Research by the Washington Post gives some demographic information on the more than 13.6 million Americans working in the private nonprofit sector. Research by AnswerNet’s Nonprofit Specialty Division, FineLine Solutions, gives some insight into the dedicated readers beginning this article. Regardless of whether you’ve heard about outbound call centers, you’re here to learn about nuanced nonprofit fundraising.
Maya Angelou explained that “among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.” Your work already heals yourself and others, and once you learn the best fundraising ideas for nonprofits, you can give even more.
Maya Angelou explained that “among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.” Your work already heals yourself and others, and once you learn the best fundraising ideas for nonprofits, you can give even more. Perhaps by article’s end, you’ll even consider a call center solution.
The Best Fundraising Ideas for Nonprofits
Read our research-backed advice to guarantee results.
1. Illuminate the Individual’s Impact
According to research conducted at Indiana University through Giving USA, American individuals donated $374 billion to charity in 2023. Corporations, bequests and foundations respectively contributed 7%, 8% and 19% of the sum total while individuals contributed a whopping 67%.
To illuminate the individual, share stories and studies tied to individual contributions and partners. Donors who see the difference they make are more likely to remain loyal, increase their giving and advocate for your cause.
2. Prioritize Personalization
Research from marketing agency Campaign Monitor revealed that email campaigns that used customer relationship management (CRM) data to personalize messaging saw a 760% increase in revenue compared to those that didn’t. The study reflects a larger principle: personalized outreach makes donors feel valued and understood, increasing the likelihood of donations.
Drive donor management software to segment your audience and create tailored messages for each group. Beyond that, invest in nonprofit call center agents trained to address donors by name, reference past donations and acknowledge specific contributions.
3. Remember Recurring Donors
Research conducted by fundraising platform Neon One uncovered that the average nonprofit in 2018 had 11 recurring donors but, by 2022, that number had grown to 25. Donors who haven’t contributed recently represent a significant opportunity and outreach campaigns aimed at re-engaging lapsed donors can reignite their interest.
The journal Psychological Science finds that one-time donors feeling less connected to a cause are more likely to contribute when they receive a small thank-you gift from the organization. We can help you establish a gift-giving system that fits your budget: even gifts priced under $3 had a profound effect on donors’ incentives to give.
4. Make Multichannel Moves
In a research experiment conducted by fundraising platform NextAfter, only some potential donors received a personalized postcard that featured their name and the link to a customized online video. The donors who received the postcard donated an average of 204% more than those who didn’t.
CharityWatch warns that specialty multichannel items can mean higher fundraising costs for organizations, but in our work with small organizations, we’ve mitigated these multichannel costs. We encourage coordinating your message across channels for a consistent and impactful donor journey.
5. Welcome a Wonderful Website
According to research conducted by charity organization DealAid, 60% of donors cite a nonprofit’s website as the number one research destination prior to making a donation decision. A professional, user-friendly website signals the legitimacy and transparency you need to drive the most dynamic donations.
The most optimized websites integrate donation pages, recurring giving options and campaign tracking as a component of a larger multichannel system. As a bonus, equip your website with analytics tools to track engagement metrics, donation patterns and campaign performance.
FineLine Features the Best Fundraising Ideas for Nonprofits
Aesop once said that “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” A call center can crescendo your kindness to new heights by pairing market research with the small touches that make us human.
To add research, respect and kindness to your donor engagement, add FineLine Solutions, an AnswerNet company. Reach out here or click the button below to get in contact.
