Happy Holidays from the East Tennessee Foundation!

In this season of giving, we are thankful for the opportunity to work with such talented professionals at nonprofit organizations across our entire region. We have enjoyed collaborating with so many of you throughout the year, and we look forward to many more conversations in the months and years ahead.

As you navigate the year-end flurry of activity, we want to share some tools that may assist you with year-end giving:

• As you distribute your last-minute fundraising messages for 2025, we encourage you to keep messages simple and focused, especially because many of your donors may be facing 2026 tax changes. Ideas include promoting appreciated-stock gifts, emphasizing QCDs for donors who are 70 ½ and older, and reminding your supporters not to wait until late December because processing some types of gifts can take time.
• Studies show that most people give in the month of December, and many make those gifts during the last week of the year! We have provided ready-to-use language to help you craft year-end appeals that highlight both immediate needs and your organization’s objectives for long-term stability. Use these messages to invite donors into multiple giving pathways, show concrete impact, and offer clear, tax-smart calls to action before December 31.
• If you are looking ahead to 2026 and wondering what might be in store for corporate giving, you are not alone! It’s a big question mark for many charities and, simultaneously, for many companies. That’s because new tax laws taking effect next year could discourage some forms of corporate giving. In this environment, consider starting now to seek out purpose-driven companies that may be more likely to continue their support in creative ways even under the new laws.

We wish you all the best for the holiday season! Thank you for your partnership as we work toward increasing charitable giving, connect donors and nonprofits, and strive to make a positive difference in the quality of life in our region.