Many nonprofits receive 40 percent or more of their annual fundraising in the final weeks of the year. Start planning now—don’t wait until it’s too late.
I have a few really hot “tips” for you about year-end giving, but first, here’s the data supporting the “tips.” By sharing these first, my “tips” will be self-evident.
- Charitable gifts were up 3 percent last year, and wealthy individuals were responsible for most of the increase.
- Baby Boomers are today’s major donors. They comprise only 34 percent of all donors, but are giving 43 percent of the money.
- 64 percent of all charitable gifts are made by women, and older women are more likely to give and give more than their male counterparts.
- 89 percent of high net-worth individuals volunteer with nonprofits.
With these four statistics in mind, here we go…
Hot Tip No. 3
Are pictures of girls and women in your promotional materials positioned in a way that invites the attention of new female donors? I suggest that you gather testimony from existing female donors about why they give and post them at your website. Feature their stories by making two-minute videos in which they share what draws them to your work. Given the statistics above, I would urge your year-end drive to be sensitive to this approach.
- Categories:
- Annual Campaigns
Laurence is author of "The Nonprofit Fundraising Solution," the first book on fundraising ever published by the American Management Association. He is chairman of LAPA Fundraising serving nonprofits throughout the U.S. and Europe.