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Fundraising Tuesday: 4 Innovative Strategies To Inspire Donors To Keep Giving

August 6, 2024 by Dennis Fischman Leave a Comment

A guest post by Jessica King of Getting Attention

Your nonprofit’s future depends on how much you inspire your donors today. However, with limited time and resources, keeping donors motivated to continue giving can feel like an uphill battle.

This guide is here to help! We’ll explore four inventive strategies to keep your donors inspired and committed to your cause, helping your nonprofit to build and retain a thriving supporter community.

Use Google Ads to Promote Fundraisers

Google has captured 90% of the global search engine market share, so chances are that most of your audience uses it. By tapping into Google’s extensive platform, you can stay connected with your current donors and reach new interested supporters.

One of the best ways to do that is with Google Ads, which places your website’s content at the top of search page results for relevant queries. You just need strong landing pages for your latest fundraisers and compelling ad copy.

You can also use Google Ads’ advanced targeting features to reach different segments of your audience based on their demographics, interests, location, and online behavior. This ensures that your ads are seen by the individuals most likely to be interested in your cause.

Getting Attention’s nonprofit advertising examples article shares several examples of powerful Google Ads, like this one from the Glacier National Park Conservancy (GNPC):

A Google Ad from the Glacier National Park Conservancy

For context, GNPC raises funds for preservation, education, and research initiatives related to the park’s natural and cultural resources. To fund its mission of preserving and protecting the park, the organization sells merchandise like Glacier National Park hats, hydro flasks, and informational guides.

In the Google Ad above, they’re promoting an educational resource about camping in the park. This ad is designed for people who are likely to visit and gives helpful information for their trip. It positions GNPC as a trusted resource and encourages users to explore their site to learn more about their work and the park.

How To Get Started

The best part of Google Ads is that nonprofits can benefit from the Google Ad Grants program, which provides eligible organizations with up to $10,000 per month in free advertising credits. This allows your nonprofit to run search ad campaigns without straining its budget.

Apply for Google Grants by researching your eligibility, creating a Google for Nonprofits account, and filling out the grant application. Once approved, focus on relevant keywords and create ad copy that highlights the impact of donations and includes a clear call to action.

Offer Diverse Giving Opportunities.

While donors want to support your mission, every donor also has their own preferences for how they want to support your nonprofit. Promote different ways to engage with your cause, such as:

  • Fundraising events. Host in-person and digital events to bring your community together. Your events can range from gala dinners and charity auctions to fun runs and virtual meetups, offering diverse experiences that appeal to different interests.
  • Recurring donations. Offer supporters the option to set up monthly or quarterly donations. A recurring giving program makes it easy for donors to contribute consistently by making giving automatic.
  • Workplace giving opportunities. Employee giving programs like matching gifts, volunteer grants, and payroll deductions extend donors’ impact and allow them to give back effortlessly.

Choose in-person or digital fundraising campaigns to engage donors based on your audience’s preferences. Pay attention to how they’ve engaged with your cause in the past to determine future activities.

Create Impact Reports

Share impact reports to show donors you’re putting their gifts to good use. NXUnite’s donor recognition guide suggests either featuring a list of donors in your annual report or creating a separate “gratitude report” to exclusively showcase donors’ impact.

These reports build trust by demonstrating how donor support translates into tangible results. Here are key elements to include in your impact reports:

  • Beneficiary and volunteer stories to communicate the impact of contributions and build an emotional connection
  • Quantitative data such as the number of people served, programs implemented, or resources provided
  • High-quality visuals like photos, infographics, and charts to make information easier to digest

Once your report is ready, share digital versions via email newsletters, your website, and social media platforms to ensure it reaches a broad audience. Consider creating a dedicated page on your website where donors can access current and past reports. For major donors or stakeholders, you might also provide printed copies.

Get Creative With Appreciation

Sincere thank-yous make donors feel valued and appreciated, encouraging them to continue their support. Reaching out with appreciation forges a deeper connection and reinforces the importance of their support.

Here are three effective strategies for thanking your donors and inspiring ongoing generosity:

  • Send personalized thank-you eCards. Custom eCards are a unique and heartfelt way to thank your donors. Tailor each eCard to include the donor’s name, a specific example of how their contribution will be used, and a personal message of appreciation. This creative approach not only shows donors that their individual support is valuable but also allows for visually engaging thank-you messages.
  • Publicly recognize donors. Highlight your donors in newsletters, social media posts, and on your website. Share stories and photos that celebrate their contributions and the impact they’ve made.
  • Host donor appreciation events. Organize appreciation events, such as thank-you dinners, virtual meet-and-greets with your nonprofit’s leadership, and exclusive webinars that provide updates on your projects. These events offer donors an opportunity to interact with your team and ask questions.

By consistently and creatively thanking your donors, you can build a loyal and engaged donor base. Just be sure to connect with them in the ways they find most meaningful, whether that’s email, direct mail, phone calls, or social media.

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Amplify Your Voice: Getting Started With Google Ad Grants

June 6, 2023 by Dennis Fischman Leave a Comment

A guest post by Jessica King of Getting Attention

Nonprofit marketers at small nonprofits have to make every penny count, especially when up against big-name organizations with established brand awareness. One of the most cost-effective ways to garner attention is by building an online presence. A strong digital presence can go a long way in making a name for your organization and establishing a pipeline of motivated supporters.

Google offers free access to its advertising platform to nonprofits. The program — known as the Google Ad Grants program — is designed to help nonprofits amplify the most important pages that will push their missions forward. By applying, you’ll receive $10,000 monthly to spend on Google search ads.

