How to engage donors creatively after the giving season ends

The days, weeks, and months following the year-end season can be more critical to the long-term financial health of your organization than the holidays. That’s why it’s never too early to think about how to engage donors. 

Donor engagement is how your nonprofit builds relationships with supporters between gifts, through thank-yous, updates, and personal outreach. When done well, it keeps donors connected to your mission and open to giving again.

Here, we’ll cover how to get creative with donor-engagement initiatives that keep year-end supporters and new donors involved throughout the new year, starting with making a good first impression.

Make a first impression that ignites donor engagement

Your donor experience matters. An intuitive campaign page leads to a seamless checkout flow. Delighted supporters are more likely to share your cause with their network of like-minded peers and passionate philanthropists.

The first step to retaining new donors acquired during the holiday season is to make a strong impression from their first interaction with your organization. Offer a fulfilling giving season experience that starts on Giving Tuesday and lasts throughout every year-end touchpoint.

Then, stand out by making each donor feel like they play a valuable role in your nonprofit’s mission—because they do. Once you establish a strong sense of connection, you can shape your donor relationships for years to come. This is especially true for donors giving for the first time.

The lesson here is you can have a great cause and mission, but if you don’t give first-time donors a positive perception of and memorable experience with your organization, they likely won’t come back to support you again.

Show donors the impact of their gift

Surprisingly, catching a donor’s eye doesn’t necessarily need to be extravagant. Often, simply helping donors understand the impact of their gift is enough to motivate them to give.

Giving can help donors feel:

• Gratitude for the work nonprofits do
• Part of a greater solution
• Good about themselves

Offer flexible ways to give

It’s crucial to note that today’s donors can tell an excellent giving experience from one that feels disjointed. Equally important is the ongoing expectation for options and flexibility during checkout, especially with payment types.

Donors may reconsider a gift when suggested amounts or checkout options don’t fit their preferences or budget. By offering various payment methods, giving frequencies, and suggested donation amounts through GoFundMe Pro donation forms, nonprofits can accommodate any preference or financial situation.

Engage donors with an impactful thank-you

Donors will remember your thank-you. What’s more, if you use an online fundraising platform for your holiday campaigns, you can automate your thank-you emails and donation receipts. After all, donors who land on your donation page and complete their gifts chose you over, or alongside, many causes.

So make your outreach feel personal to stay memorable, not like an autoresponder. The goal is to sound human, use authenticity to leave a lasting impression, and make donors want to give to you again.

Here are three engagement opportunities to help you follow up with your supporters.

Customize your thank-you message and receipt

Customize your thank-you message and donation receipt for your giving season donors to explain the impact of their gifts during that specific time. Add details like who it supported, how many people it impacted, and what the impact looked like, using images.

In other words, help them feel that their contributions make a tangible difference that lasts into the new year.

Send a personal follow-up

Go above and beyond with a personalized email in addition to your first thank-you that continues the conversation.

You can also comment on your campaign page activity feed to say thank-you without attaching a message to a receipt.

Share thank-you notes from beneficiaries

Demonstrate their gift’s impact with thank-you notes from beneficiaries or team members. Explain how their gift fueled your goals for this year and how they can continue to support.

This helps donors see themselves as part of the solution to your challenges.

You’ll build relationships with a personalized thank-you that isn’t attached to an ask. So think of it as another touchpoint to plan into your nurture strategy with donors. Then, get creative and let your authenticity shine.

Establish a strong social media presence to engage donors organically

GoFundMe’s October 2024 report, The Social State of Giving, surveyed more than 1,000 people. It found that half of Gen Z shares causes or fundraisers at least once a week, which only makes sense, given that social media platforms are becoming hubs for engagement and community.

That also means it may be time to think about your social media presence in the new year.

Use the month following year-end as an opportunity to rethink your nonprofit’s social media template. See how you can organically show up on your supporters’ feeds to stay top of mind.

Here are some quick tips for using social media to engage donors:

Make frequent, impactful updates

Use each post as an opportunity to connect to donors authentically. By taking advantage of impactful images and storytelling, you remind donors why your cause needs continued support and makes a difference in the community.

For example, share a testimonial video from a child who received support over the holidays or an image of volunteering. These visuals are a powerful way to bring a human element to each post you share with your community.

It’s also helpful to use the link options on each platform, such as Instagram Stories and posts on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (formerly Twitter). That way, you always have a timely call to action.

Just don’t overwhelm donors with too many options. Consider your monthly goals and add the link that provides the easiest path to give.

