Share this
Isa Hasty on Jan 7, 2026 3:05:37 PM
Welcome back! We hope you had a restful holiday season. It's officially 2026. The appeals are done, the thank-you cards are sent, and everyone's finally exhaling. But while you're enjoying that well-deserved coffee, your December donors are doing something interesting—they're actually paying attention to what you say next.
What happens in January determines whether those holiday gifts turn into monthly support or fade into "that nice thing I did once." So this week, we're sharing the playbook for keeping that connection alive: our webinar on retention strategies, American Humane's gratitude email that actually works, and how one nonprofit turned LinkedIn posts into an 88% donation bump.
The take-home template
The holiday season brings your most generous donors, but how do you keep them engaged after January? This on-demand webinar breaks down proven strategies like personalized follow-up campaigns, smart segmentation, and CRM retargeting to turn seasonal givers into lifelong supporters. Plus, we share real examples from nonprofits that have successfully converted holiday momentum into long-term support.
Snackable snippets
How to win donors over on LinkedIn 📖
Making Waves Education Foundation received a six-figure gift from someone who'd never attended an event. In fact, they found them through LinkedIn. By getting the foundation’s CEO posting regularly and coordinating content across teams, they increased new donations by 88% and had multiple funders mention they loved seeing updates in their feed. The lesson: your next major donor is probably already checking out your LinkedIn presence.
Increasing spend eventually breaks when people see your ad too many times. You could try donor motivator mapping instead — changing the message to appeal to different donors. Your "$50 feeds a family" ad resonates with impact-maximizers, but identity-driven donors may scroll right past.
How to keep donors engaged after December 31 📖
Your December donors just wrote big checks, so hitting them with another ask right away is a fast way to lose them. Our team recommends starting this month with pure gratitude and waiting a little before making that next ask.
For your inspiration folder
American Humane rings in the new year with pure celebration, leading with specific wins (1.5 billion animals protected, 1,060 reunited with families, 128 veterans paired with service dogs) before any ask. They make donors feel like partners in these achievements, then slip in a soft invitation to continue the work together. No guilt, no urgency—just "here's what we accomplished together, and there's still time to be part of it."
