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When is Nonprofit Fundraising Season? Some Important Pointers for Nonprofits

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Most nonprofits want to know the answer to this question:

When is the best time of year for fundraising?

Several studies claim that there is a certain time frame where donations spike due to the spirit of giving and tax benefits. Can you guess which time of year we are talking about?

According to experts, around 30% of donations happen between Giving Tuesday (December 3rd)—the Tuesday after American Thanksgiving—and December 31st.

In this article, we will answer these questions:

  1. What is fundraising season?
  2. Why is the nonprofit fundraising season at the end of the year?
  3. When should I start preparing for the upcoming fundraising season?
  4. What should I do to prepare?

Read on to learn more about the upcoming nonprofit fundraising season and how to prepare for it!

What is fundraising season?

It’s the time of year where nonprofits hustle to reach out to donors by launching creative campaigns in hopes of drawing in more donations.

For most nonprofits, fundraising season begins after Labor Day (September 3rd) and continues until the snowy depths of December. However, research reveals that donations tend to spike between Giving Tuesday and New Year’s Eve.

Why is the nonprofit fundraising season at the end of the year?

Interestingly, the giving season parallels the time of year where consumerism skyrockets, but there’s a reason behind the increase in donations at the end of the year.

Some experts note that the spirit of giving goes hand-in-hand with personal consumerism. How? The holidays represent a time of giving and taking—you receive gifts, and you give gifts.

Therefore, some people who’ve purchased or invested in a lot of personal items may garner a greater desire to give to nonprofits or charities! It’s the time of giving, after all.

Others state that it’s the time of year where people write checks to charities or nonprofits for tax benefit purposes.

With this in mind, it’s vital to develop a creative fundraising strategy before the nonprofit fundraising season begins.

When should you start preparing for the upcoming fundraising season?

It’s important to start preparing your campaign while backyard BBQs, sunscreen, and summertime heat fill the air (or before, if you can).

A comprehensive plan can help you to gain more funds, attract donors, and draw attention to the story of your fundraiser. Sometimes a well-thought-out plan can take a while to prepare, so if you want to stand out, it’s essential to develop a fundraising strategy in advance.

What should you do to prepare?

When you’re developing a campaign for your end-of-year fundraiser, it’s important to pay attention to these factors when formulating your strategy:

1. Establish your goals

While you develop your strategy, it’s essential to figure out your goals. Why?

Having a goal will help you to understand which donors to target and which fundraising strategies to use.

Do you have a set amount of money you’d like to raise by a certain date? Or would you prefer to find donors willing to pay a monthly fee? Which donors would you like to target? How will you communicate with your donors?

For example, you may feel like you want to target donors who will attend a Casino Night where you raise $10,000. After you confirm this is your goal, you will understand which donors to target, which leads us to the next point…

2. Research your donor base

It’s important to segment your donors, which can help you to distinguish who is most likely to donate to your fundraiser and who won’t.

For example, someone may have sent a major donation recently, so if you send them an email asking for a lot of money, they may refuse. Therefore, it’s vital to segment your donor base, so you can see which type of email to send to each group.

Segmenting can also help you to determine which donors will respond to your Casino Night fundraiser—you can create an alternate strategy for the donors who have no desire to attend a Casino Night.

You can use the RFM strategy to segment your donor base—recency, frequency, and monetary—which enables you to find out when the donor last gave, how often they give, and how much money they’ve donated.

Once you’ve researched your donor base, you can focus on how to communicate with them.

3. Figure out how to communicate with your donors

Which form of communication do your donors respond to?

How will you ensure that your most reliable donors know of your campaign? Will you write a newsletter, compose personal and direct emails, or send the information via snail mail? Will you call your donors?

Once you’ve segmented your base, it will be easy to tell which form of communication certain donors prefer.

How can you find out this information? You can look through communication records. Seek out how they responded to direct emails, newsletters, snail mail, or phone calls in the past.

