Month: March 2023

The Chartered Institute of Fundraising is delighted to share that it’s estimated over £20m was raised on GivingTuesday 2022 within the UK.

GivingTuesday is a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. It is focused around a day of giving, which takes place on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, which last year was 29 November.

On that day, GivingTuesday trended No.1 on Twitter, with prominent messages of support from the Minister for Civil Society, Stuart Andrew MP, as well as NatWest, high-street companies, and England Men’s football captain, Harry Kane.

On GivingTuesday, charities all across the UK used the day as an opportunity to fundraise, to say thank you to supporters, and raise awareness of their cause. 29 November also saw GivingTuesday partners, the Big Give, launch their Christmas Challenge – the UK’s biggest match funding campaign – which raised £7.4m. JustGiving, GivingTuesday’s giving partner for 2022, saw £2.4m raised on the day.

When asked about there being a recognised day when charities, businesses, and others come together to encourage people to give donations and inspire charitable actions, a third (35%) said such a recognised day would make them more likely to donate. The support is particularly strong among younger people – almost three quarters (73%) of those aged 18-34 said such a day was important, and more than six in ten (61%) said that it would mean they would be likely to donate more.

Case studies of how charities got involved in GivingTuesday include Black Girls Brunch, Pump Aid and Hickory Food

“GivingTuesday is a unique day where all and anyone can celebrate and inspire generosity. I’m really pleased to see that last year over £20m was raised for good causes all across the UK, along with he opportunity of raising their profile and thanking their supporters. Along with the brilliant fundraising that happens all through the year, it is important that there are days like GivingTuesday which provide a platform for all organisations, sectors, and people to get behind.”

Daniel Fluskey, Director of Policy and Communications at the Chartered Institute of Fundraising

 

Notes:

The Opinium Research commissioned by Giving Tuesday surveyed 2,000 nationally representative UK adults. The research was conducted between 4 and 8 November 2022.

 

The Chartered Institute of Fundraising is the global leader for GivingTuesday in the UK.

Giving Tuesday celebrates generosity and kindness every year, with many charities and organisations taking it upon themselves to spread goodness far and wide – Pump Aid are no exception. They exist to end water poverty for good in Malawi, one of the poorest countries in the world with many isolated and under-served communities to reach. Through their water entrepreneur initiative, they seek a solution to the problems the people of Malawi face, simultaneously improving rural livelihoods and providing access to safe clean water.  

Pump Aid were inspired by the Giving Tuesday, identifying the opportunity to tap into the spirit of generosity surrounding the big day and encourage people to support their very important cause for 2022 and beyond. They’re no stranger to big giving campaigns, as they usually participate in Big Give Week, so what better way to optimise it than to join us for a Tuesday like no other? After attending some webinars and checking out our toolkit to learn more about the approaches they could take with their fundraising, they opted to go for a match funding campaign. This campaign was launched on Giving Tuesday to run through Big Give Week. Every donation was promised to be doubled, and it was a whopping success! 

The campaign surpassed its initial target of raising £61,000 in one week, instead receiving £66,129 – with the funding, they will train and support 10 Water Entrepreneurs whose businesses will ensure long-term water access for 25,000 people in rural Malawi. They will also provide vital hygiene support to 500 children and their caregivers across two nurseries, giving them the best possible start in life. Using social media, newsletters and letters as their mediums to spread the message, they touched the hearts of their supporters and made Giving Tuesday 2022 one to be proud of.  

Their advice for others interested in taking part themselves next year? It’s worthwhile to use a hook to attract potential donors in your fundraising efforts – spend some time figuring out what that hook may be, which could tie in with the Giving Tuesday theme for that year, and then make some noise about it! What would your existing or potential audience connect with? What would make them want to act by giving what they can to support the cause? Addressing these is the key to making sure your messaging is right.  

They also tried to get a celebrity to record a video for them to share in support of their Giving Tuesday message – however, they hit a bit of a roadblock here as they didn’t have time to deliver this. What this taught them for next year, something all participants should keep in mind, is the importance of having a backup plan just in case things don’t quite go to plan. Planning ahead of time is a recipe for success, as it gives you the space to make the most of any opportunities and make the most out of the day. Pump Aid also have considered approaching local radios to talk on air during Giving Tuesday to reach a wider audience and encourage giving for their cause.  

Are you interested in finding out more about what Pump Aid do year-round to end water poverty? Read about their approach, projects and more here.  

Following her own experiences of loneliness through university and feeling like there wasn’t a place for her, Cairo Aibangbee went searching for a community.

Cairo is unfortunately far from alone in this experience – the Mental Health Foundation reported in May 2022 that one in three Black people experience feelings on loneliness, with racism and social inequality likely exacerbating this. When she realised that a safe space simply wasn’t there for Black Womxn in the UK, Black Girls Brunch UK came into being. The non-profit sets out to empower, amplify and educate Black Womxn while offering the opportunity for networking and growth. However, when Cairo planned the very first meeting in Plymouth’s tallest building on a shoestring budget, she had no idea that it would grow into what it is today – a source of inspiration, comfort and community for many. Many had an appetite for what they had to offer, and so Black Girls Brunch continues to host annual events, brunches, literature festivals and more.  

