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Fundraising Tuesday: Why I Didn’t Give Again

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It makes you wonder. You see people on your nonprofit’s list of donors who gave once–sometimes very generously–and then didn’t give again. Not in a week, a month, or year. Never. “What happened?” you ask.

Recently, I was one of those one and done donors, and I thought telling my story would help you understand why people don’t give again, and what to do about it.

When and why I gave the first time

I hope you remember the horrific shooting in Buffalo, NY. Less than six weeks ago, on May 14, 2022, a young white man drove two hours so he could find a Black neighborhood and shoot up a supermarket there. Ten people died.

(I wouldn’t have to ask “Do you remember?” if we hadn’t had 39 more mass shootings in this country since then. A mass shooting nearly every day! Please do not get me started on the need for gun safety and the insidiousness of the Great Replacement Theory which targets both Jews and people of color. We could be here all day.)

Anyway, someone I know on Twitter called for donations to several Black nonprofit organizations in Buffalo. I looked into them, and I thought they were doing good work. It seemed like they would need more resources after the shooting than ever before. So I gave.

Give again? So soon?

You might not expect I’d give a second donation so soon. I usually don’t. But experts in the field say that soon after the first donation is a great time to ask, because the donor hasn’t yet forgotten why they gave the first time. (I surely didn’t!)

Donors who give again soon also have a greater chance of giving the third, fourth, etc. times. In fact, the lifetime value of a donor who makes the second gift soon is multiple times that of one who waits for a year or more.

I know all this. I’m in the field, after all! So why did I intend not to give again–and what could the Buffalo nonprofits have done to change my mind?

Why I didn’t give again

Like many donors of a certain age, I have a little list. They’re the organizations I’ve supported year in and year out, some for decades. I know, like, and trust these nonprofits. I’m loyal to them.

In contrast, my gifts to the Buffalo organizations were what people call disaster donations. I knew when I gave them that I would be giving to other organizations to combat the structural racism that led to the supermarket shooting. That’s a long-term donation strategy of mine. These gifts were to meet an immediate need.

Disaster donations to your nonprofit are hard to get renewed. Like donations in memory of an individual after they have just died, they come from people who aren’t necessarily meaning to give to YOU. They want to use their donation to show support for other people.

What might have made me give again?

It’s really hard for a nonprofit to get a disaster donor to become a regular donor. Try your best, and you still are likely to get no response from the majority. They are truly one and done.

What could the organizations I gave to have tried that might possibly have spurred my interest in giving again?

  1. Send a personal thank-you. Some of the groups I gave to sent no reply from the organization: they just let PayPal or GoFundMe do the job. The rest sent email that read like a cash register receipt or a record for the IRS. None sent an email–let alone a letter!–that made me glad I gave.
  2. Follow up with a welcome series. Even for a regular donation, reminding the donor who you are, what you do, and why they gave is essential. For a disaster donor, it may be the first time they really pay attention!
  3. Give them another way to feel involved. Can they sign a petition, call a legislator, show up for an event? Can they volunteer their time for the cause? The more invested they feel, the more they are likely to invest in the future.
  4. Ask. Not in the thank-you letter itself (the dreaded “thask”), but in a separate email, letter, or phone call. People don’t give if they are not asked…unless they are far more committed to the organization than your first-time donors are going to be!

Is your organization set up to persuade all donors that they made the right decision when they gave?

Fundraising Tuesday: “Tell Us about YOU”

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“You” is the magic word in fundraising, and T’ruah charmed me by using it.

Not only did they send me email with the Subject line “Dennis, Tell Us about YOU.” That would have been enough to make me open the email. (That is a nonprofit’s first objective any time you send email!)

They went beyond the Subject line to talk to me personally and express how much they care about me throughout the content of the email.

Here’s what the message said:

Hi Dennis,

If you have 5 minutes to spare, I’d really appreciate it if you can fill out this quick survey from T’ruah. You’ll be helping out an organization you love AND you’ll be entered for a chance to win a $150 gift card from Bookshop.org.

Take our survey!
We’re interested in learning more about the needs of the changing Jewish community to better develop resources and programming. We are looking for respondents who can tell us about their media habits and how that intersects with their Jewish values and community engagement.

Will you consider taking the survey? Feel free to pass it along to Jewish family and friends!

I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you so much!

Warmly,

Shira Danan
Chief Communications Officer
she/her

Please notice what T’ruah did here.