You could feature your year-end campaign following Giving Tuesday or link to a landing page for your recurring giving membership program when you need to boost sustainable revenue.

Think through a continuous path to give

Your giving season donors can be your next loyal supporters if you make it easy to give again.

After all, what’s to stop a Giving Tuesday donor who gave $50 this year from writing a $1,000 check for your annual event next spring? So think about how to offer that next step in the giving journey to motivate increased levels of support.

How to engage donors with a cross-campaign promotion

Here are three ways to give donors their next step.

Recurring donations

Consider asking your donors to make a recurring donation that adds up to real impact over time. 

Industry wide, recurring donors are worth five to seven times what a one-time donors is. On GoFundMe Pro, that number grows to 10x.*

*Internal GoFundMe Pro analysis (as of 2025), comparing lifetime value of recurring vs. one-time donors. Results vary.

Peer-to-peer fundraising

Use peer-to-peer fundraising to help supporters raise more than they could give on their own. Then, create tailored asks for your giving season donors to share your cause with their network through a fundraiser that feels authentic to them, like challenge fundraising.

You could also opt to share a DIY fundraising option. It can encourage supporters to do creative fundraising for you whenever they want throughout the year.

Events

Make sure to promote your upcoming fundraising events as widely as possible to allow your supporters to interact with your mission in new ways.

You can also incorporate hybrid events into your strategy to expand your reach. Incite interest ahead of your event’s formal registration period to generate a positive buzz.

Use donor segmentation to engage donors longer

People come together throughout the giving season for different reasons. As you better understand demographics within your donor base, use segmentation to customize your outreach based on their communication preferences. Treating donors with some exclusivity can pay dividends if someone feels compelled to support you during the giving season.

Then, take your personalized communication to the next level. Reach out specifically to donors who gave to your Giving Tuesday or year-end campaign for the first time, as a repeat donor, or as a major gift. We have a breakdown of this for you below.

Segmentation ideas for donor stewardship

These ideas can guide your donor stewardship for each group of supporters.

First-time donors

Follow up with a handwritten letter or video. Share how their actions during the giving season connect to your cause in a personalized way.

For example, use their name and show them that they are much more than a transaction. Invite them to get involved in your annual event or upcoming campaigns. It’s also a great time to share your social media handles so they can feel involved with everything you do.

Returning giving-season donors

Express how grateful you are that the supporter made an effort to return to your cause and stick around.

You may even share peer-to-peer fundraising opportunities for the coming year. Encourage them to get their communities involved in a team effort to make an even more significant impact.

Major gift donors

If someone makes a large gift, whether a first-time or a returning supporter, ask them to consider a recurring donation in the new year.

It’s the perfect opportunity to explain how automated donations on a weekly, biweekly, monthly, or quarterly basis can drive results for your cause.

More ways to segment your list

Outside of first-time or repeat donors, other data points that can help segment your lists include:

• Donor location
• Gift amount
• Specific program supported
• Comment left with gift
• E-card sent to loved one

Understand how to engage donors for lasting support

Your donors came to you with a passion for making a difference. At the same time, there are always new causes worthy of their support. Remaining top of mind is the most straightforward strategy to retain their long-term loyalty.

Just remember not to overthink it. Your organization already connects with each of your supporters uniquely. Simply reminding them why they clicked that donate button the first time can help pull them back to their larger “why.”

Use insights from The Social State of Giving to tailor your approach. Base it on who your donors are today and how you’d like your loyal donor base to grow in the future.

Want to focus on keeping donors giving over time? Explore our guide to donor retention strategies.

How to engage donors FAQs

What is donor engagement?

Donor engagement is the way your nonprofit builds and maintains relationships with supporters between gifts. It includes thank-you’s, impact updates, social media posts, and personal outreach. Strong engagement helps donors feel connected to your mission and more open to giving again.

How do you engage donors after the giving season?

Start with a personal thank-you that explains the impact of each gift. Then, keep in touch with regular social media updates and outreach segmented by donor type, such as first-time, repeat, and major gift donors. These donor engagement strategies keep supporters connected long after the holidays end.

How do you make donors feel special?

Treat donors as people, not transactions. Use their names, thank them promptly, and show them what their gift made possible with photos, videos, or notes from beneficiaries and team members. A little exclusivity, like an early look at a new campaign, can also make supporters feel valued.

What are the stages of donor development?

Donor development moves supporters from first discovering your cause to giving regularly. Many nonprofits map this journey as the donor cycle, which includes identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. Learn more in our guide to the 5 stages of the donor cycle.