The end of the year is one of the most fruitful times of giving. In fact, 17-20% of the average nonprofit’s revenue is raised in December.
Of course, with so much opportunity and potential comes some stress, too, on how to maximize it. In this blog, we’ll cover exactly why year-end fundraising is important and 13 ways to make the most of it.
Why is Year-End Fundraising Important for Nonprofits?
The end of the year is often a period of increased giving and donor engagement — for a few reasons:
- Holiday Generosity: The holiday season, particularly in November and December, sees a spike in charitable giving. People are more inclined to give due to the festive spirit and a sense of giving back to the community.
- Tax Incentives: Many donors are motivated to give before the calendar year ends to take advantage of tax deductions for charitable donations. This deadline encourages last-minute contributions.
- Budget Planning: Nonprofits often rely on year-end donations to meet annual budget goals. Successful year-end campaigns can help cover operational expenses, fund specific programs, or provide financial stability for the upcoming year.
- Increased Engagement: Year-end campaigns provide a strategic opportunity to engage with both current and potential donors, often reactivating lapsed donors or reaching new supporters through targeted campaigns.
- Giving Tuesday Momentum: The global Giving Tuesday movement, which falls after Thanksgiving, kicks off the year-end giving season and encourages digital donations, social media engagement, and peer-to-peer fundraising.
Top 13 Fundraising Tips for Year-End Giving
1. Start Planning Early
The end of the year is always busy for nonprofits—not just from a fundraising perspective. At the end of the year, organizations are wrapping up annual reports, sending out tax receipts, and getting prepared for next year, too. That’s why planning and starting early for year-end fundraising is essential for reducing stress and maximizing impact.
Hold an early planning meeting (consider July) to assign tasks, define deadlines, and organize workflows. Plus, assign roles and responsibilities to ensure that everyone is clear on their tasks before crunch time.
2. Set Clear Goals and Metrics
Setting clear, measurable goals keeps your team focused and aligned on what success looks like. SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound), specifically help break your campaign into manageable milestones while defining KPIs such as donor acquisition, average gift size, and engagement rates ensures you’re tracking progress.
Some examples of SMART goals include:
- Increase Online Donations by 20% Before December 31st
- Raise $50,000 in Year-End Giving by December 15th
- Obtain 100 New Monthly Recurring Donors by the End of Q4
When setting your SMART goals, use data from previous campaigns to set benchmarks and create a real-time tracking dashboard so your team can monitor progress.
3. Segment Your Donor Base
Every donor is different, so the way in which your nonprofit engages them should be different, too.
Segment your donor list to ensure the success of your fundraising appeals. This allows you to tailor your messaging, increasing engagement and conversion rates.
To do this, use your nonprofit CRM or donor moves management system to divide your donor list based on factors like donation history or engagement level. Then, create and automate specific campaigns for groups like:
- First-time donors: Emphasize the impact of their initial gift and invite them to give again with a story of how their contribution made a difference.
- Recurring donors: Thank them for their ongoing support and provide an exclusive update on your organization’s achievements this year.
- Lapsed donors: Reconnect by acknowledging their past support and sharing specific ways their renewed contribution could help close the year on a high note.
4. Craft Compelling Stories and Messaging
You make your mission more relatable and persuasive by showcasing real-life stories of your impact. Combining these stories with data reinforces credibility, and diversifying content (videos, testimonials, infographics) makes your message more engaging across platforms.
Some examples might include:
- Personal Impact Stories: Highlight the story of a single individual or family whose life was transformed by the nonprofit’s programs and services.
- Example: “When Jane lost her job and struggled to feed her two young children, our food pantry provided the nourishment they needed to get back on their feet. Now, her kids are thriving, and she’s found stable employment thanks to the support of our community.”
- Donor Testimonials: Feature a quote or short narrative from an existing donor explaining why they choose to support the nonprofit.
- Example: “I’ve been donating to XYZ Nonprofit for the past 10 years because I believe so strongly in their mission to provide housing and job training for homeless veterans. Seeing the faces of the men and women they’ve helped get back on their feet is the most rewarding feeling.”
- Year-in-Review Highlights: Summarize the nonprofit’s key achievements, milestones, and impact over the past year.
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- Example: “In 2023, your support allowed us to provide safe shelter for 500 homeless individuals, connect 300 job seekers with employment, and deliver 50,000 meals to families in need. With your year-end gift, we can build on this momentum and expand our reach even further in 2024.”
5. Optimize Your Online Donation Process
According to research, 63% of donors prefer to give online, and mobile users represent 52% of all visits to nonprofit websites. That’s why your donation page should provide a frictionless experience in order to reduce drop-off rates and encourage higher conversions.|
To make sure your online donation process is optimized, conduct a thorough audit of your donation page to ensure it’s user and mobile-friendly as well as fast and efficient. Plus, be sure to:
- Reduce the number of required fields
- Offer multiple payment options (credit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, etc.)
- Include suggested donation amounts and the option for recurring gifts.
