Fundraising Tips to Boost Your 2025 Results

Discover the Top 35 Best Practices and New Trends Smart Fundraising Leaders Need to Know in 2025.

1. Include multicultural communications in your 2025 fundraising plans.

Why? As our generational shifts continue to impact donor files (Boomers and Gen X replacing older generations) and as Hispanic, Asian, and other cultures grow in their influence and economic impact, American charities need to be intentional about communicating differently.

Shawn Reed, Executive Vice President

2. Mid-level donors are more important to your cause than ever.

Since mid-level donors represent your biggest opportunity for growth, it’s important to go beyond what’s in your CRM to maximize your efforts and increase mission-critical revenue. That's why TrueSense uses GPS (Giving Potential Scores) modeling to help our clients select the right donors for their mid-level donor portfolio development. We’re finding that our models (when incorporating the client’s CRM data, along with over a hundred demographic, behavioral, and attitudinal attributes) are identifying large numbers of donors that should be in their portfolios that aren’t currently, as well as many donors on portfolios that maybe shouldn’t be. That’s a lot of lost opportunity and effort wasted. 

Alex Edwards, SVP Client Development

3. Consider adding a postal walk to your donor acquisition campaigns.

Incorporating a postal walk — delivering marketing materials to every address along a specific postal route —  for acquisition during cultivation appeals can be a cost-effective strategy to maintain a steady influx of new donors throughout the year. By targeting specific neighborhoods and demographics, you can tailor your messaging to resonate with potential donors. This method allows for a more personalized touch, which can be particularly effective in building trust and rapport. Additionally, combining this approach with digital follow-ups can enhance engagement and conversion rates, ensuring that your acquisition efforts are both efficient and impactful. Think of it as the perfect blend of old-school charm and new-age efficiency.

Rhea Shahan, Integrated Strategy Director

4. Adapt your message for every generation.

Does your creative speak to donors across different generations? Many animal care organizations are seeing their donors skew younger. We often find these donors aren’t motivated by the things that move older donors. Younger donors may be more skeptical of hyperbole (“The need has never been more urgent!”) and less interested in “stuff” (“Claim your giving certificate.”). In 2024, these donors tended to respond to empathy and storytelling over a transactional (“Every $1 becomes $2”) approach. They valued the chance to engage with their favorite organization beyond just sending a gift. To make sure your fundraising resonates across generations, lead with authentic storytelling, offer multiple engagement pathways, maintain transparency about impact, create opportunities for two-way dialogue, balance emotional pleas with concrete results, and develop multichannel communication strategies.

Jolene Miklas, Associate Creative Director

5. Don’t forget about email!

Here’s a surprising metric: M+R 2024 Benchmarks reported that, in 2023, 16% of all online revenue was directly sourced to email and that email revenue declined on average by 7%. Don’t let the importance of digital advertising supersede your email marketing efforts. Continue to invest your time in email deliverability, ensuring you're doing everything possible to land your emails in the inbox. Additionally, spend time on personalization. Donors expect more than simply being called by their first name.

Samantha Jasnos, Vice President, Strategy

6. Digital & Mobile-First Interactions:

In 2025, it’s all about meeting younger donors where they hang out: online. Gen Z and Millennials are digital natives who’d rather engage through social media, email, and texting than through old-school phone calls and direct mail. To grab their attention, make sure your campaigns are mobile-friendly and leverage platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. Create engaging content that tells a story and encourages interaction. Personalized emails and text messages can also make a significant impact, making donors feel valued and connected to your cause. Remember, the key is to be present and active on the channels they frequent most. After all, if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em!

Rhea Shahan, Integrated Strategy Director

7. That said, Millennials still read their mail.

While Millennials are known for their digital-first preferences, they also appreciate the tangible and personal touch of direct mail. To bridge the gap between physical mail and online giving, consider creating a seamless and tension-free online experience. Start by designing visually appealing and engaging direct mail pieces that capture attention and convey your message clearly. Include easy-to-follow instructions and a unique, trackable URL or QR code that directs recipients to a dedicated landing page. This page should be mobile-friendly, quick to load, and simple to navigate, ensuring that the donation process is as smooth as possible. To measure the effectiveness of your campaign across channels, implement robust tracking and reporting mechanisms.

