Donor management software can help nonprofits make the most of their holiday fundraising efforts. As the end of the year approaches, reach out to regular and new contributors with creative funding methods. Taking a unique approach to seasonal giving will help the organization stand out and attract more donations.
In Durham, North Carolina, the Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers, Inc. sells Christmas trees in an effort to fund residents of its addiction recovery program. As reported by WNCN, the trees are sold by recovering addicts living at TROSA and all earnings go back into the program. Food, clothing, vocational training, significant counseling and education are made possible by the tree sales.
Rob McAfee, a donor to TROSA for over a decade, stated that “because you are going to get a tree anyway you might as well get it at a place where you know your money is helping people and also staying in the community.”
Use neighborly relationships
Nonprofits should also reach out to shops around their communities in order to boost their seasonal contributions. As Fundraising Ideas pointed out, window painting during the holidays is an excellent way to not only promote local small businesses, but to build new relationships with community leaders. Painting storefront windows with holiday- and winter-themed scenes gives business owners a chance to give back and improve their look. Local coffee shops could place charity-specific donation jars at their registers, rather than one for tips.
“Taking a unique approach to seasonal giving helps an organization stand out.”
There are also more widely recognizable partners that nonprofit organizations could look to during this time of year. Yankee Candle Fundraising is a charter member of the Association of Fundraising Distributors & Suppliers. The candle supplier, popular for its deliciously scented seasonal candles, works with charities to help meet their earning goals. For each sale an organization makes, they keep 40 percent of the profit. This type of fundraising is an excellent alternative – or addition – to hosting a bake sale.
With donor management software, reaching out to contributors during the holiday season becomes a much simpler task. Not only can donors track their giving online through their own profiles, organizations can seamlessly incorporate the platform into their websites. Donors won’t have to navigate any foreign software to access their history and find ways to give. As nonprofits enter into the busiest time of the year, they need to ensure giving methods are engaging, creative and above all, simple.