In the nonprofit and charitable sector, the weeks between October 1 and New Year’s Eve is known as “The Giving Season.” Charities see a large amount of their donations come in at this time and special campaigns are in full force. How does your organization prepare for this demanding and exciting time? This webinar provides you with tips, advice and ideas to make this year's Giving Season a smooth success!

1. Gearing up for the
Giving Season
September 23, 2009
For audio, turn on your speakers, or
Call 1-516-453-0014; Code 211-213-816

2. Reminders
You can hear us, but we can’t hear you
Type questions in the Questions Log
Webinar recording and slides
will be available on
www.mycharityconnects.org
Turn up your volume
For the best webinar experience, close all other applications.
For audio, turn on your speakers, or
Call 1-516-453-0014; Code 211-213-816

3. What is CanadaHelps?
A public charitable foundation that provides accessible and
affordable online technology to both donors and charities.
For Charities
A cost-effective means of raising funds online.
For Donors
A one-stop-shop for giving.
CanadaHelps is a charity helping charities.
For audio, turn on your speakers, or
Call 1-516-453-0014; Code 211-213-816

4. Today’s Presenters
• Amy Huynh
Communications Assistant
• Kirstin Beardsley
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
For audio, turn on your speakers, or
Call 1-516-453-0014; Code 211-213-816

5. Webinar Agenda
1. What is Giving Season?
2. Donor Motivations
3. The Challenge & The Opportunity
4. Getting Ready
5. Giving Season Ideas
6. Tips & Reminders
7. Q&A

6. WHAT IS GIVING SEASON?

7. ‘Tis the season to be giving!
• “Giving Season” takes place approximately between October 1 and
December 31
• In a given year, 50% of donations made through the CanadaHelps
portal occur in December alone
• Many cultural celebrations during this time of the year with
common theme of togetherness, generosity, compassion, goodwill

8. Consider the season’s multiple
cultural celebrations
• Along with Christmas, other cultural events at this time with the
same spirit of generosity
• Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Diwali, Winter solstice, Eid
• Get familiar with the holidays celebrated
• Keep a calendar with cultural celebrations highlighted

9. DONOR MOTIVATIONS

10. Understand what motivates donors to give
• The spirit of giving
• Family, holiday and religious
traditions
• Tax benefit
• Making a difference
• Having an impact
• Inspiring fundraising
campaign
• Recognition
• Social influence

11. A big motivator is simply being
asked…especially by someone in
your personal network

12. THE CHALLENGE & THE
OPPORTUNITY

13. Challenge Opportunity
• Standing out from the crowd of • It’s a season of giving back
other fundraising campaigns & • People, companies, families,
communications schools, etc. are more likely to
• Competing with donors’ tight donate at this time
budgets • Media are looking for charitable
• Keeping organized and motivated stories
• Companies are thinking about
meaningful gifts for their staff
and clients

14. GETTING READY

15. Set goals Define audience
• Specific • Analyze key groups or people you
• Measurable want to reach and what their
• Achievable needs are
• Realistic • Who is key to the initiative?
• Time-focused • Who do you need to connect with
for this to be a success?

16. Figure out your story
• Develop inspirational content that touches upon the values of the
holiday season
• Why should donors care? What can they help accomplish?
• How can a donation save someone’s life?
• Connect donors to the impact their donation can have
• Tailor your story for the online platform
• Keep it simple
• Easy to remember & retell

17. Determine your communication tactics
• How are you going to reach your target audience?
• What will you need to spread your organization’s message?
• Additional web pages
• Direct mail materials
• Holiday edition of your e-newsletter
• E-blasts & e-cards
• Speeches
• Advertising
• Online community outreach / Social network outreach
• Events

18. Update your website
• Maximize your homepage real estate for your appeal
• Remove any outdated information
• Keep your content, imagery and appeals current
• Your website is a huge source of your organization’s authenticity
• Remember: many of your offline donors will visit your website and
consider your web presence as part of their decision whether to donate
• Emphasize donor security and privacy

19. Test links and buttons
• Are all links in working order? Do they all lead users to the right place?
• Make sure your Donate Now button:
• stands out from the rest of your website
• leads donors to your CanadaHelps Donation Page
• can be found no matter what page a visitor is on

20. Integrate your communications
• If you're also doing a direct mail fundraising appeal, how is
your online appeal connected to it?
• Your website should reflect the e-newsletters/direct mail
you send out