Rhea Shahan, Integrated Strategy Director

8. Lift your direct mail acquisition results with digital co-targeting.

As acquiring donors has become more expensive and difficult, we must continue to evolve our approach. Today’s donor is no longer influenced by only a direct mail acquisition piece. They are influenced by all the media they consume. To make the most of your Direct Mail Acquisition, you need to co-target prospects through Meta, display advertising, and directly to their email inbox! Our testing has shown that layering on additional targeting can improve your direct mail acquisition campaign results by as much as 50%!

Jennifer Starrett, Chief Operating Officer

9. Remove a barrier to giving by offering many payment options.

The pandemic accelerated digital adoption, which shifted the landscape of how people contribute to causes they care about. Peer-to-Peer has grown with platforms like GoFundMe and Donors Choose. Direct contributions to people in need are increasing through Venmo and Cash App. Mobile donation forms that include Google Wallet and Apple Pay are seeing a double-digit increase in conversion rates. And PayPal continues to process a large percentage of sustainer gifts. Embracing diversity when it comes to payment options reduces friction and allows passionate people to support the causes in the way they are most comfortable.

Joseph Frye, Integrated Strategy Director

10. Stay focused on the vision, but be flexible with the approach.

Your vision will always be your guide when you encounter unexpected challenges, changing circumstances, or new information that may require you to make adjustments to your original plan. Keeping the long-term goal top of mind makes any messes that may come your way easier to clean up.

Katie Curry Cornell, Account Director

11. Is your nonprofit brand’s color palette accessible?

Using WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) compliant colors in digital communications boosts accessibility and equity for all users. WCAG is an internationally recognized set of standards that help ensure web content is accessible to people with disabilities. Want to embrace digital accessibility at your nonprofit organization? Get started with these 7 tips.

One key WCAG requirement is color contrast. There must be sufficient contrast between the foreground (text, icons, etc.) and background colors to make content easy to perceive, especially for users with visual impairments like color blindness or low vision.

There are many color compliance checkers available online. Most will display a ratio or a pass/fail rating. Find your favorite and bookmark it for easy reference. You’ll use it all the time!

Amanda Swadlo, Associate Creative Director

12. Optimize donor engagement and retention by understanding holistic attribution.

Holistic attribution involves recognizing and valuing every touchpoint that leads to a donation, rather than just the final interaction. By focusing on both last-touch and multi-touch attribution models, you can capture the full donor journey and understand how different channels work together to drive engagement.

This approach allows you to tailor your strategies to actual donor behaviors, leading to more personalized and impactful interactions. Use data and analytics to track and analyze these interactions, setting realistic and focused goals that drive both short-term improvements and long-term growth. By integrating immediate tactical actions into a broader strategic framework, you can create a cohesive plan that ensures sustained success and deeper donor relationships.

Rhea Shahan, Integrated Strategy Director

13. Embrace mistakes.

Donors appreciate authenticity. If you make a mistake, like a broken link or a rendering issue in an email, own it! A simple, lighthearted apology with “Oops!” in the subject line can lead to higher open and click-through rates.

Megan Carder, Senior Vice President, Managing Director

14. Create unique donor experiences based on their conversion channel preferences.

Donors inherently digest content in multiple channels while simultaneously giving in a single channel. Maximize your return on investment and lift results in each respective channel by tailoring your messaging and click-through experience for each respective audience. Since your direct mail donors will ultimately transact offline, use the digital ads to deepen their relationship and encourage engagement by sending the donor to a landing page rather than a donation form.

Samantha Jasnos, Vice President, Strategy

15. Leverage annual giving communications to strengthen engagement with major donors.

Many organizations make the mistake of removing major and mid-level donors from their annual giving communications, assuming these donors no longer want frequent emails or mailings. While some high-value donors may prefer less communication, direct mail and email can still be essential for keeping them informed and engaged. These channels offer a valuable opportunity to showcase how their contributions are making a difference and highlight their important role in the organization's success. By using these touchpoints strategically and with intent, they can complement, rather than compete with, other efforts in mid- and major donor programs, strengthening relationships and fostering deeper engagement.

