Are You Ready for the Year-End Giving Season?

For many nonprofit organizations, a successful year-end giving campaign can make or break their annual fundraising goals. According to Nonprofits Source, “30 percent of all annual giving occurs in the month of December, and 10 percent of that occurs in the last three days of the year.” With two months to go before #GivingTuesday, it’s not too late to develop a plan for your organization to capitalize on this opportunity to share your impactful stories and inspire donors to give at year-end.

Here are Match Nonprofit Consulting’s  top ten tips to help you create an effective and fruitful year-end giving campaign:

1. Set Clear Goals: Define specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for your campaign. Whether it's a monetary target, number of donors, or a specific project to fund, clear goals provide direction and motivation.

2. Segment Your Audience: Tailor your messaging to different segments of your audience based on their past giving behavior, interests, demographics, or engagement level. Personalized communication increases engagement and donor retention.

3. Share Compelling Stories: Craft a powerful narrative that connects emotionally with your audiences. Share stories of impact, showcasing how donations have made a difference (make your donors the heroes!). Use visuals, videos, and testimonials to enhance your storytelling.

4. Consider Multiple Giving Channels and a Mobile-Friendly Campaign: According to Blackbaud Institute, nearly 30 percent of all online gifts are made using a mobile device, and this trend continues to grow. Ensure that your campaign materials, donation pages, and emails are optimized for mobile devices. 

5. Create a Sense of Urgency: Emphasize the importance of giving before the year-end deadline, and connect it to a specific cause (number of meals served, number of kids who will be able to attend summer camp, number of animals rescued, etc.). Use urgency-driven language in your communications to encourage immediate action.

6. Diversify Communication Channels: Reach your donors through multiple channels such as email, social media, and direct mail. Consistent messaging across platforms helps to reinforce and amplify your campaign's message.

7. Consider a Matching Gift Opportunity: Partner with a donor or a company willing to match donations up to a certain amount. Matching gift incentives can increase the sense of urgency, as well as your donors’ motivation to give.

8. Lead with Gratitude: National Philanthropy Day, which occurs on November 15, can serve as a kickoff to your year-end giving season. By leading with gratitude, you make your donors and volunteers the heroes, and inspire others to support your cause.  

9. Prompt Acknowledgement and Recognition: Research from Penelope Burk, the author of Donor-Centered Fundraising, found that 70 percent of donors reported that they would increase their giving if they received what they need from the organization, starting with a prompt and personalized thank you note.Throughout the year-end giving season (and every day of the year!), be sure to send personalized thank-you notes, acknowledge donor support on social media, and consider creating a formal donor recognition program. Also consider doing something special (like personal phone calls from board members) to recognize and engage your first-time donors, as retention of this donor segment continues to hover at around 20 percent.

10. Provide Regular Updates: Keep your donors informed about the campaign's progress. Share milestones, success stories, and impact updates to maintain engagement and excitement throughout the campaign.

Bonus Tip: Plan Follow-Up Strategies: After the campaign concludes, have a plan in place to engage with new and returning donors. Share how their contributions were used and update them on your organization's ongoing initiatives.

Remember that every organization is unique, so customize these tips to fit your organization’s goals, mission, and audience preferences. Regularly analyze the campaign's performance and gather feedback to refine your strategies for future year-end giving campaigns. If you need more guidance, Match Nonprofit Consulting can help you customize a plan for your community.

Mary Kay Polston, Senior Consultant, Match Nonprofit Consulting

Life Beyond the Election

As I write this post, citizens are casting the final votes in the US election. Reaching this milestone somehow frees me to think ahead. To really consider what is next.

For donor communications that is. Right now, you will be activating plans to send Thanksgiving messages; to solicit year-end giving: from #GivingTuesday to high-end LYBUNTS. Timing is tricky given the uncertain schedule for election returns, on top of the seasonal holidays.

But, my mind jumps ahead to 2021. Might we be able to hold in-person events again this time next year? When will it feel right to invite a donor to lunch? The real question is, how are you nurturing relationships with donors and prospects until you “meet again”?

