What fundraiser doesn’t love opening that envelope to find a $10,000+ check, especially when it’s unexpected? The next thought you should have is whether it’s sustainable. Your mission now is to find the answer to that question. While some funders will continue to give at a high level because your organization is their chosen nonprofit, many will not. This is where individuals come into play.
The main goal of fundraising is to find steady streams of income that you can count on year after year. Individuals are your answer, especially those that are monthly donors. If you have a monthly donor that commits $50 per month to your organization for 20 years, they invest $12,000 to your cause. You have a much better chance of increasing this gift if the donor is cultivated properly. Many monthly donors upgrade their donations over the years if they know what their dollars are doing to help the community. It makes a difference if your CEO or executive director recognizes them at the annual gala, and speaks to them personally to thank them for their continued support.
Your long term individual donors may be able to offer you two other streams of funding: planned giving and loyalty gifts from family. As your monthly donors are aging, it’s important to include information regarding planned giving so they can continue their legacy. Another way to influence legacy giving is to reach out to their family members. If donor X has given and volunteered with your group for multiple years, there’s a strong possibility that their child, donor Y, has seen their commitment and investment. They know how much your organization means to their parents, and they want to continue the tradition.
While I always enjoyed opening those large checks during my tenure in fundraising, individuals are where it’s at. Make them a part of your organization’s family, and you will be rewarded in spades.
Contact a member of the DonorLynk team today to implement your simplified CRM to better manage donors and their gifts to your nonprofits.
Shanda Wicker is a Business Development Executive at DonorLynk, LLC. DonorLynk is focused on helping nonprofits increase effectiveness and efficiency.