What You Need to Know About Giving Season
While many of us are still cleaning up from Labor Day barbeques and dragging ourselves out of a summer haze, let me wake you up with this sledgehammer:
#GivingTuesday is less than 90 days away.
30% of all nonprofit giving happens during the last month of the year, from #GivingTuesday through December 31. It’s a time when donors are in the mood to be generous, and even the smallest nonprofits have a chance to boost their bottom lines and get the dollars they need to fuel their missions in the coming calendar year. Here at Network for Good, we want to make sure you get your piece of the pie.
Here’s a basic timeline of what you should be doing in the months ahead:
September – Warm up your donors, plan your campaign, and make sure you have the tools you need to be successful.
October – Write your appeals, continue to get ready, and keep your donors engaged with various communications that call their attention to your mission.
November – Kick off your campaign on #GivingTuesday (November 28).
December – Keep the momentum going with percent-to-goal updates, thank the donors who have already given, and push hard to December 30 and 31 (the biggest giving days of the year).
January – Thank your donors, and develop a rock-solid retention plan to keep your supporters enthused and engaged throughout the year.
What’s first?
Right now, it’s time to focus on creating the best campaign for your organization. This means setting appropriate goals (both dollar goals and non-financial ones), getting your team in place, and making sure your nonprofit is equipped with the right technology to get the job done.
Become a Network for Good customer now to take advantage of all our year-end customer benefits including:
- Easy to use fundraising software with email, direct mail, peer to peer and so much more all in one system
- Eligibility for cash prizes on #GivingTuesday.
- Exclusive End-of-Year eGuide for customers only.
- Exposure to new donors with a listing on our #GivingTuesday microsite.
- Inclusion in our Retention Wednesday activities (more to come).
- Templated emails and appeals built right into your donor management system.
As the season progresses, check back for more tips, downloads, and webinars to keep your year-end campaign on track.
