non-profits Archives

Write a Personal Donor Birthday Card in 7 Seconds

Posted on May 15, 2023May 15, 2023 by Ilan Mann

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever wanted to send a truly personal and handwritten birthday card to all of your donors, but found it to be too time-consuming and impractical? Well, imagine being able to accomplish this task in just 7 seconds using a nonprofit CRM! The Nonprofit Finance Fund’s State of the Nonprofit Sector survey found that in 2020, 52% of nonprofits reported an increase in demand for their services, while only 22% reported an increase in funding. This indicates that many nonprofits are being asked to do more with less. To counter the urgent need for funding, stewardship must be practiced regularly. Sending personalized birthday cards is a simple but meaningful way to express gratitude and build loyalty among your donor base.

WHY YOU SHOULD SEND BIRTHDAY CARDS TO DONORS

One of the most important assets you have is your donor base. These individuals have chosen to support your cause and help you achieve your mission, and it’s essential that you show them how much you value their contribution. One way to do this is by sending personalized birthday cards to your donors.

When you take the time to acknowledge your donors on their birthday, it demonstrates that you care about them as valued members of your community and not just as a source of funding. This personal touch can help to strengthen your relationship with your donors and can lead to increased engagement and support in the future.

Sending birthday cards also provides an opportunity to thank your donors for their past support and remind them of the impact their donations have had. By sharing specific examples of how their contributions have made a difference, you can help to reinforce their commitment to your cause and inspire them to continue giving. In addition to building stronger relationships with your donors, a birthday card can also help to differentiate your nonprofit from others.

Sending personalized birthday cards is a cost-effective way to acknowledge and celebrate your donors without requiring a large investment of time or resources. By using a nonprofit CRM, you can easily automate this process to ensure that every donor receives a birthday card on time. This makes it easy to scale this approach and ensure that every donor receives the same level of personalized attention. So why not start sending personalized birthday cards today and see the impact it can have on your donor retention and overall satisfaction?

HOW TO WRITE A BIRTHDAY CARD IN 7 SECONDS

Creating personalized birthday cards for donors can be a daunting task, especially if you have a large donor base. Postalgia specializes in taking these large and time consuming tasks, so you can put your focus and resources into vital nonprofit work such as, fundraising and services the community.

This is where donor segmentation comes in handy. With the help of a nonprofit CRM system, the process can be streamlined and made more efficient. By setting up a template for the message and using the CRM to export donor data, it’s possible to create and send personalized cards at scale with minimal time and effort.

Each field in a personalized birthday card can correspond to a field in your CRM or database. This means that you can use the data you have on the donor to create deeply personal and meaningful messages. For example, you can include their name, donation history, or specific program they have supported in the past. By using this information, you can craft a message that speaks directly to the donor and highlights the impact they have had on your organization.

In addition to the personalized fields, you can also randomize the lines in the generic parts of the birthday greeting. This allows you to add an extra layer of personalization by tailoring the message to the individual donor’s interests, preferences, or relationship with the organization. This can make the message feel even more special and can help to build a stronger connection between the donor and your organization.

By using a column in your data that indicates the donor’s birthday, you can set your card to be mailed a certain number of days before that day. This ensures that the donor receives the card in a timely manner and can enjoy the warm, fuzzy feelings that come with being appreciated on their special day. This level of personalization and attention to detail can make a big difference in how your donors perceive your organization.

While there is some upfront work involved in setting up the template and integrating your CRM with the mailing process, the actual process of exporting data and creating the cards takes only about 7 seconds. This means that you can achieve a high level of personalization and impact with minimal time and effort. By taking advantage of the power of a nonprofit CRM system, you can make sure that each of your donors feels appreciated and valued, which can lead to increased engagement, loyalty, and support over time.

EXAMPLE BIRTHDAY CARD MESSAGE

Dear Samantha,

Congratulations on turning 58 years young!

I wanted to wish you a happy birthday on behalf of myself, Sandra, and all of us at The Riverdale Hospital Foundation!

I hope this birthday is extra meaningful for you with the knowledge that you’ve had such a huge impact on our neonatal care program.

Hoping to see you at our hoops for heart fundraiser in June!

Sincerely,

Jerry

P.S. Please give my best to Craig and Emily!

TEMPLATE FOR BIRTHDAY CARD MESSAGE

Dear [First Name],

Congratulations on turning [Upcoming Age] years young!

