December 1, 2015 | Categories DonorPerfect Update

Year-End Fundraising Ideas: 4 Ways to Ask a Lot

For most nonprofits, the year’s end means making a big push for last-minute donations. The fact is that people are more likely to donate if you make a year-end ask. And because the end of the year leaves no time to be lax, you need to ask, ask often, then ask again.

Begin your year-end asks by saying thanks.

It’s important to acknowledge donors for their past support before you ask them to donate again. So first, send a heartfelt thank you email that highlights the impact of their donations over the last year. Be sure to include photos and highlights that illustrate milestones you’ve been able to achieve because of their support.

Get social with your year-end asks!

Posting year-end asks on social channels like Facebook and Twitter is a great way to get the word out about your fundraising goal. That’s because social posts won’t crowd donors’ email inboxes. They’re simply part of their newsfeed.

One way to leverage social media is to create a Facebook campaign that displays your year end fundraising goal and update your followers on its progress in real time.

Show and tell in your year-end ask emails.

Quality visual content should be an essential component of your year-end ask emails. Including photos of people in your organization along with those you help puts a face to your work.

As for “tell”, consider outlining what each level of donation can provide your mission. For example, an animal shelter might say, “A $10 dollar donation provides a dog with a month’s worth of food. A $20 dollar donation gives a dog a leash, blanket, and two week’s worth of food.”

Encourage your donors to pitch in and ask for you!

Furthering your cause doesn’t have to stop at donating. There are lots of ways donors can help your organization fundraise.