Are you Keeping the Spark of What’s Possible Burning Bright?
Greetings!
Let’s be honest: as the year-end approaches, the nonprofit sector is navigating a wild season.
- Political tension? Yep.
- Economic uncertainty? Still here.
- A nationwide dip in giving? Unfortunately, yes.
And now, here we are at the end of the year, the moment when fundraising pressure meets holiday chaos, and everyone is hoping their annual appeal will shine like a beacon in a storm.
That’s exactly why the final three steps of the Choose Abundance Model matter so much right now.
Step 9: Communicate & Enroll the Next Layers of Stakeholders
Picture your organization gathered around a warm campfire, and now the circle needs to expand. Your core team already knows the Culture of Philanthropy work you’ve been doing, but as year-end approaches, it’s time to bring in the next ring of staff, board members, and volunteers.
Share the plan. Share the story behind the plan. And most importantly, share how each person can help amplify your year-end messaging and your culture of gratitude.
People want to help, especially when they understand why their participation matters.
Bring them in now and watch how that collective energy supports your appeal.
Step 10: Community Engagement
Year-end is when your community finds out whether all those intentional touches, mission moments, and relationship-building efforts have taken root.
This step invites you to lean into connection:
- Sincere messages of deep gratitude – a note that says, “Here’s how you made an impact this year”
- A meaningful story shared on social
- A loving check-in call with a long-time supporter
When economic anxiety is high, people need to feel emotionally grounded before they give financially. Your steady presence, your warmth, and your consistency all create a sense of belonging — which is the number one ingredient in year-end giving.
Your appeal isn’t just an ask this year. It’s the culmination of authentic relationships.
Step 11: Track Successes — Then Rinse & Repeat
As end-of-year gifts start flowing (and yes — even in a tough climate, they DO still flow), this step helps you see what’s working.
Track the opens, the clicks, the conversations, the unexpected gifts, the “I’ve been meaning to support you,” the volunteers who deepen their involvement. These are all the indicators that your abundance work is taking hold.
Each tracked success — no matter the size — is a seed you’ll replant in January.
Take time to celebrate it with your team.
Then you rinse. And repeat. You don’t go all the way back to step 1, culture change is not linear. You look at the 11 steps and see where you can improve. Who now needs to join your team? What messages need to be fine tuned? If you check in on your progress and acknowledge the small steps forward you’ll watch your culture of philanthropy grow stronger every cycle.
Why These Steps Matter, Especially Now
In a season of political noise, economic wobble, and sector-wide donor decline, these three steps help your organization stay focused on what is real and generous and possible:
- A wider circle of internal champions
- A community that feels seen and cared for
- Clear learning loops that ground your next moves
And as you head into your year-end appeal, remember this:
The fruits of fundraising ripen from the seeds of relationship and, importantly, stewardship. When we show our supporters that their gift has made a difference and it proves that their investment had a good return (ROI).
Everything you’ve been building all year — trust, clarity, connection — shows itself now. And it’s enough. More than enough.
Rainmaker wishes you and your team happy holidays, and abundance now and into 2026!
