A fundraising plan defines clear goals, keeps your team on track, provides accountability, and ultimately helps you raise more for your cause. But where should you start when writing your plan?

In this quick guide, we’ll explain the crucial steps your team needs to take to build your fundraising plan. Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Why are fundraising plans so essential?
• 7 steps to create a fundraising plan
• Free fundraising plan template for nonprofits
• Take your fundraising further with Bloomerang

The post How to write a nonprofit fundraising plan: free template appeared first on Bloomerang.

If you want faithful volunteers, you need to treat them just like donors by learning about their interests and sharing their impact.

How can you make sure you deliver stellar experiences that keep them coming back? Craft a volunteer stewardship plan that thanks and cultivates your volunteers by telling them how their support makes a difference.

To get you started, here are six strategies to ensure your volunteers stay loyal

1. Onboard with ease

The secret to happy, loyal volunteers who want to give you their time (and money) is making sure their experience is rewarding.

Remember that 1980s shampoo commercial: “You never get a second chance to make a first impression”? How’s your first impression?

Imagine coming in for a shift, but nothing’s ready. When you finally find someone in charge and ask them what needs to be done, they act like they’re being put out of their way to find something for you to do.

Make your volunteers feel valued from the start by offering a warm welcome, a quick introduction, or even a short tour of your work. But don’t stop there—invite them into the conversation! Ask questions to understand what brought them to you, what excites them about getting involved, and how you can best support their experience:

• How did you hear about us?
• What motivated you to get involved?
• What type of projects are you interested in?
• Do you have any special or technical skills?
• How do you prefer to be contacted?

2. Share impact stories, testimonials, and updates

Volunteers want to know their time matters. Use real stories and updates to connect their efforts to the impact they’re making. This isn’t just for orientation—it’s a critical part of your volunteer follow-up and stewardship, helping you build dedicated, loyal volunteers who keep coming back.

Here’s an example of a volunteer email follow-up series from Feed My Starving Children:

Each email in this series shows the volunteer the impact of the meals she packed and invites her to take a survey—helping the organization learn more about her and encourage her to volunteer again or fund more meals.

3. Be organized

The fastest way to burn out a volunteer? Poor planning. Make sure shifts run smoothly with clear communication, organized tasks, and well-defined roles.

4. Make it fun

People stay where they feel connected. Here are some unique ideas to build camaraderie with your volunteers:

• Take photos of your volunteers in action and frame them as a thank you. For example: “How it started vs. How it’s going” photos of a big project.
• Award a ‘volunteer of the year’ (or month). Put their photo in your lobby, in the newsletter, and on social media. Share it with their boss, spouse, parent, or children.
• Organize a volunteer appreciation party or other social gathering to build friendships among your volunteers.
• Give a creative toy to celebrate great service, like the Energizer Bunny.
• Give volunteers lottery tickets with the note, “Our clients don’t have to take a chance on their future thanks to you.”

5. Make it personal

Volunteers want to feel seen and valued. Personal outreach, like a birthday card, a card marking the anniversary of when they started volunteering, or just a quick “saw this, thought of you” text goes a long way!

Here are some fun, affordable ideas to reach out and make your volunteers feel special:

• Volunteer spotlight: Feature a volunteer in your newsletter, website, or bulletin board with a short bio and a thank-you message.
• DIY treat bags: Fill small bags with inexpensive goodies like candy, granola bars, or homemade cookies and tag them with a simple “Thanks for being awesome!”
• Coffee or tea station: Set up a small table with coffee, tea, and some snacks during volunteer shifts as a small but appreciated perk.
• Create a thank-you video: Gather staff or beneficiaries to record short, heartfelt thank-you messages and compile them into a simple appreciation video.
• Host a potluck or dessert party: Invite volunteers to bring a dish (or provide some low-cost treats) for a fun and casual appreciation event.
• Small gift cards: Even a $5 gift card to a coffee shop can make volunteers feel valued.

6. Give meaningful volunteer recognition

A generic “thanks” isn’t enough. Share regular feedback, rewards, and volunteer recognition. Tailor appreciation to each volunteer. Some love public recognition, others prefer a heartfelt note. Small perks like special privileges or incentives, birthday cards, gift cards, an annual volunteer appreciation event, or even a “Volunteer of the Month” spotlight help reinforce that they matter.

Don’t stop there. Try “positive gossip,” where you brag about your volunteers to their peers, boss, and/or family members.

What are your favorite tactics for volunteer recognition? Drop them in the comments section below! 

The post Recruiting volunteers who stick around: engagement, stewardship, and recognition strategies appeared first on Bloomerang.

Unhealthy work experiences in nonprofits, including burnout and a lack of appreciation, are driving turnover in the sector.

There’s no sugarcoating the challenges we face. Low pay. Long hours. Duct-taped office furniture. A board comprised solely of “idea fairies”—you know the type—the kind who think they’re super engaged in fundraising because they told you to “just ask Oprah.” (Never mind that they don’t know her or have her phone number).

Got stubborn board members who balk at term limits? How about a boss, CEO, or board member who thinks that just because they don’t like something (like monthly giving, legacy marketing, direct mail, full-page reply devices), donors won’t like it either? [Pro tip: you’re not your target audience.]

Or when you’ve spent hours crafting a donor-centered appeal only to find your CEO “fixed it” by taking the donor out of the story and replacing all the immersive storytelling with a litany of your organization’s accomplishments. Ouch!

Hungry? Great! We’ve got a barren wasteland of sad office snacks. A wilted graveyard of half-eaten Jason’s Deli sandwiches. A stale day-old box of donuts. Carrots and broccoli crowns with a side of ranch dressing more congealed than creamy.

I could go on all day. I wrote a fundraiser’s bill of rights. But—on top of having a right to operational office furniture and leaders who understand and respect how fundraising works—you have to take care of #1. I’m talking about you here!

If you don’t take good care of yourself, who will? This world needs your talents, and fundraising stress shouldn’t take that away. Nonprofit burnout hurts you and your cause.

Step one: Nurture yourself

If you’re not sure how burned out you are, take this quick assessment. Then grab a copy of my friend Beth Kanter’s book, The Happy Healthy Nonprofit, and check out the free apps to help you build self-care behaviors to reduce your overwhelm.

Need self-care ideas that don’t cost a dime? Check out Beth’s self-care checklist.

