2025 End-of-Year Fundraising

Question

I’m kicking off a discussion around the 2025 End-of-Year Fundraising Toolkit

Let’s start sharing ideas early so we all can hit year-end strong!

To get things rolling:

* What’s your favorite part of the year-end planning process — is it setting goals, crafting messaging, segmenting donors, or something else?
* What’s your biggest challenge right now with your year-end campaign?
* If you’ve run successful year-end drives before, what’s one tip or tactic you’d absolutely recommend?

Can’t wait to see your responses (and feel free to tag others who’d enjoy jumping in).

Faith Murray · Answer

I love how our Director shares an Outlook calendar with all of us, specifically dedicated to appeal & email drop dates and task dates. My favorite part is innovating new ideas to try on the mailings. Over the years, we've added segmentation, experimented with different hierarchy gift arrays, changed up the mailing size and design. I feel like our greatest creativity comes out in the end of year planning.

My one tip is to segment, but simplify. Customization is good, and personal touches are even better. So figure out how much manpower you have (including volunteers) and apply customization wherever you can't make personalization.

Jennifer Kluh · Answer

I agree about feeling like we are all part of the planning.  The year-end giving planning calendar helps map out our upcoming year.  Planning our campaigns, programs and events- mapping out the timelines.  It helps us plan our marketing.  The Fundraising Toolkit talked about needing a clean and well-organized database. I find myself making notes in my phone of new phone numbers, addresses and contacts that I update after our busy events.  Updating data is an ongoing process that pays off.

Elizabeth Johnson · Answer

https://community.blackbaud.com/discussion/comment/307251#Comment_307251

This is great - I'm totally going to share this with my team! Thanks Aldera :)