How Can Charities Maximise Fundraising During the Winter Season?

As summer gives way to autumn and the first leaves begin to fall, many charities are already turning their attention to the critical months ahead. Winter is more than just another season in the fundraising calendar, it’s when generosity peaks, competition intensifies, and year-end campaigns can make the difference between meeting targets or falling short.

The opportunity is huge – many charities see a large share of their annual giving during the festive season. But the challenges are equally significant. Rising costs of living, donor fatigue, and a crowded marketplace mean that only the most thoughtful and well-executed campaigns will truly cut through.

Our experience as both partners and active supporters means we understand this reality from every angle. Many of our team are trustees, fundraisers, or active charity supporters, giving us lived experience of the pressures charities face. Alongside that, our work building digital platforms for the sector – and our own donation platform, Giant Giving – gives us unique insights into donor behaviour, conversion triggers, and digital best practice.

This blend of personal commitment and technical expertise means we see first-hand what works in winter fundraising, and where opportunities are often missed. As the season approaches, it’s this experience that shapes the strategies we believe can help charities turn seasonal generosity into lasting impact.

Why is the winter period so important for charity fundraising?

The data makes clear just how critical the winter period is for fundraising in the UK:

• Festive generosity: CAF’s UK Giving Report 2025 highlights that the public donated £15.4 billion in 2024, with a clear spike in the final quarter of the year.
• Seasonal peaks: Analysis by Enthuse shows that certain December days are disproportionately generous. On 21 December 2022, almost 5% of that month’s donations were made in a single day.
• Giving Tuesday as a springboard: While Giving Tuesday provides profile and momentum, research shows it’s not the highest day for donations. Later dates in December often deliver stronger results.
• Changing donor dynamics: Only 50% of UK adults donated in 2024, down from 58% in 2019, yet average gifts are increasing. This means fewer donors are sustaining income, making retention and stewardship more important than ever.

For charities, the message is clear: the opportunity is huge, but timing, targeting and execution are what separate those who thrive from those who struggle.

What digital strategies help charities boost fundraising in winter?

Digital channels now dominate winter fundraising. Donors expect speed, trust, and a seamless experience, and even small friction points can cost charities significant income. Through Giant Giving, we see how donor journeys reveal what makes campaigns succeed.

1. Campaign landing pages

Your donation page is the conversion point for all your digital activity. To perform at its best, it should:

• Be clear, uncluttered, and mobile-first (over half of online giving is made on a mobile device).
• Demonstrate immediate impact (e.g. “£20 provides a hot meal for a family this Christmas”) to connect gift to outcome.
• Offer multiple quick payment options – digital wallets, Apple/Google Pay, PayPal – alongside recurring gift prompts.

We’ve seen that simple tweaks, like streamlining form fields or surfacing Gift Aid more clearly, can improve completion rates by 10–20%.

2. Storytelling that resonates

Seasonal appeals land best when they connect to the emotions of winter: warmth, care, hope, belonging. The most effective campaigns tie supporter generosity directly to these themes, whether through imagery, video, or first-person storytelling.

3. Multi-channel approach

Supporters don’t live in one channel, so campaigns shouldn’t either. Common approaches include:

• Email for segmented, personalised appeals.
• Social media for storytelling, shareability, and urgency.
• Paid ads to reach beyond your existing base at the busiest time of year.
• SMS or WhatsApp in the final days before deadlines, where immediacy counts.

4. Optimising the donation journey

A donor should be able to give in under 60 seconds. If not, many will abandon. That means:

• Mobile-friendly forms that work smoothly across devices.
• Clear security signals to reassure donors.
• Minimal friction – every extra field reduces completions.
• Immediate confirmation and thanks, closing the loop on the emotional decision to give.

Charities that invest in this kind of optimisation consistently raise more, not just because they convert more supporters, but because they leave donors with a more positive experience, increasing the likelihood of future giving.

How can charities engage donors and build stronger relationships?

Fundraising success isn’t only about platforms and payment flows, it’s about people. Understanding what motivates donors in the winter months helps charities shape messages that connect and convert.

• Emotional triggers: Winter naturally brings themes of warmth, compassion, and belonging. Appeals that tie donations to these emotions, such as providing warmth, food, or connection, tend to resonate most strongly.
• Urgency with dignity: Seasonal campaigns often create urgency (“help us reach 1,000 families by Christmas Eve”), but it’s vital this urgency never slips into exploitation. Respectful storytelling builds trust, while still inspiring timely action.
• Tailored asks: Donors aren’t all motivated in the same way. Some respond to tangible one-off gifts, others are drawn to the long-term impact of regular giving. Segmenting appeals based on past behaviour or supporter profile can lift response rates significantly.
• Reinforcing impact: Supporters want to know their gift matters. Quick, personalised thank-yous and early impact updates can turn a seasonal giver into a long-term advocate.

