December brings one of the most important holidays for nonprofits — Giving Tuesday, a global day of generosity.
In 2023, 34 million donors contributed $3.1 billion to American nonprofits. For some organizations, Giving Tuesday is their biggest fundraiser of the year. For others, it’s just one part of a larger strategy to connect with the community and gain support.
Nonprofits often spend a lot of effort and time getting out the word before and during Giving Tuesday. After all, you want to reach as many potential donors as possible. But it’s also important to consider how you’ll strengthen relationships with your supporters after the big event. Writing a sincere Giving Tuesday thank you note is one way to express your gratitude and, hopefully, encourage ongoing engagement.
It’s never too early to start planning your donation follow-ups. This article explores the benefits of sending thoughtful thank-you notes, strategies for writing genuine messages, and best practices to connect with donors.
What is Giving Tuesday?
Giving Tuesday is an annual event that encourages people to support the causes they care about. In 2024, Giving Tuesday will fall on December 3, and in 2025, it will occur on December 2.
People often associate Giving Tuesday with financial donations, but there are other ways to show support. Millions of donors give their knowledge, resources, and time to various nonprofits every year.
In 2023, for example, volunteers in Stamford, Connecticut, contributed to Americares by packing emergency kits for families affected by natural disasters. Meanwhile, social media influencer Santa J. Claus hosted a six-hour TikTok live event to raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Any nonprofit organization can participate in Giving Tuesday. There’s no cost to join, and you don’t have to register. Just plan your campaign, spread the word, and start raising support.
Benefits of sending a Giving Tuesday thank you
Picture this. You spend Giving Tuesday volunteering a few hours for your favorite cause. Maybe you sort donations at the local women’s shelter or break a sweat clearing trails for your neighborhood nature preserve. You go home feeling grateful for the opportunity to give back. But then, you never hear from the nonprofit again.
This experience would probably leave you feeling a bit disheartened. You might wonder, “Did the organization care about my support?” and “Did my contribution matter?” You may even decide to support another organization for the next Giving Tuesday — or, worse, give up on volunteering altogether.
Your organization can help prevent this disappointing scenario by creating a simple Giving Tuesday thank you note. This message lets your nonprofit team express genuine appreciation for your donors’ support. It also shows them that they’ve made a meaningful impact on your organization.
Here are a few more reasons to send a Giving Tuesday thank you note:
- You can highlight all the cool projects you’ve accomplished with your supporters’ assistance
- Your note may inspire supporters to keep contributing year-round
- It allows you to promote upcoming events and volunteer opportunities
How to say thank you to your donors
Thanking your donors isn’t as easy as it may seem. Obviously, you want your note to express your sincere appreciation and gratitude. But the best thank you messages also engage your supporters and encourage them to keep donating, even after Giving Tuesday is over.
Follow these strategies to write an effective thank you note that will leave your donors with a lasting impression.
Choose between a thank you letter or thank you email
As you prepare to write your Giving Tuesday thank you notes, it’s important to pick the right format.
Thank you letters can feel more personal and offer a physical reminder of your appreciation. But you’ll need to pay for stationary and postage, which can add up if you have a lot of people to thank.
By contrast, thank you emails are cost-effective and let you reach all your donors quickly. However, they could get lost in crowded inboxes, so you’ll need a compelling subject line to grab your supporters’ attention.
Express your gratitude
Don’t overlook the value of a heartfelt “thank you.” Expressing gratitude for your supporters’ Giving Tuesday gift shows them that their donation matters. It also helps them feel more invested in your organization’s long-term success.
Of course, even the most passionate supporters don’t want to read a sappy email with dozens of paragraphs. Keep your thank you message simple and straightforward.
The American Red Cross showed gratitude in a few paragraphs on its website. The organization uses powerful statistics to highlight the global impact of its donors’ contributions. For instance, the web page notes that volunteers and donors allowed the Red Cross to “distribute more than 6.3 million blood products for transfusion” and “respond to more than 60,000 disasters in the U.S.” By using specific examples, the organization reveals the very real impact of Giving Tuesday contributions on patients, people experiencing natural disasters, and other communities.
Strike the right tone
An effective Giving Tuesday thank you note leaves the reader feeling appreciated and excited to contribute again. Set the right mood by using warm and personal language and express your enthusiasm about your ongoing mission.
Consider the difference in tone between these two messages:
- “Thank you for your contribution on Giving Tuesday. Your donation helps us support the community. We hope you’ll give again in the future.”
- “Thank you for your donation to help our community’s animals on Giving Tuesday! We’re thrilled to share that our donors’ generous contributions allowed us to spay and neuter 57 dogs from low-income neighborhoods around Florida — twice as many as last year! We are incredibly grateful for your support, which will help reduce the number of homeless pets in our communities.”
The first message reads like a formal email with no excitement or gratitude. It uses generic phrases like “thank you for your contribution,” which are unlikely to make donors feel valued. Plus, it doesn’t tell the reader what their contribution has achieved.
