
As Giving Tuesday approaches, colleges and universities can connect with communities and drive support for the school and its causes. The right promotional strategies create connections, raise funds, and boost awareness for school-related charitable efforts, achieving Giving Tuesday goals.
Giving Tuesday is the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, as well as Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It's a day known globally dedicated to encouraging people to donate to charitable causes, nonprofits, and educational institutions. Additionally, many organizations, including academic institutions, leverage this day to inspire donations and engagement from their communities.
Branded products can activate your audience even faster. Custom tote bags, mugs, t-shirts, or other unique items like pop sockets are excellent donation incentives while promoting initiatives. Social media campaigns highlighting these products encourage students, alumni, and supporters to donate and share your message. Furthermore, connecting these items to your college’s mission deepens the impact of your Giving Tuesday efforts and strengthens community ties.
Giving Tuesday By The Numbers
The success of Giving Tuesday has been evident, with schools like Kent State University raising a massive $7.7 million and Eastern Michigan University bringing in $2.2 million from a pool of just hundreds of large donors. On average, a recent Giving Tuesday survey shows that small to large institutions received an average gift of $260 from donors.
Here are some other Giving Tuesday wins for colleges:
- Boston University raised over $400,000 from 2,000-plus donors to benefit numerous campaigns, including its general scholarship fund.
- LaSalle University’s 570 donors gave over $350,000, including more than $100 each, to its annual fun and honors program.
- Pace University received over $130,000 from almost 1,000 donors in its Give Tue Pace campaign, surpassing the projected total by 127 percent.
Overall, donors gifted $2.7 billion to various missions throughout the U.S., including those unrelated to higher education institutions. Indeed this shows that many people are ready and willing to give to schools, organizations, and causes they care about.
6 Ways to Supercharge Your Giving Tuesday Efforts
Use Giving Tuesday to boost alumni and community donations by creating engaging campaigns relating the day to ongoing fundraising efforts. We've got a few strategies that educational institutions can use to make the most of Giving Tuesday.
1. Create a Compelling Campaign Theme
Design a theme for your Giving Tuesday campaign that aligns with your mission, values, and current needs. For example, if your college is focused on sustainability, the campaign may focus on supporting green campus initiatives. Additionally, tying sustainable branded products to certain donation levels may increase donations.
2. Engage Alumni and Current Students
Use targeted emails, social media campaigns, and personal stories from current students or alumni who’ve benefited from donations. Showing them the tangible impacts of their previous contributions allows potential donors feel more connected to your cause.
3. Use Matching Gifts for Campus Initiatives
Encourage alumni and supporters to give by offering a matching gift opportunity tied explicitly to a major campus initiative, such as enhancing student scholarships or supporting new programs. An alumni group or major donor can pledge to match donations, subsequently doubling the impact and making each contribution go further.
Promote this as a limited-time offer to build excitement around donations and make your Giving Tuesday goals known. By emphasizing how matching gifts can directly fund meaningful projects that benefit students, you’ll motivate more donors to get involved.
4. Incorporate Branded Merch Into a Thank-You Strategy
Colleges can offer branded merchandise (such as apparel, accessories, or limited-edition items) as a thank-you to donors. This adds a personalized touch to their appreciation and helps strengthen their connection to the school.
Some ideas include:
- Tiered Donations: For example, donors who contribute $100 receive custom-branded drinkware, while those who give $250 or more receive a high-quality hoodie with your logo or mascot.
- Limited-Edition Merchandise: Design exclusive, Giving Tuesday-specific apparel or swag (e.g., t-shirts, hats, or eco-friendly items, like totes made of recycled materials or lunch kits made from bamboo) to reward donations and make donors feel special.
Gift Packages: Create donor thank-you kits with various items, such as notebooks, water bottles, or campus-branded tote bags, that can be sent directly after their donation.

The Boompods Beachboom 5W Speaker is made from ocean-bound plastic, offering eco-friendly, high-quality sound while helping to protect our oceans. It's the perfect donor thank-you gift to show appreciation with a sustainable, impactful choice, and achieve Giving Tuesday goals.
Pro tip: Rather than sending donors a traditional thank-you in the mail, about 90% of donors want experiential recognition.
For certain donation levels, consider rewards like virtual alumni reunions, access to exclusive events, or behind-the-scenes campus tours.
5. Use Social Media and Peer Influence
Ask current students and alumni to share their support for the college using branded hashtags, wearing their college merchandise, and participating in social challenges on Giving Tuesday. This will add a sense of community and encourage peer donations.
Around 8% of students participate in crowdfunding efforts, a noticeable trend that’s expected to grow among younger alumni and new donors who often prefer smaller contributions. To capture the attention of these younger supporters, higher education fundraisers should tap into social media platforms like Instagram, X, and Facebook to promote their campaigns effectively in crowdfunding efforts.
Engaging young alumni requires creative, interactive content that encourages participation and sharing. Think about hosting challenges, contests, or virtual events that build community spirit and create buzz around your fundraising goals. You can keep donors informed about the campaign’s progress to build trust and maintain support.
6. Offer Digital Pop-Up Stores for Donors
At Campus Stop, we love setting up digital pop-up store where donors can choose from various college-branded items as a thank-you gift after their donation. Each gift can be tied to a specific donation level, and a portion of the donation can be earmarked for a particular cause, making the experience more meaningful.
Here’s how it could look:
- Tiered Donation + Giveback: For example, if a donor gives $100 and chooses a college-branded water bottle, tell them that $80 will go directly to supporting a specific program, like scholarships or campus sustainability initiatives. The remaining $20 may cover the cost of the branded item and shipping, ensuring transparency.
- Purpose-Driven Donations: To amplify impact, specify that each tier supports a particular college need:
- For a $50 donation, donors receive a branded notebook, and $40 is used for student financial aid.
- For a $100 donation, donors get a custom tote bag, and $75 goes to campus mental health programs.
- For a $250 donation, donors receive a premium hoodie, and $200 is used to support faculty research or athletic scholarships.
- Exclusive Limited-Edition Merch: Create limited-edition items specifically for Giving Tuesday, allowing donors to feel part of an exclusive group. This merch can have a note explaining that a significant portion of their donation supports key initiatives (e.g., "Your $150 gift not only gets you this limited-edition hoodie, but also supports three hours of tutoring for students in need").
Using branded merchandise as part of the thank-you strategy, your institution can reward donors and create lasting engagement by turning alumni and supporters into walking ambassadors for your school. Each piece of merch constantly reminds them of their contribution and deepens their connection to your school.
Make Giving Tuesday Unforgettable With Branded Thank-You Gifts From Campus Stop
Campus Stop offers a range of customized thank-you items and branded apparel, along with custom packaging and pop-up stores, to help make your Giving Tuesday goals a success. Our experienced creative team provides personalized service, competitive pricing, and award-winning designs crafted exclusively for colleges and universities.
From limited-edition apparel to exclusive donor gifts, Campus Stop delivers promotional merchandise that leaves a lasting impression on your donors. We understand the importance of fostering connection and gratitude, ensuring that every item reflects your college’s mission and enhances donor engagement.
Visit us at www.campusstop.com or email us at sales@campusstop.com to learn how Campus Stop can elevate your Giving Tuesday campaign with unforgettable branded gifts.