Today is #GivingTuesday. If you aren’t familiar with what #GivingTuesday is, it’s a day dedicated to giving back (and it’s the Tuesday after Black Friday and Cyber Monday).

Organizations across the country are inviting people to give to those in need today, such as Feeding America, who is providing a challenge grant and information about the impact of contributions.

United Ways are also promoting #GivingTuesday and asking people in their communities to give today. I viewed over 100 United Way #GivingTuesday Web pages, most of which had general information about #GivingTuesday and a donate button. Some United Ways had press releases or long paragraphs of information about their United Way, while others had information about the partner agencies they support. Some United Ways offered incentives to give on their Web site, such as a chance to win a car.

I wanted to find examples of United Way #GivingTuesday Web pages that made me want to give. These are the Web pages that grabbed my attention:

United Way of York County (Kennebunk, ME):

This Web page explains that donations will help “Keep York County Warm” and will provide emergency heating assistance to people in need in the community. United Way of York County’s goal is to raise funds to fill two oil tanks, which is equivalent to $3,000.

United Way of East Central Iowa (Cedar Rapids, IA):

This Web page provides information about the RED Ahead program and explains that contributions will be used to purchase books and support family visits with an Early Literacy Specialist. You can see how much impact your gift will have and learn about a family that benefited from the RED Ahead program.

Oshkosh Area United Way (Oshkosh, WI):

This Web page explains that donations will buy books for preschoolers in the community, as part of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Oshkosh Area United Way informs you of the importance of reading regularly with children during their preschool years and lets you know that your contribution will make a difference for children in the community.

United Way of Rhode Island (Providence, RI):

This Web page communicates the importance of 2-1-1 and explains that 100% of your contribution will support 2-1-1 because United Way of Rhode Island has paid the overhead. You can donate on their Web site or their Crowdrise page.

United Way of Greater Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA):

This blog post was actually from last year, but came up in my search. I wanted to share this example because it was one of my favorites. At the very top, it says “Giving Tuesday: Let’s House Someone!” and United Way of Greater Los Angeles explains very simply that by donating, you will help to move someone into a home for the holidays.

I found other great examples of United Ways inviting people to get involved in #GivingTuesday by volunteering or posting an #unselfie. However, what I really liked about all of these examples is that they shared information about a specific United Way program and the issue(s) addressed by the program. Donors will have an easier time understanding what United Way does when the focus is on a specific issue and the actions taken to address the issue. I also like that these United Ways made it clear what my donation would support and the impact of my contribution in the community.

If you haven’t promoted #GivingTuesday in the past, consider doing so next year to invite people to donate to your United Way. If you are already promoting #GivingTuesday, remember to communicate a focused message that explains the specific issue(s) you are addressing and the impact of your donors’ contributions. If your United Way focuses on categories, such as education, income, and health, consider focusing on a specific program/issue within those categories to highlight for #GivingTuesday. People connect with issues and will be more likely to give to your United Way if they know about the importance of a specific issue or a United Way program that focuses on an issue in your community, and if they know that their contribution will make an impact on that issue/program.