Just like time and the weather, fundraising has seasons.  We plant seeds hoping to grow donors.  We nurture them, cultivate them, and coax them to bear fruit, right?

If you work in a small nonprofit, you might think of the seasons like this:

• Spring is a great time for special events and these are good ways to gain a few new donors and cultivate the ones you have.  You can successfully mail an appeal in the Spring, although your results won’t be quite as good as in the Fall.
• Summer is a good time for planning your Fall activities.  Don’t mail appeals during the summer – statistics show they just won’t perform. Keep in touch with your best donors and get to know them.
• Fall is prime fundraising season!!  October is the #1 month for direct mail, so spend September getting yours ready.  If you have a good story to pitch to the media, now’s the time. Get Holiday cards ready to go in the mail after Thanksgiving.
• Winter can be a great time for planting early seeds.  Put together a Gift Summary for your donors in January so they can use it for their taxes.  As your donors to start the new year off right by joining your Monthly Giving Club.

Sprinkle in good newsletters and volunteer opportunities along the way, and you’re well on your way to a year of fundraising success!