Your Quick Checklist for Year-End Giving

Nearly one-third of annual giving occurs in December, but the year-end giving rush begins way before that. Use the following checklist to ensure your team doesn’t miss a beat when it comes to kicking off your year-end campaign:

Download the Year-End Fundraising Checklist

Year-End Giving Tips

Before reading the full checklist, here are a few general reminders regarding year-end fundraising. Tape them to the fridge, tattoo them on your arm, or simply share them with your team while ramping up your year-end giving campaign.

1. Get Started Now

In the blink of an eye, it’ll be the night before Giving Tuesday and every member of your team will be scrambling to schedule social media posts and email appeals. To make sure that your nonprofit is maximizing on the influx of donations during the giving season, you need to get your campaign planned, prepped, and ready to go before the giving season actually starts.

2. Don’t Be Afraid to Reach Out

As Babe Ruth said, “Never let the fear of donor fatigue stop you from contacting your donors.” Well, maybe that wasn’t his exact message, but the sentiment rings true. Although your supporters may receive many asks during the end of the year, they are also expecting them, which makes them primed to give. Instead of reaching out less frequently, make sure your appeals are strong. Strong appeals include a direct call to action, informative reminder of your nonprofit’s mission, and are filled with real-life impact stories to remind donors why they should give.

3. Focus on Donor Stewardship

In addition to sending your donors with a genuine thank you for year-end gifts, make sure you maximize on the influx of new donors during this time. Invest in donor stewardship with a dedicated welcome email series, strong recurring giving campaign, volunteer and peer-to-peer fundraising opportunities, and continued follow-up. By activating all supporters you acquire during the year-end giving season, your team can rest assured that no potential donations were left on the table.

PRO TIP: According to Classy’s State of Modern Philanthropy report, a donor acquired on Giving Tuesday is 3 to 4 times more likely to fundraise on behalf of your organization. Don’t let these loyal supporters slip away!

The Most Wonderful (Busiest) Time of the Year

The hustle and bustle of the giving season is enough to make even a seasoned nonprofit professional lose track of time or overlook details. These general guidelines are just the tip of the iceberg, so make sure to download the checklist and come back to the blog for more year-end fundraising tips and tricks.