End-of-year fundraising campaigns: A guide for nonprofit charities

But with so many causes competing for attention, how do you make your end-of-year fundraising campaign stand out? And beyond raising funds, how can you use this season to build stronger relationships with your supporters so they’re compelled to donate year-round?

In this guide, we’ll explore practical fundraising tips for nonprofits so you can make the most out of the giving season.

The significance of year-end fundraising for nonprofits

Year-end holiday fundraising campaigns are a cornerstone for nonprofit charities — that’s because the festive season often awaken something special within us: a deeper sense of connection, gratitude, and a desire to give back.

The end of the year also brings tax advantages to donors in the U.S., with donors typically able to deduct charitable contributions made before December 31st.

Giving Tuesday, observed the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, perfectly exemplifies this heightened generosity. This collective giving movement is a powerful launchpad for the year-end giving season — in 2024 alone, it generated $3.6 billion in donations in the U.S.¹

By tapping into the holiday spirit, year-end holiday fundraising can provide nonprofits with the financial fuel to expand programs, improve operations, and drive long-term growth.

Set clear fundraising goals

Before you start exploring how to plan a fundraiser, take a moment to define specific goals. These goals can serve as a roadmap to rein in your nonprofit fundraising ideas and ensure your campaign aligns with your organization's mission.

Some common goals include:

• Financial targets: What’s the exact amount of money you need to raise? For example, "$50,000 to fund our winter shelter program."
• Donor engagement: How many new donors do you want to attract? How much do you want to increase your donor retention rate? You could, for example, aim to "gain 200 new recurring donors."

• Program expansion: Are there specific programs or services you want to expand or launch with the nonprofit donations you raise? This might be something like "expanding our after-school program to serve an additional 50 children."

• Awareness and reach: Do you want to increase your organization's visibility and reach within the community, and if so, by how much? For example, "increase website traffic by 25% or gain 1,000 new social media followers."

Whatever your goals, make sure they are SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. You’ve probably heard of this acronym before and for good reason — it’s a useful framework for making sure your goals aren’t just ambitious but actually grounded in reality.

Remember: setting goals is not a one-time task nor are they set in stone. Regularly review and assess your progress, making adjustments as needed as you dive deeper into planning the ins and outs of your nonprofit fundraisers.

When should you start planning for holiday fundraising campaigns?

Timing is everything when it comes to successful fundraising, and end-of-year fundraising campaigns are no exception.

Start exploring potential holiday fundraising ideas at least three to six months in advance, ideally in June or July. This provides sufficient time to set clear goals, build a compelling narrative, and secure associations.

Keep in mind that many donors make decisions about their holiday donations well before decorations start going up. Being prepared early not only allows you to capture these donations but also lets you fine-tune your holiday fundraising campaign strategy.

Craft a compelling fundraising narrative

With so many events and promotions vying for people’s attention during the festive season, creating an impactful narrative can help grab attention and increase holiday donations. Think of it like this: you're not just asking for money; you're inviting people to join a story and become part of something bigger than themselves.

Here are some key elements to consider when brainstorming how to get donors for your nonprofit:

• Start with a clear mission: Clearly articulate your organization's mission by asking yourself: how will contributions make a real-world difference? For example, instead of saying "We provide food to the hungry," you could say, "Every dollar donated provides a warm meal to a family struggling with food insecurity, bringing hope and nourishment during the holiday season."

• Set specific objectives: Outline the specific monetary goals your holiday fundraising campaign aims to achieve. This adds transparency and also gives donors a tangible sense of how their contribution will be used. For instance, you could say, "Our goal is to raise $20,000 to provide winter coats to 100 homeless children so they can stay warm and protected during the cold months."

• Tailor your story to the holidays: Adapt your narrative to fit the holiday season, leveraging the spirit of giving to engage donors. You could share stories of individuals whose lives have been transformed by your organization, for example.

• Explore new ways to drive donations: The digital age offers a plethora of nonprofit fundraising solutions that make giving easy and accessible. From QR codes on holiday cards to partnerships with local businesses that allow customers to add a donation at checkout, the opportunities are endless.

Engage supporters and the community

Fundraising isn't just about asking for money — you’re building relationships and inspiring a shared passion for your cause. Engaging existing supporters and the community during the bustling holiday season can excite them and, ultimately, amplify your mission through word-of-mouth and increase conversion rates for your nonprofit.

