Your Biggest Fundraising Mistake Might Happen Before Christmas!

Send us Fan Mail Year-end fundraising strategy for nonprofits starts long before December. Ben Cooley, CEO of Maxwell & Marie , joins this Global Edition to explain how nonprofits can turn the holiday giving season into a carefully planned revenue opportunity, not a last-minute fundraising scramble. Ben's message is wonderfully direct: “Your resources are in your relationships.” That means successful fundraising can't depend only on an email blast sent when December arrives. The planning begins with a business question: What exactly are you raising money for? Finance, operations and program teams need to establish the target and purpose before the creative team develops the story and campaign. The conversation then moves into communication strategy—direct mail, email, text messages, personal calls, small donor gatherings and social media. Ben also urges nonprofits to design their stewardship workflow before the donations arrive: “Plan your thanking strategy.” And there's a significant timing issue. Ben cites a figure that 64% of online donations are made in the final two weeks of December, reinforcing why nonprofits need their campaigns ready well before donors reach peak giving mode. For organizations looking for a benchmark, he suggests one possible target of approximately 10–15% of the operating budget, connected to a clear program objective. The Santa hats may be having some fun, but the business lesson is serious: by December, your fundraising strategy should already be moving. Key Takeaways Begin internal year-end campaign planning well before the holiday season. Tie the fundraising goal to a specific, understandable program outcome. Build a coordinated campaign across direct mail, email, text, social and personal outreach. Treat relationships—not technology—as the underlying fundraising asset. Design the donor thank-you and follow-up journey before gifts begin arriving. Track outreach volume and conversion rates alongside total dollars raised. 00:00:00 Christmas Comes Early to The Nonprofit Show 00:02:30 Ben Cooley and Growing Nonprofits 00:04:14 Why Year-End Can Be the Biggest Fundraising Season 00:05:02 The Final Weeks of December and Donor Giving 00:09:46 How to Start Building the Campaign 00:11:37 Communication Waves, Direct Mail and Relationships 00:13:28 Plan the Thank-You Before the Donation 00:14:51 Why Fundraising Campaigns Need a Specific Ask 00:17:04 How Early Should Year-End Fundraising Start? 0 0:19:31 Giving Tuesday, Matching Gifts and Donor Fatigue 00:22:39 Don’t Stop Fundraising on Christmas Day 00:24:08 Setting a Year-End Fundraising Goal 00:25:19 Fundraising Is a Numbers Game 00:26:19 Building the Fundraising Roadmap Find us Live daily on YouTube! Find us Live daily on LinkedIn! Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_Show Our national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PT Send us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.com Visit us on the web: The Nonprofit Show