With some work, you can make powerful strides in different areas of your daily operations — whether focused on fundraising, volunteerism, advocacy, or something else. To help, we’ll offer practical tips for getting started with Google Ad Grants by answering these questions:

  • What Content Can My Nonprofit Promote?
  • How Can I Maximize Google Ad Results?
  • How Do I Apply For the Program?

$10,000 a month can make an astounding impact on any cause, especially those operating on limited budgets. Through thoughtful nonprofit marketing, you can maximize your resources and drive more support for your nonprofit.

What Content Can My Nonprofit Promote With The Google Ad Grant?

The Google Ad Grant can supercharge your digital presence and maximize supporter engagement. However, experiencing those wonderful benefits means you must amplify the right content with your ads. Center each campaign around a specific area of your mission, whether you want to increase volunteer registrations, raise more donations, or secure new members.

While great for advancing any area of your work, the Google Ad Grant is most often used to promote pages related to fundraising, events, and volunteering. Getting Attention’s ultimate Google Ad Grant guide delves into these use cases for the grant:

  • Increase fundraising and memberships by sharing your online donation form, member registration form, current campaigns, and sponsorship opportunities.
  • Share upcoming events to increase attendance.
  • Boost volunteer registration forms and other volunteer content to strengthen recruitment and retention.
  • Provide details about your organization’s services to spread mission awareness.
  • Amplify advocacy activities such as online petitions and advocacy events.
  • Promote educational content to educate users about your cause.

Remember, any content you promote should directly impact your mission, so go beyond choosing your nonprofit’s homepage. After all, Google enforces a series of compliance requirements for Ad Grant recipients, one of them being driving meaningful conversions. Stick to one of the options above, and you’ll be set.

How Can I Maximize Google Ad Results?

$10,000 in free advertising credits is a substantial amount of money that can have an even more substantial impact on your cause. Instead of crossing your fingers and hoping for the best, put some thought into your Google Grant management approach.

Some easy ways you can optimize your budget include the following:

  • Write an attention-grabbing ad. Ensure your ads are persuasive and concisely summarize your case for support. Start with an eye-catching headline related to the search query, and use your description to provide more details about how users can help. Don’t forget to include a call to action, or CTA, calling people to donate, volunteer, or take another step.
  • Target the right keywords. Your keywords are just as important as the ads themselves. Choose high-value keywords that prospects might search to find your mission. Whichever ones you choose should be connected to your cause instead of being generic like “donate to a charity.”
  • Optimize your landing pages. When your ad inspires someone, they’ll click through to your landing page. Direct them to a page that is equally as inspiring and meets their search intent. Start by choosing one that serves a specific role in advancing your mission. Then, organize your content into sections, don’t clutter the page with unnecessary details, include keywords to indicate relevance, and feature impactful videos or images to capture attention.

Let’s take a look at a quick example. Let’s say you’re fundraising for a youth shelter. You might target terms like “donate to a youth shelter” and “youth homelessness support.” Then, your ad’s headline could be “Support Hope & Safety for Vulnerable Youth.” Your description can be along the lines of

Donate to our youth shelter and provide a safe haven. Your contribution will help provide shelter, meals, and mentorship. Make a difference today!

When clicked, the ad should direct users to your donation page.

Outsourcing Ad Grant Management

No matter your cause or goals, maximizing results often requires an advanced perspective and a watchful eye on your campaigns. Turn to a Google Grant manager for help, especially if you’re limited in staff capacity.

NXUnite’s guide to Google Ad Grant agencies explains that these experts offer professional experience to save your team time and eliminate the program’s learning curve. Plus, they can keep a close eye on your campaigns to interpret your performance data and ensure your account stays in compliance.

Great… Now How Do I Apply For The Program?

If you’re ready to take the next step, you’ll need to apply. Before doing so, we recommend confirming your eligibility. To allocate funds to the organizations that need it most, Google implements a series of eligibility requirements for Google Ad Grants. You’re likely eligible if you’re a registered 501(c)(3) organization. Although, there are three types of organizations that are automatically ineligible, regardless of charitable status:

  • Government-affiliated organizations and entities
  • Hospitals and other healthcare organizations
  • Schools, academic institutions, and universities

You’ll also need a user-friendly website with promotable content. If you meet the basic requirements, it’s worth it to apply.

Note that the Google Ad Grants application process entails quite a few steps. Here are the required ones to get started:

  1. Register your nonprofit with TechSoup or Percent, both of which are third-party organizations that work with Google to verify organizations’ legitimacy. U.S.-based organizations must be verified by TechSoup.
  2. Create a Google for Nonprofits account. Using your verification token from TechSoup, set up your account by providing information like your tax ID and non-discrimination policies.
  3. Fill out the Google Grant application. Once Google activates your account, you can access the program’s application. You’ll provide information like your website’s URL and some basic information like your goals for the program.

Once you’ve done all this, wait for the program’s coordinators to approve your application. After you’re approved, you can amplify your content via Google Ads. Just know that beyond the initial eligibility requirements, you’ll need to meet ongoing compliance requirements to stay eligible.

 

We can’t wait to see how you amplify your nonprofit’s voice with the Google Ad Grant!


Jessica King head shotJessica King, Business Lead at Getting Attention

 

Jessica helps nonprofits acquire and manage the Google Ad Grant to expand their impact. Prior to her work at Getting Attention, Jessica worked in nonprofit and higher education organizations focusing on communication and digital marketing, and most recently in search engine optimization in the mission-driven sector. Jessica holds a master’s degree in communication from Virginia Tech. In her free time, you can find her reading, building furniture, and hanging out with her cats, Benny and Olive.

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