As the calendar winds down, many nonprofits rush to remind donors about tax deductions, required IRA distributions, and year-end deadlines. You know donors will be bombarded with requests to give in the next eight weeks—including by you.  

So, how will you make your year-end appeal stand out? Worry less about the calendar and more about identifying a specific, urgent need within your organization that resonates with your mission.

Build your appeal around emotional stories that showcase the need, the potential, and the impact.

For example, if you run a food bank, share the story of a family (or a composite of families) struggling simultaneously with an unemployed parent and a medical crisis who relied on your services while they worked toward stability. Having access to the food bank’s groceries reduced daily worry about meals and kept their family fed and healthy while they dealt with significant life stressors. How could the donor’s gift help you support more families like theirs? 

If you’re a nonprofit offering tutoring, tell the story of how a disruptive third grader flourished in your afterschool program when she found a mentor who believed her when she said the words on the page just didn’t make sense. That child now has an individual education plan. Explain how the donor’s year-end gift will help identify even more students who need additional services.

Donors know how calendars work. Instead of telling them that the year ends on December 31 (“so hurry to get your gift in because that’s best for us!”), show them what their generosity today will accomplish by December 31 of next year. Be specific: “Your gift of $100 will provide a month of tutoring for a child” or “a donation of $500 will fund emergency food assistance for three families.”

Remember, donors want to make a difference, not just meet a deadline. The most successful year-end campaigns don’t rely on urgency alone—they inspire donors with the promise of significant impact and the joy of making positive change possible.

What compelling story from your organization will you share this December?

 

Want to learn more tips on how to approach donors at year-end (and all the other times of the year)? Check out my new book “Finding Funding: How to Ask for Money and Get it.”