The Annual Appeal Isn’t Dead — It Just Needs a Strategy Makeover

For decades, the nonprofit annual appeal has been a cornerstone of nonprofit fundraising. That one big year-end campaign can make or break an entire fiscal year. But today’s donors are different than donors of decades past. They’re digital-first, expect hyper-personalized experiences, and are far less likely to respond to a generic letter or mass email blast. 

Nonprofit leaders know they can’t afford to abandon the annual appeal — it still drives awareness and dollars at scale. But they also can’t keep doing it the way they always have. It’s time for a makeover.

According to Bloomerang’s "Mission Retainable: Research-Backed Strategies to Inspire Donor Loyalty" report, 82% of fundraisers cite limited staff and resources as their biggest challenge to increasing donor retention rates. On the other hand, only 30% rank donor fatigue as the greatest challenge. 

That data reframes a common assumption: Donors aren’t tired of giving — they’re tired of being asked in uninspired, impersonal ways. The real barrier is that nonprofits don’t have the time, people or tools to engage donors in the right ways, at the right times.

The annual appeal isn’t dead. But without nonprofit annual appeal strategies and tools, it’s underperforming.

Why Nonprofits Need to Reimagine the Annual Appeal

Donors in 2025 are not the same as those in 2005 — or even 2015. They live in an era of convenience, instant answers and curated experiences. Whether they’re streaming content on Netflix, shopping on Amazon or communicating via WhatsApp, their daily experiences are curated and tailored to them.

That expectation carries into philanthropy. Today’s donors want:

• Personalized outreach. They expect you to know their history, interests and capacity. They lose interest in the generic, mass appeal. Only customizing the first name won’t cut it in 2025. 
• Human connection. They want to feel seen and valued versus only being engaged during an ask. In the aforementioned Bloomerang report, 65% of donors saiy they want regular updates about their impact, but only 36% of nonprofits provide them.
• Omnichannel access. They want to engage where they are, whether that’s by text, video, email, or a peer-to-peer connection. About a third of donors say email or social media messages most often motivate them to give, and another 17% point to a nonprofit’s website, according to Nonprofit Tech for Good’s “Online Donor Feedback Survey.”

Without these elements, appeals risk fading into the background of an already noisy digital environment.

Despite these shifting expectations, the annual appeal still has critical strengths worth preserving:

• Storytelling. It creates a moment to share compelling stories of impact.
• Urgency. It establishes a clear “why now” for giving.
• Momentum. It unites supporters under a shared campaign goal.

But those strengths can’t carry the weight of outdated delivery methods. A printed letter without personalization or a one-off email blast without segmentation is unlikely to resonate. To maximize the appeal’s potential, nonprofits must marry the timeless with the timely.

3 Nonprofit Annual Appeal Strategies to Modernize Your Annual Appeal 

To reach tomorrow’s donors, here are a few key ways nonprofits can adapt their approaches to the year-end ask.

1. Personalize With Predictive Analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI is here — and nonprofits of every size are starting to tap into its potential. Predictive analytics can surface which donors are most likely to give, upgrade or lapse. Instead of casting a wide net, you can focus on the people most ready to act.

AI tools designed for frontline fundraisers can also enable personalization at scale. From writing donor-specific email subject lines to identifying hidden-gem donors in your database, these tools let small teams work like big ones.

This directly addresses the top challenge 82% of fundraisers cite: limited staff and resources. With AI handling segmentation, personalization and outreach triggers, your team has more bandwidth to focus on relationship-building.

2. Keep Outreach Human-Centric with Video Messaging

Donors give to people — not organizations. Video outreach makes that human connection possible, even at scale. Whether it’s a short thank-you from a volunteer or a quick impact update from your CEO, videos can help your appeal cut through inbox clutter and feel authentic.

Data shows that personalized videos can lift donor response rates by 57%. And unlike another letter or email, a video creates a sense of intimacy and authenticity that can’t be replicated in text alone.

Imagine pairing your annual appeal letter with a heartfelt 30-second video message emphasizing the importance of donations to your organization. That simple step could transform a transactional ask into a relational moment.

3. Meet Donors Across Channels

Your donors aren’t just opening their mailboxes. They live across virtual spaces — email, text and social — and they expect you to meet them there. An omnichannel outreach strategy doesn’t mean bombarding them everywhere — it means understanding where they engage most and meeting them there.

This could look like:

• Following up a mailed letter with a personalized text reminder.
• Running social media ads targeted to segments who’ve received your appeal.
• Offering a one-click way to give on mobile devices.

The key is quality over quantity. A unified, donor-centric approach across channels will always outperform generic mass messaging.

The Winning Formula for the Annual Appeal 

Make no mistake – the annual appeal isn’t dead. But the old way of doing it is.

Nonprofits that embrace a strategic makeover — combining timeless storytelling with modern tools — will not only raise more money but also deepen trust with donors. In an era of tight budgets and high expectations, that’s not just a nice-to-have. It’s essential.

The choice is clear: Cling to outdated methods and see diminishing returns or modernize your nonprofit's annual appeal strategies to unlock your appeal’s full potential.

The preceding content was provided by a contributor unaffiliated with NonProfit PRO. The views expressed within may not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of NonProfit PRO.