Positive EOY staff morale + Strong organization leadership = New Year Success

Let’s face it, the last few months of 2022 are a vital time for organizations! You’re trying to reach new goals, set new initiatives, and plan for the incoming year. During this planning, your staff can feel burned out. Consider your staff’s workload, scrambling to make year-end goals, and let’s not forget: their personal lives going into the holiday season.

Don’t fret; we’ll be going through some initiatives to take to stay productive and refocus for a New Year.

How to Stay Productive

Throw a Holiday Party

It doesn’t have to be fancy. It doesn’t have to be expensive. It just needs to be fun. Throw a party that your staff will look forward to. Long work days are a little more bearable when a party is on the horizon. You can host a luncheon during office hours or have your party at a restaurant on a Friday night so your employees can bring their spouses. Either way, make it special. Decide on a couple of games or maybe even a white elephant gift exchange. Whatever you do, make it worth the hard work they put in all year.

Plan Out Holiday Social Media Campaigns

Social media can be fun for your target audience as well as your employees. Have them brainstorm a special giveaway or a fundraising campaign. Be sure to make it holiday-themed to keep your staff and audience interested. If you struggle to keep your social media channels active, scheduling out your posts in advance can help you stay on track.

Maybe you can partner up with a local coffee shop or restaurant and give away a coupon or gift card to anyone who comments on a photo or likes a post on Facebook. You could also have your donors match the number of likes a certain post gets by the time New Year’s Day comes. Have your employees run with the idea and let them have a good time with it. It’s something that’s a little different and special during the holiday season, but it still maintains productivity.

Show appreciation

Your staff works hard all year, so be sure to recognize them. Hand-write thank you notes with a gift card inside or offer a Christmas bonus. If you can’t afford to be financially generous, that’s okay. Just let them know they are appreciated. It will keep them motivated to do their best when they’re feeling burnt out. Expressing gratitude for your support network is a priority, bump it to the top of your list. If you know this is a priority but seems like a daunting task, get creative. Gratitude can be displayed in several ways and there are plenty of tools that can help including automations and integrations that build deeper, more personal relationships with your donors, staff, and support network.

Set goals

Set some end-of-the-year goals for yourself, your organization, and your staff. Having one common goal to work toward will keep you and your staff productive as the year draws to a close. Make the goal visible in your office so everyone can see it and be reminded of why they do what they do.

Give them a reason to be productive

Make sure your organization is having some small successes along the way. Try partnering up with a for-profit organization. Maybe for every $20 made, a for-profit company will donate a percentage to your organization, or something similar. Don’t worry about burdening the company. They have the resources to carry out orders and produce merchandise, even though this is their busy time of year, too. 20 percent of annual retail sales occur between November and December, so your organization might benefit from that.

When your staff sees that your organization is doing well and making a difference, they will be on board and ready to work until the holiday comes.

Work with them

It’s difficult to come to a balance between working your employees hard until the holidays come and letting the lack of motivation get the better of them. Stay somewhere in the middle, though. Be sure to allow the time off they need, but ensure you are staffed enough to continue their work. Understand their busy schedules and stressful lives, and they will appreciate you more.

Most of all, make sure you get the rest you need this holiday season, too, while preparing for the busy year to come.

Refocus for a New Year

Don’t Drop the Ball

Let’s fast forward, congratulations on your successful end-of-year fundraising campaign! After all the hard work put into the final fundraising push of the year, you deserve the extra plate at Christmas dinner and the extra drink (or drinks) on New Year’s Eve—cheers. But now that the year is over and the ball has dropped, it’s time to make sure you’re not dropping the ball. Here are a few things you can focus on in the first few months of the new year to ensure success for your nonprofit.

Follow up

Just because your holiday giving campaign ended doesn’t mean its success has to be stuck in the past too. Use the leftover momentum to start the year off on the right foot.

Start by following up with new donors who showed interest during your campaign. Obviously, thank-yous are a must—your donors will love ’em and your mom will be proud—but consider some other ways to follow up too. For example, you could send a short survey to donors. Ask them why they donated and what other causes they support, and don’t be afraid to ask a question to get some more specific information that will help you improve your future fundraising efforts. If you rely on volunteers, ask these new donors if they want to get a little more hands-on and take things to the next level by joining your team of volunteers.

Wrap it Up

Have some fun in documenting the memories, performance, and achievements from the previous year. An annual report is a common publication of nonprofit organizations, an annual report should be a distinct piece of your communications and marketing assets. Since annual reports are big projects, it’s okay to expect more of this signature piece. This signature piece should provide clarity and accountability, inspire conversation, honor supporters, give readers something easy to remember and hard to forget, and showcases your nonprofit in all it’s glory. So get out there and show off a bit. Wrap up your previous year in a beautiful annual report.