On a personal note, I found myself in a full-blown elder care crisis two years ago with my mom and stepdad yo-yo-ing through emergency rooms, skilled nursing, and rehab like a pinball machine. My sister and I had to sell their home and move them into assisted living with a combative stepbrother who stole everything of value from their home and then drained their bank account. After seeing me living on fumes, a friend suggested: “Every time you’re about to do something for your mom, stop and do something for yourself instead.” Whether I took a walk, tended to my houseplants, or put my feet up on the couch and slathered my face with moisturizer, each action felt like a healthy and restorative investment in myself that dramatically boosted my sense of well-being.

Please do everything that brings you joy—spending time with friends, traveling, crafting, stand-up comedy, April Fool’s Jokes (my personal favorite)—whatever fills your heart.

The truth is, we never climb the fundraising mountain, get to the top, and shout down to everyone below, “Hey everybody! I’m here! I made it!” You’ll wake up tomorrow with another mountain to climb and, yes, more money to raise (I guarantee it).

Step two: Manage your workload

Having a fundraising plan is critical to measuring your workload.

You need clear, measurable, realistic fundraising goals rooted in fact, not fiction, based on donor giving history and capacity—not a pie-in-the-sky number your CEO gave you.

Need help drafting that plan? I got your back! Download this 3-month road map.

Fundraising without a plan is like driving a car blindfolded—it only adds to fundraising stress. If you’re soliciting major gifts for your nonprofit, you need a portfolio of ask amounts for each donor set to a 12-month calendar.

Step three: Build a supportive work environment

If your nonprofit workplace lacks a healthy culture of generosity, try modeling the change you wish to see.

Toxic environments thrive on silence and isolation. Nothing changes until enough people model a better way—whether that’s setting boundaries, pushing back on unfair expectations, or supporting each other.

Help others feel empowered to speak up—in meetings or through group efforts.

Encourage small wins, like getting your leadership to acknowledge burnout and prioritize workplace well-being, or creating a team norm of respecting time off. If leadership isn’t responsive, look for board members, funders, or external allies who care about staff well-being.

Set clear expectations for roles and responsibilities to prevent overwork and confusion. Implement consistent feedback loops—not just annual performance reviews.

Encourage cross-team collaboration to reduce silos and increase team cohesion. Welcome new hires with an onboarding process that sets a positive tone. Foster a culture of learning by offering professional development opportunities (trainings, conferences, mentorships).

Most importantly—celebrate what you want more of! What gets rewarded gets done.

You matter too

Nonprofit burnout isn’t just part of the job—it’s a sign something needs to change. You can’t give your best if you’re running on empty. Your mission matters, but so do you.

Take care of yourself. Set boundaries. Advocate for a healthier workplace. And don’t wait for someone else to make things better—start with the things you can control.

What’s one thing you’ll do this week to combat nonprofit burnout and take care of yourself? Drop a comment below!

The post Nonprofit Burnout Is Real—Here’s How To Fight Back appeared first on Bloomerang.

1. I did not trust that my donation was used wisely
2. I no longer felt connected to the nonprofit
3. I could no longer afford to donate
4. I had a negative experience with the nonprofit
5. The nonprofit asked me for a donation too frequently.

The good news? While you can’t change a donor lacking the financial resources to give, you can change EVERYTHING else. Four of these five reasons donors stop giving are 100% in your control.

What’s the solution?  It’s shockingly simple – stewardship.

Only stewardship can build a donor’s trust and confidence that you used their gift wisely, make them feel connected to you, and ensure positive experiences. Stewardship also prevents donors from ever feeling like you’re asking too frequently. If you properly steward your donors, there’s no such thing as giving fatigue.

Stewardship should be viewed as a revenue center and not a cost center because it’s cheaper to keep your existing donors than to acquire new ones.

Roger Craver, author of Retention Fundraising, breaks down nonprofit donor retention rates:

• 60-70% chance of acquiring an additional gift from an existing donor.
• 20-40% chance of obtaining an additional contribution from a recently lapsed donor.
• Less than 2% chance of receiving a donation from a prospect.

How to keep donors loyal for life

If you want donors to stick to you like glue, you need to craft a stewardship plan—essentially a set of business rules for donor engagement—that outlines key actions, like thank-you phone calls, and assigns responsibility to specific staff members, such as the Development Director or Executive Director.

You can download this free stewardship template to get started.

Be careful NOT to organize your stewardship efforts by the amount of a donor’s gift. Instead, organize your stewardship around the donor’s longevity—are they a new donor, a monthly donor, or a returning lapsed donor?

The greatest gift you can give your donors is the gift of being known by you, so all your communications need to show them that you know who they are. New donors should get a new donor welcome call and a new donor thank-you that calls them out as such, for example:

Dear John,

I’m overjoyed to see such a generous first-time gift from you and am honored to welcome you into our donor family.

When it comes to new donors, you need to roll out the red carpet, as this template shows. Warmly welcome new donors and set the expectation that they’re part of something special.

New monthly donors should get a monthly donor welcome kit and an end-of-year appeal that celebrates them for being monthly donors.

Lapsed donors should get a lased donor welcome back thank-you call and thank-you letter that celebrates their return, as seen in the postcard screenshot below:

Next up? Getting to know your donors better. Make personal thank-you calls, conduct a short new donor survey, and invite them for a behind-the-scenes tour or to a donor cultivation event. Even if they don’t come, the invitation is still the cultivation!

Here’s a new donor timeline to help you understand how you might structure your stewardship plan and/or new donor journey:

How to surprise and delight donors using milestones

The anniversary of when your donor made their first gift to you is rarely something they’ll remember, but it’s a golden opportunity to stand out like the thoughtful, caring charity that you are!

Here’s a stellar example from a YMCA:

Hungry for more ideas to love on donors? Here are 23 stewardship ideas to help get you started.

The post Why Donors Stop Giving—And How To Win Them Back For Good appeared first on Bloomerang.

Before we know it, we’ll be halfway through 2025. But not today!

If you’re like most nonprofits, you may not have a written fundraising plan. A whopping 57% of charities in one recent study lack one.

So, what is a fundraising plan?

It’s a written document that outlines your fundraising goals and the strategies you’ll implement to reach those goals over a specific amount of time, typically 12 months. Many organizations operate on a fiscal calendar year, from January to December, while others run from July to June.

Your plan may include owners, strategies, campaigns, events, financial goals, expenses, channels, and even a communications schedule.

Just like we don’t drive blindfolded, we don’t want to start the year without a crystal-clear fundraising plan.

