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Smart Brevity® count: 5 mins...1313 words
The data is clear: December shapes your results more than any other. Donors are paying attention, generosity spikes, and the right stories and touch points can move your campaign from steady to strong.
Last month, best month…
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🎤 The wait is over. The work is not.
From the roots up: Since starting my consulting practice, I’ve been amazed over and over again by extraordinary nonprofit leaders and organizations transforming our world.
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Small teams, modest budgets, big, bold work.
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People quietly showing up daily to make communities healthier, safer, and more humane.
And at the same time, I feel growing frustration.
Planting Seeds: Many people often discuss what’s broken in the world but stop short of action.
Here’s the truth I’ve come to believe deeply.
The work nonprofits do speaks to most concerns we carry.
Ring by ring: That frustration led me to the TEDx stage. I had an idea 2 years ago.
After 2 years of applying to TEDx events and facing rejection, my idea finally resonated with the TEDx Capy May team and my dream became a reality in 5 Ways your Humanness Can Change the World.
Shifting winds: My message is simple.
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Our problems are not too big to overcome; they require focused, collective effort.
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Nonprofits are leading the way.
Now, I need your help.
If you believe this is an idea worth spreading, partner with me in a tangible way.
Here’s how you can help today:
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Like the talk on YouTube
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Leave a comment
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Share it with those who need to hear it
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Maybe that’s your Board of Directors. Maybe it’s your donor community.
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Maybe it’s your employee network, book club, clients, or holiday card list.
Branching ahead: The more this message travels, the more people we can invite into meaningful partnerships with organizations that are transforming lives and communities every day.
The bottom line: The wait is over. The work continues.
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2. ⬇️ Trust among those holding the most wealth is declining
What percent of Baby Boomers have consciously stopped giving to nonprofits?
Your response is anonymous
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3. The future of nonprofit fundraising
SoléAna Stables demonstrates sincere gratitude for loyal and consistent donors.
Last month, we called out what too few nonprofits are preparing for—the largest wealth transfer in history unfolding as $13.8 trillion begins to move over the next decade.
What’s shifting: The Great Wealth Transfer won’t reward everyone equally. It will flow toward nonprofits that have earned trust over time from donors who’ve been giving for 20+ years, even in modest amounts.
What matters more now:
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Years of giving > size of any single gift
A donor who’s given faithfully for decades is more viable than a newer, higher-dollar donor.
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Loyal donors deserve insider treatment
More attention. More listening. More inclusion.
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Relationships beat mechanics
Planned giving isn’t about trust instruments—it’s about trust itself.
What to do differently:
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Stop isolating loyal donors in one portfolio. Everyone on your team should know them.
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Train all fundraisers in the basics of estate giving—not to sell, but to listen.
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Mobilize the whole organization. Board members, volunteers, and natural connectors matter more than ever.
The deeper truth: This isn’t just a transfer of wealth. It’s a transfer of values.
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Donors are passing forward what shaped them—their work, their beliefs, their communities, and what they want preserved for the next generation.
At the same time, trust is fragile. Research shows 36% of Baby Boomers have consciously stopped giving, often because they feel disconnected or unsure their gifts matter.
It’s time to shift your lens:
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From dollars raised → donors retained
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From giving to an organization → giving through one
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From fundraising as a department → fundraising as a shared responsibility
Bottom line: If you want your organization to benefit from what’s coming, loyalty isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s the strategy.
Next month, we’ll get specific about what to ask and how to ask so you genuinely know your donors and invite them into a deeper partnership.
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4. 🎁 Making something M.O.R.E. of GivingTuesday
Last month, we asked how you incorporate GivingTuesday into your year-end fundraising plan.
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88% shared that it’s part of their year-end campaign, while 13% said it launches their year-end efforts.
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However you approach it, we love seeing you show up for this day.
This month, we’re thrilled to spotlight the meaningful and creative way M.O.R.E. Possibilities used GivingTuesday—not just to raise awareness, but to center dignity and connection.
On GivingTuesday, something special happened.
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While the world focused on generosity, M.O.R.E. celebrated independence by giving adults with disabilities the chance to give to the people they love.
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They also deepened their connection with a corporate partner.
With sixty participants and volunteers filling Target Sugar Land, adults proudly selected gifts for parents and caregivers. Joy, pride, and independence—it was all there.
Thanks to the generous support of Origin Bank, participants received gift cards that gave them the power to choose.
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Origin’s volunteer team walked alongside each shopper, offering encouragement every step of the way.
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Target Sugar Land welcomed the group with warmth and care, helping make the day smooth and memorable.
This is one example of what GivingTuesday can look like. At M.O.R.E., it meant honoring choice, dignity, and the joy of giving while expanding a meaningful partnership.
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5. Six Stories Every Nonprofit Should Tell
Stories matter.
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We’re wired for characters, conflict, and resolution.
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When your message is clear, donors see where they fit—and they act.
The October 2025 issue of AFP’s Advancing Philanthropy sparked a fresh look at how we approach storytelling. It inspired our own take on six story types any nonprofit can use to bring their mission to life.
Here are the six we lean on at Broad Oaks.
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The Small Story
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The Meaningful One: Show the shift your work creates.
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The Honest One: Name the challenge or misconception that blocks giving.
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The “Relevant Right Now” One: Why your mission matters today.
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The “In Your Zip Code” Story: Make it personal.
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The Optimistic One: Pair urgency with a hopeful path forward.
The bottom line: Donors need to believe their gift makes change possible.
Go deeper: Want the full breakdown? Read the complete blog for examples, context, and how to use each story type in your fundraising.
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6. The Stretch – Don’t Coast Yet
December is the most generous month of the year—and the numbers prove it.
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About 30% of all annual giving happens in December.
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10% of annual giving lands in the final three days of the year.
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Many nonprofits raise 17–34% of their online revenue in December.
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The M+R Benchmarks Report notes that December remains the single strongest month for online giving, with a meaningful share arriving on December 31.
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One BOC client saw $1,050 raised in the last five days of 2023… and then $10,000 in the last five days of 2024 with a dedicated year-end push.
The bottom line: Donors are actively looking for places to give.
Finish strong.
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🌱 Ready to build momentum that lasts?
Progress doesn’t come from waiting. It comes from connection, clarity, and the courage to stretch when it matters most.
If you want to be celebrating your strongest year yet instead of worrying about funding next December, let’s start planning for it.
📅 Schedule your complimentary Quick-Win Strategy call for January.
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