Over the years, Black Girls Brunch have tried to expand their reach and make a wider impact. This, as many small organisations can appreciate, is made difficult by a lack of resources. Cairo’s own savings had taken a significant hit to keep pulling off the amazing work they do. With this as a motivator, they discovered Giving Tuesday and recognised the potential to become more self-sustainable and keep their events priced as accessible as possible. As they didn’t hear about Giving Tuesday until it was around the corner, they were able to whip up a campaign idea in a single meeting and join many of the organisations they admire in our generosity movement. As their team are based throughout the country, the ability to host events and reach others is very much dependent on keeping on top of logistical costs, so this was very much a driver for their campaign.  

Recognising that working-class people and Black people are among the biggest givers, they wanted to make their campaign asks as accessible as they could, so that those with a desire to help had more of an opportunity to do so. That’s why they opted for their ‘3 for 3 for 3’ campaign – 300 people to donate 3 pounds each to reach 3 different cities in the UK. With the majority of events happening in London out of necessity, they recognise the need to touch the lives of people in other corners of the country, who may also feel that there isn’t a space for them like Cairo did. They took this ask to social media, including sharable content that their supporters might share with others.  

While they didn’t raise their target, they did raise over £400 by the time their campaign closed in January. Cairo shared her disappointment over this, feeling worried that her team would feel let down after all their hard work to pull the campaign together. However, putting the cost of living crisis into frame, particularly with Christmas approaching and they themselves operating with no marketing budget, put this into broader perspective and helped them to better understand why meeting this target was a challenge.  

Luckily, they were not deterred and remain committed to campaigning for Giving Tuesday again this year. This time around, they intend to start their campaign earlier, potentially around October to tie in with Black History Month. To help them build their knowledge and understand where their time and energy is best placed, Cairo is taking part in a PR course. 

Their advice to others looking to take part in Giving Tuesday? Always have a strong ask, even if you don’t publicise it. Generic fundraising is all fine and well, but with the specific target of reaching 3 cities, there is something tangible for the organisation to aim for and that the audience can visualise. This way, when people give, they can become more invested in the journey and can see what their donations aided with.  

If you’d like to support Black Girls Brunch as they endeavour to reach more Black Womxn across the country, you can donate to them via PayPal and Patreon. You can also keep up to date with the latest from Black Girls Brunch by joining their mailing list. 

Did you know that Giving Tuesday is about more than collecting donations and encouraging people to part with their money for good causes? It’s so much more – it’s about fostering the giving spirit, nurturing others and making people feel welcomed. There are many ways to make Giving Tuesday a positive and fulfilling experience, particularly when a little innovation and creativity is applied to the planning, and when people are kept at the heart of it.  

Edinburgh-based award-winning catering company Hickory Foods know a thing or two about creative innovation. From weddings to corporate events, they are dedicated to providing top notch hospitality. And, this passion extends beyond making a difference for their clients – they seek out opportunities to make a difference within society through giving back. That’s why in 2022, they were one of the many organisations who campaigned for Giving Tuesday. We’d like to share the story of how they cooked up and served something truly special for their campaign, in the hopes that it inspires you as we approach Giving Tuesday 2023.  

The festive period can be a challenging time for many. With a vision of prividing for the community’s elderly and isolated over this period, the Eskmills Venue in Musselburgh opened its doors for the Eskmills Community Lunch, provided by Hickory. For Giving Tuesday, they opened their doors for over 200 residents for an afternoon of entertainment, spreading cheer and bringing people together. Live music and a festive feast were on the agenda, spicing up the dull winter days and giving people something to look forward to.  

Over 95% of the food was provided by free of charge from a whole host of generous local suppliers who helped make the magic happen. Raffle prizes were also up for grabs, having been kindly donated by the Hickory team and local companies – Nairn Oatcakes, Usher Hall and the Seabird Centre, to name a few. Community spirit runs high in this corner of the country, and it’s heartwarming to see it in action.  

Executive Director at Hickory Brian Galbraith said: “The Eskmills Community Lunch is one of the highlights of the Hickory calendar and we were delighted to welcome everyone back. It’s a joy to give something back to the local community and we can’t wait to do it all over again!” 

MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh Colin Beattie said: “It was a pleasure to join the Eskmills Community Lunch with many local organisations. This is truly a great way to bring local groups and organisations together to network in a fun atmosphere. I am pleased that Hickory has been able to resume their annual community lunch again which are hugely appreciated by all who attend. A massive thank you for Hickory for hosting the community lunch and I wish all involved the best going forward.” 

The Eskmills Community Lunch goes to show that Giving Tuesday is more than just a day – it can bring people together to form meaningful relationships, unite businesses who want to make a difference, and much more.  

Do you have a Giving Tuesday story to share? Get in touch with the team and we’d be happy to shine a spotlight on it.