2025 End-of-Year Fundraising

Elizabeth Johnson
Elizabeth Johnson Community All-Star
Tenth Anniversary Kudos 5 First Reply All-Star Challenge: End of Year Fundraising Toolkit
in Organizational Best Practices General Discussions

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:

  1. What’s your favorite part of the year-end planning process — is it setting goals, crafting messaging, segmenting donors, or something else?
  2. What’s your biggest challenge right now with your year-end campaign?
  3. 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).

Answers

  • Aldera Chisholm
    Aldera Chisholm Community All-Star
    Sixth Anniversary Kudos 5 Raiser's Edge NXT Fall 2025 Product Update Briefing Badge First Reply

    Love this, thanks! I think my favourite part of the year-end planning process is that feeling of being able to get ahead of the project - sometimes as the data admin, we aren't as involved in the planning, and end up playing catch up. But the year end appeal is often one that the full team gets involved in, which really helps break down the barriers between working units and people seem more open to new ideas.

    My top tip - put it on a calendar on the wall when you are planning! Perhaps it seems simplistic, but have a big calendar on the wall for all the team to see exactly when each email or mailing drops for example. This helps everyone understand whats happening and … like when your gift entry person is going to be hit with mail responses so time other reports accordingly!

  • Elizabeth Johnson
    Elizabeth Johnson Community All-Star
    Tenth Anniversary Kudos 5 First Reply All-Star Challenge: End of Year Fundraising Toolkit
    https://community.blackbaud.com/discussion/comment/307251#Comment_307251

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

  • Jennifer Kluh
    Jennifer Kluh Community All-Star
    Kudos 5 Fifth Anniversary All-Star Challenge: End of Year Fundraising Toolkit Name Dropper
    edited October 7

    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.

  • Faith Murray
    Faith Murray
    Tenth Anniversary Kudos 5 First Reply Name Dropper

    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.

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