7 Year-End Fundraising Email Tips

The year-end giving season is crucial for nonprofits and organizations. (Yes, we know you already know this!) And whether you are team email or team anti-email, a well-crafted email can make all the difference in meeting your fundraising goals. Fun fact: nearly 30% of annual giving happens in December alone, and 10% of all donations come in during the last three days of the year (source). Whether you want to blame tax deductions or the holiday spirit, it’s clear that December is not a time to ignore! So, how do you make your emails to donors stand out in a sea of endless emails? ESPECIALLY during the holiday season when it feels like emails are on overdrive. (Maycember, anyone?) It may feel like an uphill battle, but statistically, you stand a better chance at reaching your audience through a targeted email than just about any other medium. So what’s the catch, then? Doing email well.

There are many ways to go about your email strategy, but we’re firm believers in getting back to the basics. Whether you're looking to engage existing donors or attract new ones, here are 7 simple but effective tips to help your year-end fundraising emails stand out. (And NOT make Scrooges out of your subscribers!)

TLDR: Make a good subject line, include a personal video, avoid batch sending emails, give a clear and urgent call to action, include a visually appealing progress report, time it right, and include a testimonial or two or three.

Subject Line, Subject line, Subject Line

Your subject line is your first impression. If it falls flat, your email might as well not exist. Think about it - how often do you skip an email because the subject line didn’t catch your attention or interest you? In 2024, the average open rate for nonprofit emails was around 26.6% (source), so crafting a solid subject line is your best shot at getting noticed! (The industry average for a non-nonprofit is closer to 21%, which suggests that nonprofit audiences who care about particular causes are in fact reading emails!). As you craft your subject line, try things like personalizing it with your recipient’s name, or creating curiosity with something like, “Hey Sarah, we think you’ll really like this!” And as always, keep it short and sweet. Aim for 6-10 words. BONUS: include a deadline. Think about something like, “Only 3 days left to make an impact!”, “John, be a part of record giving before it’s too late!”

Don't forget the preview text (the little snippet of text that shows up next to the subject line). Think of it as an extension of your subject line that can further draw readers in. You might be surprised how important this is! If you’re unsure where this shows up, open up your email app on your phone and give it a look.

Add a Video of YOU!

Give the people what they want, what they really, really want! They want to hear from YOU! Not just your copywriter or the intern you’ve put in charge of email, but you! It doesn’t make much effort to record a 30 second video on your phone and embed it into your email. Don’t stress about the production value - just be authentic! Give your donors a brief update or a simple “Thank You!”

BONUS: Text this video out to a handful of donors and include a condensed version of your email. “Hey _____! Just wanted to let you know how grateful I am for the ways you support our mission at ______. I’m sending out an email today, but wanted to make sure you watched this first. Can’t wait to finish the year strong - we can’t do it without you! Blessings, {name}. [video below]. 

Speak to Donors Personally (Avoid Batch Emails!)

We’ve all received those one-size-fits-all emails, and let’s be honest - they get archived or deleted quicker than we’d like to admit. Your donors feel the same way! They want to feel valued, not like a random line on a spreadsheet. Try to avoid batch-sending your emails and instead try segmenting your audiences based on things like donation history or engagement level. This will elevate your emails and make them feel much more personal and relevant to your donor(s). This one is easier said than done, and honestly is probably the most difficult one to implement. It can be SO easy to send one email to your audience at large, and call it a day. But, if you can separate out your audience, even if it’s just two or three pools, you can write more compelling content for each group. Think about it like this: send one email to one time donors, one email to prospective donors, and one email to regular donors - or those who donate at the highest level. You can use the same copy, but just tweak a few sentences to make them feel much more personalized. It doesn’t need to be complicated, but you might want to ‘thank’ a one time donor slightly different than your most generous donor(s).

Provide a Clear Call to Action With a Touch of Urgency

People need to know exactly what you want them to do, and it needs to feel urgent. Just saying “Please donate” won’t cut it these days. (When? Why? Does it really need to be done right now?) There is absolutely no sense of urgency behind the phrase, “Please donate.” Try something more action-oriented and similar to writing your subject line, try including a deadline alongside your CTA. Think about phrases like, "Help us reach our goal by December 31st - donate today by clicking here!" or “Don’t miss the chance to double your impact before the year ends!” However you phrase it, just remember to keep it simple and don’t clutter your email with multiple asks or steps. Clear direction. Clear button/link. Wham bam thank ya ma’am.

Include Positive Visuals (Donors Love a Good Progress Report!)

Including photos, infographics, or progress bars in your email will help donors visualize the impact of their gift. Plus, emails with visuals tend to have higher engagement. Consider adding a progress bar showing how close you are to your fundraising goal, or add some photos of the people being directly impacted by donors’ generosity. (Cute smiling kids are always a win in our book!) Just remember to make sure your image file sizes are small to avoid causing slow load times on phones. There is nothing more annoying than waiting for an email to load on your phone because of a large image or video. Over 50% of all emails are opened on mobile devices so be sure to test it ahead of time!

Quick tips -

• Try to avoid stock images if possible.

• Make sure you’re using simple, clean graphics that align with your brand’s look and feel. Now is not the time to go rogue! (Canva Queens we’re lookin’ at you!)

Time it Right

Timing can make or break your email success! Historically, the best days to send emails are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, with Tuesdays around 10:00am being particularly *chef’s kiss*. Don’t blame us, we’re just the messengers! Do. Not. Send on Fridays - especially during the holidays. People are mentally checked out for the weekend as soon as Friday rolls around so do your best to avoid sending anything important on a Friday! (This doesn’t mean you CAN’T send an email on Friday, but the odds of it not being read until at least Monday are V high.)

Schedule your emails for early morning or late in the evening when people are more likely to check their inbox. Think about it: how often do you find yourself scrolling late in the evening when an email pops up? Are you more likely to swipe over and read it while you’re relaxed on the couch or will you really ignore it until the next business day? I’m going to go out on a mostly-experienced-based-limb-here and say that surprisingly, most folks will read the email! Why? Because it was simply delivered during a less noisy time and you’re not competing with their work day. 

Don’t forget to plan ahead and set up a scheduled series of emails to go out during the final days of December when last-minute giving spikes. (Gotta get those tax write-offs!) Thankfully with today’s email capabilities, you can schedule everything ahead of time and still be free to enjoy the holidays with your family! Work smarter, not harder.

Testimonials = Gold

Who doesn’t love a testimonial? Not only does it help your donors see where their funds are going and the direct impact they’re making, but it also inspires a little FOMO. When donors can see other donors actively participating in your mission, they’re more likely to jump in too! After all, no one likes to be left out of a good time.

Credibility, emotional appeal, and a little FOMO - the trifecta!

Try including a short testimonial from a past donor with tangible evidence: “Giving to ______(your org) has been one of the most impactful things I’ve done this year because _______!” [...I’ve been able to personally help provide backpacks for X # of kids.] The more specific your testimonial is, the easier it will be for someone to picture themselves within it.

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Year-end emails don’t have to be a nightmare - they can be life-giving for both you and your donors and maybe even spark a little joy. Getting back to the basics of good email technique will do wonders and help you wrap up another successful year of fundraising. What tips would you add? What’s worked for you or hasn’t worked for you? Send us an email (with a strong subject line!) or a message and let us know!