What would you do if your organization hit a record number of new donors within a year?

Celebrate! But what about after the initial excitement wears off? Discovering that donors share the same values and passion for your cause is exhilarating. However, many organizations fail to communicate their appreciation adequately which can have negative retention effects. 

In fact, lack of recognition is one of the top five reasons why donors chose to stop giving. That said, donor recognition is a key part of donor stewardship which can usher first-time donors into long-term supporters. 

In this guide, we’ll explore the ins and outs of donor recognition and discover how your organization can create an effective recognition strategy. Let’s dive in!

What is donor recognition?

Donor recognition describes the process of thanking your organization’s donors for their gifts to your nonprofit. Many nonprofits separate recognition into tiers (more on this later) based on the type of gift and amount given by a donor. Nonprofits refer to this tier system to ensure their recognition level matches a donor’s generosity.

There are several methods for recognizing donors. Everything from a simple phone call to a fancy outdoor display falls under this category. At the most basic level, you should send a prompt donor thank-you letter or email acknowledging them for responding to your fundraising appeal and supporting your mission. As with any nonprofit fundraising letter, this thank-you should:

• Be personalized with the donor’s preferred name
• Include relevant, engaging images
• Convey the impact of the donor’s support

Despite the various methods, the purpose of every donor recognition strategy is always the same: to acknowledge a donor’s generosity.

Why does donor recognition matter?

Donor recognition should be a priority for your organization as it helps you retain and upgrade donors. Additionally, donor recognition has benefits for both nonprofits and donors.

For nonprofits, donor recognition accomplishes 5 objectives:

1. Donor recognition increases donor retention. Recognizing donors makes them feel like they are making a difference. It also indicates that your organization prioritizes showing appreciation regardless of the gift amount.
2. It encourages recurring giving. Donors who feel recognized are more likely to give more and give more often. When you take time to recognize a donor’s gift, you indicate that they’ve made a smart choice to donate to your cause.
3. It helps you acquire more donors. Recognizing donors publicly can act as a form of social proof. When people see their friends donate to a cause, it motivates them to explore the organization and maybe get involved themselves.
4. It promotes a positive brand image. Organizations that prioritize donor recognition further their positive perception in people’s minds. People notice when nonprofits go the extra mile for their supporters.
5. It encourages an atmosphere of gratitude. Staff, volunteers, and other supporters want to work for an organization that expresses gratitude regularly. The positive emphasis on appreciation creates a vibrant work culture.

For donors, recognition accomplishes 5 objectives as well:

1. Donor recognition makes donors feel valued. Donors like knowing that their gift is appreciated. Frequently showing recognition makes them feel valued as important contributors to your organization.
2. It affirms their decision to give. Donors could have given to any cause, or not given at all. When you recognize their contributions, you reassure them that they made the right choice.
3. It deepens their connection with your organization. When organizations recognize donors individually, it makes them feel like a part of the team. This deepens their connection and can even encourage them to get involved in other ways like volunteering.
4. It reminds them of their impact. With plenty of distractions, donors can easily forget to support your organization regularly. But, when you recognize them, you remind them of their special part in driving impact.
5. It offers community connections to like-minded people. Recognition policies, especially event-oriented ones, allow donors to make connections with like-minded individuals and expand their personal and professional networks.

As you can see, consistent donor recognition accomplishes both nonprofit-related and donor-related objectives. That’s why creating a robust recognition program now can cause positive ripple effects for your organization for years to come.

Who should your nonprofit recognize?

Your goal should be to make all supporters feel recognized and valued for their contributions, regardless of the size of their gift.

But, it’s important to choose recognition strategies that adequately address the level of a donor’s generosity. Responding with an unexpected abundance or limited amount of recognition can throw your donor relationships off-kilter, leading to feelings of dissatisfaction.

To avoid this, you’ll need to create donor recognition levels based on donation type, donation amount, engagement level, and donor type. Let’s explore each in more detail below!

Donation Type

There are several different donation types, from matching gifts to in-kind donations. Generally, donors give through one of the following donation methods:

• Cash: Direct monetary deposit to your nonprofit organization.
• In-Kind: Food supplies, medical supplies, or other tangible goods.
• Time: Donors can choose to devote part of their time to volunteering with your organization and may even apply for volunteer grants to help you raise more funds. 
• Matching Gifts: Many corporations offer matching gifts as a part of their philanthropic initiatives, meaning they match their employee’s donations at a 1:1 or 2:1 ratio.

