Top 3 Questions Our Donors Have About Nonprofits
The donors we work with are thoughtful givers who care deeply about their communities. Donation amounts vary, but many of our donors make gifts of between $5,000-$100,000 to any one nonprofit, and want to make sure they understand the impact their gifts will have. Here are some of the questions they often ask us about the nonprofits we recommend.
1. Who do I contact if I want to learn more about this organization’s work? Who should I contact about making a donation? Make sure all contact information is up-to-date on your website. In the footer on your website, include a current email and phone number that is regularly checked.
For any Development Directors or people in a fundraising position, include their email addresses. info@ urls are not preferred but acceptable as long as they are regularly monitored. Preferably, include a current direct phone number, too.
Make sure you include contact details on your Donate page. Who should a donor contact if they want to make a larger gift? A gift of stock? Name your organization in their estate plan?
2. How can I stay up-to-date about this organization’s program work? How do you keep your donors informed about your progress? Do you have different levels of donor stewardship? What do you do to thank donors? Do you host community events that you invite donors to attend? Regular communication is important to many donors. Many of the donors we work with may want to continue supporting your organization year after year, so regular communication (even if it’s a thank you card, an emailed annual report, or periodic program updates) makes them excited to continue supporting you!
3. Can I volunteer for this organization? How else can I help? We often work with donors who, in addition to making a financial contribution, also want to become more involved through volunteering. If your organization has a way to do that, make sure you provide updated contact information for your volunteer coordinator or an easy way for donors to see what volunteer opportunities are currently available.
It seems so obvious, but our #1 tip to nonprofits, based on what we’ve heard from our donors, is: please, please, please reach out to donors after they have made a gift to your organization–regardless of their level of donation. Even if they are not after “the spotlight,” donors appreciate the thank you and, even better, options for ongoing engagement. Find out how the donor would like to engage with your organization and stay informed. Ask them: Would you like to join our newsletter? Can we send you a copy of our Annual Report? Would you like to be invited to events? Would you like to know about volunteer opportunities? You won’t know, unless you ask!