So, your donor engagement feels lackluster lately. In that, you’re not alone. Many nonprofit leaders tell us they're frustrated by declining response rates and struggling with donor retention.
Fortunately, the problem often isn't your mission or a donor’s sudden disinterest in your cause.
Over the years, working with dozens of nonprofits, foundations, and individual donors, I’ve noticed a few common nonprofit fundraising mistakes that create distance in donor relationships, mistakes that have nothing to do with their (very worthy) missions.
Read on to find out if your organization exhibits any of the common behaviors that create distance in your donor partnerships and quietly destroy your fundraising.
When all you ever do is take without giving in return, donors get a creeping feeling that they serve as your organization’s ATM.
Of course, you probably don’t think of your donors that way at all. The donor gave to your cause before and obviously wants to support the mission. But the nonprofit/donor relationship, as with any relationship, requires mutual effort.
If you're wondering whether you're putting in that effort, ask yourself this: when was the last time you reached out to a donor when you weren’t asking for money?
If you only come around when you want something, your donors will feel it. Getting rid of that feeling starts with a timely, sincere thank you. Then, stay in communication throughout the year with emails, newsletters, and other information-focused (vs. solicitation) communications. They don't need to be highly customized or even super polished and professional—done is better than perfect!
Regular touchpoints without asks build relationship equity, which results in appeals that don’t feel transactional. As Penelope Burk notes in Donor-Centered Fundraising, donors want to know the impact of their gifts and feel connected to the cause. feel like an invitation to be part of something the donor is already invested in.
Maybe your organization is nailing communication frequency, but is the content of those communications reminding your donors of the bigger picture of your mission and why it matters?
Your donors have full lives and probably support multiple organizations, often with similar missions that can easily run together in their minds. Forgetting to tie things back to the “why” behind your work will leave your donors disconnected and fuzzy on the details.
That said, there’s no need to repeat your mission statement word-for-word every time you send an email. I recommend including personal (but relevant!) stories and pictures to help you connect the dots memorably without constantly repeating yourself.
Every communication is an opportunity to reconnect them to your mission and why it matters. Here's another article with great information on how to create meaningful connections that improve donor retention.
As the household phrase goes, they can't read your mind! It’s possible that when you make an “ask,” you might not be actually asking. This might sound counterintuitive, but it is incredibly common for organizations not to ask clearly or frequently enough.
Assuming that a donor knows when they last gave to you or that a lack of response means they don't want to support you can kill your fundraising potential fast. Most of the time, they're just busy and haven't yet gotten around to making a gift.
In fact, research by Penelope Burk found that donors consistently say they want to be asked clearly and would give more generously if organizations simply communicated their needs directly.
A clear, direct ask—with an easy way to give—removes ambiguity and makes it simple for them to say yes. If they don't respond the first time, follow up. Persistence (done well) isn't pushy; it's professional.
When programs don't go as planned, or funding falls short, many nonprofit leaders want to go silent. They worry that transparency about their organization’s challenges will scare donors away.
The opposite is true.
Be honest, but not suicidal. Communicate, especially when things aren't going as planned. Donors want to support you and know that things don't always go perfectly. Being forthright about that (and proactive with alternative solutions) is a great opportunity to build trust.
Your donors aren't looking for perfection; they're looking for partnership. When you share challenges along with your plans to address them, you invite them into the work in a meaningful way.
Even if it feels like you are basing your relationships around whether someone is giving you money or not, rest assured that donor engagement is more than that. You are building relationships and engaging with your donors around a shared goal: your mission. To build those relationships through good donor engagement you need to have consistent, authentic communication and treat your supporters like partners, not banking institutions.
Try making one change this month, like adding a no-ask update to your outreach plan or being transparent but cool-headed about the challenges your organization currently faces.
You might be surprised by how well your donors respond to such an investment in your partnership with them.
If declining engagement has you worried about your major donor pipeline, our insider's guide to major gift fundraising.will help you build the deep, lasting relationships that lead to transformational gifts.
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