When the weather turns cooler and the pumpkins and fall decor abounds, that can only mean one thing: It's time to begin compiling your End of the Year Ask!
What you'll find below:
- What's an End of the Year Ask (EOYA)?
- Why should I do an EOYA?
- When should I send an EOYA?
- Basics to any EOYA
- EOYA samples
- Can I still send a Christmas card?
- Help! I'm behind schedule! What can I do now?
- One key way to significantly improve your results
What's an End of the Year Ask (EOYA)?
A special ask to ministry partners at the end of the calendar year. This ask could be toward a tangible and current need (rising health insurance costs, increase in monthly rent, needing a vehicle, baby on the way, etc) or it could be a call to the action of generosity (allows you to build in times of strength to help in the lean times). It is an important part of your overall MTD plan.
Why should I do an EOYA?
Statistics show that about 30% of giving happens in November & December. So, it's important to give your ministry partners opportunities to give toward Kingdom causes. This article from our friends at Support Raising Solutions explains more.
NOTE: If you are still raising your initial support, this might not be for you. Discuss with your MTD Coach first.
When should I send an EOYA?
Some begin working on it in October so they're not rushed at the end of the year. It's preferred to send a "Thankful for you" card or letter before Thanksgiving, but a "Thankful for you" text can work if you're behind the schedule outlined below:
| Timeline | Action Item |
|---|---|
| October or early November | Determine your need and what you will ask for. Usually appeals for one-time gifts (vs monthly support, gifts in kind or service projects) are most effective this time of year. (Sample asks are displayed below.) |
| Early-Mid November | Mine your data from the past 3 years. Look for:
|
| Early-Mid November | ID The Top 20. Through prayer, ask the Lord to help you make a list of the top 20 people you should contact one-on-one with your ask (either face to face or voice to voice). Typically, it's best if this group is made up of different people than those you usually contact with special asks; your regular end of year givers being the exception. *However, if anyone falls into all 4 categories above, they should probably be on your Top 20 list. |
| Mid-November | Send a paper Thanksgiving card to your Top 20* along with a short, handwritten note about why you’re thankful for them. This should be a meaningful message of gratitude. The goal is to remind donors how valuable they are to you and the impact they are helping to make in the Kingdom. Bonus points for including your picture on or in this card! Please consider hand-addressing the envelope. A simple way to mail a card to your Top 20 is to pick up a pack of cards at the store and print 20 photos (of you or you + the people you minister to) at the photo center. Keep it simple so you're more likely to do it. If you have the time, you can send to more than just your Top 20, but make sure your first priority is reaching your Top 20. |
| First week of December | Follow up the Thanksgiving card with an email containing your end of year need info. Encourage your donor to pray about how the Lord may have them respond to this need. Then let them know you'll be calling in a few days. Consider batching the emails in groups so you're not trying to make follow-up calls to 20 people all on the same day. Manageability is key. |
| A few days later | Follow up your email with a phone call to make the ask. Remember, your most effective asks are going to be face-to-face (even over a video call). If that can't happen, then second best is voice-to-voice. An ask in a mass email that's not followed up with a one-on-one ask is the least effective. |
Behind schedule this year? Talk to your MTD coach about how to best approach your Top 20. Scroll to the end of this page to see sample phone scripts.
Is this schedule not your flavor? Want to do something different? Go for it! The basics listed below will make sure you're including best practices into your ask.
Basics to any EOYA:
- Stop and pray. Then plan. The old adage is true; We don't plan to fail, we fail to plan. December can be a very valuable time for fundraising, if it's approached thoughtfully and in a way that helps your messaging stand out. If you're going to do an end of the year ask, take the time to ask the Lord for His wisdom on whom to contact. Then plan it out.
- If you need the funds, plan to follow-up voice-to-voice or face-to-face. People have great intentions, but tasks get lost in the shuffle of life; especially around the holidays! A follow-up plan will greatly increase follow-through from those who desire to give. Effective asks include written communication (letter, card, email, etc), followed up by a phone call or face-to-face meeting. This can be done in small batches over a number of weeks.
- Determine your distribution list. Who will receive this ask? Definitely send to those who don't give on a regular basis. Don't send to anyone who has been recently asked (either for an increase or special gift) or those who just started giving monthly within the last 6 months.
- Consider snail-mail, including a hand-written a note. Printed mail has far more staying power than electronic and it allows you to add a personal, hand-written note. These notes build relationship and show you care. We've found this to be true especially for donors who primarily receive correspondence electronically throughout the year because it stands out!
