If your nonprofit’s donation page still requires donors to manually type in a 16-digit card number, an expiration date, a billing address, and a CVV code (on a phone screen) you’re losing donors before they ever complete a gift. Not because they don’t care about your mission, but because friction kills generosity in the moment.

This article covers what mobile wallets are, why they matter for nonprofits more than ever, and how building them into your donation page is one of the most impactful (and underutilized) ways to increase giving.

What Is A Mobile Wallet?

A mobile wallet is a digital wallet that stores your payment information for credit cards, debit cards, bank accounts, securely on your smartphone or smartwatch. Instead of entering your card details every time you want to pay, you authenticate with a biometric (like Face ID or a fingerprint) or a PIN, and the transaction happens instantly.

The most widely used mobile wallets include:

• Apple Pay, which is integrated into iPhones and Apple Watches, used at checkout with a touch or glance
• Google Pay, which is built into Android devices and available across millions of websites and apps
• PayPal, the original digital wallet, available on desktop and mobile and trusted by hundreds of millions of users worldwide
• Venmo, which is especially popular among younger donors, with an added social sharing element that can spark peer giving

Most of us already use one or more of these tools in our everyday lives, whether it be at coffee shops, on e-commerce sites, for splitting dinner bills. The question for nonprofits is whether your donation page is ready to meet donors where they already live.

Why Mobile Wallets Are Transforming the Way People Give

The appeal of mobile wallets isn’t complicated: they’re fast, secure, and effortless. You input your card information once, and every future transaction requires a simple verification. Fewer steps, less friction, more follow-through.

The numbers tell the story. Global digital wallet users are projected to reach 5.2 billion by 2026, representing over 60% of the global population. In the US, nearly 70% of online adults use digital payments. That sentiment doesn’t disappear when someone navigates to a nonprofit’s donation page.

The bottom line is simple: cash is no longer king. Mobile wallets are.

Mobile wallet and traditional methods of giving on a CauseVox make it easy for donors to give.

Use Cases for Mobile Wallets

Mobile wallets are a flexible tool that meets donors wherever they are. Here’s where mobile wallets make the biggest difference.

Donation Page: A Non-Negotiable

Your donation page is the most critical conversion point in your fundraising funnel. You’ve already done the hard work, you’ve gotten someone to care about your mission, click through your email, find your campaign, and decide they want to give. The only thing standing between them and a completed donation is the checkout process. That is not the place to create obstacles.

Recurring Giving: Removing the Friction from Long-Term Loyalty

Monthly donors have 5.4x higher lifetime value than one-time donors. Mobile wallets make it easy for donors to set up recurring gifts because their payment information is already stored and verified. The less effort required to commit to monthly giving, the more donors will say yes.

Impulse Giving: Capitalizing on Social and Real-Time Moments

Peer-to-peer fundraising, social media campaigns, and real-time giving events all share one thing: the giving impulse happens fast. When a donor sees a friend’s fundraising post on Instagram at 9pm on a Tuesday and clicks through, they are on mobile. If your donation page is difficult to navigate on a phone, that moment is gone. Mobile wallets turn that impulse into a completed transaction.

In-Person Events: Tap to Give on the Spot

Mobile wallets aren’t just for online giving. At galas, 5Ks, auctions, and church events, you can enable tap-to-donate options or display QR codes that link directly to a mobile-wallet-enabled donation page. Supporters can give while the energy of the event is at its peak, no cash needed, no card reader required.

The bottom line? Mobile wallets address the core problem: complexity kills conversion. Most people don’t decide to give, they feel it. A video moves them, a story resonates, and for a brief moment they want to do something. One fingerprint. Under ten seconds. No forms, no friction, no reason to hesitate. The impulse gets to become a donation before it becomes a memory.

Something For Every Donor

Prioritizing mobile wallets doesn’t mean abandoning your other donors. The most effective donation pages offer a full spectrum of payment options, because different donors genuinely prefer different methods  and that variance often tracks with generation.

Gen Z and Millennials are your most enthusiastic mobile wallet users. These donors are accustomed to one-tap checkout across every area of their financial lives, and they expect the same from nonprofits. 59% of Gen Z donors say social media inspires their giving, and almost all of that traffic arrives on mobile.

Gen X donors are comfortable with both digital and traditional payment methods. Credit cards and PayPal resonate strongly with this group.

Boomers often prefer credit cards, bank transfers, or even checks for their charitable giving, particularly for larger gifts. ACH (direct bank transfer) is especially effective for major or recurring donations because fees are lower and payments don’t fail when a card expires.

How to Add Mobile Wallets to Your Donation Page

With a CauseVox donation page, you can enable Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, Venmo, credit and debit card, and ACH bank transfer in one place, no developer required. Mobile wallet buttons appear prominently at the top of your donation form so they’re the first option a donor sees, not an afterthought buried at the bottom.

Mobile wallet options on CauseVox donation page

Ready To Raise More With Less Friction?

The data is clear and the direction is unmistakable. Donors expect modern payment experiences, and nonprofits that deliver them raise more money, from more donors, more often. Mobile wallets are no longer a nice-to-have feature reserved for big organizations with big tech teams. They’re a baseline expectation that any nonprofit can meet today.

With CauseVox, you can create a free donation page and enable mobile wallets in just a few clicks, no developer required, no complex integrations, no excuses.

Every donor who starts the process should finish it. Mobile wallets are how you make that happen.

