Written by
Noboru
Kagamida
Published on
December 20, 2022
Last-Minute Email Templates for Your Year-End Fundraising Campaign
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Updated November 11, 2024
December is the most important fundraising month for many charities. December donations made through CanadaHelps account for a significant percentage of annual revenue for charities.
According to our December data on charities from the last two years:
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Donations from the entire month accounted for nearly 30% of their annual revenue |
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Donations from the 28th to the 31st accounted for approximately 9% of their annual revenue |
That’s a HUGE impact that last-minute end of year donations have on charities’ annual fundraising results!
However, December also happens to be one of the busiest times of the year for charities and supporters alike. From year-end appeals to holiday events to last-second gifts, we understand how chaotic this month can be. So to help charities save time and maximize their year-end fundraising results, we’ve provided last-minute email best practices and easy-to-use email templates that you can copy and paste.
Table of Contents
Before we dive into the templates, we’re sharing some best practices to help your subject lines and copy stand out brighter than Rudolph’s nose and drive results that will make you shout with glee. Of course, feel free to apply these best practices for your own year-end emails as well.
Evoke a Sense of Urgency in Your Subject Lines and Email Body
- Your supporters want to make a difference and help you reach your goals when they can. So tell them exactly what they need to do to help your charity achieve your final year-end fundraising goal, how much time they have left to donate, and how close you are to achieving it.
- Including other time-sensitive messaging in your emails, such as the December 31 deadline to receive charitable tax receipts, will also help encourage your supporters to take action, so they don’t miss out on beneficial tax credits.
Be Thankful and Show Your Gratitude in Every Email
- Telling your supporters how important they are to your charity makes them feel special. Remind them how grateful you are for their generous gifts and volunteering.
- Regularly thanking your supporters keeps your charity top of mind and in a positive spotlight. So when a supporter is ready to contribute a gift, they’ll be more likely to think of your organization first.
Keep Subject Lines Short and Simple
- Shorter subject lines are easy to read and understand, increasing the likelihood of your supporter opening and reading the email rather than ignoring it.
Put the Main Point at the Beginning of the Subject Line
- More than 40% of emails are read on mobile devices. But only the first 5-7 words appear on these smaller mobile screens. Just check out the example below.
- When using longer subject lines, put the main point at the beginning to help supporters know why they should open your email before the subject line gets cut off.
Segment Donors and Personalize Emails
- People donate and support your charity for different reasons and in different ways. Successful charities recognize and act on this by personalizing their year-end donation messages for different donor segments. For example, sending an email to convert your one-time donor segment into monthly donors.
- Personalized emails will be more welcoming and your supporters will be more likely to read the email. Especially at a time when impersonal holiday flyers flood your supporter’s inbox.
- Charities use merge fields to personalize emails based on a supporter’s information automatically. For example, charities could use merge fields to populate a supporter’s first name in the greeting, the most recent donation date to thank a supporter for the latest contribution, the first name of a team member to make the email feel more personalized
- An example of using a merge field to populate a supporter’s first name in the greeting:
Dear [Insert Name], thank you for your ongoing support; we wish you a safe and happy holiday.
- An example of using a merge field to populate information about how your supporter engages with your charity:
Thank you for your [One-time/monthly] donation on [Insert Donation Date].
- An example of using a merge field to populate the first name of a team member at the end of an email to make it feel more personal:
Looking forward to seeing what 2024 has in store!
Sincerely,
[Insert Your Name]
Add a Link to Your Donation Form
- Drive Immediate Donations: Adding a direct link to your donation form simplifies the giving process, helping supporters take action right when they're most inspired.
- Make Giving Easy: CanadaHelps Donation Forms are designed to simplify online giving with features like tax receipting, customization options, and mobile-friendly design, so donors can give with confidence and ease.
Include a Other Calls-to-Action (CTA)
- Whether you’re embedding CTA in the body of your email or drawing attention to it with an eye-catching “Donate now” button, your CTA helps continue the conversation with your supporters and encourages them to take the desired action specified by your charity.
- This is especially powerful when the CTA is also personalized. A “Learn more” CTA linking LYBUNT donors to a summary of all the great things your charity accomplished in the past year may encourage them to make a year-end donation. More on how to craft better fundraising CTAs.
Below, we’ve provided last-minute email templates you can quickly copy and paste as part of your year-end email campaign. Get creative here! Go ahead and fine-tune the email to match your charity’s voice, or send more than the emails listed below. The key here is to engage your donors in the final days of December to end your fundraising campaign on a positive note.
In a pinch? These all-purpose email templates help ensure you reach all your supporters the fastest way possible before the end of the year.
Last-Minute Gift Idea
Dear [Insert Supporter Name],
This holiday season, consider giving a tangible charitable gift that will make a lasting impact.
Whether you’re generously providing a personal gift yourself or giving this gift in honour of a loved one, we have incredible options that will make a difference.
[Insert Gift 1 Name] | [Insert Price] | [Insert Gift 1 Link]
[Insert Gift Description and/or Impact]
[Insert Gift 2 Name] | [Insert Price] | [Insert Gift 2 Link]
[Insert Gift Description and/or Impact]
[Insert Gift 3 Name] | [Insert Price] | [Insert Gift 3 Link]
[Insert Gift Description and/or Impact]
These are just some of the ways you can spread generosity and help those who need it most. You can find more gift options on [Insert CanadaHelps Charity Profile].
