Building long-term relationships with passionate and committed donors is the key to sustainability for every charity. Yet despite their best efforts, even the most diligent organizations will lose donors through attrition, shifting personal priorities and other factors beyond their control.
Thus, replenishing their base with new prospective monetary supporters each year is an absolute necessity for any type of charitable organization. Through a combination of marketing, community outreach and simply coming into contact with the general public, a steady stream of potential entry-level altruists must parade through our ranks to offset any losses in the number of individual donors.
Selecting the right method of acquiring new donors for your charity depends on your organization’s culture, the nature of your programs, the ages and backgrounds of your volunteers and stakeholders, your online presence and other variables. The key is discovering which approaches work best for your group. Below are five (5) common means that most organizations employ to attract prospective donors to their cause:
1) Peer-To-Peer Appeals
Encouraging board, staff and volunteers to ask their friends and family for donations through their own personal online funding appeal has been a staple means of attracting new supporters for charities since the advent of social media. Using Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter or TikTok, one can instantly invite people within their circles to learn how contributing to their organization will advance the health and well-being of their community.
Individuals are more likely to support charities with linkages to people they know. Thus, holding peer-to-peer appeals as part their annual fundraising strategies where participants reach out to their connections is certain to provide organizations of all types with short-term revenue and a steady stream of potential long-term benefactors.
Ensure to give donors an opportunity to “opt out” of subsequent appeals if they do not wish to renew their support. For those donors who continue their support, encourage them to commit to a monthly gift since it will be easier on their cash flow while it affords income certainty for the charity.
2) Crowd Funding
Like peer-to-peer, crowd funding involves launching short-term funding appeals on social media platforms. The difference is crowd funding appeals do not target specific individuals. Rather they invite the general public to help people and communities affected by sudden crises such as floods, wars and forest fires, or by mounting problems like a sharp spike in poverty.
Charities can use crowd funding to seek immediate funds to address acute needs such as unexpected core funding cuts or program supply shortages. The odds are favourable that many who respond to these appeals will be first-time donors who may develop a strong affinity for your mission if cultivated properly.
3) Birthday & Special Occasion Appeals
In lieu of presents, have board, staff and volunteers request that friends and family make a personal donation to the organization when they are celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, retirements and other happy occasions. Much like peer-to-peer appeals, this is something that your organization can incorporate into its annual fundraising campaign.
However, we must remember that donors responding to such appeals initially view their actions as a tribute to their loved one or friend. They are not motivated by a belief in the group’s work. Thus, it is vital to acquaint them thoroughly with the impact of their contribution when acknowledging their generosity.
4) Following Up With Special Event Participants
Charities primarily organize special fundraising events to generate revenue. However, establishing a post-event dialogue with attendees and participants is a highly fertile means of recruiting prospective new donors.
Once again, people who attend events normally do not initially possess an organic attachment to the mission or vision of the benefitting charity. In addition to thanking them, the objective of connecting with attendees after the event is to help them understand the impact of their involvement. Hopefully something about the work of the organization resonates with these attendees and inspires them to learn more about the positive change created by its programs.
5) Kiosks At Community Events
As the world opens up, people are eager to attend public gatherings that were cancelled by the pandemic for the past two years like festivals, conventions and county fairs. Consequently, charities are beginning to reserve vendor tables at such events to display information and raise awareness of their programs and services.
As passersby stop to peruse any literature on display or to ask questions, ambassadors working the table should invite them to visit the organization in the future. Perhaps the ambassadors can arrange a tour of the organization’s main location, schedule a meeting with the Executive Director or offer free tickets to a special event.
Whatever the nature of the follow-up, the aim is to instill a greater understanding and affinity for the impact of the charity’s programs. You never know who will be passing by the table and how strong an attachment they may develop for your organization’s mission. Hence, it is vital that we offer each passerby a chance to see how their potential donations will make the world a better place.
