Build lifelong relationships

Alumni donations are one of your university’s most reliable revenue sources, and your organization likely hopes to build lifelong relationships with as many of these supporters as possible. However, long-term supporter relationships are prone to donor fatigue, especially if your school hosts many fundraisers throughout the year.

Donor fatigue doesn’t mean supporters are no longer interested in supporting your nonprofit. Rather, they are likely exhausted from giving in the same way or getting too many repetitive donation requests or uninspiring messages. Identifying the specific causes behind donor fatigue at your organization is essential for maintaining strong annual giving rates and planning larger fundraisers, like a capital campaign.

In this guide, we’ll explore four ways you can combat donor fatigue at your university.

1. Identify donor fatigue trends

The key to preventing donor fatigue is discovering which supporters are at risk. Donors experiencing fatigue are likely to lapse, and it’s far easier to re-engage a donor while they’re still an active supporter than to re-capture them after they’ve already ceased giving.

A few common signs of donor fatigue include:

• Declining email open and click-through rates. Monitor email engagement metrics to assess what types of emails get attention. If you notice a donor is specifically not engaging with fundraising-related emails, they are likely experiencing donor fatigue.
• Event attendance drop-off. Supporters experiencing donor fatigue may pull back from participating in a variety of engagement opportunities, including events. Take note of which donors attended your last fundraiser but decided to skip recent ones.
• Decreased interest in fundraising-specific opportunities. Some supporters may still want to engage with your university but are tired of donation appeals. For example, you might have donors who continue to participate in your alumni network but have decreased their giving frequency.

Leverage your donor database to flag potential signs of donor fatigue. For example, if a supporter hasn’t been opening your emails or attending your events, mark them as at-risk of donor lapse. By knowing who is likely experiencing donor fatigue, you can pivot your engagement strategy to connect with them.

2. Diversify engagement opportunities

If you only ever get in touch with your supporters to request donations, many of them will likely grow tired of seeing messages from your school. Prevent this by giving them a variety of ways to get involved, such as:

• Volunteer opportunities. Share how donors can support your school with non-monetary contributions. Volunteering can be a useful engagement opportunity for supporters who may not have the finances to donate meaningfully and for those who have made major gifts and want to continue participating in an organization they’ve already invested in. For example, many capital campaigns ask major donors to join their volunteer committees, giving these supporters some control over the campaign's direction.
• Events. Plan a wide range of activities outside of fundraising events. For example, you might host an academic lecture series, alumni back-to-campus events, cultural events, and more. Use events to show off what your school does with donors’ contributions, rather than just as a chance to ask for more donations.
• Online activities and resources. Make engaging with your school easy, no matter where donors live, by providing a range of online resources. For instance, you might host online networking opportunities, provide an alumni job board, or share recordings of lectures hosted at your school.

Even if a supporter is not actively giving to your school at this time, other engagement opportunities can help you stay in touch with them and open the door to earning future donations.

3. Showcase impact

If donors give repeatedly, but don’t know how your school used their gifts, they may start to question whether their support is making a difference. When donors doubt the impact of their gifts, they may cease giving and become dubious about future fundraising appeals.

Prevent this scenario by regularly showcasing your impact. Demonstrate to supporters that your school is putting their gifts to good use by:

• Creating student stories. Work with current students to get stories about positive experiences they’ve had at your school thanks to donor contributions. For example, ask students who receive scholarships from major donors to write personalized thank-you letters.
• Sharing photos and videos. If you have tangible evidence of how your school has used donor gifts—such as purchasing new equipment for a science lab, starting construction on a new facility, or hosting a special event—take photos and videos. Then, add these multimedia elements to your donor messages to provide a visual of how exactly your school uses donations.
• Providing data visuals. Data is useful for remaining financially transparent and laying out how your school uses its funding. When sharing financial reports, be sure to add visuals that can help donors understand your data at a glance.

In addition to combating donor fatigue, showcasing impact can help your school gain support in various other ways. This includes building trust and laying the groundwork to earn buy-in for bigger initiatives. For instance, your capital campaign case for support will be stronger if you’ve already demonstrated your school’s commitment to providing quality experiences for students.

4. Adjust messaging cadence

While it’s good to keep in touch with your donors, over-solicitation can cause some supporters to start scrolling past your emails. If you’re experiencing a decline in email open and click-through rates, consider adjusting your messaging cadence.

For example, you might regularly send donors:

• A monthly newsletter to provide updates on the latest campus news. Individual departments might also have their own newsletters to provide specialized updates, such as if faculty have won any awards or alumni have achieved significant accomplishments.
• Thank you messages whenever they donate or support you in other ways. These messages should be specific to each donor and be sent regardless of other messages you have scheduled to send.
• Solicitation messages that promote various ways to get involved. Change up your donation request messages by sharing volunteer opportunities or educating supporters about unique ways to give back, such as matching gifts.

For your solicitation emails, segment your audience to ensure you send messages at appropriate times. For example, a supporter who is already part of your recurring giving program might be open to increasing their gift rather than making a new donation.

Additionally, ensure you always have accurate contact information for your supporters. 360MatchPro’s alumni data appends guide recommends regularly updating your data to ensure you can email, call, and mail content to your alumni even as they change addresses, get new emails, and otherwise change their contact information.

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Conclusion

Donor fatigue can happen at any school. Identify signs of it at your university and take deliberate steps to combat it by flagging affected supporters, engaging your donors in new ways, and tailoring your messages to your donors’ interests.

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The final months of the year are a very important fundraising season, accounting for nearly 30% of annual gifts. For institutions and nonprofits, this is a vital period to reach or stretch fundraising goals, build relationships, and kickstart momentum you can take forward into the next year.

A great year-end fundraising campaign is usually the result of thoughtful planning, great storytelling and successful execution. In this blog, we’ll help you pick out the best campaign strategies for all your year-end giving campaigns. Let’s get started.

Why Year-End Fundraising Campaigns Matter

You know December is the gift-giving season, but it’s also a giving season, plain and simple. In fact, nonprofits receive about 30% of their annual donations in December, with 10% of the total coming in just the last three days of the year. This volume is driven by holiday generosity, tax deadlines, and that final push before the calendar turns.

