Priority: Donor Acquisition

Between declining retention and a lower rate of new donor participation, donor files have been shrinking for several years. Some of this is due to post-pandemic and recession-related declines. However, some are also due to organizations not allocating adequate budget to acquisition.

In times of uncertainty, many organizations pull back resources for fundraising programs. And yet, from an analysis of the 2008 recession, when many organizations reduced or entirely eliminated spending on acquisition during the toughest years, nonprofits that kept up their acquisition efforts recovered faster than those that did not.

While direct mail is still a solid source of new donors, participation is down and expenses are up, which can be a budgetary challenge. In this atmosphere, it’s important to consider all the ways your donors may be interacting with your organization – through e-mail, on your website, on social media or YouTube, or at physical locations. Alongside traditional, proven tactics, it’s important to assess all the entry points that potential donors could have to get excited about your programs and then design approaches specifically for each channel.

Always remember, when it comes to digital recruitment, a strong introduction and path to emotional connection is imperative as a warm-up for a future donation. Find ways to let your prospects see your mission in action and begin to feel passionate about it before you ask. Ensure your donation forms are low-friction. And if you can secure a mailing address or e-mail address along the journey, you will convert more prospects to donors through those means.