Congratulations! You have wrapped up annual giving for 2025. Whether you missed, met or exceeded your goal, it’s time to reset the clock and dive into 2026! Or is it?
Not so fast!
Over the last 12 months you invited hundreds of individuals, businesses and foundations into your amazing story of community need and critical impact. Through letters, posts, displays and conversation you educated everyone who would listen about your organization’s ability to solve problems and invited them to support your great work.
Well done. . . but you’re not done yet.
You owe it to everyone you invited into your cause to share how the story of 2025 ended. Did the guy get the girl? Did they destroy the Death Star? Was it all just a dream?
Don’t leave your donors hanging. Report back to them on both the dollars and the change.
Dollars - How much was raised? Did you miss, meet or exceed your goal? Did giving grow over last year? What was the range of gifts? How many volunteers helped make it happen?
Change – What programs, services and impacts were made possible because the annual giving? Bring the impact to life with a short story. What problems did you solve? How many lives did their generosity impact?
Make them the hero of your annual giving story. Express how important each gift was to the collective amount raised and the life changing impacts they had.
Keep this in mind: Donors enjoy recognition but require information.
By closing 2025 right, you are super charging your giving for 2026. A study of major donor activity discovered that the number one way to assure a one-time donor becomes a repeat donor is to thank them and show how their gift made an impact!
If this all sounds too simple, basic and obvious, you might be shocked to learn that while surveying non-profit volunteers and donors for many years, on average, nearly 65% did not know if the campaign they played a role in even met its goal!
Every year, you invite people to play a role in your amazing story of mission and service. Don’t forget to roll the credits!