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How to End the Year Like a Professional Fundraiser w/ Tom Dauber
44 Plays3 months ago
December has a way of messing with a fundraiser’s head.
If you hit your goal, there is relief. If you came up short, it can feel like the year somehow failed. In this end of year episode, Tom Dauber reframes what a truly positive year-end looks like and why December does not define your worth as a fundraiser.
This episode is not about last-minute tactics or magical December hacks. It is about finishing the calendar year with integrity, clarity, and professionalism. Tom walks through how to redefine winning at year end, why gratitude must be treated as a discipline rather than an afterthought, and how desperation quietly undermines trust with donors.
You will also hear practical guidance on closing loops, cleaning up CRM data, scheduling January follow-ups before exhaustion sets in, and doing an honest post-mortem that helps you grow as a leader rather than beat yourself up.
Most of all, this episode reconnects fundraising to first principles. Stewardship is not about revenue. It is about trust. And trust compounds over time.
If you want to close the year steady instead of frantic, and step into the new year grounded rather than desperate, this episode is for you.
Looking for fundraising coaching? Check out www.abundantvision.net
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Transcript
Introduction to Abundant Vision Fundraising Podcast
00:00:16
Speaker
Welcome to the Abundant Vision Fundraising Podcast. Whether you are a seasoned professional or a first-time fundraiser, we have the advice you need to take your next step toward major gift mastery.
00:00:29
Speaker
I'm your host, Tom Dauber, President of Abundant Vision Philanthropic Consulting.
Navigating Post-Holiday Fundraising Challenges
00:00:36
Speaker
Welcome back to the Abundant Vision Fundraising Podcast. This is that strange week between Christmas and New Year's where everyone's exhausted, development dashboards seem like they're frozen in time, and fundraisers like you and me are quietly doing math.
00:00:54
Speaker
They promised themselves they just wouldn't do anymore. You know, the end of year can have a way of messing with our heads. Now, if your fundraising's going great,
00:01:05
Speaker
you feel relief. But if you're short, you feel like the year somehow failed. And none of that is actually true.
Ending the Year with Integrity
00:01:13
Speaker
So today is not about last minute tactics or magical December hacks.
00:01:18
Speaker
This episode is about how to end the calendar year like a professional. with your integrity intact and your relationships stronger than they were 12 months ago.
00:01:29
Speaker
It's so important that you remember, December does not define your worth as a fundraiser. It reveals how you've been showing up all year. And if we're honest about that, we can end the year on a genuinely positive note, regardless of where that number lands.
00:01:47
Speaker
Let's talk a bit about how that looks like.
Redefining December Success
00:01:50
Speaker
The first thing, i want to redefine what winning looks like in December. Yeah, we do want to hit our fundraising goals.
00:01:57
Speaker
That number matters, but it's not the only thing that matters. mean, the reality is, is you can't control from one year to another what the economy is going to do.
00:02:08
Speaker
And we all know that the performance of the economy has outsized impact on what happens with philanthropy in any given year. You think back on 2008 or even 2001, you know, you can't control when there's economic disasters around the corner that are going to sink.
00:02:30
Speaker
your ability to hit your goal for the calendar year. Well, let me reframe a little bit about what winning looks like in fundraising come year end. At the end of the year, don't you want donors who feel seen and thanked and respected?
00:02:47
Speaker
At the end of the year, don't you want conversations that are moving forward, even if the gift is doesn't land in the fiscal year or calendar year you want it to.
00:02:58
Speaker
At the end of the year, don't you want clean data, kept promises, and no vague, hey, we'll follow up sometime sorts of experiences?
Building Donor Trust
00:03:10
Speaker
We're not just looking for gifts that will close in December. We're looking for relationships that that close in trust. Both of those matter.
00:03:22
Speaker
So let's let's be thinking about December as a time where we can shore up those relationships, where we can keep conversations moving. And if we've got some extra time on our hands, that we can make sure we do a great job following up, both in our relationships with donors, but also making sure that CRM is followed up with appropriately.
00:03:47
Speaker
We got to have that data being spotless.
The Discipline of Gratitude
00:03:52
Speaker
Another thing to think about here at year end, gratitude. Yeah, it's an emotion, but it's not a strategy.
00:04:01
Speaker
It's a discipline. Oftentimes when we're saying thank you, we're rushing to do it. And because we're rushing to do it, we don't do a great job. Either we do mass mailings that are generic or it's an afterthought and they're late.
00:04:15
Speaker
We don't want that type of gratitude. What I'd like for you to begin to do here in December is to start thinking ahead. When you're planning your asks,
00:04:27
Speaker
When you're thinking through strategy for specific donors, be thinking about how you're going to steward their gifts. Be thinking about how you're going to express appreciation in advance.
00:04:40
Speaker
That way you're not rushed. That way you're not generic. And that way you're not late. As you're planning that out, ask yourself, what type of impact am I going to need to report on? You know, the other day I was talking with some nonprofit leaders and we were talking about proposal that we wanted to submit.
