GivingTuesday is over, now what?

#GivingTuesday is over, so now what? As you zero in on end-of-year giving, what else can you do to keep the ball rolling? Here are a few low-lift options to bridge the gaps over the next few weeks. 

 First, here are some great questions to ask yourself:

• What are my needs between now and the end of the year? 
  • Are they monetary, tangible, or people power? 
  • What will I need to start next year strong?
• Do I have the capacity to squeeze in another donation campaign?
• Does my platform allow me to quickly (and without extra cost) deploy a text-to-donate campaign to donors already in our system?
• Who do you have left to talk to that might want to give more or can open doors to new donors?  
  • Board 
  • Volunteers 
  • Donors 
  • Lapsed donors 
  • Sponsors 
  • Partner organizations 
  • Local groups 

Now that you have a better idea of where your gaps and opportunities are between now and the end of the year, here are some suggestions on ways to fill them: 

Digital Impact Report
You likely have your annual impact report ready to go, but have you considered sending it digitally?   This will help you reach a greater segment of your supporters. Our Donor Experience Study shows that an impact report is the most important form of follow-up communication to donors across all age segments. 

Jennifer Garcia from Dayton Children’s Hospital tells us about their experience going with digital impact reports for the first time. 

Wish List
Are there items that you need for the end of the year or the start of next year? Build a wish list and ask your donors to help fulfill these purchases for your organization. An online wish list is set up like online shopping, except that your donors don’t receive the actual items – you receive a donation for the cost of a needed item instead. This gives donors a greater sense of purpose behind their donation, and it checks items off your list.   

Online Holiday Store
Shopping for a cause is always a great incentive! If you have leftover auction items, swag, or merchandise left in your closet, now could be a great time to set up shop for donors to purchase holiday gifts while supporting your cause.   

“In Lieu of Gifts” Campaign
As we often see for birthdays, at the holidays, running an “in lieu of gifts” campaign is also a tactic that sees a lot of success. In a time where holiday spending may look different, encouraging people to make donations toward the greater good instead of shopping is a feel-good alternative.   

Paid Social Ads
If you have a little extra budget,  running paid social ads across a few platforms is a superb way to target your donors and collect end-of-year donations. Make sure that you have a compelling call to action that clearly states your need for their support. (Hint: Matching funds often go unused at the end of the year, so a matching fund ad reminder might be just the ticket!)  

Text-to-Donate Push
If you already have a text-to-donate platform set up, send out a final ask to your donors through text message. To expedite the ask,  use a list from past campaigns or an upcoming one so that you don’t have to add a new list of donors to the system. This task will take no more than five minutes with big potential to collect some final donations. 

Not sure where or how to start? 

We’ve got you covered 

Let’s get you scheduled for a conversation with one of our experts on your short and long-term donor targets.