Anyone who has been reading this blog for awhile will know that I have mixed feelings about #givingtuesday. In theory it is good, but in reality, most people are not gaining new donors, stewarding current donors or raising substantial amounts. There are nonprofits who prove all of this wrong, but those are often the ones with staff that can really focus on a #GivingTuesdayNow strategy and calendar. Not just putting up a few social media posts and hoping to raise $100,000.

Maybe I sound too cynical. Why?

1. It is a good thing to remind people that nonprofits need donations, especially during quarantine. As millions have joined the unemployment rolls, others are making the same salary and their costs have dropped significantly. They, potentially, have more to give right now, if they understand why they want to give.

• If registered with the organization, The Firespring Foundation is providing matching funds for monies raised during #GivingTuesdayNow.

• Some people respond to social media posts in the same way others respond to email or letters. As donors, we get to choose our preferences. As fundraisers, we meet donors where they are. Hopefully the combination provides a happy donor and a nonprofit which will be able to stay in business for the long-term.

However, #GivingTuesday and #GivingTuesdayNow are not long-term strategies that will secure your nonprofit for years to come. For that, you need a moves management strategy that takes your donors from acknowledgements to recognition and from stewardship to meaningful engagement.

Whether you participate this week or not, consider your calendar for the next month. A new reality has started to set in and while some people will be struggling financially for some time, others feel lucky that they are not and want to donate. Give these people a reason to contribute to your organization.