Don’t get overwhelmed. An annual report is a complex beast of a project…or is it? A lot of meetings, stress, and far too many words are often put into these temporary snapshots of a nonprofit’s work. This guide breaks down these reports into an easy-to-follow outline while using the “5 W’s”: Who, What, When, Where, and Why.

Plan for next year

I’m sure the last thing you want to do in January is a plan for November and December. But the sooner you get in the film room and review the game tape, so to speak, the fresher it will be in your mind once the game day arrives. Take some time to identify your nonprofit’s successes and shortcomings you noticed during the holiday giving season and put pen to paper.

Don’t overthink it. Start with some open-ended ideas on what went well and what can be improved and thank yourself later because these notes will be helpful when the time comes to start planning. Be sure to get the final donor numbers down in writing and compare them to your expectations and previous years’ efforts.

Fight the post-holiday slowdown

The way to combat this is to do a great job of telling your story and pushing your brand to its constituents. Use social media to tell people what you’re up to. Put together some numbers that illustrate your successes during the last calendar year and make them available to your stakeholders and the community – show people where their donations went and how they helped. Use any interview requests or press opportunities to further your organization’s narrative. If journalists aren’t knocking down your door, go to them by pitching your story ideas to the media and posting unique and relevant blog posts. As always, the more you’re in front of your constituents and your community, the better. Putting even more focus on fundraising now will go a long way in preventing a slowdown in contributions later.

When a sports team ends its season, they get an off-season; time to recover, and a chance to reflect on the past year before starting again. But do you think those athletes are propped up on a beach with a cold one in hand the entire time? They’re using that time to hone their craft and improve themselves, they’re in the gym and the film room, doing whatever it takes to be better than the competition. And don’t kid yourself, you have several worthy competitors of your own in your community for a donor or volunteer to consider working with. There’s no offseason for nonprofit professionals. We have to reflect on past efforts and plan for the future while continually putting our best foot forward each and every day. 

About the Authors: Kayla Matthews and Randy Hawthorne. As the former Executive Director and Editor for Nonprofit Hub and a Professional Certified Marketer, Randy shares his passions of marketing and education with nonprofits to help them implement marketing and organizational leadership principles so they can grow their organizations. Randy lends his marketing and organizational leadership expertise to a number of nonprofits in his community. Outside the office, Randy works with high school and college students and mentors young professionals to develop their leadership and entrepreneurial skills.

Originally published 12.28.15—Updated 11.17.22

Seasons Giving:  7 Simple Strategies to Create a Very Merry Year End!

“To everything, there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven. . . .” 

A time . . . . To go back-to-school. To watch Football.

A time . . . For warm Sweaters and crackling fires. For everything Pumpkin Spice.

A time . . . To put the finishing touches on your Christmas list. 

And a time . . . to plan for a Merry year-end.

Is there a time to plan? Many organizations will send a letter after Thanksgiving. They do ‘Giving Tuesday’. They meet our goal. That’s the way they do it every year.

What if you looked at Year End 2022 through a different lens?  What if rather than looking at Year End as that thing you do the same way every year, you shook things up a little?  What if you injected some season’s magic into your Year End? 

Magic to inspire donors and help you Raise More so you can Do More . . . . 

Ok, so roll up your sleeves, grab a cup of coffee (pumpkin spice optional), put on your elf ears, and let’s get planning.

 

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”  This quote shows us that goals are often just wishful thinking without a well-thought-out plan.  

 

We are not suggesting that you schedule long, laborious meetings that produce more stress than results. Instead, stop, take a deep breath and gather your team together. Let’s embrace the following . . . . 

 

7 Simple Strategies to Create a Very Merry Year End

 

1. Get your Elves (ducks) in a Row.  Start by answering some simple questions.  First, “why” are we doing this Year End appeal? You’re raising money, but why? And why now? Once you know the why, ask, what difference will it make? Will it create a difference for those you serve (not your organization)? And will it create a change for those who support your cause? And finally, ask how we can engage and inspire more supporters to help us make a difference.  Write down your answers and use these to guide your strategy.

2. Make sure donors and supporters know they are appreciated. Don’t assume your donors know that their generosity is appreciated. The average organization retains less than 50% of its donors each year.  So, 50% of donors stop giving each year.  The most common reasons are feelings of neglect by the organization.  But for those who remain, how many of those feel appreciated and connected to the organization? Donors who feel valued and know their gifts matter stay engaged longer and give more.  Before you even consider making an “ask”, connect with all donors and say, “we appreciate you”.  A postcard with the words “you are appreciated” and a simple yet sincere message is a wonderful way to show appreciation.  Consider a “Thanks for Giving” calling campaign before sending your appeal letter. Your board or leadership team can make a phone call with a message of appreciation and gratitude.

