When you’re raising money for a nonprofit or another endeavor, getting people to donate is often the biggest struggle. Not only that, but you’re likely looking for ongoing relationships with donors and not just a one-time donation. Fundraising has always been a complex and delicate process. There are a lot of great funding sources out there, but it’s hard to figure out which ones are going to be right for your organization and how to find the best ones. Fortunately, we’ve got the insights you need to ensure your donors keep coming back to give more.
Appreciate the One-Time Donation
For starters, you have to appreciate the donation that you’ve been given as if it’s the only one you’ll ever get. Don’t shower people with appreciation that feels dependent upon your immediate segue into asking them for ongoing donations—slow down. If you’re too eager, people will typically turn tail and go find another nonprofit that doesn’t appear desperate to find donors.
Make sure that you show appreciation and gratitude for every single donation that you get. Treat the $500 donation the same as the $5,000 donation from a corporate sponsor. That attitude in itself will draw a lot more repeat business than you actively seeking it out.
Make Ongoing Giving Easy
People are much more agreeable to things when they’re easy. If you have someone setting up a one-time donation, make it easy for them to continue that OR choose to create an ongoing donation with your organization. However you do it, don’t make it more complicated or people aren’t going to bother. The easier it is for people to give, the more likely they are to not only donate once but to donate again in the future.
Do I Really Need Recurring Donors?
This is a question that is floating around out there quite a bit. The short answer is
yes, you absolutely need recurring donations. Why? If nothing else, they offer a more stable source of cash flow for your nonprofit than one-time donations. It’s also easier for donors because they’re not being bugged to donate all the time and they don’t have to constantly remember to go make their monthly contribution—set up automatic contributions and it’ll be done without so much as a second thought. Read more about setting up a monthly giving program.
When you take advantage of recurring donations and the donors who offer them, you’re giving your nonprofit a bit more sense of security than it might get otherwise.
Add Some Hype to Get People Psyched
One more great way to get recurring donations is to show off the people who donate. Solutions from Donor Signs will help your nonprofit make people feel special, including custom wall designs, plaques, and more. When you make people feel important and empowered, they’re going to remember you and want to give even more. Find out all the ways you can hype your donors to create long-term relationships by reaching out today.