Depending on the type of donation, you can organize your recognition program to acknowledge their specific gift. For instance, if a donor opts to give through a matching gift program (or takes advantage of matching gift autosubmission), your recognition should acknowledge their thoughtfulness in doubling their donation. 

Donation Amount

Many nonprofits segment their donor tiers by donation amount. How you determine the tiers will depend on your organization’s average donation size. A smaller nonprofit’s average donation size might be $200 while a more established nonprofit’s average donation size might be closer to $2,000. 

For example, a community-based nonprofit’s donation recognition levels might look something like this:

• Friends: $100 – $499
  • Tax receipt and handwritten thank you note from the Executive Director
  • Recognition in annual report

• Believers: $500 – $4,999
  • All the benefits of the Friends level
  • Exclusive updates on nonprofit activities, impacts, and forthcoming initiatives
  • VIP experiences and behind-the-scenes access or unique networking opportunities

• Advocates: $5,000 – $19,999
  • All the benefits of the Believers level
  • Website or newsletter recognition feature
  • Named sponsorship recognition

• Visionaries: $20,000 – $49,999
  • All the benefits of the Advocate level
  • Press release and major publication recognition
  • Special event recognition 
  • Naming opportunities
  • Ongoing personalized stewardship

You can also organize these levels based on impact. For instance, a food pantry might categorize amounts by their ability to feed five families, fifty families, or two hundred and fifty families. Adjust the amounts and the recognition titles to best suit your organization’s average donation size and missional impact. 

Engagement Level

Donors can also be categorized by their engagement level with your organization. This identifier will significantly impact how you decide to recognize them. Here are the various engagement levels to consider:

• First-time donors: It’s important to promptly recognize first-time donors to affirm their decision to give to your cause and welcome them to your organization. Welcome packets full of fact sheets about your organization, branded merchandise, a thank you note, and upcoming volunteer opportunities are a great way to recognize new donors. 
• Repeat donors: Currently active donors that know your organization well are also worth recognizing. Show them your appreciation with personalized phone calls, exclusive nonprofit updates, and event invitations tailored to their interests. 
• Major donors: Donors who give significant amounts of money to your cause definitely deserve thoughtful recognition. Keep them in the loop with specialized impact reports and dedicated donor thank you events as a part of your stewardship efforts.
• Legacy donors: People who decide to dedicate their life’s earnings through planned gifts or estate plans qualify as legacy donors. These generous individuals should be included in legacy society publications and given exclusive updates on their future gifts’ impact. 

You can categorize this donor data within a dedicated CRM so that your team can reference and update it throughout your relationship. That way, you’ll never miss a beat when recognizing new or long-time donors. 

Donor Type

Donor types differ across three major categories:

1. Individual donors.
2. Corporate donors.
3. Foundations. 

Your recognition efforts will need to be adapted for each donor type. For example, personalized acknowledgments and donor spotlights are suitable for individual donors, while corporations might benefit from specialized CSR employee engagement programs. Foundation recognition, on the other hand, would take the form of grant acknowledgments. 

Top Donor Recognition Ideas

Depending on the above considerations for each donor, there are several ways you can recognize them. As always, you’ll need to match the strategy to your relationship with the donor for maximum impact. Here are some top recognition ideas based on engagement levels and donation amounts:

Digital eCards

To make your recognition both prompt and personalized, use digital eCards to send a branded thank you to donors. These digital tools make it easy to honor donors and spread the word about your cause. It’s as simple as logging in, customizing your design, drafting a thank you, and sending it to your donor’s social account or inbox. 

Phone Calls

Simple and straightforward, a phone call from your nonprofit’s Executive Director is a meaningful way to recognize a donor. This strategy will make donors feel seen by your nonprofit’s efforts. Be sure to have the donor’s donation type and amount handy so you can express gratitude for their specific gift. 

Branded Gifts

Send your donor nonprofit branded merchandise as a thank you! Blankets, T-shirts, hats, and hoodies all make for fabulous donor recognition gifts that will make your donor feel welcomed into your organization. If your nonprofit has an online gift shop, consider sending a donor a discount to choose a branded gift that best suits them. 

