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What Should Be Included in a Nonprofit Fundraising Report?

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 15:50:37 GMT

A practical guide to the metrics, insights, and reporting structure nonprofit teams need to understand fundraising performance.

Fundraising reports do more than summarize how much money a nonprofit raised. A strong report helps staff, leadership, and board members understand where revenue came from, which campaigns performed well, how donors are engaging, and where the organization should focus next.

When fundraising information is spread across spreadsheets, event platforms, email systems, and donation tools, it can be difficult to see the full picture. A consistent reporting process gives your team a clearer view of performance and makes it easier to make informed decisions.

So, what should a nonprofit fundraising report actually include? Below are the key sections and metrics that can turn a basic revenue summary into a useful management tool.

1. Start With a High-Level Fundraising Summary

The first section should give readers an immediate snapshot of fundraising performance. This is especially important for board members or executives who may not need every underlying detail.

A high-level summary may include:

Total funds raised during the reporting period
Fundraising goal and percentage of goal achieved
Total number of gifts
Number of unique donors
Average gift size
Comparison with the same period last year
Major wins, challenges, or unusual activity

This section should answer the most basic question: Are we on track? From there, the rest of the report can explain why performance looks the way it does.

2. Revenue by Fundraising Campaign

Total revenue is important, but nonprofits also need to know which campaigns are producing results. Breaking fundraising down by campaign makes it easier to compare performance and decide where future time and budget should go.

For each campaign, consider reporting:

Campaign goal
Amount raised
Number of donors
Number of gifts
Average gift
Response or conversion rate, when available
Fundraising expenses
Net revenue

Campaign reporting can include annual appeals, Giving Tuesday, peer-to-peer campaigns, capital campaigns, direct mail, online campaigns, and other fundraising initiatives.

3. Revenue by Fundraising Source

A healthy fundraising program typically relies on more than one source of revenue. Your report should show where contributed revenue is coming from so your team can identify concentrations, opportunities, and potential risks.

Common categories include:

Individual donations
Recurring gifts
Major gifts
Corporate contributions
Foundation grants
Fundraising events
Peer-to-peer fundraising
Membership revenue, when applicable
Sponsorships

Looking at revenue by source can help answer questions such as: Are recurring gifts growing? Are we too dependent on one annual event? Are major gifts making up a larger share of revenue than last year?

4. Donor Acquisition Metrics

Fundraising is not only about revenue from existing supporters. Nonprofits also need a steady pipeline of new donors. Including acquisition metrics helps your organization understand whether it is successfully expanding its donor base.

Useful acquisition metrics include:

Number of new donors
Revenue from new donors
Average first gift
Source or campaign that acquired each new donor
New-donor conversion rate
Cost to acquire a donor, when acquisition expenses are tracked

Tracking acquisition source is particularly valuable. If a large percentage of new donors came from a specific event, campaign, referral source, or digital channel, that can influence future fundraising strategy.

5. Donor Retention and Repeat Giving

Acquiring new donors matters, but keeping them is equally important. A fundraising report should show whether supporters are continuing to give over time.

Consider including:

Overall donor retention rate
First-time donor retention rate
Repeat donor retention rate
Number of renewed donors
Number of lapsed donors
Revenue from retained donors
Year-over-year changes in retention

Retention data gives fundraising teams a more complete picture than revenue alone. A campaign can raise more money this year while still creating a future problem if fewer donors are coming back.

6. Recurring Giving Performance

Recurring donors can provide a more predictable source of revenue, so recurring giving deserves its own section when it is part of your fundraising strategy.

Key recurring-giving metrics can include:

Number of active recurring donors
Monthly recurring revenue
Average recurring gift
New recurring donors added during the period
Canceled or failed recurring gifts
Year-over-year growth in recurring giving

These numbers help show whether your organization is building a sustainable base of ongoing support rather than relying entirely on one-time campaigns.

7. Major Gift Activity

For nonprofits with a major gifts program, the fundraising report should include both completed gifts and pipeline activity. Major gift fundraising often involves a longer cultivation process, so revenue alone may not reflect the work underway.

A major gifts section might include:

Major gifts received
Number of major donors
Top gifts during the period
Prospects currently being cultivated
Open asks or proposals
Expected gift amounts
Next steps or follow-up dates

For internal reports, this can become a useful bridge between donor relationship management and financial forecasting.

8. Fundraising Event Performance

If your nonprofit holds galas, golf tournaments, auctions, walks, dinners, or other fundraising events, report on more than gross event revenue.

Useful event metrics include:

Ticket revenue
Sponsorship revenue
Donations made during the event
Auction or raffle revenue, if applicable
Number of attendees
Number of first-time donors or attendees
Event expenses
Net proceeds
Revenue per attendee

Tracking attendees alongside donors can also help your team identify people who participated in an event but have not yet made a direct contribution, creating opportunities for future cultivation.

9. Fundraising Expenses and Return on Investment

A report that only shows gross revenue can make fundraising efforts look more successful than they actually are. Whenever possible, include the costs associated with fundraising activities.

Common expenses can include:

Advertising and promotion
Printing and postage
Event venue and catering
Technology and platform fees
Consultants or outside services
Other direct campaign expenses

One simple way to evaluate efficiency is to calculate net revenue:

Net Revenue = Gross Revenue - Fundraising Expenses

Organizations may also track cost per dollar raised or fundraising ROI, but these metrics should be interpreted in context. A donor acquisition campaign, for example, may have a lower immediate return but create long-term value if those new donors continue giving.

10. Donor Segmentation

A fundraising report becomes more useful when the results can be broken down into meaningful donor groups. Segmentation allows your team to understand which supporters are driving different types of fundraising performance.

Examples of useful segments include:

First-time donors
Repeat donors
Recurring donors
Major donors
Lapsed donors
Event attendees
Members
Donors by campaign, appeal, or fund
Donors by giving level

Once these groups are visible, your organization can tailor communication and fundraising strategies instead of treating every donor the same way.

11. Fund and Designation Reporting

Many nonprofits raise money for multiple programs, projects, locations, or restricted funds. Your report should clearly show where donors intended their contributions to go.

Depending on your organization, this might include:

Unrestricted giving
Program-specific funds
Capital projects
Scholarship funds
Emergency campaigns
Memorial or tribute funds
Other donor-designated purposes

Clear designation reporting helps fundraising and finance teams stay aligned and can make donor stewardship more accurate.

12. Pledge and Outstanding Commitment Reporting

If your organization accepts pledges, the report should distinguish between money received and money committed for future payment.

Consider reporting:

Total pledged
Amount collected
Outstanding pledge balance
Upcoming pledge payments
Past-due pledges
Pledge fulfillment rate

This gives leadership a better understanding of both current cash received and future expected fundraising revenue.

13. Year-Over-Year and Goal Comparisons

Fundraising numbers are much easier to interpret when they have context. Whenever possible, compare current results with goals and prior periods.

Your report might compare:

Actual revenue versus fundraising goal
Current month versus the same month last year
Year-to-date performance versus last year
Current campaign versus previous versions of the campaign
Donor counts and retention trends over multiple years

A $100,000 campaign result means something very different if the goal was $75,000 than if the goal was $200,000. Comparisons provide the context needed to evaluate performance fairly.

14. Include Insights, Not Just Numbers

The best fundraising reports include a short narrative explaining what the numbers mean. Data tells you what happened; analysis helps your organization decide what to do next.

For example, your report could note that:

Online giving increased after a new email campaign launched.
Event revenue grew, but event expenses increased faster than revenue.
New donor acquisition was strong, but first-time donor retention declined.
Recurring giving grew steadily and is becoming a larger percentage of total revenue.
A particular donor segment responded especially well to a campaign.

Adding a few observations and recommended next steps turns the fundraising report into a decision-making tool instead of a historical record.

How Often Should Nonprofits Run Fundraising Reports?

The right reporting schedule depends on your organization, but many nonprofits benefit from reviewing fundraising data at several levels:

Weekly: active campaigns, major gift activity, event registrations, and immediate follow-up needs
Monthly: revenue, donor counts, recurring giving, campaign performance, and progress toward goals
Quarterly: retention trends, acquisition performance, fundraising efficiency, and strategic progress
Annually: year-over-year performance, long-term donor trends, campaign results, and planning for the next fiscal year

The goal is not to create more reports for the sake of reporting. The goal is to make sure your team has the information it needs when decisions are being made.

Create a Fundraising Dashboard Your Team Will Actually Use

Not every stakeholder needs the same information. Development staff may need detailed campaign and donor activity, while a board may benefit from a shorter dashboard focused on goals, revenue trends, donor retention, and major fundraising initiatives.

A useful fundraising dashboard should make your most important numbers easy to understand at a glance. Start with the metrics that directly relate to your organization’s goals, then add detail only when it helps explain performance or guide action.

Simplify Fundraising Reporting With DonorView

When donor records, donations, campaigns, events, memberships, and communications live in separate systems, creating a complete fundraising report can become a time-consuming process. Centralizing this information makes it easier to analyze performance without constantly combining spreadsheets and exports.

DonorView gives nonprofits a single place to manage donor information, fundraising activity, events, communications, and reporting. With better visibility into your data, your team can spend less time assembling reports and more time using those reports to strengthen fundraising strategy.

If you are looking for a simpler way to organize your fundraising data and understand your donor activity, learn more about DonorView and schedule a demo at donorview.com/demo .

How to Plan a Nonprofit Fundraising Event From Start to Finish

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 18:33:03 GMT

A practical step-by-step guide to setting goals, building a budget, promoting your event, managing donors, and following up after the last guest leaves.

A Successful Fundraising Event Starts Long Before Event Day

A nonprofit fundraising event can do much more than generate revenue. The right event can introduce new supporters to your mission, deepen relationships with existing donors, attract sponsors, create volunteer opportunities, and give your community a memorable reason to engage with your organization.

But successful events rarely happen by accident. Whether you are planning a gala, golf tournament, auction, luncheon, walk, peer-to-peer fundraiser, or community celebration, the strongest events are built around a clear plan. That plan should connect your fundraising goal to your audience, your budget, your communications, and the donor experience.

Use the steps below as a start-to-finish framework for planning a nonprofit fundraising event that is organized, measurable, and easier for your team to manage.

1. Define the Purpose and Fundraising Goal

Before choosing a venue or designing an invitation, define exactly what the event is supposed to accomplish. Revenue is often the primary goal, but it may not be the only one.

Start by answering a few questions:

How much net revenue do we want the event to generate?
What program, campaign, or organizational need will the event support?
Do we also want to acquire new donors, engage major donors, recruit volunteers, or raise awareness?
How many attendees do we need in order to reach our goal?
What should a successful event look like beyond dollars raised?

Whenever possible, set a net fundraising goal rather than focusing only on gross revenue. An event that raises $100,000 but costs $70,000 to produce has a very different financial impact than one that raises $80,000 and costs $25,000.

2. Choose the Right Type of Fundraising Event

The best event format depends on your audience, your fundraising target, your staff capacity, and the experience you want supporters to have. A large formal gala may work well for one organization, while a smaller golf tournament, breakfast, or community event may produce a stronger return for another.

Common nonprofit fundraising event formats include:

Galas, dinners, and award events
Golf tournaments
Silent or live auctions
Walks, runs, and peer-to-peer events
Community festivals or family events
Fundraising breakfasts or luncheons
Concerts, performances, or themed events
Virtual or hybrid fundraising events

Consider both the revenue opportunity and the operational burden. A more elaborate event is not automatically a better fundraiser. The right format is the one your supporters are excited to attend and your organization can execute well.

3. Build a Realistic Event Budget

Create the budget early, before major commitments are made. This gives your team clear spending limits and helps determine how many tickets, sponsorships, auction items, or donations are needed to reach the fundraising goal.

Typical event expenses may include:

Venue rental
Food and beverage
Entertainment or speakers
Audio/visual equipment
Decor and signage
Printing and postage
Event technology and registration tools
Photography or videography
Insurance, permits, or security
Payment processing fees
Staffing or contractor costs

Build in a contingency amount for unexpected costs. Events often produce last-minute expenses, and a small buffer can prevent those surprises from reducing your net proceeds.

4. Create a Timeline and Assign Ownership

Once the event is approved, work backward from the event date and create a timeline. Larger events may require six to twelve months of planning, while smaller events can often be organized in a shorter window.

Your timeline should include deadlines for:

Venue selection and contracts
Sponsorship outreach
Ticket and registration launch
Save-the-dates and invitations
Auction or raffle item acquisition
Volunteer recruitment
Email and social media promotion
Catering and vendor confirmations
Seating assignments and guest lists
Event-day scripts and run-of-show
Post-event acknowledgments and reporting

Assign a clear owner to each major task. A shared plan is helpful, but accountability matters. Team members should know who is responsible for each decision, deadline, vendor, and communication.

5. Develop Sponsorship Opportunities

Sponsorships can significantly improve event profitability because they provide revenue before the event takes place. They can also help cover major expenses such as food, entertainment, signage, or venue costs.

Create sponsorship packages that are easy to understand and clearly explain the value to the sponsor. Benefits might include logo placement, complimentary tickets, recognition during the event, website exposure, social media mentions, branded signage, or the opportunity to sponsor a specific portion of the program.

Avoid creating so many sponsorship levels that the choices become confusing. A few clearly differentiated packages are usually easier to sell and manage.

6. Set Up Registration, Ticketing, and Donor Data Collection

Registration is one of the first direct experiences a supporter has with your event. Make the process simple, mobile-friendly, and easy to complete.

Your registration form may need to capture:

Attendee and guest names
Email addresses and phone numbers
Ticket type or table selection
Meal choices or accessibility needs
Company or organization name
Sponsorship details
Donation amount
Payment information
How the attendee heard about the event

Whenever possible, keep event registration connected to your donor database. When registrations, payments, attendance, sponsorships, and donations are stored in one system, your team has a much clearer picture of each supporter's overall relationship with your organization.

7. Create an Event Promotion Plan

Do not rely on a single invitation or one social media post. Event promotion works best as a coordinated campaign that builds awareness and urgency over time.

A typical promotion plan can include:

A dedicated event landing page
Save-the-date emails
Formal invitations
Registration launch emails
Sponsor announcements
Social media posts
Board and volunteer outreach
Partner promotion
Reminder emails as the event approaches
Last-chance messaging before registration closes

Segment communications when possible. A previous attendee, major donor, volunteer, sponsor, and first-time prospect may all respond to different messages. Personalization can make event outreach feel more relevant without requiring a completely separate campaign for every audience.

8. Plan the Donor Experience

A fundraising event is not only a transaction. It is an opportunity to make supporters feel connected to your mission. Every part of the event should reinforce why the organization's work matters and how attendees can participate in it.

Think through the full guest experience:

Is check-in fast and welcoming?
Do attendees understand where to go and what happens next?
Is the mission visible throughout the event?
Are speakers and stories concise and compelling?
Is the fundraising ask clear?
Can guests donate easily from their phones or at the event?
Do sponsors and major supporters receive appropriate recognition?

The strongest events balance fundraising with storytelling. Supporters should leave knowing what their gift makes possible, not simply how much money the organization hoped to raise.

9. Prepare the Event-Day Run-of-Show

Create a detailed run-of-show that outlines what happens from setup through teardown. Share it with staff, volunteers, vendors, speakers, and anyone else who needs to coordinate timing.

Include details such as:

Vendor arrival and setup times
Volunteer check-in and assignments
Registration opening time
Program start and end times
Speaker order and presentation length
Meal or activity timing
Auction, raffle, or appeal timing
Fundraising announcements
Sponsor recognition
Checkout procedures
Cleanup and equipment pickup

Also create backup plans for the most likely problems. Outdoor events need a weather plan. Technology-dependent events need a plan for internet or audio/visual issues. Staff should know who has authority to make quick decisions if something changes.

