Oh look, it’s Giving Tuesday AGAIN.
What are we gonna do this time?
Fundraising campaigns are hard enough to execute, when you add having to come up with a fresh and engaging theme it’s downright brutal.
The good news is that I have built a few tools to help you out.
Campaign Brainstorm Prompt Generator
First up is the Campaign Brainstorm Prompt Generator. This tool will help you build a prompt to give AI everything it needs to create interesting campaign ideas for you. It will ask you to answer a few questions about your mission and goals to build the perfect prompt.
Let’s give it a try.
Let’s say I’m the ACLU and I want to run a Giving Tuesday campaign. I answered the questions based on what I know of the ACLU and some things I learned googling and got the following prompt:
| I am brainstorming a fundraising campaign. Organization Mission: The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is dedicated to defending and preserving the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in the United States by the Constitution and laws. This includes freedom of speech, religion, and due process, as well as the right to equal protection under the law. The ACLU focuses on government action and inaction that may infringe upon these rights. Timing/Context: Giving Tuesday Goals: $100,000 from 5,000 individual donors. Target Audience: Left-leaning individuals and groups concerned with civil liberties and civil rights. Anyone who is part of or an ally for traditionally marginalized communities, including people of color, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, prisoners, immigrants, and people with disabilities. Tone: urgent Seasonal Themes or Timely Moments: Giving Tuesday happens right after Thanksgiving and before Christmas. Themes of gratitude may be helpful. Avoid: I want to avoid anything overtly negative. We want to promote a message of hope. Organizational Differentiators: While not a mascot in the typical sense, the ACLU has used various symbols and characters to represent their work: Electina: This character was created to promote the ACLU’s work on voting rights and highlight the importance of participation in democracy. Bendy: The ACLU of Pennsylvania introduced Bendy as a “mascot” to engage with the public and promote their work. The Statue of Liberty: The ACLU often uses the Statue of Liberty as a symbol of freedom and civil liberties, aligning with their mission of protecting these rights for all. The scales of justice: This symbol, often associated with legal systems, is also used by the ACLU to represent their commitment to fairness and equality under the law. Please suggest 5 creative campaign themes or concepts. Each idea should include a title, a short concept description, and a reason why it fits our audience and timing. After listing the ideas, ask if I’d like to explore one further—or if I’d like to add more detail to create stronger, more tailored concepts. |
Now when I pop that into ChatGPT, it gives me the following suggestions:
| Here are five creative campaign themes for your ACLU Giving Tuesday fundraising campaign, each designed to resonate with your left-leaning, justice-minded audience while emphasizing hope, urgency, and participation: 1. Liberty Is Ours to Give Concept: Position Giving Tuesday as a chance for donors to give liberty—supporting the fight for free speech, due process, and equal protection under the law. Visuals could use the Statue of Liberty passing a torch to a new generation of changemakers. Why It Works: It reframes Giving Tuesday as an act of empowerment, not charity—something deeply aligned with the ACLU’s mission. “Liberty” is hopeful, patriotic, and resonates across many of your issue areas. 2. Rights Don’t Defend Themselves Concept: This bold theme highlights the ACLU’s core role: holding the line on civil liberties. It appeals to the donor’s sense of urgency and civic responsibility, especially during times of legal and political upheaval. Why It Works: Clear, punchy, and urgent without sounding alarmist. Speaks to donors who want to be active protectors of rights and justice, not just observers. 3. This Is What Solidarity Looks Like Concept: Tie the campaign to the idea of collective action—5,000 individuals coming together to make a statement for justice. Use a real-time donor count or visual “wall of solidarity” to show strength in numbers. Why It Works: Emphasizes unity, visibility, and community. Encourages smaller donors by showing their gift is part of something larger. A natural fit for allies and members of marginalized communities. 4. Defend Democracy. Give Today. Concept: Connect civil liberties directly to democratic participation—freedom of speech, protest, voting rights. Encourage donors to “vote with their dollars” to ensure rights are upheld for all. Why It Works: Ties into current national conversations and ACLU’s core issues like voter suppression, protest rights, and systemic inequality—while offering a hopeful, active path forward. 5. The Constitution Needs You Concept: A twist on the classic “Uncle Sam needs you,” this campaign positions donors as defenders of the Constitution. The message: our laws are only as strong as the people who stand up for them. Why It Works: Patriotic but progressive. Reclaims constitutional language from right-wing rhetoric and uses it to invite meaningful action. Great for social visuals and evergreen messaging. Would you like to explore one of these ideas in more detail—like headlines, visuals, and donor journey? Or would you like to add more context so we can tailor concepts even more closely to your campaign goals? |
Not bad! As a donor to the ACLU, I would respond well to any of these.