Thank-You Notes from Beneficiaries

Your donors likely expect a thank-you message from your nonprofit’s team, but you can pleasantly surprise them with a handwritten appreciation letter from your beneficiaries. All you need to do is:

• Sign up beneficiaries to write letters. Ensure they know that this is a small time commitment to encourage more people to join.
• Provide writing resources for beneficiaries. Offer items such as a thank-you card template, paper, and pens to make the writing process as easy as possible.
• Coordinate letter drop-off. Instead of sending letters themselves, ask your beneficiaries to drop their thank-you letters off at your office. This way, beneficiaries don’t need to pay for stamps, and your donors’ sensitive information is kept safe.
• Send the thank-you notes to donors. Make sure to send your letters in a timely manner. If you’re worried about stamp prices, look into qualifying for USPS’ nonprofit discount to cut costs.

This idea is a fun twist on traditional approaches to nonprofit thank-you cards, allowing your beneficiaries to build personal connections with donors and secure their future support.

Social Media Spotlights

Looking for a way to make an individual donor feel special? Social media spotlights are an effective option for highlighting your donor’s generosity. First, make sure your donor follows you online and regularly engages on the platform you choose. Then, with their permission, feature an image of them with a caption describing the impact of their generosity and why your team is grateful for their support. Or, host a livestream during a big campaign to thank donors. 

Appreciation Videos

Appreciation videos are great for social media posts and blog posts on your website. These do not need to be long. However, be sure to include your executive staff thanking individuals for their support. You can also include, with their permission, a thank you from the beneficiaries who your donors have helped. Doing this will help your donors understand the importance of their gifts. 

Donor Lunch

Invite your donors to a dedicated lunch to celebrate their generosity. Send an invitation in advance and keep the invite list smaller to focus on a couple of key individuals. This option is great for donors who would appreciate more than a thank you note but are uncomfortable attending a large dedicated event. 

Donor of the Month Program

While your donors don’t give for the attention, you can still provide public shoutouts to your mid-tier contributors. Unlike social media spotlights, Donor of the Month is a time-bound award that’s given to the donor who’s made a big impact during that calendar month.

For instance, some good candidates for this award include a volunteer who decides to donate for the first time or an existing donor who smashes their peer-to-peer fundraising goal. You can highlight their dedication to your mission by:

• Featuring them in your newsletter
• Allowing them to write a guest post for your blog
• Interviewing them and sharing the video on your website and social media accounts

Ensure your donor consents to being publicly recognized and notify them in advance so you can get your appreciation materials out on time.

Outdoor Displays

Take your recognition outside with a vibrant outdoor display to honor your donors. A nonprofit-specific monument or statue outside your facility can be a valuable addition to your headquarters. Consider partnering with design and construction partners to ensure that your display can withstand weathering and is designed to inspire. Include donor names in a plaque beneath the display.

Donor Plaques or Walls 

Probably the most well-known recognition practice, donor plaques and donor walls are popular strategies. Donor plaques honoring the sole donors of a nonprofit project are often posted outside of buildings that the donors funded, for example. Donor walls can display several names and are best unveiled following a capital campaign. 

Appreciation Events 

Host a virtual happy hour or in-person dinner as a way to say thank you to donors. This can provide a valuable opportunity for donors to network with other supporters and discuss your cause. You could even run an online cooking class or informal craft tutorial. Or, you can make your event larger scale and host a fancy gala, just be sure to keep the focus on donor appreciation. 

Donor Hall of Fame

Donor social media shoutouts and Donor of the Month are great ways to publicly appreciate your donors, but you can take this idea to the next level for major donors by starting a Donor Hall of Fame. This honor should be reserved for your most engaged and influential donors and awarded sparingly (e.g. once or twice a year). You can inaugurate donors by:

• Hosting a dinner in their honor
• Adding their picture to a wall in your organization’s office
• Naming events and items after your donors

Unlike Donor of the Month and one-off shoutouts, this idea immortalizes your most impactful contributors. By going the extra mile with this idea, you can demonstrate how donations fuel your mission and that donors forever mark your nonprofit.

When should you recognize donors?

The short answer: as soon as the gift is received. Expressing acknowledgment and gratitude promptly is what makes recognition matter. After all, saying thank you a few weeks or even a few days later does not carry the same meaning. Instead, aim to recognize a donor within 48 hours of receiving their gift.

