How to Make the Most of the Last 31 Days of Fundraising in 2025
December is the most generous month of the year in Canada. Donors are thinking about the holidays, tax receipts, and giving back. If you can channel that mindset into a well-executed final push, you can finish your fundraising year strong and set the stage for 2026.
Here’s how to turn the last 31 days into your most productive fundraising period, with strategies that work for both large and small charities.
- Treat December as a campaign, not an afterthought
Instead of sending a few scattered emails or social posts, design December as a focused campaign. Give it a name, a goal, and a clear impact statement.
Example:
- Campaign name: Light the Way
- Goal: Raise $75,000 to fund 150 youth mentorship matches before year end
- Impact statement: “Your gift today ensures no child in our community starts 2026 without a mentor.”
When donors see a clear theme and goal, they are more likely to follow along and give.
- Use December 1–10 to set up your strongest supporters
The first 10 days of December are prime time to secure commitments from your most engaged donors, volunteers, and board members before inboxes and calendars get crowded.
Actions to take:
- Call or email your top donors personally to ask for their year-end gift early
- Equip board members with talking points and personal fundraising pages
- Ask major supporters to consider a matching gift for the last week of December
Pro tip: Securing these gifts early means you can announce matches or milestone achievements later in the month to inspire the rest of your donor base.
- Build a “tax-time” email sequence
Many donors give in late December because they want a tax receipt for the current year. Create a three-part email series that starts on December 27 and runs through December 31:
- Email 1 (Dec 27): Thank donors for their support this year and invite them to make one final gift to help you start 2026 strong
- Email 2 (Dec 30): Share an impact story that connects directly to donations received this month
- Email 3 (Dec 31): Urgent reminder that today is the last chance to make a 2025 tax-deductible gift
Keep the subject lines clear and focused on timing and impact.
- Layer in social media urgency posts
Your social content in December should be short, visual, and frequent. Use stories, carousels, and pinned posts to keep your campaign visible.
Ideas for posts:
- Countdown graphics (“3 days left to double your gift”)
- Behind-the-scenes photos showing the work your year-end campaign funds
- Short thank-you videos naming recent donors (with permission)
- Screenshots of progress toward your goal
Example: A food bank posts a daily photo of shelves being stocked as donations come in, with captions showing how many families each day’s gifts will help.
- Do one high-visibility push in the final 72 hours
The last three days of December can make up a disproportionate share of your month’s revenue. This is the time to:
- Send daily emails with fresh subject lines and a short, strong call to action
- Post multiple times per day on social media with progress updates
- Feature your campaign prominently on your homepage with a large “Give Now” button
If possible, add an extra incentive such as a short-term match or a specific final-day goal.
- Make it easy to give on any device
December giving often happens on the go on phones, tablets, and laptops at home.
Your donation page should:
- Load quickly on mobile
- Accept digital wallet payments like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal
- Require the minimum number of form fields
- Offer monthly giving as a clear option
- Plan for immediate stewardship
Donors who give at year-end are prime candidates for retention if they feel appreciated quickly.
- Send an automated thank-you within minutes of their gift
- Follow up in early January with a personal note or video update showing the impact of their gift
- Invite them to take a next step, such as joining your monthly donor program or attending an event
Quick-win checklist for December success
- Campaign name, theme, and goal set by Nov 30
- Top donor outreach list and scripts ready for Dec 1–10
- Tax-time email sequence scheduled for Dec 27–31
- Social media countdown assets created and scheduled
- Donation form tested on all devices and payment methods enabled
- Thank-you templates ready for immediate sending
Closing the Year with Purpose
The last 31 days of the year are a concentrated opportunity for connection, storytelling, and generosity. By treating December as a planned campaign, using urgency well, and making giving simple, you can maximize both revenue and relationships before the year closes.If your organization wants a year-end fundraising push that blends strategy, creativity, and flawless execution, Anchor Marketing can help. We work exclusively with charities and nonprofits to design campaigns that inspire action and deliver measurable results. Contact us to start planning your final month now.