Soapbox Engage Blog

When was the last time you felt truly appreciated? It's more than good manners to say 'thank you' and acknowledging when your supporters give their valuable time, energy, and resources. It's an essential part of what many nonprofits call "donor care."

Sincere gratitude helps build strong relationships between you and your donors. Whether you know it or not, your supporters are one of your most valuable assets, and it's essential to care for them well. Donors usually decide whether to continue supporting your organization based on three primary factors:

1. Timely and meaningful acknowledgment of their financial support. They want more than just a receipt for tax purposes and a Holiday card!
2. Opportunities to support specific projects and initiatives, not just give to a general fund.
3. Donors want to understand the impact of their financial investments and what they are helping to accomplish through your organization.

Hopefully, thanking your donors is something you think about year-round, not just at the holidays or when you are asking for money. It doesn't have to be an expensive or complicated affair. Small donor gifts can go a long way to build a strong bond between you and your donors. Here are six cost-effective and creative ways to say thank you and give your donors gifts of appreciation.

1) Write handwritten thank you notes

Some things never go out of style, and handwritten thank you notes are one of them. We aren't talking about the ones you mass-print on generic stationery. We mean a personalized letter written by hand, thanking a donor for a specific way they are supporting your organization.

Emails, texts, and phone calls are still no match for handwritten notes. It only takes a few minutes to craft a well-written thank-you note, and the cost of postage is minimal. People still love receiving personal notes, and it will make your organization stand out.

Plus, there are emotional and psychological benefits for both you and your donor! Studies show that expressing gratitude with a handwritten thank you note boosts feelings of well-being and positivity for both the sender and the recipient.

Are you at a loss about what to write or afraid to offend someone's Emily Post level etiquette? Here are three easy steps to writing an excellent thank you note.

1. Greeting: Start with a short and sweet introduction. Make it as personal as possible.

   "I'm so glad we were able to connect at the BBQ For Boys And Girls Clubs event last week!"

2. Thank: Thank them for something specific and describe how you plan to use the gift or how helpful their service was.

   "Thank you for your generous financial partnership to make sure every child gets to play sports this fall! We are excited to use the funds to purchase team uniforms for our Girls And Boys Club basketball teams."

   If you are thanking someone for volunteering or partnering in some other way, describe the impact of their service.

   "Thank you for volunteering at our BBQ For The Boys And Girls Club last week! We would not be able to host events like this without you."

3. Conclude: Close the note with kind regards and include something you hope will happen in the future.

   "I look forward to connecting with you at future Boys And Girls Club events, and I hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend."

   By closing in this way, you communicate that you value continuing your relationship with them.

See! That's not so painful! Once you get in the habit, it takes just a few minutes to write and address a quick note.

Always send thank-you notes to your donors and sponsors. If a donor gives a gift in kind, try to include a photo of the item(s) being used. This lets the donor celebrate their impact through your organization (it also confirms that you are using the funds as you say you are, which builds trust).

It's always the right time to send a handwritten thank-you note, and everyone will benefit from getting into the habit of writing thank you notes to your supporters. Nonprofits with healthy "donor care" systems create ways to make sure every donor receives at least one handwritten note every year (and not just around the holidays).

2) Highlight and thank donors online

Thank your donors on your website and social media platforms. Social media cannot replace personal thank yous and donor gifts, but it is an excellent way to shine a spotlight on them and communicate your appreciation.

Donor spotlights

Highlight a donor on your social media pages or website with a regular "donor spotlight." Allow them to share a bit of their own story and why your organization matters to them. Be sure to include a little about why you value their support.

Guardian Angel Community Services in Illinois has a Donor Spotlight page on their website. They share photos and brief descriptions of some of the great ways their partners and volunteers support their work.

The Habitat Restore in Omaha writes excellent blog posts featuring some of the businesses that help fund their Habitat for Humanity construction projects. They include details about how the donations were used and how other companies and donors can partner.

Use video and live online platforms

Video is powerful because you can more accurately communicate emotions and capture people's imaginations. A short, two-to-five minute video will express gratitude to your current donors and broadcast the work your organization is doing to potential supporters.

Use Facebook Live or Instagram video to record a short thank you message for your donors and volunteers. If you raised funds to host an event, take a few minutes at the event to record a short video about how it's going and the impact it is making. Donors love to see their gifts at work, and this is a free and easy way to say thank you.

These types of online videos, posts, blogs, and donor spotlights are excellent PR opportunities for both you and your donors. Businesses are always eager to share links when their name appears in positive ways, which then gives your organization free advertising! (Cause marketing is a beneficial form of advertising that businesses use.)

Featuring your donors online is a win-win practice; just be sure to let your donors approve what you write before you post it.

