A True Friendship: Donor Cultivation

FLiP has been talking about “Making the Ask” all of this month. There is no doubt in my mind that carrying out an effective ask is important, but in my opinion, success in this industry means that making an ask simply isn’t enough. When it comes to fundraising, creating meaningful and lasting relationships with donors is essential to long term success. It’s not enough to simply thank your donors for their continued support and occasionally honor the biggest among them at an event. You need to think outside of the box, and apply creativity and personality to donor relationships. That skill is what sets apart the good nonprofit fundraisers and the true leaders in the sector.

We all know the tried and true methodology for maintaining good vibes between an organization and its supporters. Standard ways to reach out include items like thank you letters, honorary awards, and donor event receptions. Of course, these methods are viable and useful ways to keep donors feeling appreciated, and by no means am I asserting that these techniques should not be used. However, by taking your efforts a step further you can turn a person from a casual donor into a life-long supporter and advocate of your organization and its mission.

It makes fiscal, personal, and strategic sense to cultivate donors by getting them engaged in your organization and your cause. By reaching out to supporters and potential supporters in unorthodox and creative ways, a relationship can be developed that transcends traditional fundraising guidelines, making the possibilities for collaboration and mutual benefit practically limitless.

The easiest and most often utilized methods of donor cultivation are usually the least personal. For example, form letters, brochures, and other detached communication devices do little to set your organization apart and make you special in the mind of your donors. Ideas for more effective relationship development involve more personalized and more meaningful contact. Instead of just sending out formulaic thank you letters when someone donates to your organization, you should consider making a personal phone call to tell them how much their gift is appreciated and where their money will go. If it’s not feasible to call all of your donors, perhaps you can call some, and send personalized letters from the President or CEO, along with photographs (which can be printed en masse from an online photo site like Shutterfly or Snapfish) and a description of what’s going on in and around the organization.

Frequently, non-profits send out newsletters to their donors to inform them of new events and news. You can take that great idea another step forward by inviting your donors to cultivation events that have no fundraising element at all. For example, you can host “getting-to-know-us” lunches, with question and answer sessions conducted by the staff, or host a casual brunch that updates donors on new projects in the pipeline over scones and lattes. Additionally, you could host events that offer donors the opportunity to see the mission of the organization in action, or trips into the field where donors can volunteer and work alongside counterparts within the organization. Even if you cannot get these events underwritten, they will more than pay for themselves in long-term contributions.

Perhaps one of the more important, and yet very easily overlooked elements is to focus on truly meaningful communication. Donors like to feel involved and like to know what’s going on with the groups they support. This means sharing information in a way that is honest, down-to-earth, and up to date. For example, you may want to avoid sending out last Spring’s newsletter to save time. Think of the way you would speak to your friend – you can share good experiences, information, and possible problems on the road ahead, as a means of getting dialogue going and keeping everyone feeling valued and connected. If the donor feels involved, you have created a feeling of “we’re in this together” that can help keep a nonprofit moving in the right direction for years to come.

Many organizations have not yet considered using technology to their advantage in cultivation. Gather your donors e-mail addresses and send a relevant article online, or just write a short note to check in. This type of contact will create a congenial atmosphere which will be of great help when you eventually make your ask. Other uses of technology may include utilizing your website to it’s fullest potential with pictures and videos or writing an occasional blog about the latest developments in your field.

Remember that your donors are aware of their place within your organization: They are aware that you will ask them for money, and that this is a necessary element of being a nonprofit. Once you are able to come to terms with this implicit acceptance, you can move on to higher levels of interaction without worrying about offending donors by asking for gifts. Most donors contribute because they want to – because they want to be a part of something they believe in, and because they want to help. By acknowledging this fact, nonprofits can be more in-tune with what it takes to engage donors on an interactive level.

After the cultivation phase is complete, asking for a financial contribution will be effortless. At the end of the day, a strong and loyal donor base keeps an organization focused on the mission, without having to expend money, time, and energy on endless (and fruitless) fundraising. Putting in the real, honest, and meaningful time today develops a real friendship which serves your organization, the people you help, and your supporters in the long run. When a real bond is forged, the positive effects are long-lasting and far-reaching – and this allows your organization’s work to become that way too.

Adriana Dolgetta is an Associate Director in the fundraising division of Changing Our World, Inc., a national consulting firm advising nonprofits, foundations and corporations involved in philanthropy. Adriana is also the issue editor for FLiP's October issue: Special Event Fundraising. She can be reached at adolgetta@changingourworld.com.

Comments

[Alex L.]

Great article Adriana! Often so much concentration is directed toward the pre-gift relationship with the donor when the post-gift rapport should be considered of equal if not greater value to any organization. It is the level of relationship preservation following the gift that will turn a one-time donor into a regular supporter.

I think using an organization’s website to help maintain this relationship is one of the most important and useful resources available. In addition to great ideas like regular news letters, blogs, and emails, simply providing current, relevant and frequent news on your organization’s homepage will make donors and potential donors feel that you are a credible and timely source for news on the topic at hand. Something like over 65 percent of people who donate online will also conduct their research online, and are more likely to go directly to the source (non-profit websites, and other cause-related organizations) than even to news sites like MSN or Google News etc.

Also-if you have the resources available, a “donor extranet” could be a great thing to help cultivate a lasting relationship with your organization’s supporters. This type of online communication, where a donor can log in, and read news relevant to their donations and maybe even track their gift may aid in developing a two-way communication between the organization and it’s donors.

Good topic!