10. Make Giving Easy During the Event

If the event includes a direct fundraising appeal, reduce friction as much as possible. Supporters should be able to understand the need and complete a gift in just a few steps.

Depending on the event, that may mean mobile-friendly donation forms, QR codes, text-based links, pledge cards, on-site payment stations, auction checkout, or staff members prepared to help guests. Test every giving method before the event begins.

Be specific about impact. A clear example of what a gift can accomplish often makes the fundraising ask more tangible and memorable.

11. Track Results in Real Time

During the event, keep track of registrations, attendance, donations, sponsorships, auction purchases, and pledges. Accurate records make checkout easier and reduce the amount of cleanup your team has to do later.

If your event tools and donor management system work together, staff can spend less time combining spreadsheets and more time focusing on supporters.

12. Follow Up Quickly After the Event

The event may be over, but the donor relationship is not. Prompt follow-up is one of the most important parts of the entire event process.

Within the first few days, consider sending:

Thank-you emails to attendees
Personal acknowledgments to major donors and sponsors
Tax receipts or donation confirmations
A message sharing preliminary fundraising results
Photos or highlights from the event
Outstanding pledge reminders
A short survey for attendees, volunteers, or sponsors

Whenever possible, tailor the follow-up based on how the person participated. A sponsor, volunteer, first-time donor, table host, and auction winner should not necessarily receive the exact same message.

13. Measure the Event's Performance

After the event, review both the financial results and the relationship-building results. This helps your organization understand whether the event should be repeated and what should change next time.

Useful metrics include:

Gross revenue
Total expenses
Net revenue
Cost per dollar raised
Number of attendees
Number of donors
Number of first-time donors
Average gift size
Sponsorship revenue
Registration conversion rate
Pledge fulfillment rate
Attendee and sponsor retention from prior years

Schedule a short debrief while the event is still fresh. Document what worked, what created unnecessary effort, which vendors performed well, and what the team would do differently next year.

How DonorView Can Help With Nonprofit Fundraising Events

Fundraising events create a large amount of information: registrations, ticket purchases, guest lists, sponsorships, donations, communications, payments, attendance, and follow-up activity. When that information is spread across multiple tools and spreadsheets, managing the event becomes harder than it needs to be.

DonorView helps nonprofits manage fundraising, donor relationships, events, communications, payments, and reporting in one connected platform. Keeping event activity tied to donor records can give your team a more complete view of each supporter before, during, and after the event.

Ready to see how DonorView can help your organization manage fundraising events and donor relationships? Schedule a demo at donorview.com/demo .

Final Fundraising Event Planning Checklist

Set the event's purpose and net fundraising goal.
Choose an event format that fits your audience and capacity.
Create a realistic revenue and expense budget.
Build a timeline and assign owners to every major task.
Create and sell sponsorship packages.
Launch registration and ticketing.
Promote the event through email, social media, partners, and your website.
Plan the attendee and donor experience.
Create a detailed event-day run-of-show.
Test donation, payment, and checkout workflows.
Track event activity and donor information accurately.
Send acknowledgments and follow-up quickly.
Review results and document lessons for the next event.

Plan the Event With the Donor Relationship in Mind

The most valuable fundraising events are not just successful for one night. They create stronger relationships that continue after the event ends. When your planning process connects event logistics with donor data, communications, and follow-up, your team is better positioned to turn attendees into long-term supporters.

Start with a clear goal, build a realistic plan, make it easy for people to participate and give, and use what you learn to make the next event even stronger.

How to Improve Donor Retention: 10 Strategies for Nonprofits

Mon, 28 Sep 2026 18:09:10 GMT

Acquiring new donors is important, but building lasting relationships with the donors you already have can be just as valuable.

Donor retention is the percentage of donors who continue giving to your nonprofit from one period to the next. When donors return year after year, your organization can build more predictable fundraising revenue, develop stronger supporter relationships, and spend less time constantly trying to replace donors who have stopped giving.

Improving donor retention does not necessarily require a complicated fundraising strategy. Often, it comes down to better communication, more meaningful engagement, and a clearer understanding of the people supporting your mission.

Here are 10 strategies nonprofits can use to improve donor retention and build stronger relationships with their supporters.

1. Thank Donors Quickly

A donor's experience should not end when they click the "Donate" button.

One of the simplest ways to begin building a long-term relationship is to acknowledge the gift quickly and genuinely.

Immediately after a donation, send a confirmation and thank-you message that includes important details about the contribution. Then consider following up with a more personal message depending on the donor and gift amount.

Your acknowledgment might include:

The donor's name
The amount of the gift
The campaign or program they supported
A brief explanation of the impact of their contribution
Tax receipt information
A personal thank-you from your organization

Automating the initial acknowledgment can help ensure every donor receives timely communication while still allowing your team to personally follow up with key supporters.

2. Show Donors the Impact of Their Gifts

Donors want to know what happened after they gave.

Instead of communicating only when your organization needs another donation, regularly show supporters how their contributions are helping advance your mission.

Share specific stories, updates, milestones, and results.

For example, instead of simply saying "Thank you for supporting our programs," you might explain: "Thanks to supporters like you, our after-school program provided tutoring to 175 students this semester."

Concrete examples make the connection between a donor's contribution and your organization's work easier to understand.

Impact updates can be shared through email newsletters, annual reports, social media, videos, events, or individual donor communications.

3. Personalize Donor Communication

Not every donor should receive exactly the same message.

Someone who has donated every year for a decade has a different relationship with your organization than someone who made their first $25 gift yesterday.

Use the information in your donor database to personalize your outreach.

You might segment donors based on:

First-time versus recurring donors
Donation amount
Giving frequency
Campaign interests
Event participation
Volunteer involvement
Membership status
Previous interactions with your organization

Segmentation allows your organization to send communications that are more relevant to each supporter.

Donor management software can make this much easier by keeping donor information, giving history, communications, and other engagement activity connected in one place.

4. Create a Strong First-Time Donor Experience

The period immediately following someone's first donation is especially important.

Instead of immediately adding a new donor to your regular fundraising appeals, consider creating a short welcome experience.

For example, a first-time donor communication series might include:

Immediately: Donation confirmation and thank-you.
A few days later: An introduction to your organization and mission.
A few weeks later: A story demonstrating the impact of donor support.
Later: An invitation to follow your organization, attend an event, volunteer, or learn more about your programs.

The objective is to build a relationship before asking for another contribution.

A thoughtful onboarding process helps new donors understand who you are, what their donation supports, and how they can remain involved.

5. Encourage Recurring Giving

Recurring donors provide nonprofits with a more predictable source of fundraising revenue while giving supporters a convenient way to contribute.

Instead of making a single larger donation, a supporter may prefer giving a smaller amount every month.

Make recurring giving easy by including monthly or recurring options on your online donation forms.

You can also explain why recurring donations are valuable. For example: "A monthly gift of $20 helps us provide dependable support throughout the year."

Recurring giving works particularly well when donors understand how their ongoing contributions connect to ongoing needs.

6. Communicate Between Fundraising Appeals

If every email from your nonprofit asks for money, supporters may eventually stop paying attention.

Donor communication should include more than fundraising appeals.

Keep donors connected to your mission throughout the year with content such as:

Program updates
Success stories
Volunteer opportunities
Event invitations
Behind-the-scenes updates
Staff or volunteer spotlights
Educational resources
Surveys
Thank-you messages
Annual impact reports

A useful question to ask before sending a message is: are we giving the donor something valuable, or are we only asking them for something?

A healthy communication strategy does both.

7. Recognize Important Donor Milestones

Long-term supporters deserve recognition.

Track important milestones such as:

First donation anniversary
Fifth or tenth year as a donor
Giving milestones
Recurring donor anniversaries
Volunteer milestones
Membership anniversaries
Major campaign participation

Recognition does not need to be expensive.

A personalized email, handwritten note, phone call, or small acknowledgment can show donors that your organization notices and appreciates their continued support.

These small interactions can help turn fundraising into a genuine relationship rather than a series of transactions.

8. Give Donors More Ways to Get Involved

A donor relationship should not be measured only by donations.

Many of your strongest supporters may also:

Volunteer
Attend events
Become members
Participate in peer-to-peer fundraising
Serve on committees
Advocate for your mission
Refer friends or family
Sponsor programs or events

Giving donors multiple ways to participate creates a deeper relationship with your organization.

It also gives your nonprofit more opportunities to understand what each supporter cares about.

For example, a donor who regularly attends your annual event may respond differently to communications than someone who primarily supports a specific program.

Tracking those interactions alongside donation history can give your team a more complete picture of each supporter.

9. Pay Attention to Donors Who Stop Engaging

Do not wait until a donor has disappeared completely before attempting to reconnect.

Look for signs that engagement may be declining. For example:

A recurring donor cancels their donation.
A regular donor has not contributed this year.
A previously engaged supporter stops opening emails.
A frequent event attendee stops registering.
A longtime donor suddenly changes their giving pattern.

These changes can provide an opportunity for thoughtful outreach.

Instead of immediately sending another fundraising appeal, try a message such as: "We haven't heard from you in a while and wanted to share what's been happening at our organization."

In some cases, a personal phone call or email may be more appropriate.

The goal should be to rebuild the relationship rather than simply recover a donation.

10. Track and Measure Donor Retention

You cannot improve donor retention if you are not measuring it.

At a minimum, nonprofits should understand how many donors continue giving from one year to the next.

A simple donor retention formula is: Donor Retention Rate = Returning Donors divided by Donors from the Previous Period, multiplied by 100.

For example, if 500 people donated last year and 300 of those donors gave again this year: 300 divided by 500 times 100 equals 60% donor retention.

You can go even further by measuring retention among different groups. Consider comparing:

First-time donor retention
Recurring donor retention
Major donor retention
Campaign-specific retention
Event donor retention
Giving-level retention

Looking at these groups separately can help identify where your organization is successfully building relationships and where donors may be falling away.

How Donor Management Software Can Help Improve Donor Retention

Improving donor retention becomes much easier when your organization can see the complete history of its relationship with each supporter.

When donor information is spread across spreadsheets, email systems, event platforms, payment processors, and other tools, important details can easily be missed.

A donor management system brings that information together.

With DonorView, nonprofits can manage constituent records and view information such as giving history, event participation, communications, memberships, volunteer activity, and other interactions from a centralized platform.

Having this information available can help fundraising teams:

Segment donors more effectively
Personalize communications
Identify long-term supporters
Track giving patterns
Manage recurring gifts
Send acknowledgments
Follow up with donors
Monitor fundraising performance
Understand how supporters interact with the organization beyond donations

The result is a clearer picture of each donor relationship and more opportunities to create meaningful engagement.

Donor Retention Is About Building Relationships

There is no single email or fundraising campaign that guarantees a donor will continue giving.

Strong donor retention is usually the result of many small interactions over time.

Thank donors promptly. Show them what their contributions accomplished. Communicate even when you are not asking for money. Learn what interests them. Recognize their continued support.

Most importantly, treat donors as people who have chosen to become part of your mission rather than simply names in a fundraising database.

When nonprofits consistently create valuable experiences for supporters, they have a stronger foundation for long-term donor relationships.

Build Stronger Donor Relationships With DonorView

DonorView brings donor management, fundraising, communications, events, memberships, volunteer management, and more together in one platform designed for nonprofits.

Keep donor information organized, understand supporter engagement, personalize outreach, and give your team the tools it needs to build relationships that last.

See how DonorView can help your organization strengthen donor relationships and simplify fundraising.

Request a DonorView Demo

Membership Management for Nonprofits: How to Build Stronger Member Relationships

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 14:33:00 GMT

For many nonprofit organizations, members are much more than names in a database. They are supporters, volunteers, advocates, event attendees, donors, and often some of the most engaged people connected to your mission.

As a membership program grows, however, keeping track of renewals, payments, communications, events, and member information can quickly become difficult.

That is where effective nonprofit membership management becomes important.

With the right processes and membership management software, nonprofits can spend less time managing spreadsheets and administrative work and more time building meaningful relationships with their members.

What Is Nonprofit Membership Management?

Nonprofit membership management is the process of organizing and maintaining the relationships between an organization and its members.

Depending on the organization, this may include:

Maintaining member contact information
Tracking membership levels and status
Processing membership payments
Managing renewals and expiration dates
Sending member communications
Managing member events
Tracking participation and engagement
Providing member-only benefits
Reporting on membership growth and retention

For smaller organizations, these activities may initially be managed through spreadsheets, email accounts, and separate payment systems.

As membership grows, those disconnected tools can create additional administrative work and make it harder to understand the complete relationship between a member and the organization.

Why Membership Management Matters for Nonprofits

Strong membership programs depend on more than simply signing up new members.

Organizations also need to keep members engaged and give them reasons to remain involved year after year.

An effective membership management process helps nonprofits understand important questions such as:

Which memberships are coming up for renewal?
Which members regularly attend events?
Which members are also donors or volunteers?
How long has someone been a member?
Which membership levels are growing?
Which members have recently become less engaged?

Having this information available in one place allows nonprofit teams to communicate more effectively and make better decisions about their membership programs.

Move Beyond Membership Spreadsheets

Spreadsheets can be useful when a membership program is small, but they often become difficult to manage as an organization grows.

A spreadsheet may tell you that someone is a member, but it may not easily show the complete history of that person's relationship with your organization.

For example, the same person may have:

Purchased a membership
Made a donation
Registered for an event
Volunteered
Received an email campaign
Renewed their membership multiple times

When each activity is stored in a different system, nonprofit staff may have to search through several platforms to understand that member's history.

A centralized nonprofit database can help bring those interactions together.

Make Membership Renewals Easier

Membership renewals are one of the most important parts of running a successful membership program.

Without an organized process, memberships can expire simply because someone forgot to renew.

Membership management software can help organizations track expiration dates and communicate with members before and after their memberships expire.

Instead of manually reviewing a spreadsheet every month, organizations can create a more consistent renewal process.

For example, a nonprofit might send:

A reminder several weeks before expiration
Another reminder as the renewal date approaches
A renewal notice when the membership expires
A follow-up message if the member has not renewed

These communications can help keep membership renewal from becoming a manual administrative project.

Create Different Membership Levels

Many nonprofits offer multiple membership options based on the needs of their community.

For example, an organization might offer:

Individual memberships
Family memberships
Student memberships
Business or corporate memberships
Lifetime memberships
Supporting or premium membership levels

Each level may have different prices, benefits, renewal periods, or eligibility requirements.

A membership management system allows nonprofits to organize these different options while keeping member information connected within the same database.

This can make it easier to understand how many members belong to each level and which membership options are most popular.

Connect Memberships With Donations

One of the biggest advantages of using an integrated nonprofit management platform is the ability to see how membership fits into the larger relationship between a supporter and your organization.

A member may also be one of your organization's most consistent donors.

Or someone who initially joins as a member may later become a volunteer, event participant, sponsor, or major donor.

When membership and fundraising information are stored separately, these relationships can be difficult to identify.

Keeping membership and donor information connected provides your organization with a more complete picture of supporter engagement.

That information can help your team communicate with supporters based on their actual relationship with your organization.

Improve Member Communication

Communication plays an important role in keeping members engaged.

Members may want to hear about:

Upcoming events
Organization news
Volunteer opportunities
Member benefits
Advocacy initiatives
Renewal reminders
Fundraising campaigns

Instead of maintaining separate mailing lists, organizations can use membership information to create targeted communications.

For example, you might send one message to active members, another to recently expired members, and a different message to members who regularly participate in events.

More relevant communication can help members feel more connected to the organization.

Track Member Events and Participation

Events are often an important part of a nonprofit membership program.

Organizations may host:

Annual meetings
Conferences
Networking events
Educational programs
Workshops
Fundraising events
Member appreciation events

Tracking attendance alongside membership information gives organizations another way to understand engagement.

If someone attends several events each year, for example, that information can become an important part of their member history.

