Giving season, the time between Giving Tuesday and New Year’s Eve, is incredibly important to many mission-focused organizations worldwide. Donors already feel increasingly charitable, with nonprofits acquiring 10X more donors on Giving Tuesday compared to an average day of the year. It’s just directing their attention toward your cause and making strategic appeals.
If you’re looking to run an exceptionally successful year-end fundraising campaign, email marketing is a wonderful tool to engage new and existing audiences. We’re here to help you ensure your communications stand out to your audience to produce results with free, customizable email templates that you can use as a starting point.
1. Giving Tuesday Fundraising Appeal
Giving Tuesday, or the Tuesday immediately following Thanksgiving each year, is widely considered the start of end-of-the-year giving for nonprofits. Sending a Giving Tuesday email is a great opportunity to jump into the year-end season with a splash.
Subject line: Giving Tuesday is here — will you donate to support [organization]?
Dear [Donor Name],
This year, we’re celebrating Giving Tuesday to raise $[total fundraising revenue] in 24 hours. This funding will go to support our team in [example of mission programming], [example of mission programming], and [example of mission programming].
And we need your help! Will you consider making a $[suggested donation amount] donation]?
Sincerely,
[Name]
[Title]
[Organization]
P.S. Help us reach our goal twice as fast with a corporate matching gift! Click here to find out if you’re eligible through your employer: [link to dedicated matching gift page].
2. Giving Tuesday Thank You Message
Giving Tuesday is a short-term fundraising campaign. What happens after the day is over also matters. It’s always important to follow up with thank-you messages to donors who support your cause. After Giving Tuesday, you can use the opportunity to leverage existing giving momentum and begin the transition to your different end-of-year fundraising efforts.
Subject line: Thanks to you, we raised $[total fundraising revenue] on Giving Tuesday!
Dear [Donor Name],
We did it! We surpassed our initial fundraising goal yesterday and totaled $[total fundraising revenue] in generous donations for [summary of organization mission]. And we couldn’t have done it without you!
The team at [organization name] truly thanks you for your $[donation amount] gift. Thanks to your help, we’ll be able to [example of mission programming] more than ever before.
But the year isn’t over yet. Keep an eye out for additional ways to get involved as we continue our end-of-the-year fundraising initiatives.
We can’t thank you enough,
[Name]
[Title]
[Organization]
3. Beginning of December Fundraising Appeal
For nonprofit fundraisers, the month of December is essential. Fundraising studies show that more than 30% of total annual giving happens in the final month of the calendar year. As December rolls around, it’s time to increase your fundraising efforts and adjust your strategy. Don’t forget to ingrain a sense of urgency to drive giving!
Subject line: Help us reach our year-end giving goal of $[total fundraising revenue] this year!
Dear [Donor Name],
We’re [percentage]% of the way to reaching our annual fundraising goal with less than [number of days] to go. Can you help us enter into the new year with the funding to make a difference on [program beneficiaries]?
Please consider giving via our online donation form here [link to online donation form]. Or, check out our Ways to Give page to find out how else you can support the cause, including matching gifts, volunteer opportunities, in-kind donations, and more: [link to ways to give page].
Thank you for your ongoing support,
[Name]
[Title]
[Organization]
4. Year-End Giving (and Matching Gifts) Fundraising Emails
This general year-end email template can be used at any time in the final weeks and months of the year. Use it to communicate your organization’s mission, why it matters, and what your supporters can do to play a role. You’ll want to highlight matching gift opportunities, too.
Research shows that 84% of donors are more likely to donate if a match is offered, and one in three donors indicated they’d give a larger gift if a match is applied. This results in a 51% increase in average gift size and a 71% increase in response rate—great for standing out in the year-end giving season.
Subject line: The end of the year is the time for giving—and matching. See how you can help!
Dear [Donor Name],
This year, we were able to [specific nonprofit accomplishment], [specific nonprofit accomplishment], and [specific nonprofit accomplishment]—all thanks to generous donors like you.
Next year, we’re looking to do even more. Can we count on you to provide the support we need?
Your gift may even be eligible for a corporate match! Thousands of companies offer employee matching programs that contribute matching funds to the organizations their team members support. Find out whether your employer has one here [link to dedicated matching gift page].
Happy Holidays,
[Name]
[Title]
[Organization]
5. (It’s Not Too Late) Last Few Days of the Year Fundraising Appeal
You already know that December is a critical time for nonprofit fundraising. However, as the month (and year) wraps up donors tend to get increasingly generous with 30% of annual donation volume on Classy taking place between Giving Tuesday and December 31. Nearly one-third of all donations occur in the last month, and 10% of all annual donations come in the last three days of the year. Thus, it’s time to ramp up your fundraising efforts once again.
Subject line: It’s not too late to help us meet our annual giving goal!
Dear [Donor Name],
Last [week, month, year, etc.], [specific constituent name] came to us for assistance with [example of mission programming]. They had experienced and were looking for [summary of need].
We were honored to be able to help. Thanks to generous contributions from individuals like yourself, we had the resources to [description of impact for constituents].
To aid thousands of other people like [constituent name], we are again asking for your support.
With just [number of days] left in the year, will you consider donating $[suggested gift amount] to help us reach our annual giving goal? Please visit our online donation page here [link to online donation page] to help support [organization name] and the work we’re doing in our community.
Best,
[Name]
[Title]
[Organization]
6. Previous Donation Matching Gift Appeal
It’s always great to receive new donations in the year-end giving season, especially while generosity is high. What you don’t want to overlook, however, is the potential for existing donations to be matched, allowing the initial contribution to take on new life and do more for your cause. Tons of companies align their matching gift deadlines with the end of the calendar year, which means donations made as early as January can still qualify for corporate matching. Your donors might just need a little end-of-year reminder!
For this, you’ll want to get familiar with top matching gift companies and their match request deadlines. In doing so, you’ll be able to provide donors with guidelines specific to their employers’ programming and drive those still eligible to participate.
Subject line: Your previous donation may still qualify for an employer match. Find out here!
Dear [Donor Name],
According to our records, you made a generous donation of $[gift size] on [date of donation]. Did you know that gift is likely still eligible for a donation match from your employer, [company name]?
Through corporate donation matches, we can make your initial donation go even further for our cause. This allows us to do more [example of mission programming], [example of mission programming], and [example of mission programming]. And it’s all thanks to you and your employer!
Are you willing to complete a brief online submission form to request a match from your company? Click here to learn more about how to participate: [call to action: link to dedicated matching gift page].
Sincerely yours,
[Name]
[Title]
[Organization]
Build Off of the Momentum From Year-End Email Campaigns
Take these email fundraising templates, customize the content to make them your own (personalize using donor data), and watch the giving success ensue for your organization. Then, leverage your year-end fundraising momentum straight into the new year.
As you build supporter relationships during the giving season, make sure that your communications don’t fade out once the ball drops.
You can continue to leverage donor messaging strategies to ensure your supporters still feel connected and committed to your organization after the holiday season passes. Use the leading communication tips to engage donors after the giving season and ensure you have their support year-round. With these top strategies, you’ll foster an engaged donor base no matter the season.