Developing Directors’ Post

Ten Easy Ways to Supercharge Your Year End Fundraising, Day 10 Thank quickly and often The campaign process doesn’t stop after you’ve received a gift from a donor. In addition to the autoresponder, make sure you make thank you calls to major donors (you can set up donation tiers and divide the work between C-suite, staff, and Board members), send hard copy thank you letters, send cards, and do other donor appreciation activities in a timely fashion. Best practices suggest a 48 hour turnaround on thank you letters and that you should find ten ways to thank a donor for their gift before you ask again. This might sound like a lot, but if you have set up autoresponders, you’re making calls and sending letters, list donors on your website and newsletter, and put them in your annual report, you’re halfway there. Stay tuned for more ways to thank donors in future posts! Want to get our free newsletter? Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/gKEj4riV Icon by Eric Bagossy @ The Noun Project (https://lnkd.in/gExDKkeE)

🎯 Are your mid-level donors stuck in the giving range year after year? It’s easy to feel frustrated when progress feels slow, but trust us: persistence in the process pays off. Our blog, “Persistence in the Process,” shares how organizations are blowing traditional engagement rates out of the water by following a proven strategy—the Veritus Introduction Series. Learn how sticking to the plan, celebrating small wins, and using the right tools can create a robust donor pipeline and unlock new giving potential. Ready to take the next step? We’re offering a FREE Donor Engagement Plan to help you set goals and strategies for every donor. This template, featured in the white paper “Creating Strategic Goals & Strategies for Every Donor,” is a game-changer for major gift fundraisers. 👉 Check out the blog and download the FREE Donor Engagement Plan on our website today! https://lnkd.in/g4paKw7m #NonprofitLeadership #MajorGifts #MidLevelDonors #FundraisingTips #DonorEngagement #PersistencePaysOff

How often do you thank your donors—and does it make an impact? Saying thank you is one of the most powerful ways to strengthen relationships with donors. This Black Friday, grab our Ultimate Donor Thank You Templates for just $27 and: ✔️ Show your donors the appreciation they deserve. ✔️ Save time with pre-written, professionally crafted letters. ✔️ Increase donor retention and loyalty. Make sure every donor feels valued and inspired to give again. 🔗 Get your templates now link below 👇🏾 #ThankYourDonors #DonorRetention #BlackFridayForGood #FundraisingTips #NonprofitLeadership

13 Year-End Fundraising Fumbles: Don’t Fall into the S.O.S. Trap! 🆘 The Same Old Story can sneak up on even the best year-end campaigns. Reusing the same messaging every year might seem like a time-saver, but it can lead to donor fatigue and disengagement. 😴 This year, let’s flip the script! Use fresh stories of impact, new testimonials, or exciting updates to inspire your donors. Remember, your mission is still vital, and your messaging should reflect that energy. Even in November, it’s not too late to refresh your appeal and show donors why their support still matters. Stay tuned for more fumbles (and fixes) as we tackle all 13 together! 🚀 #FundraisingTips #YearEndGiving #NonprofitSuccess #FreshMessaging #FinishStrong

🚨 January is key for donor retention! 🚨 That’s why we asked monthly giving expert, Dana Snyder, what she recommends to retain your end-of-year donors and start the year strong by building lasting relationships. Here's how: 1️⃣ Say Thanks – Show donors their impact and why they matter. 2️⃣ Share Wins – Re-engage with stories, annual reports, and program highlights. 3️⃣ Promote Monthly Giving – Frame recurring donations as a New Year’s resolution to help others. 4️⃣ Announce What’s Next – Share your vision and goals for 2025. 5️⃣ Act Early – The first 90 days are critical for turning new donors into recurring ones. 6️⃣ Tell Stories – Build emotional ties through meaningful storytelling. ✨ Prepare now to make this January count and keep the momentum going! #DonorRetention #MonthlyGiving #SustainableRevenue

Kick off 2025 with these 6 tips for donor retention from Dana Snyder 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼 Nonprofits that orient their donor stewardship and engagement strategies *toward* recurring giving can set the foundation for repeatable, predictable revenue throughout the year. If “grow recurring giving” is on your list of 2025 goals, check out Classy from GoFundMe’s Recurring Giving Playbook: https://lnkd.in/gjuJExVH If it’s not, it should be! Bookmark the playbook and follow Dana to grow your community of recurring donors this year 📈❤️

Did you grow your recurring supporters at the end of 2024? January can be a big month for cancellations. Here's 3 tips to make them feel SO seen and appreciated to stay with you!!

🎯 It's crunch time! The last quarter is when most nonprofits raise 30-50% of their annual funds. Here's your roadmap to maximize year-end giving: OCTOBER: Lay the Foundation Audit your donor database - who gave last year but hasn't this year? Draft your year-end appeal letter and email templates Schedule your social media content calendar Set up your online giving forms and test them Train your team on handling incoming donations Begin stewardship calls to major donors NOVEMBER: Build Momentum Launch your year-end campaign early (before Thanksgiving) Send personalized appeals to lapsed donors Create your #GivingTuesday strategy and assets Schedule reminder emails for early December Share impact stories across all channels Host a donor appreciation event DECEMBER: Sprint to Success Week 1: Execute #GivingTuesday campaign Week 2: Send first year-end appeal Week 3: Share matching gift opportunities Dec 26-31: Daily reminders about tax-deductible giving Dec 31: Send final countdown emails (morning, afternoon, evening) Pro Tips: ✨ Segment your appeals by giving history ✨ Make your donation process mobile-friendly ✨ Share specific impact stories and goals ✨ Always include clear calls-to-action! Remember: Your donors want to make a difference. Show them how their gift will create impact, and make it easy for them to give! #Fundraising #NonprofitManagement #YearEnd #GivingTuesday #DonorRelations #Leadership

13 Year-End Fundraising Fumbles: Let’s Talk Campaign Conga Line🕺🏼 Ever felt like fundraising campaigns just keep coming, one after the other? That’s what we call the Campaign Conga Line—back-to-back or overlapping appeals that leave donors feeling overwhelmed and confused. If this sounds familiar, don’t stress! While it may be too late to adjust this year’s lineup, now is the perfect time to take notes for next year: ✔️ Build in breathing room between campaigns to keep donors engaged, not fatigued. ✔️ Use donor-focused engagement emails (like impact stories or gratitude updates) between appeals. ✔️ Plan your campaign calendar early to avoid overlap and create a steady rhythm. Your donors will thank you—and you’ll see better results when your messaging feels intentional and clear. Stay tuned for more lessons to carry into next year as we tackle all 13 fundraising fumbles! 🚀 #FundraisingTips #YearEndGiving #NonprofitSuccess #PlanAhead #FinishStrong

Is Your Donor Retention Strategy Strong Enough? Getting new donors is great, but retaining them is even better. How solid is your plan to keep donors engaged and coming back? Retention Boosters: • Thank-you emails: Are you promptly acknowledging contributions with a heartfelt message? • Impact reports: Do you share regular updates on how donations are making a difference? • Special events: Do you offer unique opportunities for donors to engage more deeply with your mission? Quick task: Set up a “welcome series” for new donors to keep them engaged from the start. It can make all the difference in building a loyal base. #donorretention #nonprofitstrategy #fundraisingtips #thankyouemails #impactreports #specialevents #welcomeseries #donordelight