DONOR RECOGNIT

ION

PROGRAM

TO

EN

SU

RE

CO

NT

I NU

ED

DO

NO

R L

OY

AL T

Y A

ND

SA

TI S

FA

CT

I ON

CELEBRAT

E NEW

MEMBERS

It is

im

porta

nt to

mak

e new

don

ors

feel

wel

com

e an

d

appre

ciat

ed in

the

begin

ning a

nd to le

t them

know

they

are

mak

ing a

diff

eren

ce. I

n ord

er to

est

ablis

h a lo

ng last

ing

rela

tionsh

ip.

HOW TO CELEBRATE NEW DONORS

In the beginning it is critical to show the donor that you appreciate and value their contribution. You need to let them know they are special and important. The best way to communicate this is by offering a great welcome package to first time donors.

A great welcome package includes a genuine thank you, further information about your organization, and a response device that allows a donor to indicate how they’d like to be communicated with.

THANK YOU LETTER

Immediately after receiving the donors gift send the welcome package and include a genuine handwritten thank you letter signed by an executive member of the organization. Donors who receive prompt, heartfelt thank you letters are far more likely to give again, and will give more often over their relationship with your non-profit

The thank you letter should include :

• Acknowledge them as a new donor to the organization

• Address the donor by first and last name

• Thank them for their gift in support of exactly what it was they responded to

• Let them know how their donation will make a difference

• Give them a quick update on how you’ll be using their gift

• Lets them know they can call or email any time with questions or concerns

WELCOME NEWSLETTER

To create a newsletter following readability best practices, use black text on white background; lots of close up photos and use pie charts if any are to be used, and remember to use colours on the red side of the spectrum rather than blue (did you know that older eyes develop a yellow cast, which makes it very difficult to differentiate between blue, green and purple?)

The newsletter should contain:

• Welcoming message letting them know they are appreciated

• Stories on how donor dollars have made a difference

• Introduce members of the organization

• Provide contact information on staff including full names, phone numbers and extensions and email addresses.

DONOR PREFERENCES SURVEY

You can use this survey as a tool to collect imperative information as well as to find out how the donor would like to be contacted for future events, campaigns, updates etc.

The survey should ask the following:

• If they’d like to receive e-communications if so they need to provide and email address

• Ask if its okay to contact them by phone on occasion if yes provide a phone number

• Provide a feedback section is which they can comment on any concerns, comments, ideas or feedback

• Ask donors to share their story. What motivated them to give?

Show a

ppreci

atio

n with

perso

nal p

hone

calls

to

say

than

k yo

u

Follow up with the donor after sending the welcome package with a welcoming phone call. This will personalize the donor with the organization and create a relationship right from the beginning.

In the initial phone call:

• Acknowledge the donor by last name

• Introduce yourself and position within organization

• Thank them for their generous donation

• Advise them on how their donor dollars makes a difference

• Inform them that a welcome package is in the mail

• Ask if they would like a follow up email with your information

CREATE A DONOR CALENDAR

Create a donor calendar that will include the anniversary date of when they become a member also include their birthdays. Be sure to monitor the calendars and send out a personalized e cards or mail out a personalized card acknowledging this day. This goes along way by making their connection to the organization very personal. The donor will feel valued and appreciated.

BETTER D

ONOR

COMMUNICAT

IONS =

BET

TER

FUNDRAIS

ING

HOW T

O INSPI

RE AND E

NGAGE YOUR D

ONORS

DONOR COMMUNICATION PLAN

Fundraising is based on building relationships with our donors… and as we all know, great relationships rely on great communication. Fundraising is no different. If you want to build strong, lifelong relationships with your donors, you need to focus on communicating with them.

Strategies for great communication

• Create amazing newsletters for your organization

• Practice better communication with your donors online 

• How to use story-telling to build donor loyalty

• Create great annual reports

• Creating a Comprehensive Communications Calendar

CREATE A

MAZING

NEWSLE

TTERS

KN

OW

YO

UR

RE

AD

ER

WHAT DONORS WILL READ FIRST

Studies have shown that when scanning your letter, people will read certain key items first, and use those items as an indicator as to whether or not they should read the rest of the letter.

Those items are:

• The main headline of your letter

• The sub-headlines of your letter

• The pictures / picture captions

• Pull-quotes in the letter

• The P.S. (and P.S.S., etc.) at the bottom of your letter

• Bolded, underlined and italicized words

• The first paragraph of your letter

Use A Consistent Format

Consistent format and frequency is one of the simplest things you can do to build trust and likeability with your audience. If you use an email marketing service to send out your newsletters, develop a template that you/your team commits to using.

Additionally, set a regular schedule for sending your newsletter. Be it monthly, quarterly or something else. Mark the send date on your calendar.

Decide On A Theme Or A Core Message

When you sit down to write your newsletter, develop a theme or core message for each one that reflects your objective. Again, this is just another tool to help you stay on point and not overwhelm your readers with too much information that doesn’t seem connected.

Make The Most Of Headlines

Headlines are a great way to make your newsletter easy to read and skim. Strategically use them to draw your audience’s attention to the content by catching their interest and encouraging them to read further. Ask a question. Make a bold statement. Use a surprising fact.

