Most nonprofits rely on contributions to support their missions. Gifts from donors provide an organization with the opportunity to be innovative, administer programs and services of a high caliber, and sustain work not always supported by grants, corporate sponsors, earned income, and other more limiting sources of funding. Despite the need for individual donors, charitable giving has been on a continuous decline for a number of years. There are a few reasons for this troublesome trend, including inflation and high costs of living, a shift in participation, and failure to solicit contributions. Below are six recommendations for nonprofits to recruit individual donors.

Utilize multiple solicitation strategies

Donors can be contacted through a variety of mediums including in person, by phone, through email, on social media, and by mail. Studies have shown that direct mail is the best way to recruit a new donor who is likely to become a recurring contributor, but once an individual becomes familiar with an organization, it is important to continue outreach using various methods. For frequent communication, focus on digital methods such as email and social media. Alternatively, face-to-face interactions are an effective way to maintain a relationship with donors who are well-known to the organization already.

Maintain your donor database

Organizations cannot solicit donors if contact information is out of date. While maintaining a database can be tedious, it is one of the most valuable tools a nonprofit has. When possible, try to keep a record of both business and home mailing and email addresses, so if a contact moves or changes jobs, there is another address on file. Even if your organization does not currently use them, with the rise in text-to-give models, it is valuable to ask for cell phone numbers now so that your organization is ready to employ mobile solicitation in the future. Spend time updating contact information quarterly, not just before or after a fundraising campaign.

Treat each generation differently

Data has shown that baby boomers and Generation X are not solely giving to an organization because of the program or cause they are interested in supporting, they also want to know that the organization is well-run. Alternatively, millennials and Generation Z are more emotional about their donations and want to know that their support is making an impact. It is important to provide the information that these generations are looking for, which can include annual reports, audits, and Form 990s for older generations and client stories, impact reports, and easily digestible infographics for younger generations.

Take advantage of your network

Organizations have found it beneficial to leverage the social connections of donors through peer-to-peer fundraising. Ask loyal donors, volunteers, and board members to contact their networks about donating. Volunteers are the greatest advocates of a nonprofit organization, but they are not often utilized for fundraising outreach.

Consider current donors

While recruitment of new donors is valuable, encouraging new and larger gifts from current donors is also important. Review annual donor lists and determine who has shown loyalty through their gifts of time, money, and talent for several years. Request a face-to-face meeting with those contributors to discuss possible next steps in their support of the organization. Always ensure that your current donors feel appreciated by the organization. This will increase the likelihood that a future request for an additional or inflated contribution will be granted.

Be creative

Do not be afraid to fail. Organizations must experiment with their fundraising strategies to figure out what works best for their prospective donors. Fundraising is an art form, it’s important to be creative and try new strategies. One of the greatest challenges for fundraisers is differentiating their organization from the rest. Creativity in a fundraising campaign can make a request memorable and enticing.

While charitable giving has declined over time, proper donor cultivation and solicitation can increase the number of individual donors and the level at which they support the organization. The individuals who choose to donate their time and money are doing so voluntarily. Be cognizant of the fact that it is far easier for donors to stop supporting an organization than it is for the organization to recruit new or additional contributors.

Allison Ford is a 2023 graduate in the Masters of Nonprofit Leadership and Management program at Arizona State University and is a member of Nu Lambda Mu Honor Society. Allison currently serves as the Development Director at the Massachusetts Bar Foundation, which seeks to improve the administration of justice, promote an understanding of the law, and ensure equal access to the legal system for all residents of the Commonwealth. She has over ten years of experience in the nonprofit sector, having worked in various roles, including marketing, events, membership, and grantmaking. Allie earned her bachelor’s degree from Fairfield University in Connecticut. She and her husband live in Boston, Massachusetts.

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