Stressing About Year-End Fundraising? Five Things to Remember

October 31, 2017

Did you know that about a third of all annual giving takes place in December? How can nonprofits cut through the clutter and spur their supporters to act? Our top five tips below will help you plan, prepare and execute your year-end giving campaign.

  1. Create a master calendar. Use a calendar to map out important dates and tasks for your campaign, such as when to send mailings, email appeals, key social media posts, printing deadlines, etc. The schedule may change, but a master calendar will help you stay on track.
  2. Know your donors. To whom are you reaching out? Have they given to you before? If so, how much? These essential questions will help ensure your appeals are targeted to the right people. A one-size-fits-all fundraising message isn’t a good fit.
  3. Develop stories. People donate when they care about something and feel connected to a cause. Telling a touching, inspiring human story will make donors much more likely to give.
  4. Ask early and often. Don’t procrastinate or assume that last year’s gifts will automatically repeat this year. Keep your organization in the front of your donors’ minds as they consider where to make their year-end gifts. Consider making your first asks in October and November, and don’t forget to follow up all the way through December 31!
  5. Make it easy. Congratulations, someone is ready to donate to your organization! Now, make sure it’s as simple as possible. Pretend you’re a donor and try it out for yourself, preferably on multiple devices. Take care of any glitches.

Need more help? The Hatcher Group is happy to assist you with communications support for all your fundraising needs.