The holidays are upon us. As we look forward to celebrations with family and friends, nonprofit organizations enter one of the most critical times of the year. Giving Tuesday is an anchor in many organization’s fundraising strategies and the day kicks off giving season for many organizations and individuals. The holidays are a time when we express gratitude and hope while we look ahead to the new year. Giving Tuesday embraces the spirit of the season and organizations use the day to shine a spotlight on the work they are doing in service to their missions. While a powerful motivator, Giving Tuesday isn’t the only way to leverage end of year momentum. Here are some other strategies to consider when building your end of year fundraising campaign.

1. Don’t forget to express gratitude. Your donors, staff, members, and partners make the work you do every day possible. While it’s important to be focused on your financial goals, don’t lose sight of those who are already on board. Personalized messages of thanks from organization or board leaders go a long way to make people and partners feel seen and appreciated. 

2. Stand out from the crowd. Virtually every nonprofit organization will be appealing for support on Giving Tuesday and throughout the holidays. Demonstrating the specific impact your organization makes will provide a point of differentiation when people are deciding where to invest charitable dollars. Spread that message out over the days and weeks ahead. 

3. Incentives inspire. Don’t forget to highlight the opportunities that exist for donors to your organization; it might be the tax deductibility of a contribution or the advantages of membership for the year ahead. While most don’t give to receive something in return, it is nice to remind supporters about how the timing of their contribution can be advantageous to them. The end of the calendar year offers a built in sense of urgency for many looking to take advantage of tax incentives.

4. Play the long game. While you’d like every supporter to make a contribution today, don’t forget that giving season is a cultivation opportunity. Introduce new potential supporters to your organization with messaging that may inspire future engagement and action. It’s not just giving season, it’s education and awareness season too. 

5. Use data to drive decisions. Look at the information you collected over the same period last year to target effectively. Strategically invest marketing resources based on audience segments, action requested, and past performance to ensure you are connecting with your community in a way that resonates with them. 

It’s important to remember the spirit of the season. Giving Tuesday and the days and weeks that follow are a busy time for everyone. Embrace the holidays by sharing the impactful work that your organization has done over the past eleven months and the plans you have for the year ahead. Don’t be afraid to ask. But also, don’t be discouraged by silence. The fantastic content you create now can be reused to extend the impact of both your messaging and marketing dollars in 2025. As you try and test new messages, engagement tools, or other strategies make sure you document the results and compare the data to expected performance goals. This will help you learn about your reach and make strategic decisions in the future.