Unlock the Power of Giving With T-Shirt Fundraisers This GivingTuesday

Nonprofits worldwide are gearing up for GivingTuesday, a day dedicated to encouraging contributions, volunteering, and acts of kindness for a positive impact in communities and beyond. This year, GivingTuesday is taking place on November 28th, 2023 – the first Tuesday after the Thanksgiving holiday. 

If your nonprofit is looking for a risk-free way to raise additional funds on GivingTuesday, apparel fundraising could be the perfect solution. This strategy engages your supporters in a unique and exciting way and ensures you generate the necessary funds to drive your organization’s mission forward. It’s a win-win opportunity to amplify your cause, attract new supporters, and make this GivingTuesday truly unforgettable.

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Elevate Your Nonprofit’s GivingTuesday with Apparel Fundraising

Verify Your Nonprofit to Get Exclusive Fundraising Features

The very first order of business is to make sure your nonprofit is verified on Bonfire. Once this happens, you’ll gain access to a tailored set of fundraising tools and features designed specifically for organizations like yours. We strive to make it as effortless as possible for nonprofits to fundraise with custom apparel on our platform. 

Resources: Everything Nonprofits Need to Know About Selling Products Online

Give Your Supporters Something in Return for Their Donation

Unlike traditional fundraising methods, purchasing merchandise from your apparel fundraising campaign not only gives supporters the satisfaction of contributing to a meaningful cause, but also offers them the added benefit of receiving a stylish shirt to wear. This extra layer of value enhances their overall experience of supporting a cherished mission.

Activate Small-Dollar Donors

Apparel fundraising campaigns play a pivotal role in engaging members of your community who may not have the means to make substantial yearly donations. 

These individuals, often small-dollar donors, are drawn to t-shirt fundraisers because the idea of purchasing a $25 shirt often feels much more accessible than making one large contribution.

Accept Additional Donations at Checkout

When your donors complete their transactions on Bonfire, they are presented with the option to make an additional donation alongside their purchase. This offers an opportunity for those with the capacity to contribute a little extra to seize that chance.

Create a GivingTuesday Campaign That Has A Lasting Impact

Beyond raising funds, apparel campaigns can act as wearable symbols of support, connecting individuals to your cause on a daily basis. By designing meaningful and eye-catching apparel items that resonate with your mission, you not only generate immediate donations but also transform your supporters into walking billboards, sparking conversations and spreading awareness long after the GivingTuesday excitement has subsided.

Determine Your Goals for the Campaign

When setting goals for your GivingTuesday campaign, it’s important to engage in a thoughtful planning process. Begin by clearly defining your fundraising objectives, such as the specific financial target you hope to achieve and how the funds will be allocated to support your cause. Understanding your target audience and their preferences is pivotal, as it will guide the selection of apparel items that will resonate with potential supporters. 

Additionally, establish a well-defined timeline, specifying when the campaign will launch, its duration, and the expected time frame for results. Furthermore, consider defining key performance indicators, including metrics like the number of items sold, social media engagement, and the acquisition of new donors. 

Finally, ensure that you communicate these goals effectively to your team, volunteers, and supporters to guarantee alignment with your mission and the path to achieving success.

Create Limited Edition GivingTuesday Designs and Apparel

Concentrating on a single campaign that offers a diverse range of appealing apparel and product choices, you can cultivate a sense of urgency and exclusivity among your supporters. Limited edition merchandise naturally garners heightened attention and enthusiasm, ultimately boosting interest and engagement in your fundraiser. 

The exclusivity of these items can drive higher demand, potentially increasing your profits per sale. Limited availability can also encourage supporters to act swiftly, reinforcing the idea that these unique pieces are only obtainable during this special giving season. This approach not only maximizes your fundraising potential but also fosters a sense of community and excitement around your cause, ultimately enhancing the impact of your GivingTuesday campaign.

Tips for Designing Your Merch

1. Create a design that reflects the core values and mission of your organization. 
2. Use high-contrast colors to ensure your design is visible and any messaging is legible. 
3. Aim for a design that is unisex and inclusive to resonate with all of your supporters. 
4. If you’re looking for some design help – Bonfire has a suite of over 500 customizable design templates that are free for you to use, or you could work with one of our talented Studio designers for only $49. 

