Donor Relationship Management

As charities increasingly deal with donors who expect more control over how their money is spent, a large humanitarian relief organization has developed a new online tool to give supporters a bigger say. Direct Relief, which concentrates on medical aid for emergencies and poverty-stricken regions, will begin testing a new online donor site next week,…

While knowing facts and statistics is interesting, actually doing something with that knowledge can be revolutionary—or at least a start to improving our fundraising efforts. As you consider the final eight weeks of 2016, here are some facts that can give you a boost as you make your final efforts to meet your goals for the year...

To successfully retain donors, nonprofits need to invest time into cultivating and maintaining long-lasting relationships from the first donation onward. With a concrete donor-stewardship plan in place, donors will feel more valued and invested in your nonprofit. While you may understand the importance of donor stewardship, it’s not always clear how to take the best…

We go to bizarre lengths in our endless pursuit of “free." Dear fundraiser, I implore you: Rather than thinking first of economies, let your first thought always be to embrace grace and gratitude at every step of the donor cultivation process. Make gratitude a daily habit and integrate it into your life, fundraising and beyond...

When was the last time you were confused? Yeah, I know. For some of us, it’s a daily occurrence. And it’s not fun. I don’t know anyone who likes being bewildered. I want you to really get this: Imagine you’re listening to someone who is trying to explain something. You’re just not following it and,…

It’s a straightforward question for any fundraiser, but you’d be surprised at how difficult it can be to answer. As a donor, I usually phone up charities to give them my money. I like to speak to a human being and have the chance to ask questions if I want to. I always ask the…

Let me get this out of the way first: I’m a Jeff Brooks fan. I grew up in direct marketing with his "Fundraising is Beautiful" podcast and Future Fundraising Now blog. I’ll always remember my first blog post where I said to my wife that Jeff Brooks linked to me in the same tone of…

Whatever nonprofits are doing right now to sustain and grow donor relationships, it’s not working especially well. So, adding an additional relatively inexpensive donor retention strategy into your existing donor development plan makes sense. Here are five strategies you can use to build donor relationships online...

In everything you do, honor the donors and make it about them. There are three easy ways to do that: listening, being genuine and asking. Doing those will show donors you care about their interests and needs. And you’ll deepen relationships for your worthy cause...

What is the magic in fundraising? Those times when the strongest connections are made or the right donor at the right time to the right project. Either way, it is awfully hard to get there. We can all recognize those moments: the backstage tour, the vibrant conversation with our CEO at a donor lunch that…