Five End-of-Year Fundraising Tips for Startup Nonprofits

If you're a new nonprofit, you may view the approaching end-of-year (EOY) with hope, excitement, and even a little bit of trepidation. Many organizations rely on November and December to carry them through the first months of the new year, and if your organization is just getting its toes wet, the pressure is on.

But we at Spark & Thrive have seen nonprofits through several end-of-year campaigns, and I feel comfortable saying we've learned a thing or two. Now, we'd like to pass on that knowledge. These are a few fundraising tips for startup nonprofits or anyone a little curious and looking to learn more.

Here we go.

1. Set Up Your Database/CRM for Success Ideally, your database should go through routine checkups, so the data is always current and accurate. If you're behind on your database maintenance, here's how you can set your database up for a smooth end-of-year campaign: •Remove Duplicates-All donors should have an individual or household contact entry in your CRM. Essentially, there should only be one Sharon J. Lewis who lives at 111. Donate Lane. •Create a Separate EOY Campaign-All EOY donations should be marked under the EOY campaign, so you can track fundraising progress at a glance. •Connect EOY Landing Pages to Campaign- All donations given through these landing pages will automatically be marked under the EOY campaign. This step takes some work off your hand. •Determine How Recurring Donations Will Be Categorized- This choice differs by organization. Some will place all recurring gifts during November and December under the EOY campaign. Others will only categorize one-time individual gifts under EOY believing this creates a more accurate representation of their fundraising efforts.
   

2. Don't Rely Solely on #GivingTuesday Giving Tuesday should be a part of your year-end fundraising plan. There's no debate there. However, Giving Tuesday is one day out of two months, specifically two of the highest fundraising months of the year. While incorporating this philanthropic holiday into fundraising is important, relying on this single day to carry your entire year-end campaign is a mistake for a few reasons. To start, you're missing out on donors who aren't familiar with the holiday and therefore donate outside of the Giving Tuesday scope. Also, by focusing on a single day, you're putting all of your eggs in one basket as the saying goes. Diversification in funding is key to long-term sustainability and EOY is a great time to put this into practice.
   

3. Tailor Donor Communication Consistent touchpoints with donors along with great storytelling are two reasons donors give. Part of these touchpoints is tailoring communication to specific donors and their giving levels. Of course, all organizations do not have giving levels, so use this information as you wish. During the end of the year, major donors can play a significant role in your organization reaching its fundraising goals. Therefore, you may want to give these donors special attention based on their giving level. This attention can come in various forms. Some organizations provide discounted tickets to an EOY event, donors may get to attend a special site visit or have a one-on-one with the Executive Director. The choice is yours.
   

4. Make Donors Feel Like Active Participants Donors should not be passive members of your philanthropy. Personal investments of money, time, and energy are what build long-term, sustainable relationships. By that logic, you need to do more than only collect money from your donor base. Specifically for the end-of-year fundraiser, we'd recommend having your donors engage in the following ways: •Encourage Peer-to-Peer Fundraising •Update Donors Frequently on Progress •Plan Volunteer Opportunities Around Your EOY Campaign
   

5. Breathe Your first end-of-year campaign can be scary. Trust me, I know. What matters most is that you and your team take moments to breathe and reassess where you are. If you get caught up in the end-of-year dash and panic, that's when the real trouble starts. So, remember to breathe.

If you'd like support in getting the most from your end-of-year fundraising, let's schedule a free consultation to see how we can help!

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