To boost donor engagement, you can:

• Explore social media fundraising tactics: Interactive, shareable social media challenges can enhance your campaign's reach. Encourage supporters to share photos, videos, or stories related to your mission using a dedicated hashtag to track participation and boost your message. For example, you could challenge people to share what they are grateful for this holiday season while linking it back to your organization's work.

• Host community events: Local events or virtual meet-ups allow you to engage directly with your community. This could be a holiday-themed gathering, a virtual Q&A session with your team, or a volunteer appreciation event. Use these opportunities to share your organization's impact and answer questions — all while building nonprofit community engagement.

• Promote volunteer opportunities: Find new supporters by inviting community members to contribute their time and become part of your organization’s mission. This is a powerful way to introduce people to your work and get them excited.

Remember: donor retention strategies are just as important as acquiring new donors. Nurturing relationships with existing supporters throughout the year via regular communication, personalized thank-you notes, and exclusive updates make it more likely that your organization is top-of-mind when the holidays roll around.

Promote your fundraiser

Even the most compelling fundraising campaign won't succeed if no one knows about it. Consider using these channels for promoting your nonprofit fundraising campaign and reaching a broader audience:

• Press releases: Craft compelling press releases that announce major fundraising campaign milestones, partnerships, or events, emphasizing the impact of your campaign and the difference it will make in the community. A well-written press release can generate valuable media coverage (especially if you distribute it to local media outlets, journalists, and bloggers), increasing your organization's visibility and attracting more nonprofit donations.

• Blog posts: Spotlight success stories or testimonials, offering real-world examples of how holiday donations are making an impact. Beyond writing content that’ll tug at heartstrings, remember to optimize your posts for search engines — this means conducting keyword research and incorporating relevant terms naturally throughout your content. Also, triple check that your website is mobile-friendly, as roughly 52% of nonprofit website traffic comes from mobile devices.²

• Social media: Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok let you engage with your community and update them on campaign progress. Use these channels to share compelling visuals, videos, and stories that capture the essence of your mission and inspire people to get involved. Social media is a fantastic tool for humanizing your organization and offering followers a behind-the-scenes peek at what you do.

• Email marketing: Keep your subscribers informed about your fundraising campaign through targeted emails. That said, try not to blast everyone with the same content. Instead, consider segmenting your email list to send relevant content to different groups of supporters. For example, you could send a special email to recurring donors with exclusive updates and a heartfelt thank-you message, improving donor engagement.

• Partnerships: One easy way to expand your reach and introduce your cause to new audiences is by collaborating with local businesses or community organizations. This could involve hosting joint events, offering discounts to each other's supporters, or simply sharing each other's social media content.

The effectiveness of online fundraisers

For small nonprofits with big missions but limited resources, fancy galas or large-scale fundraising events are likely out of reach. Luckily, there’s a powerful alternative: online fundraising.

Online fundraising, which includes accepting donations online, crowdfunding campaigns, peer-to-peer fundraising, and social media fundraising, has exploded in recent years — today, it’s the preferred choice of giving for Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Millennial donors worldwide.³

While in-person events offer valuable face-to-face interactions, digital fundraising opens doors to a global audience, allowing you to raise funds quickly and efficiently. Think of it as a virtual stage where you can share your story, connect with supporters, and inspire action, all without the limitations of physical gatherings.

So, is online or in-person fundraising the better fit for you? It depends on your goals and who you're trying to reach. If you're aiming for global reach, cost-effectiveness, and quick results, online fundraising could be your ideal solution. However, if building deep relationships through personal connections is a priority, in-person events might be a better fit. Of course, you can explore a combination of the two as well.

Learn more about PayPal for fundraising.

Measure fundraising success

How do you know if your fundraising campaign is hitting the mark? Look at your key performance indicators (KPIs).

Some common fundraising KPIs include:

• Donations amount: This is the most obvious metric, showing how close you are to reaching your financial targets. Regularly monitor your progress and identify any potential roadblocks early on.

• Donor retention rates: Acquiring new donors is great, but keeping them engaged is even better. Track your donor retention rates to understand the health of your donor relationships. Are your donors making repeat contributions? Are they staying connected with your organization beyond the holiday season?

• Engagement levels: Monitor how people are interacting with your fundraising campaign on digital platforms by tracking interactions like social media likes, shares, and website visits. This will help you understand how effectively you're capturing and maintaining interest in your campaign.

Don’t want to spend all your time buried in spreadsheets and calculators? You’re in luck: there’s plenty of software for nonprofits designed to automate data collection, generate insightful reports, and help you visualize your progress.