Why is year-end fundraising such a big deal for non-profit organizations?
The numbers don’t lie.
Almost a third of all American individual giving happens in December. And a surprising 12% of all giving occurs in the final three days of the year. Some non-profit organizations raise up to 70% of their entire budget in the month of December. So, while our Basics & More™ classes focus on growing your individual giving throughout the year, smart fundraisers know that year-end fundraising matters and the time to start planning is now.
How will you be ensuring that your year-end campaign is the best it can be?
One way to ramp up your year-end fundraising results is by getting your board members involved in the process of the actual campaign.
What, exactly does that look like? In a recent Motivate Monday session, Erik Anderson of Healthy Nonprofit shared his 12 days strategy. Together, Erik and I teamed up to provide fundraisers with a sample year-end fundraising menu, exclusively for board members.
The idea behind a Fundraising Menu is to provide easily digestible tasks that any board member, introvert, extrovert, or even the most time-strapped, can comfortably manage to accomplish in a short period of time. Even those members who are totally strapped for time can provide financial resources, such as buying stamps, or even snacks for your mailing party!
Plan out your direct mail appeal with plenty of time to canvass your board members for connections. Which members can write personal notes? Buy plenty of colorful Post-It notes and schedule times when your board members can come into the office for note-writing.
The idea behind outer envelope teasers is simple: to get the envelope opened. The problem is most teasers are lousy. A better way to get your envelope opened – and a technique that I’ve used often in smaller organizations – is to hand-address at least a segment of your envelopes.
Who can host a house party? One of the great takeaways from my early Benevon training was the power of house parties. Think small intimate gatherings of five to 20 people. House parties provide a non-threatening way of introducing prospective donors to the story behind your mission.
Download your own Fundraising Menu and get creative! Tailor it to your organization, your campaign, and your board members.
Looking for more?
Our year-end fundraising webinar series is back – and it’s better than ever!
I’ve joined forces with a brilliant team of international fundraising experts (including a few surprises) to help you raise more money this year than ever before. I guarantee it!
Check out the lineup here. Seats are limited.
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I can’t wait to meet with you personally.
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