Your fundraising success depends on it.

Organizations with a written fundraising plan consistently outperform those without them.

Ready to start 2025 with a detailed 3-month road map? Let’s go!

Step one: Reflect on last year

You can’t set realistic goals for next year without an honest review of your performance last year. This free questionnaire can help you analyze your data.

Step two: Brainstorm

Any good plan begins with a great brainstorming session. Ask yourself:

• What are the goals I want to achieve each month?
• Are they relevant and realistic?
• Does every goal have a strategy and an owner?
• Does each goal include revenue targets as well as expenses associated with it? For example, copywriting, design, printing, and postage.

Step three: Craft your nonprofit strategic plan

Everyone processes information differently, so pick a format that makes the most sense for you when building your nonprofit strategic plan. I love the ASPCA’s free shelter fundraising calendar. One of the things I love about it is how it includes themes and relevant holidays for animal care organizations.

Regardless of the format you choose, make sure to apply your plan to a calendar and that every strategy includes a measurable goal assigned to an actual owner.

Sample Q1 3-month road map

Q1 fundraising plan at a glance:

Make your plan your superpower

Your fundraising plan isn’t just a to-do list—it’s your not-so-secret weapon for turning big dreams into positive impact.

Reflecting on last year, setting clear goals, and assigning owners aren’t just steps; they’re the foundation for your best year yet.

But here’s a tip: don’t let your plan gather dust. Revisit it every month, tweak it as you go, and celebrate every win—big or small. A plan like this isn’t just a roadmap for you; it’s a way to rally your team and your supporters around the same goal. When you plan with purpose, you pave the way for incredible results.

The post Building a Nonprofit Strategic Plan: A 3-Month Road Map For Q1 appeared first on Bloomerang.

1. Make your donor care about your cause and/or the people, animals, or problem you are trying to solve
2. Enhance how good your donor feels about themselves

The heart of all of this is storytelling. As bestselling author Carmine Gallo says in his book Talk Like Ted, “telling stories is the virtual equivalent of taking your donors on a field trip.”

Great stories are simple, easy to digest, and memorable. They’re the shortest distance between two people.

We’ve been taught that we should use logic, slides, and statistics at work; this seems more professional. Telling stories seems too emotional and possibly manipulative. So, people stick to facts and numbers. But the truth is that real emotions always work better because that’s the way to reach hearts and minds.

To illustrate a great story, here’s a before/after example from fundraising copywriter Jeff Brook’s classic How to Turn Your Words into Money. Do you remember the children’s book, There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly? In his book, Jeff points out that if that book were an ask, it might look something like this:

“Will you do your art to help us prevent the often fatal tragedy of fly, spider, bird, cat, dog, goat, cow, and horse swallowing?”

But if you used immersive storytelling and you put the donor in the story, it could look like this:

“In the next few days, someone—perhaps someone you know—will have a serious accident and end up swallowing a live horse. You can imagine her pain as the horse kicks and thrashes on its way down. She’ll die, of course… unless you help rush the emergency care she needs.”

What are the three ingredients for telling a truly great story?

1. Emotion. Emotion hooks us in and makes us care. Use it liberally—it’s your donor’s love potion. Emotion is not just nice to have in fundraising—it actually helps our brains navigate alternatives and make decisions. Facts actually make issues harder to understand and care about.

2. Vulnerability or weakness in the protagonist. What could this look like? A main character with relatable pain or suffering is unfairly treated or has to make a tough moral choice.

If you’ve ever watched Disney’s Up, you met Carl—a grumpy old man who’s mean both to animals and children. Yet in the first four minutes of the movie, you see the great love and loss of his life. We immediately relate to him and forgive him.

Nail the character, and the hearts, minds, (and wallets) will follow.

Here’s a video example of kids making a tough moral choice that’s positively irresistible (grab your Kleenex!).

3. Conflict. Stories without conflict are boring. Conflict is what keeps us interested in the story.

The simplest story that gets told again and again that no one ever gets tired of is the one where someone gets into trouble and gets out of it: Boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl in the end.

How does this look in your fundraising? In your appeals, tell an unfinished story where your donor makes the happy ending possible. In your stewardship, tell the completed story with the happy ending your donor made possible.

How do I find great stories?

Your program staff are an excellent source for stories. Instead of asking your program staff directly for a story, ask them questions like these, suggested by Lori Jacobwith:

• Is there anyone you’ve met lately who made you feel so proud we exist?
• What made them come to us for services?
• What were we able to do for them?
• What are we not able to do for them?
• Is there anyone you had to turn away?

Your clients are also a treasure trove of great stories. Many clients want to share their stories with the nonprofits that helped them and feel a deep sense of pride being able to share them.

Here are some sample questions to use with clients from fundraising consultant Holly Paulin, CFRE at Broccoli:

• What was your life like before you connected with us?
• Tell me about a person you remember helping you. How did that make you feel?
• How is your life different today?
• What makes you feel good when you think about our organization?
• What would you say to supporters of our cause?

If you want to build a pipeline of powerful donor stories, make storytelling part of your culture!  Here are five ideas to create a culture of storytelling at your organization:

1. Set a model example by sharing great stories and inviting staff and clients to share theirs.
2. Support training for storytelling. Grab a copy of Jeff Brook’s How to Turn Your Words into Money and consider attending the Nonprofit Storytelling Conference.
3. Reward great storytelling. In my days as the Executive Director of Girlstart, we invited program staff to ring a cowbell to celebrate donations from appeals that included a story they shared.
4. Add it to your employee’s job description.
5. Kick off every staff and board meeting with a story.

Got a favorite storytelling tip or a few powerful donor stories you want to tell? Drop them in the comments like it’s hot!  

The post Donors Love A Good Story—Here’s How To Tell It (And Find It) appeared first on Bloomerang.

Many nonprofits prioritize donor acquisition over stewardship, treating stewardship strategies as a frivolous or just a ‘nice to have’ endeavor. Cultivation done right isn’t a cost center, however, it’s a revenue center.

If you want to turn one-time donors into lifelong supporters, you need to build out a new, personalized donor cultivation journey.

The image below is a stellar example of how to properly thank, nurture, and then—after 90 days—solicit a new donor.

The sample new donor cultivation timeline above incorporates personalized communication, like phone calls and notes, and regular communication, like email newsletters. It also includes a survey to learn more about the donor and deepen the donor relationship. If you want help putting this into action at your nonprofit, download this free stewardship template.

