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This episode is brought to you by GivingTuesday! GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement that started in 2012 with a simple idea: a day to do good.

This year, on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, join the conversation: share your favorite nonprofit’s campaign, volunteer for a cause you care about, share an act of kindness, or encourage your audience to do the same.

Use #GivingTuesday, tag @GivingTuesday, and visit GivingTuesday.org/Participate to get involved and inspire others!

Send This One Email (That Cuts Through the Noise) the Day AFTER GivingTuesday

GivingTuesday is a whirlwind: stories shared, generosity activated, donors inspired. Your inbox is full, your website traffic spikes, and your heart is full. But before you dive headfirst into metrics, wrap-ups, or end-of-year planning, pause.

Because one of the most transformative opportunities for donor engagement actually happens the day after GivingTuesday.

When your donors are still inspired, emotionally connected to the gift they just made, and feeling that surge of generosity, that’s when you have a golden window to deepen the relationship.

And the best part? All it takes is one simple, text-only email.

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Why The Day After Matters So Much

Every single donation on GivingTuesday represents a person who chose your cause among millions of nonprofits. Something in your mission, a story you shared, or a moment in their life struck a chord.

But most organizations send a receipt, maybe a thank-you email, and then… nothing.

That’s a missed opportunity.

Donors are humans, not transactions. And when you reach out at the moment when they still feel connected, you open the door to powerful insight, emotional connection, and long-term loyalty.

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The Simple Donor Follow-Up Email That Changes Everything

This email is not flashy. It doesn’t need graphics, buttons, or even formatting. In fact—plain text is best.

Here’s why: It feels personal. It feels like it came from a real human. And when donors feel personally seen, they respond.

Here’s the email template you can send the day after Giving Tuesday:

Hi [First Name],
Your gift on Giving Tuesday meant so much to us. Before I share more about the impact you’re making, I’d love to know what inspired you to give. What part of our mission resonates with you personally?

Just hit reply and let me know.

I read every response personally.

With gratitude,
[Your Name]

That’s it.

No links.
No “Donate Again” buttons.
No formatting.

Just genuine curiosity and appreciation.

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Why This Works

When donors reply, they reveal why they gave: real, authentic motivations that you can’t uncover through analytics alone.

You might hear:

• The story that moved them
• Their personal connection to your mission
• The moment your message sparked action
• A staff member or volunteer who made them feel seen

These responses are pure gold. They can fuel:

• Future campaign messaging
• Storytelling content
• Segmentation strategies
• Major donor follow-ups
• Even staff/team appreciation

And most importantly, they transform a one-time transaction into the beginning of a relationship.

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Making It Feel Personal (Even at Scale)

While this email works best when sent from a personal email address (like Outlook or Gmail), it can be automated. Just remove design elements and make sure it feels real. Your logo is fine, but skip headers, buttons, and marketing layouts.

You can segment for donors who gave on Giving Tuesday and send it manually, or use automation tools (like Zapier, Mailchimp, or your CRM) to create a streamlined process.

Whether you’re sending 20 emails or 2,000, the goal is the same: Create space for donor conversation.

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What Happens When You Ask Donors “Why?”

You’ll hear stories you never expected.

A donor gave because your program helped their family years ago.
Someone gave in honor of a loved one.
Another connected with your mission after seeing a staff member speak.

And you’ll feel something too – gratitude, clarity, inspiration.

Because this isn’t just about fundraising. It’s about belonging, connection, and community.

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Before You Jump Into Metrics, Do This

When GivingTuesday wraps, resist the urge to immediately dive into dashboards and reports. Instead, send this email. Create space for dialogue. Honor the emotion behind the generosity.

Because fundraising is not just about transactions.

It’s about transformation.

Resources & Links

This show is brought to you by GivingTuesday! GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement that started in 2012 with a simple idea: a day to do good.

On Tuesday, December 2, 2025, join the conversation: share your favorite nonprofit’s campaign, volunteer for a cause you care about, share an act of kindness, or encourage your audience to do the same.

Use #GivingTuesday, tag @GivingTuesday, and visit GivingTuesday.org/Participate to get involved and inspire others!

My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.

Join The Sustainers, my Slack community for nonprofit professionals growing and scaling a recurring giving program.

Want to make Missions to Movements even better? Take a screenshot of this episode and share it on Instagram. Be sure to tag @positivequation so I can connect with you.