Get started for free and begin accepting mobile wallet donations today.

That sounds fantastic doesn’t it? As a nonprofit professional, however, you know that on the backend, silent auctions can take a ton of work. That’s why in this article, we’ve taken the guesswork out for you and pulled together our top tips and tricks for running a successful silent auction. In the end, one of your happy donors might get to be the one laying on the beach, and you’ll be happy too because of the large donation they made to get there!

The Benefits Of Running A Silent Auction

While we’ve already established that silent auctions require a good bit of work, the benefits often do outweigh the costs. Here are a few reasons that running a silent auction is a good idea:

1. Increased Fundraising Potential

By offering a wide range of items and experiences, you can attract a larger pool of supporters and encourage them to bid generously. The competitive nature of silent auctions often drives participants to increase their bids, resulting in more money raised for your worthy cause. 

2. Donor Engagement 

Silent auctions create an interactive and engaging experience for donors. Participants can browse through a curated selection of items and place bids on their preferred choices. This involvement enhances their connection to your cause as they actively contribute and feel a sense of ownership in supporting your mission.

3. Cost-Effective And Time-Efficient

Silent auctions have significant advantages due to reduced overhead, streamlined organization, simultaneous bidding, and lower volunteer requirements. These factors contribute to a more efficient use of resources and allow nonprofits to allocate more time and budget towards furthering their mission and impact. 

4. Data Collection And Donor Insights

Silent auctions, especially online, provide valuable data collection opportunities. Through registration and bid tracking, you can gather valuable information about your supporters’ preferences, interests, and bidding behaviors. This data can be used to deepen donor relationships, personalize future engagement, and refine fundraising strategies.

Online Silent Auctions

Running a silent auction can offer numerous benefits for nonprofit organizations, and now, with the advent of online silent auctions, these benefits can be further amplified. With online silent auctions, you have the opportunity to reach a broader audience beyond the confines of a physical event. Supporters from different geographical locations can participate, increasing the potential for fundraising success. Additionally, online auctions provide accessibility for individuals who may be unable to attend an in-person event, ensuring inclusivity for all. 

Whether your event is in-person, virtual, hybrid, or you’re not planning an event at all, you can make silent auctions work for your organization.

Selecting Your Platform

If you’re running an event, we suggest using the same platform you use for your event ticketing.  This helps keep everything streamlined and in one place. One of the most important factors to consider when choosing a platform is how easy it is to use. 

Thankfully, with CauseVox, you can run silent auctions seamlessly. We are leading the way with our game-changing silent auction software. It features a user-enhanced item catalog to captivate bidders, real-time updates and progress towards your fundraising goal, and help connect bidders to your cause by sharing your mission and impact. It’s easier and more efficient than ever to host an online silent auction. CauseVox Silent Auctions not only provides a seamless user experience, it also frees up your time and energy to get to the things that matter: your cause! 

Make A Plan 

Planning a successful silent auction involves teamwork. Creating a committee, developing a checklist and timeline, and delegating tasks effectively ensures that all the necessary details get done in a timely manner. Consider utilizing a project management tool to keep these tasks organized for you.

1. Create A Committee
   • Form a dedicated committee responsible for overseeing the silent auction planning and execution.
   • Select individuals with diverse skills, including event management, marketing, procurement and logistics if possible.

2. Develop A Checklist and Timeline
   • Create a comprehensive checklist that outlines all the necessary tasks from start to finish.
   • Break down the checklist into manageable steps and assign target completion dates for each task.
   • Establish clear deadlines for critical milestones, such as securing the venue, procuring items, marketing, and registration.

3. Delegate Tasks
   • Assign specific responsibilities to committee members based on their skills and expertise.
   • Clearly communicate tasks, deadlines, and expectations to ensure efficient execution.
   • Establish regular check-ins and communication channels to monitor progress and address any challenges or concerns.

Develop A Strategy For Auction Item Solicitation 

There are so many options for silent auction gifts, and so many businesses and individuals who want to give! Here are four key steps in developing a strategy to get the hottest items for your auction:

1. Identify Potential Item Donors

It is crucial to ensure a diverse and appealing selection of items in your silent auction so that there is something for everyone. The easiest way to start is by identifying who your potential donors are. This includes establishing a target audience of those you envision attending the silent auction; that way you can curate items or experiences that would appeal to them and ultimately generate bids.  

2. Secure The Items

Once you have identified who your ideal item donors are, it is time to call or send out solicitation letters and emails to individuals and businesses. We recommend you personalize your messages as this shows you have done your research and are genuinely interested in their support. Then, clearly and concisely explain the mission of your organization and the impact their donation will make. Finally, highlight the benefits of donating, such as increased exposure and recognition at the event or being associated with a meaningful cause. Be sure to emphasize the positive change their donation will have on the community. It is always a good rule of thumb to remind your supporters they are the true heroes! 

3. Leverage Personal Networks and Community Connections

You may be accustomed to reaching out to local restaurants and gift shops when it comes to silent auctions, but don’t forget to tap into your network of family, friends, volunteers and board members. Encourage your team to reach out to their contact directly and make personal introductions on behalf of your organization. It may also be helpful to attend local business networking events or community gatherings to build relationships with potential donors. 

4. Levels of Recognition and Incentives

You can also provide donors with various recognition opportunities based on their level of contribution, such as prominent signage at the event or inclusion in event programs and marketing materials. Be sure to follow up with donors after the event to share the impact their contribution made and express gratitude for their support. 