My answer: go into the new year thinking about donor communications holistically. Newsletters, posts, appeals. January to December. Everything your constituents receive is based on the same deliberate messaging. This is a known strategy to increase both efficiency and effectiveness. It is known as Integrated Marketing Communications.

Everything you put out there during the year builds on one another, reinforcing your message. The focus is on relationship-building rather than a transaction. Instead of re-creating the wheel with each project, you add a customized spoke that is targeted to key audiences (which translates to less staff time for developing your creative).

This requires taking the time to develop a plan for the year, accounting for every touchpoint your constituents get from the organization (not just your office). As you sketch out the plan, keep these guidelines in mind:

• Who do you want to reach? (Hint: “Everybody” is not an acceptable answer)

• What is their connection to your mission? Are they aware of your impact in their area of

interest?

• How do you want them to think about your mission and impact?

• Connect your goals and needs to the mission through story-telling.

• Consider every communication channel, outbound and inbound.

Need help getting started? Check out Donor Communications: A New Roadmap for Covid-19 (and Other Crises), our newest product for those needing hands-on assistance.

Barbara Perkins

Consultant/Advancement Communications Specialist

bperkins@matchnpc.com

How do you keep donors engaged when there is so much on their minds right now?

• How do you ask for donations in the middle of a pandemic, protest movement and presidential election?

• How can you produce effective communications while working with reduced resources?

We are living through a time of historic upheaval. Its impact on the nonprofit sector is profound and, likely, enduring.

As we take steps to prevent the spread of Covid-19, we have become even more reliant on technology to keep us connected with our donors. We’ve discovered just how much of this work can be done remotely. What works (major gift Zoom calls!) and doesn’t (events, less so…).

A recent Chronicle of Philanthropy study projects that 7% of nonprofits in the US will not outlast the effects of the pandemic. But the study also showed that, 58% of donors plan to give at the same level they did last year. 23% anticipated decreasing their giving while 13% said they planned to increase. Let’s take that as good news, all things considered.

MORE GIVING TRENDS

• Total giving has grown at an average annual rate of 3.3%, adjusted for inflation, for the last 64 years (Giving USA)

• The Great Recession was an extreme example of how giving is correlated to economic downturns. Total giving dropped by 7.2% in 2008, and then decreased by another 8% in 2009. (The Conversation)

• Since 2017, some national environmental, human rights and healthcare nonprofits have reported a surge in donations as Americans respond to their political concerns by supporting causes they believe will make a difference. (The Conversation)

Show them how your cause makes a difference.

Effective communications with your donors and prospects are absolutely critical right now to ensure continued philanthropic support for your mission.

I recommend you begin by taking stock of your messaging.

It is a time-tested truth (for a reason) that every good piece of copy is clear, concise, compelling and credible. For fundraisers, this means cases for support should:

• Articulate your mission, vision, and plan and connect these to present and anticipated realities.

• Identify 3-4 top level messages (with 3-4 supporting points) that encapsulate your mission, vision, plan. Then sustain the use of these in all communications.

• Illustrate your institution’s impact through its people, programs and outcomes.

• Cite facts, including industry recognition and data, that demonstrate your impact.

Put these principles to work, stick to it, and you will see an incremental increase in donor engagement. Don’t expect it to happen overnight. But make it your priority and measure what you do!

Next time, I will write about how to leverage integrated communications for the most efficient and effective outreach to your donors.

In the meantime, check out Donor Communications: A New Roadmap for Covid-19 (and Other Crises), our newest product for those needing hands-on assistance.

Barbara Perkins

Consultant/Advancement Communications Specialist

bperkins@matchnpc.com

Keeping Your Donors Close, at a Distance

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown into sharp relief both the imperative and the fragility of nonprofit organizations.

It has affirmed the mission of many organizations. Those in the healthcare sector. Those that provide essential services for the homeless, people with disabilities and a world of other vulnerable populations. They are experiencing an increased demand for their services. They need even more resources to respond in kind.