- Run A/B tests to determine what design changes or calls-to-action perform best
Learn how Ronald McDonald House raised $400k Raised in a Single Year with Giveffect →
6. Leverage Multiple Communication Channel
While email remains a top channel for direct appeals, social media, direct mail, phone calls, and even peer-to-peer fundraising each provide unique advantages. An integrated, multi-channel strategy ensures your message is seen wherever your donors are.
Plan ahead to ensure a consistent message across all platforms and experiment with unique elements for each channel (e.g., peer-to-peer fundraising via social media). Then, build a detailed content calendar for all communication channels that includes information on channels like:
- Email Campaigns: Start with an introduction to your year-end campaign, follow up with impact stories, and send reminders as the fundraising deadline approaches.
- Social Media: Share impact images, short interviews with beneficiaries, or “thank you” videos. Or even host a live video session on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube to humanize your organization and connect with your audience in real time.
- Direct Mail: Address each donor by name, thank them for their past support, and highlight the specific impact their gift could make. Share a personal story or beneficiary testimonial to make an emotional connection, too.
- SMS/Text Messaging: Text messages should be brief and direct, such as “Only 24 hours left to make a tax-deductible gift!” Include a clear link to your donation page to make it as easy as possible for donors to give.
7. Create Urgency
Urgency drives action — creating deadlines (such as tax deadlines or time-limited matching gifts) encourages donors to act quickly. Reminders, countdowns, and the threat of missing out on a match or opportunity can spur last-minute donations, too.
Here are a few ways to integrate this strategy into your year-end fundraising campaign:
- Integrate a countdown timer on your donation page and emails to create visual urgency.
- Plan multiple “last chance” messages leading up to key deadlines (like December 31st for tax-deductible donations).
- Use email subject lines that indicate time sensitivity to catch donors’ attention
8. Host a Virtual or In-Person Event
Capitalize on the giving season by hosting a virtual or in-person event, such as a holiday gala, live-streamed Q&A, or online auction. Use this event to celebrate your organization’s successes, thank donors, and make a final ask for support before the year ends.
9. Maximize #GivingTuesday Momentum
Use the momentum from #GivingTuesday as a launchpad for your year-end campaign.
To do this, be sure to:
- Follow Up with Giving Tuesday Donors: Immediately after Giving Tuesday, send personalized thank-you messages to all donors who contributed that day. Then, encourage them to consider making an additional year-end donation to help the organization achieve its goals.
- Segment and Retarget Giving Tuesday Leads: Identify individuals who engaged with your nonprofit on Giving Tuesday but did not donate. Segment this group and create targeted, tailored follow-up campaigns to nurture them as potential year-end donors.
- Launch a Giving Streak Challenge: Encourage Giving Tuesday donors to continue their generosity by creating a “giving streak challenge.” Set a goal for the number of consecutive days or weeks donors should give, offering incentives or recognition for those who maintain their streak.
- Integrate Giving Tuesday into Year-End Messaging: Seamlessly weave references to Giving Tuesday into the nonprofit’s year-end fundraising campaign messaging and materials.
10. Offer Matching Gift Opportunities
An estimated $2–$3 billion is donated through matching gift programs annually. When prepping for year-end fundraising, give donors the chance to get their gifts matched.
Approach potential matching donors early, then plan specific time periods for matching gift campaigns. Use compelling visuals to emphasize the multiplier effect of a matched gift, and schedule your campaign to capitalize on key giving moments.
11. Encourage Donors to Give Stock or Crypto
Provide alternative giving options like stock or cryptocurrency donations, which can offer significant tax advantages to your supporters.
Highlight the benefits of donating appreciated assets, like avoiding capital gains tax, share simple instructions for this type of giving, and partner with platforms that facilitate these types of donations.
12. Engage Your Board and Volunteers
Your board and volunteers are some of your most passionate advocates. That’s why encouraging them to fundraise via their personal networks can expand your reach exponentially.
Kick off the team’s involvement early with a dedicated meeting where you provide easy-to-use tools and templates, and set up personalized peer-to-peer fundraising pages to make it simple for them to share your campaign with their networks.
13. Follow up and Show Impact
Donor retention is just as important as donor acquisition. Throughout your year-end fundraising campaign and after, be sure to touch base with supporters by:
- Automating personalized thank-you emails using marketing and communications systems or even generative AI tools
- Sending customized giving statements and tax receipts
- Scheduling impact updates to keep donors informed and engaged throughout the campaign, and providing a detailed report in January to demonstrate the collective impact of all donations.
- Posting on social media or other public forums about the impact your supporters have made
Make the Most Out of Your Year-End Giving Campaign with Giveffect
To maximize year-end giving, nonprofits need a comprehensive solution that streamlines operations, engages donors effectively, and amplifies fundraising efforts across multiple channels.
With its all-in-one nonprofit management software, Giveffect integrates everything from donor databases and email marketing to event management and online giving. This seamless approach not only saves time but also enhances donor segmentation and personalization, making it easier to execute targeted, multi-channel campaigns with precision.
Additionally, Giveffect’s automation features ensure that your team can focus on what matters most—building relationships and driving impact. From optimizing your donation pages to setting up matching gift campaigns and automating follow-up communications, Giveffect equips nonprofits with the tools to help you meet—and exceed—your fundraising goals.