{"id":2356,"date":"2021-11-18T17:46:43","date_gmt":"2021-11-18T17:46:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.giveffect.com\/blog\/?p=2356"},"modified":"2024-01-22T14:35:52","modified_gmt":"2024-01-22T14:35:52","slug":"holiday-fundraising-4-tips-for-every-nonprofit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.giveffect.com\/holiday-fundraising-4-tips-for-every-nonprofit\/","title":{"rendered":"Holiday Fundraising: 4 Tips for every nonprofit"},"content":{"rendered":"
The last few weeks of the year are widely known for their spirit of giving and increased levels of generosity. That\u2019s why nonprofit organizations and other fundraising groups tend to go into this season with great expectations, tons of enthusiasm, and\u2060\u2014hopefully\u2060\u2014a well-thought-out fundraising plan.<\/span><\/h5>\n
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If that\u2019s you, you surely know that the giving season is quickly approaching. Luckily, you still have time to get prepared with <\/span>strategic holiday fundraising appeals<\/span><\/span><\/a> and other year-end initiatives.<\/span><\/h5>\n
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In this guide, we\u2019ll address four of our most impactful practices for holiday fundraising that your team can adopt in the coming weeks. To make the most of the giving season, we suggest that you:<\/span><\/h5>\n
1. Incorporate themed fundraisers.<\/span><\/h5>\n
2. Participate in Giving Tuesday.<\/span><\/h5>\n
3. Promote matching gifts.<\/span><\/h5>\n
4. Express significant donor gratitude.<\/span><\/h5>\n
Ready to dive in with our favorite holiday fundraising tips to make the most of the giving season this year? Let\u2019s get started!<\/span><\/h5>\n

1. Incorporate themed fundraisers.<\/span><\/h2>\n
Themed <\/span>fundraisers<\/span><\/a><\/span> are a holiday favorite for all sorts of nonprofits and donors, and during this time of the year, the possibilities are endless! Take a look at just a few of our most-loved ideas:<\/span><\/h5>\n
\u2013 Themed fun runs: <\/b>Encourage supporters to get up and moving in support of your organization with a holiday-themed run or event-a-thon. Consider a Turkey Trot on or around Thanksgiving, or host Santa\u2019s Sleigh 5K leading up to Christmas to put the fun (and the holiday spirit) in fun run.<\/span><\/h5>\n
\u2013 Seasonal product sales:<\/b> People spend a lot during the holiday season buying gifts for friends and loved ones. Offering a seasonal product sale allows them to do so while <\/span>also <\/span><\/i>supporting a charitable cause. Sell candles, sweet treats, apparel, wrapping paper, wreaths and decorations, and more!<\/span><\/h5>\n
\u2013 Holiday galas:<\/b> Host a Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Years-themed gala to leverage the spirit of the holidays and have a good time while doing it. Provide good food, drink, and entertainment, and donors will be more than willing to open up their wallets.<\/span><\/h5>\n
<\/h5>\n
Adding a holiday-related theme to any fundraiser is a great way to distinguish it from the <\/span>other <\/span><\/i>efforts your supporters may have participated in throughout the year. Donors tend to be more inclined to give around the holidays, and relating your fundraising initiatives back to the next upcoming holiday is a great way to remind them of that boosted spirit of generosity.<\/span><\/h5>\n