Organizations can also identify members who have not participated recently and create outreach campaigns designed to reconnect with them.

Make Online Membership Registration Simple

The membership experience often begins online.

A prospective member should be able to quickly understand available membership options, select the appropriate level, submit their information, and make a payment.

Complicated registration processes can create unnecessary barriers.

An effective online membership form should make it easy for people to join while automatically capturing their information in your organization's membership database.

Reducing manual data entry can also save staff time and help prevent errors.

Understand Your Membership Data

Membership management software should do more than store contact information.

It should help nonprofit leaders understand how their membership program is performing.

Useful membership metrics can include:

Total active members
New members
Membership renewals
Expired memberships
Renewal rates
Membership revenue
Membership growth
Members by membership level

Tracking these numbers over time can help organizations identify trends and make more informed decisions about their membership strategy.

Keep Member Information in One Place

One of the most common challenges for nonprofit organizations is having information spread across too many systems.

Membership information may live in one database, donations in another platform, event registrations somewhere else, and email communications in a separate system.

The more systems an organization uses, the harder it becomes to maintain a complete and accurate picture of its supporters.

Bringing these activities together can simplify administration and give staff a better understanding of each person's relationship with the organization.

Membership Management With DonorView

DonorView helps nonprofits manage memberships alongside other important areas of their organization.

Instead of treating membership as a completely separate activity, organizations can connect member information with fundraising, communications, events, and other supporter activity.

With DonorView, nonprofits can manage areas such as:

Member records
Membership levels
Membership payments
Renewals
Online membership forms
Email communications
Event registrations
Donations
Reporting

Having these tools available in one platform can reduce the amount of time staff spend moving information between different systems.

More importantly, it helps organizations see members as complete supporters rather than separate records scattered across different platforms.

Build a Stronger Membership Program

A successful membership program is built around relationships.

Technology cannot replace those relationships, but it can make them easier to manage.

When nonprofit staff have access to accurate membership information, organized renewal processes, integrated communications, and meaningful engagement history, they can spend less time managing administrative tasks and more time connecting with the people who support their mission.

For organizations looking to simplify nonprofit membership management , DonorView provides tools designed to help manage members, fundraising, events, communications, and supporter relationships in one place.

Want to see how DonorView can help manage your nonprofit's membership program?

Schedule a demonstration at donorview.com/demo .

How to Manage a Successful Nonprofit Golf Tournament

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 14:41:17 GMT

Golf tournaments are a popular fundraising event for nonprofits because they combine donor engagement, sponsorship opportunities, friendly competition, and community building into one experience.

But behind every successful charity golf tournament is a significant amount of planning.

From registering golfers and managing foursomes to collecting sponsorship payments, organizing volunteers, and following up with donors after the event, there are many moving pieces to keep track of.

With the right plan—and the right nonprofit software—your organization can make managing a golf tournament much easier.

Start Planning Your Golf Tournament Early

One of the biggest advantages you can give your organization is time.

Ideally, your planning should begin several months before the tournament. Start by determining the fundamentals:

Tournament date and golf course
Fundraising goal
Expected number of golfers
Registration pricing
Sponsorship packages
Volunteer needs
Food, prizes, and additional activities
Marketing and communication plan

Establishing these details early gives your team a foundation for everything that follows.

It is also helpful to assign clear responsibilities to staff members, board members, or volunteers so everyone understands what they are responsible for leading.

Create Sponsorship Opportunities

Sponsorships are often one of the most important revenue sources for a nonprofit golf tournament.

Rather than offering only one sponsorship option, consider creating several levels that allow local businesses and supporters to participate at different price points.

Common golf tournament sponsorships include:

Presenting sponsor
Tournament sponsor
Lunch or dinner sponsor
Beverage sponsor
Hole sponsor
Putting contest sponsor
Longest drive sponsor
Closest-to-the-pin sponsor

Higher sponsorship levels might include golfer registrations, prominent signage, recognition on the event website, mentions in emails, or opportunities to interact directly with participants.

When your sponsorship options are clearly presented online, businesses can quickly understand what is available and choose the package that fits them best.

Make Online Registration Simple

Your registration process can have a major impact on participation.

Golfers should be able to quickly understand:

When and where the tournament is taking place
How much registration costs
What their registration includes
Whether they are registering individually or as a foursome
What sponsorship options are available
How to submit payment

An online event page can bring all of this information together in one place.

Instead of asking participants to complete paper forms, mail checks, or exchange multiple emails with your staff, an online registration process can collect registrations and payments automatically.

This reduces administrative work for your nonprofit while creating a better experience for participants.

Keep Golfers and Foursomes Organized

Golf tournaments introduce some unique registration challenges.

You may have one golfer registering individually, another person purchasing an entire foursome, and a sponsor receiving complimentary registrations as part of a sponsorship package.

Your organization needs a reliable way to keep all of those participants organized.

Before tournament day, make sure you can easily identify:

Individual golfers
Foursomes
Team captains
Sponsorship-related registrations
Outstanding participant information
Payment status
Special requests

Keeping this information in one system makes it much easier to prepare golfer lists, assign groups, create check-in materials, and communicate with participants.

Communicate With Participants Before the Event

Communication becomes increasingly important as tournament day approaches.

Your golfers may need information about:

Check-in times
Shotgun start times
Course location
Parking
Dress code
Tournament format
Meals
Contests
Weather updates
Items they should bring

A scheduled email communication plan can help ensure participants receive the right information without requiring your staff to manually send individual messages.

Consider sending a confirmation immediately after registration, a reminder approximately one week before the event, and final tournament details a day or two before the tournament.

Plan More Than Just the Golf

The golf tournament may be the centerpiece of the event, but additional fundraising opportunities can significantly increase the amount your organization raises.

You might consider including:

Silent auctions
Raffles
Mulligan purchases
Putting contests
Closest-to-the-pin competitions
Longest-drive competitions
Prize drawings
Additional donation opportunities

These smaller fundraising activities can add up quickly, particularly when participants are already engaged with your mission.

Make sure you also have an easy way for attendees to make an additional donation during or after the event.

Make Check-In Easy on Tournament Day

The morning of a golf tournament can become hectic quickly.

Golfers are arriving, volunteers are asking questions, sponsors are setting up, and staff members are trying to confirm that everyone is registered.

A well-organized check-in process can make a significant difference.

Prepare your participant information ahead of time and ensure your team can easily see who has registered, who has paid, and which golfers belong together.

Clearly marked registration tables, prepared golfer lists, and trained volunteers can help keep the process moving smoothly.

Capture Donor and Participant Information

A golf tournament should not be viewed as a one-day fundraising event.

It is also an opportunity to build new relationships.

Some golfers may already be longtime donors, while others may be participating because a friend, employer, or sponsor invited them.

Capturing accurate participant information gives your nonprofit an opportunity to continue communicating with those individuals after the tournament.

When event registration information flows directly into your nonprofit’s donor database, your organization can build a more complete picture of each supporter without having to manually transfer information between systems.

Follow Up After the Golf Tournament

The tournament may be over when the final group finishes the 18th hole, but your fundraising efforts should continue.

Send participants a thank-you message shortly after the event.

Consider including:

The amount raised
Photos from the tournament
Tournament winners
Recognition of major sponsors
A reminder of your organization’s mission
Information about upcoming events
Another opportunity to donate

Sponsors should also receive a personalized thank-you recognizing their contribution.

This follow-up helps turn event participants into longer-term supporters of your organization.

Measure the Success of Your Tournament

Once the event is complete, review the results.

Look beyond total revenue and consider metrics such as:

Number of golfers
Number of sponsors
Total sponsorship revenue
Registration revenue
Additional donations
Event expenses
Net revenue
First-time donors or participants
Returning supporters

Understanding these results can help your organization improve the tournament the following year.

Keeping historical event information also makes it easier to identify previous golfers, sponsors, and donors when planning your next tournament.

Manage Your Nonprofit Golf Tournament With DonorView

Managing a charity golf tournament often requires nonprofits to coordinate event registration, payments, donor information, sponsorships, communications, and fundraising.

DonorView helps bring those activities together in one nonprofit management platform.

Organizations can use DonorView to manage event registrations, collect payments, communicate with supporters, track donor relationships, and keep important fundraising information connected to their constituent records.

Instead of managing your golf tournament across spreadsheets, payment platforms, email systems, and separate donor databases, your organization can keep more of the process organized in one place.

A successful golf tournament should do more than raise money for a single day. It should help your nonprofit strengthen relationships with supporters who may continue engaging with your mission for years to come.

Want to see how DonorView can help your organization manage fundraising events, donors, and communications?

What Is Donor Management Software? A Complete Guide for Nonprofits

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 17:31:45 GMT

What Is Donor Management Software? A Complete Guide for Nonprofits - 2026

Managing donor relationships becomes more complicated as a nonprofit grows. Donations come through different channels, supporters attend events, volunteers get involved, emails need to be sent, and development teams need accurate information to understand who is engaging with the organization.

That is where donor management software can help.

What is donor management software?

Donor management software is a system that helps nonprofits organize donor information, track donations, manage communications, and build stronger relationships with supporters.

Instead of keeping donor information across spreadsheets, email platforms, payment processors, and separate fundraising tools, donor management software creates a centralized place for nonprofit teams to manage their fundraising activity.

Donor and constituent records
Donation tracking
Online fundraising
Email and text communications
Campaign management
Event registration
Membership management
Volunteer tracking
Reporting and analytics
Recurring giving
Pledge management
Tax receipts and acknowledgments

For many organizations, donor management software becomes the central database for fundraising and supporter engagement.

What Is Donor Management Software? A Complete Guide for Nonprofits

That is where donor management software can help.

What is donor management software?

Donor management software is a system that helps nonprofits organize donor information, track donations, manage communications, and build stronger relationships with supporters.

A donor management system may include:

Donor and constituent records
Donation tracking
Online fundraising
Email and text communications
Campaign management
Event registration
Membership management
Volunteer tracking
Reporting and analytics
Recurring giving
Pledge management
Tax receipts and acknowledgments

For many organizations, donor management software becomes the central database for fundraising and supporter engagement.

Why do nonprofits need donor management software?

Nonprofits often start with spreadsheets or a collection of inexpensive tools. That approach may work when an organization is small, but it can become difficult to manage as the donor base grows.

Donor management software helps nonprofits keep important information connected.

For example, instead of asking:

“Did this person donate last year?”

“Did they attend our gala?”

“Are they receiving our emails?”

“Do they have an outstanding pledge?”

A nonprofit team can view a donor's history in one place.

This gives fundraising teams a clearer picture of each supporter and allows them to communicate more effectively.

What does donor management software do?

1. Stores donor information

A donor management system keeps donor and constituent information organized in individual records.

These records can include information such as:

Name
Contact information
Donation history
Communication history
Event participation
Volunteer activity
Membership status
Notes
Relationships
Giving preferences

Having this information in one database reduces the need to search through spreadsheets or multiple software platforms.

2. Tracks donations

Donation tracking is one of the most important functions of donor management software.

Organizations can record and review:

One-time donations
Recurring donations
Pledges
Campaign contributions
Event-related gifts
In-kind donations
Matching gifts

This information can then be used for reporting, donor acknowledgments, segmentation, and fundraising strategy.

3. Helps nonprofits communicate with donors

Good fundraising depends on good communication.

Many donor management platforms allow nonprofits to segment donors based on factors such as giving history, interests, engagement, or campaign participation.

For example, an organization might create separate communications for:

First-time donors
Monthly donors
Major donors
Lapsed donors
Event attendees
Volunteers

More relevant communication can improve donor engagement and help organizations build stronger long-term relationships.

4. Manages fundraising campaigns

Donor management software can also help nonprofits organize fundraising campaigns.

Teams can track campaign goals, donations received, participating donors, and campaign performance.

Depending on the platform, nonprofits may also be able to create:

Online donation pages
Peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns
Giving forms
Event fundraising pages
Recurring giving programs

Keeping fundraising activity connected to donor records gives organizations a more complete view of supporter engagement.

What is the difference between donor management software and a nonprofit CRM?

The terms donor management software and nonprofit CRM are often used interchangeably.

A CRM, or customer relationship management system, is designed to organize relationships and interactions with people.

For nonprofits, those people may include:

Donors
Members
Volunteers
Event attendees
Sponsors
Prospects
Board members

Donor management software typically focuses heavily on fundraising and giving history, while a nonprofit CRM may manage a broader range of constituent relationships.

Many modern nonprofit platforms combine both capabilities.

What should you look for in donor management software?

The best donor management system for your nonprofit depends on your organization's size, fundraising strategy, budget, and operational needs.

However, there are several features most nonprofits should consider.

Easy-to-use donor records

Your team should be able to quickly understand a donor's relationship with your organization.

Look for records that clearly display giving history, communications, activities, notes, and other important information.

Online donation processing

Online giving should connect directly to your donor database.

This reduces manual data entry and makes it easier to track where donations originated.

Recurring giving

Recurring donors can provide more predictable revenue for nonprofits.

Your software should make it easy to create, manage, and report on recurring gifts.

Reporting

Fundraising teams need reliable data to make decisions.

Useful reports may include:

Donations by campaign
Donor retention
Giving trends
LYBUNT donors
SYBUNT donors
Recurring donations
Campaign performance
Donor acquisition

Email and communication tools

Connecting donor data with communication tools can make donor outreach easier and more relevant.

Instead of exporting lists between systems, teams can create targeted communications using the information already stored in their database.

Event management

Organizations that regularly host galas, fundraisers, classes, conferences, or community events may benefit from having event registration connected directly to donor records.

Integrations

Consider the other technology your nonprofit uses.

Your donor management platform should either include the functionality you need or integrate with the systems that are important to your organization.

What are the benefits of donor management software?

The biggest benefit is having a centralized view of your supporters.

That can lead to several operational and fundraising improvements.

Less manual data entry

Connecting fundraising, communication, and donor records reduces the amount of information staff members need to enter manually.

Better donor relationships

When your team understands a donor's history with your organization, conversations can become more personal and relevant.

Better fundraising decisions

Accurate donor data makes it easier to identify trends and understand which campaigns, appeals, and fundraising strategies are working.

Improved donor retention

Organizations can identify donors who have stopped giving and create targeted campaigns designed to re-engage them.

More organized fundraising operations

Instead of managing fundraising through several disconnected tools, nonprofit teams can work from a shared system.

When should a nonprofit start using donor management software?

There is no specific number of donors that determines when a nonprofit needs donor management software.

However, it may be time to consider a donor management platform if your organization is:

Maintaining multiple donor spreadsheets
Manually entering donations into different systems
Having difficulty finding donor information
Using separate tools for fundraising, events, and communications
Struggling to generate fundraising reports
Growing its recurring giving program
Managing increasingly complex campaigns
Spending too much time on administrative work

The right time to switch is usually when your current process begins limiting your fundraising team rather than supporting it.

Can donor management software replace spreadsheets?

For many nonprofits, yes.

Spreadsheets can still be useful for temporary analysis or specific projects, but they are difficult to use as a long-term donor database.

Common spreadsheet challenges include:

Duplicate donor records
Outdated information
Multiple versions of the same file
Limited automation
Difficult reporting
Limited communication tracking
Poor visibility across teams

A dedicated donor management system provides more structure and allows multiple team members to work with the same information.

How much does donor management software cost?

Donor management software pricing varies significantly.

Some platforms charge based on:

Number of donor records
Number of users
Features included
Transaction volume
Annual fundraising revenue
Email volume

When comparing software, nonprofits should look beyond the monthly subscription price.

It is also important to consider whether additional tools will still be required for email marketing, event registration, fundraising forms, text messaging, payment processing, or reporting.

A platform that replaces several separate subscriptions may provide better overall value even if the base subscription costs more.

How do you choose the right donor management software?

Start by identifying the problems your nonprofit is trying to solve.

