As many charities know all too well, summer months often mean a rise in temperature and a dip in donations. It was eight years ago that CandaHelps launched the Great Canadian Giving Challenge, a month-long event in June, aimed to increase giving during a seasonally low time of year. This year is no different, except there is an added pressure on Canadian charities that are already having to deal with a decline in giving and a drastic rise in demand. 

From June 1st through June 30th, every dollar donated via CanadaHelps automatically gives the receiving charity a chance to win $20,000*, the winning charity will be drawn at random on Canada Day. 

So, how can your charity increase the odds of winning the $20,000? Use this as a reason to engage your donor base and attract new donors – send those emails, schedule those social posts, and call upon your supporters to give. It’s all about communication and we’re here to help you build out your campaign. 

Let’s start with some simple steps to get your charity on the way to a successful campaign: 

First, get your team together. The first step is to gather your team and make sure everyone is on the same page. Brief them about the Great Canadian Giving Challenge, what it entails and, perhaps most importantly, determine what your goals are! 

Second, brainstorm campaign ideas and use a checklist. Have you seen examples of good campaigns in the past? What did they do well? What can you leverage for your own campaign? With your goals in mind, it’s important to develop your campaign objectives and workflows. Now is when you should plan out how many emails you want to send, and what their subjects are. Don’t forget about the power of social media too!  

Third, execute! Easier said than done, we know – that’s why we’ve created a number of helpful templates and toolkits to make executing your Great Canadian Giving Challenge campaign easier than ever. You can find a number of resources you need to get started, including pre-written social media posts and email templates. 

If you’re still unsure of where to start, CanadaHelps has created an 8 part email course over the next few weeks to walk you through, step-by-step, everything you need to know and how to execute your Great Canadian Giving Challenge campaign. You’ll learn how to design your campaign, tips on when and how to encourage your donors, and how to track the meaningful metrics to show your campaign success. You can register for this free email course here. 

Now it’s important to remember that the Great Canadian Giving Challenge isn’t just about entering for a chance to win—it’s also about giving your supporters an added incentive to give to your charity during the slowest fundraising month of the year. The actions you take today will set you and your charity up for success in the future. 

*Donations must be made via canadahelps.org. Minimum $3 donation required. Contest runs from June 1, 2022, at midnight Newfoundland Daylight Time (NDT) to June 30, 2022, at 11:59:59 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT). See full rules at: www.canadahelps.org/en/givingchallenge-rules. 

Claire Spicer, Director B2B Marketing @ CanadaHelps.