A group of people playing basketball.

TCC Giving Tuesday

Threefold increase in donations over the previous year

Overview: Tidewater Community College (TCC) needed to improve the performance of their Giving Tuesday campaign. Their advancement team approached AccessU with a clear, but challenging, request: increase the number of donations and strengthen storytelling around how gifts directly benefit students and programs.

Given the intense competition on Giving Tuesday — with schools and nonprofits nationwide seeking support at the same time — TCC needed a strategy that would not only boost their share of voice but also break through the noise to inspire meaningful action.

Approach: AccessU designed a strategic, two-week storytelling campaign that paired organic social media content with digital media efforts. Rather than focusing solely on a general “give” message, we refined the core messaging to emphasize the impact of each donation — illustrating how contributions support individual students and TCC programs. By diversifying platforms and tailoring content to each audience, we ensured broader relevance and deeper engagement across channels. This strategic, student-focused approach helped TCC’s message stand out in a crowded donor marketplace.

TCC display 2

TCC display 1

Results:

  • 51 social media posts deployed across four channels.
  • More than 90,000 impressions generated.
  • Achieved an average engagement rate of 2.45%.
  • Donations more than tripled compared to the previous year.
  • The number of unique donors increased by 20%.

The success of this campaign not only exceeded the client’s initial goals but also shaped the creative direction for TCC’s upcoming 2025 Day of Giving, with an even greater emphasis on real student stories and impact narratives.