National Nonprofit Day is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate what charity organizations do for their causes. For individual nonprofit companies, it is a chance to highlight the contributions of your team, put a spotlight on your cause, and more.
You can capitalize on this day to drive your mission and increase awareness of your NPO’s work.
When and what is it? And how can you and your staff celebrate it? Here’s everything you need to know!
On August 17th, 1894, US Congress signed the Wilson-Gorman tariff bill into law. The Act imposed taxes on all corporations excluding nonprofits. This was done as an acknowledgment of the positive impact of nonprofit organizations on social, political, and economic issues.
The 17th of August has since been commemorated as National Nonprofit Day. The day gives nonprofit organizations an occasion to spread awareness, attract new audiences, celebrate their supporters, and initiate further programs to boost their impact.
There are many ways to use National Nonprofit Day to your NPO’s advantage. Doing so can reap many benefits for your company. You can expand your audience, attract donations, and gain new supporters for your cause.
How you choose to participate in the celebrations should align with how you usually engage with your audience. But here are some ideas to inspire your National Nonprofit Day celebrations:
Ride on a trending hashtag wave and boost engagement on your social media. The hashtag #NationalNonprofitDay may be popular on the day and the time leading up to it. So you can use it to boost awareness of your organization and target users who are interested in the celebrations.
Gaining higher engagement via the hashtag can also help increase your page’s visibility on users’ feeds.
Mix this hashtag into your social media plan for National Nonprofit Day. This includes creating unique content and visuals dedicated to the celebrations. And you can push your use of hashtags even further by adding tags like #holiday, #charity, #activism, etc. to reach more users.
Fundraising is a basic tool that nonprofits use to not just maintain an income but build brand awareness. Initiating a funding campaign for National Nonprofit Day can shine a light on fundraising at a time when there is a spotlight on nonprofits.
You can even leverage two big charity holidays by starting your campaign on National Nonprofit Day and ending it on Giving Tuesday.
Try a crowdfunding campaign as a digital tool that users can share online. Or you can introduce a peer-to-peer effort to get existing donors, members, and supporters to raise funds on your behalf. Another idea is to host an online auction.
For more ideas, check out this list of the 8 best charity fundraiser ideas.
Starting a fundraising campaign on this day is an active way to use it to boost donations. However, you can also simply ask for donations. If you aren’t in the space to run a campaign due to low resources or other reasons, you can pitch your nonprofit to potential donors instead.
Run a dedicated awareness effort that tells people about your organization and cause. Explain why you need their support and give clear instructions on how they can contribute.
Direct them to your donation links and offer a variety of gifting options that can cater to people with varying budgets. Your donation page can also have daily, bi-weekly, monthly, quarterly, bi-annual, and annual donation options to encourage recurring donations.
This is an opportunity to persuade your audience to donate and to illustrate the impact they can help your NPO achieve.
The power of a nonprofit lies in their community. Your supporters (donors, sponsors, volunteers, and staff) contribute significantly to your company’s success. This day is the perfect moment to show your gratitude for their role.
Send unique, custom thank you messages to these supporters. If you can, you may also add another touch by giving a branded gift like a t-shirt or tote bag.
Make this thank you effort more public by sharing thank you content on your digital platforms. Share testimonials and stories of donors on your social media and website. Perhaps, you could even put together a video thanking different staff members for the notable efforts they’ve made.
There are many creative options you can consider to thank your community. Not only will it show how you value your community, but it will make your supporters feel special and appreciated!
Events can be a great way to give the public a practical view of what your organization does. You can host an in-person or virtual event that will create excitement around your company and the day.
Consider webinars and talks as opportunities to share information and increase knowledge about your cause.
You can also opt for more charitable events that align with the work you do daily. For example, if you promote eco-consciousness, you could host a litter-picking event.
Make sure that your event day includes a brief insight into how they continue to get involved after the event.
Hosting an event is a great way to mobilize volunteers and get existing volunteers to participate in your efforts. You can transform National Nonprofit Day into a mass volunteer mobilization effort.
Encourage current volunteers to invite their networks to the event or to share more about your company online. You can also ask them to participate in your other celebration efforts like sharing your posts, including the hashtag on their social media, sharing donation links, etc.
Another idea is to initiate a volunteer-focused digital campaign that shares narratives from your volunteers. Ask them how and why they got involved with your company, why your cause matters to them, how their volunteering has touched their lives, and more.
These are just six ways that you can take part in and make the most of National Nonprofit Day. Include them in your celebration strategy so you can increase awareness of your organization, grow your community, and increase donations.
See the day as an opportunity to connect and bring more champions to a cause that matters!