The Final Countdown: 40 Days to Maximize Year End Giving
We spend a lot of time talking about year-end strategy, and that’s because the last four weeks of the year see the highest number (and amounts) of gifts for most non-profits. This time of year, every day is a huge opportunity to put yourself in a good position for closing out the calendar year. When you add in holidays and weekends, and the time people typically take off to spend with friends and family, there are only really 40 days between mid-November and late December to get the most out of your year-end giving.
Write early and often – you should absolutely be in touch with your top donors with tangible year-end requests. Don’t ask for nebulous support – tie the gifts to items or program advancement that you need. Generosity spikes this time of year, but so do the requests from other non-profits.
Stick to your schedule! Lots of things can get an office off-track, but if you stick to your schedule you’ll get meaningful projects done on-time. Book time every day to make headway on your plan. See below for the 40-day plan.
Involve your board and volunteers – people love to help out, especially this time of year, so don’t go it alone. Bring them on board with stewardship or asks. Projects like the thank-a-thon can be great ways to engage and steward donors.
Email blasts can get lost – use large images and memorable subject lines to keep them ‘top of mind’. Here’s a great article with some helpful advice: https://www.constantcontact.com/blog/images-of-email/
Connect with your mid-level donors for a personal pre-ask: let them know the appeal letter and emails are coming soon and your organization would love their support again.
Connect with your target 2027 event sponsors and send out a packet with the sponsorship opportunities. With budgets being finalized for the next year, you’ll want to get in early.