The importance of giving
If you are familiar with any religious texts, you will know that giving is an important concept. Giving teaches us that everything in this world belongs to everyone. Wealth is perhaps the one thing that humans can give that adds immediate value to someone else’s life. If there is one place anyone can donate to, it is places of worship. Churches for one are great places to give your money to. Their immediate goal is almost always to help out the impoverished and by donating to them, you are indirectly helping out society.
If you are a nonprofit running in collaboration with a church or looking for church fundraising, this article is perfect for you! In the sections below, we shall discuss factors that can help your cause and incline donors to contribute.
Why do people stop donating?
Before you go around asking for people to contribute to your cause, you must first ask, why is it that donors stop giving? Most signs point to one thing, they cannot afford to donate. There are other reasons such as interest in other causes, no acknowledgement, lack of support, no information. If we give these factors the proper attention, we will find a to-do-list that every nonprofit should keep in mind if they want donors.
- Support causes which speak to the donors
- Show the donors how their support helps
- Thank them
- Show the donors that their support is essential
- Communicate often with the donors
- Honor their wishes
Show your goals and show potential donors what is what
If you wish for donors to partake in your cause, show them the reason why. The first step is to tell the donors the goals of your nonprofit. For churches, it is crucial that they work in tandem with the donors to achieve their goals. By showing the vision of the church and respecting the wishes of the donors, both their goals can be achieved. Through clear communication and a vision will donors be onboard with the idea of contributing.
Focus on the Importance of the donor
By showing the donor the importance of his contribution, you will have a benefactor for the rest of their life. Churches need to show the donor that they are not just asking for a donation, but rather asking them to contribute towards their cause. Human beings seek their role in a story and by providing them one in the mission of the church, they are automatically committed to the cause.
The Importance of retaining
It is a known fact that retaining a donor is far easier than getting a new one. A lot of nonprofits fail because they are unable to keep a hold of existing donors. One of the ways you can keep donors around for longer is by providing different ways of giving. By keeping options such as online and text payment, you are making it convenient for donors to contribute. Having people who contribute regularly to church donation is key.
Communication with the donor
By keeping an open channel with donors, you are trying to tell the donor that we are in this together. However, choosing your channel of communication is also equally important. Churches and nonprofits need to know that the donor is the priority here and they should establish communications with them irrespective of priorities. Without a clear channel of communications, your donors will not stay on board.
Thank your donors
Respect your donors and thank them. We as humans like to be appreciated and for church fundraising purposes, appreciating donors is even more important. It does not have to be an outlandish thing, a simple thank you note or an email after receiving every donation can mean the world to them.
Update donors and give them gifts
As we have discussed before keeping people updated with the narrative of your cause makes them feel connected. By providing donors with consistent updates on the undertakings of your church and the progress of the goals, you are keeping them in the loop. By knowing what their contributions have achieved, donors feel inclined to continue providing their support.
Transparency with your donors
It is important that your donors know exactly what your goals are, how the organization plans to accomplish them and what is the purpose of their donation. In the case that you decide to change the goals of your organization or its approach, you need to inform the donors immediately. Doing so will help your donors feel better about how their money is being used. It is all about good faith and if you tell them clearly about the intentions of the organization, they will stick by you.
Transparency with finances
For any project or campaign to be successful, it is important to showcase your finances. Showing every financial detail of the project, its goals, why the donations are required, how much is the minimum, and other important aspects. Modern accounting software for nonprofits and church donations can be very beneficial in this endeavor.
These points have shown us that there is no set formula for attracting donors and keeping them around, rather it is the attention shown to the relationship between donors and the nonprofit that keeps the gears turning.
Final Thoughts
Transparency and effective communication are crucial to retaining donors and winning new ones. They are the key to making your donors trust you, which is the first step in encouraging them to donate towards your cause. The next time you are looking to raise funds for your church, be sure to keep these tips in mind, and you will be well on your way to a successful church fundraiser!
Read more:
Principles of Successful Church Fundraising (2021 Guide)