Maximizing your Colorado Gives Day Campaign

Colorado Gives Day is the state’s largest 24-hour giving campaign, bringing together nonprofits and donors across Colorado every year for a day of generosity and impact. This year’s giving day takes place on December 8. While December may feel far away in August, successful campaigns begin months in advance. Colorado Gives Foundation, which administers the campaign, reports that the day raised $56.6 million in 2025, with over 4,000 nonprofits participating. With so many organizations competing for donor attention, early preparation matters. August is the ideal time to establish goals, clarify roles, organize donor data, and develop campaign messaging so your team enters the fall with a clear strategy. 

Is Your ColoradoGives.org Profile Ready? 

One of the simplest but most overlooked tasks is updating your Colorado Gives profile. Before supporters begin visiting your page, make sure it reflects your organization's current work.

To strengthen their Colorado Gives Day campaign, organizations should:

• Identify 2–3 impact stories that can be used across the campaign and start the process of gathering quotes, photos, videos, or brief testimonials from the people at the center of those stories. This would be a great place to include quotes or testimonials from participants, volunteers, or donors.

• Review last year's donor communications with fresh eyes. What worked? What felt generic? Where did the message land and where did it fall flat?

• Confirm that the organization's ColoradoGives.org profile is up-to-date and that photos, program descriptions, and videos reflect the organization's current work.

• Begin drafting core campaign messages, including email copy, social media themes, and talking points for board members and ambassadors.

Completing this work early allows organizations to enter the busy fall fundraising season with confidence rather than scrambling to create materials at the last minute. ZIM clients’ profiles stand out because they clearly communicate their mission, pair compelling impact stories with strong visuals, and make it easy for donors to understand how their gift will make a difference. Their messaging is consistent, donor-centered, and focused on the real people and communities they serve. 

What Roles Should Your Team Play? 

Colorado Gives Day shouldn't fall on one person's shoulders. Board members, staff, volunteers, and ambassadors each play an important role in expanding your organization's reach. Defining responsibilities early allows everyone to prepare before the busy fall fundraising season begins.

To prepare effectively, organizations should:

• Identify the campaign lead and any staff who will support communications, social media, and donor follow-up.

• Ask board members to participate in peer-to-peer outreach and determine what support they need, such as templates, talking points, or prospect lists.

• Recruit ambassadors, such as board members, volunteers, donors, or program participants, in August so they have time to prepare and engage their networks. Encourage each ambassador to create an individual fundraising page on ColoradoGives.org and equip them with the tools they need to succeed, including campaign messaging, social media templates, sample emails, and thank-you notes. Clearly define each group's role, whether it's making an early gift, sharing personal fundraising pages, reaching out to their networks, or thanking donors after the campaign. If you don't know where to start, utilize the free Colorado Gives toolkit for resources and best practices. 

Why is Colorado Gives Day Important?

Colorado Gives Day is more than a single day of giving—it is an opportunity for nonprofits to deepen donor relationships, share their impact, and build momentum for the year ahead. Organizations that start early and approach the campaign strategically are more likely to see meaningful results.

At ZIM Consulting, Colorado Gives Day is one of our favorite times of year because we have the opportunity to celebrate the incredible work our clients are doing across the state. We strive to make a meaningful gift to each of our clients and encourage our team to do the same, recognizing that every organization is making a unique difference in its community. 

If your organization is preparing for Colorado Gives Day, ZIM Consulting can help you strengthen your fundraising strategy, refine your messaging, and build a campaign that inspires generosity long before December arrives.