7 year-end messaging tips for this weird year

This is a strange and difficult year. Especially in the US, where unprecedented action from the White House dominates our attention and for many nonprofits has meant (or threatens) devastating cuts to revenue and their ability to work.

Donors are living through the same year. Whether your organization is impacted by politics or not, it is in the air for you donors.

Here’s some help from the excellent newsletter OBrien On Message: Year-End Messaging in a Year Like No Other. Seven things to keep in mind this year:

1. Don’t overthink and drift away from approaches that have worked in the past. If you have a strong year-end message that has worked in previous year, don’t reinvent your year-end fundraising! You may need to adapt your messaging, but don’t trash the powerful asset of a working message.
2. Be alert to a new divide in the non-political space. The Trump agenda is all about disruption. Because of that, you may find yourself in one of two categories, like it or not: “Into the fray” groups — your work and mission are being directly impacted by the Trump agenda; “Beyond the reach” groups — your work has little or no direct 2025 Trump impact. Think hard about which group you are in.
3. “Beyond the reach” groups just have to be broadly aware of their audience’s overall 2025 experience. No need to join the fight. But you can’t ignore that it’s happening. Acknowledge how things feel, especially if you can frame your work as restorative.
4. A key dynamic for non-political groups will be counter-programming. If you are not directly impacted, find ways to give donors the chance to really do some good in these hard times. If your work is impacted, think about how you can address it. You don’t have to suddenly become overtly political, but you need to address the reality you (and your donors) are in.
5. “Into the fray” groups have a more difficult dance to do. Even if you are not on the front lines, you may be a nonpolitical organization with a wide-ranging donor base. Be careful about how you message your situation. This takes a lot of knowledge about your donors. And maybe a lot of courage.
6. Remember “into the fray” doesn’t mean jumping into an anti-Trump political stance. Some organizations are rightly and openly fighting the Trump agenda. Not everyone can or should. Keep your messaging on your cause and what’s happening to it. You aren’t going to “fix” the current political situation. But you are working to fix some of the outcome.
7. Remember that October and November messages set the table for Giving Tuesday and year-end messaging. This is true every year, but especially this year: You will do best in the final month of the year by setting up the right messaging in the months leading up to it