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Four tips for successful year-end fundraising

By September 24, 2019July 15th, 2021Steier Tips

The end of summer is a great time to review your year-end fundraising program. The fourth quarter is such an important time for nonprofits as donors decide where to send their final donations of the year.

Thinking ahead now will put your organization in a great spot for a successful end-of-year appeal.

Here are a few things to keep in mind as the end of 2019 approaches:

Look back at your yearly goals and evaluate your performance. Were expectations unfulfilled, met or exceeded? Remember to engage your staff, donors and volunteers in this process through a year-end survey or poll. The more information you can gather the better your analysis will be of what worked and what didn’t for the year. Use this to make any course corrections in the final quarter and for 2020 planning.

Crunch the numbers before you put together your year-end mailing. How many people did your organization assist this year? Were new programs launched? How many donors supported you? What special events need to be highlighted? In addition, gather and carefully use individual stories about those who received assistance from your organization and tell their stories through written narratives and short videos.

Find creative ways to engage donors. Many of your supporters will receive mailings from a lot of organizations. You must find ways to stand out from the crowd. That could include a fun video thanking donors for their support or sharing your story in a different manner than from years past.

Improve your online giving program. If you don’t already have an online giving platform, now is the perfect time to plan for one. Make sure your website and donation page are optimized for an easy donor experience. If a donor wants to give from the comfort of their couch, make it easy to do so!

These are just four simple ways you can gauge your fundraising strength heading into the final quarter. It is also important for you to remind donors of the tax benefits of giving to your nonprofit.

If you have any questions about year-end giving or the services of the Steier Group, please contact me.