Your Generosity Matters: The Opportunity of Year-End Giving
by Andy Petersen, Director of Advancement, REI HQ
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give,” Winston Churchill famously said.
As we approach the final months of the year, it is a natural time to reflect on what we have accomplished, look ahead to what is possible and consider how we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. For many generous supporters, the end of the year is also a time to consider how the resources entrusted to them can be used to support causes they believe in.
Your generosity matters, and the impact of your giving extends far beyond the gift itself.
The generosity of year-end giving
Typically for nonprofits, this is a significant season in the annual calendar. The fourth quarter is an extraordinary season of charitable giving. According to Blackbaud's latest charitable giving data, more than 36% of annual charitable revenue was generated during the fourth quarter in 2025. December alone accounted for approximately 18% of annual giving.
Resource Exchange International (REI) is no different, but REI’s data shows an even greater impact. Over the last five years, 41% of our revenue was generated in the fourth quarter. And over that same period, 28% of REI’s revenue came in December.
Those numbers tell us something important: At the end of the year, many people choose to give – and to give generously – to the organizations and missions they value.
But behind every statistic is a person.
A person who believes in a mission and wants to make a difference. A person who has decided that the resources they have been entrusted with can help create opportunities and improve lives.
That person is you.
You are part of the mission
Donors like you can forget that your role matters more than the money you give. When you give to REI, you are doing more than making a financial contribution. You are becoming part of the work itself.
Your generosity helps provide the resources needed to pursue our mission, serve others, respond to opportunities and make a lasting difference in the lives of the people we are privileged to serve. The truth is that without partners who not only believe in but also invest in our mission, our work cannot move forward. This means it is in working together as one team that we can fulfill the vision.
You may not always see the individual life touched by your gift. You may not know every story made possible by your generosity.
But your support matters.
We know it makes a difference in those of us who give just as much as it does in those we hope our giving helps. For those of us who view our resources as something entrusted to us, giving can be an important expression of gratitude, purpose and responsibility. It allows us to use what we have been given to accomplish something that extends beyond ourselves.
As you consider your year-end giving
As the year draws to a close, we invite you to consider what role you would like to play in the year ahead.
Perhaps you will make a first gift. Perhaps you will increase your giving. Perhaps you will make a special year-end gift in addition to your regular support. Or perhaps you will continue to support this organization through your encouragement and involvement.
Whatever you choose, please know that your partnership is deeply valued and appreciated.
REI is committed to being faithful stewards of every gift entrusted to us. Your generosity deserves our gratitude, our accountability and our commitment to use those resources wisely and effectively.
As we close this year, we are grateful, not simply for the gifts we receive, but for the people behind those gifts.
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