We hope you can make an impact this winter. From all of us at [Insert Charity Name], happy holidays!
Sincerely,
[Insert Your Name]
One Week Reminder
Dear [Insert Supporter Name],
December is coming to a close and we’re less than a week away from our 2024 donation deadline. The great news is there’s still time to donate and help us accomplish [Insert Donation Impact].
Thanks to generous donors, we achieved [Insert Achievements] this year. Donate today to help us reach [Insert Milestone] and make 2024 a year to remember!
[Insert Donate Now Button]
Thank you for your ongoing support and for making a difference.
Sincerely,
[Insert Your Name]
Two Days Before the Deadline
Dear [Insert Supporter Name],
Time is running out! Tomorrow is the last day to make a 2024 tax-deductible donation. Donate today to receive a tax credit benefit with your 2025 tax receipt.
Our team at [Insert Charity Name] is absolutely stunned and so thankful for your continued generosity which helped us achieve [Insert Milestone]. Your donations helped us [Insert Donation Impact].
But our mission to [Insert Mission] isn’t over yet. In 2025 we aim to [Insert 2025 Objectives]. Your donation today will help push us toward achieving those goals.
Please donate today and help us start 2025 on the right foot.
[Insert Donate Now Button]
Sincerely,
[Insert Your Name]
Last Day of December
Dear [Insert Supporter Name],
Today’s the final day! There are just [Insert Hours] hours left to make a 2024 tax-deductible donation!
We just need [Insert Percentage] more to reach [Insert Milestone]. Help us reach this goal and we’ll be able to [Insert Donation Impact].
The finish line is so close! Will you be the one to help us cross it?
Thank you for your continued support and we hope you will donate today before the new year.
[Insert Donate Now Button]
Sincerely,
[Insert Your Name]
It’s safe to say that people tend to be more generous during the holidays. Successful charities leverage this by segmenting and re-engaging former donors and encouraging them to support their charity once again.
Two standard donor segments charities reach out to in their last-minute fundraising campaigns are LYBUNT and SYBUNT donors.
Donors who fall into the LYBUNT segment provided a gift to your charity Last Year But Unfortunately Not This year. So in 2024, LYBUNT donors provided a gift to your charity in 2023 but not in 2024.
SYBUNT donors have provided a gift to your charity Some Year But Unfortunately Not This year. A SYBUNT donor is a donor who contributed at least once in 2023 or prior years.
Here’s how you can reach out to both segments in your last-minute fundraising appeals.
Last-Minute Email Template: LYBUNT Donors
Dear [Insert Supporter Name],
Thank you again for your generosity last year. Your gift of [Insert Donation Amount] on [Insert Donation Date] has helped us [Insert Donation Impact].
Every donation we receive is so precious as it brings us one step closer to achieving [Insert Charity Mission]. Donors like you are the foundation of everything we do at [Insert Charity Name]. Without donors like you, we would not have been able to [Insert Charity Achievements] in 2024.
Will you join us again before the new year?
As the 2024 donation deadline nears, please consider donating again. Don’t forget you’ll also receive a tax credit when you donate and claim your 2024 tax receipt.
[Insert Donate Now Button]
Sincerely,
[Insert Your Name]
Last-Minute Email Template: SYBUNT Donors
Dear [Insert Supporter Name],
Although it’s been a while, we haven’t forgotten about your generosity in [Insert Donation Year]. If you remember, [Insert Same Donation Year] was a big year thanks to donors like you. We accomplished [Charity Achievements From That Year] and made an impact by [Insert Donation Impact].
But we didn’t stop there.
Since then, we [Insert Major Charity Achievements]. In 2024 alone, we [Insert Charity Achievements] with the help of generous donors.
And as 2024 comes to a close, there’s still time for you to make an impact. Your donation today will [Insert Donation Impact]. Don’t forget you’ll also receive a tax credit when you donate and claim your 2024 tax receipt.
Every donation, big or small, helps us get one step closer to achieving our mission. We hope you can be a part of our mission once again.
[Insert Donate Now Button]
Sincerely,
[Insert Your Name]
These supporters shared their generosity by sharing their time, effort, and knowledge to help your charity achieve its mission. Reach out to them with a personalized message thanking them for their time and request one final donation to close the year with an act of kindness.
Last-Minute Email Template: Volunteers
Dear [Insert Supporter Name],
Thank you again for volunteering at [Insert Volunteering Event Name]. We’re so grateful that you were able to lend your time to help us achieve [Insert Volunteering Event Impact]. You are a crucial part of why we had such a successful 2024.
And as 2024 comes to a close, we ask you to consider making a tax-deductible donation by December 31.
Your generosity will help us build on the success we shared at [Insert Volunteering Event Name] by [Insert Donation Impact]. Your support today will help us help even more people and make a bigger impact.
Thank you for your continued support and we hope to see you at our next event!
[Insert Donate Now Button]
Sincerely,
[Insert Your Name]
Final Thoughts
The email templates above show how and why last-minute emails can be effective - especially when emails are personalized for different donor segments. Be sure to send at least one of these emails to your supporters to help maximize your year-end fundraising goals this holiday season.
Looking for more year-end fundraising guidance?
Download CanadaHelps new giving season toolkit. It includes more email templates, social media posts, a sample campaign roadmap and more.