But let’s make some tweaks. What if I really wanted to lean in on the idea of taking back some of the language and symbols that have been commandeered by the right—patriots, freedom, the flag. If I make that one stylistic tweak in my prompt, ChatGPT comes back with these new ideas:
| 1. Freedom Is for All of Us Concept: Use Giving Tuesday to remind donors that freedom doesn’t belong to any one group—it belongs to everyone. Each gift is a statement that true liberty is inclusive, equitable, and worth defending. Why It Works: Reclaims the word “freedom” from exclusionary rhetoric and centers it on equity. Plays well with visuals of flags, protests, and diverse Americans standing united. 2. The Most Patriotic Thing You Can Do Concept: Supporters are invited to express their patriotism—not with flags in their yards, but with action. Giving to the ACLU on Giving Tuesday is framed as an act of true civic pride and commitment to justice. Why It Works: Turns a right-wing talking point into a rallying cry for progressives. It validates the desire to love this country while fighting to make it better. 3. Red, White, and You Concept: A cheeky, eye-catching campaign that plays off the flag’s colors—but flips the focus onto individuals taking action. “This Giving Tuesday, show what freedom really means to you.” Why It Works: It’s clever, visual, and campaign-ready. It reclaims the flag as a shared symbol and makes donors feel like they’re part of a hopeful, people-powered movement. 4. We the People Means Everyone Concept: This campaign brings donors back to the Constitution’s promise—and the ACLU’s mission to ensure those promises apply to all, not just the powerful. Each gift helps fight for the rights of every American. Why It Works: Taps directly into constitutional language and re-centers it on inclusion. It’s especially resonant for people in marginalized communities and their allies who want to reclaim democratic ideals. 5. Give for a More Perfect Union Concept: Uses the preamble to the Constitution as a hopeful call to action. Acknowledges that we’re still building a just society—and that Giving Tuesday is a chance to be part of that work. Why It Works: Inherently patriotic and forward-looking. Inspires donors to see their gift not just as charity, but as participation in democracy and justice. |
Not bad either! You can continue chatting with your AI to hone in on ideas until you have something you really like. Then comes the next tool!
Campaign Strategy Prompt Builder
Once you have an idea for your campaign, you can have the Campaign Strategy Prompt Builder help you flesh it out.
This tool will ask you some questions about your campaign and will generate a prompt to have AI build it out for you. For now, let’s go with the “The Constitution Needs You” Campaign. You can see the other choices I made from the prompt generated:
| I’m building a fundraising campaign strategy. Theme: The Constitution Needs You Concept: A twist on the classic “Uncle Sam needs you,” this campaign positions donors as defenders of the Constitution. The message: our laws are only as strong as the people who stand up for them. Why It Works: Patriotic but progressive. Reclaims constitutional language from right-wing rhetoric and uses it to invite meaningful action. Great for social visuals and evergreen messaging. Goal: $100,000 for 5,000 donors Key Audiences: new prospects and donors at the $5-$500 giving level Communication Channels: email, social media, text messaging Timeline: November 27-December 2 Content Types: infographics, stories Tone/Brand Values: hopeful but urgent Use expert fundraising strategy, donor behavior insights, and nonprofit marketing best practices to create a thoughtful, segmented campaign plan. I’d like to know when and where to communicate with each audience, and what kinds of messages or content will be most effective for them. |
When I toss that into ChatGPT, I get this result:
Absolutely—let’s build a segmented Giving Tuesday campaign plan around your theme, “The Constitution Needs You.” This plan focuses on maximizing reach and conversion among new prospects and lower-level donors across email, social media, and text messaging during your short but high-impact campaign window (Nov 27–Dec 2).
🧭 CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW
Campaign Name: The Constitution Needs You
Theme: Reclaiming patriotism and activating supporters as everyday defenders of civil liberties
Goal: $100,000 from 5,000 donors
Timing: Nov 27 (Monday) – Dec 2 (Saturday)
Tone: Hopeful, civic-minded, empowering—with urgency around the moment
🎯 AUDIENCE SEGMENTS
| Segment | Description | Key Motivation | Best Channels | Ideal Content |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Prospects | Social followers, list rentals, site visitors | Want to take meaningful action, skeptical of institutions | Social, email capture, SMS | Identity-based messaging, quizzes, low-barrier asks |
| Low-Dollar Past Donors | Gave $5–$50 in past 12 months | Want to feel part of a cause, driven by urgency | Email, social, SMS | Gratitude + impact, “we need you again,” participation-based calls |
| Lapsed Donors | Gave 12–36 months ago, not recently engaged | Believed in the mission, just drifted | Reconnection stories, nostalgia, “we still need you” messaging | |
| Newsletter Subscribers | Email list non-donors | Politically engaged, info-driven | Email, social retargeting | Education-focused content, infographics, values alignment |
| High-Intent Website Visitors | Visited “donate” or “issues” pages | Seeking a reason to act | SMS, email retargeting | Timely appeals, matching challenges, “You’re so close to making a difference” |
📅 WEEKLONG COMMUNICATION PLAN
NOV 27 – Monday (Pre-Giving Tuesday Warm-Up)
- Goal: Seed the theme, build anticipation, warm up your list
- Email to all segments:
Subject: “The Constitution Needs You. Will You Answer?”
