As we enter the fourth quarter of 2025, nonprofits enter the most critical fundraising season. It is common knowledge that November and December are often the most important months for donor giving, with 30%-40% of annual contributions arriving in the last few weeks of the year. In this crowded marketplace, organizations must rise above the noise — not only by appealing to generosity, but also by meeting donors where they are, with clarity, transparency and a deep understanding of what motivates them.

To achieve their short- and long-term objectives, successful nonprofits must frame their campaigns around results by the numbers. By harnessing data and donor insights, you can launch and execute a campaign that resonates personally, highlights tangible outcomes and inspires collective action.

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Data-driven personalization

Donors expect to be seen and understood. Using the right segmentation tools, you can tailor messages based on giving history and potential. It is generally accepted for nonprofits to regularly research the giving histories and philanthropic patterns of their donors — especially their lead and major donors — to consider together with important anecdotal data how to most directly and accurately appeal to a donor’s interests and expectations.

Instead of in a generic ask, for example, consider a more focused request: Last year, your support provided scholarships for five deserving students. This is the benefit that you created. This December, can you consider doubling your gift to fund ten scholarships? This is the difference that you will make. This kind of directed and personalized communication, based on wealth analysis and giving patterns, connects past generosity to future possibility — making the donor feel both recognized and empowered.

Transparency in outcomes
Research indicates that donors are more motivated when they see and understand the impact of their giving rather than broad appeals. Anchoring giving levels to real outcomes connects donors to the ask and raises the level of donor engagement. In an individual donor meeting, when asking the donors to consider a major gift, present them with the projected results of a gift of $10,000, $50,000 or $100,000, and show them the impact of those results. This appeals to the donor’s partnership in advancing the cause rather than feeling that you are treating them like an ATM. And please commit to a feedback loop, providing updates and reports to reinforce accountability…and follow through.

In executing a digital mail appeal, consider a similar approach: Each gift of $2,500 provides an annual music education scholarship for a talented student; $1,000 provides meals for a deserving family for a year, $500 covers tuition for one child at summer camp, and on down the giving scale. This creates clarity and confidence. 

And perhaps consider a real-time dashboard where donors can watch the collective impact grow, whether it’s scholarships funded, meals served or children sent to camp. This transparency builds both trust and a sense of urgency.

It’s not just about the money

In today’s philanthropic marketplace, we are dealing with a polarized society and multiple generational cohorts with notably diverse approaches to giving. One common theme emerges: donors want to do more than just give; they want to and need to feel that they are part of something larger than themselves. When you frame your year-end ask in that context — Join us in ensuring that we can meet our goal of $500,000 by year-end, improving our community by funding this important training program for the next three years — you reinforce the sense of shared purpose. Donors are not just making gifts; they are endeavoring to advance something much bigger than themselves. 

This is particularly evident in approaching Millennial donors and many GenX donors as well, who are quicky rising into a meaningful role in the philanthropic marketplace. They are attracting increasing attention as they achieve greater financial independence and capacity and are more strongly positioned to make a difference. The attention paid to Millennials in the report of the Giving Institute’s Generosity Commission released in September 2024 and the potential impact of that cohort on giving going forward, speaks to the importance of framing giving in today’s charitable arena as transformative and not transactional. 

Building for the future

Year-end campaigns must not only focus on short-term dollars. They must be seen and embraced as a springboard for long-term relationships. A determined and individualized stewardship program can convert one-time donors into long term supporters. In January, follow up with personalized reports showing exactly how each donor’s gift contributed to the broader success. That recognition closes the loop and lays the groundwork for deeper engagement.

The end of the year is more than a deadline; it is an opportunity. By using data to personalize, transparency to build trust and storytelling to inspire, nonprofits can create partnerships with donors that do not just raise funds but build long term connection and commitment. As we enter this last quarter of 2025, invite donors to be critical partners with you and to see their results by the numbers. I genuinely believe that the bottom line will bear me out. 

Avrum Lapin is the president of The Lapin Group, LLC, a full-service fundraising and management consulting firm for leading nonprofits. He is also a member of the board of The Giving Institute and the Global Jewry Advisory Board.