Of course, more involved recognition strategies like a naming opportunity will take longer to complete. However, all donors should receive a prompt and personalized acknowledgment. More specifically, plan to thank donors at every touch point. For example, capital campaigns should use donor recognition strategies that actively support the larger campaign purpose and complement each stage of the project. 

Final Thoughts and Additional Resources

Donor recognition is directly tied to donor retention and acquisition. Acknowledge your donors often and authentically to convey your nonprofit’s appreciation for them. Be sure to always ask for their permission for public recognition and mention how their specific gift impacted your mission. Thoughtful recognition paves the way for future relational success. 

Did you enjoy this guide to donor recognition? Check out these resources to learn more:

• How to Write The Perfect Donor Thank You Letter – Do you want to make sure you get your thank you note just right? Follow Kwala’s thank you note guidelines for tips!
• Donor Data Management: A Quick Guide for Nonprofits – Keep your donor data clean, organized, and accessible with NPOInfo’s guide to donor data management.
• Matching Gifts: your Guide to Growing Revenue with Automation – Did you know that you can double your supporter’s revenue through matching gifts? Learn how in this short guide by 360 Match Pro.

Both online shopping and online fundraising have grown in popularity in recent years. More than 268 million people in the United States shopped online in 2022 alone, and 54% of donors worldwide prefer to donate online. 

With online shopping and online giving soaring in popularity, it makes sense that nonprofit organizations would attempt to find a solution to bring online shopping into the online fundraising world in an effort to earn more donations. That’s why many nonprofits have combined those two trends to bring in revenue through programs like Amazon Smile.

What is Amazon Smile?

Until its discontinuation in early 2023, Amazon Smile was a program that allowed shoppers to give back to their favorite charities while making everyday online purchases through Amazon. Shoppers could give to nonprofits through purchases that they were going to make anyway, regardless of whether they were able to make an additional donation. It was also an easy way for nonprofits to earn donations from their loyal supporters, many of whom are happy to make additional donations through fundraising programs like this if given the opportunity.

Once an organization registered with Amazon Smile, supporters would start shopping for their cause, and a portion of their total sales went back to the nonprofit of their choice.

Benefits of online shopping fundraiser programs like Amazon Smile

Although Amazon Smile has come to an end, it isn’t the only program of its kind that nonprofits can participate in. Here are some reasons your nonprofit may consider signing up for an online shopping fundraiser program:

1. It’s unique. Your nonprofit holds various fundraisers each year to encourage donations and inspire support. Take advantage of this creative fundraising idea that’s free, easy to set up, and brings in year-round revenue.
2. It’s passive. Amazon Smile is considered a “passive fundraiser” because supporters are taking actions they would have taken anyway and can contribute to your nonprofit without a second thought. However, you should still market your fundraiser to continuously remind supporters to access the resource.
3. Supporters feel like they’re making a difference. Online shopping fundraisers allow supporters to make a positive impact through their purchases, meaning that these supporters are not only gaining the benefits of whatever item they’ve purchased, but also the benefit of helping their community through your nonprofit. Plus, many people enjoy looking into ways they can shop ethically, and shop-for-a-cause programs are great ways to do so. 

 

 

 

Whether your nonprofit is new to the online shopping fundraiser space or participated in Amazon Smile and is wondering what next steps to take, be aware that there are other similar fundraising programs available with connections to different networks of retailers. Your nonprofit should do research and carefully consider which shopping donation option is right for your organization.

Other Resources to Explore

Nonprofit Basics – Learn more nonprofit management essentials by exploring other expert resources.

Passive Fundraising: How to Earn Extra Revenue [+5 Ideas] – Explore strategies to make passive fundraisers, including online shopping fundraiser programs, more successful.

Shop for a Cause: How to Give Back While Shopping Online – Discover more ways for your nonprofit’s supporters to further your mission through their everyday online purchases.

As a mission-driven organization, it’s important for your nonprofit to have employees that are invested in and passionate about their work. In other words, it’s critical to the nature of nonprofit work to have engaged employees who want to drive your mission forward and deliver results for your beneficiaries.

