December is when your email list does its most important work. Nonprofits in the M+R Benchmarks study received 37% of their 2025 online revenue in December, and 4% on December 31 alone. The emails you send in the last six weeks of the year carry a large share of your annual online results.
Below are nine year-end appeal email templates you can copy and adapt, from an early ask in mid-November through the January thank-you. Each one comes with a send date and the donor segment it's written for. You'll also find a 2026 sending calendar, subject lines grouped by purpose, and a checklist for tracking results in your CRM.
In This Guide
Why the Last Weeks of December Matter
Source: M+R Benchmarks 2026, Fundraising. Figures are shares of annual online revenue for nonprofits in the study, 2025 data.
The M+R Benchmarks 2026 study puts the year-end rush in plain terms: "In 2025, nonprofits received 37% of all online revenue in December alone." The last week of the year accounted for 10% of annual online revenue, and the last day accounted for 4%. The concentration varies by cause. Hunger and poverty organizations raised 46% of their online revenue in December, with giving spread more evenly across the month.
At the same time, any single email reaches only a small share of your list. M+R's email benchmarks found that fundraising emails had a 0.59% click-through rate and a 0.05% response rate in 2025, and that nonprofits received $54 for every 1,000 fundraising emails sent. Year-end results come from a sequence of messages, each with a clear purpose, sent to the right people at the right time.
Segment Your List Before You Write
Sending one appeal to your whole list is a common year-end mistake. A donor who gave on Giving Tuesday, a monthly donor, and someone who stopped giving three years ago need different messages. Build these segments first, then pick the templates that fit each one.
| Segment | Who's in it | What changes in the email |
|---|---|---|
| Recent donors | Gave on Giving Tuesday or since | Thank them first. Skip the main appeal and offer a monthly option instead. |
| Current-year donors | Gave earlier in 2026, not since | Mention their earlier gift and ask for a year-end gift on top of it. |
| Lapsed donors | Gave in a past year, not in 2026 (often called LYBUNT or SYBUNT) | Acknowledge what their past gift did and invite them back with a specific ask. |
| Monthly donors | Active recurring gift | Lead with thanks and impact. Make a one-time year-end gift optional, and send fewer asks. |
| Event guests | Attended a fall gala or holiday event | Reference event night and the goal the room was working toward. |
| Non-donors | Subscribers, volunteers, advocates | Explain the need in plain terms and offer a smaller first-gift amount. |
LYBUNT means "last year but unfortunately not this year." SYBUNT means "some year but unfortunately not this year."
Most CRMs can save these as reports or list views. Build them by mid-November and refresh them before each send, so donors who just gave move out of the main appeal. If you ran a fall event, How to Turn Your Fall Event Into a Year-End Giving Engine covers how to carry the event-night goal into your December emails.
Your 2026 Year-End Email Calendar
December 31, 2026 falls on a Thursday, so the final push runs Tuesday through Thursday of the last week. This calendar assumes you're also running a Giving Tuesday campaign on December 1. If you're not, move the main appeal up a week.
| When | Send to | |
|---|---|---|
| Tue., Nov. 17 | #1 Early appeal | Current-year and lapsed donors |
| Nov. 24–Dec. 2 | Giving Tuesday sequence (see our Giving Tuesday guide) | Full list |
| Tue., Dec. 8 | #2 Main story appeal | Everyone except recent donors |
| Tue., Dec. 15 | #3 Match announcement | Everyone except recent donors |
| Tue., Dec. 15 | #4 Recent donor note | Recent donors only |
| Thu., Dec. 17 | #5 Lapsed donor appeal | Lapsed donors |
| Dec. 22–26 | Optional holiday note with no ask, or no send | Full list |
| Tue., Dec. 29 | #6 Three days left | Everyone who hasn't given since Dec. 1 |
| Thu., Dec. 31 | #7 Last day (morning) and #8 Final hours (afternoon) | Everyone who hasn't given since Dec. 1 |
| Jan. 4–6 | #9 Thank-you and results | Donors, plus a results version for everyone else |
Wednesday, December 30, is a good day to resend the December 29 email to people who didn't open it, with a new subject line. Adjust the volume to your list. An organization that emails monthly may want to skip the optional sends, while a list used to frequent updates can handle the full sequence.
Nine Year-End Appeal Email Templates
Replace the bracketed text with your own details, and use merge fields for names and gift amounts where your email tool supports them. Keep each email to one ask and one button. The goal and the specific outcome should stay the same in each message, so supporters hear one consistent story all season.
Hi [First Name],
Year-end giving season is almost here, and we know many supporters like to plan their gifts before December gets busy.
This year, we're raising [$Goal] by December 31 to [specific outcome, e.g., "keep our shelter open seven nights a week through the winter"]. [One sentence on why it matters now.]