Create a list of the activities your team currently manages, including:

Donor records
Online donations
Events
Email communication
Text communication
Volunteers
Memberships
Pledges
Reporting
Recurring gifts

Then evaluate whether each software platform can manage those activities without creating additional administrative work.

You should also consider:

Ease of use: Can staff members learn the system quickly?

Support: Is help available when your organization needs it?

Data migration: How difficult will it be to move your existing donor information?

Scalability: Can the platform continue supporting the organization as it grows?

Total cost: Will you need additional software subscriptions?

The best donor management software is not necessarily the platform with the longest feature list. It is the platform that makes your nonprofit's day-to-day work easier.

How DonorView helps nonprofits manage donors and fundraising

DonorView provides nonprofits with tools for managing donor relationships, fundraising, communications, events, memberships, volunteers, and more from one platform.

Rather than piecing together information from multiple systems, organizations can keep important constituent and fundraising activity connected.

With DonorView, nonprofits can manage areas such as:

Donor and constituent records
Online donations
Fundraising campaigns
Recurring giving
Pledges
Email communications
Text communications
Events
Memberships
Volunteers
Reporting

For organizations looking to simplify their technology and give their team a more complete view of their supporters, consolidating these functions can significantly reduce administrative work.

Frequently Asked Questions About Donor Management Software

What is the purpose of donor management software?

The purpose of donor management software is to help nonprofits organize donor information, track donations, manage fundraising activity, communicate with supporters, and understand donor engagement.

Is donor management software the same as a CRM?

Not always. Donor management software typically focuses on fundraising and donor relationships. A nonprofit CRM may manage a broader group of constituents, including donors, volunteers, members, sponsors, and event attendees. Many nonprofit software platforms combine both functions.

Can small nonprofits use donor management software?

Yes. Small nonprofits can use donor management software to organize donor records, reduce spreadsheet dependence, automate administrative tasks, and establish better fundraising processes before their databases become more complex.

What information should a donor database track?

A donor database should typically track contact information, donation history, communication history, recurring gifts, pledges, campaign activity, event participation, notes, relationships, and other information relevant to the organization's supporter relationships.

Does donor management software help with donor retention?

Yes. Donor management software can help organizations identify lapsed donors, analyze giving patterns, segment supporters, and create targeted communications designed to encourage continued engagement.

What is the best donor management software for nonprofits?

The best donor management software depends on the organization's needs. Nonprofits should compare ease of use, fundraising features, communications, reporting, integrations, support, pricing, and whether the platform can replace other software currently being used.

Ready to simplify donor management?

Managing donor relationships should help your organization build stronger connections with supporters—not create more administrative work.

DonorView brings donor management, fundraising, communications, events, memberships, and other nonprofit tools together in one platform.

Using DonorView in Your Annual Planning Process

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 14:15:00 GMT

In our last blog post we talked about strategic planning and how DonorView can help you with this long range planning process. In this post, we will focus on annual planning. Your annual plan:

Uses the strategic plan as a guide to give you overall focus
Is limited to just the calendar or fiscal year
Creates action steps to accomplish goals
Assigns responsibilities to perform those actions
Measures definitive results on a regular basis

Your annual plan will include a financial goal for the year, and it will be broken down into sub-goals for different revenue streams. For example, your fundraising activities might include a couple of events, a membership program, major donor solicitations, corporate donors, and small gift donors. Within each of these revenue streams, you will make a smaller goal to feed into your overall annual goal.
You can compare previous performance in these areas by producing reports from DonorView. If your gala event last year took in $100,000 in revenue, but cost $20,000 to produce, you can look at opportunities to either reduce costs or increase revenue. Can you increase ticket prices? Can you invite more people? Can you get more sponsors? Can you change venues to something lower cost? All of these details are worked into your plan. If you plan to get more sponsors, who is responsible for this activity and when is this action due? If you had $25,000 in sponsorships last year, is it reasonable to increase this by 10%?
You will also want to set up a few Key Performance Indicators (KPIs.) Your KPIs should be a mix of leading and lagging indicators. Lagging KPIs measure things that already happened like average gift size, number of gifts, total donations, and event attendance. They are historical in nature. Leading KPIs are rates or percentages that can help indicate what direction you are going. Things like donor retention rate, average donor growth, and average donation growth can help you predict if you will be increasing your fundraising or might see shortfalls. KPIs are also generated by creating reports in DonorView. The fundraising dashboard also shows me details like Five Year Giving Patterns and Donor Retention Rate for the last 12 months.
Your annual plan will also need a reporting schedule. Depending on the KPIs you are tracking, some items might need to be evaluated monthly, while some might be able to be reviewed quarterly. Performing a regular evaluation on progress towards your goals will allow you to make adjustments as needed in case you are not reaching your desired targets. Adjustments are part of the overall planning process, and we know that what gets measured gets managed. Adjustments might include assigning more resources to get important activities accomplished or it might mean that some activity gets abandoned because the results did not materialize despite a lot of effort. Your annual plan might include goals beyond fundraising, too. Maybe you want to start a more regular communication plan with constituents, and you want to utilize the email marketing module to track open rates. Or you plan to start a moves management program and will start to use the interactions feature to track those activities. You might even intend to formalize your volunteer program with applications in the Surveys/Forms module, volunteer events, and volunteer scheduling features. Whatever the activities you want to undertake to move you closer to your organization’s ultimate vision, be sure to think about how you can utilize the features already available in DonorView to help you get there.

Using DonorView in your Strategic Planning Process

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 21:13:00 GMT

In our next few posts, we will be focusing on strategic and annual planning as well as how DonorView can help you with these processes. We start with strategic planning because the strategic plan sets the path you want to follow and ultimate long-term goal, whereas annual planning lays out the tasks that are performed to achieve the smaller goals set for each year.
Strategic planning requires analysis of where you are and where you want to go. You look at what is happening internally within your organization as well as what is happening external. This is called a SWOT analysis, which stands for Strengths-Weakness-Opportunities-Threats. Strategic planning is usually performed by the leadership team and can take several weeks (or months) to complete. Strategic plans:

Look at the big picture – the “why”
Create a map to follow to stay organized and make sure everyone understands the priorities
Focus on the long-term
Incorporate your organization’s vision, values, and mission
Examine external factors that influence your organization
Use scenarios to evaluate the best course of action
Identify major objectives to help achieve vision
Are performed once every 3 – 5 years, but reviewed regularly

You can utilize DonorView in your strategic planning process by using the software to provide the data you need for your analysis, in particular, your fundraising strengths and weaknesses. You can compare things like total amount raised, number of gifts received year to year, average gift size, number of new donors, and donor retention rates. You could also get more detailed information like comparing event proceeds or number of tickets sold. Comparing this data over a few years, you can get a snapshot of the direction you are heading to show if you are improving or seeing a negative trend.
Then, you can take a look at some of the opportunities that DonorView has to offer to help you reach your goals. Perhaps one of your strategies is to improve communication with your donors, so utilizing the email marketing or texting features can help you in this area. Or maybe you want to start getting more corporate sponsors or grants, so integrating the Sponsorships or Grants features in the Fundraising module are tools you can start using. Lots of organizations also want to implement a donor engagement or moves management program, so features like Primary Relationships in the constituent’s profile or Follow Ups can be used to track and plan contact with prospects.
Think about DonorView as an integral part of your analysis and planning process. Not only can it provide information on where you have been, it can also inform where you are heading and help you reach new goals.

Sponsorship Management Features to Help Build Long Term Relationships

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 15:41:00 GMT

Sponsorships are a great way to partner with industry leaders and businesses. The benefits are far more than financial, they also include expanding your reach and demonstrating social proof of your organization’s impact and value. The sponsor benefits as well not only through the exposure to your constituents, but also by connecting with organization’s that share their values, showing goodwill in the community, and providing opportunities for their employees to participate in meaningful activities. In order for the sponsor to see results from their involvement, your organization must deliver on all the benefits you offered.
Before using DonorView, you probably kept a spreadsheet with the names of your sponsors and a list of items you needed to provide or do for that sponsor. You had to manually update it with new sponsors and keep track of when items were complete. With DonorView, you can assign sponsorships and track deliverables right within the software. In the Transactions & Invoicing Module using Sponsorships, you can create different sponsorship levels, assign tasks to those levels, and automatically assign follow up activities for specific users. In the Events and Membership pages, you can link sponsorships to specific levels and as soon as a transaction is recorded for that level, the follow up tasks are automatically assigned. Sponsorships can also be linked to general transactions and pledges. When entering or updating a transaction, there is a link to sponsorships and just like memberships and events, once that transaction is saved, the sponsorship task assignments are automatically created.
For a golf tournament sponsorship deliverables might include things like a foursome, banner at the event, social media posts, two tee hole signs, the company’s logo on the event t-shirt, a video message played at the event, a full page ad in the program, and a feature article in the nonprofit’s newsletter. These activities might be performed by several different staff members, so you are able to link the specific staff member to the task using the Follow-ups feature.
Each staff member will be able to track their own tasks via My Follow Ups and you can see all the tasks (or deliverables) for all the sponsorships in the Transactions & Invoicing Module on the Sponsorships page in the Manage Follow Ups grid. Like all grids you can create, save, and share views using the filters and sorts on the columns. You can edit each activity to show when it was completed, by whom, and any comments associated with completing the task. With the Action menu, you can even export to Excel if you really miss having that spreadsheet!
The software also offers other features to stay in touch with your sponsors like automatic emails for event and membership purchases, text and email messaging prior to and during events, and auto post-event thank you emails. You want your sponsors to know that you delivered all the benefits promised, the impact of their sponsorship on your organization and any fundraising efforts, as well as the reach of their sponsorship with attendee numbers and other statistics. The sponsors can use this information to demonstrate the advantages of your long-term partnership. If you want your sponsors to come back year after year, you have to be organized and able to demonstrate the value. Having all the information within the CRM allows everyone on your team to have access to up to date information, contact information for any of the sponsors is just a click away, and individual staff members can see their assignments in one place which makes it easier to keep track of tasks and manage your work and show those sponsors they really are getting a lot of bang for their buck.

Using CRM Automated Actions for Moves Management

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 15:24:00 GMT

Welcome to our new blog series “Making the Most of DonorView” where we will bring you tips and suggestions about using the tools in DonorView to enhance your fundraising programs. Our goal is to help you understand how to apply the features in the software to your existing workflow as well as show you some new ideas to consider adding to your process. In this post we invite you to delve a little deeper into the Automated Actions feature in the CRM Module.
Automated Actions let you send internal and external notifications when a constituent reaches a certain milestone called a “trigger” in the database. Triggers can include things like a first time gift, a cumulative giving amount, a single gift amount, or even a total number of gifts. For example, you can be alerted automatically when someone makes a donation of $1,000 or more, or they make their 10 ^th donation, or their lifetime (cumulative) giving has reached at least $5,000. While all of this information is also easily gathered on the Constituents Grid by adding a filter, the Automated Actions feature can go a few steps further.
Along with the internal notification to you and your fundraising team, you can also automatically assign follow-ups, assign the constituent to a constituent category, and even send the constituent an email message. If we use our lifetime giving total of >/= $5,000 again, we could add a follow-up for the development director to call the donor and thank them, assign that donor to a “Major Donor Prospect” constituent category, and send a warm thank you email to the donor letting them know how much their giving has impacted your community. And you only need to set up the Automated Action once and enable it to allow these activities to happen automatically each time a constituent reaches the milestone. For organizations with a donor engagement or move management program, these automated actions allow you to recognize potential prospects in real time. Not only are timely acknowledgements of individual gifts important to donors, recognizing commitment to your cause is also appreciated. Tracking things like repeat donors and longevity also reveal excellent prospects for legacy and planned gifts. You can learn more about the Automated Actions feature in our knowledgebase articles or reach out to the support team with questions. Stay tuned for next blog post when we take a look at managing sponsorships for events and fundraising campaigns with the Sponsorships feature in the Fundraising Module.

Tips to Make Your Organization Stand Out This GivingTuesday

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 17:22:00 GMT

Save the date for November 29, 2022. GivingTuesday is quickly approaching! If you haven’t started preparing already, it’s time to get yourself on track for this proven successful day of giving. Some of you may be asking: Is GivingTuesday even worth participating in? The short answer is YES! See for yourself and check out these stats below from the GivingTuesday 2021 Impact Report.

Nonprofits all over the world will be participating in GivingTuesday, so it’s important to let your organization stand out from the crowd. Here are a few ways to help you get started and do just that.

Set a Campaign Theme

GivingTuesday is a unique day of giving in itself, but one of the best ways to stand out is by tying it with a campaign theme. You want potential donors to hear a story about your organization, rather than solely relying on the theme of GivingTuesday. By sharing a story of direct donation impact and some photos, you are guaranteed to receive more donations.

For example, which of these posts compels you to donate more?

Utilize Social Media

Start getting your donors and supporters ready for GivingTuesday by promoting the big day on social media at least a week before. Utilize storytelling, visuals and encourage people to share your posts as much as you can! Be sure to utilize the #GivingTuesday hashtag in all of your posts for some bonus exposure.

Posting videos, photos and eye-catching graphics rather than some text and a donation link is much more beneficial to your social media engagement. Need help designing some graphics? GivingTuesday makes it easy by providing a toolkit of premade GivingTuesday graphics and key messages. Check it out here .

Host a GivingTuesday Peer-to-Peer Campaign

One of the best ways to reach new supporters is through peer-to-peer fundraising . This unique way of fundraising allows your organization and supporters to collectively work together to raise money while expanding within new networks. Why not make it a competition and see which group can collect the most by the end of GivingTuesday?!

Set Up a GivingTuesday Text2Give Campaign

With a 98% open rate, texting is one of the best ways to get your fundraising page out there. Sign up for Text2Give with DonorView and text your constituents your GivingTuesday fundraising page! To do this, we provide you with a number in your area code and you will simply choose a code for constituents to text and subscribe to your communications. Contact support@donorview.com to get things set up before the big day.

DonorView is here to help you every step of the way this GivingTuesday. Check out our year-end fundraising toolkit packages today!

The Benefits of DonorView Personal Coaching

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 16:49:00 GMT

Are you in need of assistance with how to operate specific features in the DonorView software? Look no further! We offer personal coaching to help you learn and navigate our software in a way that’s tailored to your organization’s specific needs.

Training Tailored to Your Nonprofit's Needs

Instead of covering a topic or module in general, we’ll address your specific project, questions or concerns. You can arrange to train an individual or a whole team from your organization. It is especially helpful for activities you perform infrequently like big events, annual membership renewals, special appeals, or year-end tax letters. It’s also great if you are thinking about trying new fundraising strategies like peer-to-peer campaigns, text messaging, or virtual auctions.

Help Get New Employees or Volunteers Up to Speed

Personal coaching is effective for new employees and volunteers and helps to get them up and running faster and more efficiently in the software. We can even train within your account so you can see how the system works with your data.

Flexible Training Sessions to Accomplish Your Goals

Personal coaching is a monthly add-on service for $198. It includes two hours of training over Zoom and is broken down into four, manageable 30-minute sessions. During these sessions, you let us know what topics you’d like to cover. For example, you have a gala coming up and you’d like to know how to create the seating charts, set up and manage an auction, and use the app for guest check-ins. In those four sessions, we can show you how the software can help you organize and manage it all.

Personal Coaching Anytime You Need It

Best of all, personal coaching can be turned off and on as you need it, so no-term commitment is required. It’s designed to support you when and how you need it to help you achieve your organization’s goals.

Ready to sign up?

Please reach out to training@donorview.com today to get started on your personal coaching journey with DonorView

3 Early Steps You Should Be Taking for a Successful Fundraising Season

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 17:41:00 GMT

The season of giving will be here before you know it. It’s time to start thinking about your strategic plan for year-end fundraising. Check out these early steps you can take now so that your year-end fundraising is a guaranteed success.

