Year-End Fundraising Campaign Playbook for Small Shops

Strategies, Stories, and Guidance for Raising Individual Gifts During the Holidays and Tax Time

Today, let’s talk year-end campaigns.

A successful year-end fundraising campaign can make or break a nonprofit’s general fund, determining what’s possible in the coming year and rallying your community around your mission during the giving season. After 25 years, I’ve learned that a strategic, inclusive, and collaborative year-end push—mixing old-school letters and new-school digital elements with a strong call to action—is the way to go.

Map Your Year-End Strategy Early

The secret to a breakthrough year-end campaign? Planning well before the holidays hit, then building momentum from Giving Tuesday through to New Year’s Eve and beyond.

Start by setting a SMART goal—specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. Know how much you need, which segments of your donor base are most likely to renew, and why this campaign matters. “An effective year-end giving campaign has the potential to more than doub…