Fundraising: Double Your Response Rates for Your Giving Tuesday and Year-End Appeals

Tom Iselin
Dec 2, 2020
4 min read

Updated: Dec 12, 2025

Simple. Effective. Field Tested.

Fundraising: Double Your Response Rates

The Rule of 5: A Proven Follow-Up Strategy to Double Your Fundraising Response Rates

As the year comes to a close, it’s important to remember a powerful reality of nonprofit fundraising: 30% of all charitable giving happens between Thanksgiving and December 31, and 12% occurs in the final 3 days of the year.

Even more encouraging? Most of this giving comes from donors who give under $10,000.

That should give hope to fundraisers who worry donors have gone quiet or “locked down” their wallets. They haven’t. They’re just busy—and they need clear, thoughtful follow-up.

That’s where The Rule of 5 comes in.

What Is the Rule of 5?

The Rule of 5 is a simple, disciplined follow-up strategy I’ve used to help raise millions of dollars. It works for Giving Tuesday, end-of-year appeals, and nearly any email-based fundraising campaign.

When followed precisely, this approach can more than double response rates—not by being pushy, but by being consistent, clear, and kind.

Step 1: Send a Strong Initial Appeal

Your first email or letter sets the tone. Keep it clean, readable, and donor-centered.

Key principles:

Use short paragraphs
Include a bolded header for each paragraph (people scan before they read)
Ask for a gift at least 3 times (directly or indirectly)
Sell the need and the impact, not your programs
- Program details belong in an attachment, not the body
Include a pull quote that reinforces the ask
Avoid overselling “what you do”
Focus on connecting the donor’s gift to impact

Remember: donors care less about your organization and more about what their gift will accomplish.

Step 2: Wait 5 Days, Then Resend

If you don’t receive a response, resend the same appeal 5 days later, but with a different subject line.

That’s it. No changes to the body. Just a fresh subject line.

Step 3: Send a Third Email (5 Days Later)

If there’s still no response, send another email 5 days later, again with a new subject line.

At the very top—before the solicitation text—add a brief personal note like this:

John, when you have a moment, please read the email and attached PDF.Demand for infant formula has tripled since COVID. Your gift will make a difference.I’ll call you early next week to hear your thoughts and answer questions.All the best,Tom

This sets expectation, urgency, and respect.

Step 4: Make the First Call

Within the next 5 days, call the donor.

If they answer: listen, thank them, and follow the conversation naturally.
If they don’t answer: leave a voicemail, but do NOT ask for money in the message.

Your goal is connection, not pressure.

Step 5: Make a Second Call

If you still haven’t connected, call again 5–7 days later.

If you leave another voicemail, let them know you’ll be sending a reminder email soon. This builds trust and predictability.

Step 6: Send the Final Email (End-of-Year Timing)

For year-end campaigns, time this last email so it goes out on December 27.

At the top of the email, before the solicitation text, write something like:

John, now is the time to ensure infants have enough formula through the holidays and into the new year.Please choose a sponsorship level from the attached PDF and make your gift at: www._____You have ___ days left to make a tax-deductible gift for this year.Your support will make a difference in the lives of dozens of infants in our county.Thank you—and Happy Holidays!Tom

Keep it short, clear, and human.

Remember . . . Fundraising? Double your response rates by following the rule of 5!

Key Takeaways

The Rule of 5 works because it respects donors’ time while acknowledging reality:

Donors are busy, not disinterested
Follow-up increases response—not annoyance—when done with care
Consistency builds credibility
Clear impact motivates action
Kind persistence beats silence every time

Summary

End-of-year fundraising is not about writing longer emails or inventing clever tactics—it’s about disciplined follow-up. The Rule of 5 gives you a simple, proven structure to stay visible without being pushy.

If you’re passionate, respectful, and consistent, persistence will pay off. This is the season of giving—some donors just need a thoughtful nudge.

Tom Iselin

Rated One of America’s Best Board Retreat

and Strategic Planning Facilitators

About the Author

Tom Iselin is recognized as one of America’s leading authorities on high-performance nonprofits. He has built nine sector-leading nonprofits and two software companies, written six books, sits on multiple boards, and has been rated one of America’s Best Board Retreat and Strategic Planning Facilitators. His work on nonprofit strategy, board leadership, and culture has been featured on CNN, Nightline, and in Newsweek.

Tom is the president of First Things First, a firm specializing in board retreats, strategic planning services, fundraising strategy, and executive coaching for nonprofit CEOs.

Board Retreats & Strategic Planning

If you’re looking for a board retreat facilitator or strategic planning facilitator who has been in the trenches and understands real-world nonprofit challenges, Tom can help your board gain clarity, build alignment, and create an actionable plan that improves performance and impact. His sessions propel organizations to the next level of performance and impact . . . and they're fun!

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