You can easily display who your donors and supporters are on our new Silent Auction platform.

Popular Silent Auction Items

Finally, if you are looking for somewhere to start, these items are always a hit:

• Experiences – Unique gifts like a private cooking class with a renowned chef, snorkeling with seals or a meet-and-greet with a celebrity are great high value items.
• Travel Package – Exciting getaways to luxurious vacation rentals, tropical beach getaways, adventurous safaris or a trip to a popular ski resort means there is something for everyone. 
• Fine Dining – Gift certificates to upscale restaurants, wine tastings or exclusive dining experiences are great for the foodies who are bidding. 
• Sports Memorabilia – Consider getting signed sports memorabilia from famous athletes, game tickets, or golf packages for the fans in your audience. 
• Unique Artwork – Feature original artwork, limited edition prints, or sculptures created by talented local artists for the art connoisseurs. 
• Wellness package or spa – Offer yoga and fitness retreats or a rejuvenating massage for those who need a little bit of relaxation (don’t we all?)

Marketing Your Silent Auction

Generating anticipation and enthusiasm for your event is essential to ensure maximum attendance and participation in your silent auction. Here are some strategies to create excitement: 

Photos

Taking high quality photos of the auction items makes them more appealing and therefore increases the likelihood of higher bids. Consider hiring a local photographer, asking the item’s donor for permission to use professional images, or trying your hand at smartphone photography using these tips. 

Descriptions

Crafting compelling descriptions for each auction item that highlights its value, key features, and any unique selling points is very helpful in ensuring bidders have all the information they need. It also makes them feel more confident in their bid and increases the perceived value of the item. Be sure to clearly communicate the benefits and potential enjoyment that the winning bidder will experience.

This belt bag description is clear with all the necessary info a bidder may need to make their decision. 

Deciding Prices

It is crucial that you and your team take time to determine a fair and competitive starting price for each item. Consider its market value, popularity, and demand to ensure that the pricing aligns with potential bidders’ expectations. We recommend starting your auction at 30-50% of the item’s market value. 

Upload To Your Platform

Using CauseVox’s new Silent Auction feature makes the process of uploading your items seamless. When bidders click on your event home page they are greeted with a stunning gallery of auction items with clear photos, current bids, and a bid button to attract more donors. You can also add tags for the kind of item and its price range so potential donors can find what they are looking for easily. 

Marketing Plan For Social Media And Emails

Leading up to your event, schedule regular posts on your socials and in emails to highlight some of the different items and generate excitement. Get maximum use out of those beautiful photos and captivating descriptions that will appear on the bidding platform by creating engaging social media posts from them. Remember, it’s not only about sharing the items, but converting interested individuals into supporters. Have a clear call to action on each post or email, making it easy for people to get a ticket so they can bid on the selection of items you have curated!

With CauseVox’s integrated ticketing, it is easier than ever to integrate your silent auction with your other event promotions. This streamlines the process and gives you one less thing to worry about when planning your event.  

Now It’s Time To Start Bidding!

With the right silent auction strategy you can build excitement for your event and start your auction early, allowing bidders to continue to participate on their smartphones at the event, and then announce the winners at the event. With CauseVox’ new Silent Auctions functionality, you can keep bidders informed with real-time updates on the number of bids, watchers, and current bid amounts. The clear bidding buttons make it easy for anyone to up the ante and keep the competition alive, ultimately driving up donation amounts and leading to greater anticipation and participation. 

Don’t Forget To Follow Up

Once the highest bidder has secured their item, you have one last bit of work to do to ensure the success of your silent auction: the follow-up. 

Make sure your winners receive their prize in a timely manner. Clearly communicate pickup times or coordinate shipping promptly. Communication is key! Make sure to get all the necessary details to ensure a smooth delivery and happy supporter. 

Be sure to thank your participants (and item donors) and remind them of their impact. A handwritten thank you, personalized email or phone call goes a long way. If you have a few small ticket items left over, follow up with some of the unsuccessful bidders to offer a gift of gratitude for coming. Showing you appreciate your attendees goes a long way and increases the likelihood they will be back for the next event! 

Lastly, be sure to get contact information from your attendees so you can integrate them into your donor cultivation pipeline. Events are a great first touch point for new or curious supporters but it takes follow-up to convert them into champions for your cause. As always, nurture new and old relationships with personalized communication, donor recognition and opportunities for future involvement. Using a CRM is a great way to manage and track your donor data, and if you use CauseVox for your silent auction, it will be organized for you automatically. 

Let’s Plan A Silent Auction!

Are you ready to experience the future of silent auctions? With CauseVox Silent Auctions we have made it easier and more streamlined than ever to run your event. Your attendees will land on a clean, clear and aesthetically pleasing home page. They can peruse the gallery that displays all the items with their current bids, description, and a simple button to attract more bidders. There is a featured section for items that are getting the most views and bids. And all of this happens in real time!  

Check out how CauseVox Silent Auctions can help you raise more funds with a fraction of the work.

Autumn definitely means “go time” in the life of a fundraiser, often because it signals the start of year-end, a period of time you may get upwards of 60% or more of your annual donations.

