FND 222 | Annual Appeals

Overview

Learn how to convert timed, targeted appeals into long-term donor support.

Just under half of all individual giving takes place in the year’s final three months – with more than 30% of all donations coming in December alone. Planning and executing your annual or year-end appeal is, therefore, essential to your success in fundraising from individuals. The rest of the year is not to be forgotten, however! Successful annual giving campaigns rely on multiple appeals to build relationships with donors and secure support over 12 months.

In this course, GCN experts will help participants build out multiple campaigns throughout the year to cultivate donor relationships, and open up two-way communication with advocates, donors, and volunteers in ways never before possible. The course will cover new trends in appeals and help participants learn to integrate social media tools and events into appeals.

Key Concepts

• Planning (July-September) and executing (October-December) an annual or year-end appeal, including acknowledging donors and celebrating success (December-January)
• Planning special or mid-year appeals around other significant dates or events (such as holidays, organizational milestones, or community/sector commemorations)

Learning Objectives

• Develop a year-end appeal.
• Develop a secondary (mid-year or special) appeal.
• Structure and execute an appeal through traditional and new-technology channels.

Audience

• Fundraising and development staff
• Marketing/communications staff
• Senior leadership
• Board members, especially those serving on fundraising committees