Publish Your Online Store

While we strongly recommend focusing your promotional efforts on a single GivingTuesday campaign, you also want to keep your merch store updated for the holiday season with your latest campaigns and your other popular designs. This enables you to provide an on-demand shopping experience for donors who may feel inclined to make a purchase beyond the campaign’s timeframe.

Having an online store also brings the benefit of tapping into a larger audience and leveraging the ease of e-commerce, which significantly bolsters your potential for increased engagement and contributions.

Resource: How to Create and Customize an Online Merch Store With Bonfire

After creating your fundraising campaign, the next step is to integrate it with your overall GivingTuesday strategy. In order to streamline the donation process and not overwhelm your supporters with ways to give to your cause, it’s important to think through your promotion strategy for the entirety of the giving season. 

Here are some ideas on how you can effectively promote your fundraising campaign.

Tease Your Exclusive Merch Leading Up to GivingTuesday

Creating anticipation for an upcoming GivingTuesday merch release is a great way to generate excitement and engagement among your supporters. You can tease their audience with sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes glimpses, or intriguing hints about the unique designs and meaningful stories behind the merchandise. 

Sharing teaser images or short videos on social media, dropping hints about limited edition items, and even involving your community by asking for input or preferences can build anticipation and encourage supporters to mark the release date on their calendars. These tactics not only create buzz but also help you connect with your audience and make the merch launch a memorable event.

Include Your T-Shirt Fundraiser in Your Social Media Posts

Utilize social media as a key platform to promote your t-shirt campaign, especially if it’s a primary channel for engaging with your community. If your nonprofit boasts a robust Facebook following, contemplate amplifying your posts for the day to reach a broader audience. Alternatively, if Instagram is where your strongest following lies, ensure you maximize visibility by promoting your campaign through both regular Instagram posts and Stories.

Use Linktree for Your Link-In-Bio Needs

When it comes to marketing your custom merchandise on social media, the ‘link-in-bio’ feature is a game-changer. Placing a link to your online store or product page in your bio streamlines the process for your audience to explore and make purchases. With just one click, they can effortlessly shift from being a supporter to becoming a customer.

With Bonfire’s Linktree Integration, you can effortlessly link your merch store or up to six campaigns directly from your profile. Potential buyers can conveniently preview your products on your TikTok profile before proceeding to Bonfire to make their purchases.

Link to Your Online Store from Your Website

Providing a link to your online store on your website plays a crucial role in showcasing your merchandise options to those who visit your website on GivingTuesday. Since this day often sees a surge in website traffic, it’s important to make sure a link to your store is prominently displayed in your website’s header. This way, you can effectively capitalize on the increased visibility and engagement during this important day.

Promote Your Apparel in Your GivingTuesday Emails

Email subscribers are some of the most engaged and interested users in a nonprofit’s mission and are more likely to make a purchase to support you. This means your email newsletter holds a significant amount of potential for raising funds on GivingTuesday and promoting your new apparel.

When sending your GivingTuesday emails, we recommend including images of your custom shirt along with a direct link to your campaign. Why? We’ve discovered that emails featuring images of people wearing the shirts generate more clicks and sales than emails without the images. You can Bonfire Supply to order your shirts in advance so you can take your promotional pictures before the campaign launches.

Cross-Promote Your T-Shirt Fundraiser on Other Donation Platforms

If you intend to utilize an additional fundraising platform for collecting donations, it’s a good idea to find a way to showcase the apparel on those pages as well. People who are willing to contribute financially to your cause may also have an interest in purchasing apparel as a way to further express their support.

As GivingTuesday draws near, nonprofits like yours can harness the power of apparel fundraising on Bonfire. This GivingTuesday fundraising strategy is the perfect way to create custom apparel for your supporters while raising essential funds for your cause. It not only facilitates financial growth but also fosters meaningful connections with your supporters, making it the ideal time to seize this opportunity. 

If you have any questions about how to get started, don’t hesitate to email us today. We’re here to help you have your most successful GivingTuesday yet. 

So, gear up, launch your campaign, and prepare to make a meaningful difference, one shirt at a time.

Written by: Hayden Ireland / Content Specialist
Illustrated by: Madison Summers / Lead Marketing Designer