8 Best Practices for End-of-Year Campaigns

It’s mid-September, and many nonprofits are already planning their end-of-year giving campaigns. And for good reason: Q4 giving can often make or break the entire year’s revenue goals.

In fact, nearly 30% of all annual giving happens in December.

Even more shocking, 12% of all annual giving takes place in the last THREE DAYS of the year.

The right strategy can turn December into your strongest fundraising month of the year. Below, I’ve outlined the best practices that distinguish a strong year-end campaign from the rest, along with a solid case study for inspiration.

8 Best Practices for End-of-Year Campaigns:

1. Start earlier than you think. For so long, I worked with organizations that waited until Giving Tuesday (the Tuesday following Thanksgiving) to kick things off. But by then, donors are bombarded! If we start ramping up communications in October, we’ll already be top of mind by the time other organizations are rolling out their appeals.

2. Lead with gratitude. Instead of diving straight into “give now,” let’s start with a thank-you! Let’s show these donors the impact of their giving from last year. What was accomplished? What have we achieved? How have we been good stewards of their funds over the past 12 months? Gratitude primes generosity.

3. Use storytelling more than statistics. Numbers matter, but stories are remembered. Instead of “we served 1,000 families this year,” highlight the transformation of one family. Showcasing a human connection will drive gifts.

4. Create or match a challenge. A dollar-for-dollar match creates urgency. Even a small match (like $5,000) can be positioned as transformational. In fact, I would LOVE to work with a development team that spends late summer/early fall stockpiling matching gifts that can be used as leverage for an end-of-year campaign.
   Here’s why this works: donors rarely want to be the first in line. They want to feel like their gift is helping close the loop on a goal. It’s the same psychology that drives the 70% silent phase rule in capital campaigns: you launch strong because momentum breeds confidence. When you enter year-end giving with a significant portion already committed, you can set bigger, bolder goals that feel ambitious and achievable for your donors.

5. For the love of all that’s good in this world, segment your audience. Your loyal monthly donor shouldn’t receive the same message as a potential first-time donor.

   • First-time donors - emphasize “joining the movement"

   • Monthly donors - focus on “legacy” (Your consistency sustains us…)

   • Major donors - focus on “vision” (your leadership gift creates momentum for others to follow)

6. Use all the channels. We won’t get much of a response after the first outreach. Layer the campaign with social media storytelling, emails, a personal note from the CEO/board member, and direct mail for high-potential donors. Consistent messaging across multiple channels builds trust.

7. A well-cultivated donor base is your best chance at a successful end-of-year campaign. It’s the work we’ve done all year long that will determine whether December feels like a celebration of generosity or a scramble to hit the finish line. Buying cold mailing lists is an option, but generosity takes time. Think about your own habits: do you immediately give every time a fundraising postcard shows up, even from organizations you already know? Probably not. Relationships drive meaningful year-end giving, not bulk mail.

8. Don’t forget December 29-31. As I mentioned above, 12% of all annual giving happens on those 3 days. Have special reminders queued up and ready for each day to bring home the message as the iconic ball nears dropping.

Excellence in Action:

Because I’m a glutton for a great case study, may I present you with Heifer International. They have one of the most recognizable and long-running year-end appeals in the nonprofit world. Their campaign is a masterclass.

The coolest part? Instead of a generic donation ask, Heifer lets donors “purchase” specific items (a goat, chickens, bees, a cow) that go directly to families in need around the world. They call it their gift catalog.

Each gift is positioned as both practical and transformational: “A goat provides milk, income, and hope for generations.”

Even if we can’t offer “goats,” we can frame our appeals around tangible impact that feels like a gift. For example:

$25 = art supplies for one child

$100 = one week of groceries for a family

$250 = one month of shelter for a survivor

The secret is making donors feel like they’re buying a gift of impact, not just writing a check. And it works because it combines emotional pull, tangible impact, and holiday relevance.

Caution: until we have the strong donor support base, a catalog is a hard feat. But by constantly working at our donor relationships with thoughtful cultivation and stewardship, it’s not impossible to get there.

Every personalized thank-you, story shared, and moment of connection moves us closer to building the kind of trust and loyalty that makes bold fundraising tools, like a gift catalog, possible.

One Last Thought:

At Jenni Craig & Co., we help nonprofits lay the groundwork so that when the big ideas come along, your donors are already ready to say yes. Schedule a consultation today.