Yet, the private donations which sustain such organizations are in jeopardy as so many Americans are feeling the financial impact of the pandemic.

And for those nonprofits whose missions are not directly related to the current crisis, the challenge is even greater. How do you advance your mission when the country is occupied with thoughts about hand washing, stocking the pantry, covering bills?

Connected and engaged

It is vital to stay connected with your constituents through this time and keep them engaged with your mission. That’s not as easy when we’ve had to postpone galas, receptions and lunches.

Thankfully, we have other channels of communication. In the first days of the pandemic many organizations sent email and video messages with expressions of concern and constituent service information. Most halted direct response fundraising, concerned that it felt insensitive to the circumstances.

Then what?

Now, two months into this crisis, nonprofits are re-assessing fundraising plans. They are confronted with the same reality: they must raise funds if they are to survive.

Now communications need to offer more than the proverbial “thoughts and prayers”. They must be value-added for your constituents. They must bring your mission to life. They must require a response from the reader.

In Worth More Than a Cup of Coffee and WIIFM we will explore how to move forward with advancement communications.

Barbara Perkins, Consultant/Advancement Communications

bperkins@matchnpc.com

Worth More Than a Cup of Coffee

Unrestricted support for current operations has always been challenging to secure. It’s not tangible like capital giving, or enduring like endowment. Annual funds help keep the lights on and the phones answered. But these gifts are also immediately available for operating support.

Just what is needed right now.

Nonprofits have languished for decades because of the “overhead” mindset that equated operating expenses with wastefulness. We learned to talk about the Annual Fund in ways that were sometimes apologetic or convoluted: “please give up a latte so we can buy lightbulbs.”

Even before the pandemic, the philanthropic community was beginning to recognize that nonprofits, like any other organization, cannot be effective without solid infrastructure.

The pandemic has put a spotlight on this reality. Nonprofits have been given an opportunity to speak about basic needs because it’s not business-as-usual. Now, donations to the Annual Fund may be about the very future of your organization. Your constituents will not be surprised. Everyone is in the same boat.

Your job is to remind them that you are there.

One of the golden rules in fundraising is not to sound desperate when asking for contributions. That is wise, but you may to need to be more direct about financial and operational circumstances than usual. Constituents appreciate honesty when it is presented strategically.

It is always advisable to tell stories about the impact your nonprofit has in the world. And to emphasize the fact that charitable donations made this work possible. Then lay out plainly the need for operating support so the organization can continue to live out its mission.

Your goal is to engender specific cognitive and emotional responses in your constituents. Present a clear, concise and compelling message so that readers:

1) understand the impact of the pandemic on your programs, services and operations;

2) feel connected to your mission;

3) want to ensure that your nonprofit is there in the months and years ahead.

Barbara Perkins, Consultant/Advancement Communications

bperkins@matchnpc.com

WIIFM?

We like to think that our constituents are fundamentally altruistic. The reality is that everyone approaches new requests with the unconscious question, “what’s in it for me?” (Madison Avenue has long-known that the answer to this question drives most buying decisions.)

The thing of value to constituents can be useful information, participation in a live-streamed program, or the emotional satisfaction of supporting a personally-important cause.

In an effort to keep constituents connected, you may be tempted to send multiple messages about the impact of the pandemic. Your organization certainly needs to keep them abreast of changes in your services. But the last thing you want is for donors and advocates to opt-out of your email marketing program because they are getting too many messages they don’t perceive as worth their time.

That’s why every communication you send—especially email—must be value-added for the recipient. You want your constituents to look forward to getting messages from you.

“Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.”

To paraphrase Anton Chekhov: rather than simply a generic description of what your organization does, offer an eye-catching message that reflects present circumstances.   What does your organization do that could be shared in a way that adds something to the reader’s day?

Health-related and human service organizations have powerful stories about the impact of their work today and the need for additional resources. But other sectors have something to offer an anxious world. Environmental organizations can provide video streaming of natural sites as an antidote for anxiety. Cultural organizations can offer readings or performances.

