Driving Value with Employer Data in the Supporter Lifecycle

Driving Value with Employer Data in the Supporter Lifecycle

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In today’s fundraising world, nonprofit organizations are constantly seeking new ways to enhance engagement, increase donations, and strengthen relationships with their causes. For most, this means optimizing the supporter lifecycle or maximizing every stage of an individual’s journey—from initial awareness to long-term advocacy.

For the best results, doing so can involve leveraging data-driven strategies, enhancing personalized outreach, and incorporating corporate giving opportunities to drive deeper connections and greater impact. And your most invaluable resource happens to be your supporters’ employment data. After all, understanding where your supporters work can unlock new opportunities for fundraising, partnerships, volunteerism, and more at every stage along the way.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

From maximizing matching gift programs to identifying key corporate sponsorships, employer data plays a crucial role in optimizing the supporter lifecycle. By leveraging this information effectively, organizations can drive additional impact and build stronger, more meaningful connections with their audiences as they engage.

Ready to find out how? Let’s begin!

What is the supporter lifecycle?

The supporter lifecycle is the journey an individual takes with a nonprofit, from their first interaction with the organization to becoming a dedicated advocate for its mission. It encompasses every touchpoint along the way, including initial awareness, engagement, donations, ongoing involvement, and long-term support.

At its core, the supporter lifecycle helps nonprofits understand how individuals move from casual interest to deeper commitment. A strong lifecycle strategy ensures that supporters receive meaningful, personalized interactions that keep them engaged over time. This includes everything from welcoming new donors with impactful stories to encouraging repeat giving through workplace matching programs and nurturing long-term advocates who spread the mission within their own networks.

By optimizing the supporter lifecycle, organizations can increase donor retention, strengthen relationships, and maximize fundraising efforts. Leveraging insights like employer data further enhances this process, unlocking corporate giving opportunities and deepening engagement in ways that benefit both the nonprofit and its supporters.

Key engagement stages throughout the supporter lifecycle

Engaging supporters effectively requires understanding the different stages of their journey with your organization. Each stage presents a unique opportunity to build relationships, inspire action, and drive long-term commitment.

By strategically nurturing supporters through these key engagement stages, nonprofits can strengthen their impact and maximize retention:

Supporter

A supporter is someone who expresses interest in a nonprofit’s mission but has not yet taken significant action. They might follow the organization on social media, subscribe to a newsletter, or engage with content online. This stage is crucial, as it serves as the foundation for deeper involvement through education, storytelling, and relationship-building.

How Employer Data Can Help: A supporter may not have donated or volunteered with your organization yet. Still, knowing where they work allows nonprofits to introduce their supporters to workplace giving opportunities that encourage their involvement in a number of ways.

Donor

A donor is a supporter who has taken the step of making a financial (or in-kind) contribution. Donations can range from one-time gifts to recurring contributions or major gifts. Effective stewardship at this stage—such as personalized thank-you messages, impact updates, and matching gift opportunities—helps ensure continued engagement and retention.

How Employer Data Can Help: Many companies match donations made by their employees, but billions of dollars in matching funds go unclaimed each year because donors aren’t aware of their eligibility. By knowing your donors’ employment status, nonprofits can proactively remind them to submit matching requests, increasing total fundraising revenue.

Volunteer

Volunteers give their time and skills to support the nonprofit’s mission. They may participate in direct service projects, administrative tasks, or virtual volunteering opportunities. Many companies offer volunteer grant programs, too, where employers match volunteer hours with financial contributions, providing another avenue for impact.

How Employer Data Can Help: Corporate volunteer incentives offer widespread opportunities for support, and programs like volunteer grants and VTO (volunteer time off) can go a long way. Understanding where your volunteers work allows you to uncover these opportunities and guide individuals in the right direction.

Fundraiser

A fundraiser goes beyond donating and actively helps raise money for the cause. This could involve peer-to-peer fundraising, hosting events, or participating in crowdfunding campaigns. Fundraisers play a key role in expanding the nonprofit’s reach by leveraging their personal networks to bring in new donors and supporters.

How Employer Data Can Help: Fundraisers leverage their personal networks to bring in donations, and their employer can play a key role in expanding that reach. Corporate sponsorships, peer-to-peer fundraising matches, and workplace giving campaigns are all ways a fundraiser’s employer might contribute.

Workplace Giving Participant

This stage involves individuals who take advantage of their employers’ corporate giving programs, such as payroll deductions, employer-matching gifts, or volunteer incentives. Workplace giving participants help maximize the impact of their contributions by tapping into corporate philanthropy, making it a valuable engagement channel for nonprofits.

How Employer Data Can Help: This group directly engages in corporate giving programs, such as payroll deduction donations, matching gifts, and volunteer incentives. By understanding employment details, nonprofits can help workplace giving participants maximize their contributions through their employer’s available programs. Organizations can also work with companies to increase participation rates and secure ongoing support.

Event Attendee

Event attendees participate in nonprofit-hosted activities such as galas, charity runs, auctions, or awareness campaigns. Events provide an opportunity to deepen engagement, inspire giving, and foster community connections. Encouraging event attendees to take the next step—whether through donating, volunteering, or fundraising—helps sustain long-term involvement.

