9 Strategies for Increasing Donations to Your Small Nonprofit
Regardless of shifts in economic times, nonprofit organizations need to fundraise year round. And as the cost to run and operate your organization increases, so does the need to increase your fundraising efforts.
One fundraising strategy organizations can use is to seek out larger donations that can help your organization fund new programs and services, and contribute to long-term sustainability. Seeking larger donations doesn’t have to mean searching for new donors, it can instead involve encouraging current supporters to make larger gifts.
Unsure of how to encourage your current donors to give more? We’ve got you covered. Here are nine strategies to help encourage your donors to increase their gifts.
Say “thank you.” A timely and authentic thank you is an important step in building a relationship with your donors. Despite its importance, not every organization thanks its donors, so when yours does, it helps your organization stand out as a trustworthy investment to donors.
Tell a story. Appeal to your donors’ emotions and experiences by creating compelling, relatable content that shares the story of the important work your organization does in the community. Your nonprofit’s case for support is a great tool to invite donors to support your cause and inform your communications such as social media, newsletters, and donor reports.
Be transparent. Tell donors how donations are used by taking the time to report back to them. Donors want to know that their gifts and support are making a difference, and that your organization used the money for the same reason you asked for it. Being transparent is a great way to demonstrate credibility with donors.
Use data. Instead of having the donor look at their previous donations to figure out how much they have given in the past, help them out. Analyze your donor data to help provide suggested amounts on an appeal letter, or even suggest a monthly gift for a donor who gives regularly.
Focus on existing donors. Finding new donors to contribute to your mission is necessary as some donors will lapse, meaning they may not contribute for a period of time, or they may stop donating altogether. However, it is much more cost effective in terms of time and money to work on your donor retention to maintain and grow current relationships, then to cultivate new ones.
Reach out to major donors. Major donors can have a significant impact on your fundraising efforts, and can be instrumental in helping to build future sustainability. Your organization can benefit from including major donors in conversations about your organization's future plans, and keeping them informed about updates at your organization so that they are aware of your initiatives and feel more inclined to support them.
Personalize your communications. Customizing your outreach efforts to donors can go a long way in making them feel valued. Also, keeping track of your donors’ information in a donor management system can help with efforts to personalize communications such as noting a donor’s preferred name or the fund that they contributed to.
Ask for more support. Don’t be afraid to ask your donors for more support. Sometimes fundraisers think that they’re burdening others or bothering people by asking for a donation, but if your organization can do a great job communicating the importance of your cause, many donors will be happy to increase their support when you ask for it.
Make it easy to donate. Simple acts like making sure that the “donate” button on your website is prominently displayed, providing various options for how to give, or automated monthly giving options can have a big impact on whether donors give to your organization, or give again in the future. Make the act of giving easy to do, and your donors will appreciate it.
Growing your fundraising revenue takes time, especially when you are a smaller organization. However, if you start to use these practical methods to increase your donor’s giving, you will start to see success over time.