Melissa Roberts, SVP, Managing Director

16. Send acknowledgments — quickly!

A genuine message of thanks will make an impact and provide a boost of dopamine and serotonin, which cause feelings of pleasure, connection, and satisfaction. Capitalize on this favorable biological reaction by including a soft ask to give donors the chance to keep those feel-good hormones flowing!

Katie Bartman, Strategy Director

17. Kindness and transparency are the foundation of strong partnerships.

In today’s fast-paced world, kindness and open communication are essential to building meaningful relationships — especially in the nonprofit sector. Every voice deserves to be heard and valued, and it’s crucial to partner with an agency that embraces transparency and compassion. Prioritizing kindness in our interactions ensures genuine engagement, trust, and respect. When kindness leads, impactful collaboration and positive outcomes follow.

Pam Pulkownik, Director of Business Development

18. Leverage the power of Google’s AI with Performance Max (PMax) campaigns.

PMax automates ad delivery across platforms like Google Search, YouTube, Google Display, Google Discover, and Gmail, finding potential donors you might miss.
Here’s how to maximize results:

• Create urgency! PMax thrives with time-sensitive campaigns promoting specific events or limited-time offers.
• Boost your reach! Run PMax alongside Search campaigns to complement keyword targeting.
• Show and Tell! Provide diverse content, including YouTube videos echoing your campaign message.
• Target the right crowd! Upload donor lists and website visitor data to reach highly relevant audiences.
• Go beyond demographics! Focus on interests and buying intent to find new supporters like charitable donors and volunteers.

For a full-funnel approach, combine PMax with Demand Gen campaigns. Demand Gen builds awareness, while PMax converts viewers into donors.

Melqui Pires, SEM Manager

19. Don’t make assumptions about what your donors want.

Nearly all donors want to be thanked — and that thank you acknowledgment should be prompt and sincere. But they don’t all want to be in a branded giving circle or special program, especially if that program doesn’t offer them benefits they desire. Donor motivations are numerous; when in doubt, ask your donors to gauge their interest in a topic, in a giving circle, or in hearing from you in another channel. In addition to asking your donors, you can review prior donor behavior to help you determine what strategic shifts are likely to increase donor engagement. There are low-cost ways to express your gratitude, and these should be tested before escalating to higher-cost efforts. One example: sending your donors a message of appreciation on a milestone anniversary and sharing what you’ve accomplished together.

Kelly Pullin, Strategy Director

20. Digital should be an addition to, not a full replacement of, your fundraising campaigns.

Digital media is no longer a nice-to-have, and regional nonprofits without a fully-scaled development team are especially feeling the squeeze. Those nonprofit leaders are hearing they must supplement direct mail new donor acquisition tactics with digital new donor acquisition tactics, but there’s a circular challenge: Direct mail acquisition performance is slipping, leaving fewer funds to invest in the solution. To break that circle and find more money in the budget takes conviction that it’s the right move for the future of your nonprofit. Need help convincing your Board and colleagues? A trusted partner like TrueSense can help as donor acquisition best practices continue to evolve.

Marcy Auman, Executive Vice President

21. Smart marketing leads to better conversion ROI.

Peter Drucker said, ”Because the purpose of business is to create a customer, the business enterprise has two — and only two — basic functions: marketing and innovation. Marketing and innovation produce results; all the rest are costs.” For decades, nonprofit organizations relied on direct fundraising to build a community of donors (customers), but with increased competition and changes in culture, the lack of marketing and innovation in our sector has contributed to years of rising costs to acquire a new donor. 2025 is the year to ask two questions: Do people know I exist, and if they do, am I innovating in ways that motivate giving to my organization? And don’t make the mistake of thinking that it means you need to just ask more people to give. That is just going to increase your cost to acquire. Marketing is the pursuit of greater awareness and interest in giving so your conversion strategies cost less due to the creation of future demand.

