Every fundraiser knows December delivers. But fewer are realizing that fall might be even more powerful.
During Avid’s Prepping for Year-End Fundraising webinar, Alyssa Boer, EVP of Client Experience at Allegiance Group + Pursuant, revealed something most fundraisers overlook:
“We’re seeing more success in front-loading acquisition in the fall… leverage September, October, November to drive acquisition. Those new donors are then more likely to give a second gift in that year-end timeframe, especially if you have a match or challenge.”
That single insight changes everything about how we plan year-end. Because what Alyssa’s really saying is this: The organizations winning December are the ones that started in the fall.
The December Trap: Why Waiting Costs You Donors
For decades, year-end fundraising has revolved around a single sprint: the late-December rush.
You plan campaigns, launch Giving Tuesday, and flood inboxes during the final week of the year.
It worked when inboxes were emptier, ad costs were lower, and donors waited for deadlines to act. But today, attention is scattered, channels are saturated, and “year-end” feels like a 30-day shouting match.
By the time most nonprofits ramp up, donor fatigue is already setting in.
Alyssa’s advice redefines how to approach year-end: start earlier while competition is lower. Use fall to quietly build your base, and then use December to activate the donors you’ve already acquired.
Because the truth is, December isn’t your starting line anymore. It’s your second act.
Act 1: Use Fall to Build Before the Noise Hits
September through November is the hidden growth window most organizations ignore.
It’s when inboxes are quieter, acquisition costs are lower, and your message can actually be heard.
Early fall is the time to:
- Launch light-touch paid and organic campaigns that introduce your mission.
- Test creative messages while CPMs and CPCs are still reasonable.
- Use direct mail and display ads to seed awareness before the Giving Tuesday rush.
As Alyssa put it, the goal isn’t to win December, it’s to arrive ready.
That early activity builds a donor audience you can re-engage when urgency peaks—people who already know your story and are ready to act again in December.
Act 2: Turn First-Time Donors into December Loyalists
Nathan Hill, Avid’s VP of Training, underlined what happens next:
“If you can get that new donor to give that second gift within 12 months, retention skyrockets.”
The second gift is the moment where generosity becomes loyalty. And the shorter the window between gifts, the stronger that relationship becomes.
That’s why front-loading acquisition pays off so dramatically, because your fall donors are fresh. They remember why they gave. They’re still emotionally connected.
December gives you a natural reason to re-engage them: a year-end match, a challenge, a mission milestone.
Think of it as storytelling with a second chapter:
- Fall: “You helped launch this initiative.”
- December: “See what you started and help it go even further before year-end.”
That’s momentum.
How to Carry Momentum from Fall to December
The Two-Gift Strategy works because it’s built on timing, not luck.
Every new donor you bring in during the fall is more than a transaction—it’s the start of a relationship that’s still warm when December comes. The challenge is keeping that connection alive without overwhelming them.
That means:
- Tracking who came in through fall campaigns,
- Knowing when they’re most likely to give again, and
- Following up with messaging that feels like a continuation, not a restart.
And, unfortunately, that’s where most teams fall short.
Lists live in spreadsheets. Reports take weeks. By the time someone decides who to re-solicit, the window has closed.
Momentum like this is hard to maintain manually. That’s where Avid helps.
Avid turns your donor data into timing intelligence, automatically. It helps you act while attention is high and before opportunity fades.
- Fundraising Intelligence flags new donors ready for a second gift, so you can act while enthusiasm is high.
- Avid Playbooks automate the right follow-up cadence, whether that’s a thank-you + update flow, a match challenge, or a December reactivation push.
- And because it all happens inside one campaign environment, your fall leads automatically flow into your December messaging without manual rebuilds.
What you end up with is one continuous story: Act 1: Inspire. Act 2: Invite.
That’s the real power of the Two-Gift Strategy—it doesn’t require more campaigns, just better timing.
Fundraising Isn’t a Season—It’s a System That Sustains Momentum
Alyssa and Nathan show that year-end success comes from doing the right things in the right order—not simply doing more in December.
When you treat fundraising as a series of isolated pushes, every campaign starts from zero. But when you see it as one connected journey, each phase builds on the last.
Fall fuels December. December fuels retention. And the cycle keeps compounding.
That’s what Avid helps fundraisers do—build sustained momentum, not just seasonal spikes.
Turn Momentum Into Loyalty
Before you launch your next December push, take one step back.
Ask yourself:
- Are we acquiring early enough to build momentum?
- Do we have a clear plan for turning those fall donors into loyal givers?
- Are we following up quickly enough to catch donors while they’re still engaged?
If not, you’re leaving your best opportunity for loyalty on the table.
Get the AI-Powered Campaign Playbook for Year-End—built from data across 130+ nonprofits—to see how top fundraisers plan, segment, and sustain momentum through December 31.