- Determine timing. Plan to have it hit mailboxes the weekend after Thanksgiving. You’ll want to beat the deluge of Christmas cards (and Christmas spending). Some recommend putting the letter in the mail on Black Friday.
- Affirm the relationship & your donor’s generosity. This is where that hand-written note comes into play. This small gesture helps build relationship.
- Anchor your ask in vision. Show them the impact they're making and invite them to go deeper. Tell them how the Lord is moving within your ministry then invite the donor to come alongside that work through leveraging their finances. When following up your ask with a call or a meeting, your ask is more about learning how God is challenging the donor toward radical giving. It is less about you and your ministry. Your ministry is the vehicle by which the Lord is discipling your donor into a deeper relationship with Him through the leveraging of their finite resources to build an infinite and lasting Kingdom. You're the mouthpiece God uses to deliver this message. Yes, lives within your ministry will be impacted as a result of this gift. But, if the donor's life and heart is not being impacted for Christ as well, then you've missed out Then, paint a picture of your ask; why it's important and how lives will be changed as a result. Avoid these terms: need, shortfall, lack of funding, low support, backpay, deficit. Those are not compelling reasons for people to give. Your ask should be vision-driven, not need or crisis-driven. Remember, people give to people, justified by the cause.
- List your financial need and what those finances will help accomplish.
- Make a clear ask.
- Include how to donate/ how to get in touch with you. Hint: Not everyone gives online. Provide a way for people to easily send a check in the mail (include the How to Start Giving Form and a self-addressed envelope in your mailing).
- Follow up with a phone call or email afterward.
EOYA Samples:
Can I still send a Christmas card?
Christmas cards that do not include an ask can be a wonderful part of your ministry team cultivation plan. If Christmas is too busy for you, consider a Happy New Year card (with picture) that arrives after Christmas. That's in time for Year-end giving. Bonus points for including a hand-written note in your card. Holiday greeting cards can be sent to all of your contacts, regardless of who receives your end of year ask. If you're out of the country, try a service like PrayerLetters.com or Chalkline or ask one of your non-financial supporters to help you send this mailing.
Here are a few samples of our favorite missionary Christmas cards.
FYI: Reliant mails a Christmas card to your financial supporters each year. The main purpose of this is to thank them and ask them to remember their Reliant missionaries when they're doing their year-end giving. Note, Reliant's card does not mention your name specifically as many of our donors support multiple Reliant missionaries.
I'm behind schedule! What can I do now?
Maybe you've missed the boat to send out a nice end of year ask letter. Maybe it's even too late for an email. But, you can always call people! It's fast, effective and allows you the opportunity to actually minister to your supporters because you're having a conversation. So make a list of the donors your want to prioritize (if needing help prioritizing, see "Mine your data from the past 3 years" under When should I send an EOYA?)
One key way to significantly improve your results
The phone is your friend, especially at year-end!
If you’re doing an end of the year ask and you need the funding, definitely follow up with a phone call to key people.
Not sure how to open up the conversation? Give one of these starters a try:
- Hi! This is ___. I was calling to see if you had a chance to read the letter I sent you.
- Hi! This is ___. Do you have a few moments to chat?
- Hi! This is ___. It’s so good to catch you on the phone! J I wanted to thank you for how you’ve ministered to me this past year. Your giving has not only empowered me to share Christ with university students, but it’s been such an encouragement to me personally to know we're walking this journey together. Thank you. I’m so glad to be doing this work with you.
Then transition to the ask:
- Not sure if you’ve had a chance to read the letter/card I mailed you, but I wanted to see if you’ve had a chance to pray about an (end of year gift [or] increasing your ministry giving). [Give them a chance to say they haven’t read it or prayed about it yet. This is ok (and normal).]
- I just love how the end of the year provides a great time to reflect over the past year and seek the Lord for what He would have us do in the new year. This past year you've [given faithfully each month / haven't yet had the opportunity to give/ sowed into this ministry...] For the coming year, would you [increase your monthly giving by $10/ be a $1,000 special gift anchor partner/ introduce me to 10 new people you think might be blessed to hear about this ministry…].
Finally, schedule a follow up:
- Over the next day or so, would you ask the Lord how He might have you participate? [wait for a response] Thank you for joining me in prayer. I’d like to get back in touch with you this week to see if the Lord's brought you to a decision about [giving challenge]. Is tomorrow too soon?
