Mike’s Monday Message: You Got This!

There’s only a few weeks left in 2023, which means ‘tis the season for year-end giving. It’s the busiest time of year for nonprofits as fundraisers go above and beyond to make sure their donors can support the causes they care about before the calendar year expires and the holidays come to an end. 

December is often one of the most important months for our organizations, our beneficiaries, and our year-end fundraising goals, which can also make it one of the most stressful. 2023 has been another tough year for fundraising metrics as we’ve had to contend with declining dollars and losses in our total number of donors, which only adds to the pressure fundraisers face this time of year. 

Which is why I want to take this Mike’s Monday Message to simply say… you’ve got this and you’re not alone! Regardless of the size of your team, it is easy to feel isolated and overwhelmed, which is why it is more important than ever during this time to check in with yourself, your colleagues, and your AFP community. I’ll say it again: you are NOT alone. There is always someone that you can turn to who has been in your shoes and understands the challenges you’re facing. 

As you head into the year-end giving season, here are a few ways that AFP can support you: 

• Check out our library of on-demand webinars covering topics like What To Do At Year-End: Cultivating Mid-Size Donors.
• Reach out to colleagues on AFP Connect to ask a question and get advice from your network of over 26,000 fundraisers. 
• Remember to prioritize your mental health with self-care. 

When you're feeling overwhelmed, take a step back. Remember that you're the expert, you've put in the hard work, you've got the rest of the fundraising community behind you, and you can do it. You're making an incredible impact each and every day. 

Find more resources for year-end fundraising here: https://afpglobal.org/igotthis 

As always, please feel free to email me at mike.geiger@afpglobal.org or connect with me directly on X at @AFPMikeGeiger. I’d love to hear from you.

Mike Geiger, MBA, CPA