10 Year-End Fundraising Tips

1. Identify the 10-15 major donors who have yet to give in 2011, assign them to board members for solicitation.
2. Identify 50-100 donors who have yet to give in 2011 and make face-to-face visits to ask them for increased year-end gifts.
3. Don’t let reluctant volunteers hold you back.
4. Warm up your donors before the ask through snail mail and email.
5. Make your appeal letter attractive and easy to read.
6. Make your solicitation obvious and easy to find—in the first paragraph.
7. Follow up the appeal letter with a phone call on a targeted group of donors likely to increase their gift.
8. Plan one e-mail follow-up each week after the direct mail has been received, and at least two e-mail touches the very last two business days of December.
9. Add to your prospect list for cultivation and solicitation next year.
10. Make everyone assume a development role for 2012!