Non-profits just aren’t going to post robust fundraising results without finishing the year in a flurry.

SAN ANTONIO, TX, UNITED STATES, November 10, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As the weather turns colder the stakes grow higher and higher in professional and collegiate football. The same timing is precisely applicable for the resource development activities of America’s 1.5 million non-profits.

This is called the Giving Season for good reason. The most robust fundraising is achieved during the last three months of the calendar year highlighted by 30% of annual giving occurring in December and 10% occurring during the last three days of December alone.

It is high time for all non-profits to turn up the volume and ensure they don’t miss out on the awesome generosity of the American people during this phase of enormous opportunity.

Launched in 2018, Eskin Fundraising Training is arguably the nation’s only consulting firm exclusively devoted to training, nurturing and supporting the success of the men and women responsible for securing gifts of time, talent and treasure that fuel the good works of the social sector and improve the quality life in boundless different and meaningful ways.

Eskin Fundraising Training has proudly sponsored more than 250 live and/or virtual learning communities facilitated by distinguished experts from a wide range of disciplines and engaging thousands of professional and volunteer non-profit leaders representing organizations of all different sizes, missions and parts of the country, and now even internationally. The fundamental premise of educational approach is that while no single person has all the answers, in the live and/or virtual meeting space, there is the collective capacity to answer any question.

Based on research, data, sound principles, proven strategies and best practices, Eskin Fundraising Training highlights the following 10 effective ways that non-profits of all different sizes, missions and parts of the country can register the strongest possible year end results.

1. Study the cyclical giving patterns of current donors. People are creatures of habit and often adhere to budgeting patterns. Non-profit leaders need to know these patterns and provide gentle but firm reminders that many donors actually appreciate and come to expect.

2. Know the fine line between persist and pester that is different for everyone. There is an art and science to nudging donors and knowing who among the ranks of staff, board and volunteers are best suited to do the nudging, and precisely the best way to carry it out.

3. Report on program impact and progress toward achieving annual fiscal goals. Highlight the personal stories and testimonials of those being served by the mission. There is no more powerful way to acquaint prospective donors with non-profit missions than engaging them and making sure they see close-up how organizations make a difference with every gift dollar that is invested.

4. Concentrate on the completion of major gifts that make or break the success of fundraising programs. Larger gifts typically are documented through signed gift agreements. Donors need to be diplomatically reminded of these commitments and how important they are to the delivery of programs and services to beneficiaries. This might very well be the time for the CEO and/or Executive Director to get personally involved to bring closure to pledges.

5. Get on the GivingTuesday bandwagon — December 2nd, 2025. Last year a record-breaking $3.6 billion was donated in the U.S., alone, which brings the sum of GivingTuesday donations since its launch in 2012 to more than $18.5 billion. Non-profits can and should concretely benefit from the enormous visibility, momentum and synergy of this worldwide movement.

6. Promote gifts of appreciated assets. Donors can potentially maximize the impact of giving for both themselves and charities when donating often overlooked non-cash assets, such as appreciated stocks in portfolios, privately held business interests, or even cryptocurrency.
Donating stocks directly to the charity unlocks two key tax benefits: It may eliminate capital gains taxes encountered on the sale of stock donation that is tax deductible at the current fair market value. As a result, the most long-term appreciated stock in portfolio is often the best to donate because it offers the greatest potential tax benefit. Plus, because the charity doesn’t need to pay the capital gains tax, it can sell the stock donated for its current fair market and keep 100% of the proceeds.

7. Reinforce messaging through a variety of different communications channels. Technology continues to provide non-profits with an ever-growing variety of tools to communicate with donors and donor prospects. Most are affordable even to smaller non-profits The smart strategy is to avoid putting all eggs in a single basket and make sure to the extent possible there is an integrated calendar so that different media reinforce one another. Reports of the death of direct mail are greatly over exaggerated. On average, less than 30% of non-profit e-mail is even open. Surprisingly, younger generations are enjoying the novelty of physical mail. Smart fundraising programs employ a strategic mix of both direct mail and digital channels to maximize donor engagement and meet supporters where they are, fostering stronger connections and long-term giving.

