How to get donations
Donations lie at the heart of every non-profit organization’s bottom line. For most non-profits, if they can’t land donations, they won’t be in operation very long. However, getting donations for your organization often proves to be harder than you might think. Convincing someone to give money without the expectation of getting something in return is something that many non-profit organizations never master. However, there are secrets that those who are more successful at it are ready to share. The main thing to remember that when it comes to donations, whether monetary or other, the act of giving isn’t a business transaction. It signifies a deeper connection between the donor and recipient. This means that in order to be successful, your organization and those in charge of fundraising campaigns have to be able to make connections. They have to be able to show existing and potential donors that their donations are making a difference in someone’s life. By gaining a greater understanding of why donors give, you can then use that information to bring in new donors and entice larger donations out of those who are regular supporters.
Some of the more common reasons donors give include:
I wanted to help someone I knew
I had a strong reaction to someone else’s story
Giving allows me the opportunity to not feel powerless and that I am doing something to help someone in need
By donating, I feel as though I can potentially change someone’s life for the positive.
I like to give to memorialize the lives of important people to me.
I want to be part of a “movement” and do whatever is “in style”
Donating allows me to connect with other like minded individuals
Giving makes me feel good
When my company donates to a cause, we look better to the community we serve
Someone gave me a helping hand when I was down and I want to pay it forward
When you read the list above, one thing becomes apparent very quickly. People give from the heart, not with their heads. Of course any organization is going to have to prove that it is a good financial steward and will handle the money received with integrity and care. But, before that, you are going to have to tug at some heartstrings in order to get that money coming in. And you won’t be able to do that with graphs and a lot of keywords.
Each donor wants to feel special when they give money to a cause. It’s why they are giving. Make sure that your fundraising campaigns are centered around the donors themselves. You need to ensure that each donor understands how important they are to your organization and that you care about each of them individually.
And, last but not least, understand that the actual giving occurs at the very moment the donor connects with your organization. It is vitally important that donors have the opportunity to donate immediately rather than allowing them to go home or leave and trust that they come to your offices later to donate. Most won’t return and you have lost the opportunity to log more dollars.
Need more information about how to get donations? Learn more tips and tricks for better fundraising activities.