While that might seem obvious, it is a little easier said than done. According to Gallup, only 36% of U.S. employees are engaged at work. Nonprofits face unique challenges when it comes to employee engagement, not the least of which is that they have to compete with the for-profit sector for talent and often have limited resources to work with when honing the employee experience. Actively pursuing ways to engage your employees can help with this issue.

What is nonprofit employee engagement?

Employee engagement refers to how your employees feel about their jobs and how invested they are in your organization’s larger goals. Engaged employees are passionate about their work, enjoy their jobs, and feel satisfied with how they are valued and compensated for their efforts. They’re also very loyal to the organizations they work for and are more likely to stay retained in their roles.

Fostering employee engagement and overall satisfaction is an important part of nonprofit HR, which manages all aspects of the employee lifecycle. From recruiting to exit interviews, keeping the entire employee experience in mind can help you strategize to come up with employee engagement ideas that boost employee retention and help you meet employee needs.

6 Ideas for Engaging Your Nonprofit Employees

Nonprofit employee engagement is essential for building up a strong internal team that can drive your mission forward. These ideas can help you fine-tune your own organization’s strategy:

Give Them Meaningful and Challenging Work.

Menial, repetitive tasks aren’t fun for anyone. Employees should be doing meaningful work that challenges them and helps them tap into their strengths and build new skills. Employees won’t be innovative and excited about their work if they feel their skills are undervalued or that they aren’t really contributing to a larger purpose.

Make sure you give them meaningful work that puts their skills to use. They’ll feel much more fulfilled this way!

Provide Opportunities For Continued Learning And Career Development.

Employees don’t want a stagnant experience at your organization. To encourage continued growth, provide them with opportunities to do things like:

• Go to conferences
• Join professional organizations
• Continue their education in other ways, such as through certification courses

There should also be a clear-cut path for career development and growth so that employees know how they can advance in their roles. For example, employees should have access to knowledge about how they could pursue becoming a manager or director and feel able to discuss those opportunities with their manager.

Start An Employee Recognition Program.

An employee recognition program sets up a formal framework for acknowledging staff members for their work and accomplishments. Implementing these programs shows your employees that you see the hard work they’re doing on your nonprofit’s behalf. Some common examples of these programs include:

• Employee of the month. For this recognition program, you’ll highlight your top performer every month. You can make this announcement in a company-wide meeting and present the top performer with a trophy and a gift.
• Structured bonuses. Recognize hard workers by compensating them for their efforts. Select a few performance metrics for evaluating your employees. Set a threshold for that metric, and give bonuses to employees who meet and exceed that threshold. For example, for roles in sales, you could reward employees who’ve sold over $100,000 of products in the past year.
• Loyalty awards. Recognize employees who have been employed at your company for certain durations of time. For example, you can recognize employees on their one-year work anniversary, five-year anniversary, and ten-year anniversary.
• Peer-to-peer appreciation. Foster a more positive work environment by prioritizing peer-to-peer appreciation. Encourage employees to recognize each others’ hard work and contributions. This visibility will create an atmosphere that will empower employees to give you their best work.

Regularly recognizing employees’ accomplishments and progress lets them know you’re paying attention and value their hard work. Plus, don’t forget to appreciate your remote employees as well. Since these staff members work virtually, it’s easy for them to feel disconnected from the workplace. Implementing a recognition program for them can make them feel more engaged in their jobs and help them form connections with other employees.

Celebrate Milestones and Special Days With eCards.

Recognizing milestones and reaching out on special occasions communicates that you care about employees beyond their day-to-day work at your company. From celebrating anniversaries to spreading cheer during the holidays, online greeting cards have so many great uses, which is why they make the perfect addition to your employee engagement program.

Not to mention, they’re incredibly low-cost, so this initiative won’t take much to fund. Here are some special occasions that you might celebrate for your employees:

• Birthdays: Say “happy birthday” to your employees, letting them know you’re thinking of them on their special day.
• Work anniversaries: Show appreciation for employees’ dedication to your company by recognizing their work anniversaries.
• Promotions or achievements: Send congratulatory eCards to celebrate employees’ promotions, achievements, or milestones in their professional growth.
• Holidays: Spread joy by sending eCards to employees during holidays like Christmas, New Year, Thanksgiving, or other cultural and religious celebrations.
• Personal milestones: Commemorate important personal milestones for individual employees, such as marriages, births, graduations, or other significant life events, with eCards that convey warm wishes and congratulations.

