Fall is prime fundraising season. From back-to-school through Giving Tuesday and into year-end giving, donors are more engaged and charitable wallets are more open. But if you're thinking of kicking off a campaign in September or October, starting in the fall is already too late.

Summer is your secret weapon.

Whether you’re new to donation drives or looking to improve results this year, summer gives you the space to get creative, explore new tools, and lay the groundwork for a program that not only performs—but scales.

Here’s why it pays to start now—and how rounding and cashback donations can play a pivotal role.

You need time to build buy-in, internally and externally

Planning a fundraising push often requires aligning multiple teams: development, marketing, tech, finance. That’s not quick. Add in leadership approvals, compliance, and content creation, and it’s easy to see why most fall campaigns feel rushed.

Summer slows things down just enough to run workshops, test messaging, and get decision-makers excited about something new, like rounding up spare change at checkout, or rewarding loyal givers with cashback they can re-donate.

Pro tip: Some nonprofits on Reddit noted they ran into delays when trying to stand up tech-based round-up campaigns because they underestimated the internal coordination required. 

Donors like options and they like feeling in control

Today’s donor is digitally savvy, budget-aware, and wants giving to feel effortless. Round-up donations (think: “Would you like to round up your purchase to the nearest dollar for [inset cause]?”) and cashback rewards give them low-friction ways to give on their terms, especially if it fits into daily habits like spending, saving, or shopping.

These tools are familiar from for-profit loyalty programs, but underused in the nonprofit world. Integrating them now lets you experiment with messaging, partners, and onboarding flows, without the crunch of Q4 urgency.

Donors respond well to clear, opt-in experiences and consistent communication. Program managers need to make the value and ease obvious especially when it comes to micro-donations at scale.

Summer is for soft launches and testing

If you’re introducing a new giving method like card-linked rounding or cashback donations, summer is the perfect time to pilot a version. Test it with internal staff or a friendly donor cohort. Work out the kinks in messaging, opt-ins, and reporting.

By the time fall arrives, you’re not just ready—you’ve got results and testimonials to show. That builds confidence for leadership and credibility with donors.

Recurring giving gives you a head start

One-off donations are great. But recurring giving is where you get predictability and long-term impact. Tools like spare change round-ups and cashback for good are uniquely suited to build a base of habitual givers, because they work passively in the background.

That’s especially helpful as giving trends shift toward frictionless generosity. The earlier you start implementing and communicating these options, the more likely they’ll become habits before year-end.

You don’t have to be technical, just curious

Many nonprofit leaders assume programs like card-linked giving or cashback rewards are too technical. But with modern platforms (like Olive), you don’t need in-house engineers. These tools are designed to be plug-and-play—offering pre-built flows, easy onboarding, and dashboards that show real-time impact.

What you do need is time to explore, ask the right questions, and build a strategy that fits your mission. Summer gives you that window.

Start now and stress less later

Fall will be busy. Starting your planning and testing in summer sets you up for a calmer, more confident, and more effective fundraising season.

Whether you're exploring round-up giving, cashback rewards, or a full recurring donor push, now is the moment to move from research into action.

Curious about what this could look like for your organization?

Let’s talk about what’s possible.