If you give through a donor-advised fund or by check, here's how: [link or mailing address].
[Button: Give Early]
Thank you for thinking of us early,
[Sender Name]
Why it works: Donors who give through a donor-advised fund, or who plan gifts with family, often decide before December. Grants from a donor-advised fund can also take time to process, so an early ask gives them room.
Hi [First Name],
In [month], [Name] [one-sentence situation, e.g., "came to our food pantry for the first time, two weeks after losing her job"].
[Two or three sentences: what your organization did, and what changed for them.]
[Name] wasn't alone. This year, [number] [people, families, or animals] needed the same help. To be ready for [next season or next year], we need to raise [$Goal] by December 31.
[$Amount] [does a specific thing]. [$Larger Amount] [does a bigger thing].
[Button: Give by December 31]
Thank you for being part of [Name]'s story,
[Sender Name]
P.S. [Repeat the deadline and the one concrete outcome.]
Why it works: One person's story is easier to picture than a program summary. Use a real story with the person's permission, or change identifying details.
Hi [First Name],
Some good news: [Match Sponsor] has offered to match gifts to [Organization], dollar for dollar, up to [$Match Amount] through December 31.
That means a [$50] gift becomes [$100] for [specific outcome].
We're [X]% of the way to our [$Goal] goal.
[Button: Double My Gift]
Thank you,
[Sender Name]
Why it works: A match gives a second reason to give now instead of later. If you announced a match at a fall event or on Giving Tuesday, ask the sponsor to extend it through December 31.
Hi [First Name],
Thank you for your gift of [$Gift Amount] on [date]. [One sentence on what it's already doing.]
I wanted you to know where things stand: we're at [$Amount] of our [$Goal] goal, and [Match Sponsor] is matching gifts through December 31.
If you'd like your support to keep going all year, you can turn your gift into a monthly one.
[Button: Give Monthly]
Either way, thank you for making this year possible,
[Sender Name]
Why it works: Someone who just gave shouldn't get the same appeal as someone who hasn't. Lead with thanks and offer a different next step. How recurring upsells work covers the monthly ask on the form itself.
Hi [First Name],
In [year of last gift], you gave [$Last Gift Amount] to help [what that gift supported]. Thank you. [One sentence on what it did.]
A lot has changed since then. [One sentence on growth or a new need.]
This year we're raising [$Goal] to [specific outcome], and we'd love to have you back.
[Button: Renew My Support]
If now isn't the right time, we understand. You can [update your email preferences] anytime.
With thanks,
[Sender Name]
Why it works: Naming the past gift shows you remember. Pull the last gift date and amount from your CRM into merge fields. For more on what to say, see How to Re-Engage Lapsed Donors During Fundraising Campaigns.
Hi [First Name],
There are three days left in 2026, and we're at [$Amount] of our [$Goal] goal.
[$Remaining] stands between us and [specific outcome]. Gifts made by December 31 are still being matched by [Match Sponsor].
[Button: Help Close the Gap]
Thank you,
[Sender Name]
Why it works: A real number makes the deadline concrete. Update the totals the morning you send, and resend on December 30 to people who didn't open it, with a new subject line.
Hi [First Name],
Today is the last day of 2026, and the last day to help us reach [$Goal] for [specific outcome].
We're [$Remaining] away. [One sentence calling back to the story from your main appeal.]
[Button: Give Before Midnight]
Thank you,
[Sender Name]
Why it works: On the last day, shorter is better. Supporters already know the story; they need the deadline and the button.
[First Name],
I'll keep this short. We have until midnight to raise the last [$Remaining] for [specific outcome].
If you've been meaning to give this year, here's the link: [Give now]
Thank you, and happy new year.
[Executive Director Name]
Why it works: A plain-text note from a real person stands out in a crowded inbox. Send it in the afternoon, so supporters can act before evening plans.
Hi [First Name],
Thank you. Between [start date] and December 31, [Number] supporters gave [$Total] to [Organization], including your gift of [$Gift Amount].
Because of you, [specific outcome] in 2027.
In [month], we'll send you a short update on what your gift is doing. No ask, just the results.
With gratitude,
[Sender Name]
Why it works: Reporting back is what earns the next gift. Send a version without the gift line to non-donors, so they hear the results too. Year-end gift receipts can go out separately, following the receipting practice your finance team already uses.
Year-End Subject Lines by Purpose
The subject line decides whether the rest of the email gets read. Pick one that matches the email's job, keep it short enough to read on a phone, and test two versions on your larger sends.
