January Jumpstart: Organize Your Donors and Boost Fundraising Success
January 8, 2026
Ah, January — Cleanup on Aisle 5 month! The start of a new year is the perfect time to get your fundraising operations in order. Beyond sending out end-of-year thank-yous, it’s an ideal month to focus on CRM cleanup and other donor strategies that set the stage for a successful year. A clean, well-organized database is the backbone of effective donor engagement, helping ensure that your appeals, stewardship, and reporting are accurate, efficient, and impactful.
Start with data hygiene - I know, I know, it's sometimes painful! Review your donor records for missing information, duplicate entries, or outdated contact details. Standardize naming conventions, segment donors by giving level or type, and flag lapsed or recurring donors. This foundational step may seem tedious, but it pays off exponentially by enabling personalized outreach, accurate reporting, and a clear picture of your fundraising pipeline.
Next, review giving patterns and engagement history — I've found that seeing trends can be surprisingly revealing! Identify top donors, lapsed supporters, and mid-level prospects who could be upgraded. Look at which campaigns, events, or appeals resonated last year and which didn’t. This analysis informs smarter segmentation and messaging for the year ahead, helping you prioritize where to focus your time and resources.
January is also a great month to plan your communications calendar - prep today, stress less tomorrow! Map out monthly appeals, donor updates, events, and stewardship touches. Incorporate special campaigns such as Valentine’s, spring fundraisers, or Giving Days. Having a roadmap early ensures consistency and allows you to coordinate across staff and volunteers, making your outreach feel intentional rather than reactive.
Finally, consider relationship-building activities that go beyond asking for gifts - set yourself up for stewardship success! Schedule early donor meetings or coffee chats, check in on major donors, and engage volunteers and board members in outreach. By combining CRM cleanup with proactive donor engagement, you create a solid foundation for the year, making every ask more strategic, every thank-you more meaningful, and every campaign more effective — so your year starts clean, tidy, and spill-free on Aisle 5.
~ J. Mulcahy
