Here in Chicago, it doesn’t quite feel like fall yet. The trees have their leaves, and you can still go out in a t-shirt and enjoy the sun.
But summer is starting to feel very fleeting, and I know cooler weather and shorter days are on the way. And for my fellow fundraisers, that means year-end giving is right around the corner.
In busy development shops, it can feel like September is too early to be thinking about year-end giving. We’re still three months out! But this is actually the perfect time to start planning for your best year-end giving yet.
Not sure where to start? I’ve compiled three great resources to start with.
The 3 S’s of Early-Bird Year-End Planning
- Storytelling. How can you stand out during the busy year-end appeals story? Powerful storytelling. Check out 5 Tips for Better Storytelling in Your Year-End Appeal to be ahead of the game.
- Segmentation. Perhaps you’ve crafted your best year-end mailer yet. If you don’t send it to the right people, unfortunately, it won’t have the intended result. And we all know that building your year-end list always takes longer than you think. Luckily, you can check out this blog for tips on donor segmentation and an awesome worksheet that will make the process simpler.
- Stewardship. The most successful year-end campaigns are the culmination of a year of thoughtful stewardship. Fall is a great time to kick your stewardship into high-gear to prep your donors for that year-end ask. Check out 5 Ways to Improve Your Stewardship and Achieve Your Best Year-End Yet for tangible tips and a checklist you can use to get started.
.png)
.png)