I wanted to wish you a happy birthday on behalf of myself, [Relationship Manager Two], and all of us at The Riverdale Hospital Foundation!

I hope this birthday is extra meaningful for you with the knowledge that you’ve had such a huge impact on our [Project name].

Hoping to see you at our [next event] in [event month]!

Sincerely,

[Relationship Manager One]

P.S. Please give my best to [Spouse and Children Names]!

WRAP IT UP!

Sending personalized birthday cards to your donors is a simple yet effective way to show your appreciation and build stronger relationships. With the help of a nonprofit CRM system, this process can be streamlined and made more efficient, taking only 7 seconds to create and send each card. By using donor data to craft deeply personal messages and highlighting the impact of their contributions, you can inspire your donors to continue supporting your cause.

This cost-effective approach can differentiate your nonprofit from others, leading to increased donor retention and overall satisfaction. So why not start implementing this approach today and reap the benefits of stronger donor relationships?

Want to level up your direct mail? Contact us.

How to Recession Proof Your Nonprofit

Posted on April 10, 2023April 24, 2023 by EmMa Matern

INTRODUCTION

With the looming thought of a recession, nonprofits are at high risk of financial struggles. Now is the time to prepare and organize a robust strategy to make it through this challenging time. As donations and funding from government sources may decline, there will be an increased demand for services. According to The Chronicle of Philanthropy: In the first half of 2022, donor numbers fell by 7% compared to the first half of 2021. This is because there was a decline in the number of small gift donors between the months January to July. With a recession upon us, small gift donors are more likely to temporarily lapse. This makes it challenging for nonprofits to sustain their operations and continue to serve their beneficiaries effectively. However, with careful planning, effective communication, and good stewardship, nonprofit leaders can mitigate the effects of a recession. In this article, we will explore some strategies that can help your nonprofit weather the storm and emerge stronger in the long run.

Article Highlights:
How Will a Recession Affect Your Nonprofit?
Make a Plan
Be Transparent
Make stewardship a top priority

How Will a Recession Affect Your Nonprofit?

Recession affects internal and external aspects of your nonprofit. As individuals and businesses may have less disposable income, you will see a decline in donation amounts and experience lower retention rates. Government funding is likely to decrease due to budget cuts. There will be an Increased demand for services, as recessions often result in higher levels of poverty, unemployment, and other economic challenges, which can lead to an increased demand for services from nonprofit organizations. Nonprofits may need to stretch their resources to meet this increased demand. Your organization may find fundraising more difficult as raising more funds will be less successful especially when trying to attract new donors. This inevitably leads to damaging your reputation and more unfortunately affects your capacity to help the cause.

Make a Plan

Don’t wait until you start to feel the effects of recession, be prepared and start planning for a potential economic downturn. Start to build a safety net for your organization now. Anticipate any possible financial struggles and prepare beforehand to reduce its adverse effects. Rather than waiting, take action to improve your organization’s programs and initiatives. Schedule regular meetings with your development or membership team, even if they are brief, to brainstorm ideas for strengthening donor relationships and communication. These meetings can lead to effective plans that can make a significant difference. Take into account how this will change your future and create a long-term plan. Imagine the desired outcomes for your organization in the next five years. Record the milestones you wish to reach, the accomplishments you want to achieve, and the prerequisites necessary to accomplish them. Equally significant is to ensure that you convey your organization’s long-term vision to your donor base to sustain their support, even if they have changed their capacity to donate temporarily.

Be Transparent

Effective communication about the effect of recession is essential for nonprofit leaders, not only with lower-level management and staff but with all stakeholders, including the board, donors, and volunteers. It’s crucial to inform everyone about the organization’s financial situation and the plan to ensure its sustainability. By keeping everyone informed and involved, your nonprofit can benefit from the collective input and support of the entire team.

Be sure to communicate clearly and transparently with your community members to maintain trust, manage expectations, and keep their supporters engaged. It is important to highlight that now is the time that you need your donors more than ever and gently remind them that the economic turmoil is tough for everyone but even tougher for those in need. Explain that there is an ongoing need for support from their community members, highlighting the impact that donations and volunteerism can have during a difficult economic period. Communicate this information in an informative manner and provide specific details on how the recession affects your organization.

Provide your community with the assurance that you have a plan of action for the recession, and show them that these hard times are just a speed bump in an otherwise hopeful future. Avoid using language that is asking for “bailouts” or is seemingly a “cry for help”.