3. Theme and Messaging Matters.  Time to refer back to your “why”.  Why are you raising funds, and why now?  What is the problem you are trying to solve, and how can the donor or supporter help solve that problem?  What are the stories you can tell that engage donors and inspire giving? Is it supporting Suzie’s dream of becoming a ballet dancer or Jonah’s dream of conducting a symphony?  Is Gregory learning the skills to secure stable employment and safe housing for his family? Is it the medical research that helps find a cure for Daniella’s illness? Is it the animals rescued following the devastating hurricane? Is it the tuition assistance that allowed McDonald’s four children to attend Catholic school?  

The messaging must be about more than money. It must be compelling, speak to the reader and touch their heart. The messaging should focus on one or two individuals (characters) or families. We know from research that one person’s story more easily impacts readers than a whole group or community’s story.  Identify the main characters by name.  If you can’t use their real name, give them a name anyway.  Share the conflict, challenge, or dilemma they faced.  Talk about how they can resolve their conflict. Have a clear “call to action.” Close with a reminder of how helping Susie’s dream come true is possible with their support.

Use visuals like pictures, graphics, and videos to help bring the messaging to life. For those of us who are visual learners, pictures often speak louder than words. Using visuals assures that your message will resonate with more people. 

 4. Make your list and check it twice.  Sending one year-end letter to your whole database is a common strategy many organizations utilize.  While certainly time-saving and efficient, this strategy doesn’t always produce optimal results.  But we know that one size doesn’t fit all, and not all donors are inspired by the same messaging. Consider segmenting your lists and messaging.  This assures that you are speaking specifically to what inspires specific donors. Segmenting allows the grouping of individuals by shared attributes. You can segment by shared attributes like gift size, interest, frequency, and engagement levels.  Individuals are more likely to inspire giving when we segment and customize messaging.  

If the whole segmenting thing seems like too much, try creating one or two separate segments this year. You can create a new list of lapsed donors, grandparents of current students, donors who give more than 2x a year, or even gala attendees who aren’t yet annual fund donors. You may be surprised by the results you get from segmenting the list and customizing the messaging.  

5. Share your message across the channels.  Contrary to what you may have heard, Direct mail is not dead.  Even though direct mail may seem like an ancient way of communicating, it still gets MORE responses than any other, including online and email.  So, keep sending mail.  Make sure your mailing stands out amidst the slew of other year-end fundraising mail.  

But don’t stop there.  Studies have shown that people need to be touched by a message at least seven times before it sinks in.  So, make sure to utilize email, social media, texting, telephone, and your website throughout your year-end strategy to spread your messaging and need. But remember, not all touches are equal and meaningful messaging matters. Otherwise, it can come across as a spammy sales pitch.  

Using a blend of channels throughout your year-end efforts increases the likelihood of reaching more current and potential supporters.  

6. Give Thanks. 

GIVING THANKS is probably the most crucial strategy in your year-end plan. Give thanks not just to get the next gift. Do it because it’s the right thing to do.  You should thank ALL donors regardless of whether they give us $5 or $5 million.  Donors deserve to enjoy their giving. By showing gratitude, you help them feel good about their generosity.  And remember, donors who feel genuinely appreciated are more likely to remain a part of your organization’s family for years to come.

So, before you send your “appeal,” send a message of thanks.  (see strategy #2).  After the gift, send a personalized thank you note within 24 – 48 hours. Oh, and remember: a receipt is not a thank you. It’s an IRS requirement.  While you may feel free to include gratitude and appreciation in that receipt, make sure other more personal notes and telephone phone calls follow.  

7. CELEBRATE results.  This pretty much says it all. Regardless of the results, take the time to celebrate.  You’ve done your best, put in countless hours, and even lost some sleep, so pat yourself on the back.  Celebrate the successes and celebrate what you learned from the challenges and near misses.  

Questions?  We’d love to hear from you.  

To thank you for all you do (including reading this blog) and to help with your planning, we’ve created a “Year-End Fundraising Action Plan” just for you.  The Plan will help you have a Very Merry Year End and Raise More so your organization can Do More. 

A nonprofit’s end-of-year campaign is often its largest fundraiser of the year. The generosity of the season benefits many organizations, and they depend on these campaigns to help finish the year strong. Planning for a year-end fundraising campaign can start with your annual budget, but there are other methods and tips to put into practice. It’s also important to start planning early, so keep some ideas in mind this year to help you get ahead in 2022.

