Your year-end campaign is live. You've checked off all the basics: set goals, defined your case for support, segmented donors, and sent your appeals.
But the donations aren't flowing like you hoped. Does this sound familiar to you?
You're not alone. Even organizations with solid campaigns often fall short because a strong appeal isn't enough during the year's most competitive fundraising period. Your donors receive dozens of year-end requests from organizations they care about.
While they're ready to give, they just need a compelling reason and the right push to choose your mission over the others filling their inbox.
These seven strategies will help you strengthen your current campaign and raise donations before the end of the year.
Year-end fundraising success isn't about doing more. It's about doing the right things at the right time. Your focus should be on how to present your mission in a compelling light, build trust with donors, and help them understand why their support is essential now.
Let’s take a look at the strategies that can help you out:
Research shows that social influence significantly impacts donation decisions, as people are more motivated to give when they see others doing the same.
Social media provides the perfect platform to showcase this momentum in real-time. It's where your supporters already spend their time, and it allows you to create visible proof that your campaign matters to other people.
Share live updates on how many people have donated and how much you've raised. Set up Instagram Stories to go live daily with your progress until the campaign ends.
You can use reels or short videos to give a shoutout to donors, such as “Meet Maria, who just gave $100 to provide school supplies for 20 kids.” This puts a face to the numbers, plus shows exactly what each contribution accomplishes.
In addition, create a Facebook or LinkedIn post thanking donors by name (with permission). When people see their friends and colleagues supporting your cause, it builds trust and inspires them to contribute too.
Oftentimes, when people see a deadline approaching, their brains shift into action mode. With countdown timers, you can create this sense of urgency, prompting them to act now rather than at a later time. Here’s how you can make use of it:
According to Double the Donation, 84% of donors give when they know their employer will match their contribution. Yet $4-7 billion in matching funds go unclaimed annually because nonprofits don't promote these programs and donors don't realize they're eligible.
Make matching gift information clearly visible on your donation page with a search tool that allows donors to check their employer eligibility instantly. You can also include matching reminders in thank-you emails with simple submission instructions.
Also, send targeted emails to supporters at companies with known matching programs, emphasizing how their employer will double their impact at no cost to them.
Peer-to-peer campaigns expand your reach by tapping into the personal connections of people who already believe in your mission.
Year-end giving is already a busy time, so keep the setup simple. Use a peer-to-peer platform that makes it easy for supporters to create personalized fundraising pages without technical hassle.
Plus, share pre-written social media posts, email templates, and shareable graphics. Make sure your fundraisers don't have to create content from scratch.
Set clear, achievable goals for each fundraiser, like “Raise $500 from 10 people,” that provide a specific target for your supporters to work toward.
Major donors invest significantly in your mission and expect special recognition and appeal that reflects their level of commitment.
So, send a 30-second personalized video from your executive director or program staff. If that’s not possible, you can schedule phone calls with your top donors to share year-end goals and ask about their giving plans.
Moreover, consider hosting a small appreciation lunch or coffee meeting for your highest contributors.
Through these personal outreach approaches, you can speak directly with your major donors, discuss your goals, and secure gifts that mass appeals might not be able to ensure.
Most nonprofits create annual impact reports, but often overlook their use during year-end campaigns.
Instead of sharing isolated success stories, a year-end report highlights your cumulative impact over the past year. It reflects consistent achievement and builds stronger donor confidence than one example can.
Design a simple one-page visual report with your biggest wins from the year, including key metrics, photos, and testimonials from beneficiaries.
Share this report across all channels. Post it on social media, email it to your list, and feature it prominently on your website before you launch your main appeals.
Local businesses often seek opportunities to support community causes during the holiday season. They just need an easy way to participate that benefits both your mission and their customers.
You can ask these business owners to place donation boxes at their checkout counters. Customers making purchases are already in a giving mindset and often contribute spare change or bills.
You can also propose a percentage-of-sales partnership where they donate a portion of December revenue to your cause. When businesses display this message in their store, it encourages shoppers to spend more, knowing their purchase supports a good cause.
In exchange, promote these partner businesses in your newsletters and social media. Ask your supporters to shop there during the holidays. This gives businesses exposure while raising funds for your mission.
Summing Up: Close the Year with Confidence
Year-end giving represents your biggest fundraising opportunity of the year. Use these strategies to connect with donors when they're most ready to give and make the most of this critical window.
Remember, your work doesn't end on December 31st. Every donor who gives during your campaign, whether returning or new, deserves genuine acknowledgment. Send personalized thank-you messages within 48 hours to show appreciation and build the foundation for lasting relationships.
Consider also tracking which strategies deliver the best results for your organization. You can double down on what works when planning your fundraising campaigns for the next.
These final weeks determine whether you start the new year on a high note or playing catch-up. So, show up with purpose, act with impact, and the results will carry your mission forward for months to come.
FAQs
Start your year-end campaign right after Thanksgiving or in early December. This gives donors enough time to respond without getting lost in the holiday rush.
Tuesdays and Thursdays typically see the highest open rates. Avoid Mondays when inboxes are full and Fridays when people focus on weekend plans.
Nonprofits typically receive 24% to 47% of their annual donations between October and December, with the highest concentration in the last week of the year.
Giving Tuesday, December 30th, and December 31st, see the highest donation volumes. Nearly 10% of all annual giving happens in the final three days of the year.
Steve Bernat, Founder | Chief Executive Officer, RallyUp