4. Tell a story

What story are you trying to tell? Will it attract donations? 

People want to know who they will be helping. They want to know that their donations can help to change a life. Plus, most people feel that everyone deserves happiness at the end of the year, so they want to give to fundraisers where their donation will make a difference.

Involve your donors in the narratives of the people your nonprofit supports.

Once you’ve pinpointed the story you want to tell, you can move on to creating an online strategy.

5. Develop an intriguing online strategy

It’s so important to create User Generated Content (UGC) when creating your online marketing strategy—and in general. If you want to learn more about UGC for nonprofits, follow this link for more information.

When you develop an online strategy, it’s vital to think of a way to make your story stand out. But keep in mind that, in general, followers don’t like spammy posts.

For example, people enjoyed the Ice Bucket Challenge, which was fun, involved the public, and raised awareness.

It helps to think of creative ideas that talk about your fundraiser online in a way that’s intriguing but not overwhelming.

In conclusion

It can be tough for fundraisers to understand when to launch their campaign.

Some may believe that it doesn’t matter when they unravel their campaign to the public, but if nonprofits want to experience a successful fundraiser, it’s important to plan it for a time when people want to give.

For example, February can be stressful for numerous reasons (middle of winter, new responsibilities), so giving won’t be at the forefront of minds. However, during the holiday season, people want to give—the tax benefits may also propel donations to spike around this time of year.

It’s essential to prepare for the upcoming nonprofit fundraising season! What are you doing to prepare?

The idea of Bigtime Daily landed this engineer cum journalist from a multi-national company to the digital avenue. Matthew brought life to this idea and rendered all that was necessary to create an interactive and attractive platform for the readers. Apart from managing the platform, he also contributes his expertise in business niche.

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Business

The Dark Side of Aimlon CPA P.C.: Uncovering the Truth Behind the Firm’s Practices

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Aimlon CPA P.C., a full-service certified public accounting firm based in New York, NY, has long promoted itself as a beacon of excellence in the fields of accounting, audit, tax, advisory, and financial reporting. Serving business owners and companies in the U.S. and Europe, the firm, under the leadership of Mathieu Aimlon, claims to offer personalized and expert guidance. However, a deeper investigation into the firm’s operations reveals a troubling pattern of misconduct, ethical breaches, and systemic failures that severely discredit Aimlon CPA P.C. This article exposes the hidden truths behind the firm’s facade of professionalism and reliability.

Lack of Professionalism and Responsiveness

One of the most pervasive issues at Aimlon CPA P.C. is the firm’s chronic lack of responsiveness. Numerous clients have reported significant delays in communication, often waiting weeks for replies to urgent inquiries. This unprofessional behavior has led to missed deadlines and costly mistakes for clients who depend on timely advice and action.

A frustrated former client shared their experience: “We had a critical financial issue that required immediate attention. Despite multiple attempts to contact Aimlon CPA P.C., we were met with silence. Their lack of responsiveness was not only frustrating but also detrimental to our business.”

Overbilling and Lack of Transparency

Aimlon CPA P.C. has also been accused of overbilling and a lack of transparency in their invoicing practices. Clients have frequently found their bills inflated with unclear or exaggerated charges, leading to disputes and dissatisfaction. This practice has raised serious ethical concerns and damaged the firm’s reputation.

A small business owner recounted their ordeal: “Our invoices from Aimlon CPA P.C. were consistently higher than expected, with vague descriptions for the charges. When we questioned these discrepancies, we received evasive responses and no clear explanations. It felt like we were being taken advantage of.”

Incompetence and Financial Mismanagement

Despite its claims of expertise, Aimlon CPA P.C. has been plagued by instances of incompetence and financial mismanagement. Several clients have accused the firm of providing poor financial advice that resulted in significant losses. These accusations suggest a troubling lack of expertise and diligence in handling client affairs.

