Year-end is the pinnacle of most organizations’ fundraising strategies. Donations come rolling in due to the joyous spirit and gratitude of the holiday season—and, of course, the annual December 31st deadline for tax-deductible donations.
The end of the year is so vital to fundraising that many nonprofits plan their year-end initiatives months in advance, sometimes even during the summer, and for good reason. Studies show that 30% of annual giving occurs in December and 10% during the last three days of the year.
Without a sound strategy in place for this key period, nonprofits could miss out on mission-critical revenue. Using the tips in this guide, your organization can maximize the generosity of the year-end giving season and set your nonprofit up for success in the coming year. Let’s get started!
1. Use historical data to shape your strategy.
Data is key to any successful fundraising endeavor. Start your year-end planning with a deep dive into historical campaign metrics and donor data.
First and foremost, this information will help your team set an achievable but ambitious goal for this year’s campaign. Evaluate previous year-end goals and whether your organization was able to reach them.
You’ll also want to consult past data to determine why and how you reached your year-end fundraising total. Dive into your nonprofit data warehouse or constituent relationship management platform (CRM) to answer questions like:
- Which weeks or days had the most successful fundraising appeals?
- Which donor segments made the most or largest donations?
- What was your donor retention rate for last year’s year-end campaign?
- Which digital platforms led to the highest engagement and number of donations?
When working with any type of supporter data, it’s important to protect data privacy and keep sensitive information secure. Remember to implement access controls for your database, use multi-factor authentication, and perform regular data backups.
2. Focus your efforts on online fundraising.
Especially in recent years, online fundraising has played a large role in the year-end giving season. It’s a convenient way to engage with your supporters and allows you to expand your reach to a global audience.
Initiatives like peer-to-peer fundraisers and social media campaigns make it simple to raise money and awareness for your mission. They empower your supporters to contribute and become champions of your cause, spreading your mission far and wide.
As you put together your virtual fundraising tech stack for the months ahead, evaluate the technology you have at your disposal, how you’re currently using it, and how you could use it in more advantageous ways to drive your year-end campaign forward. For instance, if your organization has recently started using Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud, you can take advantage of the features that allow you to easily create donor profiles, segment your supporters, and monitor the performance of your fundraising outreach.
3. Look to new sources of revenue.
Diversifying your revenue streams helps your organization maximize donations. Plus, if you have multiple avenues of funding, you’ll be much less vulnerable to crisis.
The more revenue sources, the better. Try to incorporate a variety of options, such as:
- Monetary donations
- In-kind donations
- Corporate sponsorships
- Grants
- Recurring giving
You can also think out of the box with your fundraising by implementing new and innovative giving options, such as donor-advised funds (DAFs) and stock donations. These donation avenues open the door for tax-savvy giving that more deeply engages donors in the donation process.
Another easy revenue source you should try to maximize is matching gifts. With very little effort from your team, you can unlock a huge stream of funding for your organization.
If you aren’t familiar with matching gifts, they’re a type of corporate philanthropy initiative in which companies “match” their employees’ gifts to eligible 501(c)(3) organizations. While most employers match at a 1:1 ratio, some may double, triple, or even quadruple the gift amount.
Unfortunately, many supporters are unaware of their matching gift eligibility, leading to massive missed revenue opportunities for nonprofits. To try and capture some of these matching gifts, you can leverage a matching gift database that allows supporters to verify their eligibility and submit matching gift requests right from your donation page.
4. Refresh your multichannel marketing strategy.
To have a successful year-end online fundraising campaign, you’ll need to widen your reach to new audiences and connect deeply with your existing donors. A thoughtful digital marketing strategy can help you engage and expand your audience through a cohesive, multichannel campaign.
Each communication channel should present a unified yet targeted message with a clear call to action, ultimately driving traffic to your nonprofit’s website and donation page. For example, you could use Facebook in tandem with other social media platforms and more traditional marketing channels like email by linking to other channels in Facebook posts and aligning your content with your overall marketing goals. You could also tap into integrations between Facebook and your event platforms to help reach a wider audience.
Digital marketing, social media marketing, and email marketing work together to create a powerful ecosystem. As you craft your year-end strategy, be sure to consider each of these elements for a comprehensive and effective approach.
5. Partner with a nonprofit technology consultant.
If you need additional support adjusting your year-end fundraising strategy, it can be beneficial to consult an expert. A nonprofit technology consultant is a particularly useful choice if you’re working with robust tech solutions but don’t have a dedicated tech expert on staff. Or, if you already have a tech specialist on your fundraising team, a consultant can still provide a fresh, unbiased look and valuable perspective.
Depending on what your organization needs help with, you may look for a consultant that specializes in:
- Implementing new fundraising technology
- Crafting multichannel marketing strategies
- Integrating different software solutions
- Training staff on newly adopted platforms
A nonprofit consultant can strengthen your data management practices, online fundraising efforts, and overall nonprofit technology strategy. Research the options available to you, and consult reviews to find the best consultant for your nonprofit.
By applying a data-driven and tech-forward approach to your year-end giving strategy, you’ll be well-positioned for success. After your campaign wraps up, proactively prepare for next year by collecting supporter feedback. That way, you’ll have plenty of time to strengthen your approach using your community’s suggestions and can keep boosting your fundraising results year after year.