Even if you don’t follow a definitive fundraising calendar, it’s still vital to come up with a year-end fundraising plan—and stick to it. To get started preparing for the most wonderful time of the year for nonprofits and charities, ensure you’ve covered your year-end fundraising basics with this year-end fundraising campaign timeline.

View and download our Year-End Fundraising Sample Plan + Calendar by inputting your email address below:

Here are some key dates to keep in mind as you plan your year-end fundraising calendar:

• November 1: Set Goals And Make A Plan
• Suggestion: Pre-Thanksgiving Thank You Campaign
• November 20: Soft Launch Your Year-End Campaign
• December 2: GivingTuesday – Big Fundraising Kickoff
• December 15: Build Urgency
• December 31: Final Year-End Push
• January + February: Thank Yous

By November 1st: Set Goals And Make A Plan

Set a Goal: Hopefully, your nonprofit or charity has a clear, board-approved budget that you follow. If this is the case, then you should have a clear idea about how much you need to raise for the next fiscal year. Don’t hesitate to use this budget as a guide for your year-end fundraising efforts.

Use the SMART Goal setting strategy to craft your fundraising goal. SMART goals help you streamline a reasonable goal for any situation.

• Specific: Have a set number or level you want to reach, such as dollars raised, volunteers mobilized, etc.
• Measurable: Ensure it’s trackable and measurable
• Attainable: The goal must be achieved through reasonable effort
• Relevant: The goal should match the needs of your cause
• Time-bound: Set a start and end date

Here’s an example of a SMART year-end fundraising goal: “We have a goal of raising $15,000 from GivingTuesday through December 31st through a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign and an email campaign.“

Have a Plan: What types of fundraising activities are you planning to use? What are the methods do your supporters respond to? These are the questions that must shape your fundraising plans. Take into account your staff and volunteer time, fundraising budget, and your donor’s normal year-end giving habits when formulating a fundraising plan. Here are some ways you can fundraise during year-end:

• Email “asks”
• A phone-a-thon
• Online crowdfunding campaign
• Peer-to-peer fundraising
• Direct mail pledges
• A one-day giving blitz such as GivingTuesday
• Virtual events
• Incorporate a matching grant

Delegate Tasks: Once you set your goal and plan, it’s time to delegate. Before the start of November, give everyone involved with the fundraising process their “to-do” list. Make sure that you have strong communication plans set up for the last two months of the year. Spreadsheets and shared files (such as on Google Docs or Dropbox) are phenomenal ways to keep everyone on the same page.

Download this Sample Year-End Fundraising Goals Spreadsheet:

You’ll see this fundraising goal sheet is broken up into 2 parts: A donor thank-you campaign from 11/1-11/26 and a fundraising campaign from 11/27-12/31.

Suggestion: Pre-Year End Fundraising Thank You Campaign 

Give Thanks: Thanksgiving is a key date for your nonprofit or charity and it is a wonderful time to remind your donors that they can build community with friends and family by supporting an organization they love.

It’s also a perfect time to tell your donors thank you. They’ve been here for you through a lot this year. This is absolutely the time to let them know that you appreciate it. There are a number of ways you can tell your supporters “Thanks” on Thanksgiving, including:

• Social Media
• Email blast
• Direct mail

The goal of this engagement touchpoint is to show your donors, volunteers, board members, and other stakeholders how vital they are to your organization and equate their commitment with impact.

Remember, it’s always a good idea to simply say “thank you” without any strings attached. For more ideas on giving thanks, read our post: 21 Unique Donor Thank You Ideas.

Prepare Your Supporters for GivingTuesday: If your nonprofit or charity is one of the hundreds of thousands of organizations set to participate in GivingTuesday fundraising efforts, then the preparations for the campaign should begin well in advance.

To guarantee you cover all your bases, we suggest following our GivingTuesday Planning Guide. After the ball starts rolling, prepare your potential donors for the campaign through targeted outreach.

It is important to get your donation page setup in advance, or to send a GivingTuesday email to build momentum leading up to the launch of your campaign. Innovators Who Care did exactly that in the example below. They created a page with details on what their organization does, why they are celebrating, a powerful story AND how your donation makes a difference, including a detailed and transparent list of where the money will go.

By November 15: Soft Launch Your Year-End Campaign

As we head into November, it’s time to start thinking about sending your first solicitation. “That’s so early!” I hear you all yelling at your computers. Ah, but it’s not. This is the perfect time to start introducing your year-end campaign to your supporters, and you definitely want to put your nonprofit into their minds before December 2.

This 2024 campaign from Associate Alumnae of Douglass College prepared donors for GivingTuesday by sharing a window of time from November 19th to GivingTuesday, the big day! This can be helpful for donors who want to get started giving early, and also to beat the noise of GivingTuesday by launching your campaign a few weeks in advance.  

You can start with a soft ask, or if you’re feeling ready, dive right into full solicitation. If you’re interested in the soft ask, you can check out our post on soft launches to learn how to start your campaign before you really start it. 

Whatever you do, make sure that your supporters are thinking about your name in connection with holiday giving.

Year-End Fundraising Campaign Goals

Here’s an example of what a year-end fundraising communications calendar can look like before December:

Want this template to create your own year-end fundraising plan? Download yours when you enter your email here:

By #GivingTuesday (December 2, 2025): Big Fundraising Kickoff

Engage in a GivingTuesday Fundraiser or Friendraiser: while you build your general plan, you should definitely take GivingTuesday into consideration. This day can have a big pay-off if you put together a clear plan.