For schools, colleges, and universities, this time can be especially powerful. Alumni often feel nostalgic and generous during the holidays. When your messages pair real impact stories with easy donation paths, you’re giving donors a chance to be part of something meaningful.

8 Creative Year-End Giving Campaign Ideas

1. Giving Tuesday Kickstart Challenge

For many institutions and nonprofits, Giving Tuesday has become the unofficial kickoff for year-end fundraising. Institutions that treat it as a launchpad rather than a one-off event can potentially build and sustain more momentum throughout December.

Pace University’s 2024 Giving Tuesday campaign brought in 2,674 gifts and $768,822, far exceeding its goals. The university framed Giving Tuesday as the beginning of a season-long campaign, using the energy of that day to drive continued appeals through December.

How to set it up:

• Start early: Announce your Giving Tuesday theme at least two or three weeks in advance to build anticipation.
• Tie it to a December journey: Make it clear that Giving Tuesday is the first milestone in a longer year-end effort, with updates and challenges to come.
• Use momentum wisely: Share the results of Giving Tuesday quickly (for example, “We reached 70% of our goal in one day. Help us cross the finish line by Dec 31!”).

Giving Tuesday already benefits from broad awareness and media attention. Donors expect to see appeals that day, so it’s easier to capture their attention. But the real payoff comes when institutions carry that enthusiasm forward, turning a single day into a multi-week narrative of giving.

💡Use visuals like countdown timers or progress bars to keep the sense of urgency alive beyond Giving Tuesday.

2.Matching Gifts to Multiply Impact

Many donors don’t realize their employers will match their contributions, often doubling or even tripling the donation amount. By highlighting this opportunity, you can inspire donors to give more confidently, knowing their gift will go further.

For example, Blair Academy integrated a matching gift lookup tool and automated follow-up emails into their year-end outreach. This simple addition drove a 32% lift in December matching gifts, with an impressive 68% open rate on emails.

Why it works: This makes it easy for donors to discover their eligibility, and reminding them at the right time can significantly boost year-end revenue.

💡Always remind donors that they can often double their gift in just a few minutes by submitting a matching request through their employer. It’s one of the easiest ways for them to increase their impact without spending extra.

3. Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Expands Reach

Peer-to-peer fundraising allows supporters to share your cause with their networks, bringing in donations you might not reach otherwise. Friends and family are more likely to give when the ask comes from someone they trust.

A standout example is Turnstone’s “It Can Be Done” year-end campaign, which raised over $220,000: 360% of their initial goal. Beyond the impressive total, the campaign brought in 34 new donors organically through peer-to-peer channels. This fueled immediate results and built a base of long-term supporters.

How to set it up:

• Recruit champions early: Identify a small group of passionate supporters and equip them with sample messages, graphics, and fundraising tips.
• Set clear, exciting goals: Give your fundraisers a collective target and individual milestones so they feel motivated to contribute.
• Make it personal: Encourage fundraisers to share their personal connection to your cause in their appeals. Authentic stories inspire giving.

Why it works: activating your community as ambassadors during the year-end season can multiply your impact far beyond what your team could accomplish alone.

💡Celebrate and spotlight your peer-to-peer fundraisers publicly, whether through social media shoutouts, leaderboards, or small rewards. Recognition keeps them motivated and inspires others.

4. Year-End Social Media Campaigns

As with any other time of the year, social media plays a pivotal role during the year-end fundraising window too, but success depends on thoughtful, multi-channel engagement rather than isolated posts.

Donors often need 3–5 touchpoints across email, social media, and direct mail to be motivated to give. 55% of people who engage with nonprofits on social media take action (such as donating), indicating strong ROI when social posts are part of a coordinated strategy.

How to set it up:

• Layer touchpoints strategically: Don’t rely on one-off social posts. Weave a story into a broader campaign alongside email, mail, and event-based asks.
• Time your social outreach wisely: Ramp up posts leading into December, with elevated messaging during the final three days when giving peaks.
• Make each touch actionable: Encourage engagement with clear CTAs, such as, “Donate now!” or “Share this impact” or “Match your gift today!” to turn followers into funders.

Why it works: In year-end campaigns, social media works best when it’s part of a well-timed, multi-channel orchestration.

💡Schedule your posts in advance and align them with your email and event calendar. This ensures consistency across channels and frees you up to focus on real-time engagement with donors during the busiest giving days.

5. Student Impact Storytelling Series

At year-end, donors may want to see tangible proof of fundraisers earlier in the year or from last year’s year-end campaign to prove that their support actually changes lives. Storytelling is one of the most powerful ways to make that impact real. When donors hear directly from students and families, they connect emotionally and see exactly how their generosity creates opportunities.

A recent example comes from the Aim Higher Foundation, which made storytelling the centerpiece of its fundraising strategy. Through emotionally compelling videos featuring authentic family stories, they drove a 242% increase in fundraising, raising $13 million and expanding scholarships from 400 to 2,550 annually.

How to set it up:

• Feature authentic beneficiaries: Capture real student or family stories that show the direct impact of donor support.
• Make stories the centerpiece: Use videos, quotes, or photos to showcase stories in year-end appeals, events, or social campaigns.
• Tie stories to outcomes: Pair each story with a clear call to action: “Your gift helps another student like Maria attend school.”

Why it works: authentic storytelling transforms fundraising from transactional to relational, showing donors that they’re changing lives.

💡Repurpose stories across channels—turn a long-form video into short clips for social media, pull quotes for emails, and highlight key outcomes in infographics. This maximizes impact while keeping your storytelling fresh and consistent.

6. Recurring Giving Society Launch

Many one-time supporters are inspired during the holidays, making it the perfect moment to convert them into long-term givers. By branding a recurring giving program, you create a sense of belonging to a special community.

A great example comes from Noble and Greenough School, whose branded program, the “Dawg Pack” successfully converted 26 of 121 graduating seniors into recurring donors. Framing recurring giving as membership in a group made participation aspirational, especially for young alumni looking to stay connected.

