Converting One-Time Donors Into Long-Term Advocates: 5 Tips

When asked why they give more than once to a single organization, donors gave the following top answers:

• 63% claim that the mission or nonprofit is important to them.
• 50% believe that their donation is making a significant impact.

These statistics indicate that before contributing a second time, donors need to feel passionate about your organization and understand how their contributions make a difference. But how do you help donors connect with your mission in the first place?

This guide will help you integrate one-time donors into your nonprofit’s community and ignite their passion for your cause. By doing so, you can better retain their support and transform them into long-term advocates for your organization.

1. Thank them immediately.

After a donor gives for the first time, they’re still impressionable. If you acknowledge their contributions quickly and adequately, they’re more likely to form a positive opinion about your nonprofit.

Send thank-you emails to donors within 24-48 hours of receiving their gifts. Use fundraising automation to trigger donation receipt emails right after donors contribute so they know you received their contributions as soon as possible. Then, follow up with more in-depth thank-yous later, making sure to:

• Personalize them as much as possible. Even though you know little about first-time donors as compared to years-long supporters, use the information you do have to customize these messages. For example, set up your automation tools to insert the names donors provided when making their gifts instead of a generic “Dear Donor.”
• Communicate impact. Donors want to know they’re making a difference. Explain the projects or initiatives donors’ gifts will fund. Additionally, help donors establish an emotional connection with your cause by sharing stories from real beneficiaries about how your organization has helped them.
• Use donor-centric language. Focus on how donors themselves help beneficiaries with their contributions. Leverage “you” more frequently than “we” and “I” to speak directly to donors and acknowledge how their generosity is what truly fuels your mission.

Keep these emails short and sweet so one-time donors don’t feel overwhelmed. The point is to thank them quickly, efficiently, and personally so they know your nonprofit appreciates them as individual contributors.

2. Gather donor feedback.

Get to know new donors by sending them a survey. The more data you have about your supporters, the better you can tailor your communications to their needs. Ask them questions like:

• How did you hear about our organization?
• What inspired you to make your first gift?
• How was your giving experience?
• Which part of our mission or programming matters most to you?
• How do you prefer to hear from us (email, text, direct mail, etc.)?
• How often would you like to hear from us (weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc.)?

Store their responses in your constituent relationship management system (CRM) so you can personalize their experiences with your nonprofit.

In addition to first-time donors, you may also have one-time donors who gave a while ago but haven’t re-engaged. Consider surveying them to ask why they stopped donating and how your nonprofit can best serve them moving forward.

3. Invite them to join your newsletter.

Staying up to date with your organization helps new supporters feel involved and connected to your mission. As Bloomerang’s email marketing for nonprofits guide explains, “An email newsletter is like a digital bulletin for your nonprofit, allowing you to keep supporters updated on all ongoing initiatives at your organization.”

The article recommends using your newsletter to:

• Spotlight upcoming events. Promote events happening soon with short explanations of what the event will entail and why supporters should attend. Include the registration link so donors can easily sign up.
• Recap past events. Summarize events you recently hosted so attendees can relive the magic and those who didn’t attend feel inspired to register for the next one.
• Inform supporters about ongoing fundraising initiatives. Let’s say you’re running a capital campaign. Use your newsletter as a chance to introduce new donors to the project and provide regular updates for continued supporters.
• Thank supporters who’ve recently gone above and beyond. Whether a donor just contributed a major gift, helped you secure a sponsor for your upcoming auction, or joined your board of directors, showing appreciation proves that you care and can inspire their continued support.

Consider also launching a new donor welcome email series to introduce first-time supporters to your organization and mission. That way, once they sign up for your newsletter, they’ll already know your organization’s basics and can engage more deeply with your content.

4. Help them meet other supporters.

If all new supporters do is donate to your organization, they’re missing out on everything your nonprofit has to offer. Help them find a community of like-minded individuals through:

• A community platform. Invest in a community engagement platform to provide a dedicated space for your supporters to participate in cause-related discussions, access exclusive content, and connect with peers.
• Events. Host social events like happy hours and family fun days, where donors can mingle without the pressure to make another contribution.
• Social media. Invite new donors to follow your organization’s social media accounts, where they can receive updates on your nonprofit and socialize with other supporters.

By providing opportunities for new donors to engage with your current passionate support base, you can grow their investment in your organization. They’ll see that your nonprofit isn’t just a cause to contribute to but a community of caring individuals who want to work together to fulfill your mission.

5. Offer additional engagement opportunities.

Did you know that 87% of donors who stop or reduce their support do so due to financial strain? Make it clear to new donors that even when funds are tight, they can still show up for your organization in meaningful ways.

Before asking new donors to reach back into their wallets, offer nonmonetary engagement opportunities that deepen their involvement in your nonprofit, such as:

• Volunteering. Donors who volunteer work closely with beneficiaries and understand exactly how their gifts help them. Promote volunteer opportunities in your donor newsletter so interested supporters can sign up and start digging into the hands-on work that makes your mission possible.
• Advocacy. Let new donors advocate for your cause by inviting them to canvass local neighborhoods, sharing templates they can send to their representatives, and distributing petitions they can collect signatures for.
• Peer-to-peer campaigns. Peer-to-peer fundraising allows donors to take the lead. New donors may not realize that they don’t have to directly contribute themselves; instead, they can set up their own campaign pages and send them to their personal networks to collect donations on your nonprofit’s behalf.
• Ambassador programs. Ambassadors are fervent supporters who can help you promote upcoming initiatives or your cause in general. For example, you may have an upcoming GivingTuesday campaign. Leading up to the giving day, you may have ambassadors post on social media about what your cause means to them and why others should contribute.

After new donors participate in these opportunities, emphasize how valuable these nonmonetary activities are to your organization. Send them impact information that details how they helped make a difference. For example, after GivingTuesday, you may share that donations increased 18% from last year, in part due to ambassadors like them spreading the word far and wide.

While it may seem like there’s a large gap between one-time donors and long-term advocates, you can ease new or infrequent supporters into becoming a reliable part of your nonprofit’s community. By taking small steps to engage them more deeply, they’ll be increasingly invested in your organization over time and champion your cause.