3) Give small donors gifts at key milestones

When you collect your supporter's information, ask them to share details like their birthdays and anniversaries (if they are willing). Pay close attention to major donors' social media for weddings, engagements, births, and other significant milestones. Make a phone call, send a card, or give them a small gift to help celebrate these life events.

Many nonprofits commemorate the anniversary of a donor's first gift with a small token of appreciation. Let them know you appreciate how long they have been supporting your organization.

Honoring your donors on their special days communicates that you care about them personally and think of them regularly. This doesn't have to be an overwhelming or time-consuming process. With a well-organized donor directory, your staff can easily create a system to celebrate these milestones and anniversaries. Services like SendOutCards let you schedule cards and gifts to be sent to your donors ahead of time.

4) Let recipients and donors share In your donation thank you's

If it is appropriate, ask the people receiving your organization's services to help thank donors. Let them make homemade cards or create a short video in which you interview recipients. Whether it's a quick note or a picture drawn by a child, supporters value these donor gifts.

Inviting donors to share their giving stories celebrates their generosity, and giving stories often connect with potential donors, too. Allow them to share why they give to your organization, what made them give their first gift, and how they have been blessed through supporting your work.

5) Host a gratitude campaign with sponsor thank you's

In 2018, Girls Inc. of Greater Indianapolis ran their "30 Days of Gratitude" campaign. Each day they highlighted a different group of donors, including staff, school partners, parents, donors, volunteers, board members, and others who help their organization run. They also invited people to share what they are thankful for on their social media pages and other places throughout the month.

No matter when you run your gratitude campaign or how long it lasts, they are excellent ways to celebrate your donors and thank them. It doesn't have to be fancy or complicated, it just needs to be sincere, creative, and not include any requests for donations. Gratitude campaigns can be very refreshing and life-giving for your staff, too! Let them be creative, fun, and show off their personalities as you celebrate and thank your donors.

6) Send framed photos as gifts for donations

When donors help build a house or give to other significant projects through Food for the Poor, they receive a personalized thank you note with a beautiful, photo booklet of the new home and the recipient family. It's a simple but very effective way to thank your donors for backing specific projects.

Many organizations send photo books with notes, statistics, and messages of thanksgiving at the end of the year or after a big project. Supporters appreciate these gifts because they demonstrate the impact their donations are making in the world. Photos help donors visualize where their money went. Thank you notes, statistics, and short stories help communicate the magnitude of their impact.

Companies like Picaboo allow nonprofits to order photo books, custom calendars, and other donor and commemorative gifts at discount prices.

Use donor gifts sparingly

One study found that giving thank you gifts can actually reduce donation amounts. Gifts attached to donations can negate the donor's feeling of altruism. This doesn't mean that all donor gifts are wrong; instead, nonprofits should use them in moderation.

One gift strategy is to mix function and publicity. Let your donors know that using their new tote bag or coffee thermos with your logo helps spread awareness about your organization. This helps inspire your supporters to become vocal goodwill ambassadors for your nonprofit.

6) Creating donor gifts that aren't tote bags

So many nonprofits send tote bags, note cards, and address stamps as their gifts for donations. Set your organization apart by sending your donors unique, useful donor gifts that reflect the personality or work of your organization. Here are five creative donor gift ideas to get you started.

1. Book: Send your donors a book that relates to what your organization does or the problem it wants to solve.
2. Potted plants or flower seeds: Give a small potted plant or seeds they can plant. This is a gift that lasts, brings beauty, and reminds donors of your gratitude for a long time.
3. Art: have an artist create a unique piece of artwork or print your logo and mission statement on a small canvas.
4. Journal or padfolio: Many people still use journals. Give a beautiful journal or padfolio with your logo on the cover. To personalize the gift, write a short thank-you note on the first page of the journal.
5. Artisan coffee, bread, tea, or other food items: Send your donors a small package of non-perishable food that is unique to the region where your organization works. Coffee, tea, bread, packaged snack foods, or other edible gifts are fun and enjoyable. (Just make sure it won't spoil in the mail.)
6. Candles: Many people enjoy lighting a candle and relaxing at the end of a long day. A lovely candle with your organization's logo is an excellent gift for volunteers and donors.

Here are three more resources to help you care for and mobilize your donors.

• 5 Ways To Boost Your Wording When Asking For Donations: Wording is critical when asking for donations. How you ask is just as important as who you ask. You need strategy and the right words to inspire your donors to give.
• 5 Irresistible Online Fundraising Ideas That Actually Convert In 2019: Here are five fundraising ideas that will engage donors and get people excited about donating to your organization.
• Salesforce Event Registration Apps: 10 Key Considerations: If you plan to host a dinner, gala, or other donor appreciation event, the Salesforce Event Registration app will make registration a breeze. It doesn't matter if you sell tickets or host a free event, use Salesforce Event Registration to streamline the registration process.