Part One: Planning and Preparation

 Okay, it’s the dog days of summer. Who’s thinking about the end of the year? It’s time to swap your sun hat for your fundraising hat.

Although the holiday giving season may still seem far away, planning a successful year-end fundraising campaign takes time. These efforts are crucial for many organizations, which is why it’s important to be proactive and start getting plans into shape as soon as possible. Figuring out how to build an effective end-of-year campaign for your organization – or where to even begin – is the tricky part.

So, where do you start? Here are four ways to kick off planning for a successful year-end:

1. Before kicking off your campaign, it is important to invest the time to strategically plan and prepare. The first step is to understand your donors by looking at demographics, donation amounts, and frequency of contributions. Ask yourself some key questions, such as:

• Who are our most loyal donors?
• What are the most popular donation methods?
• When do we see spikes in donations? If, for example, you notice that many donations come in during the last week of December, it’s a clear indicator that this period should be a focus for your end-of-year efforts.

2. Next, set clear, achievable goals that give your campaign direction and purpose. Start by reviewing past campaigns to understand what worked, what didn’t, and why. Use this data to set SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound) goals. Then, divide your overall target into smaller, more manageable milestones. For instance, if you aim to raise $100,000, break it down into weekly or even daily targets. This makes the goal less daunting and allows for real-time adjustments.

3. The next step in your planning process should identify your target audience and their giving preferences. Not all donors are the same, so tailoring your message to different segments of your audience can significantly increase engagement and donations. Some ways to gain insight are by using donor data, creating donor personas, and surveying your donors about their preferences.

4. The last thing to do before crafting your campaign is to create a well-structured timeline to ensure that your campaign runs smoothly and that all team members know their roles. To build your campaign timeline, there are a few key steps to consider. Identify key dates such as campaign launch, major fundraising events, and deadlines. Then, start from your end date and work backward to ensure you allocate enough time for each task. You’ll then want to clearly define who is responsible for what and schedule regular check-ins to review progress. Here’s an example timeline:

• August - September: Conduct donor base analysis and set goals.
• September: Develop creative campaign materials and segment your audience.
• October: Launch preliminary communications and start building awareness.
• November: Intensify outreach with email campaigns, social media blitzes, and direct mail.
• December: Push for final donations, host events, and send thank you notes.

These steps should get you started in planning your end-of-year fundraising campaign. As exciting as it is to dive right in, strategically planning and preparing in advance will set you up for success. Designate time to understand your donors, set SMART goals, identify your target audience, and build your campaign timeline, and you’ll be off to the races.

You can learn more about this process in "CanadaHelps’ Ultimate End-of-Year Campaign Guide" eBook, which also includes a detailed 6-month timeline for end-of-year giving.

CanadaHelps created the guide to maximizing end-of-year giving, tailored specifically for the Canadian market in the form of an eBook. It serves as a practical resource designed to help you craft effective strategies and understand donor behaviour at this pivotal time, so you can reach your goals.

Happy planning!

Naomi Barghiel is a Communications Specialist at CanadaHelps, Canada’s largest online giving and fundraising platform in Canada. To learn more, visit www.forcharities.canadahelps.org