With the fourth quarter of the year is in the near future, this month we'll be sharing ways for nonprofits to make the most out of the last quarter and guidance for leaders as you are mapping out plans for the upcoming year.
The Perfect Season for Fundraising
If you have spent much time in your life in Georgia or South Carolina, you know what the perfect time of the year is PEACH season! (OK, I know it’s really football season but go with me here.)
As a true peach lover you know that the best peaches are picked during a very limited period of time and that you have an even smaller window of time to consume them when they are perfect!
The same is true for your fundraising season. While you are doing activities all year-long, donor behavior across the country continues to tell us that the last quarter, truly the last two months, are the prime season for giving. So, are you going to be ready this year with a new or adjusted strategy to make the fourth quarter count? While there are many options, let’s take a look four strategies that can be significant:
1. List Segmentation
Segment your list and tweak the message of your emails/letters to indicate you know them as a donor/member/lover of a specific program. This may take a little work but prove to them that you “see” them and are paying attention to what really matters to them.
2. Thoughtful Data Collection
Pay special attention to the data you are collecting on this group of donors and look for ways to deepen your knowledge of them and improve your 2023 strategy:
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- How are they making gifts (pledge to a volunteer, reading a newsletter, seeing a local media story, responding to a mailed piece, etc.)?
- If they are a repeat donor, is this the time of year of their previous gift and is it a similar/increased/decreased amount?
- Is it tied to a specific program message or general operating support of your organization?
- How are they connected to your organization outside of giving?
3. New Donor Process
If you haven’t already, develop a process for new donors. Consider at a minimum:-
- A different acknowledgment letter that mentions this as their first gift.
- Consider a short two to three question survey: Why did they make this gift? Is there a particular part of the cause that drew them in? How do they want to be recognized?
4. Giving Tuesday Donor Matching
Have you found a matching donor for your Giving Tuesday or year-end solicitation? If not, make this a priority. Matches work because they create a sense of urgency and allow donors to increase their impact.
Focus some time and energy now so you are ready this year for peak season..and enjoy the fruits of your labor as you measure success by the year’s end!
Posts to drive you forward:
- 9 Year End Strategies for Nonprofits
- 5 Ways Organizations can End the Year Strong
- 3 Financial Conversations That Can't Wait