Our churches are doing important work all year long. It’s time we started paying closer attention to one of the biggest giving opportunities of the year.
You know how this goes.
The church has something important it wants to accomplish. Maybe it’s expanding the youth ministry, providing meals for families during the holidays, helping seniors, or getting a community program off the ground.
Everybody agrees the work needs to be done.
Then somebody asks, “Where’s the money coming from?”
The pastor starts making calls. The finance committee looks at the numbers. The deacons discuss what’s available. And before long, we’re back to asking the same faithful members who’ve been helping carry the church for years.
We’re grateful for those people. Our churches wouldn’t be where they are without them.
But at some point, we have to ask ourselves how much longer we’re going to depend on the same people to meet every financial need.
Especially when there are other opportunities to bring support to the work we’re doing.
One of those opportunities is year-end giving.
And if your church hasn’t been intentionally planning for it, I want you to understand why it’s worth your attention.
There’s a Reason Nonprofits Pay So Much Attention to the End of the Year
Every November and December, nonprofit organizations across the country make a special effort to raise money.
Universities reach out to alumni. Hospitals reconnect with supporters. Community organizations share their accomplishments and invite people to help fund what’s ahead.
They prepare for this season every year.
And the numbers explain why.
According to the Blackbaud Institute’s analysis of 2025 charitable giving, approximately 36% of annual nonprofit fundraising revenue came in during the final three months of the year. December alone accounted for roughly 18%.
Think about that for a minute.
More than a third of annual fundraising revenue among the organizations studied came in during a three-month period.
Now think about your church.
You’ve got programs running throughout the year. You’ve got families depending on those programs. You’ve got plans for your ministry that require financial support.
What would additional year-end funding allow you to accomplish?
That’s a question worth sitting with.
Our Churches Have Work That People Would Be Glad to Support
I’ve spent years working with African American churches, and one thing I’ve learned is that our churches carry a tremendous amount of responsibility.
Some of our churches are providing food and clothing to families every week. Others are helping young people prepare for college, supporting people experiencing homelessness, or providing services that the surrounding community depends on.
And a lot of that work happens outside the sanctuary.
The people benefiting from those ministries aren’t always members of the congregation.
So let me ask you something.
If the work your church is doing reaches beyond your membership, how many people beyond your membership know about it?
Think about the business owners in your neighborhood.
Think about the people who grew up in your church and now live somewhere else.
Think about the families whose lives have been touched by one of your ministries.
Some of those people might be glad to contribute toward a program they believe in.
But when was the last time somebody reached out and shared what the church was doing?
We have to start paying more attention to those relationships.
Year-end giving gives us a reason to reconnect with people, share what the church has accomplished, and invite them to help support what’s next.
We Have to Stop Waiting Until There’s an Emergency to Raise Money
Let’s talk about something else I’ve seen in our churches.
We have a tendency to wait until a financial need becomes urgent before giving fundraising our full attention.
The building needs repairs. A ministry is running short on money. There’s a community event coming up, and we still haven’t figured out how to cover the costs.
Then everybody gets busy trying to raise what’s needed.
I understand how that happens.
Pastors are already carrying a lot. Between preparing sermons, caring for members, overseeing staff, attending meetings, and responding to the needs of the community, there’s always something that needs attention.
Fundraising can easily become one more responsibility that gets pushed aside until somebody needs the money.
But think about what that costs the church over time.
How many good ideas have been sitting in meetings for years because the funding hasn’t been there?
How many programs could be reaching more people if somebody had the time to build relationships with potential supporters?
How many opportunities have passed because the church wasn’t prepared to pursue them?
When we only think about fundraising after the need becomes urgent, we’re giving ourselves very little room to prepare.
That’s one reason I encourage churches to make year-end giving part of their regular planning.
You know the end of the year is coming.
You know your church has ministries and financial needs.
Why not begin preparing for that season before December arrives?
Your Church Already Has a Place to Start
Let’s say your church operates a food ministry.
Every month, volunteers show up, groceries are purchased, and families receive food they need.
The program is established. The church knows the community. You already understand the difference that ministry is making.
Now imagine your church decides it wants to help another 100 families during the winter.
