25+ Sample Year-End Giving Messages to Inspire Generosity

Year-end giving is the most important fundraising window of the year.

As much as 40% of annual online one-time revenue happens in December, and roughly 12% occurs in the final week alone. For many nonprofits, the last few days of the year determine whether goals are met — or missed.

To stand out in crowded inboxes and social feeds, nonprofits are increasingly turning to text messaging to capture supporters’ attention and drive immediate action.

Why? Because texting works.

According to Tatango’s 2025 Nonprofit Text Messaging Insights Report, 90% of text messages are opened within three minutes, and fundraising texts generated $4.38 in revenue for every $1 spent.

In this guide, you’ll find:

Why text messaging is uniquely effective for year-end campaigns
Strategic timing recommendations
25+ ready-to-use year-end giving messages
Best practices for maximizing ROI in the final days of December

If you’re new to nonprofit SMS strategy, start with our complete guide to nonprofit text messaging.

Why Send Text Messages During Your Year-End Giving Campaign?

Year-end fundraising is deadline-driven. Urgency matters. Attention is scarce.

Text messaging is uniquely suited to this moment because it is immediate, personal, mobile-first, and highly measurable.

Tatango data shows that organizations using a coordinated multi-channel strategy that combines SMS with email and digital campaigns see significant ROI during year-end giving campaigns.

Here’s why year-end giving messages perform especially well via text:

Communicating Urgency

Year-end fundraising revolves around clear deadlines. Text messaging allows you to communicate urgency in real time — whether you’re promoting a match, reminding supporters of tax deductibility, or counting down to midnight on December 31.

High Engagement Rates

Text messages consistently outperform other digital channels in open rates. When combined with segmentation and timing best practices, they drive strong click-through and conversion performance.

Cost-Effectiveness

Fundraising texts generated $4.38 for every $1 spent, according to the 2025 benchmark report. SMS remains one of the most efficient digital fundraising channels available.

Ease of Mobile Giving

Supporters are already on their phones. Text messages reduce friction by linking directly to mobile-optimized donation pages. Learn more about building effective text-to-give campaigns.

25+ Year-End Giving Text Messages That Work

The strongest year-end giving campaigns follow a cadence:

Priming (late November through December 29)
The final three-day push (December 29–31)
New Year’s Eve countdown messages
Story-driven appeals
New Year’s Day stewardship

If you’re looking for more inspiration beyond year-end, explore our full library of text donation message examples.

Texts to Prime Donors Before the Final Countdown

Begin your year-end giving messages around Giving Tuesday and continue through December with thoughtful reminders. Messages at this stage should encourage donors, but avoid creating a false sense of urgency by applying too much pressure too early.

Late December is when you’ll enter a “priming phase.” From December 26th through the 29th, your messages should focus on reflection and impact while reminding donors that the giving window is closing.

Examples:

“You helped provide meals to 3,200 families this year. There’s still time to make an even bigger impact before Dec 31.”
“Because of you, 140 students received scholarships in 2026. Let’s help 20 more before year-end.”
“We’re 82% to our year-end goal. Help close the gap before midnight Dec 31.”
“Only 5 days left to make a tax-deductible gift for 2026. Will you stand with us?”
“As we reflect on this year, we’re grateful for supporters like you. One more gift before Dec 31 can help us start 2027 strong.”
“Your generosity powered life-changing programs this year. There’s still time to help one more family before 2027.”

The “Last 3 Days” Push

December 29th–31st consistently produces strong fundraising outcomes for nonprofits. This is the moment to increase frequency and reinforce urgency.

If you can, incorporate match messaging into these final appeals. Match messaging is particularly effective in SMS because it is concise, clear, and deadline-driven.

