5 Ways to Give on GivingTuesday!

1. GIVE YOUR VOICE

• Sign a petition, speak up for a cause or issue

2. GIVE YOUR TIME OR TALENT

• VOLUNTEER or Donate Your Skills to help United Way of the Ouachitas thrive

3. GIVE MONEY

• DONATE to a nonprofit or run a fundraiser for a cause that matters to you

4. GIVE GOODS

• Organize a supply drive or donate clothes or don’t need anymore

5. INSPIRE OTHERS

• When we share our generosity, we inspire others. Share how you took action on social media with #GIVINGTUESDAY, #SpaCityGives #OuachitaRegionGives, #StartTodayUnited

United Way of the Ouachitas At A Glance

At the beginning of the year, none of us were prepared for what we would confront, and no one knew how many in our community would need our help. Faced with a once-in-a-century challenge, the United Way of the Ouachitas stepped up. United Way staff, donors, volunteers, and our entire community came together in an unprecedented way! We helped our neighbors who were most impacted by the global pandemic and economic downturn get the relief and support they needed.

• Raised over $75,000 for the COVID-19 relief fund 

• Distributed 325 food boxes to those who were affected by COVID-19

• Provided utility relief to 45 individuals who were affected by COVID-19

• Provided rental/mortgage relief to 63 individuals affected by COVID- 19

• Provided medical relief in the amount of $370.76 to individuals affected by COVID-19

• Helped the public navigate EIP/Economic Income Payments for families and individuals

• Provided FREE training through our Financial Empowerment Center classes to 78 individuals virtually

• Hosted an online Stuff the Bus fundraiser to collect school supplies for Garland county schools

• Offered mental health care resources to the community through our partnerships

• Prepared more than 50 tax returns for FREE throughout the pandemic, with more than $86,338 in returns brought back to our community

Read the full Press Release HERE. 

How Nonprofits Can Participate in GivingTuesday?

Creativity always wins on GivingTuesday. Here are some ideas for how your organization can participate but the sky’s the limit:

● Share good news stories. Both from your organization and other stories that inspire you. Check out GivingTuesday’s social channels for examples. Showcase all the good happening in your community.
● Collaborate with other organizations to host a PPE drive, a holiday food drive for your community, or a virtual festival for your community members to learn about all the organizations’ missions.
● Thank your supporters. Host a thank-a-thon or add to a donor wall.
● 24 hours of gratitude. Post once an hour about things your organization is grateful for.
● Amplify others. Fundraise for another organization, create a Facebook album to share your partners’ work.
● Go live. Share how your organization has been participating and how it has positively impacted your community!
● Fundraise for your organization. You can use any digital fundraising tools you like! You can even use your existing donate button.

Get Your Social Channels Ready

What You Should Be Doing Right Now

● Brand your accounts with GivingTuesday graphics and be an ambassador for the movement. Download the GivingTuesday logo files here and find the Canva templates here.

● Announce that you’re participating in GivingTuesday and build anticipation with a countdown to December 1!

● Use the hashtag #GivingTuesday – the buzz amplifies your reach by expanding your normal audience + encouraging new supporters to get

involved with your nonprofit! (Please use “camel caps” in your hashtag for accessibility!)

● Post more often, not less! Your community WANTS to hear from you! Go back and look at your top-performing content to draw inspiration. Post content that shows your work in action, how your community is affected by COVID-19, and share stories that give people hope or make people laugh.

● Launch a group. Now’s a great time to launch a virtual group to build your community - people are craving a sense of togetherness. Consider a WhatsApp group for your top donors, a Facebook group for your p2p fundraiser, or an Instagram close friends list for influencers to repost your content to their own feeds.

● Offer a slice of hope in a sea of bad news. Folks are craving good news right now. Educate people about your cause area + what your organization is doing to make our world a better place. Be honest about the situation your organization is in and what your needs are. Share positive news stories, both from your orbit and elsewhere. Ask your followers to share what’s inspiring them too.

● Start planning for how you’ll show up virtually on Dec 1. Produce a few Facebook or Instagram live streams throughout GivingTuesday and show off your mission! Check out our Virtual Rally Toolkit for tech tips and ideas.

● Don’t hesitate to experiment. Try something that’s out of your comfort zone. Start experimenting with SMS, Facebook Messenger, TikTok.

Social Media Activation Ideas