Create work eCard designs for different occasions like these. Then, personalize the message you send with each one. Employees will feel appreciated and engaged in no time!

Hone Your Organization’s Internal Culture.

Liven up your work atmosphere and make sure employees have fun. Encourage employees to get to know their coworkers by hosting parties and events. Surprise your employees with fun perks to make them feel appreciated.

Cultivate an atmosphere of positivity and openness so that concerns don’t fester and employees are comfortable in their work environment.

Be Transparent With Your Employees.

Being honest about the good and the not-so-good will show your employees that you see them as valuable team members that should be included in organizational happenings. Show your employees that you care about them by addressing issues honestly and focusing on solutions for moving forward.

If employees feel like they can bring up issues with management, then you’re more likely to catch potential problems before they’ve fully evolved. Not to mention, employees who feel cared for are more likely to care about their work.

Other Resources to Explore

Nonprofit Basics – Learn more about nonprofit management essentials by exploring other expert resources.

Working With a Nonprofit Human Resources Consultant – An HR consultant can provide a third-party perspective on how your nonprofit handles employee relationships and help you to improve. Learn more in this guide.

Compensation Consulting: The Ultimate Guide (+ Top Firms!) – Compensation affects employee satisfaction. Working with a compensation consultant is a great option for nonprofits looking to hone their approach. Start exploring these recommendations!

Today’s marketers rely on data to make informed decisions that increase response rates, inspire action, and ultimately cultivate meaningful relationships. Nonprofit marketers and fundraisers in particular stand a lot to gain from maintaining the data stored in their CRMs. But your supporters move, change their phone numbers, and generally evolve as individuals over time. That means your data can quickly become outdated, which is where data appending swoops in to save the day.

Updating your data manually can be a taxing process, but data appending streamlines and automates most of the work for you. We’ll aim to clear up any confusion surrounding the process, so you can bring your CRM up to speed with your nonprofit’s fundraising and marketing efforts.

What Is A Data Append?

A data append is the process of adding missing or updating existing data points in an organization’s database. The process involves comparing the existing database to a larger, more comprehensive data source. Data append services use external data sources to fill gaps in data, including:

• Contact details
• Demographic data
• Behavioral information
• Employment details

For nonprofits, regularly conducting data appends allows them to maintain clean donor data and gain more comprehensive insights into their supporters. Ultimately, accurate data can help inform fundraising and donor cultivation strategies.

Why Is Data Appending Important?

At its core, data appending enhances your data quality by filling in gaps and correcting inaccuracies. In turn, you can strengthen your donor management and boost the impact of each dollar you spend.

Beyond simply cleaning up your donor database, you stand to benefit a lot from the appending process. Backed by accurate and complete data, you can do the following:

• Personalize outreach: Marketers use data to personalize communication, content, and offers to the individual needs and preferences of the recipient. Customizing outreach to suit each individual makes for a memorable supporter experience. Appending demographic and behavioral data can help nonprofits personalize communication and engagement efforts.
• Update contact information: Supporters move and change their contact information all the time. Appending emails, phone numbers, and other contact information allows you to stay connected when they forget to inform you of any changes.
• Cultivate donor relationships: Sending appeals based on accurate data allows you to present valuable engagement opportunities and communicate that you care about each individual donor. When you consider their interests and demographic details, they’re more likely to respond positively to your outreach.

Ultimately, data appending can enhance your understanding of supporters, which will shine through in your outreach. In turn, you can drive greater fundraising outcomes and stronger supporter relationships.

How Data Appending Works

At the surface level, data appending seems like a simple process, but there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes to ensure accurate data. NPOInfo’s guide to data append services breaks the process down into six steps that a service provider will follow:

1. Format the data to be consistent, usually in a comma-separated value (CSV) format, to be properly analyzed.
2. Upload the data into a single file and send it to the secure file transfer protocol of the specific service.
3. Match the organization’s database with external data sources using unique identifiers, such as contacts’ names, addresses, and phone numbers.
4. Enhance the data by filling in missing information and correcting inaccurate data for corresponding records in the organization’s database.
5. Verify and validate the appended data to ensure accuracy and completeness. This ensures the supplemental data is high-quality and can be used for donor cultivation.
6. Send the data file to the client to be downloaded for their use. The file can be offered in essentially any format the client wants.

