As we enter the last quarter of the year, many non-profits are – or should be – looking at their fundraising goals. Some recent studies and surveys show that giving has taken a downturn for some organizations following the bump many received during the pandemic years and the beginning of the recovery. Whether you blame inflation, an aging donor class, or something else, you want to finish the year strong. What you do over the next few months will be critical for the health of your non-profit.
This is not going to be a comprehensive how-to for year-end fundraising. Whole books and many webinars can easily be devoted to that topic. (Reach out if you’d like me to help on either of those). Instead, in this article, we’ll consider some best practices used to raise money for non-profits using direct mail. And we’ll include a few examples to inspire you, thanks to our vast collection here at Who’s Mailing What!
What Is a Year-End Fundraising Appeal?
A year-end fundraising appeal is a campaign mailed during the last few months of the year to previous donors or current members of a non-profit, asking them to make one last gift for the calendar year. It should be noted that some organizations who end their fiscal year on June 30 often reach out to donors, noting that important deadline as well.
Like nearly all fundraising mail, a letter package is the best way to reach your intended audience. But you don’t necessarily have to send direct mail out to your entire universe of potential year-end donors.
Why Is a Year-End Appeal So Important?
There are lots of reasons to make this special ask part of your fundraising strategy. For example:
- It’s the right thing to do
- It never hurts to ask
- It’s the holidays, and many people feel thankful and generous
- It’s a good way for a donor to get a deduction on their taxes for the current year
And oh yeah – it works.