ONLINE C

OMMUNICAT

ION

LET

YOUR D

ONORS BE IN

THE K

NOW

Your website

Think of your organization’s website as a constantly updated and evolving brochure for your non-profit. Keep it updated and engaging, so that donors will want to check it frequently to see how you are using their gifts for maximum impact.

Social Media

Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social networking sites can provide a vital space for two-way dialogue with your donors. Get online and get active in the social media spaces where your donors and target prospects congregate.

ONLINE TIPS

• GO MOBILE

• Have the CEO write one blog post a month with insider information

• Develop a special area of your website with project updates that can only be accessed by certain donors

• Grab people’s attention

• Make sure your branded

• Use compelling imagery

• Simplify

• Reduce

• Use giving tools

• Encourage people to give monthly

• Give donors something nice

BUILD D

ONOR LOYA

LTY

BY

STORY-T

ELLIN

G

PE

RS

ON

AL I Z

E E

VE

RY

TH

I NG

AS

MU

CH

AS

YO

U C

AN

Tell the story of one person whose life is directly changed because of the donor’s support

Capture photos of not just your work but who your work is helping.

Use video to summarize a project or program that donors have funded

The key to telling a great philanthropic story is to realize first that your charity is never the hero. The HERO role belongs to the DONOR. In a great story, you have a hero, a quest, a mentor (that’s your charity!), a villain, a lesson, a moral and a resolution.

SHOW DONORS HOW THEY ARE HELPING

CREATE A

GREAT

ANNUAL

REPORT

TH

E Y

EA

R' S

IM

P AC

T O

F GI F

T - GI V

I NG

,

OV

ER

SI G

HT

AN

D A

CC

OU

NT A

BI L

I TY

A T T H E B E G I N N I N G

 Always begin with your key message and your achievements. What three things are you most proud of from last year? What aspects would you emphasize if you only have five minutes to tell a stranger about your nonprofit’s good work? Your annual report should flow from the answers to these questions.

A C C O M P L I S H M E N T S

The most important part of a annual report is the description of your accomplishments. Your readers want to know what you did, but more importantly, they want to know why you did it. What were the results? Why did you spend your time and money the way you did? What difference did it make? Connect the everyday activities of your organization to your mission statement.

F I N A N C I A L S E C T I O N

The financial section of a annual report should clearly explain where revenues come from and how they are spent. In addition to the information provided in traditional financial statements.

It’s also helpful to include pie charts, bar graphs, or other visuals that help readers see the big picture and understand financial trends. A short narrative description is also essential.

M A K E T H E D O N O R S T H E S T A R

Giving donors the credit makes for an incredibly effective annual report, because you show them that their support really matters.

N O T E S

On top of making the report interesting, engaging, visually stimulating, you also want to ensure it’s easy to access, easy to understand the numbers, and is available in multiple formats. We recommend having it available online, as well as mailing the full version to large donors and at least a postcard version to everyone else.

COMPREHENSIV

E

COMMUNICAT

IONS

CALENDAR

ST A

Y C

ON

NE

CT

ED

TH

RO

UG

HO

UT

TH

E Y

EA

R

All departments need to work together.  Figure out what information you need to share and when to share it.  You want a consistent stream of information – not three emails in one day and nothing for three weeks.

As you put together your communications calendar, think about how you will use different channels and which audience(s) should receive your messages. You may only send direct mail a few times a year, but send an e-newsletter once a month and communicate by social media several times a week. You’ll often use a number of different channels when you send out a fundraising appeal or promote an event.

Start big by looking at the entire year and then break it down by months and weeks.  You’ll keep adding to your communications calendar throughout the year.

Keep all your communication audience-centered and emphasize how you are making a difference for the people you serve and in the community.

MULTI-CHANNEL COMMUNICATION TO DONORS

• Events

• Relevant Information to your organization

• Specific time of year

• New stories

• Fundraising and recruitment of volunteers

• Recognize donors

• Making a difference

• Stay up to date

COMMUNICATION CALENDAR BREAKDOWN

RECOGNIZIN

G MAJO

R

DONORS

ME

AN

I NG

FU

L S

TE

WA

RD

SH

I P I S

TH

E B

ES

T C

UL T

I VA

TI O

N

FO

R F

UT

UR

E G

I VI N

G

• Invite major donors to tour the facility

• Host a stewardship event every year where the sole purpose is to thank them, appreciate them and create opportunities to build community with other donors

• Ask them to volunteer or serve on a committee

• Engage major donors with capital project scrapbook

• Ask for their suggestions and concern. Let them know you value their input

• Have senior staff meet with major gift donors for coffee or lunch

• Naming opportunities include buildings, events, courses, research program, staff posts and roads/pathways.

MAJOR DONORS

• Determine stewardship guidelines for each giving level, use technology to ensure stewardship is a regular part of fundraising activities and engage others in the stewardship process

• Always remember that stewardship feeds back into the cultivation phase of the fundraising cycle. It is easier to obtain a gift from a current donor than secure a new donor gift. Donors who only hear from the institution with financial solicitations disengage quickly.

FINAL THOUGHTS