Advocate Toolkit

What is GW Giving Day?

GW Giving Day is a 24-hour fundraising campaign designed to increase philanthropic support for the university. GW alumni, parents, and friends are encouraged to make a gift on GW Giving Day to maximize collective philanthropic impact. What makes giving days successful at other universities and organizations across the country is the hard work of volunteers, like Giving Day Advocates.

What Does a Giving Day Advocate Do?

Giving Day Advocates are incredibly important volunteers. These advocates promote the awareness of Giving Day and the powerful effects of philanthropy on the everyday lives of GW students. By becoming an advocate and encouraging 5 alumni to make a gift, you are amplifying your impact and improving the lives of students for years to come.  

A Giving Day Advocate:

• Raises awareness on social media by posting content and sharing with their networks to increase engagement
• Connects with GW friends, family, and/or friends via phone, email, text, and social media
• Makes a philanthropic gift of any amount meaningful to the advocate and encourages others to follow their example

Returning Advocate?

1. Select the GW Giving Day 2023 Campaign
2. Log into your past GiveCampus Account

First Time Advocate?

1. Sign up to be an advocate on the giving day platform
   

    

   

    

    

    

2. Participate in the Giving Day Advocate training session or watch a pre-recorded training session online
3. Remain signed into your GiveCampus account while conducting outreach to track progress
4. Make a gift and consider offering a match or challenge gift to encourage others to give
5. Ask five (5) fellow alumni and friends of GW to make a gift and share the campaign via social media, email, phone

Outreach

 

 

 

We recommend reaching out and engaging with your network in a variety of ways:

• Share Giving Day on social media through your advocate account or use our media toolkit
• Create a personal plea video and share it with your networks. The video can be shot with your phone and can take less than five minutes. After filming, head to your advocate tab and upload.  
• Using the links from your advocate account, send personalized emails to help support the GW causes you are passionate about. Please feel free to use our email templates.
• Using your phone, text the campaign to possible donors.
• Consider calling or following up an email or text with a call to encourage people to make a gift. This approach is very effective and you can also ask the donor to become an advocate if the conversation goes well.
• Offer a match or challenge gift to encourage your network to give.
• Share the GiveCampus Heat Map to encourage giving from your state.

 

 

 

 

 

Saying Thank You

One of the most important things you can do is thank donors! No matter the size, every single gift is important to GW and the future of student success.  If you solicit a contact and they make a gift, please take a moment to thank them for their generosity.  Whether you call, text, email, or direct message, a thank you goes a long way!

Email Templates for Outreach

Social Media Sample Posts 

Download social media art and graphics.

Note: links are personalized and available through your advocacy account on GiveCampus.

Other resources

Giving Day Media Toolkit - This includes logos, social media shares, and other visuals.

Questions? Please contact [email protected].