Soapbox Engage Blog

It might be the middle of summer, but the smartest fundraisers know that year-end giving success starts months before the first holiday appeal hits inboxes. July is the perfect time to lay the groundwork—clean up your database, refresh your donation pages, and map out campaigns. That way, when Giving Tuesday and December’s generosity arrive, you’re ready to capture every gift.

Nearly one-third of annual donations still come in during December, with a big surge in the final three days of the year. By starting your prep now, you give yourself time to test, refine, and build momentum for the biggest fundraising stretch of the year.

We’ve put together an updated 7-step checklist to help you get ahead, stay organized, and head into the year-end season with confidence.

7 Steps to Captivating Year-End Fundraising

• Double-check your foundation.
• Get your database ready for #GivingTuesday.
• Use multiple strategies based on your database.
• Ask boldly!
• Develop campaign timelines.
• Invest in new donor relationships.
• Thank your donors.

1) Double-check your foundation.

On the day your fundraiser goes live, you want to make sure donors are informed of your organization’s mission and they’re able to donate easily. It would be a nightmare if those two pieces weren’t working!

So make sure the first thing you do is check that your donation software is current and functioning. If not, now is a great time to switch! Soapbox Engage’s Donations app offers powerful support for every organization’s needs, including one-time and recurring giving options, integration with Facebook and Twitter, customized thank you emails, and transaction receipts. We take care of the exhausting tasks so you can do the important stuff.

While you’re checking all your essential functions, make sure to update your forms, social media, and website with all the relevant information and reminders of your year-end giving goals.

Has someone recently joined or left your organization? Did your organization start a new project this year? Make sure all those details are updated and correct!

And, we have to ask, are you optimized for mobile? As of July 2025, roughly 64 percent of site visits happen on mobile devices, and trends show it's rising steadily. That makes it absolutely critical that your donation platform is mobile-friendly: donation buttons should be large and easy to tap, forms must load properly, and your site should render cleanly across all screen sizes.

2) Get your database ready for #GivingTuesday.

Your organization needs a strong, well-organized database that’s ready to handle the influx of donors you’ll connect with during year-end giving. That means more than just storing names and email addresses—it’s about having clean, accessible, and actionable data you can use to segment audiences, personalize appeals, and track donor journeys over time.

Start by asking yourself:

• Are your donor lists current and accurate?
• Have outdated or duplicate records been cleaned up?
• Can your team quickly pull reports and understand the insights?
• Do you have the ability to target specific donor groups—like first-time donors, monthly givers, or lapsed supporters?

The ability to focus your fundraising on clearly defined segments can dramatically improve your results.

If the thought of manually entering data into your CRM or spending hours on spreadsheet cleanup sounds overwhelming, here’s the good news: all of Soapbox Engage’s apps are powered by Salesforce. Every interaction—whether it’s a donation, an event registration, or a petition signature—flows directly into your database automatically, accurately, and in real time. No more deciphering messy handwriting or hunting for missing fields.

With accurate, up-to-date donor data at your fingertips, you can move quickly, respond to trends, and confidently launch targeted campaigns that speak directly to each audience you serve.

3) Use multiple strategies based on your database.

It’s time to use all that information you’ve been collecting about your supporters! With a powerful database, you know exactly who donated recently and how often.

Create multiple campaigns and tailor your asks to each demographic. Focus on turning one-time donors into repeat supporters. Encourage lapsed donors with your mission’s progress since the last time they gave. Or, ask high-end donors to give more based on their previous giving.

4) Ask boldly!

Fundraising success doesn’t come from playing it safe. It comes from asking clearly, confidently, and often. Whether it’s recurring donors, first-time supporters, social media followers, or even your neighbors, don’t assume someone won’t give. If they believe in your mission, they deserve the opportunity to contribute.

Even if someone has already donated this year, it’s okay to ask again—especially during the year-end season when generosity is top of mind. Let your donors decide how and when to give.

When you make the ask, be specific: share exactly what their gift will accomplish, tell a compelling story, and use visuals or impact stats to drive the point home. Pair that with urgency (phrases like “Help us reach our goal before December 31st” or “Your gift today can be doubled”) to inspire action right away.

And remember, bold doesn’t mean pushy. It means being proud of your mission and inviting others to join you in making it happen.

5) Develop campaign timelines.

While we’re on the subject of asking, let’s talk about campaign timelines. Year-end giving is too important to leave to one email blast—you need a plan that keeps your mission top-of-mind without overwhelming your donors.

We recommend a staggered approach across multiple channels:

• First push: Announce your year-end campaign and set the tone with a clear call to action.


• Mid-season reminder: Reach those who didn’t respond initially and share progress updates to build momentum.


• Final countdown: Send a “last chance” appeal in the final three days of the year, when urgency is at its peak.


• Post-deadline follow-up: Include an “Oops, you missed it!” or “It’s not too late” message in early January to capture late gifts.

Make sure your reminders are tailored to different segments—new donors, recurring givers, lapsed supporters—so each group hears from you in a way that resonates.

Your final-year emails should use urgency-driven language like “Time is running out!” or “Give before midnight on December 31st!” while reminding supporters exactly how their gift will make a difference and where you stand toward your goal.

And don’t forget about donors who are traveling, busy with family, or unplugged during the holidays. By extending your campaign into the first week or two of January, you can give them the chance to still be part of your impact story.

6) Invest in new donor relationships.

The only thing better than a new donor is a recurring donor. Focus on continued follow-up and touchpoints to build your new donor’s relationship with the organization.

Donors want to feel included in your mission and to get a sense that they’re doing something good in the world. When you give them that, they’re far more likely to return to your organization again.

Here are a few suggestions to make new donors feel as special as they are:

• Develop a dedicated welcome email series for interested potential donors and first-timers.
• Inspire donors with moving stories from your mission. Perhaps you could plan a “Year in Review” virtual fundraiser of all your organization’s hard work.
• Ask your donors to join you in your goal with peer-to-peer fundraisers and sharing through social media channels.
• Consider sending out non-ask messages to share seasonal greetings and updates on your nonprofit’s recent work.

7) Thank your donors!

Right now, January thank-you notes might feel like a distant concern, but in the thick of the holiday rush, they’ll sneak up fast. Planning your gratitude strategy now means you can start the new year rested instead of scrambling.

Thoughtful thank-yous are one of the most powerful tools for retaining the donors you’ve worked so hard to acquire. As you plan, consider three key questions: How will you welcome the new supporters who join your mission this year? How will you show appreciation to your loyal donors who continue to give? And how will you celebrate repeat donors who increased their contributions? Tailoring your responses to each group helps every supporter feel valued and seen.

And don’t keep your gratitude behind the scenes. Public appreciation—like a January social media series or a thank-you banner on your website—shows donors that you mean it. Link their contributions directly to your mission’s results, and share stories of the impact their generosity will create in 2025 and beyond.

You’ve worked hard all year with persistence, creativity, and heart. We’re proud of the dedication you bring to your mission, and we know you can finish 2025 strong. Soapbox Engage has your event planning and custom donations pages covered—so you can spend less time wrestling with tech and more time building the relationships that keep your mission moving forward.