Through our experience supporting digital fundraising, we’ve seen how campaigns that connect emotionally and close the feedback loop with supporters consistently achieve higher conversion and stronger retention.

How can charities cut through fundraising noise during the festive season?

With so many charities vying for attention in November and December, distinctiveness is key. Donors are generous, but they are also inundated with appeals. The organisations that cut through are those that combine creativity with clarity.

• Creative storytelling: Winter campaigns that go beyond traditional imagery – through video, supporter-generated content, or interactive digital experiences – tend to capture more attention. A single compelling story, told well, often resonates more than broad statistics.
• Personalisation: Even small touches, like addressing donors by name or referencing past support, can lift engagement. In our work, we’ve seen that simple personalisation in donation journeys can help make supporters feel recognised rather than part of a mass appeal.
• Transparency and trust: Donors are increasingly conscious of where their money goes. Being explicit about how funds will be used, and reporting back quickly, helps build confidence and encourages repeat giving.
• Moments that matter: While Giving Tuesday is valuable for visibility, some of the biggest spikes in giving actually occur later in December. Planning for multiple “moments” across the season, rather than a single campaign day, helps sustain supporter attention.

One standout example is the Big Give Christmas Challenge, which in 2024 raised £44.7 million in just one week across more than 1,200 charities. The success was built on a clear proposition (match funding), powerful storytelling, and a collective sense of urgency that stood out in a crowded festive period.

How can charities turn winter giving into long-term supporter relationships?

The close of a campaign isn’t the end of the supporter journey, it’s the beginning of the next chapter. Charities that invest in post-December stewardship often see one-off givers become regular supporters.

• Timely thank-yous: A quick, heartfelt thank-you is more than courtesy, it’s the first step in building trust. Automated messages can help with speed, but tone matters. The most effective thank-yous feel personal, warm, and genuine.
• Sharing impact: Donors want to know the difference their gift has made. Early impact reporting in January – whether through email updates, social posts, or video messages – helps reinforce that their support was worthwhile.
• New Year re-engagement: Many people set intentions in January to “do more good.” Positioning monthly giving, volunteering, or peer-to-peer fundraising as a way to carry the festive spirit into the New Year can be highly effective.
• Learning from data: Winter campaigns generate a wealth of insight. Analysing which messages resonated, which channels converted, and where supporters dropped off can sharpen strategy for the year ahead.

Effective stewardship doesn’t just protect the income generated in December, it builds the foundation for deeper supporter relationships throughout the year. By combining timely gratitude, transparent impact reporting, and thoughtful re-engagement, charities can turn the seasonal surge in generosity into lasting commitment.

What role does technology and data play in successful winter fundraising?

Winter fundraising can place real pressure on digital systems. High volumes of web traffic, large spikes in donations, and the need for real-time reporting can quickly expose weaknesses in infrastructure. Charities that invest in technology and data are better placed not only to maximise income during December but to carry insights into the year ahead.

• Scalable infrastructure: Donation pages and websites must be able to cope with traffic surges, especially around deadlines and peak days in December. Downtime, even for an hour, can mean thousands of pounds lost.
• Data-driven decision making: Analysing campaign performance in real time allows charities to adapt quickly, shifting spend to higher-performing channels, refining messages, or troubleshooting drop-off points.
• AI and automation: Emerging tools can help charities personalise supporter journeys, optimise campaign timing, and even predict donor behaviour. Used carefully, they can enhance capacity without adding to already stretched teams.
• Integration for efficiency: Seamless links between donation platforms, CRMs, and reporting tools save valuable time, reduce errors, and give fundraisers a clearer picture of performance.

By ensuring systems are robust, secure, and integrated, charities can enter the winter season with confidence, and use the insights it generates to inform strategy long after the festive lights have dimmed.

Preparing your charity for a successful fundraising season

The winter period represents both the greatest opportunity and the greatest test for charity fundraising. With billions donated across November and December, and some of the year’s highest peaks falling just before Christmas, no charity can afford to treat this season as business as usual.

Success depends on more than simply running an appeal. It’s about creating seamless digital journeys, connecting with donors’ motivations, and sustaining relationships beyond December. Charities that plan early, invest in their digital infrastructure, and put stewardship at the heart of their campaigns will not only raise more this winter but build the foundations for long-term resilience.

Our work with charities, and the data we see through Giant Giving, gives us a unique perspective on what drives success in winter fundraising. We understand the pressures of fundraising because many of us live them as trustees and volunteers, and we know how the right digital tools can make the difference when it matters most.

If your organisation is preparing for the winter season and would like to explore how digital can help maximise impact, get in touch with our team. We’d love to support you in making this winter your strongest yet.