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Telling donors’ stories: a short guide

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When someone gives your organization a gift and then agrees to talk about why, their story is an additional gift to you.

Donors do not have to talk with you: in fact, some prefer never to hear from the organization in person. They certainly don’t have to let you use their story in your newsletter, online in your website or social media, or in your fundraising. If they do agree, they are expressing generosity in a priceless way. No one else has the exact same story. It’s unique, and they are giving it to you.

So, approach each donor with love, treat them with respect while you are gathering their story, and then show your gratitude ever after. Share on X

Here are some ways to do that.

  1. A donor may spontaneously comment on why they are giving their gift. If it’s a “quotable quote,” ask permission to use it (and tell them how). Always ask, and never use it without their consent.
  2. Most of the time, you have to take the initiative. Get in touch with the donor and ask if you can have fifteen minutes to interview them about the path that led them to support your organization.
  3. When you talk, here are some questions that may get their conversational juices flowing:
    1. How did you first get involved with this community/organization?
    2. What drew you closer to it?
    3. What made you decide to donate? Was it a specific need you wanted to fill, or…?
    4. What do you hope the organization will be more able to do because you gave?
    5. What would you tell someone else who was considering making a gift to this organization?
  4. Thank the donor for the additional gift of their story ASAP after having the conversation. Reiterate how you hope to use it and let them know you’ll be in touch before anything about what they said goes out to an audience.
  5. Draft the telling of their story in brief, from your notes. Run the draft by them before publishing it in any form.
  6. Create a story bank where you keep notes, quotes, photos, and consent forms when that’s appropriate (especially when the story involves children).

New to Grant Writing? You Need These 3 Fundamental Tips

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A guest post by Meredith Noble of Learn  Grant Writing

What if your nonprofit’s newest program, the one you most struggle to find room for in the budget, was fully funded for the next year?

What else could your organization accomplish with this breathing room? How much time would you save on fundraising, or what could you do with the funds that would otherwise go to that program?

Grants unlock growth for nonprofits through this beneficial ripple effect.

However, grant seeking also has its challenges, and you might feel held back. After all, it takes time and know-how to win grant opportunities.

As a newcomer, you can set yourself up to exceed your expectations with some easy first steps and fundamental practices. We’ll share three get-started grant writing tips that benefit nonprofits of all sizes.

1. Learn how to prioritize grant opportunities.

As you explore grant directories, you’ll start finding exciting grant opportunities. They may stand out for several reasons, like their dollar values, the funder’s clout, or their alignment with your proposed project.

If you’re comparing a few grants, do not blindly commit to the one that feels the best based on just one of these factors.

To choose grant opportunities like a pro, you need to effectively compare and prioritize them. After all, you have limited time and resources to apply for funding. Give yourself the best shot to make your hard work count!

Take the time to compare potential grants based on three key factors:

  • Alignment. How closely will your proposal satisfy what the funder is looking for?
  • Competition. How many other nonprofits are likely to apply for this grant? Is the funder very well-known or more locally active?
  • Efficiency. What’s the return on investment (ROI) you’ll get from applying, i.e., is the grant’s dollar value literally worth the time you’ll spend working on the proposal?

There’s no exact science to grant prioritization. You’ll need to strike a delicate balance based on your organization’s priorities. Remain aware and mindful of these factors and your nonprofit’s needs. Don’t neglect this process—you can’t get your time and hard work back once you’ve put a proposal together!

A note on grant ROI: When considering the potential ROI of a grant, you’ll first think about the funding itself, the primary return on the work you invest. Grants offer other benefits, too, like grant writing practice, new connections with funders, and building your track record.

You may apply for a lower-value grant to tap into these secondary benefits. This trade-off can help you overcome your learning curves, and that’s fine! Just understand your rationale so that you can effectively advocate for why you need to keep pursuing grants later.

2. Gather your critical documents, then write fast.

Grant writing has many moving pieces. It’s easy to get bogged down in the volume of information that some funders request. This tip will help you keep moving forward confidently.

