3 Smart Habits for End-of-Year Fundraising Success Without Burnout

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Oct 14, 2025

Discover three game-changing habits to streamline end-of-year fundraising without burning out. Learn why dedicating the first hour of your day to donor outreach boosts momentum. Uncover the power of ruthless time management to align activities with your fundraising goals. Embrace an abundance mindset to foster stronger connections with donors, while setting healthy boundaries with your team. This insightful guide equips you with practical strategies to enhance your fundraising efforts and achieve success.

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ADVICE

First 60: Block Time For Donor Outreach

Reserve the first 60 minutes of your day for donor outreach to build momentum and retention.
Front-load outreach on Monday and Tuesday so you have the week to get responses and follow up.

ADVICE

Send Messages Early In The Week

Schedule donor messages to send Monday or Tuesday so recipients have five business days to respond.
If you prefer working evenings, draft and schedule emails to land in donors' inboxes earlier in the week.

ADVICE

Ruthless Time Management Around Goals

Use your fundraising goal as a North Star and decline activities that don't advance it.
Excuse yourself from internal obligations that won't help you raise the money needed for the mission.

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Hey friend, I’m coming to you from Chicago (yes, I just moved here a few days ago!) and I’m not missing a beat. Rain or shine, I’m showing up to help you crush your end-of-year fundraising goals.

This episode is part two of our mini-series on end-of-year giving. If you haven’t already listened to the workshop replay in the previous episode, go back and queue that up - it’s full of strategy, tactics, and my full roadmap for hitting your year-end goals.

Today, I’m sharing three specific practices that keep me focused, grounded, and effective during the chaos of year-end fundraising especially when it comes to major gifts. These are simple, doable habits that make a massive difference when the pressure is on.

In The Episode I’m breaking down:

The First 60: Why the first 60 minutes of your day should always go to donor outreach — and how that one habit can completely shift your fundraising momentum.
Ruthless Time Management: How to make decisions based on one question — “Will this help me reach my fundraising goal?” — and why saying no more often is actually the most selfless thing you can do.
Assume the Best: How adopting an abundance mindset changes the way you lead, ask, and connect — and why believing the best in your donors (and yourself) directly impacts how much you raise.

I’m also getting real about boundaries, board dynamics, and what healthy leadership looks like for fundraisers who are tired of being stretched too thin.

End-of-year giving can feel overwhelming — but it doesn’t have to. If you want to hit your goals without burning out, it comes down to focus, boundaries, and belief.

These three habits are what I return to again and again, they’re how I protect my time, serve my donors well, and keep my energy focused on what actually moves the needle.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re drowning in meetings, stretched between competing priorities, or second-guessing how to show up for donors - this episode is your permission slip to lead differently.

Want 15 leads in 5 minutes? DM me "Breakfast burrito" on LinkedIn and I'll send you a pdf and 6-minute training to help you generate 15 leads for your nonprofit in minutes. It's totally free. All you need is an email to sign up. DM me "Breakfast burrito" - I'm from Texas, what can I say? - to get your pdf and mini training.

If you're an org with at least $800k annual budget and major gifts is your top priority, but you need a better strategy and approach, get on the waitlist for the next CourageLab cohort here: https://julieordonez.kit.com/couragelab2