Even if you decided not to run a full-blown fundraising campaign on this International day of giving, it’s vital you work to keep your organization top of mind. After all, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of causes vying for your donor’s attention. If you don’t reach out now, you’ll be missing out. Make sure your donors know how they can give to you on this day, regardless of your other plans.

Try one or more of these strategies to engage your supporters on GivingTuesday:

• Run a 24-hour online fundraiser
• Engage supporters in a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign
• Ask your audience to share your org’s posts regarding impact on social media and via email
• Call all donors just to say “Thank You”

Here’s some GivingTuesday Ideas and Best Practices to help you raise more this year.

By December 15th: Build Urgency Through Communications

Build Urgency: By December 15th, New Year’s Eve is just a few short weeks away. Whether you’re near your year-end fundraising goal or are still struggling to meet your goals, use this date to build urgency in your communications with donors.

Let them know, politely and pleasantly, that the end of the year is nearing. If you’re comfortable doing so, let them know how far you are away from your goal.

In 2023, The Cancer Support Community of San Gabriel Valley set and met their goal to raise $3,750,000 by December 31st. Their progress bar highlighted to their nearly 300 donors how close they were to reaching their goal, and together, they did it! 

Encourage Supporter Participation: Social media and social sharing, in particular, have completely transformed the donor to nonprofit relationship. Today, your organization’s visibility and credibility are tightly linked with the fervor of your online and offline audience.

To tap into the power of a good recommendation, it’s a good time to ask your supporters to “vouch” for your cause. Some ways they can do this include:

• Sharing your post
• Using a special, organization/campaign-specific hashtag
• Becoming a personal fundraiser for your year-end campaign
• Posting about your organization on their own page

By December 31st: Final Year-End Fundraising Push

Create a Final Push: As time winds down, a final push may be necessary to capture those last-minute donations. The last few days of December are the highest giving days of the year: be sure you have communications going out on December 29, 30, and 31st to drive donations.

Before December 31st, you also want to follow up with any donor (major or minor) that hasn’t renewed their gift using their preferred communication method.

You can use whatever language suits your organization best, but it is nice to include some highlights from this year as well as program goals for 2026.

Remind donors how much they mean to your organization, and how they are the true heroes that make your important work possible. The Irish Immigration Pastoral Center exemplifies this well on their campaign page below. 

They clearly share the impact they have had in the community for the previous year, and appeal to their donors to help them continue and expand these programs for the coming year. Donors love to see impact, so share all the amazing work you are doing proudly. 

Ready to get started building your own year-end fundraising calendar? Access the free Year-End Fundraising Sample Plan + Calendar Template below:

January and February: Thank Yous, Impact Reporting, and Further Engagement Planning.

Thank Your Donors: Immediately following the end of your year-end campaign, don’t hesitate to thank your donors. Yes, this post may sound like a broken record but this step can’t be stressed enough. 

To cover your bases consider doing a 2-part thank you. Start with a blanket “Thanks” through social media and email to let your donors know their efforts will make a difference. Be sure this comes out on or around New Year’s Day.

Follow that up with a personal thank you to each donor. This is also a wonderful place to start letting your supporters know what you’re thinking about for 2026.

Compile Impact and Results: Gather all the information you need to report the results of the campaign. Tally the number of donors, dollars raised, volunteers/fundraisers mobilized, and even the number of social shares. Use this information to build on your next campaign.

When the time comes, report those findings on your website and/or annual report.

Plan Next Engagement Opportunity: Looking forward to 2026, it’s time to emphasize thoughtful planning to be prepared for whatever lies ahead. Start considering how to maintain donors, measure the success of your events, campaigns, and fundraisers as well as how to appeal to the younger audiences. 

Use the donor engagement cycle as a guide to keep your donors as active participants in your organization.

There’s no doubt about it, you’re going to be busy these next few months. Help ease the burden by preparing ahead of time and following this timeline to a T. Once you ace your year-end fundraising efforts this year, you can build and grow annually.

CauseVox offers a multitude of resources on year-end and GivingTuesday campaigns. Here are a few of our favorites:

• 2025 Comprehensive Year-End and GivingTuesday Toolkit
• How to Plan for a Successful GivingTuesday Campaign
• How to Transition Your GivingTuesday Campaign into a Year-End Fundraising Push

Ready To Make Your Year-End Fundraising Fantastic?

Are you ready to build out a digital fundraising campaign for all your year-end fundraising needs?

CauseVox makes it easy for you to set up and launch a digital fundraising campaign site that helps you raise more with less effort.

With optimized forms that make it easy for your supporters to give + top-notch support to help you launch your digital fundraiser in no time, you’ll be equipped to raise more than ever before.

Get Started with your Year-End Fundraising on CauseVox.

In fact, in our 2023 Giving Study, we found that 71% of donors are willing to aid organizations they support in their fundraising efforts. This number was even higher amongst the younger generations. There is a reservoir of untapped, enthusiastic supporters who want to amplify your cause, which is why considering a peer-to-peer GivingTuesday campaign is a fantastic idea.

In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, peer-to-peer campaigns provide a dynamic and effective means of mobilizing passionate advocates to champion your cause. Discover how to leverage this exciting approach to not only raise funds but also elevate awareness and forge lasting connections with your community of supporters.