First, identify what you’ll need outside of the sections of the proposal itself. Grant applications typically ask for several other attachments, like:

A diagram showing the key sections of a grant proposal and common additional attachments, which are listed below

  • An official Resolution from your board
  • Risk assessments for your project
  • Details about relevant partners
  • Letters of support from peers
  • Data appendices to back up claims
  • Copies of up-to-date IRS documents

Gathering these materials can take a while. When was the last time your board did something quickly? Get the ball rolling early on Resolutions and anything else that requires their sign-off.

Other materials can be gathered throughout the grant writing process, assuming you have a clear schedule and deadlines in place (more on these next). You’ll also need data and stories to bring your proposal to life. Use what you have on hand, remembering that you can add more later.

When you have what you need to write a solid first draft of your proposal, get started and write it quickly. We’re talking in a day or two. Focus on the core narrative of your proposal and shape it according to the funder’s specific requirements.

Then, after writing your first draft and ensuring it aligns with the requirements, go back to expand it. Reinforce the logical connections in your arguments. Add details, data, and stories that better illustrate your plans.

Next, have a peer proofread the proposal and check for any issues or improvements. Finalize your draft, attach the supplemental documents, submit it, and take a breath.

3. Bolster your logistical skills.

The meat and potatoes of grant writing consist of choosing grant opportunities and drafting proposals. What about everything else you use to cook your meat and potatoes? The stove, seasonings, and utensils are not the most fun parts of your recipe, but you can’t really make a satisfying meal without them!

Tons of back-end logistical skills go into grant writing success. The best grant writers are master communicators, project managers, and organizers.

  • Communication. Host a kickoff meeting for the grant to review what’s needed from whom and when. Then, host regular check-ins or establish a schedule for email-based progress reports along the way.
  • Project management. Clearly assign specific elements of the grant application to individuals and provide deadlines. Create schedules or calendars that compile all the moving pieces into a coherent whole leading up to the final submission deadline.
  • Organization. Ensure your team has the tools to easily share files and collaborate on documents. Establish specific file naming conventions and save locations.

As you begin grant seeking, don’t cobble a process together as you go. Be intentional. Managing and keeping your funding after winning a grant hinges on these same skills, so you really can’t afford to neglect them.

There are many resources and tools available that can help you build more organized and sustainable internal practices for grant writing. Grant writing courses that cover the entire funding lifecycle are often a wise investment for teams that want to sustain this revenue source.

Meredith Noble Head ShotMeredith Noble is the co-founder of Learn Grant Writing, an online membership for those building their careers in grant writing. Her book, How to Write a Grant: Become a Grant Writing Unicorn, is a bestseller for nonprofit fundraising and grants. Her expertise has been featured in NASDAQ, Forbes, Fast Company, Business Insider, and other top publications. She has secured over $45 million in grant funding, and her students have secured over $627 million – a number that grows daily. If Meredith’s not biking or skiing in Alaska, she can be found curled around a steaming cup of green tea and a good book.

Segmenting Your Donor Base: How to Personalize Appeals

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A guest post by Missy Singh of Fundly

Imagine you’re trying to catch a friend’s attention in a crowded square. They have promised to treat you to a bowl of ice cream, but they can’t seem to find you. To flag them down, you wouldn’t just yell, “Hey, you!” You could be talking to anyone, which means you will likely be ignored. Instead, you would probably say something like, “Hey, Luis! The ice cream shop is this way!”

Connecting with your nonprofit’s donors requires the same approach. Your donors are scattered across the noisy internet, and you must find ways to speak to them personally and directly. With the right CRM and marketing tools, you can segment your donor base to ensure you send relevant messages that resonate with each recipient.

According to Double the Donation, segmenting your digital campaigns produces revenue growth of up to 760% compared to non-segmented campaigns. Let’s explore practical ways to segment your donors and tailor your appeals to their preferences and interests.

Common Ways to Segment Your Donors

Segmentation allows your nonprofit to engage in more personal, meaningful donor communications without spending the time and energy to message each person individually.

