4 Ways to Build Strong Donor Relationships

In the charitable sector, we can overemphasize the raising money piece of fundraising. There is a tendency to focus solely on raising more donations and growing the number of donors. After all, keeping the money flowing allows charities to keep chugging onward. 

Yet, the post-campaign fundraising stage, while sometimes overlooked, is equally crucial. Charities move on to this stage of the fundraising cycle once the Giving Season ends, and the focus shifts to thanking donors and analyzing campaign data.

The actions charities take post-Giving Season create a foundation for lasting donor relationships. These actions lay the groundwork for scoring repeat donations and ensuring future fundraising success. However, fostering meaningful donor relationships requires plenty of forethought and strategic planning.

With fundraising season near, charities should establish processes to nurture donor relationships after their campaign ends. Actions like acknowledging donations and communicating their impact with donors are what help ensure future fundraising success. 

CanadaHelps released a new comprehensive eBook on optimizing end-of-year fundraising. It provides a blueprint for how charities can maximize annual fundraising. Drawing on its content, here are four ways charities can nurture donor relationships during the most important giving days of the year and beyond.

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1. Learn How to Thank Donors

Before your fundraising campaign ends, thank the individuals who donate. After you receive their contribution, take the time to acknowledge their gift as soon as possible.

With large donations, charities should phone the donor and promptly express gratitude. Acknowledging gifts and thanking donors is a fundamental building block of donor stewardship. 

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Important Elements of Thanking Donors:

Highlight

Highlight the total raised and illustrate the impact of their gift. Share how their gift brought you close to meeting your fundraising goal.

Public recognition

‍With their consent, publicly acknowledge donors on your website, social media, or in newsletters. For example, create a donor wall on your website where you can list the names of donors who have contributed to your year-end campaign. This not only recognizes their generosity but also encourages others to give.

Personalization

‍For major donors and corporate sponsors, offer personalized gestures such as a handwritten card, phone calls, or VIP status.

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2. Share Fundraising Impacts

Charitable givers are driven by the positive impact their contribution can create. They are inspired by the potential to fuel change or contribute toward a cause they believe in.

Keep these motivating factors in mind. Charities should share the tangible impact of donations with donors. Financial transparency builds trust in your charity and encourages continued support and future contributions.

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How to Communicate Impact:

Share Success stories

Showcase individuals or communities who have benefited from your charity’s programs. Use quotes, photos, and videos to bring these stories to life.

Highlight Cost

Highlight the cost of specific projects or initiatives that are donor-funded.

Use Visuals

Use infographics, charts, and videos to represent the impact of donations.

Provide a Year-End Summary

Send a year-end impact report out to all donors. Summarize the past year's achievements and show how their support made a difference.

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3. Keep Donors Informed 

Informing donors about your fundraising efforts is essential to maintaining their investment in your organization. It fosters trust and credibility in your ability to manage their funds. Charities should provide regular updates before, during, and after fundraising. 

Provide regular updates using a multi-channel communication approach. Use a content calendar to schedule updates at a regular cadence to avoid repetition or spam. 

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Where to Engage with Donors?

Email

Send out email updates featuring fundraising campaign progress, milestones achieved, and upcoming goals. Include photos and stories to make the updates more engaging.

Social media

‍Share campaign updates on social media. Highlight important achievements and thank donors who have already given their support.

Website

‍Have a landing page on your website where donors can track progress and see updates. Include a donation progress bar to illustrate the campaign’s status.

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4. Analyze Your Fundraising Campaign

After the last donation has come through and the dust has settled, it’s time to conduct a post-mortem on your fundraising campaign.

Your campaign assessment should measure performance, analyze data, and determine areas for improvement. An effective assessment should maximize learning and unpack your strengths and weaknesses. 

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How to Conduct a 360-Degree Campaign Review:

Track Key Metrics

Put systems in place to track key performance indicators: total funds raised, donor retention rates, average donation amounts, and engagement levels across different channels.

Collect Feedback

‍Build feedback loops into your donor management strategy. Survey your audience to gather feedback for campaign improvement. Pull out recurring themes and use these insights for future campaigns.

Review and Adjust

‍Conduct a thorough review of your campaign’s performance. Meet with team members to identify strengths and areas for improvement. Adjust your strategies and tactics based on the insights gained.

Use the Right Tools

‍Use donor management software to generate detailed reports and dashboards. It can synthesize your campaign performance and track progress against your goals.

Your post-campaign stewardship is crucial for building donor relationships and achieving results. By implementing these stewardship steps, your charity is well-positioned for future success. For more practical tools, download our comprehensive ebook. It’s designed to take charities through the end-to-end giving process.

This is the final installment in our four-part spotlight series on planning your ultimate Giving Season fundraising campaign. Check out Part 1 for How to Plan and Prepare, Part 2 for How to Craft Messages and Calls to Action and Part 3 on How to Gamify Giving Season.