Steier Tips

Assessing Your Organization's Year-End Giving Program

As we enter into the fourth quarter of 2006, many nonprofits across the country are working to produce their direct mail appeals and other efforts to secure year-end gifts. After all, December is the month when the majority of charitable gifts are made; however, it is also the time of year when the market for charitable gifts is the most competitive. Therefore, it is important that your organization is actively promoting its mission and staying in front of its donors – particularly as the year comes to an end.

Promoting Your Case and Mission
The number one reason that people give to any charitable organization is because they believe in the organization's mission and the work that the organization does for the community. Consequently, as your organization works to secure year-end gifts, do not stray away from promoting its mission, sharing its story and the great work it is doing for your community. First and foremost, that is why a donor is going to make a charitable contribution to your organization.

Staying in Front of Major Donors
As the year comes to an end, major donors are often in a position to make additional charitable contributions for tax purposes. To increase your organization's chances of being the recipient of such gifts, it is important that your major donor program includes one-on-one personal visits with your major donors at the end of every year. The more active your organization is in keeping its mission in front of these donors, the greater likelihood it will have of receiving a year-end major gift.

As your organization creates its year-end appeal materials, it is important to stay focused on its mission and also important to stay in tune with its major donors. These two elements can have a positive and long-lasting impact on your efforts and your organization's year-end financial successes.

Other Steier Tips articles:

Ask Amounts
Creative Campaigning
Getting Read
Development Doldrums
Getting to Goal
Selling the Mission
Preparing for the Feasibility Study
Volunteer Involvement
Striking Out in a Campaign
New Year's Resolution
Preparing for Campaigns
Past Donors
Strategies for Success: Job Descriptions
Strategies for Success: Leadership Recruitment
Strategies for Success: Successful Donor Evaluations
Strategies for Success: Solicitation Training
Strategies for Success: Communications
Strategies for Success: Efficient and Effective Databases
Strategies for Success: Thanking Your Volunteers and Donors
Tax Provision a Great Benefit for Donors
"Challenge" Your Campaign
Hosted Events in Capital Campaigns
Are You Ready for a Capital Campaign?
Strategies for Success: The Tortoise and the Hare
The Importance of Personally Visiting Foundations
Make Summer Special
Post Campaign Strategy
Continuous Cultivation
Staying in Front of "Seasonal" Donors
Differences Between Development Audit and Capital Campaign
Identifying the Right Leaders
Campaign Communications
Assessing Your Organization's Campaign Readiness
Recruiting and Training Volunteers
The Magic Words
Donor Evaluation - Setting the Request Amount
Consistency in your Development Efforts
Keeping Your Donors Involved
Keeping the Excitement Alive
The Ask
The Importance of Hosted Events
Back to the Future
The Internet: Taking Advantage of the New Normal
The Importance of Recognizing Your Donors
Getting Off to a Good Start: The Importance of the Feasibility Study
Volunteer Training

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