December changes everything for text messaging. Nonprofits sent seven texts in December, more than double the typical two to three messages sent in other months. This surge wasn't random: 40% of online revenue comes in December,1 making it the heaviest fundraising month of the year. The data shows it worked: fundraising text conversion rates jumped 38% in December.
Why it matters
Your donors expect more messages during year-end giving season, not fewer. Nonprofits that scale up their text volume in December see conversion rates climb while opt-out rates actually drop. This is the one month when increased frequency doesn't annoy donors: it meets them where their giving intent already lives.
The challenge isn't whether to send more texts in December, it's making sure your program can handle the volume strategically. Many nonprofits send one to two texts per month for most of the year and suddenly jump to seven in December without proper planning. This whiplash can hurt performance if the messaging isn't coordinated across Giving Tuesday, mid-month lulls, and the final week of year-end.
Do this
Map your end of December text calendar now: identify key moments leading up to the final three days of the year when donors are most responsive. Balance fundraising asks with engagement messages so your seven December texts don't feel like seven donation requests.
Test your sending times: late afternoon between 4 PM and 5 PM consistently delivers the highest ROI for fundraising texts.