Make stewardship a top priority

This is the time to maintain relationships, by practicing good stewardship. Send your donors reminders that you value their relationship and you need their support. Amid a recession, donors tend to reduce the number of nonprofits they support financially. However, reaching out to them directly at this time may increase the likelihood of your organization becoming one of the nonprofits they continue to support in the long run. Therefore, it’s crucial to nurture and maintain a positive relationship with donors now to ensure their continued support in the future. By cultivating and stewarding donors today, you can improve the chances of retaining them as committed supporters. During periods of economic instability, there can be the mistake of directing a majority of resources towards gaining new donors, therefore neglecting current customer or donor base. Ensure that your recession plan aims to the retention of existing donors as that is more likely to see results in maintaining funding.

Your stewardship efforts should have these key priorities:
Showing gratitude by saying thank you to supporters
Share impact and success stories
Stay in contact with donors
Acknowledge any hard decisions your organization has had to make
Maintain authenticity and transparency

WRAP IT UP

Recessions can have an impact on both the internal and external aspects of nonprofit organizations. Donations and retention rates may decline, and government funding may decrease. Increased demand for services can stretch an organization’s resources. To prepare for a potential economic downturn, nonprofits need to start planning now and improve their programs and initiatives, including strengthening donor relationships and communication. Clear and transparent communication is essential to maintain trust with all stakeholders. Emphasize the ongoing need for support, highlighting the impact of donations and volunteerism during a difficult economic period. Maintaining relationships and practicing good stewardship is crucial to retaining donors, to ensure the retention of existing donors as a strategy to maintain funding.

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Donor Retention: Structure Your Fundraising Operation for Success

Posted on June 15, 2022September 26, 2022 by Postalgia

What requires more effort, acquiring new donors or retaining the existing ones? Most nonprofits are likely to answer that acquiring new donors requires significantly more work, but that doesn’t mean retaining donors is an easy task. Still, maintaining a high donor retention rate is absolutely crucial.

Nonprofits with a high donor retention rate have long-term supporters who come back year after year. Nonprofits with a low rate need to continually acquire new donors, ultimately costing them more time, money, and effort in the long run.

This article will discuss how to structure your fundraising operation for successful donor retention.

Challenges Nonprofits Face Today

Sadly, the outcome of neglecting your donor retention efforts is one that most nonprofits wouldn’t willingly face if they had the choice. If you don’t worry about it, there’s more at risk than you might have thought.

The rate at which donors are lost is referred to as the “attrition rate,” which can significantly impact the number of donors in your donor database from year to year.

The other red flag nonprofits need to be aware of is what happens when donors stop contributing. If donors stop giving, there is a very small chance they will ever give again.

Don’t overlook this concern. Instead, always assume that if a first-time donor didn’t contribute the second time around that, it’s highly unlikely they will come back because that’s what the data shows.

3 Elements of a Strong Donor Retention Strategy

You’ll be happy to know that building a donor retention strategy doesn’t require much investment, even relative to most nonprofits’ notoriously strict budgets. Here are three key elements to implement for building strong donor retention.

1. Rely Heavily on Proven Data
Why is it important to have good data? Data helps you identify where to focus your efforts for the largest impact. Using data will also allow you to track your retention and attrition rates, ensuring your strategy is as effective as you are hoping it will be.
To become an effective donor manager, donor management software is integral to your nonprofit.

2. Put a Special Focus on First Time Donors
It’s crucial to retain donors from the beginning of their relationship with your organization. Data shows that if they don’t contribute at the next opportunity after their first donation, statistically, they are not likely to donate again.
Knowing this information, it’s important to make a special effort to get the first-time donors to give a second time. Find creative ways that speak true to your nonprofit and its mission.

3. Choose Tactics You Can Execute Well On
There are hundreds of guides and lists of things you can do for donor retention. Try not to get lost in the shuffle of trying to tackle all of them at once. Instead, choose a select few and execute those in a fashion that will stand out.

What you should NOT do is go through the motions so that you can check them off your list.

Some popular donor retention tactics include:

Thank donors quickly
Segment communications
Update on outcomes
Create a personal touch via phone calls and handwritten notes
Survey donors
Offer recurring gift options

Read our article on best practices for increasing donor loyalty HERE

Conclusion

The best ways to increase donor retention are linked to your nonprofit’s relationship with each donor. Getting to know your donors, what they like, and what you can do to maintain your relationship with them are critical components of donor retention.

Postalgia can help you focus on deepening your donor relationship by sending written thank you cards. The services Postalgia offers include design, copywriting, list hygiene, mail preparation, as well as the full suite of direct mail production services and much, much more!

Want to level up your direct mail? Contact us.

Authentic Communication with your Donors

Posted on June 8, 2022 by EmMa Matern

INTRODUCTION

The nonprofit sector is in the business of people-helping-people. What better motivates people-helping-people than being authentic!?

This blog contains vital information about maintaining authentic communication with your donors. The 3 main takeaways are: Be true and consistent, attend to your donors, and create personal experiences. Adding personalized and specific details to your communication methods will make all the difference.

BE TRUE AND CONSISTENT

All nonprofit organizations have a cause that they are passionate about. Before you communicate with your donors, you need to establish a set of values and beliefs that your organization follows. Make sure when you set up those values, you are being true to yourself and to your cause. To have authentic communication, you need to BE AUTHENTIC.

Once you identify your core principles, you must represent them in every message and any form of communication. You may not be popular with everyone, but at least you will be showing community members that you are true and consistent. The main point is to stick to your set of values and beliefs, but there are more Principles for Authentic Donor Communications that Build Relationships.

ATTEND TO YOUR DONORS

Make sure to put effort into focusing on your donors. Remember, without your donors you can’t support your cause! Maintain relationships with donors by consistently communicating and creating opportunities to connect with them.

There are various ways to stay connected with your donors and maintain authentic communication. You can schedule regular meetings in person or virtually to provide the opportunity to interact with them. This is the time to have discussions about your organization’s progress and get the opinion of the members. You can ask questions like: Why are you passionate about the cause? What is your preferred method of communication? How would you like to take action?

You can also connect with your donors by sending them information via digital and physical communication methods.

WAYS TO CONNECT WITH YOUR DONORS
Social Media
Community Events
Newsletters
Impact Reports
Thank You Notes
Website Blog
Google Forms Questionnaire

The main focus should always be on your donors, so you can build authentic relationships.

CREATE PERSONAL EXPERIENCES

To keep up with authentic communication, you can create personal experiences! How do you do that? Well, make sure to keep donor profiles and use their names when sending emails, newsletters, donation cards, impact reports, and postcards. It is also important to consistently send messages to donors and volunteers to let them know your organization is working hard for the cause.

A little bit of effort goes a long way, especially when you want to create personalized experiences. Emails and text messages only go so far and are often overlooked, so it is important to seek other forms of communication. Sending handwritten note cards and direct-mail packages addressed to specific donors, tells your members that you value their support.

CONCLUSION

To summarize, figure out what your nonprofit is passionate about helping, stick to your values and beliefs, focus on including your donors, and organize personalized experiences that show your donors how much effort you put in.

BONUS TIP

Put the effort in and delight your donors with a handwritten note!

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Tips for Effective Storytelling for Nonprofits

Posted on May 25, 2022May 25, 2022 by EmMa Matern

INTRODUCTION

Nonprofit storytelling is an essential skill to have to maintain a successful nonprofit organization. Storytelling informs your donors about how their donations are being spent and who their donations affect.

This article provides 4 essential tips to effective storytelling. You will learn how and why it is important to be intentional, how to evoke emotion and empathy, how to initiate connections, and the importance of saying thank you to your donors through storytelling.

1. BE INTENTIONAL

Organization is key to effective storytelling. The first thing you want to do is create a plan for the story you want to tell. Begin by setting your goals on what you want to communicate with your audience. Next figure out the Who, What, Where, When, Why , and How of your story. Once you have a proper outline figured out, you will find it much easier to tell the story.

Be intentional about how much detail you share by keeping content short and attention grabbing. Try to only include important facts that are vital to the story. Good storytelling keeps the audience interested by finding a suitable balance between the story’s length, timing, and authentic content.

2. EVOKE EMOTION AND EMPATHY

Keeping in mind that it is important to be intentional with the details you share, choose specific facts to build your story that will evoke emotion and empathy. Your aim is to help your donors feel personally connected to the cause, and you can do that by using the names and photos of those in your story. Videos are also a great tool in effective storytelling because it quickly visualizes and humanizes the story.

There are many ways to evoke emotion and empathy in storytelling, and this short article provides 4 examples of effective nonprofit storytelling.

