The holiday season is a time of heightened generosity, with nonprofits experiencing a significant spike in donations. In fact, nonprofits generate 47% of their online contributions in the last week of December, with 20% coming on the final day of the year. 

While that’s a definite reason to celebrate at year’s end, sustaining this spirit of generosity in every season presents a challenge once the lights go down and the celebratory cheers subside.

Here at Levitate, we love linking up with nonprofits to help them further their missions. They’re doing serious good in communities nationwide, and nothing makes us happier than seeing them reach more and raise more after implementing our keep-in-touch marketing strategies. 

Below, we’ve highlighted a few of the strategies our customer success specialists help to put into practice when supporting nonprofit clients. And since we’re number nerds, everything we do is based on data, ensuring we point our clients in the right direction - winter, spring, summer, or fall.

Four Strategies to Enhance Year-Round Giving

1. Maintain an authentic email correspondence.

Email check-ins, e-newsletters, and event updates are essential for engaging donors throughout the year. Furthermore, a simple thank-you email or greeting on a donor's birthday can go a long way toward letting your supporters know they are appreciated. 

The content team at Levitate spends loads of time brainstorming ideas for our various industries, including nonprofits. Some of the most legendary ‘aha’ moments have come when we’ve connected email and social media content to the seasons. 

To get your own creative juices flowing, here are 20+ seasonal content ideas for nonprofits. While not all may directly apply to your organization and mission, many can be adapted to suit your needs.

Winter

• A "Year-in-Review" email highlighting top achievements and milestones.
• A Christmas and/or New Year-themed social media post noting office closures or end-of-the-year giving opportunities. 
• An email and corresponding social post honoring Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
• A New Year’s Resolution email sharing your organization’s top goals or resolutions for the year ahead. 
• A heartfelt Valentine's Day social media post and/or email thanking donors and volunteers.

Spring

• An Earth Day email campaign discussing your organization's sustainable practices and future initiatives.
• A social media post encouraging supporters to spring clean with your organization in mind. 
• An email in honor of International Women's Day showcasing the women your organization supports.
• A series of emails or an e-newsletter using "National Volunteer Week" in April to highlight the contributions of your volunteers. Showcase their stories and thank them for their service.
• A "spring renewal" email sharing recent successes that highlight growth and transformation.
• A Mother's Day email introducing a campaign to support mothers in need.

Summer

• Promotional content for outdoor fundraising events, such as charity sports games or concerts, shared via email and social media.
• A social media post featuring behind-the-scenes footage of summer activities or initiatives.
• An email promoting the International Day of Charity with specific suggestions on how followers can contribute.
• Email announcements promoting summer volunteering opportunities — “Staycation with a Cause.”

Fall

• An email or social media campaign for a back-to-school drive for supplies or uniforms.
• Halloween-themed emails and social media posts promoting a special event or fundraising campaign.
• A Thanksgiving email and social post expressing gratitude for the previous year's donors and volunteers.
• A December email series with daily tips on how to give back during the holiday season.

2. Connect with donors on a personal level.

In addition to digital marketing efforts, nonprofits can enhance donor support all year long by regularly engaging with supporters on a personal level. Small gestures such as meeting for coffee, making phone calls to check in, or writing handwritten notes can significantly strengthen donor loyalty. 

It's for those reasons, in fact, that we were thrilled to introduce handwritten cards as our newest feature to clients this fall. Seamlessly blending the latest technology with the sentimental touch of a handwritten note, our nonprofit clients, like you, can now send personalized cards at scale for many occasions. 

3. Host simple events. 

It doesn’t take a lavish gala or an all-day golf tournament to stay top of mind with donors. While large-scale events are exciting and certainly have their place, smaller, low-entry events can be key to maintaining donor enthusiasm for your cause. 

During these events, you can highlight your work and allow those directly affected by your efforts to share their personal experiences. After all, the faces behind the cause and their stories underscore the importance of continuous donor support. 

With that in mind, here are a few simple events we’re guessing you could pull off in a week or less: 

• New Donor Potluck Dinner
• Office Open House 
• Volunteer Project Day
• A Webinar or a “Lunch and Learn” Panel Discussion
• A Dine Out for a Cause Event

Moreover, Levitate's Event Registration feature helps nonprofits manage event invitations and RSVPs effortlessly. You can quickly create custom event pages, use AI for effective outreach, share invitations publicly via a direct link, set event-specific details, and track responses easily. It’s ideal for seamless planning and execution of your fundraising dinners, webinars, and other events, big or small. 

4. Start or grow your social media presence.

Maintaining a strong social media presence is crucial for all businesses, especially nonprofits. Regular updates, success stories, and glimpses into behind-the-scenes activities keep your organization's mission and activities fresh in followers' minds.

Keep in mind that while occasional donation requests are okay, your posts should primarily create a sense of community by consistently highlighting your ongoing work and community engagement.

A Culture of Giving All Year Long

By using these strategies and leveraging the tools that platforms such as Levitate provide, nonprofits like yours can consistently sustain momentum at year’s end and all year long. 

If you’re a nonprofit Levitate customer with questions about these strategies, please reach out to your Success Manager or contact support. We’re here to help! 

Not a Levitate customer and want to learn more about how Levitate can streamline your email, social media, texting, reviews, and more? Let us know! We’d love to chat.