{"id":113290,"date":"2025-11-21T11:08:12","date_gmt":"2025-11-21T19:08:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/donorbox.org\/nonprofit-blog?p=113290"},"modified":"2026-07-29T01:52:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T08:52:14","slug":"expert-giving-season-advice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/donorbox.org\/nonprofit-blog\/expert-giving-season-advice","title":{"rendered":"8 Fundraising Experts’ Best Giving Season Advice (2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Giving Season is the most rewarding time of the year for fundraisers. It\u2019s also the most overwhelming.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why we spoke to eight seasoned fundraisers \u2013 consultants, campaign strategists, nonprofit founders, and digital pros \u2013 to find out what they\u2019ve learned from years of year-end campaigns<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what they had to say.<\/p>\n

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<\/a>1. Start Early This 2026<\/h2>\n

Every expert we spoke to emphasized that the campaigns with the best results are the ones planned and built well before the year-end rush begins.<\/p>\n

Vicki Burkhart<\/a>, founder and CEO of The More Than Giving Co.<\/a>, puts it plainly:<\/p>\n

Start early. The last months of the year fill up quickly\u2026The earlier you can create your giving season campaign and get it \u2018locked and loaded,\u2019 the more effective you will be in meeting deadlines and taking advantage of special days (holidays, Giving Tuesday, etc.) to share your message.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Kathleen Costa-Daniels<\/a>, senior project manager at Whole Whale<\/a>, echoes that preparation is what sets campaigns up for success:<\/p>\n

Giving Season isn\u2019t won in November and December, it\u2019s won in the other 10 months when you\u2019re building relationships and systems.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Giving<\/p>\n

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<\/a>2. Keep It Simple and Clear<\/h2>\n

When Giving Season is in full swing, it\u2019s tempting to over-explain, add more content, or try to implement too many ideas at once. But the experts agree: keep it simple, clear, and donor-focused.<\/p>\n

David Pisarek<\/a>, founder and CEO of Wow Digital Inc.<\/a>, captures this well. \u201cClarity beats clever every time. When we trimmed copy, removed distractions, and made the path obvious, conversion rates climbed. Fewer clicks, more gifts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Giving<\/p>\n

Mariana Fili<\/a>, founder of Palm Consulting<\/a>, also recommends keeping things simple and genuine. \u201cYour Giving Season campaign doesn\u2019t need to be perfect to make an impact.\u201d<\/p>\n

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<\/a>3. Tell a Story<\/h2>\n

A clear message is essential, but what moves people most is the story behind it. Donors connect most when they can see the real impact of your work.<\/p>\n

\"Giving<\/p>\n

Kathleen Costa-Daniels reinforces this with some practical advice:<\/p>\n

Build a small bank of tangible stories that show the real impact of giving. Whether it\u2019s a person whose life was changed, an animal rescued, or a community strengthened by climate action, human-centered storytelling helps donors see the difference their give makes.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This focus on stories and people is echoed by Sara Prguda<\/a>, project manager at Echo Technology Solutions<\/a>, who reminds us that donors respond to authenticity over polish. She points out that \u201cpeople give to people,\u201d and that genuine, unfiltered moments resonate most.<\/p>\n

\"Giving<\/p>\n

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<\/a>4. Segment Your Audience<\/h2>\n

A single message won\u2019t resonate with every donor. According to the experts, segmenting your donor list is one of the best ways to make your appeals more relevant.<\/p>\n

Kathleen Costa-Daniels highlights how essential segmentation is for cutting through the crowd:<\/p>\n

You can\u2019t just blast the same message to everyone. Your lapsed donors need a different message than monthly sustainers, and major donors shouldn\u2019t get the same urgent \u2018we\u2019re almost there!\u2019 email as your $25 first-time givers.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Segmentation isn\u2019t only about refining the ask \u2013 it\u2019s also about communicating with intention, adds Katherine Lacefield<\/a>, founder of Just Be Cause Consulting<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Giving<\/p>\n

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<\/a>5. Be Intentional With Your Channel Mix<\/h2>\n

Each of our experts approaches Giving Season outreach quite differently.<\/p>\n

Vicki Burkhart acknowledges there\u2019s no \u201cone-size-fits-all approach\u201d for outreach, but recommends adopting channels that are most likely to reach your targeted donor groups.<\/p>\n

Mariana Fili notes that even a simple channel mix can be highly effective for some nonprofits:<\/p>\n

For many small nonprofits we work with, Salesforce itself can be one of the most effective and affordable channels\u2026one warm-up message before Giving Tuesday and two impact updates during December.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If you\u2019re looking for a more extensive approach, David Pisarek\u2019s recipe is:<\/p>\n