The economy is forcing many nonprofits to rethink how they find new donors. It takes different styles of communication to demonstrate the need to donors. Because of the current situation, everyone knows there is need, so nonprofits must determine how to present their need.
1) Put numbers to the need—By giving an accurate picture of the true need, donors have a better feel for the urgency and how your plan will change these numbers. Look up the compelling statistics on the areas you work with, and utilize these to strengthen how you reach out to donors.
For example, the Ozarks Food Harvest created a map of the counties they serve and color-coded the areas to demonstrate the various levels of need within the different communities. They then developed a plan for each of the different color levels. Bart Brown, their executive director, says “By putting the facts and the goals in a quantifiable manner that is easy to understand, donors can see exactly how many people can be fed with their gift.”
2) Develop new fundraising strategies—You do not have to create an elaborate plan filled with large expenses. Instead, with a bit of planning and wisdom, you can create cost-effective ideas to act on. One of the simplest ideas of nonprofits is to invest in their current donor base. Contacting lapsed donors and major gift donors can especially be helpful. The point is not always gaining the largest amount of money, but making donors aware of your organization and drawing them into your group.
3) Refine your communication—Looking at your donor base, make sure that you are reaching each group according to its needs. Are you using social media? How is the content of your email newsletters? Have you created a website with an online giving option?
4) Be willing to change your focus—Certain areas simply do not lend as much success to fundraising or are not as cost-effective. Do your research and make sure you understand what would be the best place to invest in. Maybe your direct mail responses are significantly down—have you looked at alternative options such as email newsletters or making personal visits?
It can be hard to make these changes especially after you may have invested a lot of time in these ideas. However, a change of focus often can help revitalize your organization and provide the groundwork to move forward. Don’t be afraid to move ahead if you have done the research.
Additional information taken from Linda Leichter’s article in News-Leader “Searching for givers when the need is great.”
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-- Jessica High is a Research Assistant at Christian Foundation Grants (www.christianfoundationgrants.com) which is a subscription database of foundations that provide grants to faith based organizations. iDonate.com is a website (www.iDonate.com) that allows ministries to receive non cash gifts online