ColoradoGives Timeline

September 30: Deadline to submit a nonprofit profile for first review or to update an existing profile. Please visit the eligibility section of our site to learn more.

November 1:  Early Giving Begins

November 29: #GivingTuesday. Use the day to encourage people to Give Early.

December 6: Colorado Gives Day!

December 31: Disbursement for money raised on Colorado Gives Day plus Incentive Fund earnings.

By end of January: Disbursement for money raised in the month of December (excluding Colorado Gives Day) plus prize winnings.

Actions:

• Create and activate your team!
• Engage staff, board, volunteers and key supporters.
• Download the Toolkits.
• What is your compelling Giving Day Story? Demonstrate the impact $5, $10, $50 can have in your work.
• Set your Giving Day Goals.
  • $ raised
  • # of new donors
  • Engagement
• Register and attend Coffee Chat

Actions:

• Read the Social Media Guidelines & Sample Copy document on the Nonprofit Toolkit page.
• Review the Brand Guidelines.
• Register and attend Coffee Chat.
• Register and attend the Special Event.
• Announce your participation in Colorado Gives Day.

Actions:

• Include the CGD art from the Toolkit in your newsletters, emails, social media messages and website.
• You get access to your page on the new platform Aug. 16. Login and review you profile.
• Talk with local media and businesses to get support for CGD.
• Work with a regional champion or consider collaborating to place regional paid advertisements.
• Find a matching donor.
• Build a list of partners to help you spread the word locally.
• Register and attend the Special Event and Coffee Chat.
• Need help? Attend a working session.

Actions:

• Begin an email and social media campaign.
• Finalize crisis-planning.
• Mail the Save the Date Postcard or email the Save the Date images to your donors.
• Begin promoting weekly on social media.
• Promote the Ambassador Toolkit with board members, donors and volunteers.
• Register and attend Coffee Chat
• Ask ambassadors to begin contributing content: Un-selfies, stories of their experiences with your organization, etc. Share through channels.
• Promote CGD Fundraising Pages as a way for your greatest ambassadors to support you.

Actions:

• Finalize campaign ambassadors.
• Add your #CoGives Campaign logo/visual to your outreach materials.
• Review and test your giving page (on mobile phones, too!). Make any necessary updates.
• Draft campaign announcements for social.
• Ask staff to update email signatures with your campaign visuals.
• Announce your campaign in social media.
• Announce your campaign to all staff, volunteers and stakeholders.
• Ask your board to challenge each other using Fundraising Pages.
• Develop a donor call list for volunteers to use on Colorado Gives Day.Register and attend Coffee Chat

Actions:

• Make sure your volunteers are lined up and ready to assist with Thank You calls.
• Plan an employee or volunteer event to celebrate Colorado Gives Day (breakfast, virtual pep rally, dance party!)
• Review your Colorado Gives Day Checklist.
• Register for and attend the Coffee Chat.
• Issue your local news release.
• Begin weekly email drip campaign with event highlights and action steps for supporters. If planning direct mailer, finalize this week to hit the week before the big day.
• Plan your day-of and think about who will do social outreach, staff the phones, answer media questions, etc.
• Email past supporters to announce #CoGivesDay participation and the focus of your campaign.
• Talk to technology partners about help needed with giving page or website updating.
• Increase social media posts.
• Email supporters encouraging them to participate in your campaign.
• Submit op-ed to newspaper. If it does not get picked up, use in social channels as blog.
• Accelerate sharing of ambassador contributed content and consider a celebration of top sharer.

Colorado Gives Day Checklist

• Post on social once every hour. Schedule posts for nighttime.
• Go live on social! Create a sense of urgency and build excitement with followers.
• Reply, comment and tag on social.
• Highlight any matching donors you have, or talk about the Incentive Fund and how you get a % of the pie.
• Send at least 3 email blasts during the day to donors.
• Have your volunteers call donors.
• Share the CGD dynamic thermometer. Or, create one of your own to share.
• Tell people how you did and say thank you!
• Have volunteers call donors to thank them with 48 hours.
• Share your results on social.
• Share photos of those who will be helped by fundraising efforts.
• Thank your board, staff and volunteers.

After Colorado Gives Day:

• Thank your supporters.
• Share your results on your website, newsletter and social media networks.
• Execute donor retention plan for new donors.
• Share the impact of Colorado Gives Day with supporters!
• Award any prizes or incentives you offered.
• Take the Colorado Gives Day survey and give us your feedback!