RSVP

As with any direct response marketing, such as email or letters, your message should compel a response from recipients. The most important response is an emotional one—you want them to feel invested in your organization’s mission and its ability to live that out.

Another level of response may be for constituents to engage with the content you sent: view a brief video showing what your organization is doing right now, enjoy a live feed of a babbling brook or nest cam, access a recorded performance.

You can also ask for responses that strengthen your community of supporters. Encourage constituents to post stories (related to your mission) on your social media channels. Ask constituents to share your content with their networks.

Before you draft your next email, ask yourself:

• What is unique about your organization’s mission that might be perceived as worthwhile to constituents during in this time of shattered norms?

• How can you communicate this in a compelling way?

• Can you use these communications to build the sense of community among your supporters?

Barbara Perkins, Consultant/Advancement Communications

bperkins@matchnpc.com

Fundraising during an emergency

New York declares state of emergency over coronavirus outbreak

Stocks slide on Wall Street over coronavirus and oil crash

Coronavirus Precautions Hit Presidential Campaign Plans

Your donors and prospects have a lot on their minds.

And yet, your nonprofit still needs unrestricted gifts for current operations, gifts that are the life-blood for your work.

Here are some things I learned during my time in advancement communications in the aftermath of September 11, Hurricane Katrina, the Great Recession and Superstorm Sandy. While each organization needs to assess its unique position and be sensitive to the concerns of constituents, the bottom line (literally) is that you need to continue fundraising.

Start by re-examining your goals (even Apple, Inc. says they won’t meet quarterly revenue projections due to impact from the coronavirus). Is your Annual Fund goal realistic given the uncertainty your donors are likely feeling about their financial security? Analyze your LYBUNTs and recently lapsed donors to better understand what to expect. This is probably not a good time for donor acquisition, unless your organization has a direct impact on the matters at hand.

Next, re-prioritize the purposes for which you are fundraising. Emphasize unrestricted gifts that keep your organization strong and able to live out its mission. While asks for restricted gifts can continue, include an Annual Fund component to the ask whenever appropriate. Also, offer donors a longer timeframe to make pledge payments and underscore the option for corporate matching gifts.

Every organization needs to shift messaging:

• First, acknowledge the situation, especially as it pertains to your constituents. For instance, constituents of healthcare and human services are likely to have immediate concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. Offer words of understanding if you are reaching out to constituents in communities that are particularly affected. It is equally important not to get bogged down in—one or two sentences—or exploit the situation.

• Connect the mission of your organization to the larger issue whenever possible. Organizations that serve the homeless should talk about the potentially devastating effects of COVID-19 for their constituents. Whatever the mission, remind donors and prospects about the significance of your organization’s work. Environmental organizations can reinforce the ongoing fight against climate change. Educational institutions might emphasize the importance of an informed electorate to our democracy.

As always, employ best practices when you produce appeals:

• Focus on the impact your organization has on the community, nation, world. Tell the story of a recent, concrete example of this impact. What is your organization’s plan for the months and years ahead? What is needed to achieve the goals? What resources are needed to meet these goals?

• Segment and personalize direct response communications with salutations and ask amounts. Encourage new and lapsed donors to renew at the same level, consecutive donors to upgrade, and nondonors to join your cause if it is on the frontlines of the headlines.

This may feel daunting. Begin by drafting an appeal. Share the draft with a couple of annual fund donors you know well, asking for their feedback. You are on the right track when your appeal is connected to both the big picture and specific impact; respectful of current events and the individual prospect; concise and direct about your case and call to action.

Guidelines to fundraising during an emergency

• Re-assess your fundraising plans.

• Acknowledge the situation without getting bogged down or being exploitative.

• When possible, connect the mission of your organization to the larger issue.

• Always remind donors about the ongoing importance of your mission.

• Employ direct response fundraising best practices.

Barbara Perkins

bperkins@matchnpc.com