The final months of the year are critical for fundraising.
Year-end success requires more than sending an appeal in December and hoping donors respond.
Now is the time to engage the full spectrum of your supporters: longtime donors, occasional donors, first-time givers, and loyal supporters who may be ready to think beyond annual giving toward an endowment or legacy gift.
Before year-end gets any closer, use this seven-point checklist to make sure you are covering the bases.
Give donors a reason to give right now.
Your donors will receive many year-end appeals. Make yours meaningful by connecting the gift directly to your mission and explaining what donor support makes possible. Specificity helps. Rather than simply asking donors to “support our work,” remind them of a need you are addressing, a goal you hope to accomplish, or a story that demonstrates why your work matters. Above all, make sure your communications emphasize impact—not simply your organization’s need for money.
Reach beyond your usual donors.
In 2026, there's a new reason to expand your year-end audience. Beginning this year, taxpayers who do not itemize may deduct up to $1,000 in qualifying cash contributions to eligible charities, or $2,000 for married couples filing jointly. Certain contributions, including gifts to donor-advised funds, do not qualify. That creates a timely conversation starter with people who may not traditionally think of charitable giving as part of their tax planning—including younger donors and people who make smaller gifts.
Consider incorporating a simple message into your year-end communications: “New for 2026: Even if you don't itemize deductions on your tax return, qualifying cash gifts to charity may provide a tax benefit.” Of course, taxes are rarely the primary reason someone supports a cause. Lead with your mission. But this new deduction gives you one more reason to invite new and prospective donors into the conversation.
Make it easy to give in more than one way.
Your website and year-end communications should make it easy for donors to understand their options. Online donations aren't the only way to give. Remind donors that your organization may also be able to receive gifts of appreciated stock, grants from donor-advised funds, and qualified charitable distributions from IRAs for eligible donors. Depending on your organization's capabilities, the Community Foundation of South Jersey (CFSJ) may also be able to help you accept and process gifts of complex assets.
Here’s an important tip: Don't assume donors know these options exist. A short “Ways to give” section in your year-end communications can prompt a conversation that might otherwise never happen.
Put legacy giving on the year-end menu.
Not every year-end conversation needs to result in a gift by December 31. Your most loyal donors may be thinking about a different question: How can I make sure this work continues after I'm gone? Include a gentle legacy message in your year-end communications. It can be as simple as reminding supporters that they can include your organization in a will or trust or name it as a beneficiary of an IRA, life insurance policy, or other eligible account.
You don't need a sophisticated planned giving department to start these conversations. In fact, successful legacy giving often begins with relationships rather than technical expertise. Ask loyal donors what your organization has meant to them, listen for comments about the future, and make sure they know that a legacy gift is an option.
Connect your endowment to the future.
If your organization has an endowment fund at CFSJ, year-end is a good time to talk about it—but resist the temptation to explain it primarily as an investment account.
Instead, explain what permanence means for your mission. An endowment gift can help ensure that the work a donor cares about today continues for future generations. Consider sharing a concrete example of what a strong endowment could mean 10, 20, or 50 years from now.
And remember that endowment and legacy giving naturally reinforce each other. A donor who cannot make a significant endowment gift today may be able to make a transformational one through an estate plan.
Make a list of people who deserve a conversation, not just an appeal.
Immediately after you press “send” on your next donor email newsletter, identify 10 or 20 donors who warrant personal attention. Who has supported you consistently for years? Who recently increased a gift? Who volunteers, attends events, or regularly responds to your communications? Who has told you why your mission matters personally? Then, forward your newsletter directly to them with a personal note that says something like:
“Hi Sam!
Thanks so much for your support over the years!
The second article in our newsletter below might interest you. We’re getting lots of questions from donors about this topic as year-end approaches. I am always happy to jump on a quick call!
Sally”
This type of personal interaction may lead to a year-end gift, but more importantly, it may also lead to something much more significant: a deeper relationship, a future major gift, an endowment gift, or an estate commitment.
Follow up in January.
Your year-end strategy shouldn't end on December 31.
- Thank donors promptly and personally.
- Tell them what their support will help accomplish.
- Pay attention to new donors and donors who increased their giving.
- And make notes about people who expressed interest in other ways of supporting your organization.
- No substitute exists for proactive, outbound, personal communication.
The big takeaway here is that the strongest year-end fundraising strategy isn't really about year-end at all. It's about using a moment when generosity is top of mind to strengthen relationships that can support your mission next year—and for generations to come.
Please reach out to the CFSJ team anytime! We are honored to partner with so many amazing nonprofit organizations that are making our community better every single day.