Why personalization matters: A checklist for donor cultivation

The greatest gift you can give a donor is the gift of feeling known by you. Stewardship strategies that include personalized donor journeys can help you achieve this. How can you do it? Here’s a checklist to help you create a personalized donor journey that inspires loyalty:

1. Make welcome thank-you calls to new donors

The impact of thanking new donors personally is well documented. In one study, first-time donors who received a personal thank-you call within 48 hours were four times more likely to give again. Would you like to have donors who are four times more likely to give another gift? Make the call short and sweet—just a heartfelt thank you and an acknowledgement of their generosity.

2. Send thank-you letters, emails, or postcards, personalized to reflect they’re a new donor

We want to roll out the red carpet to these new donors to make them feel like they’re a part of something truly special. Remember—these are the new kids on the block and we want to give them a thank-you email, letter, or postcard that celebrates that. The greatest gift we can give our donors is the gift of being known by us, so calling them out in your thanks as a first-time donor who you’re thrilled to welcome into your donor family goes a long way! Use warm, inclusive language that makes them feel part of a tribe.  Here are a few examples with some subject lines to get you inspired!

Seven subject lines thanking a new first-time donor

You just did a wonderful thing {First name}

[First name], your kindness creates hope!

pop the cork! [First name], you’re part of something special

[First name], you’re the newest reason we’re smiling today

It’s official: __________ (target beneficiary, like endangered species or patients with Parkinson’s) have a new friend (that’s you, [First name]!)

Welcome aboard [First name]

[First name], your kindness is the beginning of something extraordinary …

3. Report back on donor impact

Don’t let a simple thanks be the last thing they hear from you. You can use a letter or postcard to show your donor the impact of their gift. You can send it anytime after the thank you has gone out, ideally 30-60 days after the gift. Make it something they’ll treasure by using photos of their gift at work and immersive storytelling to make them feel like they’re there in person. Don’t just thank them for their gift—speak to the human behind the giving by celebrating and reflecting on their kindness and compassion.

Here’s a reporting back example below to help get your creative juices flowing:

4. Talk to donors to understand their motivations

Learn what inspires your supporters. Surveys can help personalize future communications and show donors you value their perspectives. Keep the questions short and focused, like “What inspired your gift today?” or “What aspects of our mission interest you most? (with 3-4 multiple choice answers and a blank option to write one in)” or an open-ended question like “Is there anything else you’d like us to know?”

5. Include a surprise or delight element

A small token of appreciation—like a handwritten note, a welcome kit, or even a video email thanks—can make a big impact. It’s not the size of the gift; it’s the thoughtfulness.

6. Share donor impact through immersive storytelling

Use photos or videos to bring your mission to life. Show donors how their kindness fuels real change and make them feel part of the journey.

7. Invite donors to an exclusive event

Build stronger relationships by inviting donors to an event that connects them to your mission—like a behind-the-scenes tour, a webinar with your leadership, or a celebration of recent milestones.

How donor cultivation drives ROI

Investing in donor cultivation isn’t just about retention—it’s about maximizing lifetime value. Did you know that increasing donor retention by just 10% can result in a 50% boost in lifetime donor value? That’s the power of stewardship strategies done right.

Short on resources? Automation tools can help you send thank-you emails, surveys, and updates on schedule. Reserve personal touches like calls or handwritten notes for major donors.

Turning one-time donors into lifelong supporters

It’s more than a goal—it’s a mindset. When you prioritize emotional connections using personalized outreach, you’re building relationships that transcend transactions.

Donors want to feel like a vital force in your mission, not just a source of funding. Every personalized touch point—thank-you calls, welcome kits, updates—shows them they’re indispensable to your success.

The result? Donors who stick with you not just for one campaign but for years to come. Loyal supporters who feel seen, valued, and celebrated will champion your cause in ways that amplify your impact far beyond what you could achieve alone.

Stumped for ideas to include in your new donor cultivation timeline? Here are 23 ideas to love on your donors to help get you started.

Have some favorite stewardship strategies you want to share? Drop them in the comments like a hot potato!

The post From First Gift To Forever: Building Donor Loyalty That Lasts appeared first on Bloomerang.

It’s your roadmap to streamline and integrate your operations, stay organized and reach your goals.

No matter your mission, size or scope, you need a fundraising calendar to help you visualize how your year-round fundraising plan will play out for the year, the quarter and each month. It’s a critical piece that will help you quickly adapt to changes and unforeseen circumstances. It’s the best way to ensure everyone is on the same page and clear on what needs to be done and when.

Step one: Brainstorm everything you’ll add to the fundraising calendar

• Start/end dates for every fundraising campaign, for example, end of year, GivingTuesday, monthly donor campaign, planned giving campaign, etc.
• A calendar just for major gift donor cultivation that includes donors, asks, and stewardship
• All events—from galas to peer-to-peer events to third party events
• Major holidays plus holidays that relate to your mission
• Milestones for donors, your nonprofit, programs, and staff
• Community events
• Board meetings
• Onboarding events for board or staff
• Internal deadlines, like grant submission and reporting deadlines, your 990, or audit
• Your annual report
• Who needs access to the fundraising calendar
• An owner for each item added to the calendar

A solid fundraising calendar starts with a full picture of what’s ahead. Once you’ve captured all the moving parts, you’re ready to start setting priorities and turning plans into action.

Step two: Set goals, deadlines, and assign owners

If you want to meet your goals, you need to specify the individual, team, or department in charge of working toward that goal. That’s step one. Step two is ensuring those goals are also part of the employee’s annual performance review.

The best goals are SMART goals. They’re specific, measurable, attainable, and relevant to your mission, with a deadline to keep you on track. Here are some examples you could include in your fundraising calendar with clear deadlines and owners:

• Plan and launch a monthly giving program by July 1, and recruit at least 25 donors to the program. Owner: Development Director.
• Recruit two volunteers to join the board development committee. Train and have them in place by April 15. Owner: Board Development Chair.
• Secure $50,000 in sponsorships for the annual gala by November 1. Owner: Development Team.
• Submit three grant applications by March 31, targeting $100,000 in potential funding. Owner: Grant Writer.
• Launch a GivingTuesday campaign by November 15 and secure 150 individual gifts. Owner: Annual Fund Manager.

Goals without ownership are just ideas. By assigning clear responsibilities and tying them to your fundraising calendar, you’ll create the structure your team needs to thrive.