By contrast, the second message feels more authentic and conversational. Exclamation points and enthusiastic language like “we’re thrilled to share” convey the nonprofit’s excitement and gratitude effectively. Aim for a similar tone in your thank you notes to inspire your donors and build loyalty.
Share the impact
Every supporter wants to know that their contribution matters. Keep them informed by sharing what you’ve accomplished with their Giving Tuesday donation.
Be sure to include relevant statistics, such as:
- The total hours volunteered during Giving Tuesday
- The number of food baskets distributed to families in need
- The pounds of litter collected from a local park
- The number of animals adopted to loving homes
Anecdotes can also be powerful evidence of donor impact. For example, you could share an uplifting story about how you used Giving Tuesday funds to buy school supplies for local families. Consider including quotes or photos from the people you’ve assisted for a stronger emotional impact.
Personalize your message
Whether you have two contributors or two thousand, every donor deserves acknowledgment for their support. Personalizing your Giving Tuesday note will make everyone feel seen and valued.
If you have a small number of donors — say, less than 50 or so — consider referencing specific details related to their individual contributions. For example, you might write, “Thank you for donating to our Giving Tuesday fundraiser. Your $100 contribution allowed us to buy 12 jackets for people staying at our homeless shelter — just in time for winter!” This personal touch can help strengthen their commitment to their cause.
Of course, this hyper-personalized approach isn’t always practical if you have hundreds or thousands of supporters — you’d be manually tweaking emails until the next Giving Tuesday rolls around. Instead of addressing each donor individually, you can segment them into groups of supporters with similar contributions.
Send each segment a tailored message highlighting their collective impact. Here’s a quick example: “We had 30 volunteers working tirelessly to improve our community garden. You repaired 200 feet of fence, expanded our compost facilities, and organized the tool shed. We’re blown away by your support, truly!” This strategy lets you maintain a personal touch while saving time.
Include powerful visuals
Illustrate the tangible impact of your donors’ contributions by adding a few photos or videos. For instance, you could include before and after images of projects you’ve completed with their donations. Video interviews showing how your organization is breaking down barriers or empowering communities can make a lasting impact, too.
This content will drive home the importance of their contributions. Plus, it will make your cause more memorable, increasing the chances of repeat donations.
Encourage contributors to stay in touch
Remind your supporters that they can keep contributing beyond Giving Tuesday. Even a simple “We’re counting on you!” at the end of your thank you note can help drum up year-round support.
However, you should avoid coming across as too pushy or salesy. Your donors just made a generous contribution, so they may not be ready to give more money or time yet — especially with the holidays approaching.
Instead of pressuring them, gently remind donors that you’ll always appreciate their support. You could also invite them to join your e-newsletter or attend an upcoming volunteer event.
Add an extra touch for donors who go the extra mile
While all supporters aid your cause, some will stand out for their contributions. Maybe you received an extremely generous donation, or a tireless volunteer pulled out all the stops to finish a project.
Take the time to recognize these special contributions and demonstrate your gratitude. Consider sending a personalized thank you letter with a thoughtful gift, such as a mug with your nonprofit’s logo or a calendar with photos of your initiatives. These small gestures go a long way in building enduring relationships with significant donors.
Best practices for writing Giving Tuesday thank you notes
Writing Giving Tuesday thank you notes isn’t rocket science, but there are a few basic etiquette rules to follow.
Do:
- Address your note to each donor
- Send the thank you note promptly — preferably within a week of Giving Tuesday
- Proofread your text carefully
- Include alt-text and captions for all images
Don’t:
- Forget to optimize your emails for mobile devices
- Nag donors for more contributions
- Use pessimistic language
Email marketing technology can help you create an accessible, professionally formatted thank you message. Constant Contact offers hundreds of customizable templates and intuitive drag-and-drop editing.
The platform also has dynamic content blocks, which let you quickly personalize your emails for each donor. These convenient features allow you to create stylish emails that will display on any device so you can show your gratitude quickly.
Giving Tuesday thank you email examples
Get inspiration by studying thank you emails and social media posts from other organizations. Here are two case studies to help you get started:
Kids on the Move for Success posted a Giving Tuesday thank you note on their Facebook page. This example uses vivid language, such as “overflowing with gratitude” and “a beacon of light.” It also invites supporters who haven’t contributed to give to the cause, which may drive additional donations.
This message from the World Wildlife Fund isn’t for Giving Tuesday specifically, but it’s still an excellent example of a thank you email. It includes a concise description of how the organization will use the donation. At the bottom, a photo of the Senior Vice President adds a personal touch.
Build meaningful connections for Giving Tuesday and beyond
Thank you notes may seem old-fashioned, but they can significantly impact your relationships with donors. Take the time to show your Giving Tuesday donors how much you care about their support with a thoughtful message. Need help designing your thank you email? Visit the official Giving Tuesday website for free graphics. Their Generosity Toolbox can also help you plan a successful fundraiser.
Next, make certain your Giving Tuesday emails are sent without a hitch. Download our Email List Segmentation Worksheet and enjoy taking some time back this season.
