Fall 2025 Individual Giving Appeal

Fall 2025 Individual Giving Appeal

SCORE is launching our Fall 2025 Individual Giving Appeal, a nationwide fundraising effort inviting individuals to invest directly in the success of America’s small business owners. This campaign builds on SCORE’s proud legacy of providing free mentoring and low-cost education to entrepreneurs in every community. By strengthening our base of individual donors, we are ensuring SCORE’s long-term sustainability, reducing reliance on federal funding, and empowering chapters to continue innovating and expanding local impact. Every dollar raised helps keep our mentoring services free, supports chapter growth, and fuels the dreams of aspiring entrepreneurs who drive job creation and economic vitality across the country.

Campaign Details

Goal: Raise $250,000 from individual donors to support SCORE’s mission and diversify revenue streams.

Audience: General public and small business owners who value mentorship, entrepreneurship, and strong local economies.

Why It Matters: Standing up diverse revenue streams ensures SCORE’s long-term sustainability, reduces reliance on federal funding, and empowers SCORE to innovate while continuing to provide free mentoring and low-cost education to entrepreneurs nationwide.

Core Theme: Fuel Dreams. Build Businesses. Strengthen Communities.

Key Messages:

• Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy, creating two out of every three new jobs.
• SCORE mentors support entrepreneurs at no cost. Last year alone, SCORE helped launch 59,000 new businesses and create 84,000 new jobs.
• Your gift keeps SCORE mentoring free for entrepreneurs, ensuring access to expertise for anyone who wants to start or grow a small business.
• With your help, SCORE can continue to support the engine of our economy, small businesses.
• Donating means you’re not just giving money, you’re helping a neighbor open a business, a parent keep their dream alive, or a veteran start a new career.

Chapter-Level Information

All donations should be collected through www.score.org/donate-score. Each donor has the option to designate their gift to a specific chapter.

Funds donated to a chapter are allocated directly to that chapter. Chapters may use these funds in accordance with SCORE policies, including supporting Nationwide Core Essential Functions.

Chapters will receive a weekly donor report every Monday showing names, amounts, and designations of all donations made to the chapter. Reports will be available at: https://tinyurl.com/SCOREFinFieldRepFiles. 

Acknowledgment emails are automatically sent following a donation. It is a best practice for chapters to acknowledge all local gifts in a more meaningful way, such as handwritten letters or phone calls, especially for larger gifts. More information on donor Stewardship and Recognition is available, including how to host a Donor Thank-A-Thon. 

Chapter Resources

To support local implementation of the Fall 2025 Individual Giving Appeal, SCORE chapters have access to a comprehensive Chapter Resources Toolkit, which includes:

• Campaign Timeline: Guidance on local rollout from late October through Giving Tuesday (December 2).

• Email Templates: Ready-to-use chapter solicitation emails for launch, mid-campaign, and Giving Tuesday outreach—customizable with local data and success stories.

  • Constant Contact templates are available in the chapter accounts for e easy distribution. The copy used in these email templates is located within the Chapter Resources Toolkit.

• Social Media Posts: Prewritten posts and graphics highlighting client success stories, volunteer impact, and Giving Tuesday messages. Please note: Chapters with social media accounts managed by Soci will have posts pre-loaded into their monthly content for this campaign. Chapter accounts not connected through Soci will need to post on their respective social media platforms.

• Local Goal Setting Tips: Tools to help chapters set achievable fundraising targets and celebrate progress.

• Donor Stewardship Guidance: Suggestions for thanking donors and encouraging “Season of Giving” gifts after Giving Tuesday.

Thank you for your contributions toward the success of this campaign! Together, we can continue SCORE's successful legacy of supporting small businesses nationwide.