2. Participate in Giving Tuesday.<\/span><\/h2>\n
Giving Tuesday is often considered by many to be the official start of the holiday fundraising season, which then extends through the rest of the calendar year. If you\u2019re looking to jump into year-end giving with a headstart, <\/span>participating in Giving Tuesday<\/span><\/a><\/span> is a must.<\/span><\/h5>\n
Here are a few of our favorite tips for successful campaigns:<\/span><\/h5>\n
\u2013 Start promoting your Giving Tuesday efforts early.<\/strong><\/h5>\n
\u2013 Make your appeals stand out with eye-catching imagery and urgent calls to action.<\/strong><\/h5>\n
\u2013 Encourage supporters to enlist their own friends and family to contribute.<\/strong><\/h5>\n
\u2013 Leverage the power of social media content and shareability.<\/strong><\/h5>\n
<\/h5>\n
To get started, be sure to <\/span>explore available Giving Tuesday resources<\/span><\/a><\/span> and begin building (or elevating) your nonprofit\u2019s fundraising toolkit. Then, smoothly transition your Giving Tuesday campaign into the rest of your holiday strategy for continued support throughout the last few weeks of the year. Remember\u2060\u2014<\/span>it\u2019s a marathon, not a sprint.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/h5>\n

3. Promote matching gifts.<\/span><\/h2>\n
Fundraising studies show<\/span><\/a><\/span> that more than 26 million individuals work for companies with matching gift programs. Though, on average, 78% of these people are completely unaware of the initiatives offered by their employers!<\/span><\/h5>\n
<\/h5>\n
These programs typically work like this:<\/b><\/h5>\n
\u2013 A donor makes a gift to a nonprofit organization.<\/span><\/h5>\n
\u2013 The donor is encouraged to determine whether their employer offers a matching gift program.<\/span><\/h5>\n
\u2013 If the employer does match donations and the donor is eligible, they are encouraged to submit a formal request with the company, providing information about the organization and the gift.<\/span><\/h5>\n
\u2013 The employer verifies the initial gift that was made to the nonprofit and submits their own matching donation.<\/span><\/h5>\n
<\/h5>\n
In order to drive company matches and overall match revenue, it\u2019s important to take a proactive approach to <\/span>minimizing typical matching gift obstacles\u2060<\/span><\/a><\/span>\u2014one of the largest being the widespread knowledge gap concerning these programs. And the holiday season is a fantastic time to begin!<\/span><\/h5>\n
<\/h5>\n
Donors tend to feel particularly generous during the holiday giving season, which helps motivate them to take an additional step for your organization <\/span>after <\/span><\/i>making their gifts. Plus, highlighting matching gift opportunities is one of the best ways to ensure your appeals stand out from <\/span>everyone else<\/span><\/i> trying to reel in some holiday support.<\/span><\/h5>\n

4. Express significant donor gratitude.<\/span><\/h2>\n
Donors like to know that their gifts are being appreciated by the organizations they support. This is especially true during the holiday fundraising season driven by an increased sense of charitability and a boosted desire to give back.<\/span><\/h5>\n
<\/h5>\n
Consider these ideas to help show donors what their support means to you and your mission this year:<\/span><\/h5>\n
\u2013 Send detailed and personalized <\/span>thank-you letters<\/span><\/a><\/span> following each gift.<\/span><\/h5>\n
\u2013 Communicate the tangible mission impact that donors\u2019 contributions make.<\/span><\/h5>\n
\u2013 Thank matching gift donors for going above and beyond the typical giving process.<\/span><\/h5>\n
\u2013 Enlist nonprofit beneficiaries to tell their stories and thank donors for their help.<\/span><\/h5>\n
<\/h5>\n
As you roll out these fundraising tips and more, be sure your efforts don\u2019t end when the donor clicks \u201csubmit\u201d on your donation form. When donors feel adequately thanked for their contributions, they\u2019ll be more likely to continue supporting your efforts into the new year and beyond.<\/span><\/h5>\n
<\/h5>\n
\u2018Tis the season to leverage the holiday spirit and collect generous gifts from supporters who care about your mission.\u00a0<\/b><\/h5>\n
<\/h5>\n
As a nonprofit fundraiser, you likely understand the importance of holiday fundraising. Since this time of year is so quickly approaching, it\u2019s important that you get all of your ducks in a row now! Make sure you stand out from the crowd and engage your donors strategically with themed campaigns, time-based giving days, matching gift opportunities, and more-than-usual gratitude. Good luck, and happy holidays!<\/span><\/h5>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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