3. INITIATE CONNECTIONS

A key element of effective nonprofit storytelling is initiating connections between the story and the audience. Once the story has been told and donors become emotionally invested, you can connect them even further by explaining how their donations impact the cause. Let your audience know specifically where donations go and how they are used.

This is where you can point out how change will happen and why it matters. To compliment your story, visual aids can be a helpful tool that highlight these facts. Many Nonprofits use infographics as an effective storytelling tool. Infographics can be displayed on a variety of mediums from social media platforms to printed media.

4. CLOSE WITH A MEANINGFUL ‘THANK YOU’

Don’t forget about gratitude! Always remember to appreciate your donors and say thank you. Acknowledging the efforts of your donors is another key element specific to effective nonprofit storytelling. A good thank you has the ability to seal the connection your story made and builds personal relationships with donors to increase donor loyalty.

CONCLUSION

To review, always begin with a plan where you organize your facts of Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How. It is important to be intentional in your storytelling to maintain the interest and attention of viewers. Evoke emotion and empathy by providing specific details about those in the story. Things like names, photos, and videos allow donors to see the story at a personal level. Create connections between the viewer and story by explaining how donations directly affect the cause. Infographics are a great tool to put a focus on this information. Perhaps the most important element of effective nonprofit storytelling is wrapping things up with a thank you. Acknowledgment goes a long way!

BONUS TIP

Consistency is key! Make sure to update your donors often about how their donations are impacting the cause. Monthly impact reports, newsletters, and handwritten notes are great tools that can be personalized and sent directly to your donors. Storytelling is only one way to Increase Donor Loyalty with our Best Practices.

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How To Reach Out To Inactive Donors

Posted on July 7, 2021September 26, 2022 by Ilan Mann

Donors who are inactive or have lapsed may appear to be a lost cause. These contributors haven’t given to your nonprofit in a long time; why would you spend money attempting to entice them to do so again? The truth is that many inactive donors don’t see themselves as inactive or are even aware they are inactive. It is important not to assume that just because a donor hasn’t given in months or years, they are no longer interested or will never give again.

In this article, we are going to offer you actionable advice on understanding inactive donors and developing a plan to reactivate them. By following these steps, you can increase your donor retention rate, increase the revenue you receive from lapsed donors, and most importantly, save valuable time.

Why Make The Effort To Reactivate Donors?

If you’re having trouble fostering long-term giving, you’re not alone: more than 75% of donors will only donate to a single nonprofit once. This is the case regardless of how much you ask for and even when donors are aware that your organization needs their help.

The fact is that it is difficult to keep individuals giving, particularly if they have only given once. So, what makes them worthwhile?

To begin with, inactive donors may be easier to convert than prospective donors. They’ve already made a donation to your nonprofit, suggesting that they identified with your objective at one time. Just because they’ve dropped out doesn’t imply they’re no longer engaged in your cause.

Second, it is less expensive than recruiting new donors. You have their contact information and know how much they’ve previously given. This means you won’t have to spend money to buy lists or sending generic mass mailings with the expectation that your request will be received by someone receptive.

Define a lapsed donor and how you’ll approach them

It is critical to first grasp your universe. Who is considered a lapsed donor by your organization? Is it someone who hasn’t given in over a year? Once you’ve defined this subset, you’ll need to run the appropriate reports to generate a list of your inactive donors. This will allow you to communicate with them directly.

When you’re ready to mail your list, bear in mind that many inactive donors do not consider themselves to be inactive donors. In reality, they may still consider themselves to be significant contributors to achieving your organization’s stated mission.
If you approach them with a finger-wagging tone, they will most likely be turned off from contributing again. Remember that they are contributors, and approach them with the same respect as your most active donors.

Understand When and Why They Became Inactive

Examine the data from your CRM to identify patterns that may have resulted in donors becoming inactive. There isn’t much you can do if you observe that many contributors ceased giving amid a global downturn. However, if you have a segment that ceased giving as a result of a change you made (for example, to your communications programme, more or fewer direct mail pieces, a changing organizational focus, changes to your online donation page, etc.), that is useful information to have in the future.

You can also ask them directly, via a survey or other feedback tool. Take the time to listen to the responses and engage them in a two-way conversation. Let them tell you why they haven’t given lately, versus inferring via data or worse yet, going with your gut.

Reactivating Your Donors

So now that you have an understanding of who your inactive donors are and some idea of why they stopped giving, it’s time to begin the process of moving them from inactive to active.

Reaching out to someone who hasn’t given in a while with the same generic message you send to everyone else in your donor network isn’t going to be very effective. Some will reactivate, but many more will just move further away from your nonprofit.

Personalize Your Approach

Historically, the way NGOs have interacted with the bulk of their supporters has been far distant from the organization’s fundamental objective. The traditional fundraising strategy focuses on the organization’s needs (money, advocacy, volunteerism, etc.) and fails to recognize how the act of donating truly works.

This approach to everyday donors contrasts sharply with how NGOs interact with wealthy donors. Those who write large cheques are treated to highly tailored experiences designed to keep them linked to the *why* of their donation.

Individual contributors nowadays, on average, anticipate a high level of tailored attention, even if they give as little as $20 per month. This trend can be attributed to for-profit consumer marketing. Your donors have grown accustomed to highly tailored web experiences – or on the flipside, generic bulk mailers that usually end up unread and in the garbage.

So you need to meet those expectations by personalizing every touchpoint you send to inactive donors. By including specific, personalized information tailored to that individual donor in your direct mail piece(s), you are letting them know that they matter.

Get Them Up To Speed

Before you make an ask, it is important to let your inactive donors know about what your nonprofit has been up to since they last interacted with the organization. Inform them of what’s been happening in your organization and your long-term vision.

Remember to address them as if they are key team members in need of an update, rather than as if they are clueless. Include tales and positive effect data, as well as a clear description of your next plans and approach.

Not giving them a “what’s been happening” update and sending them regular updates on recent victories is like inviting someone over for dinner, then serving the same meal they had at your previous party. That may have been great for your guests back in 3 plus years ago, but they need current information to pique their interest.

You can summarize recent campaigns, news articles, accomplishments and more in a quick direct mail piece. If you have too much activity to summarize, you can break it up into multiple pieces sent out at regular intervals. Alternatively, a growing number of nonprofits are redirecting their inactive donors to an online portal where they can view recent news, meet the staff, see photos from past events and get updates on upcoming programs.

Tell your inactive donors how much you miss and appreciate them
Find a way to express your care for their well-being while also thanking them for prior donations. We recommend that you begin with appreciation. Thank your donors for their contributions to your team in a sincere and heartfelt manner. Only until you’ve properly acknowledged their contributions should you tell them you miss them. You liked having them on your team, so make sure that’s the message you’re sending rather than one of guilt.

Making them feel as though they were a part of something genuine and great is a guaranteed approach to re-engage lapsed supporters. Your letters and emails should show your gratitude to your supporters. It is vital that your approach is perceived as just that. Nobody wants to be treated like an ATM, therefore you don’t want people to think you’re only interested in their money.

You should also remind them of the last time you heard from them or when they were connected with your organization; they may have just forgotten to donate.

Invite Your Lapsed Donors To Give Again

Now that they’ve caught up, it’s time to make an actual ask. Sometimes you’ll ask for a donation, but it’s often best to entice them back into the organization by inviting them to an event or asking them to participate in an advocacy action first. Be open to fresh opportunities for them to contribute. They may no longer be able to donate, but they can still volunteer.

Whatever technique you apply, make sure you are positioning your inactive donors to eventually make a donation. By doing this you are giving them an opportunity to routinely connect with your organization again and eventually become a member of your active (better yet recurring) donor list.

Time To Reach Out To Your Inactive Donors

So now that you have a plan to reach out to your inactive donors, what are you waiting for? It’s important not only for the health of your organization and ability to execute its mission, but it’s also essential for establishing a sustainable revenue stream. Don’t wait any longer: begin the process of converting your inactive donors to active givers today.

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How You Can Make Small Donors Feel Important

Posted on April 20, 2021September 26, 2022 by Ilan Mann

We understand that large donors are often the primary focus of non-profits, charities and other organizations that rely on donations. Given the potential amount large donors could contribute to meeting your fundraising goals, sometimes you might feel like the large donations are all that matter.

However, you might be better off focusing your efforts on a broader spectrum of donors than the 15% that make over $100,000 per year (U.S. figures). Why? Because large donors are notoriously hard to convince. You will spend more time trying for minimal outcomes instead of focusing your efforts on someone else who may give less but will actually give.

Small contributions can be an important part of your fundraising efforts. Giving a gift is more like creating and nurturing an ongoing conversation. The donation is the beginning of a relationship, not the end. Letting donors know they helped out, even if it’s only a few dollars, goes a long way in making those people feel a part of what you do and how much they mean to your cause.

