Thanksgiving is the unofficial start to the holiday season and year-end giving rush. About 50% of nonprofits receive most of their annual donations during the last three months of the year. In fact, 31% of all annual giving occurs during that year-end giving window!
It's critical to have a solid year-end fundraising plan, and what better time to kick that campaign off than with Thanksgiving. But who wants to host the same old fundraising events year after year! We rounded up some great Thanksgiving-centered fundraising ideas you can incorporate into your year-end giving campaign and some practical strategies to boost your overall fundraising efforts.
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4 Pillars of Thanksgiving Fundraising (well… all fundraising)
While Thanksgiving (and the beginning of the holiday season) is a great time to fundraise, there are some practical things your nonprofit can do to boost your overall year-end giving strategy.
1. Thank your current supporters
What better time to say thank you than around Thanksgiving! Expressing gratitude is an essential part of building a solid relationship with your supporters. In fact, many donors consider whether they feel appreciated and valued or not when deciding whether to continue giving.
There are many creative ways to say thank you to your donors. Whether you take the time to call donors to say thank you or you send handwritten thank you cards, carve out time to connect with your supporters.
This isn't to say that you should only thank your supporters around Thanksgiving. It's critical to express gratitude throughout the year in various ways.
2. Get personal with your communication
Everyone's trying to get attention for their organization during year-end fundraising. Stand out in the crowd by getting personal. Personalization is especially valuable for donor retention over time.
Take time to segment your donor lists by things like interests, geography, and other demographics. This helps you tell stories and share details that will connect with them, whether they've donated before or not.
It also helps to add personalized details to each communication, like using their name in email subject lines.
Really, you know your donors. Whether you've taken time to gather personal information about each one or you're leaning on your experience and general knowledge. You've taken time to learn what they connect with and what matters to them. Now is the time to put that knowledge to use and create personalized fundraising content that will resonate with each group of supporters.
3. Emphasize impact and accomplishment
Donors care deeply about what their hard-earned money can accomplish. Conveying impact is more important than ever when you're trying to remain visible and relevant in an overcrowded fundraising environment.
There are two critical questions on the minds of supporters this year: "What are you doing to solve the problem your organization is centered on?" and "How are you navigating the challenges of the past two years?"
The first question is always critical and the second is a more recent concern. Regardless, presenting clear answers to these questions can help motivate donors to continue supporting your cause. Present a compelling case for why they should care and become emotionally invested in your cause. Show them how their gift is transforming the world. Stories that demonstrate your impact go a long way to connect with your audience.
4. Digital marketing matters in Thanksgiving fundraising
Website content, social media posts, and emails are the foundation of a successful year-end fundraising campaign. Why not start with a Thanksgiving push across all your platforms? Not only are they affordable and effective, but they're also a great way to connect with your audience while they're traveling and enjoying the holiday.
People may be harder to connect with during the Thanksgiving season, and they might be less likely to attend an in-person event. But a few days of vacation time might also leave them scrolling social media. Take advantage of that and post quality, relevant content.
Additionally, starting around Thanksgiving gives you a good jump for your entire year-end fundraising strategy. Start casting vision for your year-end appeal coming up. As you begin to release digital content, assess how people are responding so you can adjust accordingly.
Starting before Thanksgiving gives you plenty of time to refine your content and messaging before the big push from Giving Tuesday to the end of the year.
4 Thanksgiving Themed Fundraisers
Now that you've got those four pillars in place, it's time to consider adding a Thanksgiving-themed fundraiser to your year-end calendar. We rounded up a few we thought you might like to consider.
1. The traditional turkey trot and other athletic fundraising ideas
Let's start with the traditional "Turkey Trot" or Thanksgiving 5K charity events. It's a fun and effective way to get people engaged with your cause and an opportunity to mobilize your supporters to do some crowdfunding or peer-to-peer fundraising.
There are also opportunities to get creative here! Not everyone loves to run or walk a few miles before turkey dinner. What about a "turkey stuffer powerlifting" event with your local gym or Crossfit community?
Are your supporters more into yoga or HIIT workouts? Partner with a local yoga instructor to have a charity "peace and thankfulness in the park" event. (The holidays can bring a lot of stress for some people, so they may be keen to get a bit of calming yoga in!) The sky's the limit here… and many of these kinds of charity events can be successful as both virtual and in-person fundraisers!
2. Pie or bake sale fundraisers
Pies, pastries, bread, and other treats are a staple in many American homes during Thanksgiving. Why not take advantage of this tradition by partnering with a bakery, chef, or restaurant to sell pies, bread, and other tasty treats to help people prepare for the upcoming feast. If they're hosting Thanksgiving, they'll be grateful to not have to cook one more thing. For people attending a dinner, they'll be excited to bring a tasty treat to contribute to the feast!
Be sure to offer local and regional favorites and maybe a few surprise selections, too! Start taking orders early to ensure everything's delivered before Turkey Day. The Soapbox Engage Forms app can really help you pull this fundraiser off in a streamlined, organized way.
3. Thanksgiving arts and crafts fundraiser
Are you looking for a fundraiser the whole family can enjoy? Consider hosting an in-person or virtual craft night so people can create a Thanksgiving-themed decoration or craft. Partner with a local craft store to design a custom centerpiece that people can make for their Thanksgiving table. Or host a paint night with Wine and Design to give people a chance to relax and paint a fall-themed masterpiece.
Craft or paint nights are increasingly popular, and many local craft and paint event stores have mastered the art of offering both in-person and virtual events. Invite your audience to craft for a cause this Thanksgiving!
4. Host a polar bear--or pumpkin--plunge or gourd regatta
Most organizations reserve polar bear plunges for late winter when the weather is especially grey and bleak. Why not change things up and host a polar bear plunge around Thanksgiving when families are getting together and looking for something fun and memorable to do! Add a Thanksgiving element by encouraging people to wear their favorite pumpkin costume.
Or, if you want to get especially adventurous, you can host a giant gourd regatta like Oregon City Lake. Participants paddle carved-out oversized pumpkins as far as they can across the water, and it's a spectacle to behold!
Now that you're prepped and ready for a solid Thanksgiving fundraising push, here are three more resources to take your year-end fundraising plan to the next level.
- 6 Tips to Desing an Effective Giving Tuesday Landing Page: Building and executing a successful fundraising campaign takes thought, strategy, and a lot of work. Giving Tuesday is right around the corner, and now is the time to start putting together a top-notch Giving Tuesday website. There are some practical things you can do to drive more visitors to your page and increase donations. This blog will help you build an effective Giving Tuesday landing page for your nonprofit.
- 4 Steps to Crushing Your Year-End Fundraising Goals: Most nonprofits understand how critical year-end giving is to their annual fundraising goals. With millions of dollars potentially at stake, it's crucial to have an excellent year-end fundraising strategy. We gathered some essential statistics every development professional should know about year-end giving and a few strategies to help you crush your fundraising goals.
- Add E-Commerce To Your Nonprofit Fundraising Strategy: An online store can provide a steady source of year-round revenue for your nonprofit. Adding e-commerce capabilities diversifies your funding sources and can help you raise more money without feeling tied to specific times of year or events. If establishing or upgrading your online store is part of your organization's strategic vision, this blog offers some tips and insights to help you accomplish that goal and select a user-friendly shop app.
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