Paul Hebblethwaite, Vice President of Strategy

22. Highlight, talk about, educate on, and ask for monthly gifts.

Repetition is key and even if a donor isn’t ready to become a monthly sustainer now, reminding them (repeatedly) that it’s an option and — most importantly — why that type of giving is key to the ongoing success and longevity of your organization will lay the groundwork for future sustainer conversions.

Katie Bartman, Strategy Director

23. Texting is a must.

Text messaging is a proven fundraising tool, especially after its success in recent elections. Meet your donors where they are: on their phones!

Megan Carder, Senior Vice President, Managing Director

24. Let your nonprofit’s core values show in your storytelling.

Your nonprofit’s core values are more than words: They’re the guiding principles that inspire action and forge connections with your audience. By integrating these values into your storytelling, you showcase not only what your organization does, but also why it matters. Authentic storytelling allows donors, volunteers, and supporters to see your mission in action and feel emotionally connected to your cause. When your core values are visible in every story you tell, you build trust, create lasting impressions, and foster a loyal community that feels aligned with your vision. Let your stories reflect the heart of your work, drawing people in and motivating them to join you in making a difference.

Travers Sloan, Director of Business Development–Rescue Missions

25. Integration + Innovation = Nonprofit Success

A full-funnel, integrated media approach — leveraging innovative channels like programmatic display, CTV, native advertising, and audio streaming — can significantly enhance nonprofit fundraising efforts by expanding brand awareness, increasing engagement, and driving donations. By strategically layering these channels with traditional media, nonprofits can effectively reach new audiences, nurture donor relationships, and achieve measurable results in their mission-driven campaigns.

Taryn Myers, Vice President, Media Strategy

26. Focus on building relationships, not just raising funds.

Fundraising is most successful when it’s relationship-centered rather than transactional. Here are two ways to put this into practice:

• Prioritize donor engagement and appreciation: Make every supporter feel seen and valued by showing genuine gratitude and engaging with them regularly, beyond just donation requests. Small touches, like a thank-you note or an occasional phone call to update them on the impact of their contributions, go a long way. You could also offer a tour of a program or invite them to a special event to help build a strong relationship with your most valuable donors.   
• Listen and understand your donors’ motivations: Take time to learn what drives each donor’s support. Understanding their motivations allows you to connect their interests with your mission more personally, leading to more meaningful, long-term partnerships.

This approach helps create loyal supporters who are invested in the organization’s mission, leading to greater success over time. Fundraising isn’t just about dollars; it’s about people. 

Roberta Helmstadter, Vice President of Client Services

27. Micro-goals can boost urgency.

During off-season or lower-performing campaigns, creating a sense of urgency can significantly enhance donor engagement and contributions. One effective strategy is to set arbitrary micro-goals, similar to the approach used in radio-thons or telethons. For example, you could announce, ”We need 50 new monthly donors in the next 24 hours to support our upcoming initiatives.” This creates a clear, time-bound target that motivates donors to act quickly. To implement this strategy, use multiple channels to spread the word. Send out emails, post on social media, and even use direct mail to inform your audience about the goal. Highlight the immediate impact their contributions will have and provide real-time updates on progress. This not only fosters a sense of community and collective effort but also keeps the momentum going. Additionally, consider offering incentives, such as matching donations or exclusive updates, to further encourage participation. By setting and promoting these micro-goals, you can drive urgency and boost performance, even during traditionally slower periods. It’s like a flash sale for a good cause!

Rhea Shahan, Integrated Strategy Director

28. Cultivate an innovation mindset and practice within your team.

Less and less of what’s worked in the past is working now. As generosity changes, you must change with it to find the right mix of what's worked and what will work. That starts with cultivating an intentional innovation mindset on your team and building an innovation practice within your organization. Here’s how you can do that right now. First, set aside 12 days in 2025 dedicated solely to innovation activities. Put those on the calendar now and get your team’s input on the most important problems you need to solve. Next, carve out a budget that no one can touch. You need to shield that budget from crisis reallocation when things get tight. And last, grant your team explicit permission to challenge assumptions and learn from bold experiments. Structure these commitments now. A true innovation mindset shows up in your budget and in your calendar, not just in your intentions. When your team sees real time and money dedicated to exploring new approaches, they’ll bring their boldest ideas forward.

