Lynn Edmonds

Even in a “healthy” fundraising program, only 30 percent of newly acquired donors give again after their original gift! What can you do to keep more of your new donors interested in your cause and eager to support you again and again? You have a critical window of opportunity to motivate donors to give a second gift — usually within three months of their first gifts. As more time passes, it’s less and less likely that new donors will give again. But if they do, they’re much more likely to turn into generous, loyal supporters. Here are five essential things you must do

Most larger nonprofit organizations have an aggressive major-donor program in place. Once a donor — whether connected with the organization via direct mail, the Internet, special events or other medium — reaches a certain giving level, the major-gifts folks take over and treat him very differently than other, lower-value donors. The contacts are more personal and focus on face-to-face solicitations.

In 1989, I was fortunate enough to attend a very intense management-training program that, in hindsight, virtually changed my way of thinking about business and management. The four-day program was called “Skunk Camp,” and it was operated by the Tom Peters Group.

(Peters co-authored the books “In Search of Excellence” and “Passion for Excellence.”)