End of Year Fundraising
End of the year is an important time of year for fundraising and a great opportunity to reconnect with your donors. Take some time to reflect on what worked well, what were the busiest times of year and what forms of communication got the greatest responses. Also, reevaluate your fundraising plan and determine if it is realistic or should be adjusted for the New Year to achieve your fundraising goal. What new strategies can you use in 2013 that you did not use in 2012?
It’s important to keep in mind that this is a very busy time for donations and individuals often try to make up for not donating throughout the year. That being said, make sure you follow up with anyone who donated to your campaign and reconnect with those who have yet to make a donation. Try creating a holiday themed e-mail that you can send to all donors letting them know how well your fundraising is going so far and wish them happy holidays.
An update lets people know how well you have done over the course of the year, how their contribution helped and acts as a friendly reminder to those who have yet to make a donation. Be sure to provide a specific date for them to make their donation by so that you can meet your fundraising deadline! Try keep your e-mail short and festive as people are very busy this time of year and may only take a minute or two to sort through e-mails. Stay focused on your current network and plan to reach out to new networks in the new year.
Once you have connected with your network, and you have a bit of extra time, consider organizing an easy, last minute holiday themed fundraiser. Visit our November issue of Pacesetter for some helpful ideas!
Looking for more ideas? Join us for our free fundraising webinars on January 9th and 22nd, check out past editions of Pacesetter, connect with other fundraisers on the Team Diabetes facebook page and contact us!