How Nonprofits Can Engage Their Donors

Donors are the lifeblood of nonprofits, but it can be difficult to keep them engaged.

Nonprofits need to build relationships with donors and make them feel like they're part of the organization's community.

If you follow these tips, your organization will become more successful at engaging donors and keeping them on board for years to come.

Engaging with donors involves more than just asking for donations

Engaging with donors involves more than just asking for money. When you're crafting your communications strategy, make sure you're including the following elements:

1. Show donors how their money is being used. It's one thing to ask for a donation, but it's another to show what that money will go toward. For example, if you're hosting an event and want people to attend, share a cost breakdown so they can see why it's important to support the cause with their attendance.
2. Give donors a sense of ownership in the organization by highlighting examples of impactful work that your nonprofit has done or is planning. You could also create donor recognition pages on your website where these individuals can be recognized for their support through social media posts or testimonials written by other members within the community who were impacted by those particular donations made over time (with their permission, of course!).

Use a CRM to keep track of donor data

A CRM is a database that stores data about donors, volunteers, event attendees, and other people who are important to your nonprofit. It helps you understand your donors and supporters better, which allows you to target them better. For example: If a donor has donated for many years but hasn't given in the past year, then you know that it's time to reach out to them again!

You’d be able to do this easily with a CRM in place.

You can also use a CRM to send targeted emails based on who's signed up for certain events or programs. This can help you send personalized messaging to avoid wasting time sending emails that might be irrelevant and get ignored or rejected!

Nonprofits also use CRMs as a volunteer management tool, which helps them ensure that every volunteer has access to all relevant information they need before starting work. It also lets them assign tasks based on each volunteer's expertise.

Build relationships by engaging volunteers in the community

Volunteers are the backbone of nonprofits and they can be a great way to build relationships with donors. Volunteers can help you get the word out about your organization, giving you more exposure and opportunities for donations. They can also help build relationships with your community by getting involved in local events or going door-to-door to spread awareness about your cause. It's important that as a nonprofit leader, you are able to engage volunteers in a meaningful way so that they feel like their work matters and stays connected with the organization's mission.

Post photos on social media that show the work your nonprofit is doing

One of the best ways for nonprofits to engage with donors is by posting photos on social media that show the work your nonprofit is doing.

Let your donors see how their money is being used and who it's benefiting.

Some examples include:

• A photo of a family who has received shelter from an organization you've supported
• A picture showing progress towards an important goal (like rebuilding after a natural disaster, or building a school)
  

Make it easy for donors to give by using a mobile-friendly donation form

As a nonprofit, you want to make it as easy as possible for donors to give. Unfortunately, they don’t always have the time or patience to navigate through long and clunky donation forms. You don’t want your supporters feeling like they need a master's degree in computer science just to give money!

To make sure that doesn't happen, use a mobile-friendly donation form. It should be clean and simple, with no unnecessary text or images that take up space—and preferably one that fits nicely on small screens (like an iPhone).

The best part? Your supporter will be able to give at any time of day or night without leaving their couch thanks to the magic of modern technology!

(Ask Dijy about getting started with our preferred donation platform).

Use email marketing to cultivate donors and stay top of mind with them

Email marketing is a great way to stay top of mind with your donors. If you're communicating with them via email, you can keep them engaged and remind them about your organization's work. You can also use email marketing as a way to raise funds for your cause, by encouraging donors to make monthly donations online.

If you're trying to engage new individuals or keep in touch with existing supporters who haven't donated recently, consider sending out an email newsletter every few weeks that includes updates on what's happening with the organization and stories from people impacted by your work.

With that said...

We hope we’ve given you some great tips for your nonprofit’s donor engagement. Donors want to see that their money is making a difference in the world and if you can find ways to show them the positive impact they’re making, they will be more likely to stay engaged with your organization for years to come.