How to set it up:

• Give it a strong identity: Brand your recurring giving program with a memorable name that builds pride and belonging.
• Start with your most engaged supporters: Target graduating students, loyal donors, or event participants who are already connected to your mission.
• Offer insider benefits: Share exclusive updates, impact reports, merchandise or behind-the-scenes content to make members feel valued.

Why it works: turning seasonal generosity into sustained support ensures predictable revenue and builds a loyal donor community that lasts well beyond December.

💡Test names and perks with a small group before launching your recurring program.

7. Corporate Partnership Challenge

Year-end giving is the perfect moment to spotlight corporate philanthropy and employer-matching opportunities. These programs can double or even triple donor impact, but they’re often overlooked. By highlighting matches in December campaigns, you can significantly boost giving while helping donors feel their support goes further.

For instance, in 2024 Benevity reported $140 million donated through corporate platforms on GivingTuesday alone. Yet, research shows that many donors are still unaware their employers offer matching gifts.

How to set it up:

• Highlight impact multipliers: Use phrasing like “Double your gift today” to clearly show the added value.
• Feature real examples: Share stories of past gifts that were doubled or tripled through employer programs.
• Why it works: Corporate partnerships are one of the biggest untapped levers in year-end fundraising. By educating donors and making matching easy, you multiply both generosity and impact.

💡Make matching gifts impossible to miss: add an employer lookup tool and show donors how their gift can go twice (or three times!) as far.

8. Personalized Appeals

Generic year-end emails often blur together in crowded inboxes. A personalized approach, however, makes donors feel recognized, and that recognition drives action. Campaigns using tailored messaging and donor segmentation see up to a 61% jump in average gift size and a 10% increase in conversion rates.

How to set it up:

• Start by segmenting your donor database into manageable groups: longtime supporters, first-time donors, and lapsed donors.
• Then, tailor your appeals to speak to each group’s motivations. For example, highlight impact milestones for recurring givers, share gratitude and impact stories with new donors, and extend a warm invitation to re-engage with those who haven’t given recently.
• Test and refine: A/B test subject lines, send times, and calls-to-action for each donor segment. With this, you’ll learn what resonates and increase performance throughout the campaign.

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Tips for Running a Successful Year-End Campaign

Plan Early and Strategically

Start preparing your assets, campaign theme, and key messaging by October or November. A strong plan ensures you’re not rushing in December, when donor inboxes and social feeds are crowded and many donors may be on vacation.If planning involves advancement, marketing, and alumni teams, an AI meeting note taker can help document campaign decisions, ownership, and follow-up tasks before the year-end rush begins.

Segment your Audience

To give your communication that personalized touch, create specific appeals for first-time donors, monthly givers, and lapsed supporters. Segmented campaigns can boost conversion rates and significantly increase average gifts.

Leverage Multi-Channel Outreach

Combine email, social media, direct mail, text messaging, and even phone calls to reach donors where they are. A consistent message across channels keeps your campaign top of mind.

Track and share progress

Use fundraising thermometers, live updates, or social posts to track how close you are to your goal. Celebrating milestones encourages more donors to join in and push you over the finish line.

Thank Donors Promptly

A quick, heartfelt thank-you message whether by email, phone, or video strengthens relationships and sets the stage for future giving.

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Final Thoughts

Year-end giving is a high-stakes but high-reward period. As you prepare for year-end giving, remember that small changes in your strategy can make a big difference. Use these tips to make donors feel connected and valued, and you’ll set your campaign up for success.

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Frequently asked questions

How to boost donations during year-end giving campaigns?

Capitalize on the charitable nature of the end of the year by putting your cause, supporters, and progress at the heart of your campaign. Highlight the value of maximizing tax benefits for donors and build anticipation for how funds will be used next year.

Can Almabase help with annual giving day campaigns?

Almabase simplifies your giving day campaigns through simple yet flexible tools for everything from giving pages and event management to communications and attendee engagement.

Why do donors give most frequently at the end of the year?

Donors usually act give towards the end of the year due to a combination of holiday generosity, a desire for tax deductions, and the emotional impact of year-end appeals.

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"We're not just building events. We're building belonging."

—Sarah Sooklal, Director of Community Engagement, Cannon School

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At Cannon School, Sarah Sooklal does more than plan events. She builds bridges. As the Director of Community Engagement, Sarah’s work spans alumni relations, parent engagement, volunteer coordination, and community programming - all wrapped in a passion for creating spaces where everyone feels seen and valued.

With a relatively small but mighty advancement team and a young alumni base just crossing the 2,000 mark, Sarah brings energy and empathy to every part of her work, embodying what community-building truly means in a school setting.

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Rekindling relationships with the earliest champions

One of Sarah’s proudest accomplishments is reconnecting with Cannon’s earliest alumni; the foundational classes who helped shape the school’s identity.

“I never want them to feel forgotten. Their support is what got us here.”

Through intentional outreach and genuine relationship-building, Sarah has made these alumni feel seen, valued, and most importantly, part of the current story. It’s not just stewardship; it’s restoration.

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Expanding the circle through parent engagement

With shifts in family dynamics and time availability, parent engagement has evolved. Sarah is leading the charge in redefining what that looks like - coordinating volunteer opportunities, reimagining participation, and making sure all parents, regardless of how much time they can give, feel part of the school community.

“We’re asking how we can bring people back into the fold—not just for their time or their money, but for their heart.”

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Building systems that support the whole school

Sarah doesn’t view engagement in a silo. To her, stronger alumni and parent involvement directly enhances the student experience, and that ripple effect fuels her motivation daily.

“When our alumni or parents are more involved, our teachers are better supported. Our students are better supported. It’s all connected.”

From supporting teachers to creating confidence for incoming families, Sarah’s work is rooted in building a community ecosystem that nurtures everyone.

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What’s next for Sarah and Cannon School?

Looking forward, Sarah is focused on deepening parent engagement - especially as two-parent working households and post-COVID realities shift how families interact with schools. Her vision is to make involvement more accessible, flexible, and rewarding.

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And while technology (including AI) plays a supporting role in her work, Sarah is clear on one thing: human connection is irreplaceable.

“AI is a great tool, but it can’t replace remembering something personal or writing a thank-you note.”

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Inspired by Sarah’s story?

Connect with her on LinkedIn and don’t forget to nominate the next advancement trailblazer for the #TheOG50!

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What started in 2012 as a small social media campaign has grown into a global giving phenomenon that now inspires millions across 90+ countries to support the causes they love, all in just 24 hours. This brings us to the point of this blog. The fundraising platform you choose to build your Giving Tuesday events and fundraisers on can make or break your annual experience drastically.

We’ve curated a handful of platforms designed for education-focused teams to do more with less, so you can spend time building relationships, not battling technology.

6 Giving Tuesday Platforms for 2026

Here’s a closer look at some platforms that can help your institution raise more and engage better for this year’s Giving Tuesday and beyond. Let’s get started:

1. Almabase

Almabase often comes up first when education teams want a platform that balances rich tools with actual ease. It is purpose-built for advancement, blending fundraising, alumni engagement, and events into one modular platform. It shines when teams want depth, data, and scalability with the support of a dedicated team. Here’s how it stacks up-

Key Features

• A holistic approach: Almabase comes with a wide range of tools to get the most out of your Giving Tuesday, whether that’s through communication tools or detailed segmentation and insights.
• Seamless integrations: Almabase’s Truesync offers an unmatched two-way sync with Raiser's Edge NXT and Blackbaud CRM.
• Hyper-personalized communication: The platform offers a smarter way to personalize communication through "no-fuss emails" with real-time reporting and automation
• Seamless campaign and event management: No-code features for registration, ticketing, promotion, and follow-up, combined with p2p, matching gifts, crowdfunding, etc. make for a complete donor experience.
• Automated workflows & analytics: real-time dashboards to measure campaign success

Best for

Advancement teams that want a long-term, comprehensive platform to integrate fundraising with a strategic alumni engagement and community-building effort.

Pricing model

Almabase offers pricing based on your needs and the size of your alumni and donor base that you want to engage with. You can book a personalized demo and get a quote here.

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2. Givebutter

Givebutter is known for its modern, donor-friendly design and transparent pricing. It combines crowdfunding, peer-to-peer fundraising, and event ticketing in one platform. Here’s how it stacks up –

Key Features

• "Free" core platform: Givebutter's primary marketing message is that its core fundraising tools are free to use. The platform operates on an optional donor tips model, which means that instead of a platform fee, it relies on donors to voluntarily contribute to support the service.
• Modern & flexible payment options: It supports a wide range of popular payment methods, including Venmo, PayPal, Apple Pay, and Cash App.
• Team fundraising tools: supporters can launch their own mini-campaigns under your umbrella.
• Strong peer-to-peer capabilities: Givebutter is well-suited for a Giving Tuesday strategy that leverages social networks. It includes features for peer-to-peer fundraising, team fundraising, and live leaderboards.

Best for

Schools, nonprofits, and small teams wanting an easy-to-launch Giving Tuesday campaign platform with built-in social tools and no upfront software cost.

Pricing model

It operates on a 100% transparent tip-or-fee model, meaning it's free to use with a voluntary tipping system. Organizations can choose to cover the platform fee themselves or let donors cover it with an optional tip.

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3. Donorbox

Donorbox is a platform known for its focus on providing a secure, reliable, and conversion-optimized donation experience through its simple, yet powerful, features. It is designed for nonprofits of all sizes, including schools and universities with diverse fundraising needs.

Key Features

• No-code donation forms: easily embed mobile-optimized, branded forms, pop-ups, or donation pages, even in multiple currencies and languages.
• Robust recurring giving: Donorbox offers an intuitive recurring giving pipeline with automated payment processing and a donor self-service portal, which helps institutions build a sustainable revenue stream beyond a single event.
• Quick checkouts & global reach: fast checkout with digital wallets (UltraSwift™), accepts 45 currencies in 96 countries.
• Ease of use & integration: The platform is praised for its quick setup, with a campaign creation process that takes only a few minutes and requires no coding to embed on an existing website.

Best for

Mid-sized to large schools and universities that need a reliable, cost-effective, and conversion-optimized tool to run a Giving Tuesday campaign, especially for direct online appeals and recurring giving.

Pricing model

Donorbox offers a free standard plan, a pro plan at $150/month, and a premium plan with custom pricing.

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4. GiveCampus

Givecampus is a fundraising platform for educational institutions, empowering fundraisers at every stage of the fundraising lifecycle. Its core value proposition is its deep understanding of and specialization in the unique needs of schools and universities, from online giving days to volunteer management.

Key Features

• Modular fundraising tools: Givecampus has a choice of solutions such as Online Giving, Events, Volunteer Management, or Gift Officer workflows, to build what fits your team's needs.
• Robust volunteer & advocacy tools: The platform provides them with a system to manage their prospects and track their outreach efforts, allowing institutions to tap into a network of supporters to drive peer-to-peer giving
• Focus on education: Apart from Almabase, Givecampus is the other option that is geared more towards helping educational institutions in this list.
• Rich outreach & AI tools: integrated email/text campaigns, generative AI for content, advanced segmentation, personalization links, and detailed year-end reporting.

Best for

Large, established colleges and universities with a strategic focus on alumni engagement and a dedicated advancement team that can leverage its enterprise-grade features for a high-impact Giving Tuesday.

Pricing Model

GIveCampus has three platform plans: Essentials, Professional and Enterprise. On top of this, your price will vary depending on the modules you need.

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5. Bonterra

Bonterra, formerly a suite of tools including EveryAction, is a comprehensive, enterprise-grade solution that has garnered a reputation as a robust fundraising platform for larger nonprofit organizations with complex needs. It aims to provide a single, unified solution for fundraising and donor engagement.

Key Features

• Comprehensive all-in-one enterprise solution: Bonterra offers a full suite of tools, encompassing a powerful CRM, grants management, and robust data analytics.
• Powerful data & reporting: Bonterra comes with its own CRM to allow your team to make informative reports, analyze comprehensive donor insights, and make data-driven decisions.
• Enterprise experience: As a long-time and major player in the advancement space, it comes with quite a few integrations and a dedicated customer onboarding and support team.

Best for

Large universities and institutions that need a long-term, comprehensive CRM and fundraising solution, and for whom Giving Tuesday is a part of a larger, integrated annual giving strategy.

Pricing Model

Tailored to the organization's unique needs, with pricing based on size, complexity, and features.

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6. OneCause

Onecause is a fundraising platform with a particular focus on events, auctions and peer-to-peer campaigns. It is designed to help organizations streamline the guest experience and run successful events.

Key Features

• Event & auction specialization: Onecause is known as a robust platform for fundraising events, offering a broad range of tools for organizing, managing, and optimizing initiatives. Its software is designed to streamline the guest experience from start to finish for live, hybrid, and virtual events and auctions.
• Seamless guest experience: The platform provides a user-friendly interface that streamlines the guest experience with features like mobile bidding, integrated ticketing, and QR code check-in.
• Strong peer-to-peer & text-to-give: The platform is highly effective at empowering supporters to fundraise for their cause. It supports the "Text2Give" feature, a powerful tool for modern Giving Tuesdays.

Best For

Educational institutions with a Giving Tuesday strategy built around a live or virtual event, auction, or other high-energy initiative.

Pricing Model

Onecause has different pricing plans based on which features you need to use between fundraising and text-to-give, auction and events, and peer-to-peer fundraising.

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Bonus suggestions: Simple crowdfunding platforms

Maybe you just need a simple crowdfunding platform this year to complement an event you are already planning with another tool, or you just want to use an easy-to-set-up fundraising page with names that have become synonymous with raising money for causes. If that’s what you’re looking for, here are some of the popular ones to choose from:

• GoFundMe
• Kickstarter
• Indiegogo
• Mightycause
• Fundly

…and more depending on your institution’s geographic location.

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How to Choose the Right Giving Tuesday Platform for Your Institution

Not every platform is built with education teams in mind, and choosing wrong can cost you both time and momentum. With so many options, the right fit depends on what your team actually needs, not just flashy features. So, while deciding, keep these factors in mind:

• Ease of setup: If your campaign timeline is tight, you need something that goes live in days, not weeks, without burning staff hours on configuration.
• Customization: Branded giving pages boost donor trust and credibility; the right tool should let you control design without calling in a developer.
• Integrated data: A great Giving Tuesday is only the start. Choose a platform that syncs donor and gift data directly into your CRM to fuel year-round engagement.
• Support and training: When things break on Giving Tuesday, they need fixing fast. A platform with responsive support keeps your team focused on donors, not troubleshooting.
• Cost transparency: Fees can eat into your impact. Understand exactly what you’ll pay in platform and processing costs so there are no surprises after the campaign.

Want a deeper breakdown of these essentials? Take a look at our guide on giving day platform features every institution should consider.

Conclusion

The right Giving Tuesday platform should lighten your team’s load while helping you hit ambitious goals. The platforms we’ve covered are built with education teams in mind; it’s just a matter of matching your goals, team size, and budget to the right solution. Once done, you’ll set yourself up for more than just a one-day win.

We might not see the fruits of our labor in alumni engagement right away - but it's all about planting that seed.

—Colleen O’Neil, Director of Alumni Engagement Programming, University of North Carolina Wilmington

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When you meet Colleen, the first thing you notice is her energy. Fun, driven, and relentlessly creative, Colleen has made a bold impact at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), shaping what alumni engagement looks like for a growing institution with over 110,000 alumni. In just under three years at UNCW, Colleen has transformed how the institution approaches alumni programming - by blending strategic metrics with programs that are as joyful as they are impactful.

Colleen takes pride in creating engaging experiences and has been recognized for her work, including receiving awards for outstanding advancement programs and being featured in the CASE Currents Magazine.

Bringing professors and pints together

One of Colleen’s most standout programs? Pints with Professors, a creative initiative that invites alumni back into the classroom, pint in hand, alongside the faculty who once inspired them. The event blends the intellectual energy of a lecture with the relaxed atmosphere of a social gathering. 

The goal is simple: leverage nostalgia and intellectual curiosity to drive deeper engagement. The result? Nearly 200 attendees for their most recent session—many of whom had never attended an alumni event before.

“They might not recognize our names in their inbox, but they remember their professor’s name. That’s the connection we tap into.”

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Turning Wilmington into a reunion destination

Colleen also pioneered Weekend in Wilmington, a June event series designed to bring alumni back when Wilmington really delivers for some fun in the sun and coastal adventures. Inspired by App State’s Winter Weekend, this beachy version includes site visits like the university’s Center for Marine Science and events that spark school spirit and curiosity alike. 

The second edition drew over 175 attendees, including many first-time participants. It’s another example of Colleen’s focus on creating experiences that are nostalgic, thoughtful, and grounded in data.

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Tracking engagement beyond the events

One of Colleen’s biggest contributions has been introducing CASE Insights on Alumni Engagement to the heart of UNCW’s alumni engagement strategy. Since joining, her team has implemented data tracking processes that go far beyond attendance lists and gift reports. From social media interactions to career updates, Colleen’s team now captures a more holistic view of alumni involvement.

The result? a strong foundation for engagement with an established baseline, plus an exciting 27% change in total engagement from year 1 to year 2. 

“We used to track event RSVPs and gifts. Now we’re trying to capture as many meaningful touchpoints as we can—from career updates, comment threads, class speakers to alums who submit feedback surveys.”

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What’s next for Colleen and UNCW?

Looking ahead, Colleen is focused on two things: expanding campus partnerships and continuing to "engage the unengaged." From handwritten notes to targeted micro-campaigns, her team is experimenting with high-touch, low-cost ways to spark connection. It’s all part of a long-game philosophy:

“We might not see the results right away, but if we make someone feel seen today, they may remember that note or connection years from now—when they’re ready to get more involved or give back.”

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Inspired by Colleen’s story?

Connect with her on LinkedIn and don’t forget to nominate the next great alumni engagement professional for the #TheOG50!

We are not the ones curing cancer.  We are changing lives by enabling the ones who will.

- Christopher Amherst, Director of Data Management, University of Chicago

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Christopher Amherst isn’t your typical advancement professional. With a background in computer science and a career that spans pre-internet AI to modern CRM transformations, Christopher brings a uniquely systems-driven, yet deeply human approach to his role as Director of Data Management at the University of Chicago. Since being named an OG50 Champion in 2023, he’s continued to push the envelope on how data can—and should—serve advancement teams and fundraisers, helping them build trust, automate intelligently, and ultimately change lives. Chris is also an OG Star Wars fan.

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Leading a Modern Advancement Data Team

Chris didn’t just join the University of Chicago to manage data; he came in to reimagine how advancement data teams operate. Instead of the traditional records management structure, Chris built a lean, five-person data operations and quality team modeled after modern for-profit data teams.

Think automations at scale. Cross-functional collaboration. Christopher’s philosophy? Build a system that delivers trust in data, so fundraisers and engagement officers can do their best work without second-guessing what’s in the CRM.

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Turning Small Automations into Big Wins

One of Christopher’s proudest achievements is overhauling address entry within the CRM. A seemingly simple update—autocomplete and address validation at point-of-entry—led to reduced cost, improved data quality, and smoother user experiences for everyone.

His team has also introduced automation for householding logic (think: donor relationships and marital status changes), reducing manual work and minimizing errors. These may seem small on paper, but for advancement teams juggling dozens of tasks daily, they’re transformative.

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Looking Forward: Personalization, Purpose, and AI

While Christopher’s team hasn’t gone all-in on AI-powered personalization just yet, they’re getting there thoughtfully. The goal isn’t just sending alumni flashy emails. It’s about deeply understanding what made their UChicago experience special, and reflecting that in how the university engages them today.

As a seasoned technologist, Christopher’s take on AI is both grounded and visionary. He’s excited about the agentic AI future - not because it’s trendy, but because it can free humans to focus on relationships. “AI has been around for decades,” he says. “Now it’s just about using it better.”

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What’s next for Christopher and the University of Chicago?

Christopher is focused on helping his team evolve into a strategic enablement function. That means more automation, better insights, and a stronger foundation for alumni engagement and fundraising personalization in the years ahead.

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And of course, he’s watching the data maturity space closely—hoping to see more teams in advancement shift from records management to true data strategy.

Want to keep up with Christopher’s journey? Connect with him on LinkedIn.

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Donation request letters remain one of the most effective ways for schools, colleges, and universities to raise funds and strengthen community bonds. Whether sent by email or printed and mailed, these letters go beyond simply asking for money, they tell a story, create an emotional connection, and make donors feel part of something meaningful.

For institutions and organizations looking to boost their fundraising efforts, pairing the right words, tone, and structure with a clear purpose can transform a simple note into a powerful appeal.. Today, we’re helping you craft these letters and providing ready-to-use donation request letter templates alongside best practices to help you craft appeals that truly resonate.

Why Fundraising Letters Still Work in 2025

It’s tempting to think that today, email and social media are all you need. But the data tells a different story. Institutions are still seeing significantly higher engagement from direct-mail appeals compared to digital-only outreach.

• Email open rates for nonprofits average about 28.6%, which means many supporters never even see your ask.
• In a recent analysis of fiscal-year 2024 fundraising efforts, RNL reports that 3.5 million solicitation emails were opened, generating over 118,000 clicks,  demonstrating that effective storytelling and segmentation within email still lead to real engagement and action.

48% of donors say email is their preferred channel for receiving updates and appeals, while 21% still prefer direct mail. This shows that a hybrid approach, combining both digital and physical touchpoints, helps maximize reach and impact.

Free Donation Request Letter Templates

Each of these templates is designed for a specific use case, audience, and channel. You can copy them directly or customize them for your institution.

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School Fundraising Letter

A fundraising letter that supports tuition assistance, classroom materials, and extracurricular programs, sent through email or print.

Subject: Together, We Can Help Every Student Thrive

Dear [First Name],
Every child deserves the chance to learn, dream, and succeed. This year, our classrooms are buzzing with curiosity, but some students are struggling to access the resources they need.
With your support, we can provide essential materials, fund extracurricular programs, and ensure no student is left behind. A gift of $50 can supply an entire class with art supplies for a semester.

Will you join us in making this possible?
[Donate Now]

Thank you for being part of our school community. Your generosity changes lives every day.

With gratitude,
[Your Name]
[Your Title]

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Alumni Appeal Letter (Colleges/Universities)

A template for annual fund drives, Giving Tuesday, or Reunion Giving, shared by email or as a mail-merged PDF.

Subject: Your Legacy at [School Name] Continues

Dear [First Name],
Every time a student walks across the graduation stage, your legacy grows. As an alum, you know how life-changing an education at [School Name] can be.
This year, our Annual Fund supports scholarships, research opportunities, and campus programs that define the [School Name] experience. Your contribution, no matter the size, makes that possible.

Will you help the next generation of students thrive by making a gift today?
[Give to the Annual Fund]

Thank you for keeping the spirit of [College/University/Association Name] alive.

Warm regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Title]

Giving Tuesday Fundraising Email

A short, urgent appeal crafted for global giving days, delivered via email.

Subject: Join Thousands Changing Lives This Giving Tuesday

Dear [First Name],
Today, we join millions worldwide for Giving Tuesday—a celebration of generosity and community. Our goal is to raise $[Goal Amount] in just 24 hours to support [specific program/cause].
Every gift, no matter the size, will help us reach our target and create real change. Your $25 today could fund [specific, tangible impact] for a student in need.

Please don’t wait—this opportunity to make an immediate difference ends at midnight.
[Give Now]

Thank you for standing with us and with the community we serve.

With gratitude,
[Your Name]
[Your Title]

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💌Each email click during Giving Tuesday 2024 was worth an average of $39 in donations—proving that every subject line, call-to-action, and send time matters. Perhaps that's why 33% of donors say email is the channel that most inspires them to give.

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Recurring Gift Appeal

Here’s a version suited for monthly giving programs, sent by email or as a print follow-up.

Subject: Make an Impact Every Month

Dear [First Name],
Every month, your generosity can bring steady, lasting change. By joining our monthly giving program, you can provide steady, reliable support for [cause/program].
Just $15 a month can [specific impact], and over a year, your generosity will [larger outcome].

Become a monthly supporter today and watch your impact grow all year long.
[Join Monthly Giving]

Gratefully,
[Your Name]
[Your Title]

Matching Gift Reminder Letter

A request focused on post-donation matching, sent through email or mailed as a postcard.

Subject: Double Your Recent Gift at No Extra Cost

Dear [First Name],
Thank you for your generous gift of $[Gift Amount] to [Organization Name]. Did you know your donation may be eligible for a match from your employer?
Many companies match charitable contributions, effectively doubling your impact. To check if your gift qualifies, visit [Matching Gift Portal Link] and follow the quick steps.

Thank you for helping us do even more with your generosity.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Title]

Capital Campaign Donation Letter

A formal print letter for scholarships, facility upgrades, or endowment campaigns.

Dear [First Name],

We are embarking on one of the most ambitious projects in our history, the [Campaign Name]. This initiative will [describe vision: build a new library, endow scholarships, expand labs].
We invite you to be part of this legacy. Your gift will not only transform our campus but also shape the futures of generations to come.

Please consider a contribution to the [Campaign Name with link]. Together, we can make this vision a reality.

With deepest appreciation,
[Your Name]
[Your Title]

Fundraising Campaign Update Letter

A stewardship message for post-campaign follow-up, shared through email or print.

Subject: Look What We Achieved Together!

Dear [First Name],
Thanks to your generosity, our [Campaign Name] has raised $[Total Raised], surpassing our goal! Your gift helped make [specific result] possible.
[Insert photo of completed project or impact in action]

While this chapter is complete, our work continues. We’d love for you to stay connected as we take the next steps toward [future initiative].
Thank you for believing in our mission. It would not be possible without supporters like you.

Warmly,
[Your Name]
[Your Title]

Donor Thank-You Letter

A stewardship and donor retention note, best suited for email or handwritten delivery.

Subject: Your Gift Made an Immediate Difference

Dear [First Name],
Thank you for your recent gift of $[Gift Amount] to [Organization Name]. Because of you, we were able to [specific impact, e.g., “provide 200 meals to students in need”].
Your generosity inspires us and the community we serve. We are honored to have you as part of our donor family.

We’ll keep you updated on the difference you’re making, but for now, please know how much you are appreciated.

With heartfelt thanks,
[Your Name]
[Your Title]

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What Makes an Effective Fundraising Letter?

Whether you’re writing to a long-time supporter or a first-time donor, your letter should check these boxes:

• Personal greeting: Using a name like “Dear Alex” is always more effective than a generic “Dear Supporter.” Go a step further by adding context that shows you know the donor. For example, you can reference:
• Their giving history – “Thank you for your continued support since 2019.”
• Their interests – “As someone who’s passionate about education…”
• Their connection to your cause – “As a fellow parent…”

This level of personalization shows donors that you’ve taken the time to understand who they are, which builds trust and strengthens your appeal.

• Emotionally engaging story or stat: For example, “How last year’s campaign funded 50 new scholarships!”. People give to transform lives. Lead with a compelling story that puts a human face on your mission.
• Clear, specific ask: Vague requests get vague responses. Your donors want to know exactly what you're asking for and why that specific amount matters. Instead of "Please consider supporting our mission," try "Will you join 25 other donors in giving $150 to provide a semester of textbooks for a student in need?"
• Impact statement: This is where you translate dollars into outcomes. Donors need to understand the direct line between their gift and your mission. Create clear, tangible connections by showing exactly what different levels of support can achieve, such as:
  
  • “$50 provides a week of nutritious after-school meals for a child”
  • $250 covers the cost of emergency shelter for a family for three nights"
  • "$1,000 sponsors a complete financial literacy workshop for 20 adults"

Avoid abstract language like "supports our programs." Instead, paint a picture of the specific change their generosity will create in the world.

• Simple CTA: After inspiring them to give, make it as easy as possible to actually donate. Remove every possible barrier between intention and action. Provide multiple ways to respond:
  
  • A reply envelope with a simple form
  • A short, memorable URL (YourOrg.org/summer rather than a long, complex link)
  • A QR code for smartphone users
  • A phone number for those who prefer to call
  • Clear instructions for online giving
  • Alternative giving or volunteering options (if any)

The easier you make it, the more likely they are to follow through in the moment when they're most motivated.

• Gratitude & donor-focused tone: Think of your donors as partners, not funders. They're invested in your mission and want to see the impact they're helping create. When you frame your communication as updates to your donors, you build genuine relationships that lead to deeper, long-term support.

Remember, personalization and segmentation can yield massive improvements. Segmented emails have demonstrated the potential to drive 30% more open rates and 50% more click-throughs than unsegmented campaigns, making audience segmentation a critical success factor for educational institutions.

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Sending at Scale with Almabase

Here’s how we're helping advancement teams connect technology to their storytelling:

• Personalization at scale: Speak directly to each alum or donor by segmenting outreach by class year, geography, giving history, or event attendance—without the manual spreadsheet work.
• TrueSync with Raiser’s Edge NXT: Keep your database up to date automatically. Every email click, letter open, and donation is logged in real time for smarter follow-ups Learn more here.
• Automated follow-ups: Send timely reminders, thank-yous, and updates without lifting a finger, so no donor feels forgotten.
• Digital campaign management and email automation: Create, segment, and manage outreach efficiently with built-in tools that save time and boost results.

Conclusion

More than asking for money, donation request letters help keep relationships strong. In a world full of emails and notifications, a letter can stand out because it feels personal and genuine.

With the right timing and smart segmentation, these letters do more than raise funds. They remind alumni and supporters why they matter, spark pride in your community, and strengthen the connection between your school and its graduates.

For nonprofits and institutions looking to raise funds, every dollar counts. So what if you could double or even triple your donations without asking your supporters to give more? That’s the power of matching gifts. Despite the enormous potential of corporate matching gift programs, billions of dollars in eligible donations go unclaimed each year. Why? Donors either don’t know their gifts can be matched or don’t know how to complete the process.

Integrating matching gifts into your fundraising campaigns is one of the most effective ways to increase revenue, deepen donor engagement, and amplify impact. But it doesn’t happen by accident—it requires strategy, timing, and the right tools.

Below, we’re sharing 10 actionable tips to help your team fully leverage matching gifts in your fundraising efforts. Let’s begin!

1. Educate Your Team First

Before you can promote matching gifts to donors, it’s essential that your internal team understands how they work. From development staff to communications professionals, everyone should be familiar with the basics of corporate matching gift programs.

Therefore, it’s a good idea to hold a short training session or workshop to explain:

• What matching gifts are;
• How to find out if a donor’s company matches gifts;
• What information donors need to submit;
• How your organizaiton processes matching gifts.

When your team is well-versed in all things matching, they can confidently communicate the opportunity to donors and answer questions effectively as they arise.

2. Identify and Promote Matching Gift Eligible Donors

Many organizations send out generalized appeals without knowing which donors work for matching gift companies. That’s a missed opportunity. Using tools like matching gift software or employer appends, you can identify where your donors work and flag those who are likely eligible for a match.

Once identified, tailor your messaging for each individual. For example, after a donation is made, you can send a targeted follow-up like: "Thanks for your gift! Did you know your employer, XYZ Corporation, may match your donation? Here’s how you can double your impact in just a few clicks."

Personalized messaging increases the likelihood that donors will follow through, and makes it even easier for them to do so.

3. Integrate Matching Gift Tools into Your Donation Form

The fewer steps a donor has to take, the better. By embedding matching gift tools directly into your donation form, you make it easy for donors to check their eligibility and start the matching process instantly.

Software like Double the Donation (which integrates seamlessly with your Almabase fundraising tools) allows donors to search for their employer as they’re making a gift. It even provides forms, guidelines, and contact information in real time, streamlining the process dramatically.

This simple integration has been shown to significantly increase match completion rates and grow fundraising revenue with ease.

4. Use Automated Email Follow-Ups

Even if a donor skips the matching gift process during checkout, you can still guide them afterward. Automated email follow-ups are a highly effective way to remind donors about their match eligibility.

Consider setting up a series of emails timed to go out after a gift is made. Here’s an example sequence:

• Day 1: Thank-you email with a soft mention of matching gifts.
• Day 3–5: Dedicated matching gift eligibility reminder
• Week 2: Case study or testimonial showcasing how matching gifts create real-world impact.
• Week 3–4: Final reminder with clear, simple steps.

In each message, make sure the language is friendly, encouraging, and focused on impact. Include clickable buttons or links to company lookup tools to remove friction and drive supporters through the process.

5. Create a Matching Gift Landing Page

Your organization’s website is an essential resource. Hosting a dedicated landing page for matching gifts can serve as a central hub for all your related outreach efforts.

For the best results, this page should:

• Explain what matching gifts are;
• Include an embedded company search tool;
• Provide instructions and FAQs to help donors get started.

From there, you’ll want to link to this page from your main website navigation, donation forms, confirmation/thank-you pages, email footers, and social media posts. In other words, make it easy for donors to find and refer back to when they’re ready to learn more or initiate a match.

6. Highlight Matching Gifts in All Your Campaigns

Matching gifts shouldn’t be an afterthought—they should be baked into the DNA of your campaigns.

Whether you’re running a year-end appeal, Giving Tuesday initiative, peer-to-peer fundraiser, or capital campaign, consistently highlighting matching opportunities goes a long way. Phrases like:

• “Double your donation at no extra cost!”
• “Your gift could go twice as far.”
• “Check if your company will match your generosity.”

…can prompt curiosity and inspire action.

Add matching gift language and tools to appeal letters, emails, event materials, digital ads, and more. Repetition helps donors absorb the message, making them more likely to participate when the time comes.

7. Work Matching Gifts into Donor Stewardship

Acknowledging and stewarding donors doesn’t end after the first thank-you. In fact, you can build stronger relationships by keeping them informed about the matching gift process.

If a donor completes a match request, send a separate thank-you noting their extra effort and impact. If their match is received, send a special acknowledgment with updated gift totals and a story about what that additional funding made possible.

You can even tag matched donors in your CRM and invite them into higher-touch stewardship journeys or giving circles, reinforcing their sense of value and connection to your cause.

8. Mobilize Your Corporate Partners

If your nonprofit or institution has corporate sponsors or partners, work with them to educate their employees about matching gifts. Many employees aren’t even aware that their companies offer these programs, and a simple nudge from HR or internal communications can spark significant action.

For example, consider asking your corporate partners to:

• Promote matching gifts on internal channels like intranets or newsletters
• Include your nonprofit’s info in their employee giving portals
• Allow you to host lunch-and-learns or info sessions
• Host a one-off matching gift campaign specifically benefitting your nonprofit

This not only drives more matching donations but also deepens your relationship with the company—a win-win on all fronts.

9. Share Success Stories

People are inspired by stories. When you share a real story about a donation that was matched—and the tangible impact it created—it makes the concept of matching gifts come alive.

Here’s an example: "When Rachel donated $100 to support local tutoring programs, her employer matched it, bringing her impact to $200. That covered an entire month of tutoring for one child."

Include stories like these in newsletters, appeal emails, social posts, and annual reports. It helps donors visualize the extra power they have, simply by checking a box and requesting a match from their employer.

10. Track, Measure, and Optimize

You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Therefore, try tracking key metrics related to matching gifts, such as:

• Percentage of match-eligible donations
• Match request initiation rate
• Match completion rate
• Total dollars matched
• Fundraising increase due to matching gifts

From there, you can use this data to find gaps and opportunities. Are donors dropping off after the first email? Are small-dollar donors getting their gifts matched more often than major givers? Are some campaigns more successful than others?

By analyzing trends and experimenting with language, timing, and placement, you can continually refine your strategy for better results overall.

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Wrapping it up

Matching gifts are one of the most underutilized fundraising tools available to both institutions and nonprofits. With a thoughtful approach and a few strategic integrations, you can unlock a hidden revenue stream that requires no extra money from your donors—just a little extra effort.

By educating your team, leveraging technology, telling powerful stories, and weaving matching gift opportunities throughout your campaigns, you’ll increase participation, raise more money, and deepen donor engagement.

Don’t let matching gifts be an afterthought. Make them an integral part of your strategy—and watch your impact grow.