Year-end appeals can bring as much as 30% of a non-profit’s annual revenue, with most of it raised in the month of December.

With Giving Tuesday as a popular “brand,” many charities began planning for their year-end appeals months ago but are now in the execution phase of their holiday fundraising plan.  On Giving Tuesday alone, nonprofits raised around $3.1B in the U.S. in 2022.

An end-of-year fundraising strategy is just as important as any other fundraising campaign and a necessary opportunity to highlight what your non-profit has accomplished throughout the year. During the holiday season, giving is on everyone’s mind; therefore, highlighting your organization’s impact will help incentivize donors to support your cause.

The importance of an end-of-year appeal

A push for donations during the 4^th quarter is not unique but is necessary to reach your financial goals. There are many reasons why an end-of-year appeal can work for your non-profit:

• Individual donors are more likely to give at the end of the year. This is the time to cultivate new donors.
• Year-end fundraising helps organizations connect with donors while they are thinking about how they can make an impact with their favorite charities.
• Donors have a better understanding of their finances at the end of the year, and some may need to make donations to benefit their tax burden.

Organizational Positioning

An end-of-year appeal is the perfect opportunity to highlight and tell your organization’s story.

• Donors want to know why they should give to an organization. Focus on what your organization has accomplished throughout the year, and be prepared to scream it out loud and proud in as many channels as you can!
• Ensure your data shows how you have achieved your purpose and mission and your organization’s impact on the lives of those you seek to support.
• Don’t forget there are many competing organizations with “fancy” social media posts, but make sure you connect with your donors in as many ways as possible – email, calls, direct mail, social media, web pages, volunteer opportunities, and other distribution streams.
• These days, if an organization can use an “Influencer” or celebrity, ensure they are aligned with your mission and can speak directly to their followers about why your organization should be the charity of choice to receive donations.

Developing an end-of-year campaign

• Planning should begin in August, with much of the writing and assets created in September.
• When to launch your campaign depends on your donors. Teasers are a great way to start off in October, with direct appeals making their debut in November before the Thanksgiving rush.
• Use Giving Tuesday as another opportunity to launch a campaign or begin phase 2 of your campaign. Many organizations will focus on Thanksgiving messaging, while December becomes a celebration of many holidays.
• Everyone is rushing to the finish line to meet fundraising goals, so developing an end-of-year campaign is important to help your non-profit stand out.
• Take advantage of noted holidays or days of acknowledgment that appeal to your donors.
• Take advantage of the giving spirit. The end of the year is full of holidays for almost every demographic. Use this diversity to your organization’s advantage and structure messages and artwork accordingly.

Have a clear timeline.

• It is critical to schedule “the ask” and to set realistic expectations. It is also critical to mix in impact data with an ask. Tell donors what you accomplished without always asking for a donation. 
• Look at how often you send out appeals throughout the year and change the frequency so your followers and donors see and hear your messages as a signal and call to action for the holidays.
• People respond when you create a sense of urgency. In all your marketing communications, it should be clear when the giving season will end. For most, it’s the “tax-deductible” contribution message that resonates with many donors.

Use a Multifaceted approach.

• There are so many ways to reach donors these days. Mix in paid outreach (advertising) with free outreach (social media).
• You could use direct mail postcards as a reminder versus a traditional letter with a return envelope. Perhaps schedule a letter in November and the postcard reminder in December to cut down on the cost of printing.
• Always encourage your donors to sign up for an e-newsletter to cut down on the cost of printing and to be environmentally friendly!
• Use emails, web pop-ups, QR codes, or text messages to drive people to your donation page or platform.
• Use as many of these channels as possible for your donor base.
• Don’t discount the use of social media advertising. Putting in a few hundred dollars to raise awareness of your cause could yield new donors and new relationships.

End-of-year Close-out

• Just because the year ends doesn’t mean your fundraising efforts have to! Make sure you ask for donations up to the last day of your campaign, typically December 31^st (although, in many instances, donations made after the 31^st could still be counted in the prior year’s tax deductions).
• Keep donors informed of how well you are doing in reaching your goal(s) and how much is left to raise. That sense of urgency can make the difference between $50 and $250 donations.

These are just a few reasons why organizations should thoughtfully plan their year-end giving strategies to maximize fundraising opportunities and connect with past, present, and prospective donors. Leveraging a time of year when giving is top of mind can help your organization reach or exceed its fundraising goals and provide a natural opportunity to cultivate and engage with your donors. Be sure to incorporate these tips when planning your 2023 year-end campaign!