Quick Tip! Invest in donors you want to retain!

If you're up on the latest findings from the Fundraising Effectiveness Project (FEP), you already know that while overall philanthropy giving is dipping, the share of major gifts is growing.

​Major and Supersize gifts - representing gifts of $5,000 and more - comprise 76% of total dollars (as recorded through the FEP participants in the U.S. and Canada.

We do absolutely need every level of gift! As fundraisers, we need to ensure all sorts of access points to welcome supporters to be donors and partners in the solutions and impacts of our mission.

Most nonprofits invest in the Ask. But not so much in nurturing the relationships with our supporters. Is it time for your nonprofit to invest in building relationships and focusing on retention and the Ask?

Pro Tip: you only need to invest in donors you want to retain!

Our sector is notorious for shoddy thanks or appreciation expressed for a donation (outside of the auto-response from online giving.

Many nonprofits offer little or no reporting back how the gift was used. Or we assume our "e-blasts" and annual reports will do the heavy lifting.

Even if your annual plan is already underway, consider how you can add an extra touchpoint of reporting on the impact of the last gift. For every level of donor.

It's even more important for your major gift donors, who are likely giving at a high level to a few organizations and may be supporting as many as 20 additional nonprofits at lower levels.

You never know who might be a major donor (to be) who is giving a small or mid-sized gift now - simply because they aren't feeling inspired or that their gift truly makes a difference.