Nonprofit Year-End Fundraising: ‘Tis the Season to Take Risks

Don’t Wait to Take Risks

With year-end approaching and Giving Tuesday being less than a month away, it’s understandable that nonprofit marketers are stressed. The pressure is on as you are trying to make the most of your year-end fundraising efforts.

With all things year-end going through your mind, it can be a safe bet to roll with the same strategies that have worked for your nonprofit in the past. However, right now is not the time to play it safe; it’s time for your organization to take risks on the marketing and fundraising front. While running with the same strategies from your usual playbook may push you forward in the short run, having long-term success stems from taking high-potential risks that will encourage a breakthrough for your organization’s growth.

You have to dream big to win big, right? Make sure that you are dreaming big about where you want your organization to go. There is no harm in aiming high. If you achieve the results, great! If you don’t, that’s okay too. Simply put, the amount of potential you believe your nonprofit has is something to be excited about at all costs. So, start taking some risks right now!

Promote Your Donation Page

The fact of the matter is that people are always looking to give during the holiday season. Take the opportunity to promote your donation page. Utilizing Facebook and Instagram ads should be a priority for your marketing team, as it opens your organization up to those people. While your advertising costs might see a slight increase, the return on investment is there if you strategize creatively and effectively. People want to give, and upping your marketing game on Facebook and Instagram will help keep your nonprofit at top of mind during this season.

Aside from Facebook and Instagram, you should also be using Google’s display ads to retarget people who’ve visited your donation page but did not follow through with a give. Really hone in and hyper-target these people. Encouraging people to follow through with their donation is a softer ask than asking them to donate in the first place, so effective retargeting strategies will drive revenue for your organization.

Your nonprofit’s cause is important, but you can’t sit back and expect it to speak for itself. Give it some support. Take risks. Reach out to your community. Direct traffic to your donation page through social media and through Google ads. Hit those phone lines and call up your donors. Taking these marketing and fundraising risks right now can help funnel revenue to your nonprofit. People want to donate, it’s simply a matter of to whom.

Maximize Community Outreach Tactics

Hitting the phone lines may be a more traditional way to approach your donors, but it is certainly not outdated. With email rates constantly dropping, it’s important to acknowledge the various ways you can use phones to your advantage.

When is the last time you called your donors to simply share the impact their gifts have had on your organization? Call them up, thank them for their generosity, and be transparent about past wins and future goals. Taking the time to reach out and connect on a more personal level will push your year-end efforts far.

With that said, utilizing the accessibility of phones means integrating phone calls with digital strategies. Reaching out to your community should incorporate different types of outreach. Mix the old with the new and really make sure your organization is using all tactics to your advantage.

Subscribe, Connect, & Share!

Your nonprofit’s cause is important, but you can’t sit back and expect it to speak for itself. Give it some support. Take risks. Reach out to your community. Direct traffic to your donation page through social media and through Google ads. Hit those phone lines and call up your donors. Taking these marketing and fundraising risks right now will help funnel revenue to your nonprofit. People want to donate, it’s simply a matter of to whom.

Cameron Ripley