Don’t Get Behind with Your Year-End Fundraising
Nonprofits, your year-end fundraising should really start…now. If you wait until November or December to think about your campaign, you are already making the job harder. You do not need to have every email written or every social media post planned today. You just need to start putting the pieces in place.
Here are five things you can do now – three of them immediately – to position yourself well for that year-end fundraising ask.
1. Use Giving Tuesday as Your Starting Point
Giving Tuesday is December 1, 2026.
Instead of thinking about Giving Tuesday as one random day to ask for money, use it to kick off your year-end campaign.
Research from Neon One and the Blackbaud Institute has shown that Giving Tuesday donors can become repeat donors. That means the goal should not just be getting one gift. Think about how you will stay connected with those donors after they give.
2. Start Gathering Stories Now
Who has your nonprofit helped this year? Think about the people, families, animals, or communities behind your work. Maybe it is a working mom who was able to put food on the table, a family that now has a safe place to live, or a dog that finally found a loving family.
Do not wait until December to find your stories. Start making a list now. Ask staff and board members which stories stand out from the past year. Then get permission to share them.
Good year-end fundraising for nonprofits is not just about asking for money. It is about helping people see why their gift matters.
(Related, here’s an article I wrote about how American Girl has done an exceptional job of marketing lately. Steal these ideas.)
3. Start Talking to Your Audience Again
When was the last time you sent an email to your newsletter list, and when was the last time you posted on your social media accounts? If it’s not been consistently, now’s the time to re-engage. You do not want your first email in three months to say, “Will you give us money?”
Share a story. Give an update. Introduce a staff member. Celebrate a win. Show people what is happening inside your organization. And do it consistently.
Then, when it is time to make your year-end ask, your audience already knows what you have been doing.
4. Figure Out What You Are Asking For
Keep this simple: What do you need?
Instead of saying, “Please support our mission,” tell donors what their gift can help you do. Can $25 provide something specific? What about $50? What could $100 help make possible?
You do not have to create a complicated campaign with ten giving levels and a catchy name. When you keep it simple, your donors need to know what you need, why you need it, and how their gift will help.
5. Plan the Thank You Before You Ask
Your year-end fundraising plan should not end when someone clicks the donate button. So plan now how you’re going to thank them. Maybe it is an email right away, followed by a handwritten note. Perhaps your board members can make thank you calls. Something.
And PS – and if you want them to give again next year, the relationship you build after the donation matters just as much as the ask.
You Don’t Have to Make Year-End Fundraising Complicated
Start now. Gather your stories. Talk to your audience. Decide what you need. Make the ask. Then say thank you.
There are still a few more months left in the year, but September is a much better time to start than December 15.
About mkw+co
mkw+co helps nonprofits with strategy, education, marketing, and coaching. If your nonprofit needs help planning or creating its year-end campaign, let’s talk. Schedule a complimentary 15-minute call today to learn how we can partner together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is year-end fundraising only for large nonprofits?
No. Small nonprofits can have successful year-end fundraising campaigns without a large budget or development staff. A simple campaign with a clear ask, a few good stories, and consistent communication can go a long way.
What are some year-end fundraising ideas for small nonprofits?
Year-end fundraising does not have to mean a big campaign. Consider a Giving Tuesday ask, a short email series, donor stories on social media, a specific fundraising goal, or asking board members to share your campaign with their own networks. Pick a few things you can do well instead of trying to do everything.
Can mkw+co help with nonprofit fundraising and year-end campaigns?
Yes. mkw+co works with nonprofits on strategy, education, marketing, and coaching. While mkw+co is not a fundraising firm, I can help you think through your year-end campaign, develop your message, create marketing materials, and build a plan for reaching your donors. Schedule a call to discuss.