Preview: “Giving Tuesday is almost here. Let’s stand up—for real liberty.”
Content: Short explainer of the theme with a story hook or quote from ACLU litigation staff. - Social:
Patriotic visuals reimagined: flag imagery + tagline “True patriots protect everyone’s rights.”
CTA: “Sign up to defend the Constitution this Giving Tuesday.” - SMS to engaged list (evening):
“Tomorrow’s the day. We’re calling on 5,000 defenders of liberty. You in?”
NOV 28 – Giving Tuesday (Core Activation Day)
- Email #1 (morning):
Subject: “Today, the Constitution Needs You”
Preview: “This Giving Tuesday, be one of 5,000 to protect civil liberties.”
Content: Direct appeal + donation meter + quote from donor or ACLU plaintiff - Email #2 (afternoon):
Subject: “Join 1,924 others defending freedom today”
(use live or projected donor count)
Preview: “Can we count on you?”
Content: Participation frame, donor story, link to infographic of rights under threat - SMS (midday):
“Giving Tuesday: The ACLU is fighting for your rights. Will you fight back? Even $5 helps.”
Link to donation page - Social Posts (3–4x):
- Donor quote: “I gave because…”
- Infographic: “These rights don’t defend themselves”
- Live updates: “2,300 donors so far—add your name to the wall of defenders”
- Reels/TikToks: Animated flag graphics + text overlay: “The Constitution Needs You”
NOV 29 – Post-GT Gratitude + Second Push
- Email (morning):
Subject: “3,278 donors and counting—thank you.”
Preview: “Together, we’re protecting liberty for all.”
Content: Gratitude, social proof, and soft nudge to help reach full goal - SMS (afternoon):
“Thanks to you, 3,200+ people stood up yesterday. Still time to join them.” - Social:
Donor “wall” image + community thank you. Keep call-to-action live: “Still time to give.”
NOV 30 – DEC 2: Final Push
- Email (Nov 30 – morning):
Subject: “We’re 1,500 donors away from our goal”
Preview: “You can be the one who gets us there.”
Content: Urgent CTA, final story, restate impact - Email (Dec 2 – final day):
Subject: “Last chance to defend liberty this week”
Preview: “Help us reach 5,000 donors before midnight”
Content: Use urgency, but end with hope and agency (“You’ve got the power to make this count”) - SMS (Dec 2):
“Last day! Help us reach our 5,000 donor goal. The Constitution still needs you.” - Social:
- Countdown graphics
- Story carousel: 5 reasons people gave
- Final Reel: “This is what real patriotism looks like”
📊 CONTENT STRATEGY BY TYPE
| Content Type | Use | Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Infographics | Social, email, landing page | “Know Your Rights” visual, “ACLU Impact This Year,” red-white-blue palette |
| Stories | Emails, social, SMS teaser | Highlight everyday people protected by ACLU, donors, or young organizers |
| Visuals | All platforms | Reimagine patriotic symbols: inclusive flag, Statue of Liberty with protest sign, Uncle Sam in a hoodie |
| Donation Tracker | Email, landing, social | Show progress toward 5,000 donors goal (not just dollars) to create community feeling |
🔑 STRATEGIC INSIGHTS
- Focus on participation > amount. Saying “Join 5,000 others” motivates low-dollar donors more than asking for a big total gift.
- Reclaim patriotism visually and linguistically. Use stars, stripes, and the word “freedom,” but connect it to marginalized voices and inclusive values.
- Short window = fast follow-up. Post-Giving Tuesday messaging is key. Many donors give late, or need to see momentum first.
- Text = urgency. Use SMS for punchy, direct CTAs—especially for those who have already donated before.
Would you like help building out specific email or social copy, a visual concept for the campaign, or a donor thank-you strategy to close the loop on this campaign?
Things To Think About When Using AI
Time
It took me less than 10 minutes to come up with a theme and the outline of a communications plan.
Is it perfect? No. But wow did I save a lot of time! This kind of thing is the perfect use of AI for the busy fundraiser. Iterating on campaign ideas can take a long time when you don’t have a lot of time, brain space, and partners. Think of AI tools like ChatGPT as a sounding board.
Specificity
Some of the ideas that Chat came up with were a little basic. But that’s because I gave it basic information. I don’t work at the ACLU and I don’t have any insight into what has worked for them in the past or other goals they are working on simultaneously.
But you know your nonprofit! Be as specific as you can be, and if you don’t like the results you’re given, tell Chat why and make it try again.
Edit & Review
AI is not an employee, it’s a tool. Use it to brainstorm and get started, but don’t rely on it to create a finished product for you. Your communications always need a human touch. Review the information it gives you and change it if it doesn’t work for your organization.
As it stands today, Large Language Models are pretty close to real life versions of the infinite monkey theorem, which suggests that a monkey randomly typing on a typewriter for an infinite amount of time would eventually produce any given text, including the complete works of Shakespeare. There’s a little more probability to it, but AI doesn’t think. Yet.