Need some input? Here are a few steps nonprofits can take to streamline their campaigns and effectively raise funds for the organization.

Build on past year-end fundraising campaigns

Creating a year-end campaign has many steps. But the goal of year-end is to build a fundraising campaign that’s designed to attract more donations and makes giving very easy for your supporters. Start with some research. How many donors have given in the past for this type of fundraiser? What benefits can your nonprofit gain? It’s best to start by examining past year-end campaigns to see how they performed and where you can improve.

You should also analyze past donation information to see the number of donations and the amounts. From here, you can decide on the programs that you should promote and the amounts you can include on your donation form. Once you get an idea of which programs gained the most attention in the past campaigns, you can convince donors to give more by adding the reason for giving along with each suggested amount.

For example, if your donors are interested in providing education to children, give them an opportunity to donate specific amounts to pay for educational materials or teachers’ salaries. By attaching an amount to a cause, donors can see where their gifts are going. This could make them feel more inclined to give.

Pro tip: It is best to start with the average amount and increase amounts from there by reasonable degrees. For instance, if most of your donors gave $100 last year, your options for donations could be $100, $150, $200, $250, $300, and $500. This grouping encourages donors to give more if possible. Always remember to give donors the option to add their own amounts.

Clean your database and prepare your mailing list

Now is the time to clean up your database system and track and segment donors. Before sending out any campaign material, you need to better understand which donors are more likely to give and at what amount. Use your donor management tool to analyze the donation data. For instance, by segmenting donors by donation amount or programs they find interesting, your year-end communication to them should be personalized to have a greater effect. 

To help clean up your database, you can ask several questions:

• How often does the donor give?
• What is the general amount they give at one time and throughout the year?
• Do they give to a specific program?
• Have they volunteered or shown interest in volunteering in the past?
• Do they follow the nonprofit on social media?

The answers to these questions can help you segment the donors into groups and send out customized marketing campaigns to gain their attention. 

Pro tip: Automate your year-end receipts ahead of time since your donors will be looking for year-end receipts for tax purposes. Donorbox helps you automate this process so you can focus entirely on your fundraising efforts.

Write year-end fundraising appeal and message

Now that your donors are segmented into groups, it’s time to create targeted appeal letters toward each group. Be specific when creating these pieces and look for different ways to encourage giving. Some of your donors would rather give offline, so make sure you include the information like your address. Others will feel better donating online, so when creating your appeal letters and emails, include a link or description of how donors can give on your website.

When writing your appeal letters or creating marketing material, you may also want to include other ways donors can get involved with your organization. Do you have any upcoming events? Do you need volunteers for a program or activity? By including these in your end-of-year campaign, you are letting people know there are several ways they can support your organization. During the planning stage, you also may have a better idea of what you hope to gain from each group of donors in the future and can include a hint or request in your acknowledgment letter.

Take the time to write an acknowledgment letter for each donor segment. In addition, consider adding a donor wall to your online fundraising page. This will show recognition for your donors and show remembrance for their gift.

Connect with donors looking to play a larger role in your work

Year-end is the ideal time to mobilize your supporters. With the giving season at its peak, donors are as likely to give as they are to raise funds for your organization. This might be especially true for donors who are looking to play a larger role in your nonprofit’s mission.

Instead of simply asking for a donation, ask your donors and supporters to join your peer-to-peer fundraising campaign. Your appeal letter can give them information on how they can join your fundraising campaign.

Peer-to-peer campaigns are easy to start. Choose what program you want to raise funds for through peer-to-peer. From there, you can create your main peer-to-peer campaign page. Start inviting your donors and supporters to become fundraisers for your cause. If you have specific donors with a large social media following and have shown interest in doing this, now is the time to connect with them. 

In addition to sending them an appeal letter, give them a call and walk them through how easy it is to raise funds for your nonprofit. To encourage their involvement, send them all the details about your cause and the campaign. Make sure you become easily reachable as they will need you to provide them with any new information that can help them run a highly successful fundraiser.

Share your progress

Keep donors aware of your fundraising efforts and successes during your year-end campaign. Donors want to know how the organization is doing and are willing to help nonprofits reach their goals. Remember to let donors know how close you are to meeting your annual goal. Let them know the amount needed to meet that goal by the end of the year. To encourage even more action, it’s helpful to include your plans on how you will meet your goal and how they can help.

Did you mention your fundraising goal in the appeal letter and marketing material you sent out? It’s a great idea to keep donors updated on how well it’s going. One way to do this is with a donation thermometer. 

