Finish Strong with Floyd Jones: Evergreen Strategies For Year-End Fundraising

Start with intention

Before building out year-end campaigns, Floyd encourages fundraisers to “inspect what you expect.” Your team should be crystal clear on what you’re asking of your community and who’s going to make it happen.

Floyd’s “Five C’s of Goal Setting” can help guide that clarity:

• Clear – Know exactly what you’re asking for and why
• Compelling – Give people a reason to care
• Concise – Keep your message focused and time-bound
• Contextual – Root your goal in your community’s reality
• Community-driven – Know who’s coming with you

“Everything starts with intention,” he explains. “If you’re asking for $50,000, are you in a place to receive it? You are the bridge between where your people are and the change they want to see in the world. Your job is to show them how to cross.”

Stop trying to do it all alone

Every December, nearly 30% of all charitable giving takes place, with billions of dollars flowing through causes worldwide. On Giving Tuesday last year, $3.6 billion was donated globally. Floyd points out that although this momentum is powerful, it does come at a cost. “We talk about the growth,” he said, “but we don’t always talk about the grind that happens to get to the growth.”

He adds that 95% of nonprofit leaders report burnout as a major concern, and many fundraisers are juggling multiple roles and responsibilities. “We love a good ‘and’ in our titles,” he jokes, “but I want to see commas in my bank account, not in my job description.”

Floyd’s key takeaway: Stop trying to do it all alone. “Your supporters want to be a blessing,” he reminds fundraisers. “Are you blocking someone’s blessing by doing everything yourself?”

To avoid taking on too much, try breaking down your campaign tasks to align with each team member’s specific role, so responsibilities are clear and collaboration is smooth. 

Every team is different, but regardless of title or position:

• Your “Strategist” will set your campaign goals
• Your “Administrator” will manage your data
• Your “Communicator” will send emails and letters
• Your “Networker” will engage your community

Want to see what this role breakdown looks like on Giving Tuesday? Download your free Giving Tuesday Cheat Sheet for role-specific tasks and advice!

Build for belonging, not just budget

When planning and executing your year-end fundraising campaign, the bigger you dream, the better your results could be. One of Floyd’s most inspiring stories came from the creation of BackBlack, a campaign he launched after speaking at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation about equity in philanthropy.

“I stood up in a room full of people who control billions of dollars and said, ‘If we want change, we can make it happen. But we have to put our money where our mouth is,” Floyd says. Five weeks later, BackBlack was live—and in that short time, it raised $1.3 million for more than 700 Black-led nonprofits. “Our budget? Zero whole dollars.”

Floyd’s key takeaway: Build campaigns for belonging, not budget. “The size of your belief has nothing to do with the size of your budget. You don’t have to wait until you have everything to start. You just have to say “yes” … to yourself, your mission, and your community.”

Remember: Hope is not a strategy

“Hope is beautiful, but hope is not a strategy,” Floyd cautions.

Instead, he recommends a simple three-step approach:

1. Select your segment

“Don’t try to reach everyone. Pick one group—lapsed donors, monthly givers, social media followers—and meet them where they are.”

2. Nurture your segment

“It’s not about getting a higher gift,” he said. “It’s about helping your people become a higher version of themselves.”

Floyd breaks down the nurture process into four stages:

• Catalyst — Share the spark that grabs attention
• Communicate — Stay visible and relevant
• Convert — Make a clear, specific ask
• Catapult — Empower your supporters to spread the word

3. Sequence your segment

Even if you’re starting late, there’s always time to make an impact. Floyd recommends mapping a timeline that includes reminders, gratitude messages, and storytelling touchpoints all the way through December. “And don’t just send an automated thank-you,” he says. “Pick up the phone. Let your donors feel the gratitude.”

You can systematically inspire each segment to further their partnership with your mission. Learn more about donor journey mapping—putting new and lapsed donors on a personalized path toward retention and upgrades—with a free guide!

Download your copy of The Donor Journey, co-written by Cherian Koshy, CFRE, and DonorPerfect fundraising experts.

Choose what gives you energy

Floyd urges fundraisers to evaluate their year-end priorities through two lenses: money and energy. “If it brings you money and energy, do more of it,” he says. “If it drains you and doesn’t deliver, it’s time to let it go.”

Floyd’s key takeaway: Don’t overextend yourself: “Pick one campaign and go deep. You can’t pour from an empty cup.”

Take your next steps

• Choose one audience segment to focus on
• Clarify your intention and goals
• Create a plan that aligns with your energy and capacity
• Tell your story with consistency and gratitude
• And most importantly, finish strong

Remember: “You’re not just working for donations—you’re building believers. Because believers are the ones who carry your mission to its breakthrough.”