Matt Monberg, Senior Vice President Integrated Strategy & Insights

29. First name inclusion isn’t personalization.

Today’s consumers are not just hoping for personalized experiences, they’re demanding them. And consumers will ultimately give more business to the brands that use data to enhance their customers’ experience. At the end of the data, donors are simply consumers, and the nonprofit sector needs to take to heart how important personalization is to continue breaking through the clutter of nonprofits that are vying for attention. Simply including first name, last gift, last gift date, etc. will no longer cut it. Ensure you are collecting zero-party information at the constituent level and developing strategies to leverage that data in your yearly solicitations and stewardship pieces.

Samantha Jasnos, Vice President, Strategy

30. Set your goals and stick to them!

So often we establish key goals for our programs, and a few months into the year we
find ourselves knee-deep in testing plans and results, and soon we’re making recommendations or pivots that don’t always align with those original goals. Once you’ve identified the goals of your program (driving new donor growth, specific retention goal, or LTV), many of the decisions you make over the year should tie back to achieving those KPIs. Key tip: Create a slide or document that outlines these goals for the year, and include it in your planning decks, meeting invites, and reporting presentations. By keeping these top of mind, it ensures you continue to have your sights set on truly moving your program forward. Don’t be afraid to ask yourself or your team “How does this decision/recommendation/plan help us achieve our goals?”. If the answer is “It doesn’t,” ditch it!

Obviously, there may be certain circumstances that cause you to shift these goals, but if they don’t change, make sure they are your guiding stars for the entire year!

Katie Coradi, Vice President, Managing Director

31. Bridge the gap between awareness and conversion with native advertising.

By seamlessly integrating your nonprofit’s story and mission within relevant content, native advertising effectively guides potential donors from brand awareness to active support. This approach allows nonprofits to highlight their mission and demonstrate the impact of donor contributions on the community, ultimately helping those who may not have been ready to donate to feel informed, connected, and inspired to contribute.

Taryn Myers, Vice President, Media Strategy

32. Seeing a decline in your donor files? It’s time to reassess, not retreat!

After the donor surge in 2020/2021, many nonprofits are seeing a decline in donor files. Instead of scaling back, reassess where to allocate resources to stabilize and return to growth faster. (Check out Is Covid in the Rearview?, our new insight report, for more information on what Food Bank data tells us about the future of fundraising.)

Megan Carder, Senior Vice President, Managing Director

33. Give your strategies enough time before you decide if they’re successful (or not).

Let all the hard work you’ve put into the year have a chance to shine! There will be time to analyze, adjust, and recreate when the time is right, but let campaigns run their course. Otherwise, you’ll end up spending more money jumping from tactic to tactic. When the time comes, be ready to strategize to keep optimizing to enhance your future outcomes.

Katie Curry Cornell, Account Director

34. Add DAF (Donor Advised Funds) Day to your fundraising calendar. 

Akin in many ways to #GivingTuesday, this annual giving day is an opportunity for organizations to create content and calls to action that inspire supporters to give through their DAF or to consider creating one. At this year’s event, held October 10, many companies, financial institutions, and nonprofit organizations have attempted to proactively tried to unlock over $230 billion dollars of DAF funds by increasing the number of DAF contributions nonprofits solicit and receive, as well as by encouraging donors (at any giving level) to consider contributing to a DAF (even if they’re not a mega-donor!). For many nonprofits, this has been a donation type that has been growing within their file passively over the last decade. 2025 is the time to prioritize strategies in support of this popular giving opportunity.

Stephen Ferrando, Senior Vice President, Strategy and Analytics

35. Create your custom giving day during a slower giving month.

Having your own day of giving can extend the organization’s brand and mission by rallying donors around a shared goal, creating a sense of community and strength.

Giving Days can grow in scope and reach — and also revenue. A digital-only campaign to start could blossom into a fully integrated one, including events, earned media, and corporate sponsorships. The intent is to “own” a day that does not compete with other like organizations and can be crafted around a specific goal. Its short campaign lifespan does not interfere with other fundraising efforts and can also serve as an awareness effort in lower-performing months.

Lynn O'Connell, Vice President, Creative Director