Imagine seeing a national day related to your cause on every calendar and in every social media feed. What a great way to bring more attention to your nonprofit and support your fundraising!
We’re not talking about federal holidays that allow you to take the day off from work. There are thousands of national XYZ days. Many are serious and shine a spotlight on important issues, while fun and unusual days offer certain groups a reason to celebrate.
Let’s discuss why creating a national day can benefit your small nonprofit and how to get started!
Why Should a Small Nonprofit Create a National Day?
The most obvious reason is to raise awareness of your nonprofit’s mission on a larger scale. This gives you an opportunity to educate the public and attract new donors, volunteers, and board members. When the national day you’ve created is published in calendars and appears in social media feeds, your nonprofit will receive credit as the founder or originator.
Increased awareness, visibility, and credibility gained through a national day can make your marketing and fundraising more effective. You can build yearly campaigns and events around that day and make it the centerpiece of your emails, social media pages, and event signage!
Campaigns and events built around your national day provide opportunities to engage your supportersand share stories of impact. Every year, you can celebrate your mission and the difference your nonprofit makes!
How to Create and Register a National Day
First, choose a cause or theme that hasn’t already been taken. National day websites typically have a search function for their database of days. Once you’ve settled on a cause or theme, choose a time of year that’s relevant to your cause but not too crowded. Try to make your national day truly your own!
The next step is to create a name for your day. The biggest priority is to make a clear connection between the day and your cause. Make it memorable, but don’t sacrifice clarity for the sake of trying to be too clever! Develop a brief story about the origins of the day and why it’s important.
Once you’ve settled on a cause, date, name, and story, submit your day to a national day registry, like NationalDayCalendar.com! Be prepared to explain the purpose of your day and provide any supporting materials or sponsor information.
Time for Launch!
If your national day is approved, treat it as a brand within your nonprofit to keep everything consistent year after year. Consider creating a logo, graphics, hashtags, a downloadable toolkit that makes it easy for supporters to participate, and a story that explains the reason for the day and how you’ll recognize it each year.
As you begin planning your first event and fundraising campaign, distribute a press release and get in touch with media contacts to announce the news about your national day! Encourage supporters to spread the word and share their own content related to the day and your cause.
Remember, a national day can put your nonprofit and mission in the spotlight every year with a special occasion that’s all yours. Consider creating a day that’s directly connected to your cause and celebrate every year!
