It might be too early to start dreaming about twinkly lights, hot cocoa, and warm, fuzzy socks – but it\u2019s definitely not too early to start thinking about your year-end fundraising plan! Among DonorPerfect partners, over a third of all giving happens in the last three months of the year, so it pays to plan ahead and approach the generous year-end giving season with goals that are ambitious and attainable.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve found that fundraising goals like \u201craise more money than last year\u201d are a bit too vague and don\u2019t inspire your team or your donors to take meaningful action. But when you use your data to inform your goals, create concrete plans to allocate your funds, and renew your strong commitment to your mission, your donors will be excited to give (and give again!).<\/p>\n The best place to start is by looking to the past:<\/p>\n If this is your first time attempting a year-end campaign, you can look to industry averages<\/a> and apply them to your own fundraising efforts. For example, nonprofits who use DonorPerfect tend to raise 37% of their annual funds in October, November, and December, and you can apply the same percentage to make an educated guess.<\/p>\n It also helps to look back at any unique circumstances from the past year. Did you have any staffing changes, capital campaigns<\/a>, or other unique events<\/a> that could impact your end-of-year fundraising results? Have there been any changes to your mission, scope, or your community\u2019s needs? No matter what you set for your year-end goals, you\u2019ll be more likely to accomplish them if you can justify them and get buy-in from your team.<\/p>\n Create data-driven goals<\/h2><\/header>\n
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