The process is simpler for nonprofits using these services. From the nonprofit perspective, all you really need to do is send your constituent information to a provider. Then, they’ll take it from there!

Types of Data You Can Append

As a nonprofit marketer, you’re likely flooded with new data points at every turn. With all the constituent data you collect through volunteer registrations, events, and donations, it can be challenging to filter it down to the most helpful details.

When it comes to data appending, we already know the burning question that’s on everyone’s mind: What information is actually worth appending?

Knowing which information will actually propel your marketing and fundraising efforts forward will help you extract the right constituent information. That way, you won’t clutter your database or waste money on unnecessary data.

Contact Information

Like we’ve touched on, your constituents move, change their phone numbers, and get new email addresses all the time. Having accurate contact information will allow you to successfully deliver appeals and stay in contact.

Leverage data appending to verify contact information, including:

• Phone numbers. Contacting donors via text or phone call can be a more personal way to connect. It also opens the door to innovative fundraising strategies like text banking and text-to-give. Phone number appends ensure you have the right phone number for each supporter at all times!
• Email addresses. Email marketing remains to be one of the most lucrative digital marketing avenues for nonprofits. Make sure you have the right email addresses for supporters by conducting this type of data append.
• Postal addresses. Digital marketing might be the default for your outreach, but some supporters still prefer the personal touch of direct mail. Plus, knowing people’s addresses allows you to send nearby opportunities. Ensure your solicitations are delivered to the right addresses with a postal address append.
• Social profiles. As a marketer, you know the immense power that social media holds since it can connect you with a global audience. Connect with current supporters and inspire them to share your cause online by finding their social media profiles.

Open communication is the foundation of your nonprofit’s efforts, making this one of the most helpful types of data appends. If your email bounce rates have skyrocketed or you get sent straight to voicemail, a data append can verify whether you have the right contact details for constituents.

Employer Data

We can’t emphasize the importance of corporate philanthropy enough. Between matching gifts and volunteer grants, your nonprofit stands to gain a lot from promoting these opportunities to supporters.

However, to cash in on these opportunities, you need accurate employer data for constituents. That’s where an employer append comes in handy. NXUnite’s guide to data appending explains that knowing employment details empowers your team to:

• Uncover corporate giving opportunities. Knowing where your donors and volunteers work enables you to find employers’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) guidelines. Then, you can determine your supporters’ eligibility for matching donations and volunteer grants.
• Identify corporate partnerships. If several of your supporters work for the same company, that’s a huge indicator that the business might be a strong candidate for a corporate partnership. Use that information to kickstart a conversation with the company. You might even have supporters facilitate introductions with company leaders.
• Estimate wealth data. While not a direct wealth indicator, knowing who employs your donors and what their roles are can help you estimate their incomes and giving abilities.

Between driving donor engagement and establishing meaningful corporate partnerships, there’s a lot you can benefit from when it comes to employer appending. We recommend pulling this information, if you’re looking into data enhancement.

Demographics

A supporter’s demographics can give you insight into their backgrounds, values, and philanthropic priorities. This type of data append allows you to extract important background details like:

• Net worth
• Ages and dates of birth
• Gender
• Ethnicity and race
• Marital status
• Political affiliation
• Lifestyle attributes like hobbies and interests

Whether you want to send a birthday gift or verify contacts have a certain political affiliation, demographic data appends allow you to deliver highly-personalized outreach that speaks to supporters’ interests.

Other Resources to Explore

Nonprofit Basics – Learn more nonprofit management essentials by exploring other expert resources.

Demographic Appends: Stewarding Relationships Through Data – Dive further into the benefits of demographic data appends and learn how to get started with this guide.

What Is an Email Append? All Your Questions Answered – Boost your deliverability rates and stay connected with your supporters by learning all about email data appends.

Volunteers are a powerful force for driving your nonprofit’s fundraisers and on-the-ground impact. Long-term volunteers, especially, can provide more than just short-term assistance with events or projects. Rather, their commitment, time, and skills can help you complete your mission and achieve your goals.

Keeping track of your supporters’ involvement is crucial for ensuring they’re in roles where their skills can be utilized and where they’re most needed. By implementing an effective volunteer management strategy, you can empower your volunteers to maximize their contributions toward your cause.

