This is usually the time of year when the end-of-year giving season arrives. Between choosing which charity organizations to support, making sure you have the right donor segments, and making all the financial fundraising resources and plans can be quite complicated. Luckily, there's a wealth of advice available to you to help you better connect with your donors and fulfill your year-end fundraising targets. In this article, I've listed three important tips for giving. Hopefully, by the time you've finished reading this, you'll have some ideas to share with your charity groups or other organizations.
When it comes to making things easy for your donors, one of the best suggestions is to give them a variety. Donors do appreciate variety when it comes to charities they donate to, as it makes them feel like they are doing more than just sending money. If you and your organization offer several different options for donors to choose from, you will keep your nonprofit leaders excited about making future donations to your cause. Give them something new to think about.
Another thing you can do to make your nonprofit giving easier is to remind your donors of their benefits every year, even after the holidays. Many people forget that in December, tax-deductible donations are due. Make it clear that these donations will have long-term financial benefits to your organization so that donors will be encouraged to keep giving year after year. You can also include an announcement in your year-end newsletter or call-in session that reminding donors of the tax benefits that will be received once they make their tax-deductible donations.
Another important way to make your nonprofit giving easier is to focus your efforts on building long-term relationships with your donors. Your donors may have given you money over the years, but if you haven't made a lasting impression on them, you may not have their continued support. Start by identifying with your donors, and doing everything possible to develop meaningful relationships. Make it easy for them to donate to you; offer them discounts on services or products, or invite them to special events, and you will build trust with your donor base.
Finally, in order for your nonprofit to get the most out of its end of the year giving, you need to know what your goal is. Make sure your nonprofit has a specific goal, mission, and strategy in place before you begin the process of fundraising. This gives you and your team the direction to get the maximum mileage out of your efforts, while also knowing what you're working toward. This also helps you stay focused on your goals as the year goes along, as you will know exactly what your needs are as your work toward your end of the year giving goals progress. When you have a clearly defined plan, you will also be able to measure your successes and setbacks, allowing you to make necessary changes to your strategy or to your donation solicitation strategy.
Getting your nonprofit to the next level of giving doesn't have to be difficult. Put together a plan, identify your donors, and start tracking your year-end donations. From there, you can either choose to keep going with your strategies or adapt and improve upon them. The better prepared you are, the less likely you are to experience any problems with the donations from December. If you're not ready to announce your end of year giving until sometime in March, you can still plan the next phase of your fundraising campaign using the information you gathered in December, while you wait for the results.
|