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An insider's guide to funding afterschool: Planning for the giving season

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An insider's guide to funding afterschool: Planning for the giving season

As we start moving into fall, many nonprofit organizations are already gearing up for the giving season! According to Charity Navigator, 31 percent of charitable giving occurs in the month of December, but the time and effort involved in getting your message out means that programs should start planning now for their end-of-year campaigns.

Approach your end-of-year campaign as not only an appeal for additional support but also as an opportunity to showcase the organization’s achievements while  thanking those who helped advance your work. Keep in mind the significance of your individual donor base. According to Giving USA 2017 findings, the most comprehensive report on charitable giving in the U.S., individual giving topped off again in 2016, making up 72 percent of all charitable giving in the U.S and marking a 4 percent increase from 2015. Individual giving also grew at a faster rate than other forms of charitable giving.

Knowing that, your appeal letter to your donors is critical for success. As the first piece of communications your donors receive, the appeal letter is sometimes your only opportunity to make your pitch, so it pays off to invest time now to develop the overarching theme of your campaign. That theme should resonate throughout your letter and across all other messaging platforms.

As you craft your letter, keep these points in mind:

  • Personalize it as if writing to one donor
  • Add visual appeal
  • Ensure consistency of branding throughout the form letter, reply card, and envelopes

In the letter, you’ll want to tell your supporters how they’ve made a difference throughout the year. Share a compelling story or two about how lives were changed as a result of their support. These stories should demonstrate the kind of impact your organization is capable of making to improve your community. Also give donors a glimpse of the current landscape – what are the major challenges and problems facing the communities you serve and how is your organization poised to address them? Help your supporters understand that they are potential solutions to these challenges.

As we all know, social media is an important tool to use in your campaign. Messaging around your overall campaign theme needs to be engaging, compelling, visual, and brief — especially on Facebook and Twitter! Make sure your organization’s webpage is updated, including end-of-year campaign content. Work with your communications team to design follow-up campaign messages once your appeal letter is out the door. These could be stories from the field, testimonials from clients, quotes from afterschool program leaders, and other allies.

Here’s a suggested timeline of key activities to help prepare for a successful end of year campaign:

  • September: Set a financial goal and decide on a theme for your end-of-year campaign. Compile your donor list and ensure all names, addresses, and emails are complete and updated. Make sure you have an ample supply of paper, reply cards, envelopes, etc. for the appeal letter.
  • October: Craft your appeal letter and reply card, including images and graphics. Plan and draft follow-up appeal communications, including weekly e-blasts and social media posts. Ensure consistent branding across all communications.
  • November: Mail out appeal letter by mid-November or before Thanksgiving. Do follow-up communications through weekly e-blasts, starting week after Thanksgiving. Use Giving Tuesday, a day of global giving on November 28, to launch follow-up messaging.
  • December: Weekly e-blasts and social media posts are ongoing with urgency of messaging increasing (for instance, a message on December 30 that reads, “Only 24 hours before the year closes to show your support”...) Prepare donor thank you letters.
  • January: Continue sending donor thank-you letters, including the donation amount as proof for tax deductions. Once your campaign is over, send donors an update on whether your financial goal was met or not. Inform your donors on how their support will be put to work in the coming year.

Finally, devote time to debrief with your team on campaign results. Assess total campaign contributions and compare with previous year totals and review average gift amounts.

Check to see if donor base expanded from previous years. Analyze your campaign expenses – were they higher this year? Did those expenses net a significant increase in donations? Examine social media analytics (i.e., open, click-through, and unsubscribe rates) to assess what if any modifications should be made in future campaigns.

And most importantly, keep nurturing relationships with your supporters through regular communications updates so they remain connected and committed to your cause and ready to engage on your next campaign!

Now open: The New York Life Foundation offers grants up to $100,000 for OST programs serving middle school youth - apply now!

