Why Are Some Nonprofits Raising 20% More at Year-End While Others Fall Behind?

The nonprofits who raised more last year-end didn’t work harder than everyone else. They were working from better data and a smarter strategy. Our third annual Nonprofit Fundraising Performance Survey, done with The Nonprofit Cooperative and Strawhecker Nonprofit Services, found exactly what separates the organizations pulling ahead from the ones falling behind, and none of it takes a bigger budget.

Here’s the bigger picture

Government funding is drying up, donor participation has declined for five consecutive years, and Q4 still accounts for more than a third of a nonprofit’s annual revenue. The nonprofits that plan for that reality are the ones that come out ahead.

We saw it firsthand with BraveBe. Using these same survey insights, the organization set out to double its previous year’s results and surpassed that goal, raising $102,919, welcoming 32 new donors, and increasing its average gift to $598.

The full report breaks down how. Here’s some of what’s inside:

• Organizations that raised 20% or more last year averaged five or more donor touchpoints during their campaign. We show you the cadence that made the difference.
• The top performers used four to six communication channels, not just one or two. See the specific mix that worked.
• 81% of the nonprofits we surveyed said finding new donors is their biggest challenge right now. Here’s what the organizations solving for it are doing differently.
• The nonprofits that grew consistently had one thing in common: a story donors could actually see themselves in. We break down what that looks like in practice.

Make this year-end count

Get the full 2025 End of Year Fundraising Report and see exactly where to focus next.

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