January isn’t just a donor cultivation month. It’s also the single best window to invite a second gift... if you’ve earned the right to ask.

By late January, your year-end donors have already made an internal decision:
Is this an organization I want to stay connected to or was my December gift a one-off?

Your job isn’t to pressure them.

Your job is to deepen, enrich, and extend the relationship through three things:

  • Intentional thank-you and year-end follow-up (Part 1)
  • Donor-centered newsletter delivered digitally and in print (Part 2)
  • Then (and only then!) invite the next gift

The Mistake Nonprofits Make: Waiting Too Long, or Not Long Enough, to Ask for a Second Donation

Both Waiting 90 Days—and Rushing the Ask—Crush Revenue

Both approaches suppress repeat giving. Both undermine board-driven outcomes and expectations.

But a second gift isn’t about timing alone. It’s about the sequence of actions that come before the ask.

The most effective January appeals follow a simple, tested three-part cycle:

  1. Thank promptly (at least 3 thank you touchpoints)
  2. Report impact clearly (frame your donor as the hero)
  3. Invite into the next chapter

Only then does an ask feel natural... and welcomed.

What a Late-January Fundraising Ask Should Sound Like

Not:

“We’re kicking off the year and need your support to accomplish our goals.”

Instead:

“Because of you, [insert outcome from the shared story]. And if you’re moved to do more, here’s how you can help someone just like [insert beneficiary].”

This isn’t semantics... It’s psychology. Donors want to help, especially when they feel seen, valued, and connected. They rightfully decline when the relationship feels transactional.

The Subtle Truth about Repeat Giving and Donor Retention

Research consistently shows that the 30–45 days after a gift is when donors are most likely to give again... if engagement has been warmly, relationally reinforced.

January sits squarely in that window.

A thoughtful late-January appeal, grounded in gratitude and impact, doesn’t exhaust donors. It deepens commitment.

“Donor fatigue” isn’t caused by asking. It’s caused by asking without stewardship.

A Simple Litmus Test for your Next Fundraising Appeal

Before sending it, ask:

  • Did we clearly acknowledge the donor’s role in previous communications?
  • Did we thank the donor multiple times, prior to this fundraising ask?
  • Does this feel like an invitation, not a demand?

If yes, you’re ready.

If not, the ask can wait. The relationship shouldn’t.

One Final Thought

High-performing nonprofits don’t separate stewardship and fundraising.
They understand that good stewardship is what makes fundraising possible.

January isn’t the end of year-end. It's not a "slow month" for giving. It’s the moment that determines whether year-end season mattered beyond December 31st.

Let’s Connect and Align Stewardship with Your Nonprofit's Revenue Outcomes

If you want a clear, experienced perspective on whether your next appeal has truly earned the ask, you can book a short discovery call on the GrowBetter home page.

I’m Danielle Wallace, founder of GrowBetter Fundraising. :) In our conversation, we’ll look at one campaign, one audience, or one message and identify the fastest, most practical path to stronger repeat giving, without adding noise or unnecessary complexity.

Video: The Top Three January Fundraising Mistakes That Cost Nonprofits Revenue

January isn’t slow... it’s decisive! This short 4-minute video explains why post-year-end stewardship determines whether donors stay or disappear.