Next Tuesday isn’t just any old Tuesday. It’s the big one.

It’s Giving Tuesday, as I am sure you know, and it’s right around the corner.

Whether your campaign has been polished for weeks or you’re still pulling the pieces together, this guide is here to help you get the most out of the final stretch.

Think of this as your week-of optimization plan. Even if your strategy is already locked in, each day gives you a quick, high-leverage task list that strengthens what you’ve built, catches last-minute issues, and sets you up for your best results yet.

Quick context: Giving Tuesday raised an estimated $3.6 billion in the U.S. last year and drew more than 36 million participants. Digital donors also gave generously, and repeat-gift rates were significantly higher among Giving Tuesday donors.

The message? If you’re going to lean into anything right now, lean into the fact that donors expect to be part of something big!

Let’s make the most of it. You can either use this list to serve as a final checklist to make sure nothing's been missed, or you can use it to create a quick, impactful campaign.

A Giving Tuesday Countdown

Tuesday (One Week Out): Prep and Prioritize

Today is all about clarity and alignment, whether you’re finalizing or fine-tuning your plan.

• Lock in or double-check your message and goal.
  If you already nailed this weeks ago, great. Now is the moment to confirm the phrasing, the impact statement, and the number you’re rallying your audience around.
• Review your donation page with fresh eyes.
  Even if it’s been ready for weeks, run a quick audit. Look for anything clunky: too many fields, unclear buttons, mobile formatting quirks. Quick improvements here deliver real ROI because online Giving Tuesday donors tend to give more.
• Loop in your leadership and board.
  If everyone already knows their role, perfect. Use today to make sure messaging is aligned, and no one is improvising next Tuesday.

Wednesday: Build or Polish Your Promo Tools

Assets day,  but with a light touch if you already built everything.

• Review your emails.
  If they’re written, skim them with a donor’s mindset. Are they skimmable? Warm? Clear? Does the CTA stand out? If you haven’t created them yet, today’s your day.
• Double-check your social posts.
  Make sure you have at least two or three ready to go: an announcement, an impact story, and a reminder. If they’re already drafted, tweak the hooks to make them stronger.
• Refresh your ambassador toolkit.
  If you made one earlier, resend it with updated links and a friendly nudge. If not, a simple copy-and-paste doc is enough. Peer sharing still drives huge visibility lifts.

Thursday: Warm Up Your Donors on Thanksgiving!

Today is about energy and early engagement. And wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

• Send a teaser email.
  If you’ve already scheduled one, take one minute to test it. Make sure the tone is warm and the link is correct. By the way, the best time to send your email might be 1:00 PM.
• Post your kickoff message.
  Even if it’s been queued for days, reread the caption. Does it start strong? Does it spark curiosity or emotion?
• Engage actively on social.
  No matter how prepared you are, today’s engagement boosts your visibility tomorrow. Like, reply, and comment generously.

Friday: Activate Your Champions

This day is pure amplification.

• Share your toolkit with staff and board again.
  People get busy. A quick “here’s what to post Tuesday” message helps even the most prepared orgs get wider reach.
• Invite a few trusted supporters to share their stories.
  Even if you’ve planned this, sending one personalized ask today can make a big difference.
• Schedule your weekend content.
  If it’s scheduled already, great. Just double-check timing and links.

Saturday: Spotlight Your Impact

Weekend engagement is strong, and emotional content performs well.

• Share a real impact story.
  If you already have one planned, make sure the photo grabs attention and the caption leads quickly into the heart of the story. Any subject can be heartwarming! Make sure your story will resonate emotionally.
• Record a simple 20-second video.
  Even if you planned a polished video, a quick frontline or ED clip adds warmth and authenticity.
• Check your suggested gift amounts.
  If your donation form is already optimized, confirm the gift array still makes sense with your Giving Tuesday goal.

Sunday: Final Checks

Today is quiet but important. Small fixes here save donations later.

• Test your form on mobile and desktop.
  Everyone should do this, even the most prepared teams. Mobile giving continues to rise, and tiny glitches can easily go unnoticed.
• Click every link in every asset.
  If everything is queued, test anyway. Broken links are the biggest last-minute failure nonprofits hit.
• Make sure tracking is set up.
  Even if analytics has been ready for weeks, recheck UTMs (a tag added to URLs to see where your traffic is coming from) and dashboards. You want clean data for year-end planning.

Monday: Build the Momentum

Whether you’re totally ready or finalizing the details, today is about anticipation.

• Post your “Tomorrow is the day” message.
  If it’s scheduled, give it a quick polish. Strong lead sentence. Clear CTA.
• Send your Giving Tuesday-eve email.
  If it is written, confirm that the first line hooks and the CTA is unmistakable.
• Queue all your content.
  If everything is already in place, take one last look at the sequence and spacing.

Giving Tuesday: Go Time!

You made it. 🎉

• Send your morning email.
  Scheduled? Perfect. Just confirm link tracking one more time.
• Share updates throughout the day on social media.
  Even if you planned milestones, be ready to adjust them based on real progress. Live updates build momentum and bring in additional support.
• Thank donors early and often.
  If you drafted a thank-you post, add something personal in the moment. Giving Tuesday donors have higher repeat rates, so this step matters.

A Quick Pep Talk Before You Go

This schedule isn’t about building your whole Giving Tuesday strategy in six days. It’s about boosting the strategy you already have, tightening the details, and making sure everything lands exactly the way you want.

Whether your campaign has been in the works since August or you’re pulling it together right now, this week gives you the chance to build momentum, strengthen engagement, and set yourself up beautifully for year-end success.

Good luck! You've got this.