Should Fundraisers Work the Last Week of the Year?
The week between Christmas and New Year’s is often filled with holiday cheer and well-deserved relaxation for most people. But for fundraisers, it’s a nail-biting race to the finish line, with nonprofits often counting on this one week to rake in as much as 10% of their annual contributions.
Yet, the big question remains: Should fundraisers be expected to work during this final stretch of the year? And at what cost?
A Hard Lesson Learned: My Personal Experience
Before becoming a fractional fundraiser, I had my own eye-opening experiences with how nonprofits handle year-end fundraising. One organization I worked for was a real turning point. I had requested Paid Time Off (PTO) months in advance for the holiday week, planning a family trip abroad. I prepped meticulously, setting everything up to run smoothly in my absence. I even arranged a backup plan and packed my laptop—just in case.
Yet, two weeks before our trip, the leader told me that I needed to stay to oversee everything. Despite explaining that everything was set up, I was still expected to be on deck. So, I made the flight—but never returned to that job. That was a pivotal moment that made me rethink my approach to work-life balance.
In another case, at a smaller nonprofit, they boasted about giving the team the last week of the year off. Yet, I was repeatedly asked, “How will donors be served during this time?” I proposed rotating on-call shifts, but leadership thought it wasn’t fair to program staff who already had plans. Still, it was supposedly a staff break, so I took the time off. And yet, despite not being there, I had doubled their donations from the previous year. Shortly after, I moved on from that role too.
These experiences taught me that nonprofits need to rethink their approach to fundraising during the holidays. The pressure to bring in those year-end dollars shouldn’t come at the cost of employee well-being.
The Reality of Holiday Fundraising: What Fundraisers Really Do
While many departments are winding down and enjoying their time off, fundraisers are often expected to be at their desks, ensuring no donor slips through the cracks. Here’s a peek behind the scenes of what fundraisers are juggling during that final week of the year:
1. Monitoring Campaign Performance & Technology
Fundraisers are glued to dashboards, ensuring campaigns hit their targets. A website crash on December 31st? That’s money lost. It’s a high-stakes game, and tech issues don’t take holidays.
2. Managing Donor Inquiries & Resolving Issues
Donors often wait until the last minute to give, which means fundraisers must be available to assist with urgent questions. Whether it’s a glitch on the website or confusion about tax-deductible receipts, these are the moments that require immediate attention.
3. Collecting & Processing Mailed-In Donations
Despite the rise of digital giving, plenty of donors still prefer mailing checks. Fundraisers need to process these promptly, especially when it’s a race against the tax-deduction deadline.
4. Reviewing and Updating Automated Messages
Automated thank-you emails and tax receipts are great—but only if they’re accurate. A small error here can damage donor relationships, so fundraisers are double-checking communications even during the holidays.
5. Tracking Matching Gifts and Pledge Follow-ups
Corporate matching gifts often require manual follow-ups. Fundraisers become detectives, chasing down forms and confirmations to maximize year-end contributions.
Finding Balance: Strategies to Support Fundraisers Without Sacrificing Donations
So, how can nonprofits capture those crucial year-end dollars while also respecting the well-being of their staff? Here are some strategies that can help:
1. Implement a Pre-Holiday Fundraising Push
Encourage donors to give early by launching a campaign with a sense of urgency in early December. Use phrases like “Help us reach our goal before Christmas” to get a head start, alleviating some of the last-minute stress.
2. Automate What You Can
Automate donation reminders, thank-you emails, and follow-up messages. Invest in a CRM that can schedule appeals, allowing fundraisers to focus on higher-value tasks instead of getting bogged down by routine communications.
3. Establish Rotating On-Call Schedules
Instead of expecting everyone to be “all hands on deck,” create rotating shifts for urgent needs. Designate a couple of people to monitor emails and phone lines while others take time off.
4. Offer Incentives & Extra PTO
If your team works through the holidays, recognize their effort with bonuses or extra days off in January. Showing appreciation goes a long way in boosting morale.5. Communicate Expectations Clearly
If you truly need people to be available, communicate that upfront and outline any incentives. No one likes being blindsided by a last-minute change in plans. Transparency builds trust and shows you value your team’s time.
5. Communicate Expectations Clearly
If you truly need people to be available, communicate that upfront and outline any incentives. No one likes being blindsided by a last-minute change in plans. Transparency builds trust and shows you value your team’s time.
Long-Term Solutions: Avoiding the End-of-Year Rush Altogether
Instead of relying on a year-end push every December, consider diversifying your fundraising calendar:
- Year-Round Fundraising Initiatives: Encourage monthly giving or push for donations on occasions beyond December 31st.
- Early-Bird Year-End Appeals: Use Giving Tuesday as the kickoff point for year-end campaigns.
- Target High-Value Donors Early: Use data to reach out to loyal supporters ahead of time. Focusing on high-impact donors can reduce the pressure of those final days.
Wrapping Up (with a Bow and a Thank-You Note)
Yes, year-end fundraising is essential to keeping nonprofits afloat. But it doesn’t have to come at the expense of burning out your best people. By planning ahead, automating routine tasks, and showing your team that you value their personal time, nonprofits can hit their goals without running their staff into the ground.
After all, a happy, well-rested fundraiser is more effective—and that’s the best gift any nonprofit can receive.
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Shannon Cherry is a natural-born storyteller with a heart for helping others find their voice. Her journey began as the youngest TV anchor in the nation, but even then, she felt there was more to the story than the two-minute news segments allowed. That desire to dig deeper and amplify untold voices led her to the nonprofit world, where she’s spent decades raising funds, changing laws, and crafting stories that inspire action.
As a mom to twin daughters with autism, Shannon’s learned firsthand how to communicate across barriers, advocate fiercely, and celebrate different perspectives. Her experiences shaped her approach to storytelling—one rooted in empathy, connection, and authenticity. Today, as a fractional fundraiser at https://MyNonprofitAdvisor.com she uses those same skills to guide nonprofits and changemakers in sharing their stories in ways that matter. Whether it’s helping organizations raise millions or simply finding the right words to spark understanding, Shannon’s focus is always on creating genuine connections that leave lasting impacts.