Step three: Build accountability and track progress

A fundraising calendar is only as good as the action it inspires. Once you’ve brainstormed all the pieces and set SMART goals with clear owners, it’s time to make sure your plan doesn’t just sit on a shelf. Step three is about building accountability and tracking progress to stay on course.

1. Schedule regular check-ins. Accountability starts with consistency. Plan weekly or monthly team meetings to review the calendar, identify and resolve any roadblocks, and celebrate the wins along the way. Use these check-ins to help keep everyone focused on their responsibilities.
2. Set milestones to measure success. Break large goals into manageable milestones and track them against your timeline. For example, if you’re launching a year-round fundraising campaign, set clear benchmarks for securing champions, completing toolkits, and tracking participation levels.
3. Create a shared dashboard. Keep everything in one place where your team can easily access it. Whether you use a shared Google Calendar, a project management tool, or your CRM, make sure your fundraising calendar is visible, interactive, and organized. Use color codes to highlight priorities, assign owners, and maintain up-to-date status for all your initiatives.
4. Celebrate the successes. Recognize when you meet your milestones, and don’t forget to celebrate the people behind the progress. Be sure to acknowledge their contributions, keep your team motivated, and reinforce the value of the work.
5. Roll with the changes. Fundraising doesn’t stand still and neither should your fundraising calendar. Treat it as a guide, not a straight jacket. When plans change, revisit your deadlines, update your priorities, and above all—keep moving forward.

Weaving accountability into your year-round fundraising calendar will help to ensure your plan stays alive and actionable. It’s not just about getting things done—it’s about building momentum and sustaining it all year long.

Have you created a fundraising calendar for this year? Tell us about it in the comments. 

The post Create A Fundraising Calendar That Inspires Donors Year-Round appeared first on Bloomerang.

You may feel like your bathing suit came partly off halfway through the ride, but you splashed into December with a mix of chaos and relief.

Your budget for this year might feel like worst-case scenario planning meets a choose-your-own-adventure novel, complete with the risk of economic chaos at every turn. If you’re in social services, you may worry the demand for your programs will skyrocket as your funding sources dwindle.

But you don’t have the luxury of wallowing in despair.

Not today.

The stakes are too high for your cause and the communities relying on you.

So it’s “Not today, crippling anxiety, not today!” because you love your cause and your community too much to give up on them now.

And… not today, passive-aggressive email from the board chair.

Also, not today, full-blown panic over meeting our aggressive budget goals.

This year will be different. Better. Easier. This year, you’re starting on the right foot—with data-driven insights, realistic, air-tight goals, and the perfect plan to reach them.

How will you do it? By focusing on the metrics that matter and setting clear goals—because you can’t improve what you don’t measure.

The retention metrics that matter

Retention is your single most important metric—the easiest, fastest, and most affordable way to raise more money. Use this handy retention calculator to get started. Then, you can dig a bit deeper.

Measure your retention in three ways:

1. First-time donor conversion rate

If you can get a first-time donor to make a second and even a third gift, you’re well on your way to keeping them! But first-time donors are fickle—only 19% give again. But convert them to repeat donors, and a whopping 63% stick around. Run a report of first-time donors and track how many made a second donation within the same year.

2. Number of new donors retained into year two

Knowing this number helps you set a realistic goal to boost your new donor renewal rate. To find out how many new donors gave again the following year, calculate the number of donors who made their first gift to you in a 12-month period, for example, in 2023. Then, determine how many also made a gift to you in 2024 by dividing the number of 2023 donors by the number of 2024 donors.

For example, if you had 100 first-time donors in 2023 and only 10 made a repeat gift in 2024, that’s a 10% renewal rate. This information might lead you to set a goal for 2025 of a 20% new donor renewal rate and add new donor cultivation strategies to your plan, like new donor welcome calls, a one-month update, or a new donor survey. 

3. Multi-year retention rates

Retention over time matters just as much as year-to-year numbers.

One year, you might raise more money and see your average gift size increase. But if you look at donor loyalty over time, you’d realize your success was based on your most loyal donors giving you more of their hard-earned cash. Over the years, you’ve likely lost thousands of dollars from donor attrition. This scenario usually goes hand in hand with poor donor stewardship—a lack of reporting back to donors, poor thank-you processes, and scant or inconsistent stewardship.

Nonprofits that don’t consider multi-year retention are blind to this problem because they only look at overall income and average gift size. Get under the hood of your data, look at donors who made their first gift 3 – 5 years ago, and track how each donor class (by year) has stayed loyal or dropped off.

You may find tens—if not hundreds—of thousands of dollars you could have easily recovered with better donor retention measurement and stewardship.

Leading metrics that rarely get measured but predict donor value and satisfaction

Retention metrics are the most critical to your success, but they can only tell you what’s already happened. They can help you diagnose where and when donors are falling out of your pipeline, but they don’t give you insight into how a donor will behave in the future.

4. Lifetime value of a donor (LTV)

Knowing donor lifetime value helps you make more educated decisions about investing in acquisition or retention. For example, if you know the lifetime value of your annual fund donors is $1,000, spending $100 to acquire a new one looks like a good investment.

If you have a strong upgrade program to convert donors to monthly giving, major gifts, and bequests, your donor lifetime value should skyrocket.

To calculate your donor lifetime value, multiply the average years a donor stays with you by the average annual gifts, then multiply it by your average gift amount.

For example, if your average donor has supported you for 5 years and gives 3 gifts per year with an average gift of $25, their lifetime value is $375.

5. Donor satisfaction, well-being, and identity

Donors who feel satisfied are twice as likely to give again. Dig deeper into their motivations with surveys or calls that ask: Why do you give?

Adrian Sargeant’s research shows that the strongest predictors of donor loyalty are satisfaction, supporter well-being, and identity—ideas drawn from the emerging science of Philanthropic Psychology or PhilPsych®. In a nutshell, it distinguishes the good feelings we, as donors, get from what we do from the good feelings we get from who we are. Applying the principles of Philanthropic Psychology enables fundraisers to help donors discover their best selves. The more fundraising copy speaks to a person’s identity, the more likely they will increase their giving.

Where do I go from here?

1) Run your retention reports: Calculate your first-time donor conversion rate, new donor retention into year two, and multi-year retention trends. 

2) Calculate donor lifetime value: LTV gives you the data to decide where to invest. Use it to plan better acquisition budgets and retention strategies that keep supporters engaged.