Examples:

“FINAL MATCH: All gifts doubled until midnight tomorrow. Don’t miss this opportunity.”
“72 hours left. Your gift before midnight Dec 31 will help fund critical services in 2027.”
“We’re just $18,420 from our goal. Can you help close the gap before the year ends?”
“Your last chance to make a 2026 tax-deductible gift is here.”
“Only 2 days left to power lifesaving programs into the new year.”
“You’ve stood with us all year. Will you make one final gift before Dec 31?”

To see how a real-life nonprofit uses urgency to drive donations successfully, check out this example from Boys Town:

Boys Town’s message immediately captures readers’ attention with an image of a beneficiary that highlights the change supporters make when they donate. The text itself incorporates emojis, bolded fonts, personalization, and embedded links to keep supporters’ attention as they read. Boys Town also clearly communicates the benefits of donating urgently by emphasizing the benefits of a matching gift.

New Year’s Eve Countdown Texts

Countdown messages create clarity and urgency. Tatango’s 2025 data shows late afternoon and early evening (especially 4–5pm and 6–7pm) are strong fundraising windows.

To ensure your success, keep these messages short and focused on the deadline. You can even include a GIF of a countdown clock to stress the importance of giving before midnight.

Examples:

“⏳ 6 hours left to make your 2026 gift.”
“4 hours remaining. Your support tonight fuels our mission tomorrow.”
“2 hours left to reach our goal. Every gift counts.”
“1 hour to go. Stand with us before 2027 begins.”
“Final minutes of 2026. Make your impact now.”

Story-Driven Year-End Giving Messages

Storytelling strengthens emotional connection and improves donor motivation. Whether you’re just kicking off your year-end fundraising or you’re counting down the minutes until the new year, incorporating data-driven storytelling is a good way to help donors connect more deeply with your cause.

To encourage further donations, use MMS to pair images with concise copy, helping supporters visualize your impact. For example, Second Chance Sanctuary used an image of some of the dogs in their shelter to create a more effective emotional appeal.

Examples:

“Meet Maria. Because of donors like you, she found safe housing this year. Help more families like hers before Dec 31.”
“This year, you helped rescue 214 animals. Your final 2026 gift can help save even more.”
“James walked into our clinic with nowhere else to turn. Your support changed his future.”
“Your generosity built brighter futures in 2026. Let’s reach one more child before midnight.”
“Every gift tells a story. What will yours say before 2027 begins?”

New Year’s Day Stewardship Texts

While stewardship texts may not drive immediate revenue, they’re an important part of your long-term engagement strategy. Thanking donors promptly reinforces their decision to support your cause and increases retention.

Examples:

“Happy New Year! Because of you, we reached our goal. Thank you for powering our mission into 2027.”
“You made 2026 unforgettable. Your generosity is already at work changing lives.”
“Thank you for your year-end gift. We’re honored to have you as part of our community.”
“Your support helped us close the year strong. We can’t wait to show you what’s next.”
“Because of donors like you, 2027 begins with hope. Thank you.”

Send Mass Year-End Giving Messages with Tatango

Strong messaging requires strong infrastructure.

Tatango helps nonprofits:

Secure and manage SMS short codes
Grow and segment contact lists
Stay compliant with texting regulations
Automate follow-ups and match reminders
Track ROI and optimize performance

Many nonprofits like yours have dramatically increase their mobile donations by partnering with Tatango. The National Kidney Foundation, for example, leveraged broadcast text messaging to create participant journeys, such as welcome and coaching/countdown series, and used multimedia texts, including images, GIFs, and videos, to recruit and coach participants.

Texting isn’t limited to year-end campaigns. Many nonprofits integrate SMS into Giving Tuesday, emergency appeals, affinity days, monthly giving recruitment, and ongoing engagement efforts.

Explore our full texting services for nonprofits to learn more.

Achieving Your Fundraising Goals with Year-End Messages

The end of the year is your nonprofit’s time to remind supporters why they care about your cause and encourage them to act on that support. Text messaging amplifies these campaigns by driving immediate engagement and reinforcing email and digital strategies.

When used strategically, year-end giving messages delivered via SMS can help nonprofits: