Category: donor-retention

Let your donors know their gifts have impact Nonprofits often deal in large numbers, raising millions of dollars to feed hundreds of thousands of starving children or saving thousands of homeless animals, or rebuilding whole communities after a disaster. But for most people, those numbers don’t resonate. We hurt for those in need, but we wonder how much our relative drop-in-the-bucket donations can help. You know that every dollar matters. Your job is to let your donors know that, as well. Part of the solution is helping donors think in digestible numbers. This campaign does a really nice job of that. Texas-based nonprofit Artist Boat promotes awareness and preservation of coastal prairies,...

A quick word of advice: Don’t panic! Times are tough, but it’ll be OK Sometimes you just need a little assurance that everything’s going to be OK. That may be especially true for you, for fundraisers and change-makers, during these chaotic times. Here’s a bit of advice from fundraising maven Ellen Cobb Church, CEO at Thrive Marketing Group Virginia. Ellen has been a fundraiser for more years than she probably cares to say, so she has a pretty good feel for the heartbeat of the sector these days. “Don’t panic,” Ellen is quick to advise. “Yes, we are living in an unprecedented time for fundraising. And just as we have in other difficult times, nonprofits will continue to connect with donors...

01 | Introduction Clients, people who read my blogs and newsletters, and those who participate in my training all know that I firmly believe that philanthropy starts with gratitude. Alas, that is the one thing that seems to always get lost. I think of gratitude as “And then?” — those actions that happen after a person says yes. It’s what you do once the gift is given. THESE ARE DONOR RETENTION STRATEGIES AND THEY ARE CRITICAL FOR KEEPING YOUR DONORS HAPPY. Keeping donors happy is just plain good sense. A happy donor is likely to become a donor again. And again. Unhappy donors, however, are likely to become lapsed donors. That is the 60% or so of donors who never make a second gift to an...

Donors young and old are interested and willing to give monthly You allow the donor to make a difference in a way that's convenient and affordable to them. 2-5x Monthly donors give more money. Typically they give two to five times more. And it is unrestricted. It is not expensive to get started with monthly giving. You already have the tools in-house with your payment processor, donor base, and email program. Monthly donors will continue to make extra gifts if asked and can be upgraded at least once a year. Monthly donors will provide the funds you can count on, month after month. You can plan your cash flow better and you'll know funds will come in no matter what.

Inside Look | This guide will cover the following topics: 01 Introduction 02 Outline Your Nonprofit Storytelling Ambassador Plan 03The 6 Best Types of Stories for Nonprofits to Share 04 Conclusion 01 Introduction What is nonprofit storytelling, what does it do, and what does it matter for your nonprofit? Storytelling should be actionable - inspiring listeners or readers to take an action on your behalf, whether your goal is to get more members, donations, event attendees etc. It should also make readers want to share the story with others. Let me start with two scenarios. SCENARIO 1: You receive a dry-form letter in the mail from a breast cancer research charity that bought your name from...

Capital campaigns are one of the most extensive campaigns that an organization will ever undertake. In most cases, an organization needs to fund capital purchases, upgrades, and/or renovations and repairs. Given their highly episodic nature, organizations that are seeking to undergo a capital campaign must do so with foresight and preparation geared to success. The most critical steps are taken before even the actual capital campaign plan is drafted and far before an actual solicitation happens. Organizations that are embarking on their first-ever campaign or who have not undergone such intensive efforts in a while would be wise to take heed of the following preparatory steps to ensure...

This is a guest post by Brian Saber Most fundraising professionals would prefer to do just about anything than ask someone for money face-to-face. Even for those who find it somewhat “easy,” it can be awkward and anxiety-inducing to ask for money, regardless of how good your cause is. Yet, deep down, we know asking for donations face to face for your nonprofit will end up making a huge impact… and the facts back that up. Asking in-person is proven to have the highest rate of success among all methods. Kent Dove of the Indiana University Foundation analyzed different ways of giving. Direct mail has the lowest success rate of the traditional fundraising methods –just 1-2%. Phone calls – not...

I love teaching the Annual Reports webinars for CharityHowTo’s participants (How to Create an Awesome Annual Report and How to Transition Your Annual Report to an Infographic). Professionals who attend and engage have excellent questions, constructive ideas for others, and thoughtful approaches to serving their donors. And fundraising publications are one of my favorite topics in development. Sure, as a professional writer, I’m biased, but every nonprofit needs them and (should) use collateral all the time! While I know the folks who attend these webinars benefit from the conversation, I have also noticed a big problem. I receive A LOT of emails from potential participants who are...