Year-End Tip No. 2: An Option to Volunteer

Many nonprofits receive 40 percent or more of their annual fundraising during the year-end. Start planning now—don’t wait until it’s too late.

I have a few really hot “tips” for you about year-end giving, but first, here’s the data supporting the “tips.” By sharing these first, my “tips” will be self-evident.

• Charitable gifts were up 3 percent last year, and wealthy individuals were responsible for most of the increase.

• Baby Boomers are today’s major donors. They comprise only 34 percent of all donors, but are giving 43 percent of the money.

• 64 percent of all charitable gifts are made by women, and older women are more likely to give and give more than their male counterparts.
• 89 percent of high net-worth individuals volunteer with nonprofits.

Hot Tip No. 2

When you’re soliciting year-end gifts, be sure to include an option for volunteering with your agency. Volunteering is a key part of donor engagement. I realize that a lot of agencies struggle with insufficient capacity to manage volunteers, so you might have to keep it simple.

What about volunteer help for your board committees? Or that special task force your executive director has mentioned? Don’t you need an extra hand with your gala coordination? This is the time of year to think about ways a donor can get involved and offer those options to your prospects. Volunteering and increased individual giving go hand in glove!

This is part two of a four-part series on year-end giving tips. To read tip No. 1, click here.