Early in the fourth quarter of the calendar year, many organizations begin thinking about their end of year giving campaigns. And, if your organization does not do an end of year giving campaign, you are missing out.
According to most philanthropic reports, more than 50% of all dollars raised by organizations are received in the last quarter of the year. For many organizations, the money that comes in during the next few months will make a difference in whether or not the organization starts 2023 strong!
An effective giving campaign will have several components:
- An Ask – In other words, your letter must actually ask for money. You need to tell the donors what you want them to do.
- A Story – Humans are hardwired for stories; we love them and we remember them. Begin to collect stories that reflect the work you do.
- Create Urgency – Give donors a reason to donate NOW rather than next year. What will their donation help the organization to do now?
- A Clear Need – Be clear about what the funds the organization receives will do. How many people can you feed, serve, etc.? (Donors like to know that their donation, whether big or small, is making a difference.)
Start planning now!
If the end of year giving campaign raises such a large portion of the organization’s funds, why would you want to wait until the last minute to begin planning the campaign. While I am not in favor of wordsmithing a letter to the point where everyone is so tired of looking at it they just want to get it off their desk, it is important to take time to develop a letter that is meaningful and gets the message across to donors. Answer the questions,
How are we (the organization) making a difference in the lives of those we serve?
What would happen to those we serve if we did not exist?
Does all of this overwhelm you? We are here to help!
Next week, Thursday, September 22, we will be holding an online training, Maximizing Fall Fundraising.
Register to attend. In this fast-paced training, you will learn:
- Optimal letter formatting (yes, it really matters)
- The importance of leveraging current donor reports
- How to create a timeline for your end of year fundraising activities
- To plan NOW for 2023 fundraising success.
At just $39, your investment will be multiplied with your end of year giving. Don’t wait, register now.