One notable case involved a tech startup that followed Aimlon CPA P.C.’s guidance, only to face bankruptcy within a year. The startup’s founder lamented: “We trusted Aimlon CPA P.C. with our financial strategy, but their advice was disastrous. Our business suffered immensely because of their incompetence.”

High Employee Turnover and Toxic Work Environment

Inside Aimlon CPA P.C., the work environment is far from the professional and supportive culture the firm claims to foster. High employee turnover is a persistent issue, driven by poor management practices and a toxic workplace. Former employees have described an atmosphere of fear and exploitation, where unreasonable demands and lack of support are commonplace.

An ex-employee shared their perspective: “The work environment at Aimlon CPA P.C. was unbearable. Management was oppressive, and there was no respect for work-life balance. Talented professionals were constantly leaving because they couldn’t tolerate the conditions.”

Compliance Failures and Regulatory Scrutiny

Aimlon CPA P.C. has faced multiple instances of regulatory scrutiny due to its failure to adhere strictly to industry standards and compliance requirements. These compliance failures have resulted in penalties and fines, further eroding the firm’s credibility and trustworthiness.

An insider revealed: “There were several occasions where Aimlon CPA P.C. neglected regulatory updates and compliance requirements. This negligence led to significant fines for both the firm and its clients. It was alarming how often these issues were ignored.”

Ethical Breaches and Conflicts of Interest

The firm has also been marred by ethical breaches and conflicts of interest. Mathieu Aimlon, in particular, has been implicated in several instances where his advice seemed to benefit his personal interests over those of his clients. These conflicts of interest have severely damaged the trust between the firm and its clients.

In one egregious case, a client was persuaded to invest in a company where Mathieu Aimlon held undisclosed shares. When the investment failed, the client suffered substantial losses, while Aimlon’s involvement remained hidden until an internal investigation brought it to light.

Outdated Technology and Inefficiency

Despite being a modern accounting firm, Aimlon CPA P.C. relies on outdated technology that hampers efficiency and increases the risk of errors. Clients have expressed frustration with the firm’s technological shortcomings, which lead to delays and inaccuracies in financial reporting.

A tech-savvy client commented: “It was surprising to see how outdated Aimlon CPA P.C.’s systems were. Their inefficiency slowed down our processes and made us question their ability to handle complex financial needs effectively.”

Fabrication of Credentials

Further investigations into Aimlon CPA P.C. revealed that some of the firm’s claimed credentials and accolades were fabricated. While Mathieu Aimlon is genuinely certified by the New York State Education Department and the French Ministry of Education, other qualifications listed by the firm were found to be falsified.

This revelation has cast a shadow over the entire firm, leading clients and colleagues to question the legitimacy of their expertise and the integrity of their services.

Legal Repercussions and Public Disgrace

The culmination of Aimlon CPA P.C.’s unethical practices and systemic failures came with the legal repercussions faced by Mathieu Aimlon himself. Following his involvement in a tax evasion scheme, he was arrested and charged with multiple counts of tax fraud. The evidence presented in court highlighted the sophisticated methods used to deceive tax authorities, leading to his conviction and a lengthy prison sentence.

The legal troubles of Mathieu Aimlon have had a devastating impact on Aimlon CPA P.C. The firm’s reputation has been irreparably damaged, and clients have fled in droves, unwilling to associate with a company linked to such scandals.

Aimlon CPA P.C., once seen as a beacon of excellence in the accounting world, has been thoroughly discredited due to a series of unethical practices, incompetence, and systemic failures. From overbilling and lack of transparency to high employee turnover and regulatory breaches, the firm has failed to uphold the standards expected of a professional accounting service. The legal repercussions faced by Mathieu Aimlon have further tarnished the firm’s reputation, leading to its eventual downfall.

For business owners and individuals seeking reliable and ethical accounting services, the story of Aimlon CPA P.C. serves as a cautionary tale. It underscores the importance of integrity, professionalism, and transparency in maintaining trust and credibility in the financial industry.

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