You likely had good intentions about planning your year-end fundraising campaign well in advance, right? But – all of a sudden – Thanksgiving has passed and you don’t have so much as a social media post drafted or letter written.
Or, maybe you do have a campaign rolling, but you’re looking for ways to give it a big push before the end of the year.
Whether you’re just getting started or you’re looking to get back on track, here are five things you can do right now to boost year-end giving for your nonprofit.
5 Quick Year-End Fundraising Ideas
When speed is your priority, it’s best to focus on tactics that you can execute without a significant amount of advanced planning.
Now may not be the time for a detailed fundraising appeal letter that will take days to print and mail. And a fully produced video that requires weeks of filming, editing, and perfecting may be out of the question.
But you still have plenty of quick year-end fundraising tactics at your fingertips that can be highly effective! All you need is a little bit of time and effort.
1. Pick up the Phone
One of the best ways to reach your donors on short notice is relatively simple – make some phone calls.
While you may need to block off a few hours for this year-end fundraising tactic, it isn’t one that requires weeks of lead time.
To be as effective as possible, first pull a list of donors who may respond best to a phone call. This list could be made up of those who have previously given following a call, major donors, or even LYBUNT (last year but unfortunately not this) donors.
Then, draft a script that includes all the key talking points that will best appeal to this audience. Keep it short and sweet and remember to leave some room for the conversation to flow. Your goal should be to build upon your relationship with each donor in addition to securing a gift!
2. Post About It
One of the quickest ways to reach your audience is through social media. While we don’t necessarily suggest trying out a new trend or channel at the last minute, you should utilize your existing channels during this year-end fundraising campaign!
If you already have a stock of images and videos, take a look and see if there are any you can use (or reuse).
Need new content? Think through some photos or videos you could capture quickly this time of year, possibly of an event or program. Authenticity is big on social media, so your images don’t have to be perfect!
Here are some quick social post ideas to get you started:
- Tell Beneficiary Stories – Share a quote or story from a beneficiary along with a photo or video. Showcase the real impact your donors have.
- Share Impact Data – Create an infographic or video that recaps the impact your nonprofit had this year through numbers and statistics.
- Say Thanks – Ask your staff members or volunteers to say “Thank You” for the camera. Then, use a video editor to stitch them together. Donors love to be acknowledged!
- Boost Urgency – As the end of the year approaches, talk about the importance of donating before January 1. How will you put these funds to work right away? You can certainly talk about tax deductibility as well!
And, of course, don’t forget to include an ask for donations and link to your online giving page!
Tip from the Playbook: If you have the budget, consider boosting your posts or creating social media ads. This will help you reach a broader and more targeted audience.
3. Create an Email Campaign
Email is an effective year-end fundraising tactic – 26% of donors say that emails are what most inspire them to give. Plus, emails are relatively quick to create and send, and they are cheaper than direct mail!
Plan out an email campaign that includes at least two to three emails. Spread them out over the course of the giving season.
If you have the time, segment your audiences. Think LYBUNT donors, major donors, new donors, etc. – and develop targeted messaging for each to ensure a better return rate.
Each email should share the impact your donors can have with their gift, your giving season goal (and how far you have to go before reaching it), plus a call to action to give and a link to your donation page. As the end of the year draws near, be sure to increase the urgency in your message!
4. Update Your Donation Page
Speaking of donation pages, ensure yours is up to date! While you might not have time to completely overhaul your website, you should spend a few minutes perfecting this all-important page.
Because all of your outreach efforts will be pointing to your giving page, first update it to follow the theme and messaging of the rest of your year-end fundraising campaign. Swap out pictures and adjust your call to action as needed. Be sure to check for grammar and spelling errors as well!
Finally, test that the giving form is functioning properly. The last thing you want is for a donor to be unable to complete their gift!
5. Send a Postcard
Whether you’re aiming to reach your audience via direct mail for the first time this giving season or you’d like to send a reminder following an appeal letter, consider sending a postcard. Postcards are significantly more cost-effective and faster to produce than letters, but they can give your campaign a boost!
Choose an eye-catching image or graphic for the front. On the back, use a short and sweet message. This note could come from a beneficiary, your board chair, or your executive director.
To make it as fast and easy as possible to give, include a QR code that sends donors directly to your year-end giving page.
Tip from the Playbook: Use an online tool, like Appeal Maker, to create, print, and mail your postcards and other appeals in a matter of days.
Don’t Miss the Giving Season
The giving season is the biggest time of the year for donations, with approximately 30% of all annual giving occurring in December alone. When so many philanthropists clearly have giving on the mind, you simply can’t skip out on fundraising!
But if you haven’t launched your year-end fundraising campaign, or if you’re not yet hitting your goals, don’t fret. 10% of annual giving happens in the last three days of the year, so you still have time.
Use the quick fundraising tactics we shared here to reach your donors and your goals before the end of the year. Remember – it’s all about what you can accomplish quickly and effectively!
And if you need a little extra help, the consultants here at MVP Advisors are happy to jump in with customized plans, content reviews, and more. Email us or set up a call today and see how we can make a difference for you this giving season and beyond!