Last week, I sat down with my good friend Nathan Hill from NextAfter, and we went deep on Giving Tuesday results and what nonprofits can do to crush the final two weeks of 2024. If you’re running a nonprofit (or supporting one), you know how critical this time is. Spoiler alert: It’s not just about December 31—it’s about getting your strategy locked in now.

Nathan brought the goods: fresh data, real talk, and actionable tips. Here’s what I learned—and what you can do right away to make this the most impactful year-end season yet.

Is Giving Tuesday Still Worth It?

Let’s talk about Giving Tuesday for a sec. This year, nonprofits raised $3.6 billion in just one day. Yes, billion with a “B.” But here’s the interesting part: while overall revenue is up (14% year-over-year), the number of donors is actually down by 8%. What’s making up the difference? Bigger gifts.

For iDonate clients, we saw an average gift size of $313, compared to an industry average just shy of $200. The takeaway? If your Giving Tuesday didn’t blow the doors off, it’s not about chasing more donors—it’s about engaging your existing ones and making their giving experience seamless.

Even more interesting? Giving Tuesday is becoming more than just a single day. Nathan shared that the 10-day stretch around it (7 days before, 2 days after) saw a 23% increase in giving compared to last year. It’s like the whole thing is morphing into a season instead of an event. Smart nonprofits are using that window to set the tone for year-end.

The Big Picture: Year-End Giving

Here’s the deal: nearly 40% of your nonprofit’s annual revenue could come in these last few weeks. If Giving Tuesday wasn’t what you hoped for, don’t sweat it—there’s a lot of opportunity left on the table. But you’ve got to act fast.

It all comes down to two things:

1. How you drive traffic to your site.
2. How you convert that traffic into donations.

3 Moves You Can Make Right Now

Ready to sprint to the finish line? Here are three practical steps you can take today to make these final two weeks count.

1️⃣ Tighten Up Your Value Proposition

Your donors are getting hit with every kind of pitch right now. “Tax-deductible donations,” “double your impact,” “year-end deadline”—you’ve seen it all. And so have they. If you want to stand out, you’ve got to make your ask crystal clear and compelling.

Instead of saying, “Help us reach our goal,” say, “$50 feeds a family for a week.” Show donors exactly what their gift will do. Make it tangible. Make it real. And don’t just put it in emails—pepper it everywhere: your homepage, donation page, social media, even ads.

2️⃣ Optimize Your Donation Page

Your donation page is where the magic happens—or where it doesn’t. And during the last week of the year, this page needs to be airtight. Why? Because conversion rates skyrocket during this time, from 5% on Giving Tuesday to 8% on December 31. Are you ready?

Here’s how to get it done:

• Make your Donate button pop. Top right corner, bold color, easy to click. Don’t make people search for it.
• Use a high-urgency banner. Add a message like, “Only 3 days left to make your tax-deductible gift!” with a button that goes straight to the donation page.
• Remove friction. Reduce the number of clicks it takes to give. Consider embedding your donation form right on the homepage or doing a homepage takeover on December 31.

3️⃣ Go All-In on Multi-Channel

Email alone isn’t going to cut it anymore. To really reach your donors, you’ve got to meet them where they are: on social, in their inboxes, on their phones, and maybe even in their mailboxes. The more places they see your message, the more likely they are to act.

Here’s what that looks like:

• Run ads alongside direct mail. Nathan shared that targeting your direct mail file with Meta ads (before and after the mailer hits) can boost results—even if no one donates directly through the ads.
• Add SMS to your playbook. A well-timed text doesn’t just drive donations—it also lifts email and mail performance.
• Keep it consistent. Your message across email, social, ads, and mail should all point back to the same story and the same donation page.

Small Tweaks, Big Wins

Look, I get it. You’re busy, your team is stretched, and you might feel like there’s no time to test anything new. But even small changes can make a big difference. Whether it’s tweaking the headline on your donation page, testing a new email subject line, or experimenting with a homepage banner, every little improvement adds up.

Here’s the bottom line: It’s not too late. Whether Giving Tuesday crushed it for you or fell flat, these last two weeks are where the real opportunity lies. Let’s make every day count.

If you want to hear more of Nathan’s insights, check out our full conversation on YouTube [insert link]. There’s a ton of practical advice packed into this episode, and it’s well worth your time.

Let’s finish 2024 strong - let's get after it and I'll see you at the top.