Join Us for TogetherTuesday on June 23rd Learn More
BlogEvents Sign Up For Our Newsletter
What do you hope to see on our shared day of community?

Why Does Goal-Setting Even Matter? 

It’s hard to raise awareness, recruit more volunteers, and rally more support if you haven’t defined what success looks like—especially if you’re planning an event for the first time, like TogetherTuesday. 

The benefits of goal-setting are endless, but here are a few to keep in mind. 

Setting a Goal (or Goals) Will Help:   

  • Direct your efforts towards top priorities and shared outcomes
  • Show success to supporters who trust your leadership and value your mission 
  • Support others by sharing what works and providing benchmarks
  • Make the case for program expansion, new campaigns, or future funding 
  • Track the impact of your efforts

TL;DR, set your goals and keep going! 

To Be Effective, Your Goals Should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely) 

This doesn’t mean your goals need to be complicated, in fact, quite the opposite. Goals should be clear and easy to follow, while remaining relevant to your mission and what will benefit your community the most. A streamlined, clear approach will help keep your team engaged and on board too. 

Examples to inspire your TogetherTuesday goals:

  • 20 volunteer hours completed
  • 10 families helped and empowered
  • 2 partner organizations activated
  • $2,000 raised for local programs

How to Set the Right Goals

Take stock of your available data (social media, site, newsletter, previous campaign presentations, etc.) and use that as a benchmark for your first TogetherTuesday. 

  • Planning prompts: How many people participated in your GivingTuesday campaign in 2025? What were the most helpful metrics, and where did you see the biggest impact? 

Don’t reinvent the wheel. You can build on systems, strategies, and relationships you already have to inform your TogetherTuesday campaign.

  • Planning prompts: Review successful pieces of content and campaigns from GivingTuesday (or other giving days) and determine what is replicable and relevant for TogetherTuesday. 

You’ve Got the What, Now Identify the Who

Think about who you are trying to connect with and why. Fine-tune your targets based on your data. Is your goal about donations or volunteerism? Make sure your target, your messaging, and your branding reflects that. 

There’s plenty of available information out there on audience demographics. From social media to the web, you can find out who your people are and where they’re coming from. Use your available information to craft an effective tone and outreach plan. 

Don’t just throw spaghetti at the wall. Focus on 3–5 priority metrics rather than tracking everything and trying to reach everyone, it won’t work. You’ll get more accurate data without overloading your plate and crowding your purview. Be specific and intentional, and you will be better able to process and use the information you are collecting. 

Measure Success Regularly

  • Create a simple documentation workflow: This will allow anyone to pick up from where you left off and establish a templated approach to how your organization can make the most of your efforts. 
  • Integrate your annual review process into an existing one: No one wants another meeting. Look at your current calendar and see how you can add in planning checkpoints during a check-in that’s already on the calendar.  
  • Plan for sustainable growth: Generosity goes beyond one day. Make that clear to your team and help train them or volunteers to track relevant metrics throughout the year. This will help improve your planning for the next campaign.  

Keep This in Mind 

Communities that participate in giving days like GivingTuesday, and now TogetherTuesday, often see higher rates of giving—including volunteerism. That’s because 86% of people who are aware of the day say it has inspired them to give and give more. So, don’t miss out on an all-new chance to boost awareness, rally volunteers, and grow support on the most generous day of the year. 

Join your peers for TogetherTuesday on June 23! 

Here are important resources to get you started: 

About TogetherTuesday

TogetherTuesday is part of Be The People, a shared national moment that encourages people to strengthen their communities through meaningful acts of generosity. 

Through this partnership, we will invite millions of people across the country to take part in community actions that reflect America’s generous spirit and demonstrate how people working together can move our communities forward.

Similar Articles
4 smiling people holding casseroles
19 Sep 2023

10 Joyful GivingTuesday Campaigns

At GivingTuesday, we've always known that generosity is a source of boundless joy. The act of giving, driven by empathy and compassion, brings immense happiness to the giver, the recipient,…

Read More
A Hawaiian woman holding a sign that says "Hawaii Gives"
4 Apr 2019

Behind The Scenes With #GivingTuesdayHI

Around the country and around the world, communities come together on GivingTuesday. In the United States, Community Campaigns often form in cities and states but they also organize around common…

Read More