Make Your GivingTuesday Campaign A Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Campaign

Peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns are built to help you engage your audience to fundraise on your behalf, helping you reach new networks of donors while at the same time building your community.

And, with the spirit of GivingTuesday being a global movement of philanthropy, setting up a personal fundraising page for GivingTuesday gives your community members a tangible way for them to participate in GivingTuesday for your organization.

Free Download: Year-End & GivingTuesday Fundraising Toolkit

Here’s five major reasons that we here at CauseVox think it’s a good idea to try a peer-to-peer GivingTuesday campaign.

1. Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Campaigns Cut Through The Noise

As the song says, it’s the most wonderful time of the year. It’s also the busiest for many of us, not just fundraising professionals. Between parties, gift-giving, school concerts, church services, bright twinkly lights, and traveling, people have a lot on their minds.

In times of stress, we tend to cut out non-essential messages…like the ones we receive from organizations asking us for money. However, it’s not as easy to tune out people you care about. Peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns aren’t centered on organizational messages, they rely on people reaching out to their social networks.

With peer-to-peer fundraising, your strongest supporters give a word-of-mouth recommendation for your organization to their networks, and an unbiased testimonial on your behalf. In an age where folks, especially millennials, value authenticity, peer-to-peer fundraising accomplishes things that institutional fundraising can’t.

2. Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Campaigns Are Ideal For One-Day Giving

Peer-to-peer fundraising works best when campaigns are urgent, and “today only” is as urgent as it gets.

You can definitely use GivingTuesday to kick-off your year-end fundraising, but the day itself is just that, a day. The time-limited element stops would-be donors from filing your organization away on their “to do sometime in December” list.

In addition to being a good GivingTuesday fit, peer-to-peer fundraising brings you more donors more quickly. A one-day giving event doesn’t have time to unfold little-by-little; you need to reach the maximum amount of potential givers ASAP. Peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns instantly put your fundraisers’ social circles within your reach.

3. Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Provides An Opportunity For Meaning

Peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns give people a way to give back at a time they’re looking to do so.

The holiday season is the most charitable in the US. According to M+R Benchmarks Report, December giving, on average, accounts for nearly a quarter of nonprofits annual revenue, with 10% of the giving happening in the last three days of year. The cultural focus on giving goes beyond buying presents for your family and extends to the entire community.

The holidays are still a consumerist extravaganza, don’t get me wrong. However, for many people, just buying and giving stuff is becoming kind of empty. People are looking to bring meaning to their holidays. That’s the whole point of GivingTuesday. Plus, you can include the option for donors to make a tribute dedication with their gift – meaning instead of giving a physical present to someone, they can make a donation in their honor.

As an additional bonus, this time of year, people are also looking for concrete ways to teach their kids about charity and compassion, and how much better it is to give than receive. Raising money for a cause or organization they believe in can meet all these needs.

4. Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Campaigns Take Burden Off Staff

Is your development staff overwhelmed? Are you the entire development “staff”? Peer-to-peer fundraising can take some things off your plate. While a community-driven fundraising campaign doesn’t run itself, and does still require your attention, a lot of the day-to-day work of the campaign is done by your army of peer fundraisers. This frees up time for the approximately ten million other things development professionals are doing this season.

CauseVox has made it easy for both you and your peer-to-peer fundraisers to track where they are in their goals. While peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns require you to manage logistics, a lot of the work that makes them successful is best done ahead of time. It’s the preparation that you do now that really can help make a GivingTuesday peer-to-peer campaign thrive. Once it’s up and running, your fundraisers carry the torch.

5. Thanksgiving Brings Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Opportunities

Many folks celebrate Thanksgiving with friends and family. And you know what friends and family often do? They ask you what you’re up to. Voila! You’ve just been given a great opportunity to talk about GivingTuesday.

Thanksgiving week is a great time to lay the groundwork for your GivingTuesday campaign. As you can see, Dorcas Ministries peer-to-peer GivingTuesday campaign has raised almost $200,000 by inviting an army of supporters to engage their networks! It gives your personal fundraisers the chance to enlist their friends and family in person. This makes the email they’ll send afterwards “warm” instead of cold. It gives accountability to people who said, “Yes, I’ll give to your campaign.” And, bonus, it gives your personal fundraisers something positive and meaningful to do instead of dodging political discussions.

Power Your GivingTuesday Campaign With CauseVox

With peer-to-peer fundraising, you’ll bring your supporters opportunities for meaning and service this holiday season. You’ll supercharge Thanksgiving into a fundraising opportunity, and take the burden off your staff. You’ll get past the holiday stress and into people’s hearts. Not bad for one little day.

Here at CauseVox, we’ve seen that campaigns that use peer-to-peer fundraising tend to raise twice as much as those that don’t, and GivingTuesday is no different.

Do you think a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign is right for you this GivingTuesday? At CauseVox we’re here to help. From webinars to tech support, we’ve got you covered.

Book a demo to see how CauseVox can work for your peer-to-peer GivingTuesday campaign.

Free Download: Year-End & GivingTuesday Fundraising Toolkit

It means they saw something in your mission, something worth believing in. But now comes the most important part: making them feel seen, appreciated, and inspired to stay connected.

What you do next—how you welcome, thank, and follow up—sets the tone for your entire relationship.

In this resource, you will receive practical tools to turn new donors into lifelong supporters through thoughtful, strategic engagement.

What Is a Welcome Series?

