Why It’s Important To Show Gratitude To Your Donors

As a novice fundraiser, one of the first things that you need to learn is how to show appreciation to your donors. This can be done in various ways depending on the type of donor and the amount contributed. On the most basic level, you can send out handwritten “thank you” notes to donors expressing your gratitude. If you are on a shoestring budget, some form of printed postcard or email with a picture of your project and an appropriate message will do.

Here are some valid reasons why it’s important to show gratitude for your donors.

Engaging Donors

Firstly, showing gratitude for your donors will engage them. Donors should be made to feel that they are important. An effective way of engaging a donor is through thanksgiving messages that convey the message that you appreciate their donation and it matters to you. You can express this in words or by sending them something symbolic like flowers or even a small gift basket or even embrace technology and use digital donor recognition walls to carry your message across. The essence of these digital displays is to show appreciation for what they have done for your organization. Showing your gratitude boosts the morale of volunteers and gives more spirit during gatherings or fundraisers. It also shows that you appreciate what they have given which encourages them to donate again in the future.

Builds Loyalty

Secondly, showing gratitude towards donors builds loyalty with them. It signifies another reason why it’s so important to thank donors because doing so makes them more loyal to you as an organization which shows in increased donations time after time even if it’s just $5 or $10 at a time. Find creative ways for your donors to be recognized and show gratitude towards them. You might not realize this but when you do so, you support their quest for self-esteem as well as meet their own expectation of being appreciated as human beings which they deserve because, without them, your organization would not have existed!

Maintains Relationships

Once you make someone feel recognized and valued, they are likely to take pride in what they have done for your organization which shows in both internal as well as external relations with other parties including donors. When you show gratitude for what people have done, it cultivates a sense of responsibility among the people being thanked because now they know that their contributions are recognized. This helps them learn how to be more involved rather than just donating money or time once every while. It is important to remember that not everyone has access to monetary resources so they might offer support in the form of donations by doing things like recycling old materials, cleaning up an activity venue, or even finding sponsors to help out. This creates a sense of responsibility and encourages them to give back to society in ways they can without being paid for it.

It also builds a rapport and shows that you appreciate their support in a unique manner which shows, in the long run, increased contributions from them over time no matter how small it might be. It also creates a sense of responsibility among the donors. They feel good about themselves by being part of an organization or activity. It makes them feel proud to be able to give back something to society without expecting anything in return. This is why they are likely to donate more in future fundraisers which helps your organization reach its goal faster.

Encourages Volunteers

A kind gesture can go a long way in keeping volunteers engaged and feeling good about themselves because the time they volunteer is valuable to your organization which unfortunately cannot pay them for it. This gesture makes them feel appreciated and valued as human beings which creates a positive atmosphere for the growth of any organization including an NGO. In fact, many donor-funded projects or activities would have hardly been possible without volunteer support from the community. showing gratitude will motivate others to contribute as well either at the same level or even more than what was donated by the initial donor who showed gratitude for their kind contribution. In essence, when one person shows appreciation for another person’s contribution, others will also feel the urge to do the same.

Always remember that without them, there would be no need to fundraise at all. If they wouldn’t have donated something out of kindness, then your organization wouldn’t even exist.  It doesn’t matter whether your donors are big or small. They all deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. It’s only right that every donor is given the same level of appreciation for their contributions, not just those who donate large sums of money. So remember to show gratitude whenever you can towards everyone, especially those who constantly support your organization in its operations.