The New York Life Foundation’s 2024 Aim High grant competition is now open for applications! A total of 40 grants totaling $1.8 million will be awarded to afterschool, summer, or expanded learning programs serving middle school youth. This marks the 8th year of the Aim High grant...

BY: Tiyana Glenn      12/12/23

Up to $30k for programs improving family literacy, engagement, leadership

The National Center for Families Learning (NCFL) is seeking program proposals for the Sharon Darling Innovation Fund (SDIF) Family Learning System Challenge. This funding opportunity will award up to $30,000 to organizations that are developing and implementing innovative programs and strategies...

BY: Nicole Pettenati      04/18/23

Check your afterschool program's eligibility for Yield Giving grants

In the past three years, MacKenzie Scott has shaken up traditional philanthropy by granting high-dollar awards to nonprofits in a variety of fields, including afterschool and summer learning. Until now, programs had no way of applying for or expressing interest in these awards.  At the end...

BY: Nicole Pettenati      04/11/23

Workforce Pathways for Youth grants available

In March, the Department of Labor published a Notice of Funding Opportunity for Workforce Pathways for Youth Grants. A pre-recorded applicant webinar will be available by April 14, 2023 and applications will be due May 19, 2023. The grants offer up to $2 million to national out-of-school time...

BY: Jillian Luchner      04/07/23

Now open: Grants up to $100,000 from the New York Life Foundation for Out-of-School Time (OST) programs

The New York Life Foundation is seeking applications for $1,800,000 in grants to afterschool, summer, or expanded learning programs serving underserved middle-school youth. This is the seventh year of the Foundation’s Aim High grant competition, and this year’s awards will bring...

BY: Dan Gilbert      12/06/22

New Wallace Foundation and EdCounsel resource offers opportunities to discover funding streams and develop partnerships

This July, The Wallace Foundation launched a new free resource created by EducationCounsel (EdCounsel): “Using Federal Funds for Summer Learning and Afterschool: A New Guide for Providers, School Districts, and Intermediaries” to help out-of-school time providers and leaders, school and...

BY: Sophie Kidd      08/09/22

Funding opportunity: National grant initiative for civic learning projects

By Frances Hannan, Program Officer for the WW Higher Education Media Fellowship and the Director of Multimedia Projects at the Institute for Citizens & Scholars. The Civic Spring Fellowship has open applications for two innovative grant initiatives that will support young people looking to...

BY: Guest Blogger      04/04/22

Now open: The New York Life Foundation offers grants up to $100,000 for OST programs serving middle school youth - apply now!

The New York Life Foundation’s 2024 Aim High grant competition is now open for applications! A total of 40 grants totaling $1.8 million will be awarded to afterschool, summer, or expanded learning programs serving middle school youth. This marks the 8th year of the Aim High grant...

BY: Tiyana Glenn      12/12/23

$1.8M awarded to middle school out-of-school time programs

The New York Life Foundation and the Afterschool Alliance are pleased to announce the 2023 Aim High grant recipients. Now in its seventh year, the Aim High grant has provided a total of $9.75 million dollars to afterschool, summer and expanded learning programs that help middle school students...

BY: Dan Gilbert      06/21/23

Now open: Grants up to $100,000 from the New York Life Foundation for Out-of-School Time (OST) programs

The New York Life Foundation is seeking applications for $1,800,000 in grants to afterschool, summer, or expanded learning programs serving underserved middle-school youth. This is the seventh year of the Foundation’s Aim High grant competition, and this year’s awards will bring...

BY: Dan Gilbert      12/06/22

New Wallace Foundation and EdCounsel resource offers opportunities to discover funding streams and develop partnerships

This July, The Wallace Foundation launched a new free resource created by EducationCounsel (EdCounsel): “Using Federal Funds for Summer Learning and Afterschool: A New Guide for Providers, School Districts, and Intermediaries” to help out-of-school time providers and leaders, school and...

BY: Sophie Kidd      08/09/22