3) Measure donor satisfaction: Ask donors what drives them. Their feedback will help you refine your messaging to better align with their motivations.

4) Set up strategies: Use this data to set air-tight, achievable goals. For instance:

• Increase first-time donor conversion to 25% with a targeted welcome series.
• Boost year-two retention by 10% through personalized updates and calls.
• Upgrade monthly givers to increase lifetime value.

Using data to boost donor retention

The numbers tell a story—if you’re willing to listen. Retention metrics show you what’s working, where you’re losing donors, and how much opportunity is still on the table. Leading indicators like lifetime value and donor satisfaction help you make informed decisions to build a more sustainable future.

Remember: Each number represents a donor who believes in your cause. Treat them well, show them their impact, and make them feel like the heroes they are.

Start measuring, keep improving, and let’s make 2025 your best fundraising year yet.

Ready? You’ve got this.

How do you plan to boost donor retention this year? Let us know in the comments. 

The post Use These 5 Metrics To Supercharge Your 2025 Fundraising appeared first on Bloomerang.

We’re heading into the busiest, most lucrative time of the year for nonprofits—end-of-year fundraising. A time when many nonprofits raise 25-50% of their entire budget.

But I’m guessing your inbox was flooded with emails last year for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and GivingTuesday (me too).

Do you remember any emails that stood out? The ones that intrigued you enough to click them?

I do, and I’ve shared five of my favorite GivingTuesday subject lines below:

You’ve got that GivingTuesday Glow!

My friends at Magic Wheelchair are total pros at building show-stopping costumes for kids in wheelchairs—and they get it: a little flattery goes a long way to getting those fundraising emails opened.

If you were waiting for the most impactful moment to donate, this is it

Look at this from Save the Children! They included a countdown to reach their match goal, along with a powerful image of a child looking straight at the camera. It’s direct, it’s moving, and it pulls you right in. Well done!

We’re $690 away from crossing the finish line

There’s nothing quite like that last push—the excitement of supporters coming together to help you cross the finish line. That’s what happened for my friends at Love Not Lost. They were just within reach of their $30,000 goal and sent an update email Wednesday morning, inviting everyone to help get them there. They didn’t just hit the target—they soared past it, raising $31,150!

s  t  r  e  t  c  h  goal for koalas!

My fundraising bestie, copywriting dynamo Julie Cooper, shared this little gem. The goal’s tied to koalas—not the organization’s name—making it much more personal. And let’s talk about spelling out s t r e t c h like that! Plus the emojis! They’re a fun way to break through the clutter in a crowded, ho-hum inbox.

GivingTuesday is Here and Queer!

My friend Jim Anderson shared this subject line winner from This Way Out LGBTQ, and it made us both want to stand up and cheer!

If donors aren’t opening your emails, you have one thing to blame: your subject line. A bad subject line will tank your appeal. Even the greatest appeal can’t overcome a weak subject line.

I’m here to help you stand out in a crowded inbox and write click-worthy subject lines for fundraising emails just in time for GivingTuesday and end-of-year fundraising.

Five takeaways, tips & tools to get noticed at end-of-year fundraising

1. To make your email pop in a busy email inbox, try leaving GivingTuesday out of the subject line. Of the 79 emails I got last year on GivingTuesday, 50 used GivingTuesday in the subject line. You’ll stand out much better if you don’t.
2. Pro-tip: Save this blog and use these top-performing subject lines for fundraising emails in your next campaign. Even better? Start a “Subject lines” Google doc with them and add your highest performing subject lines (psst, I do this too and have 384 subject lines in mine). Trust me, future you will be writing emails in record time!
3. Test your email subject lines with a free tool like Send Check It (add the link to your bookmarks toolbar). It’ll rate your email based on grade level, scannability, length, and spammy words—and even give you tips to improve it!
4. Increase your email open rates by sending more frequently. Your donor does not read every fundraising email you send. So, send more.

Real talk: The average nonprofit has a 26% open rate, which means 74% of your donors aren’t reading your email. (If it helps you feel better, commercial open rates are only about 6%.) Maybe you feel like you’re bombarding your donors with multiple emails. I’ve been there. By the time you’re on your 3rd, 5th, or 11th email appeal, you start wondering, “Is everyone on my list ready to throw rocks at me?”

They don’t. If they did, they’d unsubscribe, and that’s okay, too!

Still sweating sending multiple email appeals? Here’s a stat to ease your mind, dear fundraiser: the average nonprofit sends around eight emails in December alone.

Look, donors will only open emails with a subject line that interests them. They’ll only give to asks that compel them to take action. Your donors are busy and you need to overcommunicate with them during this busy season. I guarantee the nonprofits raising 50% of their annual operating budget at the end of the year are sending more than a few emails!

5. Experiment with personalization in your subject line to increase open rates.

Personalized emails tend to have 29% higher open rates than others. That’s obvious since everyone loves it when you address them personally. Remember that personalization requires you to know your constituent’s first name so be thoughtful with what you use as a custom text field if their first name is blank.

Need a hand with your fundraising, subject lines, emails, and appeals? Join my monthly membership, The League of Extraordinary Fundraisers, for insider tips on end-of-year fundraising success.

If you have tips or tools that you love to use for end-of-year fundraising email subject lines, drop them in the comments below! Bonus points for any winning email subject lines you want to share.

The post Tips To Get Noticed During End-of-Year Fundraising appeared first on Bloomerang.

To help you ride this massive wave of generosity, I’m answering your burning questions

Q: How much email is too much email?

A: The #1 thing I see that makes fundraisers feel cringey is the fear that they’re oversaturating their list with email. That fear is based on a mistaken belief that everyone on your list is actually READING your emails. They aren’t! Don’t believe me? Open your email platform and tell me what your open rate is. If you’re like most nonprofits, it’s around 30-40%. That means for every email you send, as many as 70% of your readers never see it. The solution?

1. Send more emails.
2. Write great subject lines.
3. Email your list frequently with compelling and helpful content.
4. Clean your list frequently by unsubscribing (not deleting) subscribers who aren’t opening your emails, because sending to them hurts your deliverability.

Q: How do I overcome writer’s block?

A: We all find ourselves staring at that blinking cursor with no idea what to write.