Deadline
- Last day to give in 2026
- Midnight tonight: [specific outcome]
- 3 days left to reach [$Goal]
Match
- Your gift is doubled until Dec. 31
- [Match Sponsor] is matching your gift
- Make your gift go twice as far
Story
- [Name] couldn't wait until spring
- What happened after [Name] walked in
- A note about [Name]
Personal
- It's been a while, [First Name]
- Thank you, [First Name]
- A quick note before midnight
Avoid all caps and stacked exclamation points, which can read as spam to both people and filters. Specific beats clever: a subject line that names the outcome or the deadline tells the reader why to open now.
Writing Tips That Make the Templates Work
- One goal, one story, all season. Use the same dollar goal and the same outcome in each email. Repetition is how a busy supporter remembers what you asked for.
- One ask and one button. A second link to your newsletter or your latest blog post competes with the gift. Save it for January.
- Write for a phone. Short paragraphs, a large button, and a donation page that loads fast on mobile.
- Use a real sender. An email from a named person, such as your executive director or development director, reads as a note instead of a broadcast.
- Include a P.S. on longer emails. Many readers skim to the bottom. Restate the deadline and the outcome there.
- Review any tax language. If you mention tax deductions, have your finance lead or tax advisor review the wording before you send.
Check Your Donation Page and Tracking
Each template ends in a button, and each button lands on the same page. Before your first send, give a test gift on your phone and check that the page:
- Opens in place. A donation pop-up lets supporters give from the page they're already on. See how donation modals increase online giving.
- Shows the goal and the match. Repeat the same goal, sponsor, and deadline your emails use.
- Offers monthly giving. A recurring prompt after a donor picks a one-time amount gives them an easy way to keep giving.
- Accepts year-end payment methods. Card, ACH, PayPal, and Apple Pay cover most donors. DAFpay lets donors recommend a grant from their donor-advised fund on the same form.
- Lets donors choose a fund. If gifts can support more than one program, donation designations handle it on one form.
Soapbox Engage Donations includes recurring upsells, fee coverage, and DAFpay on one form.
Then set up tracking, so you can see in January which emails and segments worked:
- Create a year-end 2026 campaign in your CRM, separate from Giving Tuesday, so you can report on each one.
- Give each email its own source code or tracked link.
- Save your segments as reports or list views, and refresh them before each send.
- Record match details (sponsor, cap, and gifts counted toward it) where your team can see them.
- Run a test gift and confirm it lands on the right campaign, fund, and donor record.
Soapbox Engage Donations syncs each gift to Salesforce or Microsoft Dynamics in real time, with the campaign and source code attached. On December 31, a gift made in the morning is already in your CRM when you pull the list for the afternoon email.
After January, keep going with the donors you gained. A thank-you, an impact update, and a well-timed second ask matter as much as the appeal itself. How to Thank Donors After a Fundraising Event has more stewardship ideas that apply to year-end donors too.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should nonprofits send year-end appeal emails?
A typical sequence starts with an early appeal in mid-November, runs Giving Tuesday on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, sends the main appeal in early to mid-December, and concentrates the final push on December 29 through 31. In 2026, Giving Tuesday is December 1 and December 31 is a Thursday.
How many year-end appeal emails should we send?
The calendar above sends up to seven year-end emails to a supporter who hasn't given, plus an optional resend and holiday note, not counting Giving Tuesday. Segmenting keeps the count reasonable: recent donors, monthly donors, and lapsed donors each get fewer, more tailored messages. Smaller lists that rarely hear from you may do better with fewer.
Should we send the year-end appeal to people who gave on Giving Tuesday?
Send them a different message. Thank them for their gift, share progress toward the goal, and offer a different next step, such as becoming a monthly donor. Template #4 above is written for this group.
What makes a good year-end appeal subject line?
Short and specific. Name the deadline, the match, a person, or the outcome. "3 days left to reach [$Goal]" tells the reader more than a clever phrase. Test two versions on your larger sends.
How long should a year-end appeal email be?
The main story appeal can run 150 to 250 words. The emails in the last three days should be shorter, often under 75 words, because supporters already know the story and need the deadline and the button.
Can we mention tax deductions in a year-end appeal?
Many nonprofits do, but tax rules vary by donor and change over time. Have your finance lead or a tax advisor review any tax language before you send it.
Get Your Year-End Page Ready
Soapbox Engage Donations syncs each year-end gift to your CRM in real time.
Related Reading:
- Giving Tuesday 2026: A Nonprofit Planning Guide With Email Templates
- How to Turn Your Fall Event Into a Year-End Giving Engine
- How to Re-Engage Lapsed Donors During Fundraising Campaigns
- How Recurring Upsells Help Nonprofits Turn One-Time Gifts Into Monthly Support
- Donation Popups: How Modals Increase Online Giving Conversion Rates
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