There’s still time to meet your annual fundraising goals. So, before the calendar flips to January, what are some ‘right now’ things your nonprofit can do as a final push to solicit year-end gifts? Check out our list of 8 easy-to-manage fundraising solutions to get you through December.
1. Use current finances to create urgency
Review your nonprofit’s financial situation to see if there is an easy way to call out a specific need or dollar amount to reach a specific goal or milestone. Use that information in a visual way in emails, social media messages and direct mail pieces. String that message into your online giving pages as well.
2. Get your brand ambassadors, friends and volunteers involved
Think about your board members, your best volunteers, annual donors or others who are always willing to pitch in and help spread the word about your good cause. Ask them to post about your nonprofit online with links on how and where to donate. Make it easier on them by providing them easy copy/paste content in way of an email that they can then share with their networks—social media, email, etc.
3. Create a year-end video with specific calls to action
This could be a message from your executive director, it could be a fun recap of the year with “only $xx to go to reach our 2020 goal!” or it could be a combination of the two. Showcase your nonprofit and the amazing things you’ve achieved this year while also asking for those final gifts.
4. Craft a short-lived peer-to-peer fundraising campaign
The beauty of online giving is it can be done from anywhere and can be relatively quick to put together. Think about setting up a smaller-scale P2P campaign for the final two weeks of the year. Need some help to get started? We have you covered.
5. Use social media to your advantage
Consider a Facebook Live or Instagram TV campaign. Your followers can receive push notifications when you go live and then the floor is yours. Showcase your teams working hard at home, share a live story about the impact donors have made to support your cause, provide links and easy-to-remember URLs that encourages donors to give during your live event.
6. Host a virtual, one-day fundraising blitz
Virtual wine tasting event? Holiday secret Santa exchange? Board members taking on crazy challenges or dares? Virtual events can be a great way to have some fun with donors, provide special invites (and behind-the-scene footage) and solicit final donations for the year. Get some inspiration from Mission of Our Lady of the Angels or download our Virtual Fundraising Event Timeline for more ideas and ways to knock something like this out of the park before the year is through.
7. Remember your one-time donors and follow up
A good percentage of donors still remain one-timers for many nonprofits; they give once, never to be heard from again. This month use your CRM to pull donor reports and target those who have only made one gift to your nonprofit in the last 2 to 5 years. Send a mini email campaign or, better yet, jump on the phone and make some personal phone calls to see if they would be willing to make another donation this year.
8. Secure a matching gift
Is there a major donor or business that would be willing to match gifts up to a certain dollar amount through the end of the year? If so, put together a digital campaign (email, social media, video) that speaks to this and encourages donors to take advantage of this special initiative. Show them how much it will mean that their gift is doubled during this time!
While planning a full-fledge end-of-year fundraising campaign works great, if you find yourself short on time, these 8 ideas should help give your fundraising a boost as you round out 2020 and head into the new year. Best of luck—we can’t wait to see what 2021 brings to all of our amazing nonprofit clients and partners!