What is volunteer management?

Volunteer management encapsulates the entire process of getting volunteers involved in your mission, supervising their experience with your nonprofit, and thanking them for their efforts.

Some organizations may have more or less hands-on volunteer programs, but the need for effective management to create positive engagement remains the same.

Volunteers who walk away from your nonprofit’s events or activities with a positive experience are much more likely to stay involved in the future. The more invested they feel in your cause, the more eager they’ll be to share their contributions with their family and friends. Consider implementing volunteer management software to improve your programs and enable you to encourage long-term investment from your supporters.

What are the steps for effective volunteer management?

Successful volunteer management requires thoughtful planning, execution, and follow-through. After all, retaining your volunteers is just as essential as attracting them in the first place.

As you prepare to optimize your nonprofit’s volunteer management strategy, focus on these following steps:

1. Recruit volunteers. Dedicate a page on your website to your volunteer program. This page should include details about various volunteering opportunities, required skills and time commitments, as well as your volunteer schedule. Integrate your CRM and website so when you approve a volunteer for a position, it will automatically be reflected on your website. This can be especially useful for volunteer opportunities where you only need a set number of people.
2. Communicate. Once you’ve recruited volunteers, start establishing strong and productive relationships using your centralized communication system. Keep your volunteers educated about program updates and new opportunities. For instance, be sure to make your volunteers aware of volunteer grant programs for which they may be eligible.
3. Prepare them for success. An ideal volunteer management strategy provides volunteers with everything they need to participate and succeed. This includes training, supplying any necessary resources, and having a supervisor they can readily turn to for assistance.
4. Collect data. By gathering detailed information on volunteers’ skills and interests, you’ll be able to delegate the right tasks to the right people. Furthermore, this data can be immensely valuable when you’re measuring and reporting the positive impact of your efforts to donors, grantmakers, the community, and prospective volunteers.
5. Show appreciation. No volunteer management strategy is complete without promptly recognizing your volunteers for their dedication and hard work. Have plans in place for sending out thank you letters, spotlighting long-term contributors on social media, or even organizing appreciation events.

Your volunteers, by choosing to get involved, are already invested in your cause. With proper volunteer management, you’ll be able to nurture long-term, enthusiastic participation from your existing supporters.

What are corporate volunteer grants?

Corporate giving statistics show that 40% of Fortune 500 companies offer volunteer grant programs. Essentially, corporations with these programs provide funding to nonprofits where their employees have chosen to volunteer their time.

Don’t forget to take advantage of these opportunities by staying on top of your volunteer data and encouraging your contributors to be informed about any programs their companies may offer.

How can volunteer management software help?

Effectively overseeing the various aspects of the volunteer management process doesn’t have to be overwhelming nor time consuming. Volunteer management software is an easy, time-saving solution that allows you to devote your time and resources to the most important parts of your program.

When choosing software to help your volunteer management, look for these important features:

• Volunteer Records. The right software will enable you to create a comprehensive collection of volunteer profiles, similar to a donor database. By having all of this information accessible online, you can minimize paperwork clutter and stay organized.
• Projects and Events Calendar. Keep everyone on the same page about volunteer opportunities and events with a virtual calendar. Use this tool to optimize your productivity and create schedules for your volunteers.
• Segmentation and Communication. Your volunteer management software should offer the ability to segment your contributors into relevant categories for more effective communication. For instance, you can group volunteers based on their involvement history or skills and personalize your messages to them.
• Data Analytics. Use data collection and custom reporting tools to analyze the impact of your volunteers’ contributions. This information is vital for discovering insights into how you can improve your volunteer program in the future.

By incorporating these digital tools into your volunteer management strategy, you’ll be equipped to provide a more positive and encouraging experience for all of your most dedicated supporters.

Other Resources to Explore

Nonprofit Basics – Learn more nonprofit management essentials by exploring other expert resources.

Salesforce Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP): A Guide – Salesforce NPSP is one of the top CRMs, and can be a strong foundation for managing your volunteer program. Discover how to leverage NPSP and what apps you can use to further flesh out your volunteer management tools.

Nonprofit Basics: Fundraising Video – A fundraising video can be a powerful way to communicate your nonprofit’s impact story and showcase your volunteers’ accomplishments. Discover how to produce a compelling fundraising video with these basics.