21. GIVING SEASON IDEAS

22. Donations as gifts
• Encourage donors to donate on behalf of a friend or loved one as a
way of giving a holiday gift
• Helps them to buy gifts for their loved ones and “give back” at the
same time
• Suggest monthly donations
• Frame your ask in such a way that it’s a win-win situation: monthly
donations for you, convenience and budgeting for your donors

24. Donating Gifts of Securities
• Most gifts of securities are made at the end of the year
• Accepting gifts of securities is easy & hassle-free with CanadaHelps
• Clearly and succinctly explain the benefits and process in your
communications
• Donations of securities take longer than regular donations
• In order for donors to receive a tax receipt before the end of the
year, they need to allow for several business days
• Start communicating this option early

26. Remind donors they also benefit from
donating to your charity!
• Donors need to make their gift by December 31st to get
their tax receipt
• CanadaHelps automatically e-mails them a PDF tax
receipt
• Giving online is perfect for those last-minute donations

27. Let your donors spread the word for you!
• Encourage your supporters to “tell a friend” about your
organization/campaign, forward e-newsletters, raise funds on your
behalf, etc.
• Make it easy and convenient to support you
• develop strong and compelling communications and let your
donors do the rest!
• Harnessing the power of the social web for good

29. Ask donors to set up a GivingPage
instead of accepting gifts
• Invite your supporters to create fundraising campaigns through
GivingPages to raise money on your behalf
• Give donors specific ideas: donations in lieu of gifts, pledge event,
fundraising challenge amongst friends, “gift-less” parties, etc.
• Send out an e-newsletter or create a page on your website outlining
how they can help raise money for your organization
• Tips: set a goal and deadline, initiate a challenge, promote through
social networks

30. • GPAGE EXAMPLE – giftless holiday

31. Connect with your community
• Schools
• Community newspapers
• Ethnic publications
• Local businesses
• Financial planners
• Volunteers

32. TIPS & REMINDERS

33. Have a clear call to action
• Let your readers know what to do next
• Make following through as simple and specific as possible
• Explain what their action would accomplish and what
would happen next
• Good calls to action are highly specific, easy and very
feasible for someone to do

34. • Need
• Solution
• Cost
• Urgency
• Donor Context
• Donor Benefit

35. Set up funds on CanadaHelps
• People want to know what their donation will help your organization achieve
• Designate and describe funds for your campaigns, projects, areas of need
• Designating funds on CanadaHelps and your website help donors make a
connection to impact

37. Login to your MyCharity Account
• Check and fulfill any card requests from your CanadaHelps donors
• Read the messages donors send to your charity
• Make sure your charity profile is up to date

38. Listen & Monitor
• Set up a GoogleAlerts (www.google.com/alerts) for your campaign
• Be sure to monitor keywords on Twitter (www.search.twitter.com)
• If you find a person or a group talking about your cause, you can
respond to them and start a relationship
• Media outlets are looking for charitable stories at this time of the year

41. Tap into the “blogosphere”
• Identify and reach out to bloggers who are talking about
the issues related to your cause
• Send them a personalized message about their writing/blog
and explain why your organization’s campaign is relevant or
compelling to them and their readers

42. Donor Stewardship
• Let donors know how they helped your mission
• Give the donor the credit – tell them how their contribution has
made a difference
• Recognize donors in a timely way
• Remember to include CanadaHelps donors in your charity’s regular
donor recognition programs
• Give new donors a warm welcome

43. ABOUT MYCHARITYCONNECTS

44. www.mycharityconnects.org
Free online resource centre Next Webinar
• Information about technology “Really Simple Strategies:
Keeping Track of your
• Video demonstrations Organization and Issues Online”
• More webinars
with guest MARCO CAMPANA
• Past webinar recordings
OCTOBER 7
• Learning opportunities 2PM – 3PM
• Events (Eastern Time)

45. UPCOMING EVENTS
The Five Pillars of Online Fundraising
September 29 – REGINA, Saskatchewan
September 30 – SASKATOON, Saskatchewan
November 5 – TORONTO, Ontario
MyCharityConnects On the Road presented by Direct Energy
November 12 – CALGARY, Alberta
November 13 – EDMONTON, Alberta
www.mycharityconnects.org/events

46. Question and Answer
You can hear us, but
we can’t hear you
Ask questions here
Ask away!

47. Thank you for attending!
Webinar slides and recording will be up on:
www.mycharityconnects.org/pastwebinars
Check out www.mycharityconnects.org for resources!
Questions, feedback, comments? Email Amy at:
amyh@canadahelps.org
Thanks to: