The Nonprofit Podcast

Ep 178| The 3 Don’ts of October Fundraising (Year-End Roadmap)

Oct 2, 2025
October is the month where nonprofits must prepare to avoid a December scramble. The hosts share three crucial fundraising don’ts: avoid keeping plans in your head, don’t surprise donors, and ensure everything is clear and obvious. They emphasize the importance of warming up donors with personal touches and updates before major asks. Practical tips include moving tasks into systems and drafting appeals early. Listeners are encouraged to take immediate action by selecting one manageable task to alleviate future stress.
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INSIGHT

October Is Your Prep Month

  • Treat October as the month to get ahead instead of starting in December with a sprint mentality.
  • Preparing earlier preserves relationships and prevents lost dollars from last-minute failures.
ADVICE

Get Tasks Out Of Your Head

  • Operationalize your year-end tasks by moving them out of your head and into a system this October.
  • Draft, schedule, or store every appeal and asset now so December feels manageable.
ADVICE

Draft All Emails In October

  • Draft all year-end fundraising emails in October and load them into your email platform.
  • Let December only need small tweaks so your future self isn't scrambling.
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