00:04:57
Speaker
And we actually spent some time in that conversation talking about how we would follow up with the donor and when we would follow up with the donor. We imagined...
00:05:08
Speaker
Once we have the impact data, how and when can we report on that? It was so helpful to set the stage for them on the best way and the best time to do it so that as nonprofit leaders whose primary focus is not fundraising, so that they could have that at top of mind. It's it's obviously at the top of my mind.
00:05:32
Speaker
But we can't anticipate that a program manager or a director of one of your um services is going to be thinking about that. So just spelling that out for them, making it very clear to them on the front end is really helpful.
00:05:49
Speaker
Another thing that you can be doing to get ahead on gratitude is to make sure that we're really thinking about who the donor is, how they like to be approached, and really customizing our thank you to them in that
Customizing Thank-You Strategies
00:06:07
Speaker
way.
00:06:07
Speaker
we don't We don't want the calendar to drive our expressions appreciation. We want the donor to. When are they available? but What type of thank you do they like?
00:06:20
Speaker
How do we honor the weight of our donor sacrifices? That's what we want them to walk away feeling at the end of this calendar year and at the beginning of the next one.
00:06:32
Speaker
that they Their donations... are received with honor and treated with respect. We don't want them to feel like they've been processed. So what does it look like to finish the year with professionalism and not desperation?
Outcome-Driven Fundraising Requests
00:06:50
Speaker
Well, when you're desperate, like you've got that number you're thinking about and you really want to hit it. If you're feeling desperate, if that's capturing you, it's leaking out of you.
00:07:02
Speaker
People can sense it. People can feel it. I don't know if you've ever, you know, been used car shopping or in some other context where you're dealing with a salesperson and they just want it too much.
00:07:15
Speaker
They're trying too hard. They're being pushy. That's not what you want to do. Even if you really are desperate, we don't want desperation to drive us. Now, should you be asking? Absolutely.
00:07:29
Speaker
But make sure that, A, you have clear asks. with clear outcomes that are driven by the mission of the organization and intersecting cleanly with the passion of the donor.
00:07:42
Speaker
Don't let your fundraising goals drive you, let the donor's passion and the mission of your organization drive you. So that means also, this is your B, respecting donor timing and decision-making, right?
00:07:56
Speaker
December may not be the best time for this donor to make this gift. Respect that. Don't push them. You're going to get farther in the long run if your donor feels like you hear them, you understand them, and you're asking in their best interest.
00:08:11
Speaker
So take your time. Let them know if there is some deadline you're trying to meet, if there's some unmet need that will not be met, if they don't make their gift of December, you can share that, but don't be desperate about it.
00:08:24
Speaker
and And the reality is there probably isn't.
Reflecting Beyond Numbers
00:08:28
Speaker
If that $10,000 gift comes January 15th or even February 15th instead of December 15th, is that really going to make a difference for your organization?
00:08:40
Speaker
Somebody can lose their jobs. Is some key critical program going to be shuttered? Maybe. But the likelihood is that it probably isn't. So let's not worry too much about that.
00:08:52
Speaker
We don't want guilt or pressure and certainly no arm twisting, right? That always drove me crazy back in the day. i remember these two guys that I would interact with at one of the schools I worked for. And every time they'd be at an event and I'd be around, they they'd start making jokes about, oh, time to grab your wallets, you know?
00:09:15
Speaker
They were afraid I was going to pickpocket them if you didn't get that. But that isn't what this is. If we're doing our best work as fundraisers, people should feel good about giving, not like they've been forced or tricked or manipulated into doing something that they will regret.
00:09:34
Speaker
So again, you've got an urgent need, urgency is fine, but let's not be manipulative with it. Now, as you're coming to year end, maybe you're about to hit your goals.
00:09:48
Speaker
Maybe there's cause for celebration. And definitely, you should celebrate. We work in industry where the work's never done. Celebration doesn't happen half as much.
00:10:01
Speaker
We do so much good, but the moment we get to the end of the year, the new year starts and the question becomes, what have you done for me lately? right We do need to celebrate.
00:10:12
Speaker
But before you dive deep into celebrating your successes of the year. Try to get below the numbers a bit. What I mean is that the numbers are great, but numbers only come consistently when the quality of your work is a certain way.
00:10:29
Speaker
So take some time to reflect on which relationships deepened this year in your organization and why. And this doesn't have to be your donors. This could be Maybe an important relationship with your CFO or one of your programmatic staff that has helped advance your work.
00:10:47
Speaker
Ask yourself which donors have moved away from the organization. And why is that? Is there something you could have done differently? Or was this just the inevitable attrition that happens in all nonprofits?
00:11:01
Speaker
Also ask yourself some hard questions. Were there times this year you avoided hard conversations when you needed to press into them?
Preparing for the New Year
00:11:10
Speaker
And were there times... where fear, scarcity mindset, shaped your behavior instead of strategy and an abundant vision for what could be I'm not ask you to beat yourself up, but if you want to be a great leader in the nonprofit space, you've got to ask yourself hard questions.