Every donor needs to feel connected and that they’ve made a lasting impact on your organization’s mission. So recognizing every donation is important.

In the end, a great donor is the one who gives often. After all, you never know what someone else’s small gift could lead to in the future. And donors who give smaller amounts of money have a higher likelihood of donating again.

These small contributions may not add up to large amounts of money, but they add lots of goodwill. The best approach is to make every single donor feel like a superstar by recognizing their contributions. This post will offer tips on how to make small donors feel important and encourage ongoing contributions – no matter the size.

Personalize Your Thank You

First, take time to thank your donors personally. The best way to make sure your donations feel special is to personalize every interaction. It’s easy for a donor to feel like they’re just one in a million faceless donors when receiving form letters. Personalizing can make all the difference.

So why not create a unique letter template? Start by using their name, then talk about what they gave and how it helps those your organization is trying to help. Add specific details about the donation, such as the name of the campaign they contributed to, the amount or other personalized information. It doesn’t take much time, but it would mean so much more than any generic “Dear supporter” ever will.

As we have noted before, a handwritten card or note can be sent by physical mail and will go a long way in making them feel valued for their contribution.

Talk About The Impact of Small Donors

Small donors want a personal connection to the work or cause they are supporting, and your best bet is to provide information that will build their sense of contribution. Again, remember always to make sure you’re careful to segment them by what they contributed towards and speak to that specifically, not just in generalities.

Detail their contribution. Your storytelling skills will help you connect with and forge stronger relationships with your small donors, making sure that they don’t feel like an anonymous name on the list. Outline the projects and missions that their donation will support while emphasizing how this gift makes a positive difference in people’s lives. Wording like “Your gift makes it possible to…” is key.

Show how all donations matter. Make sure to explain how their donation is advancing change and helping others, even if it was only the minimal option – let them know small bits really do help! You can emphasize this by visualizing your data in an infographic or colourful chart.

Highlight Small Donors Often

When it comes to fundraising, small donors can often be undervalued. For your campaign’s small donor program, you want to make small-dollar givers feel as important and appreciated as your larger donors. You can do this through regular communications with them as well as publicizing their gifts so that they feel like a part of the organization.

One way of doing this is through a supporter section on the website where donors of all sizes can see what they are directly contributing to and testimonials from other contributors. This is a great way to show support from other people and encourage others who might not have donated yet.

Another way is to set levels of giving that suit your campaign and the types of donors you’re trying to attract. You might have a “Heroes” group for those who give $100 or more, another one called “Trailblazers” for people who donate at least $250, etc. Or maybe create a recurring giver program – creating levels of support where people agree to make a donation of $15 every month via an automatic payment charged to their credit card, or giving a fixed max annual donation in regular intervals throughout the year.

Of course, you will never go wrong with perks and benefits for your various groups. For example, you could offer your $100 or more small donor group a free bumper sticker and a monthly e-newsletter, while members of your $250 or more get all that plus an invitation to two special (free) events put on by your organization. Any recognition of donors goes a long way.

Ask For Their Feedback

Although donors give more when they feel connected to an organization, it’s easy for this feeling to get lost.

It is important to identify your supporters and make them feel like they are an integral part of your organization and its success. Make your organization fun and welcoming by asking for feedback in newsletters or social posts. Your supporters will feel valued if you take the time to include them as part of your organizational culture.

The people who support your organization enjoy feeling like their contribution is important. So make them feel like an active part of the organization, and it will pay off in future donations and goodwill.

Take The Time To Listen

There are many reasons why people may donate to your organization. It is important for you to realize that the “why” behind a donation can have an immense impact on how much money they give and will continue giving in future donations.

For this reason, it is best when talking with small donors to take note of any interactions where you gain insight into their motivations. It’s important to know your donors and remember the reasons why they support you.

These insights can guide your fundraising efforts in the coming months. Listen with an understanding ear, write down their words of wisdom when you can, then use them as a guidepost for future campaigns. Your future success in fundraising could be determined by whether or not you pay attention to the committed supporters of your campaign.

The common thread in all of these points is that sincere recognition isn’t just important for large donors. Every donor should feel connected to your organization and a valuable part of achieving its goals. If you take the time to properly acknowledge your small donors, they will not only continue to give, but they may become a large donor over time.

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