Where’s the focus: The Donor or Their Money?

There is so much pressure to meet financial goals, who has the time to learn a person’s real interest and connection to the mission? It seems less complicated to keep telling people of the need for money and get as many people as possible to make a gift. It’s easier to learn what triggers a person’s interest in making a gift. We have become very skilled at getting the first gift.

Yet people don’t renew their gift. Is it possible that we talk about retaining their gift instead of inspiring the person to renew? Donors report not knowing they matter or how their gift was used. When there is no communication, people forget they made a gift. So many people who make gifts in the $100-$1,000 range tell me their gifts are small and don’t mean much in philanthropy. They feel unimportant because their gift is small.

People tell me they believe it is only their money that counts. They experience the culture of giving as only for meeting an organization’s financial goals. After a year another organization gets the person’s attention so they give to a different mission only to have a similar experience.

Even though financial goals are met there has been a net loss of donors for the past few years. In 2012 for every 100 new givers 105 donors were loss to attrition sertraline tablets. For every $100 raised $96 was lost in gift attrition. (2013 Fundraising Effectiveness Report – Urban Institute) The growth in dollars comes from new individuals making a gift. The loss of donors happens because people choose not to renew.

For high renewals: consider the experience for the person making the gift.

If you would like to explore the giving-experience of your donors and your donor renewal activity contact Penny for a free consultation at penny@renewablephilanthropy.com