  • They called me by my name, not “Dear Friend.”
  • They led with appreciation and closed with thanks.
  • They used “you” three times in the opening paragraph, as opposed to “I” once–and that “I” was to make the appreciation more personal!
  • They said “you” and “your” more often than “we” and “our” through the email.
  • They reaffirmed the closeness of the relationship with phrases like “an organization you love,” “family and friends,” and the closing, “Warmly.” Even the phrase “Jewish values” reaffirms that T’ruah and I are on the same team and the same page.

All that would have been great with any ask. But T’ruah used warm, personal, “tell us about you” language to actively find out more about me, the donor, and what I care about.

Sending a survey because you want to know how to manipulate someone better is one thing. Sending it in the key of “tell us about YOU, because we care who you are and what you want to hear about” is quite another. Which message is your nonprofit sending to donors?

3 Simple Communication Tips to Help Your Nonprofit Build Healthy Relationships With Donors

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A guest post by Elena Stewart

Nonprofit communication has changed drastically in recent decades. In the 1990’s, most people didn’t expect a personalized experience when dealing with the organizations they supported. Nonprofits would send a letter in the mail, and donors would send back a check — and that was it.

Now, organizations (and businesses) use algorithms, CRM software, and automation tools to personalize everything from our shopping carts to our newsfeeds. As a result, we expect personalization. And you can rest assured that your donors do too!

But donors are after more than a personalized experience; they want to feel that they have the inside scoop and a sense of belonging with the organizations they support. And they want to know they’re making a positive impact. Below are three practical communication tips for connecting with your donors!

Know the Core Functions of Your Strategy  

First, you must know how to create a successful donor communications strategy, which involves identifying your core functions. For example, you’ll need to focus on telling impactful stories about people instead of relying on statistics and numbers. A personal story about someone directly impacted by your organization can be powerful and inspiring.

You should also plan to regularly update your donors about the progress your nonprofit is making in the community and the world. Of course, you should always communicate how their contributions have made an impact.

Furthermore, it’s important to allow your donors to participate in the conversation. When people give their money to a nonprofit, they want to feel like they belong to the community and contribute to the world’s betterment. Take advantage of your donors’ expertise and resources when strategizing, and give them a platform to share ideas and opinions.

Send Email

Once you have your core functions in place, it’s time to make a plan for executing your donor communications strategy. To do so, you’ll need to choose the appropriate channels.

Chances are you already use email because it has long been among the most common platforms for donor communications. But there may be some things you can do to improve results.

For example, make sure each email is personalized by including the donor’s name, contribution amounts, and years with the nonprofit. And consider that email tends to lack the personal touch of a phone call. Think of ways to warm up your messages by recalling bits of your last conversation with the donor or mentioning their specific interests or recent donations.

You should also respond quickly when a donor emails you. When someone sends an email, it shows they are engaged in your nonprofit, and you want to maintain their enthusiasm with a fast and personal response.

And, of course, every email you send should be relevant to your organization’s goals, challenges, and progress. The occasional uplifting story can also go a long way in inspiring action!

Engage on Social Media   

If your nonprofit is not active on social media, now’s the time to engage. Develop your social media strategy around age and other demographics to determine which platforms to focus on for your messaging. Social media is an excellent way to post updates about your nonprofit, interact with donors and other supporters, and promote your cause.

You can even build a community by growing your online presence. Look for free tools that allow you to design custom infographics for explaining the challenges and victories occurring in your community.

Meet In-Person

We live in a digital world, but face-to-face communication is as powerful as ever. Look for opportunities to meet people in person so you can have natural conversations without the possibility of technical issues. The right body language and connecting on a human level can do wonders for moving people to become donors or continue their contributions.

 

There are many other ways to build healthy relationships with your donors through communication. A well-timed text message or handwritten letter, for example, can inspire people to action.

But the ideas above can help you lay a firm foundation for your donor communications strategy. Keep learning how to get your organization’s message across more effectively, and stay true to your mission and values along the way!

 

Would you like to read more helpful content or learn about communication consulting services for nonprofit organizations? Visit DennisFischman.com today!

Elena Stewart made the jump from a corporate job she wasn’t entirely happy with, to running her own business that gives her the financial freedom and flexible lifestyle she’s always wanted. As a life coach, she now gets the happiness of helping others get to the places that might seem out of reach.

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