Share Your #GivingTuesday Stories on Medium

What we’re up to, and how to get involved

With all of the anger and divisiveness in our country and around the world right now, there’s never been a better time to honor generosity and kindness. That’s why, this year, we’re going to celebrate the global #GivingTuesday movement right here on Medium.

2016 marks the 5th annual Giving Tuesday. Last year, almost a million people raised over $100 million in over 70 countries and this year is shaping up to be even bigger.

But this day, and indeed this whole season, are about more than giving money. They’re about celebrating our common humanity and doing what we can for our fellow global citizens.

At the heart of it, Giving Tuesday is about stories. Stories are what move people. They are the most powerful vehicles for building empathy across geographical, racial, religious, and socio-economic divides. Stories are why people give, and stories come out of giving.

Medium is an open platform where anyone can tell their story. So this year, we’re convening a conversation about giving. We’ll start publishing in the days and weeks leading up to November 29th, and will continue through the end of the year.

How to get involved

Whether you are part of an organization, work for a brand, or are writing on your own, there are many ways you can participate.

• For organizations that are planning to publish content in your own publications — make sure you tag it “Giving Tuesday” so I can include it in content roundups and other members of the community can find and engage with it.
• Organizations and individuals without publications, please submit your stories to this one! I’ll be reviewing submissions daily and welcome a diversity of stories and perspectives. Email submissions anytime between now and December 31st.

What to write about

Real talk for a second: there’s going to be a lot of content that uses emotional stories and images to pull heartstrings and solicit donations. I encourage everyone, for stories published on Medium, to look for unique angles that feel authentic and actionable. Here are some ideas:

• Nonprofits, consider asking your field staff or other employees to write personal essays on what their work means to them.
• This is a great time of year to tap celebrity influencers to advocate on behalf of your organization. This works particularly well when your spokesperson has a personal connection or backstory to the issue. Remember: authenticity is the name of the game.
• If you’re a consultant, fundraising, or organizing professional, write about the tactical side of what you do. Share your wisdom so it can be put into practice and move everyone forward.
• Brands, business owners, and employees, write about what you do to give back, or ways that you are making your business more sustainable.
• Do a retrospective on year-end campaigns of the past and use it to demonstrate progress and hope for the future.

Some writing prompts for everyone

• Write about someone in your family or your life that inspires you to be a better person.
• Write about how volunteering or getting involved with a cause changed your perspective on something or someone.
• Did you meet a good friend or significant other though volunteering or working for a cause? Tell us your love story!
• How do you talk to your children about generosity?
• Fundraising is hard. Organizing is hard. Get real about the challenges, and share your ideas for improving the system.
• Write about giving back in the context of the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Including calls to action/donation asks

Absolutely do this, but do it strategically and don’t do it in everything you publish.

You can use an embeddable widget if it is supported by embed.ly. I’ll be publishing a list of those soon.

An image of a rectangle that says “donate” and links to your donation page also works.

Even subtler, consider a simple hyperlink at the bottom of the story.

More updates, tips, and content will be coming over the next few weeks. In the meantime, I’d love to hear what you’re planning. Write a response below, or, if you’d prefer, you can leave a private note.