St. Mary's College of Maryland Homepage

Your Champion Toolkit

Giving Tuesday / Your Champion Toolkit

Thank you for stepping up to raise funds for the SMCM causes that matter most to you. This page offers tools and inspiration to help you succeed. There are countless ways to approach this, so find what works best for you. Remember, no one gives unless they’re asked—so step out of your comfort zone and start reaching out to your personal network in the weeks leading up, if possible. The more time you invest in planning and outreach, the better your results will be. However, if you only have time to focus your outreach during the 32-hour campaign, you can still make a big impact.

Champion Checklist

Start here! These are your key steps to becoming a successful Giving Tuesday Champion.

  • Post regularly on your favorite social media channels leading up to and during the 32-hour campaign.
  • Tell people why you care — share how your fund, club, team or cause makes a difference and what their gift will help accomplish.
  • Use or personalize our ready-made posts and graphics.
  • Reach out directly with DMs, phone calls, texts, or emails to classmates, professors, alumni, friends and family.
A person bundled in a colorful patterned blanket and blue winter hat smiles against a dark blue background with yellow heart outlines.

Your Personal URL

Your personal link is your most powerful tool. Every time someone donates through it and selects your name on the form, it counts toward your total.

  • Include your Personal Champion URL (will be emailed to you on Sunday, Nov. 30 at 12 p.m.) whenever and wherever you talk about Giving Tuesday.
  • Add it to your social media bios or linktree.
  • Share it often! The more people who see it, the better your chances of success.

Champion Training Session Recording

Stay Connected

Want to share a post with us? Tag us on Instagram or post with one of the hashtags below:

A group of nine students stand outdoors holding signs and hearts, promoting St. Mary's College of Maryland’s "Be Counted" event on December 2, 2025, for #SMCMGives.

Invite Your Network

Spread the word and rally support from every corner of your community.

Make Sure They Choose You

Don’t let their generosity go uncounted! Make sure every one of your supporters knows how to select you as their Champion.

  • On the giving form, donors will choose your name from a dropdown list (listed by name, then cause).
  • Tell them to confirm your name appears on the giving form review page before submitting their gift.
  • If your name isn’t shown there, their donation won’t count toward your total - remind them to go back and select you!
Three students stand outdoors, smiling at the camera. One holds a heart-shaped sign with various designs. They wear sweatshirts and scarves with school colors. Trees and a building are in the background.

The Champion Timeline

Follow this suggested schedule to build excitement, stay organized and keep your audience engaged throughout the 32-hour campaign.

One Week Out (around Nov. 24–25)
Introduce yourself as a Champion, share what you’re supporting and post a “Save the Date” graphic so people can mark their calendars.

Weekend Before (Nov. 29–30)
Build momentum! Share one of our ready-made posts (the Thanksgiving-themed one is always a favorite) and remind everyone that Giving Tuesday starts Monday at 4 p.m.

Campaign Kickoff (Monday, Dec. 1 at 4 p.m.)
The event begins! Post, text, call and message your network right away to let them know it’s time to give. Make sure to include your personal URL. 

Tuesday Morning (Dec. 2)
Share an early update and thank your first donors. Encourage anyone who hasn’t given yet to jump in before lunch.

Tuesday Midday
Post a progress update — how many donors you have, how much you’ve raised and how close you are to your goal.

Tuesday Afternoon
Tag friends, family, classmates and alumni. Ask them to give or reshare your posts to reach even more supporters.

Final Hours (Tuesday Evening to Midnight)
This is your last push! Share your latest progress and how many more donors you need. A heartfelt, personal appeal can make all the difference.

After Midnight (Campaign Ends!)
You did it! The campaign wraps up at midnight. Results on the leaderboard are preliminary, so rest up and celebrate your effort.

Next Day (Dec. 3)
Thank your donors for their support and let them know the results of the Alumni Council Champion Challenge will be announced in the coming days after results are tallied. 

Sample Email

Hi [mom/dad/friend/professor/etc],

I’m participating in the St. Mary’s College of Maryland Alumni Council Challenge to raise money for [fund/club/sport] on Giving Tuesday. Would you consider donating to SMCM on Dec. 2 to support [fund]? By using this unique URL and selecting me as your Champion on the drop down menu, your donation of $10 or more will automatically go towards my fund/club/sport. [Personal Champion URL]

Thank you for your support. I hope you will BeCounted on Dec. 2!

[Your Name]

Sample Message

Will you consider supporting SMCM [fund] on Giving Tuesday? By making a donation of $10 or more on Dec. 2 and selecting me as your Champion on the giving form, you can help my fund/club/sport compete for up to $5,000 in matching funds! [Personal Champion URL]

Today is #GivingTuesday! Please support SMCM [fund] by following the link below and selecting me as your Champion on the giving form. Every donation over $10 pushes our club/team closer to winning up to $5,000 from Alumni Council matching funds! #SMCMgives [personal champion URL].

Social Media Templates

Profile Pics

Save the Date: Giving Tuesday, December 2, 2025, with hashtag #SMCMGIVES on a blue background.
Rows of the date "12.2.2025" are repeated in large, bold blue and white text on a yellow background.
A red heart-shaped graphic above the words "BE COUNTED #SMCMGIVES" on a dark blue background.

Post or Story

A blue background with text: "Save the Date Giving Tuesday 12.2.2025 #SMCMGIVES". The "V" in "Giving" is shaped like a red heart.
Repeated text “12.2.2025” in alternating blue and white on a yellow background, stacked vertically in bold, large font.
Red geometric heart above the words “BE COUNTED” and hashtag “#SMCMGIVES” on a dark blue background.

Get Inspired!

Two women in athletic uniforms stand smiling in front of a backdrop with illustrated money. The image lists four ways Giving Tuesday donations are used by the team.
A rowing team practices on a misty lake at sunrise with a hawk logo and text promoting a $12k fundraising goal for Giving Tuesday.
A fundraising graphic for St. Mary’s College Women’s Lacrosse shows a donation thermometer, a phone screen, and text: “Giving Tuesday,” “Donate Here,” and “Calling All Hawks.”.
A person in fencing gear stands in front of a blue and yellow SMCM Fencing poster promoting Giving Tuesday donations, with the date 12.3.2023 highlighted.
A collage of college soccer team photos surrounds a central graphic reading “Giving Tuesday 12.3.2024” with the message “Help out club soccer!!!!” at the top.
St. Mary's College of Maryland Instagram post features Sydni Thacker ’19 for the Champion Challenge, highlighting her impact in lacrosse, with Giving Tuesday donation voting details.