What Councils Need to Do for #GivingTuesday

The BSA has a proven track record of shaping youth into people of outstanding character – people who understand the meaning of accountability and the importance of servant leadership. On #GivingTuesday, November 29, 2016, we’re continuing that record by helping Scouts become the leaders of the future.

Read on to discover how you can help invest in tomorrow’s leaders this #GivingTuesday.

What Is #GivingTuesday?

#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Observed on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving.  You can learn more about the annual event by visiting the official #GivingTuesday page.

How Your Support Helps Scouting

Investing in the Boy Scouts of America creates opportunities for youth to gain memorable experiences and be instilled with values, principles, and skills that will help them develop into the future leaders of our nation. By contributing to Scouting, you will have a profound impact on America. More youth will experience the program that will further instill values and character in their moral fiber.

Support provided to local councils is used for scholarships, program supplies for youth activities, volunteer training, and camp and service center maintenance. Additionally, the National Service Center provides local councils with program materials, resources and support of the Scouting program. Funding provided to the National Council is used for the development of program materials and resources, infrastructure support for local councils, and development of both professional and volunteer training materials.

Your #GivingTuesday Toolkit

First, share this post to ensure everyone on your Scouting team is up to speed with what’s available. Then, head over to the Brand Center and download all of this year’s goodies.

Social Media Outreach

Be sure to use the official BSA campaign hashtag #WeAreTheBSA, along with #GivingTuesday, in all of your campaign communications and social media posts. To see how your council can utilize these hashtags to promote the big day, check out some suggested tweets and Facebook posts below. Councils are encouraged to send out tweets and posts in the days leading up to and especially on #GivingTuesday.

Sample Tweets

• Save the date! November 29 is #GivingTuesday! Support [Local Council Name] and make a local impact on America’s youth! #WeAreTheBSA
• Today is #GivingTuesday! Help support the good work local Scouting does to build young people of character. #WeAreTheBSA [local council giving page link]
• Join us on this #GivingTuesday to support Scouts in communities all across this great nation! #WeAreTheBSA  [local council giving page link]
• Thank you for your support of Scouting on this #GivingTuesday! We couldn’t do it without you! #WeAreTheBSA  [local council giving page link]

Sample Facebook Posts

• Save the date! November 29 is #GivingTuesday! Support [Local Council Name] and make a local impact on America’s youth! Learn more about how Scouting Works here: https://scoutingwire.org/how-scouting-promotes-positive-character-development/
• When you support Scouting and the [Local Council Name] on this #GivingTuesday, you’re helping to build the leaders of tomorrow. [local council giving page link]
• For #GivingTuesday, people are joining together to support organizations like Scouting and [Local Council Name]. Thanks for lending your support to make Scouting possible in our community! [local council giving page link]
• Through your support of Scouting and [Local Council Name] on this #GivingTuesday, you help young people grow to become citizens who are trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. Thank you! [local council giving page link]

Research Proving the Value of Scouting

Help encourage support on #GivingTuesday by pointing your audiences to How Scouting Promotes Positive Character Development and include this Does Scouting Work? infographic and video. Both resources provide scientific proof of the value of Scouting and offer insight into the impact of their support of the program.

Visual Assets and Banners

Your #GivingTuesday toolkit wouldn’t be complete without the visuals! Use the banner images located in the BSA Brand Center in your social media and communication efforts. Pair them up with some of the suggested social media messages above or craft your own combinations to encourage supporting the BSA on this important day of giving. Councils can even tailor the images locally. Check out the images below for an idea of what you’ll find in the BSA Brand Center.

The Landing Page

And last, but certainly not least, share the BSA’s #GivingTuesday landing page in all promotions: givingtuesday.kintera.org/2016 or your local council’s landing page. The #GivingTuesday branded page won’t go live until November 29, but the current link will still direct you to the right place. All contributions gifted through the landing page will go towards making this year’s #GivingTuesday the biggest one yet!

Got Questions?

If you need further assistance with ideas on how to promote the nation’s largest day of giving, please contact Michaela Monson, e-Funding Digital Marketing Strategy Specialist at Michaela.monson@scouting.org or 972-580-7860. And tell with us in the comments below, how do you plan to share the story of Scouting on #GivingTuesday?