The holiday season is in full swing and the year is almost over to boot! Let’s use these last few days of the year to get into a festive fundraising spirit. Giving, both to charity as well as to family and friends, is on everyone’s mind. So, it’s the perfect time to encourage your potential donors to help a good cause, and support family and friends like you! How can you give your fundraising efforts the holiday treatment this year? We have some easy ideas!

A simple trick is just to check out the 3-Day website! We have special holiday card inserts that can help you to ask for donations in lieu of gifts this year. They’re easy to download, for both walkers and crew, making it a snap to mail them out, or leave them by the fireside for Santa to see.

You can also include these inserts in your holiday cards! It you’re going to be mailing out a family photo, season’s greeting or year-end wrap-up to far off family, add the insert in to your card! Or, make your cards personalized with details of what you raised this year, and your goals for the coming year. Letting this year’s donors know how much their contribution meant will help motivate them to donate again.

If you want to spread the 3-Day spirit through song, go caroling for a cause! Put a twist on traditional canning, and recruit your team to sing door to door for donations. This gives a wonderful personal touch, is a fun team activity, and will surely put a smile on peoples’ faces.

If you’re in a warmer climate, or just love the chilly winter temperatures, host a holiday training walk! Have donors sponsor different miles or milestones along the walk, then hit the trails! This is also a great activity for a team, and you can dress in your holiday best to really stand out while you step into the holiday season.

One of the biggest holiday traditions for most families is to partake in lots of feasts and treats this time of year. So, while you’re making your usual holiday cookies, cakes and other sweets, put a 3-Day spin on them! Add touches of pink frosting or sprinkles, and include donation information alongside your treat. Who could say “no” to desserts for a good cause?

To really end the year on a high note, remind your potential donors of your goals on the last day of the year. December 31^st is historically one of the biggest days of the year for online giving to charities, and it also boasts the highest average donation amount! That makes it the perfect time to ask donors to make one final contribution for the year. It will help you end this amazing year on a high note, and set you up for an even better 2018!