A donor welcome series or journey, sometimes called a donor onboarding process, is a sequence of intentional touchpoints that helps guide new supporters from their first interaction into a deeper, more lasting connection with your cause.

These touchpoints can include things like thank-you emails, impact updates, and personal notes. They all work together to show appreciation, build trust, and help donors feel like part of your community.

Instead of leaving donors wondering what happens next after they give, a welcome/onboarding journey walks them through the next stage of their relationship with your organization. From the initial touch point, to engagement, to nurturing, and more donation asks, each stage offers a unique opportunity for your donors to see their impact, understand your mission, and feel inspired to stay involved.

A strong welcome journey, especially for your first time and recurring givers, is more than just good manners. It nurtures your relationship and lays the foundation for long-term engagement, whether that’s through future donations, volunteering, advocacy, or simply staying connected over time.

Why Your Welcome Series Matters

Let’s face it: donor retention is tough. In fact, most nonprofits lose more donors each year than they keep. But the good news? A strong welcome series can make a huge difference.

In fact, research shows that first-time donors who receive multiple thank-yous and personalized engagement within the first 30 days are far more likely to give again.

A well-crafted donor welcome series helps you:

• Increase donor retention and loyalty
  
• Reinforce the value and impact of each gift
  
• Build long-term relationships, not one-time transactions
  
• Turn passive givers into active supporters
  

What To Consider When Creating Your Welcome Series

Every nonprofit is different, but there are a few key things to keep in mind as you build your donor welcome series:

Your Audience

Think about who you’re welcoming. Is it a first-time donor? A recurring giver? Someone who gave through a peer-to-peer campaign? Tailor your messages accordingly.

Timing & Frequency

Don’t let too much time pass after a donation. Your first thank-you should go out right away (ideally automatically), followed by 2–4 engaging emails spaced over a few weeks.

Tone & Voice

Keep your tone warm, conversational, and mission-focused. Avoid jargon and speak like a real person. You’re welcoming someone into your community, not delivering a corporate update.

Tools & Tracking

Use your CRM to keep track of these interactions and automate where it makes sense. A good CRM helps you organize donor data, schedule follow-ups, and personalize content based on giving history or interest. 

If you’re using CauseVox, our built-in CRM makes it easy to set up and manage your donor journeys with less time and hassle.

In This Resource You Will Find

• Donor journey map examples: sample paths showing you exactly what to say, at what point, and to who, so you can welcome and nurture new donors
• Email series outlines: email topics and timing to use as a starting point for your own communications to both first-time and recurring givers
• Best practices for converting email subscribers into donors
• Considerations for using multiple channels to connect with donors, including email, SMS, and phone calls 
• Strategies to onboard, engage, and ultimately upgrade your donors to higher levels or more frequent giving 

Whether you’re starting from scratch or refreshing your current process, these tools will help you build a donor experience that feels personal, impactful, and aligned with your mission.

Make Your Welcome Series Count

You only get one chance to make a first impression, let’s make it count!

A thoughtful welcome series can be the difference between a one-time gift and a long-term champion of your cause. 

Download the free Donor Welcome & Onboarding Journeys Template now and start building donor relationships that last.

Nonprofit CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems are designed to help you organize your supporter data, streamline your fundraising, and build lasting, meaningful relationships with your community. Whether you’re a small team juggling a hundred tasks or a growing organization looking to level up, a robust nonprofit CRM can be the game-changer you need.

In This Guide You Will Find:

• What a CRM is—and why a nonprofit-specific CRM matters for your mission.
• Why nonprofit CRMs are essential for building stronger donor relationships and scaling your impact.
• The top features to look for when choosing your CRM—including donor tracking, revenue reporting, automations, and more.
• Proven best practices to implement your CRM successfully and get the most out of it.
• Why CauseVox’s CRM stands out—and how it makes fundraising, stewardship, and donor management effortless.

You’ll walk away with clear, actionable insights you can apply right away, whether you’re choosing your first CRM or upgrading from a system that just isn’t cutting it anymore.

Why Nonprofit CRMs Matter More Than Ever

Today’s donors expect a personal touch. They want to feel seen, known, and valued—not treated like just another name on a list. A nonprofit CRM makes that possible by helping you track every interaction, personalize your communications, and create a stewardship journey that truly resonates.

With a nonprofit CRM, you can:

• Centralize all your donor data in one easy-to-access place.
• Send targeted, meaningful communications that increase engagement.
• Save hours of admin work with smart automations.
• Understand exactly what’s working with powerful reporting and analytics.

It’s about working smarter, not harder, to create relationships that last a lifetime.

Why CauseVox’s Nonprofit CRM Is a Game-Changer

At CauseVox, we believe your CRM should work for you, not against you. That’s why we’ve built our nonprofit CRM to be easy-to-use , and designed specifically for nonprofit fundraising.

With CauseVox’s CRM, you get an all-in-one solution: donation forms, fundraising sites, email marketing, donor tracking, stewardship workflows, reporting—all under one roof. No integrations needed. No messy imports. Just everything you need to deepen your donor relationships and grow your impact.

We make it easy for you to capture donor information, steward supporters at every stage of their journey, and raise more with less stress.

Download the Free Guide Today!

Ready to make donor stewardship simpler, smarter, and more personal? When you know your donors, you can serve them better. Nonprofit CRMs give you the tools to listen, track, engage, and grow relationships in meaningful ways.