Many nonprofits segment their donors based on the following characteristics:

Donor Type

Not every donor contributes to your nonprofit in the same way. To maintain their support and provide them with the recognition they deserve, create segments based on donor type, such as:

  • New donor. Follow up promptly after their first gift. Then, send a welcome email or email series that provides them with more information about your nonprofit and shares additional ways to get involved.
  • Crowdfunding donor. Provide frequent updates about the donor’s impact and your progress toward completing the project they supported. After each campaign, keep in touch by sharing additional projects or events they might be interested in.
  • Monthly donor. Share regular, exclusive updates and stories about the donor’s impact on your mission. Invite monthly donors to join a community, such as a social media group, where they can connect with other passionate individuals like them.
  • Major donor. Use phone calls and handwritten cards to engage and appreciate these high-level contributors. Send exclusive invitations for behind-the-scenes tours and meet-and-greets that allow them to see your work firsthand.
  • Legacy donor. Create a legacy society that brings your legacy donors together and makes them feel like part of a special group. Share resources, including stories of other legacy donors, and recognize these individuals on your website and other marketing materials.

Every donor counts. Sending communications that are appropriate based on their level of commitment and the impact of their contributions allows you to build consistent, lasting relationships with them.

Giving and Involvement History

By understanding each donor’s giving and involvement history, you can determine how much follow-up (and what kind) is necessary to keep them invested in your cause for the long term. For example, you might create segments for:

  • Lapsed donors. Re-engage donors who haven’t given to your nonprofit within the past year by referencing their past impact, sharing various ways they can support your mission, and sending a survey to learn more about why they stopped giving.
  • Volunteers. Engage those who prefer to contribute more time than money by recommending volunteer opportunities based on their skills and interests. Invite volunteers to help you raise funds from their personal networks as peer-to-peer fundraising participants.
  • Event attendees. If your nonprofit hosts an annual fundraising event, such as a gala, reach out to past attendees to thank them for their support last year and remind them of some of the top experiences they had.

The longer the individual’s giving and involvement history with your nonprofit, the more personalized and meaningful thanks they deserve.

Demographics

Many nonprofits also segment their donors based on demographic characteristics to craft messages that better appeal to each person’s social and economic circumstances. Consider creating segments based on:

  • Age. Every generation has its own values, perspectives, and preferences. For example, Baby Boomers tend to favor in-person meetings and phone calls, while Millennials prefer the speed and convenience of text messaging. Use these generational tendencies to inform the channels and frequency with which you reach out to each group of donors.
  • Location. Invite donors who live in your local area to in-person fundraising events where they can connect with people who share their passion and values. If your nonprofit has many donors scattered across the country or world, consider planning more hybrid and virtual events they can attend.
  • Occupation. A donor’s occupation can reveal more about their financial capacity and help you uncover corporate philanthropy opportunities. For example, if you notice that many donors work for the same company, consider reaching out to their employer to see if they would be interested in sponsoring an event or organizing team-wide volunteer days.

If you are missing demographic information about your donors, use your donation page and surveys to collect the details you need.

5 Tips for Tailoring Your Appeals to Donors

Use these tips to create personalized, relevant, and genuine appeals:

  1. Choose donor segments that directly align with your overarching goals.
  2. When collecting data, build donor trust by being transparent about how you plan to use it.
  3. Maintain consistent branding and voice across all of your content.
  4. Conduct A/B testing to learn what types of messaging are most effective for each segment.
  5. Track each segment’s average gift size, retention rate, and engagement to assess your performance over time.

Additionally, maintain strong nonprofit data hygiene to keep your donor profiles accurate and up to date. Conduct regular database audits to merge duplicate entries, verify contact information, and standardize formatting.

Whether you’re trying to boost engagement for an upcoming fundraising campaign—such as Giving Tuesday—or following up to thank donors for their support, Fundly recommends incorporating visuals and stories that bring people closer to your cause. Use donor interests and preferences to guide your communications, but remember to vary the types of content you send to keep it fresh and engaging for your audience over time.

missy singh head shotMissy Singh is the Director of Operations, Client Services & Sales at Fundly. She has been working there since 2011 when she started as a Customer Experience and Implementation Manager. As an integrated platform for social impact, Fundly serves as an industry leader in crowdfunding and peer-to-peer fundraising. In 2015 Fundly combined with NonProfitEasy to offer enterprise-level technology that addresses nonprofit needs with features such as a CRM, volunteer management, membership management, and event registration.

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