You sit down with the ministry team, determine what it will cost, and establish a fundraising goal.
Then you begin talking with people who might want to help.
Maybe there’s a former member who still has a strong connection to the church.
Maybe there’s a business owner nearby who’s been looking for a meaningful way to support the neighborhood.
Maybe there’s a longtime member who would be interested in making a larger contribution toward that particular project.
You start having conversations.
You explain the work. You tell people what the church hopes to accomplish. You give them an opportunity to participate.
That’s how a year-end giving effort can begin.
And the same thinking applies to your youth ministry, housing programs, senior services, and other community initiatives.
Start with something your church is already committed to accomplishing.
The Relationships Matter Just as Much as the Fundraising Goal
I want to spend a little time on this because it’s especially important for our churches.
You know those people who moved away 20 years ago and still talk about your church like it’s home?
They remember the choir. They remember their Sunday school teachers. They remember the pastor who watched them grow up and the members who looked out for their families.
Some of those people still have a deep love for the church.
But when was the last time anybody checked on them?
Do they know what the church is doing today?
Have they seen how the ministry has grown or how the community’s needs have changed?
We have relationships like that all over the country.
And sometimes we’re so busy taking care of what’s happening inside the church that we lose touch with people who still care about its future.
A year-end giving strategy should give your church an opportunity to strengthen those connections.
Take the time to reconnect with people. Ask about their families. Share the work the church is doing. Find out what matters to them.
And when there’s a ministry or project that connects with their interests, invite them to hear more about it.
Those relationships deserve care throughout the year.
You Don’t Have to Follow Everybody Else’s Fundraising Calendar
One thing I want church leaders to understand is that your church can choose a giving day that makes sense for your congregation.
You’ve probably heard of GivingTuesday.
It’s a day when organizations around the country encourage people to give. And because so many organizations participate, there’s a lot of competition for attention.
At NFM, we encourage churches to consider choosing their own meaningful giving day.
Maybe it’s a particular Sunday in December.
Maybe it’s connected to a ministry celebration or a community program.
Maybe it’s a day your church has traditionally used to recognize the work it has accomplished.
You know your people.
You know your church calendar.
Choose a date that gives your congregation a meaningful opportunity to participate.
And whatever date you choose, give yourself time to prepare.
Know what you’re raising money for. Establish the amount. Make sure leadership is involved. Prepare your communications. Talk with the people who may want to make a significant contribution.
You want to have those things in place before you stand in front of the congregation and make the announcement.
What Could Your Church Accomplish With More Support?
I want to leave you with something to think about.
Look at the work your church is doing right now.
Think about the programs that have been growing. Think about the needs in your community. Think about the things leadership keeps discussing but hasn’t had the resources to move forward.
Now ask yourself:
What could we accomplish if we brought more people into the work of supporting those ministries?
Maybe it’s helping another 50 families.
Maybe it’s expanding a youth program.
Maybe it’s making sure a community initiative has the support it needs going into the new year.
Whatever it is, I want our churches to start giving those opportunities more attention.
We’ve built institutions that have served our communities for generations. We’ve got people doing remarkable work with the resources available to them.
And there’s more work ahead.
Let’s make sure we’re taking the time to build the financial support that work deserves.
We’ve Put Together a Free Guide to Help You Get Started
If year-end giving hasn’t been part of your church’s fundraising approach, we’ve created something to help you begin.
The Black Church’s Guide to Year-End Giving walks you through what year-end giving is, who your church could be reaching out to, how to choose a fundraising goal, and how to begin organizing a campaign around the work you’re already doing.
It also includes a campaign checklist and a sample calendar you can follow with your leadership team.
I know you have plenty on your plate. My hope is that this guide gives you a useful starting point and helps you see what’s possible for your church.
Download The Black Church’s Guide to Year-End Giving
And if you’re working through these questions and would like to understand where your church stands with its overall fundraising, you’re welcome to explore our Fundraising Readiness Assessment.
We’d be glad to learn more about the work you’re doing.
Paul Hosch
Nonprofit Fundraising Management
wearenfm.com
Source: Blackbaud Institute, 2025 Trends in Giving. The giving figures describe the nonprofit organizations included in its analysis and are not a forecast of what any individual church will raise.