00:11:29
Speaker
How can you become better? How can next year be a more successful year than this year? That only happens by asking tough questions. Now, December's a lot of work, as is October and November, if you're doing it right.
00:11:43
Speaker
And so with that last quarter of the year being so focused in on reaching that year-end goal, a lot of us kind of limp into January.
00:11:54
Speaker
We're tired, maybe even disorganized a bit. So let's do ourselves a favor in December. let's Let's make a Christmas present for our future selves who'll be working here in January.
00:12:07
Speaker
So lean in to closing the loop on promises that you've made in December. Don't leave those for the new year. When you're thinking about things that you're going to need to do in January, maybe meetings, even donor meetings, get them scheduled now if you can.
00:12:23
Speaker
Reach out to the person. Set the meeting. Don't wait till January. You're gonna be tired in January. You'll probably be focused on planning for the year in January. Get those things scheduled now.
00:12:34
Speaker
That way you've got a little bit more room to breathe next month. And take a look at that CRM. Where's data missing? Where is data wrong? What stuff do you have floating around in your head that needs to go into the CRM so that the next person who follows you will benefit from your knowledge?
00:12:54
Speaker
Get these things done now in December, especially in the moments where things are slow. Because the truth is, yeah, there are busy moments in December, but they're kind of punctuated, at least in my experience.
00:13:08
Speaker
You'll have these moments where you're trying to get something closed, but in between, there's always a little space, it seems like. All your colleagues are on vacation. Offices are closed. You're still working because you're a fundraiser. That's what we do.
00:13:22
Speaker
So take those moments to try and make that CRM a little bit better. So your next fiscal year, your next calendar year goes better than this one.
Stewarding Trust with Donors
00:13:31
Speaker
Most of all though, take some time in these closing moments of 2025 or whatever calendar year you happen to be listening to this message in And remember why your work matters.
00:13:46
Speaker
The busyness of year-end can shrink fundraising into nothing but transactions. That's not gonna keep you motivated for the long run. That's not gonna make the difficulties of fundraising worth it.
00:14:00
Speaker
You need to go back to the first principles. a fundraising. Our job is to invite people into meaning, into purpose. it's It's to connect people and their resources with real outcomes that make a difference.
00:14:17
Speaker
Our work is to help people experience joy at a level they've never experienced before, if we can. Even when we're talking about stewardship and expressing appreciation and reporting on outcomes,
00:14:30
Speaker
It's not the revenue you're stewarding. It's trust. So remember, remember the people you're serving in this role. Remember, and and I mean the donors there, you're serving the donors by helping them do something wonderful with their money.
00:14:45
Speaker
Also, try to reconnect with the mission of your organization. That's really, hope, why you're doing what you're doing. Take some time to look back on the year.
00:14:57
Speaker
as you're As you're thinking about stewardship, look deeply. on those numbers. Reflect on the stories of impact that you've probably shared and remind yourself that you are an important part of the difference that was made this year.
00:15:11
Speaker
The time that you spent made a meaningful difference in the lives of your beneficiaries. That's great. Feel good about that. You've moved the organization forward.
00:15:22
Speaker
You've built bridges and brought people closer together to your organization. Take some time to feel good about that and let the celebration begin. Because if you lose sight of those things, if you forget those things, your year end is going to become unbearable.
00:15:38
Speaker
your job's going to become unbearable. So keep them close. As you wrap up your year, more than anything, here's what I hope you hear. I wish you a great year end.
00:15:49
Speaker
One that's not frantic or manipulative. Certainly not one that's driven by worry, anxiety, fear, or scarcity. I wish for you a good year end that is rooted in honesty and gratitude and clarity and finishing what you started.
00:16:06
Speaker
I hope that you are year end will be characterized by donors who feel respected and promises that are kept. And I hope that you leave next January, this coming January, better than you found it.
00:16:19
Speaker
If you raised more money than you expected this year, be grateful and stay humble. If you raised less than what you hoped, Don't panic. Don't rewrite the story to protect your ego.
00:16:31
Speaker
Learn from it. Name it. And carry the right lessons forward. This work we do is about trust. And that trust compounds over time. And when you steward that well, the results will follow.
00:16:44
Speaker
Sometimes on your timeline, sometimes not.
Concluding with Dignity and Positivity
00:16:47
Speaker
So don't stress if you didn't hit that goal. It all starts over in just a week. So close the year with dignity.
00:16:54
Speaker
Thank people well. Clean up loose ends. Take a breath and step into the next year steady, not desperate. And that is how you end your calendar year on a positive note.
00:17:05
Speaker
Thanks for listening. Now, if you've enjoyed this podcast, please be sure to subscribe and give us a five-star rating on your podcast provider. I'm your host, Tom Dobbert. Thank you for joining me as we journey together towards major gift mastery on the Abundant Vision Fundraising Podcast.