Tips & Tools for Effective Year-End Fundraising

Richard Dietz,

Nonprofit R+Dwww.twitter.com/nonprofit_rd

Agenda

• What is a Year-End Campaign?

• Why you need to launch a Year-End Campaign

• Best Practices for Year-End Campaigns

• Templates and Examples

• Q and A

3

Consultants have all the answers…

• Nope, not really

• Great at coming up with “Best Practices”

• Only way to know if it works for YOUR organization is to test

• Always be looking for what is working

4

AssumptionsFor the purpose of today's webinar I am making a few assumptions:

• You currently do not have an End of Year Campaign ready to launch or not happy with what you have

• You are looking for some help getting one out the door

• You don’t have a lot of time or resources

• Focus will be on email, website and online fundraising– If you also do direct mail then you can incorporate it into this plan

5

Our Goals Today

• Convince you why you need to launch a Year-End Campaign

• Show you that its not as difficult or time consuming as you may have thought

• Get you to take action and launch the campaign ASAP– No campaign is ever perfect or “ready”– Only way to improve is to get something out there and test

6

What is an End of Year Campaign?

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Definition for End of Year Campaign

• A coordinated multi-appeal fundraising campaign that capitalizes on the end of year giving cycles that is a part of a larger donor cultivation system

• Key ideas from the definition– Multi-appeal– Giving cycles– Part of larger system (Donor Engagement)

• Also known as:– EOY Campaign– Year End Campaign– Holiday Campaign

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Why you NEED to launch an End of Year Campaign?

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Why an End of Year Campaign?

• NPO’s raise from 40% to 70% of their funds at the end of the year

• People like to give during the holiday season

• People like to get their tax breaks

• Great way to update your supporters about the years accomplishments and what you have planned for the new year

• Great opportunity to find new donors

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Best Practices and Tipsfor End of Year Campaigns

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Best Practices

• Prepare and Plan– But keep it simple for now

• Multiple Touch Points

• Easy Donation Process

• Tell a Great Story• Inspire them with your passion• Individual stories are best• Make it timely

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Best Practices (continued)

• Vivid Examples of How Donations Will be Used

• Follow Up• Your New Year’s resolution• Develop donor engagement• Welcome email or series• Multiple thanks throughout the year

• Measure and Test Throughout the Year

• Allow Supporters to “spread the word”

13

Resources and Templates for End of Year Campaigns

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Resources and Templates

• Google is Your Friend– Search for “End of year appeal example”, “thank you card

example”, etc. Gets you off the blank page.

• Sage Fundraising Online– www.sagenonprofit.com/fundraisingonline

• Timeline and Templates – See handout

15

Conclusion

• End of year campaigns are not as difficult as they seem

• Take action

• Only YOU can figure out what works for YOUR organization

• Check out the new online tools likeSage Fundraising Online:– www.sagenonprofit.com/fundraisingonline

16

Q&A

Learn about new Sage Fundraising Online and enter for your chance to

win a $5000 unrestricted grant

www.connectwithsage.com

Contact Richard Dietz:

richard@nonprofitrd.com

www.twitter.com/nonprofit_rd

512-850-6501

Contact Sage:

www.sagenonprofit.comwww.twitter.com/sagenonprofit

800-811-0961