Evaluate Last Year’s Fundraising

It’s crucial to review what provided success for your organization in past campaigns and build your foundation from there. The earlier you start to review past campaigns, the sooner you can start building a better campaign for the future. Here are a few questions to help you evaluate your past fundraising campaigns:

Set Goals for Your New Campaign

Decide what your year-end fundraising goal is and make sure it’s SMART. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-Bound. This will help your nonprofit stay on track, measure your goals and ensure success. What is a SMART goal?

Specific- Make your reasoning precise. What is the end goal?

Measurable- Make your goal easy to track so you can see how it’s working within the goal of your numbers.

Attainable — Don’t create a goal that is too far out of your reach.

Relevant — The goal should be relevant and specific to reaching the overall goals of your organization.

Time-Bound — Give yourself a deadline to reach your goal.

For example, here is a fundraising goal that follows the SMART method:

To increase online donations for the DonorView Foundation by 10% by December 31, 2022.

Secure Your Resources

It’s important to outline the resources to help you achieve your organization’s goals. Here are some questions to consider when it comes to securing your resources.

Are you in need of a nonprofit software that will set you up for success year-round? Check out DonorView today and schedule a demo .

82+ Awareness Causes to Help Promote Your Nonprofit this Fall

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 15:26:00 GMT

Whether your organization supports any of these specific causes or needs the perfect month to launch a themed event- there’s an awareness cause for just about everything! Awareness months and days are the perfect time to launch new fundraisers, campaigns or events that support your mission. These can also help you when it comes to launching social media posts and campaigns.

Check out this list of important causes your nonprofit should have in mind this fall. If any resonate with your organization, make sure to use these months as a way to boost your mission and year-end fundraising campaigns!

In September:

In October:

In November:

Don’t forget Giving Tuesday on November 29 this year as well!

For a full calendar of cause and awareness days, check out the list here .

Looking for a nonprofit solution to take your organization to the next level? Schedule a demo with DonorView today!

Text-to-Give for Nonprofits: A Complete Guide to SMS Fundraising and Donor Engagement

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 18:21:00 GMT

Is your nonprofit looking for a new way to increase donations? With a 98% open rate, texting is one of the most proven ways of guaranteeing your constituents are opening and acknowledging your messages. With that being said, it’s also one of the best ways to send out fundraising campaigns!

DonorView offers text messaging features to help your nonprofit increase donations, attendance and so much more! To do this, we provide you with a number in your area code and you simply choose a code for constituents to text and subscribe to your communications. Ready to turn your texts into donations? Follow along with these tips to get started.

1. Get Your Constituents Subscribed

Having a list of constituents who are subscribed to your text messaging communication is the first step to success in your fundraising campaign. There are a few ways you can generate lists:

2. Narrow Down Your Lists

Once you have audiences subscribed to text messaging, it will be important to narrow them down into lists. You might want to narrow them to categories like past donors, recent donors, donors with gifts over $5,0000, etc. This will help you curate the messaging depending on who you are trying to appeal to. Once your lists are created, this allows you to send specific messages to your various audiences!

3. Personalize Your Texts

Texting can be a great, personal way to engage with someone and the same goes for your Text2Give campaigns. You shouldn’t sound like a robot, make sure you keep things friendly and personable. One way to do this and stand out is by asking for specific amounts or using personalized fields from the donor’s record.

4. Keep it Short & Simple

A text message shouldn’t take long to read. Many of your donors are going to get text messages while they’re on the go and should be able to read and understand exactly what you need from them. Excite and encourage donors to give and remember to always include your call to action! A simple text message like this will often stand out more than an extensive email.

Ready to set up a Text2Give campaign?

Reach out to support@donorview.com to get Text2Give set up for your organization so you’re prepared for a successful fundraising season!

6 Tips to Help Grow Your Nonprofit’s Social Media Following

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 18:44:00 GMT

Social media is now a standard way of having people stay connected with your organization. However, sometimes it might feel like you’re not reaching new audiences or gaining any followers and it can feel like a lost cause. Don’t worry, there are so many ways to improve your content, gain new followers and build momentum within your online community. Social media is vital in this day and age and it’s important to not give it up! Read below to find out 6 easy tips that can get your social media following up in no time.

1. Follow Members of Your Community

It’s important to keep a network of integrated followers within your community. Whether it’s residents, public figures, businesses or organizations- follow people who are active and involved in the community. This will cause them to be curious about your organization and in return, could bring in more followers, donors and volunteers!

2. Have Your Supporters Share Your Content

One simple way to reach new audiences is by having your supporters, volunteers or board members share your posts on their page or stories. This means your post will now be seen by people who may not know about your organization or follow it on social media. This invites new audiences to click on your page and get to know your organization, which in return could bring in new followers, donors or volunteers. People are easily persuaded to donate or interact with an organization that their peers talk about passionately!

3. Stay on Top of Trends

Staying on top of social media trends can be daunting, but here are a few tips to make things easier:

4. Partner with Local Influencers

Do you have some local celebrities in your community or network? Use that to your advantage and see if they will promote your organization with a post on social media, or better yet, invite them to an event! One of the most valuable assets on social media is a following. You never know what influencers might be passionate about your organization and mission- have them spread the word to their followers!

5. Post a Variety of Content Consistently

The more you keep a presence on social media, the more your following will grow. You won’t find new followers by not posting and staying in the shadows. It’s key to keep an active presence that is full of a variety of content. Make sure you’re posting photos, videos, links, etc. If your content isn’t active or appealing, you’re less likely to see your follower count go up.

6. Have a Social Media Contest

A social media contest is a great way to spread the word about your organization while gaining new followers. One of the most common social media contests is taking to Instagram or Facebook. You start by crafting up a post that includes details about your contest: the prize, the rules, the time frame. In need of some prize ideas? Partner with a local business for gift cards, merchandise, etc.

Are you looking for a software that will help improve all aspects of your nonprofit organization? Schedule a demo with DonorView today!

6 Ways to Celebrate National Nonprofit Day This Year

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 13:47:00 GMT

August 17 is quickly approaching, and it isn’t just a regular calendar day — it’s National Nonprofit Day! This day is designated to recognize every nonprofit that is making a difference in its community and around the world. Be prepared for this day and use it to celebrate your organization’s progress and accomplishments. Read below to find out some ways your organization can celebrate National Nonprofit Day and further promote your mission!

1. Post on Social Media

Join in the #NationalNonprofitDay celebration by making a post on social media that acknowledges the growth and success of your nonprofit this year. Have your staff and volunteers join in by sharing their stories or love for your organization as well. You could even get a social media trend going that encourages people to donate and support your organization this #NationalNonprofitDay!

2. Send a Thank You Email

Don’t wait until the end of the year to thank your supporters. National Nonprofit Day is the perfect time to send out an email thanking all of your donors and supporters from the first half of the year. It’s important to keep up your communication regularly so your constituents feel more connected and compelled to give to your organization.

3. Acknowledge Volunteers

Volunteers are the heartbeat of any organization. It’s important that your volunteers feel appreciated and heard. What better way to show some love than on National Nonprofit Day! Need some ideas? Check out this list of ways to show volunteer appreciation.

4. Share Success Stories

Has your organization surpassed any goals, helped out a certain group/person, or put on a successful campaign or event this year? Make sure you highlight these moments, especially on National Nonprofit Day! Tell the stories that make your organization unique. It’s important for your followers and supporters to see how their support and donations come to life within your organization.

5. Launch a Campaign

Utilize the excitement and draw of National Nonprofit Day to launch your next fundraising campaign. People will be more compelled to donate and share how they supported your cause on a day like National Nonprofit Day.

6. Have a Celebration

What better time to celebrate your nonprofit? Host a party or get together with your organization’s team members and celebrate all of your nonprofit’s success! This is a great way to connect with your team and rejoice in all of your hard work over the past year.

Looking for a software that will help you see success this National Nonprofit Day? Schedule a demo with DonorView.

6 Ways to Make Your Donate Button Stand Out on Your Website

Thu, 14 Jul 2022 17:28:00 GMT

Does your organization have a donate button on your website? If not- that’s your first step in gaining more donations! Once your donate button is on your website, see how you can make your donate button stand out and generate more donations on with these easy tips.

Use a Color That Stands Out

A color that pops out from your navigation header is a simple way to start increasing donations. You’ll want the color of your donate button to be within your organization’s color palette so it still looks visually appealing on your website.

Choose Words of Action

Using words of action helps people feel more compelled to give. Sometimes adding a bit more words to your button can make all the difference. Check out some examples below:

Use Large or Bold Font

A small change like making the font large or bold on your donate button can make a big change when it comes to donations. This makes your donate button easier to see and spot on any page of your website!

Try a Floating Button

Have you ever seen a button float along on the side of each page you visit on a website? Try adding one of these to your website for your donate button! This allows for your donate button to be visible on every page of your website.

Place It in Three Key Spots

Your donate button should always be visible in three different spots on the pages of your website.

Use Animations

With a simple animation like having your donate button bounce, move, change colors, hover, etc. This can draw some more attention to your donate button and get more people to click and donate.

Need a few ideas on other places you can place your donate button?

If you’re looking for a nonprofit software with fundraising features that can take your organization to the next level, schedule a demo with DonorView today!

Ensure Your Auction is a Success with These 8 Tips

Thu, 07 Jul 2022 17:33:00 GMT

Auctions are one of the best ways for your organization to actively fundraise during an event. Check out these tips below to make sure your next auction is set up for success!

1. Build a Beautiful Auction Page

Start keeping track of each item you collect and compile different baskets and packages on your digital auction page in DonorView. Make sure you thoroughly describe and take photos of the items you are auctioning off so your bidders are more drawn to bid! You can even sort and organize auction items by various categories to allow people to easily bid on items they are interested in.

2. Make Mobile Bidding Easy

The days of bidding with paper and pen are over. Utilizing DonorView’s online and mobile auction functions help make bidding easier for everyone involved. Some mobile bidding perks:

3. Make Your Auction Hybrid

Over the past few years, hybrid events have grown in popularity. Luckily, silent auctions can easily be turned into a hybrid event so that people who are sick, out of town or unable to attend can join in on the fun. This style of event allows for people to join in person or participate from home, which ultimately opens up more opportunities for bidding and donations!

4. Define the Auction Process

It’s important to outline how your auction process will work. People will have questions on how to bid, when they receive their items, etc. List these guidelines in your initial emails about the auction so everything is clear from the start of your event. If you’re making your auction hybrid, you’ll have some people bidding online, so make sure you identify the start and end dates/times for bidding so everyone is prepared to get their bids in. You’ll also need to verify how online bidders will receive their auction items and if they’ll need to pay for shipping.

5. Set the Right Starting Bids

Make sure you’re researching your auction item’s fair market value before setting your starting bids. This is the estimated value based on similar products within the market. Many say to set the bid at 35% of the fair market value. However, this can fluctuate and it’s best to go with the price point you are comfortable selling the item for and what you think your donors will be willing to pay.

6. Utilize Buy Now, Max Bids & Text2Bid

7. Promote your Auction Items

There are many different ways to promote the items that will be listed at your auction before the big day.

8. Tie a Donation Page to the Auction

Some people might not be able to participate in your event, have no interest in winning items, or will lose bids and still want to donate. It’s important you tie a donation page to your auction so people can still easily donate if they’d like to! This opens up the door for more donations and gaining new supporters.

Looking for the best nonprofit software when it comes to managing your events and auctions? Schedule a demo with DonorView today.

Make Your Next Email Campaign Stand Out With These Key Tips

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 16:47:00 GMT

Email marketing is a vital outlet of communication in the nonprofit world. It’s a place for you to directly send information about fundraising campaigns, events, newsletters, volunteer opportunities and so much more. If your open rate is slowly declining and you feel like you aren’t getting the most out of your email campaigns, it’s critical to go back to the basics and start by focusing on your subject line.

A subject line is one of the most important steps in getting readers to open your email. The greatest way to do this is by letting your subject line catch your reader’s interest right away. Depending on your email’s content, your subject line could vary. We’ve compiled a list of the things your subject line needs for it to be successful, along with some examples.

Use Action Verbs

It’s likely your main point of any email is getting your readers to follow through on a call to action. To appeal this way, you need to utilize action verbs somewhere in your subject line. Here are a few to get you thinking:

Create Urgency

When it comes to donating or signing up, people tend to stall or tell themselves they’ll get around to it next month. In order to break this habit, it’s important to create a sense of urgency surrounding your needs. Try setting deadlines and goals that you can utilize in your subject lines. For example:

Ask a Question

By asking a question, you are giving readers a moment to reflect and see what they might be able to offer. This will lead them to open your email, learn more about your organization and respond to your call to action. For example:

Use Emotion

Show your passion and love for your organization, even in something as simple as a subject line. As humans, sometimes what gets our attention the most is something that sparks emotion. How do you do this? Here are a few examples:

Ready to tackle your next email campaign? Check out our list of campaign-specific subject line ideas to get you started:

Fundraising Campaign:

Click here for tips on how to create a flawless fundraising email campaign.

Event Campaign:

Volunteer Campaign:

If you’re looking for a nonprofit software with email marketing features that can take your organization to the next level, schedule a demo with DonorView today!

5 Ways Your Nonprofit Can Appeal to More Volunteers

Fri, 17 Jun 2022 14:31:00 GMT

Are you looking to increase your nonprofit’s volunteers? Read below for tips on how to keep your pool of volunteers growing and staying around for years to come!

1. Make it Easy to Sign Up & Show Interest

Your website should have a clear tab where potential volunteers can visit and find any information they need to get started. Make things easy to understand by having the steps of your nonprofit’s volunteer process listed out. If your organization requires volunteer applications, create a form in DonorView that potential volunteers can fill out to get started. List the contact information of the person in charge of your volunteers so that way people can reach out if they have any further questions or a unique skillset to bring to the table!

2. Try Hosting a Pre-Volunteer Orientation

There may be people in your community who are interested in learning more about your nonprofit and how they can help before they officially sign up to become a volunteer. Ease the volunteer process and turnover rate by hosting an orientation where you introduce all that your organization does and ways you need volunteers to help. After this orientation, invite attendees to sign up or fill out an application to get started. You could make this orientation in-person or even online to accommodate more people!

3. Promote Volunteering on Social Media

Get creative and make some posts about your volunteer opportunities on social media. Invite people to apply, contact or sign up with any applicable links and watch the interest come through! To make volunteering even more appealing, highlight some of your current volunteer stories, experiences and appreciation on social media so people can see what they can be a part of too!

4. Offer a Variety of Volunteer Opportunities

Every person has unique skillsets and abilities, so make sure you offer a variety of ways your volunteers can help! Some different variations your volunteers might be able to assist include:

5. Make Sure Your Volunteers Know They’re Appreciated

The past few years have been hectic and many people are looking forward to fulfilling their time in meaningful ways moving forward. Make sure your efforts of gratitude are at an all-time high for your volunteers willing to help you. Never miss an opportunity to acknowledge their support and efforts- even a small gesture like a personalized note or small gift can mean so much! For more ideas on how to show your volunteer appreciation, check this out.

Keep the momentum going for your organization with DonorView!

For more information on how DonorView can help your nonprofit, contact support@donorview.com or schedule a demo today.

Summer and all the events that come with it are almost in full swing!

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 14:17:00 GMT

Summer and all the events that come with it are almost in full swing! Stuck on ideas or unsure of your next fundraising event? We’re here to help you get creative and grow your donations with these upcoming special dates and summer fundraising activities!

1. A Night of Live Music

One thing people are looking forward to most is summer concerts and live music. Help out some local musicians or bands and host an outdoor benefit concert for your organization! This is a great opportunity to spread awareness about your organization all while giving your community a fun night out.

