December isn’t the only month when your nonprofit can capitalize on holiday cheer. February 14th – Valentine’s Day - is a day when many people are encouraged to show their love and affection for one another. This holiday is about generosity and showing other that you care. So why not take the opportunity to give a little love to your donors, and perhaps ask for a little love in return?
Valentine’s Day is a great day to show your donors how much they’ve impacted your organization. You may send out thank-you letters at other times of year, but on Valentine’s Day a card has special meaning. Whether you purchase or hand-make your Valentine’s Day cards, or use a free e-card service, your donors will appreciate the sentiment. If you’re short on time, you might think about creating a digital Valentine’s Day card and sharing it on your website, blog, newsletter, Pinterest board or Facebook page, like this adorable otter Valentine from the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Image via Monterey Bay Aquarium
For even more impact, create a Valentine’s Day video to send to your special donors, like this Charity Water video.
If you’re progressing from simple thank-you notes to an entire Valentines’ Day fundraising campaign, there are many examples of previous campaigns that successfully tapped into the true sentiment of the holiday. The Trust for Public Land’s “Seven Places to Steal a Kiss” campaign connected the romance of Valentine’s Day with the beauty of protected natural areas. The Children’s National Medical Center asked donors to send Valentine’s Day cards to hospitalized children. And Cupid’s Undie Run raises money for The Children’s Tumor Foundation and neurofibromatosis research through an annual tongue-in-cheek Valentine’s Day event.
February 14th might not be your biggest fundraising day of the year, but it’s also less likely you’ll get lost in the crowd. Many people think chocolates and flowers are a thing of the past, and would rather give more meaningful gifts – like a donation to your organization in the name of love. Valentine’s Day is a terrible day to waste!