Make every donor feel like your only donor—get to know your donors, track their engagement, and deepen your interactions. Download our free Complete Guide to Nonprofit CRMs today!

The Fundraising Campaign Communication Templates resource is your plug-and-play toolkit for what to say, when to say it, and how to say it across email, social media, and SMS. Whether you’re prepping for your first campaign or refining your tenth, this guide saves you time, keeps your team aligned, and helps you show up with messaging that motivates action.

Why Use This Guide?

You’re undoubtedly busy juggling campaign logistics, donor outreach, and a hundred other things. Crafting well-timed, engaging messages for every channel and audience shouldn’t add to your stress. This guide gives you a head start with customizable templates and a structured timeline so you never have to start from scratch.

We created this with one goal in mind: to help you stay focused and show up strong throughout your campaign, from pre-launch to final thank you.

What’s Inside?

Here’s a quick look at what you’ll find in this free downloadable resource:

• Week-by-Week Campaign Timeline: A sample plan to guide your communication before, during, and after your campaign.
• Email, Social, and SMS Templates: Messaging for each phase of your campaign including recruitment asks, launch announcements, impact stories, thank yous, and more.
• Channel Breakdown: A quick reference guide showing which communication tools are best for which messages and how often to use them.
• Segmentation Tips: A cheat sheet on tailoring your messages for donors, volunteers, and general audience.

Best of all, the content is customizable, so you can adjust the tone, impact statements, and calls to action to match your organization’s voice.

Why CauseVox?

CauseVox is a free fundraising platform built to make campaigns easier and more impactful. With tools for peer-to-peer fundraising, donor management, campaign storytelling, and automated communications, it’s designed to save you time and help you raise more. Use our modern platform to build your next campaign with branded donation pages, easy setup, and real-time reporting, no coding required.

How to Use This Checklist:

This checklist is curated to streamline your fundraising campaign from start to finish. Here’s what you’ll find inside:

• Detailed planning guidelines, from choosing a campaign type to selecting the perfect date and setting fundraising goals.
• Proven marketing practices to amplify your fundraising strategy through targeted outreach across various channels.
• Insights for creating a compelling and engaging campaign page.
• Practical approaches to inspire supporters and boost donations.
• Essential next steps for post-campaign engagement, including thanking participants and sharing the impact achieved.

What are you waiting for? Get started with this checklist to effectively plan your fundraising campaign, connect with your supporters more deeply, and increase your fundraising success.

Fundraising: It’s About More Than the Money 

At its core, fundraising is about securing financial support for your mission, but it’s so much more than just asking for money. It’s about sharing your story, igniting passion for your cause, and building a community of supporters who believe in your vision and want to help make it a reality.

What You’ll Find in This Guide

Now, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all fundraising strategy. Every nonprofit is unique, and your strategy should reflect your mission and audience. Here’s what this guide will cover:

• Defining your fundraising needs: Preparation is everything. Learn how to define your mission, vision, and target audience to build a focused, effective fundraising plan.
• Building a strong fundraising foundation: A well-organized campaign starts with the basics. We’ll guide you through the steps to create achievable goals, understand your audience, and develop a plan to set your campaigns up for success.
• Key fundraising strategies: What works for one nonprofit may not work for another, so we’ve got you covered with tips on digital fundraising campaigns, grants, corporate partnerships, and more.
• Communicating with and retaining donors: Building strong relationships with donors is critical for long-term success. Discover how to keep your donors engaged and ensure they feel valued.
• Measuring your fundraising efforts: Without a baseline to track progress over time, you won’t know if your efforts are paying off. We’ll discuss different key performance indicators (KPIs) you could consider tracking.
• Common pitfalls: Fundraising isn’t easy, and it’s important to be aware of common pitfalls that even seasoned fundraisers can run into. By being prepared, you can avoid some of these challenges and increase your chances of success.

Ready to Level Up Your Fundraising Strategy? Download Fundraising 101.

By the end of this guide, you’ll know exactly how to take your fundraising to the next level. Whether it’s nailing your next event, diversifying your revenue streams, or improving donor engagement, you’ll leave with a clear roadmap for success.

Download Fundraising 101: How to Fund Your Mission and Bring It to Life for free today and start turning your vision into reality!

We’ve created this comprehensive guide to help you master the art of storytelling for your nonprofit. By following these steps, you can craft compelling narratives that resonate with your audience, drive engagement, and amplify your mission.

In this guide, you’ll learn about:

• The Power of Storytelling: Discover why storytelling is crucial for nonprofits and how it can help you connect with donors and supporters on a deeper level.
• Crafting Your Nonprofit’s Narrative: Step-by-step instructions for developing a powerful and authentic story that reflects your organization’s values and impact.
• Identifying Your Audience: Learn how to identify and understand your target audience to tailor your stories for maximum engagement and relevance.
• Creating Compelling Content: Tips and techniques for creating engaging content that highlights your nonprofit’s successes, challenges, and aspirations.
• Utilizing Multiple Platforms: Explore the best platforms for sharing your stories, from social media and websites to newsletters and events.
• Engaging Donors Through Stories: Strategies for using storytelling to build relationships with donors, encouraging them to become long-term supporters.

Get Started Today!

Download our free guide to storytelling for nonprofits and take the first step towards creating powerful narratives that drive change. With the right techniques and tools, you can elevate your fundraising efforts and achieve lasting impact.