Double Your Fundraising Results: Now and in the Future!

Estimated reading time: 10 minute(s)

It’s here! The time from Giving Tuesday to December 31st is the Super Bowl for fundraisers—15-50% of annual giving takes place here. While there are obvious tactics like asking more often or asking for a monthly donation, there are lesser-known strategies that can be hugely beneficial.

One often overlooked strategy is actively working to upgrade your donors to a significantly higher gift level. Moving donors from low-level (<$500) to mid-level (>$500) requires finesse, but can pay off in outsized donations from the holiday season. If just 1 out of every 20 donations (5% on average) went from $25 to $500, your normal fundraising amount would DOUBLE for the holidays. 

How do I talk to my donors about this? 

Donors who increase their gift amounts typically have a few motivations—it’s a decision that speaks to purpose, meaning, and identity. These upwardly giving donors like making a big impact, being part of a more committed group, and being seen as a vital part of the mission.  

Increased monthly or repeat giving goes hand-in-hand with donors having a greater sense of identity and belonging. Communications from your organization should contain “we” language and not “we need” language. This emphasizes the organization’s gratitude and partnership.  Central communication themes can include:

• Stewardship and responsibility—“Our work together ensures our success.”
• Continuity and dependability—“Your support is fundamental to our continued success.”
• Human outcomes and lived change—“Your personal support fuels the programs that improve lives in lasting ways.”
• Leading by example—“Your generous giving truly shows your passion for our cause.”
• Quiet impact rather than public recognition—“Your selfless support says so much about your character.”

Who do I target for these communications, and what is the goal?

We segregate these groups on their “Frequency” and “Monetary” behavior, looking to divide “Occasional” (1 gift at a time) vs “Sustainer” (monthly), and based on the sum of their last 12 months’ worth of giving. As a rule of thumb, we are assuming “mid-level” giving starts at $500. 

You can be surprisingly aggressive with your donation requests because a small group is willing to increase their giving dramatically, and you are purposely trying to speak to that group. Remember, these asks can be placed in the middle of an elevated ask string or with a “Give Other Amount” freeform field.

We recommend campaign messaging centered on “special thanks for their elevated impact” and target the following 4 groups:

1. Occasional donors who have given 1 time, $100-$250 total

2. Occasional donors who have given 2 times or more, $100-$250 total

3. Occasional donors, $250-$499 total

4. Sustainer donors who have given $10-$40 per month

This model can be adapted to different organizations using some relative metrics, so that if mid-level starts at $1,000, the criteria and gift asks above can be adjusted upwards by 2X.  These programs should be tracked, reviewed, and adjusted to your individual mission’s needs, but we hope this gets you further down the path of having your own mid-level upgrade program.  

One Final Thought

These donors deserve continued nurturing and special treatment as they increase their spending, so don’t forget to treat them like the pivotal members they are going forward.

Find more great ideas and resources for year-end giving on our GivingTuesday website.