Final thoughts

Year-end campaigns can be highly successful if well-planned. Nonprofits that take the time to research their donor base and find the ideal way to reach each group will have better success than others. By analyzing your past fundraising trends and understanding your donor base, you can create a truly effective year-end campaign in 2021. This year is all about mobilizing your existing supporters to spread the word and acquire more support.

 

*This spotlighted blog post is courtesy of Donorbox

 

About the Author

Raviraj heads the sales and marketing team at Donorbox. His growth-hacking abilities have helped Donorbox boost fundraising efforts for thousands of nonprofit organizations.

Shout out to Kessel Strategies for making this podcast possible!

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DipJar is changing the game of fundraising with a cashless donation jar and an integrated payments platform that enable joyful, engaging, and frictionless giving. With DipJar, organizations of any size can collect donations anywhere and Create More Giving Moments.

We’re approaching the most critical fundraising season for nonprofits. A lump sum cash donation with no designation would probably make your year-end giving dreams come true. But the reality is that the last year and a half has left many individuals and donors facing financial challenges and uncertainties. It’s important to not lose connection with those who have a desire to support your mission but not the cash to do so anymore. Plus, those who do have the funds might want to do something different yet still meaningful. Here are ten creative giving ideas to help your organization raise support heading into 2022.

1. Send a Newsletter with a Christmas Card

Offer to provide your supporters with extra copies of your year-end newsletter to include with their own Christmas greetings. For those who have gone digital, include a button graphic and link. To make this even more effective, be sure to include plenty of mentions and photos of your volunteers and supporters in your year-end synopsis. It’s a great way to honor those who currently support you while growing your audience through their connections.

2. Share a Facebook Fundraiser 

Social media exposure can be especially important during year-end season. Encourage your supporters to participate in a small Facebook fundraiser for your organization—perhaps even focusing on #GivingTuesday. It’s a good idea to keep goals small and reasonable so all donors feel like they’re making an impact. Also, encouraging your audience to share the fundraiser will help them feel involved if they’re not able to contribute any funds.

3. Branded Goods as Gifts

No matter the budget constraints, people will still give gifts around the holidays. Why not give them the option to purchase a shirt or hat with your nonprofit’s logo or message front and center? Just make sure your organization’s swag is desirable, affordable, and (of course) for sale. 

4. Recommendations for Corporate Match Programs

There are businesses out there with programs that match employee donations to eligible nonprofits. Putting out a mass call for volunteers and supporters to check into these programs can yield major results. Here’s a tip: be prepared to offer guidance and setup tips for corporations interested in launching a new program. 

5. Recommendations to Service Organizations for Grants

People who volunteer are often involved in service organizations such as Rotary, Kiwanis, or Lions Club. All of these organizations give support (volunteer and/or cash grants) to nonprofits in their community. Ask your supporters for a recommendation to club leaders or even a meeting.

6. Monthly Giving Program

Consider implementing a monthly giving program. Donors who have an altered financial position may be interested in converting their support to a lower increment monthly gift. While this will lower the year-end intake, it will maintain and possibly strengthen your annual support.

7. Encourage the Whole Family to Get Involved

In many households, gift giving is simply an exchange of funds or gift cards. Many are looking for new giving ideas and ways to make their gifts more meaningful. An organization I previously worked with received funding for a food truck from a family that decided to invest their gift budget for each other into funding 10,000 pounds of food for those in need. They then came together to help distribute the food. Provide meaningful ways that families can connect and support your mission this season. When they do, be sure to share the story to inspire others.

8. Amazon Wish List

Create and share an Amazon wish list for your organization. Include affordable necessities that are often overlooked but really make a difference such as paper products, cleaning products, office supplies, etc. Bonus: when your supporters use an Amazon Smile account, they can designate Amazon’s charitable support to your organization as well.

9. Essentials Bingo Card

Try to think of giving ideas that are fun and interactive, like an “Essentials Bingo Card.” By publishing the Bingo game through your newsletter and social media and putting out your in-kind needs, new donations can accrue. Plus, the “gaming” aspect may get dormant donors excited. Source creative prizes for winners and have some fun!

10. Save the Date

Your gala or golf outing may have been cancelled in the past year, but chances are you will now host some sort of fundraising event (whether hybrid or virtual) in the coming year. Sell tickets early as a way to bring in support for year-end. When the event rolls around next year, those who already purchased their ticket several months ago will be more open to a donation or sponsorship. Plus, there is something very encouraging about receiving a spring gala invitation in the midst of a pandemic and the middle of winter.

Most of all, don’t be afraid to test new giving ideas. Your supporters may not have the money right now, but they can still show support in other ways. If there were ever a time to demonstrate a little courage and creativity, it’s now.