8. Explain how the IRS determines eligibility for tax deductions in 2025. There continues to be too much confusion. The underlying rationale is when the donor gives up control of their money. If presented in person, the date of gift is that date and when the receipt is given. If mailed to through the U.S. Mail, the gift is made as of the postmark date. The check might be dated December 31, but if the postmark is January 2, the gift has been made in the new year, not the old. For online gifts, the gift is complete as of the computer stamped date. For gifts of stock and electronic fund transfers, when transferred electronically — DTC (Depository Trust Company) — the gift is complete on the date the shares or cash settle in the charity’s account, not the date the donor requests the transfer.

9. The One Big Beautiful Bill makes understanding of legislative changes even more crucial and furnishes tax code advantages of giving major gifts in calendar year 2025. New limits to deductions for itemizers in the top tax bracket may incentivize donors in higher brackets who are considering significant philanthropic gifts to think about accelerating their gift to 2025 to maximize their deduction under the current marginal rate before the new cap goes into effect. What’s more on accelerating contributions in 2025, perhaps using a bunching strategy can yield greater tax savings. Donor revised funds or DAFs that have emerged as the most dynamic component of American philanthropy come immediately to mine. When cash, securities, or other assets are contributed to a donor-advised fund at a public charity, donors are generally eligible to take immediate tax deductions. Then those funds can be invested for tax-free growth, and grants can be recommended to any eligible IRS-qualified public charity in the future.

10. Be available! Most non-profits like the rest of the workplace provide extensive holiday vacations to employees. With so many donors deciding to make gifts very late in the year, development staff of winning non-profits make it abundantly clear through out of office voice and e-mail messages how they can be reached to provide guidance on use of the website, tax deductibility requirements and even make themselves available to pick up gifts in person and provide receipts.

It takes an entire non-profit village to be successful in securing precious gifts of time, talent and treasure. The active and enthusiastic engagement of all staff and volunteers is a necessity in the discovery, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of donors, especially major gift donors. The flawed expectation that fundraisers alone can meet fiscal goals by themselves is a major reason why the turnover and burnout rate is exceptionally high. Accordingly, the entire non-profit family needs to understand the importance of year end fundraising to fulfilling the mission and serving beneficiaries.

One last recommendation: While the experience is still fresh, preferably early in the beginning of the new year gather the team together to frankly assess what went right and opportunities for improvement.

Best wishes for productive, fruitful and satisfying year end resource development results that are essential to the noble missions that touch, improve and save more lives, especially helping those who are struggling.



Jim Eskin
Founder
Eskin Fundraising Training
10410 Pelican Oak Drive
San Antonio, TX 78254-6727
Cell: 210.415.3748
E-Mail: jeskin@aol.com
www.eskinfundraisingtraining.com

About Eskin Fundraising Training
After a successful career leading advancement for three institutions of higher education, Jim Eskin’s consulting practice, Eskin Fundraising Training, launched in 2018, builds on the success of more than 250 fundraising workshops, webinars, webcasts, podcasts and board sessions, and provides the training, coaching and support services to equip non-profit leaders to replace fear of fundraising with comfort and confidence. He has authored more than 150 guest columns that have appeared in daily newspapers, business journals and blogs across the country. He publishes Stratagems, a monthly e-newsletter exploring timely issues and trends in philanthropy. Sign up here for a free subscription. You will also receive invitations to free virtual learning community programs. He is author of 10 Simple Fundraising Lessons, an 82-page common sense guide to understanding the art and science of fundraising, and How to Score Your First or Next Million-Dollar Gift, 104 pages filled with strategies, best practices and homework assignments to unlock exciting opportunities that elevate organizational impact to the next level. Both are available in print and digital formats through Pathway, the book distributor, and Amazon. Quantity discounts are available to non-profits who want to share books with teams of management, development staff, board and volunteers. Eskin is also available for customized virtual training for boards, staff, and fundraising committees. His newest customized service, Fundraising Urgent Care, offers 48-hour turnaround in addressing general strategy and tactical challenges that require immediate responses.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Jim Eskin
Founder
Eskin Fundraising Training
10410 Pelican Oak Drive
San Antonio, TX 78254-6727
Cell: 210.415.3748
E-Mail: jeskin@aol.com
www.eskinfundraisingtraining.com

Links
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How To Score Your First or Next Million-Dollar Gift purchase:

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Jim Eskin
Eskin Fundraising Training LLC
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