2. Happy Hour for a Cause

New breweries and wineries are popping up all over the country! Partner with one of the local breweries or wineries in your area and host a happy hour fundraising event. A portion of all sales can go directly to your organization and you can set up a table during the event to further spread awareness. It’s a win-win!

3. Movie Night Under the Stars

Lounging outdoors is becoming one of the most fun ways to watch movies! Rent equipment or utilize your resources to project a movie onto a big screen or background somewhere in your community. Whether you have an admission or make it a donation-only event, you’ll be sure to see a great turnout!

4. Community Cookout

Host a BBQ/cookout event for the people in your community to come and enjoy some food while getting to know your organization. July 20th is National Hotdog Day- combine the two and you’ll be sure to see people eager to celebrate!

5. Festival Fun

Summer is filled with farmer’s markets, county fairs and festivals attended by thousands! Partner with these fun-filled summer events and set up a booth to fundraise while spreading your organization’s mission.

6. Field Day Extravaganza

Have a day where your organization hosts a field day at your organization’s facility or in a public space. You can invite members of your organization and the public to make it a fun day for all! Include classic carnival games, sports and challenges for families to participate and have fun! This also gives you a chance to raise awareness of your organization and collect donations.

7. National Dog Day & DOGust 1st

Whether your organization serves animals or not, you should probably be aware that National Dog Day is on August 26th AND DOGust 1st is on the first day of August! If you aren’t aware, this is the universal birthday for shelter dogs. If your organization serves animals, this is a prime time for you to market your organization and celebrate your pups available for adoption! Try hosting an adopt-a-thon, donation drive or a special open house event at your shelter this summer!

8. Hit the Golf Course

Golf is a great way to bring in a variety of supporters to learn about your organization all while enjoying a timeless sport. Get kids involved with mini-golf, putt putt tournaments, raffles and games! Want to make this a ticketed event? Sell your tickets virtually right in DonorView.

9. Run for Fun

This is one of those fundraisers that continues to stick year after year. Gather your community and enjoy some activity in the outdoors by hosting a 5K/FunRun. Get more people involved by making your 5K a peer-to-peer campaign within DonorView.

10. Community Car Wash

People love to show off their cars during the summer! A carwash is a classic and simple concept that has the ability to get people informed about your organization while they get their car cleaned. Host a community carwash and accept donations on behalf of your organization!

When it comes to events, DonorView does it all.

What Your Nonprofit Should Be Posting on Each Social Media Platform

Thu, 26 May 2022 18:38:00 GMT

You might be asking yourself, what type of posts make the most sense for each platform?

In order to be successful, you have to know the ins and outs of what content resonates with your audiences, who your audiences are and what type of content you should be posting. You have to be aware that some things that you post on Twitter, might not be fit for Facebook, and some posts you make on LinkedIn won’t suit you well on Instagram.

Facebook

Facebook is a platform with a wide demographic range. However, it tends to gather a bit of an older audience than some of the other platforms. Facebook allows you to type out longer posts with no character limit, giving you a wide ability to tell stories.

Best for:

Twitter

Twitter is a crowd favorite for younger generations and people tend to follow and retweet with missions and causes that really align themselves with. Twitter gives you a character limit, so it’s best to keep things short and sweet.

Best for:

Instagram

This social media platform revolves around pictures and videos. On Instagram, it’s essential to draw people in with this type of content rather than your words. Also, don’t forget- links don’t work in your caption, so you’ll need to put a link or Linktree in your bio to get people to click on it.

Best for:

LinkedIn is full of professionals all over the world who have large networks. It’s also the platform where people are looking for opportunities to help or work the most!

Best for:

TikTok

TikTok is a huge platform among younger generations and viral songs/dances. This social platform is great for creative, fun and heartfelt videos that promote your organization.

Best for:

Social media has the power to increase your supporters, donations and so much more! All DonorView forms and event pages can be posted right on your page- take what you’ve learned here and send out a post today!

To learn more about how DonorView can help your nonprofit succeed, visit DonorView.com and schedule a demo today!

44 Awareness Causes to Help Promote Your Nonprofit this Summer

Thu, 19 May 2022 14:37:00 GMT

Check out this list of important causes your nonprofit should have in mind this summer. If any resonate with your organization, make sure to use these months as a way to boost your mission!

In June:

In July:

In August:

For a full calendar of cause and awareness days, check out the list here .

Looking for a nonprofit solution that can take your organization to the next level? Schedule a demo with DonorView today!

8 Ways Your Nonprofit Can Find New Donors

Thu, 12 May 2022 18:04:00 GMT

1. Brainstorm with Your Board

Your board likely has a strong network of connections who aren’t familiar with your organization yet. Get together with your board and map out potential constituents that could be an asset to your organization and the field of work your nonprofit specializes in. Have a game plan ready on how you can approach these potential constituents and get them involved in your organization’s efforts.

Try out some of these ways to get started:

2. Stay Active on Social Media

Many of your potential donors are on social media and might not know of your organization yet. Think about your ideal donor and consider which social media platforms this person is likely to be on and focus on creating strong content that appeals to them.

3. Peer-to-Peer Fundraisers

Hosting a peer-to-peer fundraiser is a great way of getting your current constituents involved while also gaining new donors and supporters! If each of your supporters create a peer-to-peer fundraiser, this opens up your organization to each of their networks. Looking for tips on how to run a successful peer-to-peer campaign? Click Here.

4. Get Out Into Your Community

Summer is a great time of year to get out into your community and meet potential supporters face to face. Events such as farmer’s markets, fairs, concerts, etc. are happening just about every week! Set up a table or booth with information and welcome packets and introduce your organization to the people within your community.

5. Make it Easy to Subscribe to Your Newsletter

Your newsletter subscribe button should be easily accessible on your organization’s website. When someone new subscribes to your newsletter, this gives you immediate communication and a world of opportunity with this constituent. Embed a a “Join Our Mailing List” widget to your website or even as a pop up and start turning visitors into a potential donor, volunteer or event attendee.

6. Follow Up With First Time Event Attendees

When someone attends one of your organization’s events for the first time, make sure you maintain contact and follow up as soon as possible. Ask them how they enjoyed the event and make them aware of upcoming events, ways to get involved and how to donate.

7. Partner with Local Businesses

Get creative and find out ways you can collaborate with local businesses. See if any restaurants would be willing to donate a portion of proceeds, collaborate on an event or even hang up fliers about your organization. This type of exposure will introduce your organization to new potential donors.

8. Compare with Similar Organizations

Take time to check out what similar organizations are doing to gain new donors and supporters through various methods, campaigns or events. Doing a simple comparison can inspire new ideas to bring into your organization. If you have friends or connections in other nonprofits, collaborate with them and give each other some new ideas and perspectives on how you can grow you donor list.

Looking for a nonprofit software to take your organization to the next level? Schedule a demo today!

5 Ways to Integrate DonorView into Your Nonprofit’s Website

Thu, 05 May 2022 17:28:00 GMT

1. Integrate Donation Pages

The first step is making sure your organization has a page dedicated to receiving donations on your website. This page should have your donation form embedded, so that way donors can easily give without leaving your website. Make sure you also have a donate button that is visible directly on your website’s header! By doing this, your donate button will be visible on every page as your visitors check out your website. You can also add donate buttons on pages like a“Ways to Give” page or your blog posts!

2. Get More RSVPs at Upcoming Events

Having your events listed on a nice, clean calendar is the best way to keep website visitors informed and signed up for events. DonorView allows you to have built-in event registration pages and calendars on your website so guests can confirm event details and registration without ever leaving your page.

3. Allow Visitors to Subscribe to Your Email List

Are you looking to easily get your website visitors subscribed to your email list? Try embedding a “Join Our Mailing List” widget to your website. This shows people are interested in what your organization has to offer and could turn anyone browsing your website into a potential donor, volunteer or event attendee.

4. Utilize Built-In Surveys, Forms or Applications

Have a section of your website that shows people ways they can get involved and help your organization. With DonorView, you can even link volunteer applications or feedback forms that can be completed right on your website. Any applications submitted will be saved right into your DonorView account to be further processed by your staff.

5. Show Off Upcoming Auction & Raffle Items

Allow website visitors to register, bid or preview items that will be in your online auction by embedding your auction onto your website. You can set up a preview page of each of your items and allow anyone to bid online or even on their phone from your website!

Are you looking to take your nonprofit’s website to the next level?

DonorView offers all of the features above AND offers website building services! If your website could use a redesign, visit donorview.com/website-builder to learn more!

8 Steps to a Successful Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Campaign

Thu, 21 Apr 2022 16:42:00 GMT

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising is a unique way to allow your organization and supporters to collectively work together to raise money while expanding within new networks. Spring and Summer are some of the most popular seasons to launch peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns. This is because this unique way of fundraising can be incorporated into your organization’s events like 5ks, golf-a-thons, birthday fundraisers, etc.

Looking for some tips to ensure your next peer-to-peer fundraiser is a success? Follow along with these tips below.

1. Allow Fundraisers to Tell Their Story

It’s important to give your supporters the space to tell their stories and why your organization means so much to them. Whether they use your services or volunteer, they’ve all been impacted in one way or another and have special stories to share about your organization. These stories will resonate with their network of friends and family, which in return will broaden your audience and pool of donors. DonorView allows your fundraisers to create their own page that includes a description, photo gallery, goal chart, supporter list and more! Your story might even encourage others to join in and fundraise too.

2. Amplify on Social Media

One of the best ways to get peer-to-peer pages out there is to have your supporters share them on social media. If your supporters post their peer-to-peer campaign page on social media along with their stories, this is the perfect time to share their posts on your organization’s page as well. This allows people to see how much of an impact your organization has made in many different lives, all while raising money for your cause.

3. Get Your Strongest Supporters Involved First

In order to see successful results, it’s important to have a strong foundation of participants in your peer-to-peer campaign. Start by recruiting your past strongest supporters, volunteers and board members to make a peer-to-peer fundraising page. The more people excited to participate from the beginning will cause a greater turnout for donations and other participants.

4. Provide a Guide

Some of your fundraisers might be new to peer-to-peer fundraising or maybe even uncomfortable asking for donations. Sometimes all your supporters need is some guidance. Start by providing them with instructions on how to easily set up their fundraising page. Then, give some post ideas to go along with their stories for social media. For example, $20 can help supply a family with food for a week , $10 helps a child get enough school supplies for the year , etc. Small things like this can help ease them into the fundraising world.

5. Allow for Teams & Individuals to Participate

Sometimes there’s more fun and success in numbers! Allow your fundraisers to create a team of friends, family or coworkers and let them work their magic as a group. Utilize DonorView’s peer-to-peer fundraising elements and place a participant list on your website for everyone to keep track of team and individual progress!

6. Set Milestones/Incentives

Have some fun with your fundraisers by having them set goals along the way! You could also incentivize the individual or team who raises the most. This will give your peer-to-peer fundraisers an extra competitive boost to raise more! In DonorView, you can allow badges to display on fundraising pages once your supporter has met specific goals.

7. Feature Your Biggest Fundraisers

It’s always important to recognize the efforts of those fundraising on behalf of your organization. Take the time to feature and thank those who participated and saw great success by sharing them on social media or your website!

8. Remember to Have Fun!

It sounds cliche, but remember to make this way of fundraising fun for your supporters! Let your fundraisers get creative with their own peer-to-peer campaigns and teams. This is one of the ways supporters can take full control of fundraising efforts and set their own goals.

Tap into DonorView’s peer-to-peer fundraising functionality today and see how you can start raising more donations this upcoming event season!

Interested in seeing how DonorView can help more than just your peer-to-peer fundraisers? Schedule a demo today.

8 Ways to Fundraise & Celebrate Mother’s Day with Your Nonprofit

Fri, 15 Apr 2022 18:39:00 GMT

Mother’s Day is right around the corner. A day to celebrate so many powerful women across the nation, and your organization shouldn’t miss out! This is a prime time for your organization to strategize and fundraise as this holiday brings in funds from gifts, flowers, outings and everything in between. We’ve compiled a list of some ways your nonprofit can help celebrate and fundraise this Mother’s Day.

72% of people get their mom a card for Mother’s Day. Utilize some art skills within your organization or partner with a local artist to create Mother’s Day cards and have them posted for sale on your website and social media. These could even be designed and signed by those in your nonprofit community. If you serve children or animals, have them create unique cards with their hands or paw prints!

2. Partner with Local Businesses

Many local businesses are willing to join forces and help local nonprofits in their community. Try reaching out and seeing if they’ll collaborate in honor of Mother’s Day by giving your organization a portion of the proceeds or materials to create a raffle basket. Or, try partnering with businesses and see if they’ll donate a portion of their proceeds during the week of Mother’s Day! Some local businesses to check out include local bakeries, jewelry stores, candle makers, floral shops or boutiques.

3. Host a Wine and Paint Night

49% of people take their mom on a special outing for Mother’s Day. Give the moms in your community a fun night with a little sip and paint action. Sell tickets to the big event and even allow for additional add-ons for things like raffle tickets, flowers, cards, etc. DonorView makes this all possible right on your event page. This makes it easy for family members to buy a ticket and surprise their loved ones with a fun evening!

4. Brighten Their Day with Flowers or Plants

Who doesn’t love getting flowers or plants? 68% of people gift their mom with flowers on Mother’s Day. Use this to your advantage and work with a local garden or florist to get flowers or plants to sell on behalf of your organization. If someone in your organization has an eye for flowers, create beautiful bouquets that include a story that tells how they’ve helped your organization with their flower purchase. You could even see if a local florist would be willing to work with you and donate a portion of their proceeds.

5. Host a Raffle or Auction

Collaborate with businesses and resources in your community to make some Mother’s Day auction baskets. These could include items from local businesses within your community. You can set up a page of your auction items online and allow people to bid right on your website with DonorView’s auction features.

6. Have a Mother’s Day Bake Sale

Gather up your community of bakers and put on a bake sale for your organization! Create a lovely assortment of cookies, pies, brownies, cakes, etc. and set up a table at your organization, a local business or a farmer’s market before Mother’s Day and get people to make a purchase for the moms in their life! This is a great way to raise funds and awareness for your organization. If your organization can’t make it out into the community, promote your bake sale on social media and arrange times for pick up!

7. Mother’s Day Meal Kits

Partner with a local restaurant to put on a Mother’s Day brunch, lunch or dinner. You can see if they will allow you to take partial proceeds, or if your organization can cover the food costs and sell tickets to break even. With each meal kit, provide information on your organization and make sure they know their meal will go towards a great cause this Mother’s Day!

8. Celebrate on Social Media

Share some celebratory stories about moms on your social media channels. If you are an organization that specifically empowers and supports mothers, this is your time to make your mission heard. Even if your organization’s support is outside of motherhood, you likely have mothers in your staff, volunteers and those you serve. Make sure they receive a special shout-out on this day!

If you need help utilizing fundraising or event features this Mother’s Day- reach out to us at support@donorview.com !

12 Ways You Can Celebrate National Volunteer Appreciation Week

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 13:31:00 GMT

Volunteers are some of the most loyal, helpful and important parts of any nonprofit. Recognizing the hard work and dedication your volunteers devote to your organization is the key to retaining and continuing to grow support. In honor of #NationalVolunteerWeek being this April 17–23 and April being National Volunteer Month, we’ve compiled a list of 12 ways to make your volunteers feel appreciated today and every day.

1. Rally Your Community Together to Write Thoughtful Letters

It’s likely your volunteers have had an impact on the people, animals or communities your organization helps serve. Have your community come together and write an appreciative card or letter to volunteers who have touched their lives. If you work with animals, stamp some pawprints and write as if the animals could speak!

2. Give a Small Personalized Gift

A small thoughtful gift is a perfect and personal way to show your appreciation for volunteers. Keep a note of your volunteer’s hobbies, interests, favorite coffee shops/restaurants, etc. and show them you appreciate all they do with a small gift.

