Lessons from This Year’s GivingTuesday: 3 Strategies That Worked

At Dunham+Company, we have the privilege of partnering with dozens of nonprofits across the industry, allowing us to analyze GivingTuesday results on an aggregate level. This perspective provides meaningful insights into the strategies that drive success.

Based on this year’s results, three key strategies emerged as critical drivers of impact: email list growth, year-round subscriber engagement, and impactful incentives like matching grants.

Organizations that focused on all three of these things saw the most significant gains in income and donor participation, emphasizing the importance of growth and engagement at every stage of the user journey.

Email list growth provided a foundation for success, but the quality of those subscribers and the efforts to engage them year-round played an equally important role. Regular touchpoints, value-driven content, and personalized communications created an engaged audience ready to jump in and support on GivingTuesday.

Additionally, incentives such as matching grants significantly influenced total income and donor participation, serving as a compelling reason to give. In fact, in our Giving by Generations study published by Giving USA, donors in every generation stated that they were more likely to give when a matching grant was available.

It’s worth noting that some organizations struggled due to an over-reliance on a single factor or a lack of focus on growing their audience. For example, email list size alone does not guarantee success, nor does offering a match without first cultivating an engaged and receptive audience. These findings reinforce the importance of a holistic approach, where audience growth, engagement, and incentives are all prioritized for maximum impact.

To apply these insights for future campaigns, organizations should focus on three actionable strategies:

1. Invest in Email List Growth: Organizations that prioritized growing their email lists with high-quality subscribers throughout the year saw the strongest GivingTuesday performance. A larger, engaged audience increases the potential for both income and donor participation.
2. Focus on Subscriber Engagement: Growing an email list is only the first step. Year-round engagement through regular touchpoints, content valued by donors and subscribers, stories of life change, and personalization ensures that both subscribers and donors feel connected and are more likely to respond on GivingTuesday. Equally important is ensuring the path to giving is optimized. Testing and refining the donation form throughout the year can dramatically improve conversion rates. An optimized donation form complements engagement efforts, making it easier for an engaged audience to take action when it matters most.
3. Utilize Strategic Incentives: Incentives like matching grants remain a powerful way to drive results. However, their effectiveness is amplified when paired with a well-engaged and targeted audience. Organizations should integrate these incentives as part of a broader campaign strategy.

By balancing these three areas—list growth, engagement, and incentives—organizations can optimize their GivingTuesday results and build momentum for future campaigns.

Ready to take the next step? Dunham+Company has the tools and expertise to help your organization grow your email list, engage audiences year-round, and implement strategies that maximize results. Let us partner with you to create a holistic approach to fundraising that drives impact. Contact us today to get started.