Every nonprofit organization will lose a couple of donors from time to time – and that’s the unfortunate truth. No matter how many strategies you implement to retain donors, there will always be some that pause their engagement with your organization.
Donor attrition is inevitable, but there are tips and tricks that your organization can implement to bring these donors back into the fold.
On average, donor retention hovers around 46%, meaning that over half of your donors aren’t returning after their first gift. The question we’re all asking is, how can we increase this number?
They key to reengaging these donors and encouraging them to renew their commitment to your organization is to approach them authentically, not desperately. Most of these donors want to re-engage, but they just need a gentle nudge.
There are a number of reasons that donors may choose to pause their support of your organization, including:
While your nonprofit can’t face the first situation head on, there are easy fixes to the others that can re-engage lapsed donors and encourage them to give again.
It is important for your organization to keep your donors top of mind and informed of your activities and impact, regardless of when they last donated. The easiest way for a donor to stop their engagement with your organization is if they forget why they donated to you in the first place!
The most important first step to take before developing a strategy to re-engage lapsed donors is to understand why they have paused support in the first place. Are there economic changes affecting their discretionary spending? Have they been receiving communications thanking them for their donations?
Once you dig into the root of the issue, your organization will be able to take the correct steps towards bringing those donors back into your mission.
Be sure there are communications in place thanking your donors each time they contribute, and continue to keep them informed of where their donation is making an impact, and other activities they can participate in, such as events or volunteer opportunities.
Keep donors informed of your ongoing activities by targeting them in email campaigns designed to keep them engaged, sharing helpful content such as impact reports, success stories, and upcoming events.
Your nonprofit CRM is a powerful tool that can identify donors that have lapsed but may consider donating again. Trackable metrics such as last engagement type, event attendance or volunteer history, and email behavior are valuable insights into which donors are worth reaching out to.
For example, a donor who gave one-time three years ago and has not engaged with your organization since may be less likely to renew their support than a recurring donor that stopped their donations a year ago, but have volunteered, attended events, and consistently opened your emails since.
Setting up a lapsed donor email series with your CRM is a great way to automate the process of re-engaging your donors.
Be sure to thank donors for their previous contributions, remind them of the impact their donations have on your mission. The more connected they feel to the direct impact of their donations, the more likely they are to continue that support in the future.
Losing donors is a hard reality for all nonprofits, but hope is never lost when it comes to re-engaging your lapsed donors! By reminding donors of your mission and fostering a genuine connection, your nonprofit will be able to bring supporters back into the fold and retain them as long-term supporters of your mission.