3. Spotlight Your #VolunteeroftheDay

Share your appreciation during this week by recognizing volunteers on social media with #VolunteeroftheDay. This is a great way to showcase how much you appreciate your volunteers to your community of donors and supporters. Your surrounding community of followers will likely show some appreciation by liking, commenting and sharing these posts as well!

4. Host a Volunteer Appreciation Ceremony

This is a way to gather your volunteer community and really highlight everyone’s much appreciated hard work and dedication within your organization. Make it fun and more rewarding by giving your volunteers unique certificates of appreciation.

5. Feature Them in Your Newsletter

Save a spot in your next newsletter to showcase your volunteers. This is a great way to show your appreciation to your volunteers and their contributions to your organization. If you decide to feature a volunteer every month, this is a great way to always know you’ll have fresh content for your newsletters.

6. Celebrate with Some Food

Who doesn’t love a surprise pizza or donut party? Show some appreciation by bringing in some food for your volunteers. This is a great opportunity to support a local restaurant as well. Keep your volunteers and community restaurants happy all at once!

7. Value your Volunteer’s Feedback

It’s important your volunteers know they are trusted and valued within your organization. Don’t be afraid to sit down with them and gather some feedback from their experience. This is a way to show them you care, while also seeing an outside perspective on your organization.

8. A Volunteer Board of Recognition

Put up a photo and profile of a volunteer that continues to shine within your organization. This is a great way for your volunteers to feel appreciated within the walls they serve. It also allows the community to get to know your volunteer a little better in the process!

9. Have Your Executive Director Give a Call

Have your Executive Director personally call volunteers and let them know how appreciative your organization is for all they do for your nonprofit. In a world of quick texts, a simple phone call can mean so much more.

10. Send a Virtual Gift Card

Show you care and cover your volunteer’s next coffee! A simple surprise like a gift card popping up in your volunteer’s inbox will make their day and show your appreciation in just one click.

11. Recognize Milestones for Service

Whether volunteers have been with you for 1 or 10 years, this is surely worth some recognition. Recognize these milestones by giving your volunteers a certificate, gift, letter or all of the above.

12. Feature Volunteers on Your Website

Make your volunteers known to your community by featuring them on your website. Have a volunteer spotlight on your home page or even allow your volunteers to write a blog on their experience in your organization! People love hearing from their peers, so this is a great way to bring some new volunteers in the door.

Your volunteers are a vital part of your organization. Invest in a software that allows you to easily track and manage their history within your organization all while giving them access to their own volunteer portal and information.

Schedule a demo with DonorView today!

4 Ways You Can Better Understand Your Supporters Today

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 19:10:00 GMT

It’s important to sit back and really understand your supporters and donors. You’ll find many are connected to your organization for many different reasons and motivations. Taking the time to get to know your supporters also makes them feel even more valued within your organization. And not only this, but it’s important to understand how they choose to interact and give to your organization. Here are a few ways you can dig deeper and better understand your supporters and what motivates them within your organization.

1. Find Out Their “Why”

Start with the basics and ask your supporters in a survey or campaign to share their “why” or how they heard about your organization. This is a great way to get to know some of your first-time donors or volunteers especially. Send them a thank you or welcome packet and introduce yourself and organization and get to know them. Some people may have a deeper connection to your organization than you’d think.

2. Track Email Analytics

Do you know what type of emails cause your supporters to give or jump to action? Is it heart-warming stories of impact or emails from your Executive Director? Every organization and donorbase is different. Track your email analytics in DonorView and see what types of emails are causing people to donate, click links or get involved.

3. Ask for Supporter Feedback

It’s important to get feedback from the people who interact with your organization the most! Whether it’s donors, volunteers or just general followers — try sending out a survey to gauge feedback on what your supporters like or think is best! You could do this after events, fundraising campaigns, etc. to get some quick direct feedback. This shows open communication and how your organization is willing to work with supporters ideas and feedback to keep improving.

4. Check Social Media Insights

Check up on how people are interacting with your social media posts and content. Social media is a huge way of gaining new supporters and sustaining long-term supporters. Do posts with written stories or videos do better with your audience? Photos with graphics or without? Even things down to the time and day you’re posting matter to your audience. Start checking your social media analytics and make necessary changes going forward.

Looking for a nonprofit software to take your organization to the next level? Schedule a demo today!

Mark Your Calendar! Awareness Months to Help Promote Your Nonprofit this Spring

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 18:34:00 GMT

Spring is a huge season when it comes to bringing support and awareness to many different causes. Awareness months and days are the perfect time to launch new fundraisers, campaigns or events that support your mission. These days can also help you when it comes to launching social media posts and campaigns. Check out this list of some important causes your nonprofit should have in mind this spring. If any resonate with your organization, make sure to use these months as a way to boost your organization’s mission!

In April:

In May:

For a full calendar of cause and awareness days, check out the list here .

Looking for a nonprofit solution that can take your organization to the next level? Schedule a demo with DonorView today!

Gain More Donations & Loyal Donors With Just One-Click

Thu, 17 Mar 2022 14:46:00 GMT

Recurring giving is an option for donors to give on a regular basis, similar to a subscription service for daily apps and services. This way of giving is on the rise as many look for ways to give back more regularly. Recurring giving helps attract more loyal donors, gives donors the ability to budget in their donation, and in return, keeps your retention rates high. Read below to see some of the many benefits of recurring giving!

1. Generates More Donations

Recurring giving makes a big difference in fundraising. Over time, a person giving $10 a month will generate more than that same person only giving $100 a year. Turn that one person into 20 recurring donors, and you’ll see a big difference in your fundraising — so start encouraging recurring donations to your donors!

2. Attracts More Young Donors

The Millennial Impact Report found that 52% of millennials are interested in monthly giving as a way of giving back. This is a generation that has grown up with many products and services that come with monthly fees. So, adding an additional $10/month to their budget for a nonprofit they’re passionate about makes sense when they’re willing to spend even more on subscriptions like Netflix or DoorDash.

3. Builds More Loyal Donors

Recurring donors are giving to your organization more frequently, which leads them to be more curious about your organization, events, volunteering and more. It also helps you build trust and a relationship with these specific donors. Often recurring donors will become people you can depend on to get involved in peer-to-peer fundraising, events and more.

Ready to add recurring giving to your next fundraiser?

When you’re building your next fundraising page, under Donation Settings, turn on “allow recurring donations.” This will allow your donors to choose when and how often they’d like to give to your organization.

Is your nonprofit in need of a new donor management software that allows recurring donations? Schedule a demo with DonorView today and learn more!

A Spring Cleaning Checklist for Your Nonprofit

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 14:34:00 GMT

As this long winter comes to a close, it’s time to start thinking about freshening up your organization for Spring! The past few years have brought on many challenges and obstacles. Take this season as a fresh, new beginning for your nonprofit and get back to the basics. Check out our spring cleaning list and get your nonprofit on track for a successful year!

1. Track Your Progress

How are your goals for the year holding up? Now is a good time to really look into your progress so far and evaluate your goals for the year going forward. Take some time to look at your strategic plan and evaluate these questions:

2. Organize Your Data

Take time to optimize your organization by cleaning up your data. Here are a few things you can do for the best results in the future.

4. Refresh Your Communications Materials

Take time to refresh some of the content you’ve been reusing over and over again. Some new, creative change can really do your organization some good! It shows people you are always continuing to improve and helps you stay relevant. Here is a list of some items you might want to consider refreshing this Spring:

5. Check-In with Staff & Volunteers

Don’t forget to check in with the people who keep the wheels turning at your organization. Meet with your staff and volunteers individually and see how they’re doing, what they like/dislike and how your team can improve. Your staff will have bright ideas and a unique insight into your organization — and it’s important to make them a valued part of your organization!

6. Prepare for Event Season

Event season is right around the corner. Take time today to make sure you have all the details sorted out that will make your upcoming events a success.

7. Set Up Social Media Calendar

Keeping your social media presence updated weekly is crucial to your organization’s online presence. If you’re able to, schedule out social media posts ahead of time so you don’t have to worry about creating content on the spot. Utilizing a social media calendar to schedule out posts in advance makes it easy to keep your online presence active.

8. Make the Most of Your Software

Go through your software and make sure you’re utilizing all the features relevant to your organization in the software. DonorView offers many unique features in an all-in-one system. If you’re still utilizing other software for things like event management, email marketing, etc, don’t waste your time and money and start utilizing all of DonorView’s features. DonorView allows every aspect of your organization to integrate in one system — start building out unique donor lists, creating fundraising pages and so much more!

Interested in our all-in-one nonprofit software? Schedule a demo today with DonorView!

20 Ways You Can Use QR Codes to Increase Fundraising & Awareness

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 15:20:00 GMT

QR codes have taken the world by storm over the past few years. These square-shaped pixels have more power than you might think.

To give you some background, QR stands for “Quick Response.” A QR code is a square-shaped barcode that can be read easily by a digital device’s camera and lead to a digital link or item. This allows consumers to easily retrieve digital information without having to search or type out a long link.

There are SO many ways you can be using QR codes to generate more donations and awareness within your organization. With DonorView, you get a free QR code with every fundraising, event, auction page, etc. To find yours, simply go to the preview & publish tab and download the QR code.

Check out our list below to see how you can use your QR codes to increase donations and spread awareness today!

Marketing Materials

A QR code is a valuable tool when it comes to your marketing. Whether you physically send out letters or send out an email, including a QR code can be a real game changer when it comes to engaging your supporters for a fundraising campaign or an event. Here is a list of some ways you can use a QR code in your marketing.

In Your Community

Your community likely has means of communication via a community hub online or in person. Whether you create post a flyer with your organization’s mission and QR code or pass out items with your QR code on it — this is a definite way to generate some reach in your community!

At Your Events

In this digital age, your events should be accommodating for people to quickly and easily access your organization online. By utilizing QR codes at events, you open up the opportunity for online donations, bids and so much more.

Any way you can spread your message in-person or online can be done with the power of a QR code! Get creative and use this simple way to start generating more donations and awareness for your organization.

Interested in a nonprofit software with the latest technology? Schedule a demo with DonorView today!

5 Tips to Engage Your Board Members in Fundraising

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 18:11:00 GMT

Including your board members in your fundraising efforts can often be a challenge. However, some board members might not realize their ability to fundraise or the different resources available to them. It’s important to step back and really guide your board members on how they can make an impact on your fundraising. Check out these tips on how you can work with your board for more engaged fundraising this year.

1. Set Fundraising Goals

Inform your board members about your fundraising goals early on in the year. All board members should be aware of the goals in place and the expenses needed for the year. Get board members involved by having them set an individual fundraising goal! Whether they achieve this goal through sponsorships, an annual gift or new donors — each board member should be trying to work towards the fundraising goals of your organization. Here are a few topics you should be discussing when it comes to fundraising with your board:

2. Connect with a Letter or Email

Have your board compile a list of constituents in your mutual networks who would be appropriate to send a fundraising letter or email to. Provide a letter template with space for them to write their own personal note and signature. Make sure you include the link to your donate page or a QR code for them to easily scan and donate. This is an easy way for board members to get the word out to their network.

3. Create a Peer-to-Peer Campaign

Ask each of your board members to get involved in fundraising by creating a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign! Each member can set their own goal, tell their story and reach out to their networks to raise donations on behalf of your organization. If your board members want to get even more people involved, they could collaborate with coworkers, family, friends, etc and build teams to see who can raise the most.

4. Posts on Social Media

Chances are your board has a huge network of friends, family and coworkers on social media. Encourage your board members to start sharing your content onto their personal pages and encourage others to join in on fundraising, events, etc. If your board isn’t as creative or needs a little help with social media, provide them with messaging and social media samples that they can post onto their own accounts.

5. Donor Engagement Calls

If some of your board members have time to spare, ask them to make calls to donors and thank them for giving. A personal phone call or voice message can often be so much more appreciated than a typical thank you email. Provide your board members with a list of those who should receive a call. You’ll want to target past donors who are likely to give more, first-time donors and donors who haven’t given in a while, but typically do.

Need a software that will set your nonprofit up for success? Schedule a demo with DonorView today!

Successfully Run Your Next Auction with These 7 Steps

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 17:36:00 GMT

Event and auction season is right around the corner! Is your organization ready? Check out these tips below so your next auction is set up for success.

1. Build a Strong Digital Auction Page

Long gone are the days of bidding with paper and pen. Start keeping track of each item you collect and compile different baskets and packages on your digital auction page. Make sure you thoroughly describe and take photos of the items you are auctioning off so your bidders are more drawn to bid!

Pro Tip: Make bidding even easier for event attendees by putting your auction page QR code on the bid sheets and event flyers. This allows people to easily scan and set up an account and bid on their phones at the event.

2. Make Your Auction Hybrid

Over the past few years, hybrid events have grown in popularity. Luckily, silent auctions can easily be turned into a hybrid event. This style of event allows for people to join in-person or participate from home, which ultimately opens up more opportunities for bidding and donations! Allow people to bid from home if they can’t make it in person either on your auction site page or via text.

3. Define the Auction Process

4. Set the Right Starting Bids

5. Utilize Buy Now, Max Bidding & Text2Bid

6. Promote your Auction Items

There are many different ways to promote the items that will be listed at your auction before the big day.

7. Tie a Donation Page to the Auction

Some people might not be able to participate in your event, have no interest in the items, or will lose bids and still want to donate. It’s important you tie a donation page to your auction so people can still easily donate if they’d like to! This opens up the door for more donations and gaining new supporters.

Looking for the best nonprofit software when it comes to managing your events and auctions? Schedule a demo with DonorView today.

15 Unique Ways to Increase Year-End Fundraising

Thu, 04 Nov 2021 16:16:00 GMT

You’ve taken the steps to create a donation page to reach your fundraising goal for 2021, but what’s next? You won’t see much success by just letting a link to it sit on your website. It’s time to get creative and think outside the box to exceed your end-of-year fundraising goals. Here are some ideas to promote your organization’s fundraising page across your website, social media and marketing that will let the donations flow in.

Social Media

1. Bio

Your end-of-year fundraising page should be linked to your social media profile’s bio from now until the end of the year. This is usually one of the first places a person will go when they are curious about your organization on social media, so it’s important to link your donation page here.

2. Pinned Posts

Did you know you can pin a post to the top of your page on Twitter or Facebook? This will be the first post any visitors see on your social media pages, so make sure whatever post is pinned is about your year-end fundraising campaign and has a link to your donation page!

3. Staff, Board & Volunteers

Encourage your staff, board and volunteers to send out or share posts about your end-of-year fundraising campaign. Or even better, have them set up peer-to-peer fundraising pages to encourage more donations across the board! This expands your network immensely and has the ability to generate new donors who know your staff or volunteers!

4. Social Media Posts

Include a link to your donation page on any social media post that is relevant to your year-end goals! You want your fundraising goal to be front of mind anytime someone reads your posts on their feed.

5. Promotional Videos

Videos are necessary for any organization to tell its story these days. If your organization is utilizing video footage, try including a QR code at the end of your video that leads to your donation page, or put the link in your video’s description.

Marketing

6. QR Codes

QR codes have become increasingly poplar over the past year. DonorView automatically generates a QR code for any fundraising page, so utilize this on your end of year marketing campaigns, communications and promotional materials to make it easy for people to donate right on their phones!

7. Email Marketing

A button or link to donate should be included in any emails going out to your constituents this time of year. This makes it easy for potential donors to give after reading your newsletters, campaigns, etc.

8. Direct Mail

If you want to keep things traditional, send out mail or a flyer to your constituents with your donation page’s QR code! A QR code will generate more curiosity and encourage people to scan and see what the page leads to.

9. Text2Give

Sign up for Text2Give with DonorView and give your donors the ability to donate right from their phones! With a 98% open rate, texting is one of the best ways to get your fundraising page out there.

