Donation Day

Donation Day is a day during the month of November when the NaNo nonprofit makes a focused effort to raise funds for Nanowrimo and its other programs. It is typically held in early-to-mid November and was started in 2009. The NaNoWriMo Writing Marathon happened in 2013 and 2014 and also served as a Donation Day. 
The NaNo staff typically will offer a prize for the entire website if a high goal is reached, such as performing a silly dance or singing a song written by themselves (Which NaNo had to do, most recently, in 2012). Frequent updates are released on Twitter on the progression of their goal. Smaller prizes are also offered, such as a piece of merchandise for anyone that donates, or limited-edition or vintage merchandise for random donors. 
Municipal Liaisons often promote the event in their region and may also offer similar prizes (such as humiliating themselves or limited edition items) to their regional Wrimos for donations.
The 2014 November Donation Day happened on 8 November and featured a Double Up theme. HQ encouraged Wrimos to double things: their word count, donations, daily quota, character deaths... the sky was the limit. Double Up Day raised over $100,000 for NaNoWriMo, nearly double the original $60,000 goal.
In 2015, the #DoubleUpDay theme continued with HQ encouraging Wrimos to double their word count. In addition, the $25 level of donation also gave donors the $50 level's worth of donations. Prizes included an HP Chromebook, signed copies of books (such as The Fault In Our Stars), and a fantasy writing basket from Castle in the Air. NaNoWriMo originally set a goal of $75,000 (which was passed), upped to $100,000 (which was passed), then again to $125,000 (which was also passed.) Donations topped out at over $138,000. 
2016 continued the #DoubleUpDay theme and receiving the $50 donor goodies for a $25 donation. Additionally, the $100 donor level came with two posters instead of one, both designed by Jason Munn. Hourly prizes included signed copies of Heartless, an iPad, a Gotham Writers class, and more. Donors such as Marissa Meyer and Zoetic Press offered donor matches for certain hours throughout the day.
The #DoubleUpDay theme continued into 2017, with a fundraising goal of $125,000 and (for the first time ever) a word goal of 125,000,000 words. Additionally, donations of $25 or more received an exclusive Donation Day enamel pin. Marissa Meyer offered a $10,000 match, and Zoetic Press offered an unlimited donation match during one hour. The day topped out at $194,000 and 130,000 words written.
2018 continued the #DoubleUpDay theme on Saturday, November 3, with a fundraising goal of $150,000 and a creative goal of 130,000,000 words. Donations of $25 or more received the $50 donor gifts plus a 2018 exclusive "Bound to Write" enamel pin. Marissa Meyer offered a $10,000 match, and Zoetic Press offered two two-hour stretches of unlimited donation matches. Prizes included an Asus Zenbook 13, a Writer's Digest conference package, and a Datamancer "Diviner" keyboard. The day ended with $240,082 raised and 130,580,804 words written.
Double Up Day continued in 2019 on Saturday, November 9, with a fundraising goal of $150,000 and a creative goal of 125,000,000 words written. Anyone who donated $25 received the $50 donor goodies, and for the first time, anyone who donated $50 received the $100 donor goodies. All donations of $25 or more also received an exclusive "Time and Space" enamel pin. Prizes included a JoCo Cruise balcony cabin and travel voucher, a Writer's Digest conference package, and two Gotham Writers classes. Authors Marissa Meyer and Darynda Jones offered hourly matches, as well as an anonymous donor from the Santa Cruz, California region. The day ended with $186,320 raised and 94,609,527 words written.
Double Up Day turned into Double Up Donation Weekend in 2020, which took place October 30-November 1, with a fundraising goal of $150,000 in 72 hours and 140,000,000 words written. Anyone who donated $25 received the $50 donor goodies, and $50 donors received the $100 donor goodies. All donations of $25 or more also received an exclusive enamel pin. Prizes included a Galen woodcrafted writing book filled with writerly treats, a steampunk-inspired Diviner keyboard, and an Airbnb credit for a writing retreat near you. Marissa Meyer, QBCPS Charitable Fund, and an anonymous Wrimo offered daily matches. Since the weekend was also NaNoWriMo kickoff weekend, the event featured a writing webcast with Echo Brown, Katy Rose Pool, Kristina Forest, and Margaret Owen on October 30; a NaNoLitMo webcast with Walter Mosley, Rachael Herron, and Shannon Monroe on October 31, and a virtual kickoff party with NaNoWriMo staff and author Hafsah Faiza on November 1. The weekend ended with $266,617 raised and 177,395,509 words written.
==Nanowrimo Needs Guts==
In 2011, NaNoWriMo held a midsummer fundraising drive called "Camp and Guts Drive" which sought to raise funds to allow Camp Nanowrimo to become a reality and to facilitate the move of the main NaNoWriMo website from Drupal to Ruby on Rails. The fundraiser had one level--$50--which got the donor goodies specific to the fundraiser - a Camp and Guts Drive bumper sticker, a Camp Nanowrimo poster, and bonus pep talks through the month of November, as well as a special badge on their profile for the 2011 season. It started on May 26 and lasted for two weeks, and was successful in allowing Camp Nanowrimo to run in July and August and getting the website to Ruby on Rails in time for the 2011 season.
==Camp NaNoWriMo Donation Days==
The April 2015 Camp NaNoWriMo Donation Day came with a Camp Search Party theme. It was held on April 11. 
Camp NaNoWriMo hosted a Donation Day on April 15, 2016, which raised over $6700 for Camp NaNo. The #GrowCreativity Donation Day occurred again on July 15, 2016 , which raised $3836.
==External Links==
* NaNoWriMo Donation Day page
Category:OLL fundraisers