Here’s some stellar advice on what to think about before you start writing your appeal from fundraising expert Claire Axelrad:

1. A compelling story.
2. A photo that reinforces your story. Ideally, this is a close-up of one person (or animal) looking straight at the camera. Use a caption under your photo.
3. A narrator. This could be a current or former client, a graduate, a parent, your founder, or an inanimate object, such as a can of food at the food bank, a sick kidney, or an animal you are trying to protect.
4. A compelling opening line. You have 2 seconds to get their attention and get them to read on, so use it wisely by opening with something powerful, surprising, or starting in the middle of the action or story.
5. Your ask. This is the problem your donors can solve. What are you asking donors to support? Is it believable? (If you suggest that my $100 gift will end hunger, I won’t believe you. If you tell me it will buy 300 meals for a hungry person, that’s something I can comprehend.) How will it make a difference? Why is their support needed now?

Q: What is a reasonable response rate?

A: Response rates differ by channel, for example, direct mail vs. email. Despite what you might hear, direct mail still reigns over email, but results will always vary by audience, for example, current donors vs. a cold list and audience size.

Generally speaking, a reasonable response rate for a direct mail appeal to a warm list could be 3-6%. Why the range? Generally speaking, smaller lists will outperform larger lists. The average response rate on cold acquisitional direct mail is 0.6%, and a record-setting success would be a 1% response rate.

Q: How can I stand out in a sea of solicitations?

A: For email:

You need a subject line that stands out. You can use personalization, flattery, curiosity, humor, or brevity. My favorite tool for testing email subject lines is sendcheckit.com because, on top of rating your subject line, it gives you advice on how to improve it.

For direct mail:

Direct mail is all about your outer envelope. Think about what makes you open the mail you get. A blank outer envelope with no branding, so you tear it open to see who it’s from? Lots of stamps, or was it sent by priority mail? A cute, curious, or compelling image you can’t resist?

Q: I know I need a tangible offer in my appeal, but does that limit my ability to use it for our general fund?”

A: Not if you clarify it. Here are several examples to help you:

1. Add this phrase somewhere in your appeal: “Your gift will not only help this project, but all our work at X.”
2. Somewhere in your reply device affirmation statement, add the phrase “and other places” or “and other projects” or “and other work.” For example, “Please use my gift to help endangered polar bears in Antarctica and other endangered wildlife” or “Please rush my gift below to save Arctic foxes and other endangered species.”
3. Create a policy around the use of funds, for example: “In the case that funds exceed the project described, we’ll redirect the funds where they’re needed most,” and add that policy as a footnote in your reply device.

Q: What is segmenting, and why should I do it?

A: It might seem like a hassle to build segments for appeals, but the numbers show that organizations that take the time to segment receive more gifts, bigger gifts, and more frequent gifts. Segmenting enables you to tailor your messaging, ask amounts, and communication strategies to increase your donors’ interest in and support for your organization. Segmenting is especially critical during the busy rush of year-end fundraising because we don’t want to bombard a donor who gives a gift to us in the early hours of GivingTuesday with a flurry of more emails asking them to give.

Why does all this matter? One of the greatest gifts we can give our donors is the gift of being known by us. Most donors won’t make a second gift (87%). But a donor who gives two gifts is over twice as likely to remain loyal to you. Bump it up to three or more, and the likelihood of retaining that donor can go as high as 60%!

Q: How do I personalize?

A: Personalizing your communications—whether email or direct mail—has a huge impact on your donors’ feeling known, seen, and appreciated by you. If a direct mail piece arrives at my home—and it’s addressed to me—I should not open it and read the salutation, “Dear friend.” You know my name, use it. Using your recipient’s first name in the subject line, pre-text, or body of your email appeal can dramatically boost your open and click-through rates, as well as donations.

Q: My boss keeps trying to edit my appeal and turn it into a snooze fest ‘report card’ of all the great things the organization has done this year. What do I do?

A: If you have a boss who thinks they can do a better job writing their own appeal or rewriting your appeal, I invite you to do a split A/B test to see whose appeal performs best. The results will speak for themselves! I love this approach because it shows your bravery to stand for your principles and willingness to take risks. If you hit it out of the park, you could get the respect and latitude to move ahead freely.

Turning donors into lifelong champions

Year-end fundraising is about more than just meeting a goal. It’s about making donors feel like they’re part of something bigger—something they want to support. Every interaction, from a well-timed email to a thoughtful message, helps build trust and loyalty. When donors know that they’re appreciated, they’re not just giving—they’re joining a movement. This season, the real win isn’t just in dollars raised, but in creating champions who will stick with you for the long haul. That’s where the magic happens.

What end-of-year fundraising problems are you dealing with? Let us know in the comments.

The post End-of-Year Fundraising Problems (And How To Solve Them) appeared first on Bloomerang.

I’m here with an end-of-year timeline and fundraising communications calendar to make end-of-year fundraising as easy as pie. There’s so much you can do now to plan winning strategies for GivingTuesday and end of year.

Just follow my timeline below to create your year-end fundraising plan!

September

• Create a campaign theme and offer, logo, and tagline.
• Recruit a match from a single donor or group of donors.
• Collect data (ideally the last two years, but at a minimum for the previous year)
  • How much did we raise at end of year? Filter by date.
  • What number of donors gave at end of year?
  • What was our average gift amount?
  • What was our retention rate year over year?
  • How many new first-time donors did we have at end of year?
  • How much did you raise for GivingTuesday?
• Set campaign goals.
• Line up any volunteers or campaign leaders.
• Schedule in-person ask visits with donors.

October

• Collect testimonials, impact stories, videos, and pictures and use them to write ‘reporting back’ stewardship emails, postcards, texts, thank-a-thon phone scripts, or letters. Include a short story celebrating the donor and their impact on your mission.
• Design and test your year-end donation page and web overlay for the homepage to spotlight the campaign, incorporating year-end fundraising for nonprofits. Test all buttons, links, post-gift email auto-responders, and landing pages on desktop and mobile devices.
• Write, design, proof, test, and schedule all direct mail appeals, email appeals, and social media ads and posts (all must match). Coordinate with your direct mail drop, use segments and personalization appropriately, and split A/B test your subject lines.
• Test your appeal for free with this appeal writing checklist.
• At the same time as you write your appeal, write your thank-you email autoresponders, landing page, thank-you letters and/or cards, and your ‘reporting back’ letter where you tell the donor a story of how their recent gift made an impact.
• Ensure online donors and new first-time donors are put into a special segmented donor stewardship series after making their gifts (instead of continuing to get each appeal in your appeal series).
• Perform any necessary list cleaning on your direct mail and email lists.