10. Email Signature

Your organization likely sends out hundreds of emails a day. Why not include your donation page link in your email signature? This is a direct way of knowing many people are seeing your fundraising page daily!

11. Promotional Items

Any promotional materials that you’re giving out at end of year events like flyers, shirts, water bottles, etc should be paired with a QR code so people know how to give to your organization right away.

12. Annual Reports & Appeals

If your organization is sending out any annual reports or end of year appeals, items should have a link or QR code that lead to your donation page. For your best success, include the QR code on your physical copies and link the page on a digital version.

Website

13. Donate Button

First and foremost, your donation button should lead directly to your fundraising page and should be seen at all times on your website. A simple way to do this is by adding a button to your website’s header or highlighting your campaign on your homepage!

14. Ways to Give Page

Your website should always have a Ways to Give or Donation Page. Make sure you add your end-of-year fundraising to this section as well. This page lets potential donors understand your organization’s needs and gives them another easily identifiable place to donate.

15. Blog

Does your website have a blog or newsletter? You should ALWAYS include a link to your donation page or button at the end of each of these items. This helps readers who are inspired and compelled to give to do so instantly.

Interested in seeing how DonorView can help more than just your fundraising? Schedule a demo today.

10 Ways to Thank and Retain Donors This Season of Giving

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 14:54:00 GMT

The end of the year is arguably the busiest when it comes to nonprofit fundraising. People are more prone to give for the holidays and GivingTuesday than any other time of year. When it comes to showing donor appreciation, expressing gratitude is one thing, but building a relationship with your donors is what will set your organization apart. Take time to read through some of these thank you ideas that will help make your donors feel extra special during this season of giving.

1. Introduce Your Organization with a Welcome Packet

If someone is donating for the first time, this is the perfect time to make a great first impression and set yourself apart. Send over a physical or digital welcome packet that includes a thank you letter, an introduction to your mission and team, photos that illustrate your organization and a heartfelt story that showcases what a donation does for your organization. You want donors to know they are welcomed and appreciated within your organization right off the bat.

2. Send a Donation Anniversary Note

Keep a good record of past donors and their contributions. DonorView makes this easy by allowing you to filter your donations by years, amounts, etc . Go through and see who donated this time last year, and remind them how much that support meant. This opens up the opportunity to encourage them to see what your organization has done in the past year and donate again.

3. Give a Shout-Out on Social Media

If a donor makes a big contribution, make sure to acknowledge this in a unique way! Tag your donor in a photo, video or message thanking them for their contribution. It’s a win-win to help provide you with more social media content and make your donor feel special. This makes it easy for donors to share and promote your organization to their own network as well.

4. Send Out Handwritten Notes

There’s something special about receiving a handwritten note on paper these days. It surpasses the experience of receiving a digital thank you by making it more personal. Need some help? Gather up your board members, volunteers or those you serve and ask them to help write personalized thank-you notes.

5. Feature Donors in an Upcoming Newsletter

Looking for a new segment for your end-of-year newsletters? Highlight your donors by writing up a nice feature about them and how much you appreciate their contributions to your organization.

6. Give Them a Call

Don’t forget that not all of your donors are on social media. Sometimes a simple call can set things apart from the typical email or text message. This is an easy way to establish a relationship with your donors and get to know them on a more personal level.

7. Feature Them on Your Website

Reserve a page on your website to acknowledge donors by featuring them and a testimonial of why they continue to give to your organization. This is a simple way to highlight recurring donors and people who are passionate about supporting your cause.

8. Put a Donor Wall On Display

Have you thought about filling up a wall in your facility with your donors’ names? This is a great visual way to highlight the support of your donors during the holidays. Share the progress of the wall on social media and encourage people to help you fill it up!

9. Send a Video to Your Donors

Sometimes people need something more visual than words. Showcase what goes on behind the scenes of your organization and what donations can provide along with your thank you. This can be a simple video recorded on your phone or even a TikTok.

10. Send out Acknowledgements Instantly

Above all else, it’s important to acknowledge your donor’s gift as soon as it’s received. Sometimes things get busy and hectic, so when you can’t utilize some of the creative ways above, it’s still important to always acknowledge any gift that comes in. With DonorView, you can customize your own automated emails right in the software as well as internal follow-up reminders based on triggers. For example, if one of your supporters donates for the first time, they could get an email in 7 days, another one in 30 days, a reminder could go to your Director to call them in 60 days and an anniversary email 365 days after.

Looking for a software that gives you more time to focus on making your donors feel appreciated?

Schedule a demo with DonorView today.

How Your Nonprofit Can Turn Texts into Donations

Thu, 21 Oct 2021 16:17:00 GMT

Are you looking for a way to increase donations for your end-of-year campaign? With a 98% open rate, texting is one of the most proven ways of guaranteeing your constituents are opening and acknowledging your messages. With that being said, it’s also one of the best ways to send out fundraising campaigns!

Get Your Constituents Subscribed

Having a list of constituents who are subscribed to your text messaging communication is the first step to success in your fundraising campaign. There are a few ways you can generate lists:

Narrow Down Your Lists

Once you have audiences subscribed to text messaging, it will be important to narrow them down into lists. You might want to narrow them to categories like past donors, recent donors, donors with gifts over $5,0000, etc. Once your lists are created, this allows you to send specific messages to your various audiences!

Personalize Your Texts

Texting can be a very personal way to engage with someone and the same goes for your Text2Give campaigns. You shouldn’t sound like a robot, make sure you keep things friendly and personable. One way to do this and stand out is by asking for specific amounts or using personalized fields from the donor.

Keep it Short & Simple

Ready to set up a Text2Give campaign?

Reach out to support@donorview.com OR check out our GivingTuesday and Holiday Giving Tool Kits and get Text2Give services included in your package.

8 Things You Can Do Now to Prepare for Year-End Giving

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 16:22:00 GMT

GivingTuesday & the season of giving are quickly approaching... Are you prepared?

The season of giving is the busiest time of year for nonprofit organizations. Take some time over the next month to start preparing so you can go through this season and the holidays with peace of mind. Here are a few ways you can start preparing your organization for year-end giving now.

1. Set Up a Compelling Fundraising Page

Create a fundraising page that represents your organization and tells your story. Include powerful messaging, photos, your organization’s brand colors and logo. Pro tip: set up a year-end fundraising goal and have a goal thermometer on your page to encourage more reasons to donate! Need some ideas on how to amplify your fundraising page? We’ve got you covered.

2. Contact Your Top Donors

Use DonorView to filter through and find your top donors of the past year and reach out to them directly. Thank them for donating in the past and let them know what their donation was able to provide your organization with over the past year. Let them know you’re counting on their donation to move forward with more success in the new year!

3. Set Up a Landing Page for GivingTuesday and Holiday Giving

A direct landing page that makes it quick and simple for donors to find and donate to your cause is crucial. This can be used in your emails, social media posts and on your website. Don’t have time to make one? Let the DonorView experts create a landing page for you.

4. Get a Head Start on Email Campaigns

Prepare early and start scheduling your year-end email campaigns. It may seem tedious, but this is one way to alleviate your schedule towards the end of the year. Need help making more click-worthy emails? Check out these tips.

5. Start Social Media Outreach

Now is the time to get your social media following up and keep your fans engaged. New followers and fans of your cause will be compelled to donate if you have a strategic approach on social media when it comes to year-end giving. Share your story, post a variety of content and be strategic in your call to action. Looking to grow your social media community? Here’s some advice.

6. Promote Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

Encourage your biggest supporters and volunteers to set up a peer-to-peer fundraiser during this season of giving. This is an opportunity for your supporters to ask for donations for your organization rather than a gift this year! Looking for some peer-to-peer fundraising tips? Check these out .

7. Get Texting Involved

If you want to guarantee your campaign will reach 98% of your constituents , you need to be sending texts. DonorView offers text messaging features for your nonprofit to utilize to help increase donations, attendance and so much more! To do this, we provide you with a number in your area code and you will simply choose a code for constituents to text and subscribe to your communications. Interested in signing up? Reach out to support@donorview.com or get it free when you sign up for our end-of-year fundraising tool kits.

8. Prepare Your Thank-Yous

It’s important to prepare for the aftermath of the season of giving so you can retain donors for years to come. You have to make sure donors know your gratitude for their contribution and make it stand out! Need some creative ways to thank your donors? Here are some unique ideas.

Are you ready to invest in software that takes your year-end fundraising to the next level? Schedule a demo with DonorView today.

Tips to Make Your Organization Stand Out This GivingTuesday

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 15:36:00 GMT

Save the date for November 30, 2021. GivingTuesday is officially just two months away! If you haven’t started preparing already, it’s time to get yourself on track for this proven successful day of giving. Some of you may be asking: Is GivingTuesday even worth participating in? The short answer is YES! See for yourself and check out these stats below from the GivingTuesday 2020 Impact Report.

Set a Campaign Theme

For example, which of these posts compels you to donate more?

Utilize Social Media

Host a GivingTuesday Peer-to-Peer Campaign

Set Up a GivingTuesday Text2Give Campaign

DonorView is here to help you every step of the way this GivingTuesday. Be on the lookout for more GivingTuesday tips and tools within the next few weeks!

3 Early Steps You Need for Successful Year-End Fundraising

Thu, 26 Aug 2021 16:22:00 GMT

The season of giving is right around the corner. It’s time to start thinking about your strategic plan for year-end fundraising. Check out these early steps you can take now so that your year-end fundraising is a guaranteed success.

Evaluate Last Year’s Fundraising

Set Goals for Your New Campaign

Specific- Make your reasoning precise. What is the end goal?

Measurable- Make your goal easy to track so you can see how it’s working within the goal of your numbers.

Attainable — Don’t create a goal that is too far out of your reach.

Relevant — The goal should be relevant and specific to reaching the overall goals of your organization.

Time-Bound — Give yourself a deadline to reach your goal.

For example, here is a fundraising goal that follows the SMART method:

To increase online donations for the DonorView Foundation by 10% by December 31, 2021.

Secure Your Resources

It’s important to outline your resources that will help you achieve your organization’s goals. Here are some questions to consider when it comes to securing your resources.

Are you in need of a nonprofit software that will set you up for success year-round? Check out DonorView today and schedule a demo .

Social media is now a standard way to have people stay connected with your organization.

Wed, 18 Aug 2021 15:01:00 GMT

Grow Your Nonprofit’s Social Media Following With These 5 Easy Steps

Social media is now a standard way to have people stay connected with your organization. However, sometimes it feels like you’re not reaching any new audiences or gaining any followers and it can feel like a lost cause. But, there are so many ways to improve your content, gain new followers and build momentum within your online community. Social media is vital in this day and age and it’s important to not give it up! Read below to find out 5 easy tips that can get your social media following up in no time.

1. Follow Members of Your Community

It’s important to keep a network of followers who are integrated within your community. Whether it’s residents, public figures, businesses or organizations- follow people who are active and involved in the community. This will cause them to be curious about your organization and in return, could bring in more followers, donors and volunteers!

2. Have a Social Media Contest

A social media contest is a great way to spread the word about your organization while gaining some new followers. One of the most common social media contests is taking to Instagram or Facebook. You start by crafting up a post that includes details about your contest: the prize, the rules, the time frame. Check out this sample post below. In need of some prize ideas? Partner with a local business for gift cards, merchandise, etc.

3. Partner with Local Influencers

Do you have some local celebrities in your community or network? Use that to your advantage and see if they will promote your organization with a post on social media. One of the most valuable assets on social media is a following. You never know what influencers might be passionate about your organization and mission- have them spread the word to their followers!

4. Post a Variety of Content Consistently

5. Have Your Supporters Share Your Content

Are you looking for a software that will help improve all aspects of your nonprofit organization? Schedule a demo with DonorView today!

National Nonprofit Day is Coming Up — How Are You Celebrating?

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 14:03:00 GMT

National Nonprofit Day is Coming Up — How Are You Celebrating?

August 17 isn’t just a regular calendar day — it’s National Nonprofit Day! This day is designated to recognize every nonprofit that is making a difference in its community and around the world. Be prepared for this day and use it to celebrate your organization’s progress and accomplishments. Read below to find out some ways your organization can celebrate National Nonprofit Day!

1. Post onto Social Media

Join in the #NationalNonprofitDay celebration by making a post on social media that acknowledges the growth and success of your nonprofit this year. Have your staff and volunteers join in by sharing their story or love for your organization as well. You could even get a social media trend going that encourages people to donate and support your organization this #NationalNonprofitDay!

2. Send a Thank You Email

3. Acknowledge Volunteers

Volunteers are often the heartbeat of any organization. It’s important that your volunteers feel appreciated and heard. What better way to show some love than on National Nonprofit Day! Need some ideas? Check out this list of ways to show volunteer appreciation.

4. Share Success Stories

Has your organization surpassed any goals, helped out a certain group/person or put on a successful campaign or event this year? Make sure you highlight these moments, especially on National Nonprofit Day! Tell the stories that make your organization unique. It’s important for your followers and supporters to see how their support and donations come to life within your organization.

5. Launch a Campaign

Fall is right around the corner and with that comes new campaigns! Utilize the excitement and draw of National Nonprofit Day to launch your next campaign. People will be more compelled to donate and share how they supported your cause on a day like National Nonprofit Day.

Looking for a software that will help you see success this National Nonprofit Day? Schedule a demo with DonorView.

A Nonprofit’s Guide to Click-Worthy Email Subject Lines

Wed, 21 Jul 2021 13:40:00 GMT

This is one of the most important steps in getting readers to open your email. The greatest way to do this is by letting your subject line catch your reader’s interest right away. Depending on your email’s content, your subject line could vary. We’ve compiled a list of the things your subject line needs for it to be successful, along with some examples.

Use Action Verbs

It’s likely your main point of any email is to cause your readers to follow through on a call to action. To appeal this way, you need to utilize action verbs somewhere in your subject line. Here are a few to get you thinking:

Create Urgency

Ask a Question

Use Emotion

Ready to tackle your next email campaign? Check out our list of campaign-specific subject line ideas to get you started:

Fundraising Campaign:

Click here for tips on how to create a flawless fundraising email campaign.

Event Campaign:

Volunteer Campaign:

If you’re looking for a nonprofit software with email marketing features that can take your organization to the next level, schedule a demo with DonorView today!

6 Tips You Need for Your Next Peer-to-Peer Fundraiser

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 15:23:00 GMT

So, your nonprofit has a great support system- but, it’s lacking new donors. What’s the solution? Peer-to-Peer Fundraising . This unique way of fundraising allows your organization and supporters to collectively work together to raise money while expanding within new networks.

Looking for some tips and tricks to ensure your next peer-to-peer fundraiser is a success? Follow along below.

1. Allow Fundraisers to Tell Their Story

It’s important to give your supporters the space to tell their story and why your organization means so much to them. Whether they use your services or volunteer, they’ve all been impacted in one way or another and have special things to share about your organization. These special stories will resonate their network of friends and family, which in return will broaden your audience and pool of donors. DonorView allows your fundraisers to create their own page that includes a description, photo gallery, goal chart, supporter list and more!

2. Amplify the Voices of Your Fundraisers

One of the best way to get peer-to-peer pages out there is to have your supporters share them on social media. If your supporters post their peer-to-peer campaign page on social media along with their story, this is the perfect time to share their post to your organization’s page as well. This allows people to see how much of an impact your organization has made in many different lives, all while raising money for your cause.

3. Provide a Guide

Some of your fundraisers might be new to peer-to-peer fundraising or maybe even uncomfortable asking for donations. Sometimes all your supporters need is some guidance. Start by providing them with instructions on how to easily set up their fundraising page. Then, give some post ideas to go along with their stories for social media. For example: $20 can help supply a family with food for a week , $10 helps a child get enough school supplies for the year , etc. Small things like this can help ease them into the fundraising world.