How Employer Data Can Help: Knowing where event attendees work helps nonprofits identify potential sponsorships and employee engagement opportunities. If a large number of attendees come from the same company, that business might be a strong candidate for event sponsorship, employee matching programs, or corporate team participation in future events.

Advocate

Advocates actively promote the nonprofit’s mission by raising awareness, influencing policy, or mobilizing others. They may participate in advocacy campaigns, contact legislators, rally for new workplace giving opportunities, or engage in grassroots organizing. This stage is crucial for organizations working on systemic change, as advocates help drive public support and legislative action.

How Employer Data Can Help: Advocates help spread awareness and influence policy, and their employers may have corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives that align with their efforts. If nonprofits know where their advocates work, they can encourage them to mobilize corporate resources, secure corporate donations, or leverage their company’s public influence to support nonprofit campaigns.

Board Member

Board members are highly committed supporters who take on leadership roles within the organization. They provide governance, strategic direction, and financial oversight, often contributing their time, expertise, and personal networks to advance the nonprofit’s mission. Board members are also key ambassadors, helping to attract donors, corporate partners, and other essential stakeholders.

How Employer Data Can Help: Board members often have significant influence within their organizations and can play a major role in securing corporate funding, sponsorships, and volunteer support. By knowing where board members work, nonprofits can build deeper relationships with their companies, explore major giving opportunities, and leverage corporate resources to further their mission.

Drive workplace giving support throughout the supporter lifecycle with Double the Donation.

How employer data drives value in the supporter lifecycle

Employer data is a powerful resource that can significantly enhance engagement and fundraising efforts throughout the supporter lifecycle. By understanding where donors, volunteers, and advocates work, nonprofits can unlock new corporate giving opportunities, personalize outreach, and strengthen relationships with individuals and businesses alike.

  • One of the biggest advantages of employer data is its role in workplace giving programs, such as matching gifts and volunteer grants. Many companies offer matching programs that can double or even triple an individual’s contribution, yet these opportunities often go unclaimed simply because donors are unaware of them. With employer data, nonprofits can proactively inform supporters about their eligibility, streamlining the process and increasing the total funds raised.
  • Beyond workplace giving, employer data helps organizations identify potential corporate sponsorships and broader partnerships. If a significant number of supporters work for the same company, nonprofits can leverage that connection to build stronger relationships, pitch partnership opportunities, or engage employees in volunteer programs. Companies are more likely to support causes their employees care about, making this a valuable avenue for expanding corporate philanthropy.
  • Additionally, employer data enables more personalized engagement strategies. Knowing where a supporter works allows organizations to tailor communications, segment outreach efforts, and provide relevant opportunities for involvement—whether it’s highlighting workplace giving options, corporate volunteer days, or industry-specific advocacy efforts. This level of customization makes supporters feel more connected to the cause and encourages deeper, long-term commitment.

Integrating employer data into the supporter lifecycle helps nonprofits maximize donations, strengthen corporate relationships, and create more meaningful engagement experiences. By leveraging this information strategically, organizations can unlock new revenue streams, increase participation in giving programs, and foster a stronger sense of community among supporters and their workplaces.

Data-driven best practices for success

Ready to supercharge the supporter lifecycle with employer data? Here are a few actionable tips your team can use to better engage constituents:

1) Collect employment information as individuals engage with your cause.

As covered, knowing where your constituents work is one of the most effective ways to increase donations and corporate support. By collecting employment data early—whether through donation forms, volunteer sign-ups, event registrations, or beyond—nonprofits can identify workplace giving opportunities with ease.

With this insight, organizations can proactively inform supporters of their employer’s giving programs and encourage participation, ensuring that no corporate giving dollars go unclaimed.

2) Promote ways for supporters to get more involved.

Supporters engage with nonprofits in different ways, from making a one-time donation to attending events or volunteering. Encouraging them to take the next step in their journey—whether by joining a peer-to-peer fundraiser, leveraging their company’s giving programs, or advocating for the cause—helps deepen engagement.

Providing personalized suggestions based on their past involvement and employer data makes it easier for supporters to increase their impact in ways that align with their interests and workplace benefits.

3) Invest in corporate giving tools to uncover programs in your network.

Corporate giving tools, such as Double the Donation’s workplace giving database and automation platform, allow nonprofits to quickly identify employer-sponsored giving programs available to their supporters. These assets help automate matching gift discovery, streamline submission processes, and track corporate giving opportunities within a nonprofit’s network.

By integrating corporate giving technology within their existing tech stack, organizations can maximize fundraising revenue, engage donors more effectively, and build stronger relationships with corporate partners.

Wrapping up & additional resources

Employer data is a game-changer for organizations looking to deepen relationships and drive greater impact for their missions. By harnessing employment insights, nonprofits can tap into corporate giving programs, build stronger partnerships, and create more targeted engagement strategies.

Ready to put employer data to work for your organization? Start by reviewing your supporter records and identifying opportunities to enhance engagement using employer insights throughout the supporter lifecycle. The results may surprise you!

Interested in learning more about corporate giving and nonprofit fundraising? Check out these additional resources:

Drive workplace giving support throughout the supporter lifecycle with Double the Donation.