November

November 1-10

• Host a “Thanks for giving” thank-a-thon where board members call donors to thank them and share a win the donor made possible. Give board members a thank-you script and a few discovery questions in case the donor answers. Record relevant feedback/notes.
• Start your social media campaign with weekly 2-5 year-end posts or ads after the direct mail drop.
• Follow up with a stewardship email blast thanking donors and spotlighting their accomplishments with an impact story to launch your email appeals.

November 11-20

• Train all staff to handle last-minute donor requests, like processing gifts online or accepting stock gifts.
• Craft a personal out-of-office message that spotlights your campaign and includes your mobile number so donors can reach you.
• Ensure you have adequate resources to properly thank and steward incoming gifts from donors with email, video email, thank-you cards, and thank-you calls.

November 21-December 3 (GivingTuesday)

• One week before Thanksgiving:
  • Send handwritten notes, cards, postcards, letters, emails, video emails, or texts to your top donors to arrive before the holiday with a win they made possible.
  • Send thank-you emails to volunteers, board members, and community partners to express appreciation and wish them a happy Thanksgiving.
• A few days before Thanksgiving: Share a “thank you” or “thankful” post on social media.
• The day after Thanksgiving: Launch a GivingTuesday banner on your homepage and add it to your online giving page. Post a “save the date” for GivingTuesday on social media.
• Sunday after Thanksgiving: Send a GivingTuesday email blast and social media post.
• The day before Giving Tuesday: Do a pre-launch email and go live with the GivingTuesday web overlay on your homepage.
• On GivingTuesday: 
  • Send 3-5 properly segmented email appeals throughout the day with updates on your progress towards your goal.
  • Post impact stories, donor thanks, asks, and updates on social media.
  • Pick up the phone to personally thank any new first-time donors on Giving Tuesday.
• The day after GivingTuesday: Replace your web overlay with a thank-you banner on your website and social media posts for received gifts and to celebrate hitting or exceeding your goal.
• Two days after Giving Tuesday: Remove any references to it from your website.

December

December 4-10

• Test your online donation process by donating to your nonprofit online from your desktop and mobile device to ensure all links, communications, and landing pages are optimized.
• Launch your mail drop or scheduled end-of-year email appeals. Use segments and personalization appropriately, and split A/B test your subject lines.
• Place online donors and new first-time donors into a special segmented donor stewardship series after making their gifts (as opposed to continuing to get each appeal in your appeal series).
• Run social ads/posts weekly through December 31, spotlighting the need with an invitation to give as part of your December donor engagement calendar.
• Fundraising staff or board members call lapsed major donors to thank them for their prior support and encourage them to give before year end.
• Send multiple email appeals throughout the month with as many as 2-3 on the last day, December 31, including sending to donors who gave on GivingTuesday (remove donor giving after GivingTuesday donors from remaining appeals).
• Consider a lightbox (also known as a web overlay or homepage hijack on your homepage to promote your end-of-year campaign and direct donors to your donation form) for GivingTuesday (only), and consider doing it for the last week of December.

December 11-20

• Continue your end-of-year email appeals. Call and personally thank new first-time donors and appropriately tag donors so they don’t continue to receive your email appeals.
• Make sure your end-of-year donors get meaningful stewardship thanks, texts, emails, cards, postcards, or letters. For example, “You gave one (day, week, or month) ago, and already you’ve [insert accomplishment here]…”
• If you’re leaving the office for the holidays, set a heartfelt out-of-office message mentioning your campaign and including your mobile number.

December 21-31

• Ramp up your emails and social media. Try using FOMO (fear of missing out) and expiring matches to drive responses.
• Make the most of Dec 31 by reusing the same email. December 31st is the most lucrative fundraising day of the year in online fundraising. Steven Screen from Better Fundraising has an outline for a simple email appeal to write and send three times, on December 29, 30th, and 31st. Each time you resend the email. Remove a section to shorten it. Or conversely, you could send all three messages on December 31 with a 2-3 hour gap between each one.

1. 1. Use a personal salutation: “Dear Julie.”
   2. Ask with a deadline. “I’m writing you today in the hope that you will send a special year-end gift before midnight on December 31st.”
   3. Share the outcome of the gift: This is what will happen in the world as a result of the gift. Note that this is not a description of your program. “Because of your gift today, junior high school students will be better at math.” Remove this portion in the third appeal.
   4. List the reasons to give now. It could be a match deadline, or ‘this is the last day to get a tax deduction for your gift,’ or you can say why the gift is necessary now: “The kids will be back in class on January 10, and we need your help now to ensure they’ll have the tutoring they need when they return.”
   5. Provide a shared value: “Julie, I know from your previous gifts that you care about kids learning math.“ Remove this part in the third appeal.
   6. Make ANOTHER ask with a deadline.
   7. Use a personal signature
   8. Add a P.S. with another ask with a deadline.

January

January 1-5

• Report back to donors in a letter thanking them for meeting the need and telling them how their gift made an impact.
• Make sure anyone giving those last few days of the year receives thank-you letters, cards, texts, postcards, video emails, or personal emails thanking them.
• Consider crafting a donor survey to learn more about your donors.
• Consider putting donors who upgraded at end-of-year into a mid-level or major gift portfolio.
• Assess your performance to your goals: recruiting new donors, upgrades, average gift size, and total gifts.
• Review the results of the campaign and prepare your board report. What went well? What could we have done better?
• Prepare annual tax statements to be mailed or emailed before Feb. 1.
• Start on the Annual Report.
• Prepare your 2025 year-end fundraising plan.

Year-end is not “the end”

As you wrap up your year-end campaigns and reflect on the whirlwind of activity, it may be tempting to focus on the numbers—the donations, the new donors, the last big push on December 31st. But what if you could take a moment to celebrate something beyond the financial results? Your timeline is more than a list of tasks; it’s a reflection of your mission’s broader impact on your community. In managing these communications with intention, you’re not only asking for support; you’re also building relationships that last beyond December 31st. The end-of-year crunch might feel like a sprint, but it’s really a marathon—one that sets the stage for your organization’s long-term growth, deepens donor loyalty, and ultimately amplifies your mission. So, as you count up the gifts, don’t forget to count the connections you’ve made and the future you’re helping shape.

What tips would you add to this year-end fundraising plan list? Let us know in the comments. 

The post Mastering Your End-of-Year Fundraising Plan: Calendar + Checklist appeared first on Bloomerang.