.
Even a modest match can create momentum. Frame it around tangible impact (like “$1 = 2 meals”), and make sure your language is clear and ECFA-compliant so donors trust the offer.
Giving Tuesday Tip #2: Focus on a Clear, Tangible Goal
The more specific, the better. Instead of a generic ask, invite your supporters to help meet a need they can picture. Some campaign examples from organizations we work with are:
- “Help provide 25,000 meals between now and the end of the year”
- “Give hope to 75 children with Christmas gifts and winter essentials”
- “Raise funds to replace all 40 mattresses in the Women’s Shelter”
Use real numbers. Real stories. Real people. The more tangible the ask, the more likely donors are to respond.
Giving Tuesday Tip #3: Start Early, and Follow Up
Don’t wait until the week before Giving Tuesday to share your first social media post. We recommend starting your messaging 2 to 3 weeks out to build awareness and momentum.
Here’s a sample 2026 timeline your organization can build from:
- Week of November 9: Launch your teaser or pre-Giving Tuesday email
- Week of November 16: Post on social media with your campaign goal and match
- Monday, November 30: Send an “early gift” opportunity for donors eager to act
- Tuesday, December 1 (Giving Tuesday): Send 2 to 3 emails throughout the day with progress updates and a final push
- Wednesday, December 2: Share a Thank You message highlighting the impact of donors’ Giving Tuesday support
Last year, BDI Rescue Mission partners sent more than 1.1 million emails around Giving Tuesday, and saw click rates of 50-60% even in a very crowded inbox. Email is still working!
And of course, make sure to thank your donors promptly and personally.
Giving Tuesday Tip #4: Invite Your Sustainers to Give Again
Sustainers are one of the most overlooked audiences on Giving Tuesday. Some organizations leave them out of the ask entirely, assuming their monthly gift is enough.
Last year, sustainers across BDI’s Rescue Mission campaigns increased their additional Giving Tuesday gifts by 29% year over year. These are some of the most engaged donors on your file, and they respond when they’re invited intentionally.
Segment them. Acknowledge their ongoing support and give them a specific reason to add a gift on December 1.
This matters more every year. Across BDI’s Q4 campaigns last season, major gifts grew 15% year over year before year-end, while total mass-donor revenue continued to shrink. Your sustainer file is where tomorrow’s mid-level and major donors are sitting right now. That’s why it’s essential to have giving pathways in place that uplevel your mass donors to long-term givers.
Giving Tuesday Tip #5: Make Giving Effortless
Giving Tuesday happens on mobile devices. In line at a store, between meetings, on the couch after dinner. Last year, BDI Rescue Missions partners saw 56% of website visits coming from a mobile device.
A few things worth checking before December:
- Your donation page loads fast and works cleanly on a phone
- Digital wallet options are enabled (for example, Venmo or Apple Pay)
- Your form asks for the minimum information you actually need to reduce friction
- Text-to-give is live and promoted. (One BDI Rescue Mission partner averaged $4.50 per text message during Giving Tuesday last year!)
- Your organic and paid
Bonus Tip: Invite Every Form of Generosity
Everyone has something to give.
Alongside the 19.1 million people who gave on Giving Tuesday in 2025, 13.5 million donated goods, 11.1 million volunteered (up 20% over the prior year) and 20.9 million advocated for a cause they care about (up 26%). Non-cash generosity is growing faster than cash giving.
Encourage financial support alongside volunteerism, prayer, in-kind donations or simply sharing your message with others. Highlighting these pathways helps you engage a wider range of supporters and builds long-term advocacy.
Need Giving Tuesday Help?
Reach out to your BDI Strategy team, or contact us here. Let’s make Giving Tuesday 2026 your Mission’s most impactful yet!
Sources:
- GivingTuesday 2025 Shatters Records With $4B Raised – Amanda L. Cole
- Americans gave $4B on GivingTuesday 2025 as donations and volunteering gain big over last year – Thalia Beaty
- Generosity Sweeps the Globe: Participation and Donations Rise on Another Record-Breaking – GivingTuesday
- What Q4 Giving is Showing Us (So Far) – Nicole Ige-Hutto
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