[Part 2] Start Planning Now: 6 Days For Nonprofits to Connect With Supporters on Social Media

Posted on by Jen Lennon

Today’s blog is the second in a two-part series from our Senior Marketing Communications Specialist, Jen Lennon. If you missed part 1, you can read it here.

You’re back! I won’t waste any time and will get straight to the good stuff: the final three dates.

Just a quick reminder: As with part 1, I focus on social media as your communication channel for these important dates. That doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t use direct mail or other digital tactics. You certainly could, and it makes sense to do so, keeping in mind what each channel does best and how to integrate them for a consistent message.

September 5: International Day of Charity

#InternationalDayofCharity

Originally created by the Hungarian Parliament in 2011 to commemorate Mother Teresa’s life and legacy of service, International Day of Charity has been celebrated worldwide on September 5 since the UN declared it an international holiday in 2012. The day recognizes the charitable works of all organizations as well as those of Mother Teresa.

How to Connect With Your Supporters on This Day

Make it easy to get involved in your mission. Student Minds thanked their supporters and offered a simple list of actions people can take to get involved. Each item links to more info. They accomplished a lot in a short post—showed appreciation, gave us a peek at the people behind the mission with a photo, and provided easy access to information on a variety of ways to help.

Ask a question. The Masonic Charitable Foundation asked their staff what working for a charity means to them personally and shared the responses. You could also ask your audience a question and highlight some of their answers in follow-up posts.

Create a GIF to share. The Sturge-Weber Foundation posted an eye-catching GIF with music and added a quote from Mother Teresa to celebrate the day. Not sure how to make those fancy GIFs? Here’s an article that ranks online GIF makers and connects you to each.

November 13: World Kindness Day

#WorldKindnessDay

World Kindness Day is an international holiday created in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement (WKM). The purpose of the day according to WKM is “to highlight good deeds in the community focusing on the positive power and the common thread of kindness which binds us.”

How to Connect With Your Supporters on This Day

Invite interaction. Save the Children asked readers to comment on their Facebook post to tell others what they are doing to spread kindness.

Share ideas. The Alzheimer’s Society posted a simple text video that gave viewers specific actions they could take that would make a difference to someone with dementia or to their carer.

November 15: National Philanthropy Day

#NationalPhilanthropyDay

President Reagan proclaimed November 15 as National Philanthropy Day in 1986 to honor those who give back to their communities. The word philanthropy comes from two Greek words: “philos,” which means loving and “anthropos,” which means humankind. On this day, we celebrate those who practice philanthropy by giving their time, money and resources to help better the lives of others.

How to Connect With Your Supporters on This Day

Throw a party to celebrate the day! The University of Washington hosted a get-together on National Philanthropy Day with the theme “Real Dawgs Give Back.” They used their social media channels to promote the event to their supporters leading up to and on the day of the event.

Ask followers to take part in a contest. Khan Academy asked their donors to submit their Khan giving story to a contest that could help the Academy win up to $10,000.

Update supporters on your initiatives. The Columbus Foundation created an Instagram carousel post that provided their followers with real numbers and outcomes that were possible because of generous donations from people like them.

One More Thing Before You Go

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention an important month for those fundraisers specifically focused on gifts of assets. October is National Estate Planning Awareness Month, with a special focus on the third week of the month, National Estate Planning Awareness Week. We shared some tips to help you prepare in our blog over the last few years. You can read them here, here and here.

Quick Rundown of Dates

  • February 20: World Day of Social Justice
  • April 20: Volunteer Recognition Day
  • August 17: National Nonprofit Day
  • September 5: International Day of Charity
  • November 13: World Kindness Day
  • November 15: National Philanthropy Day

Did we miss any? Let me know! Scroll down to leave a reply in the comment box.

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