SUMMARY
Properly thanking first-time donors is essential for turning them into long-term supporters, yet many nonprofits fall short, a mistake that research shows drives donors away. This edition offers a memorable framework to help nonprofits craft acknowledgments that build lasting donor relationships.
Why Do Donors Stop Giving?
Thanking those who give to your nonprofit is more than simply good manners. It’s vital to turning one-time donors into longtime supporters. What’s more, it’s vital to bringing in more revenue in the years to come. Unfortunately, many charities’ efforts to meaningfully thank their first-time donors come up short.
This is a huge mistake.
Why?
Decades of research reminds us that the lack of proper acknowledgement of a first-time gift is one of the main reasons donors stop giving.
To help you do a better job of properly thanking your first-time donors, check out these essential evidence-based insights we’ve discovered in our decades of working with successful fundraisers—and you can remember it all by the mnemonic THANKS.
T(imely)
Has the donor (no matter what level) been acknowledged within 48 hours of the receipt of their gift? And yes, this includes gifts of any and every size, not just the larger ones.
H(andsome)
Is the “Thank You” note on high-quality material and error-free? Make no mistake, to have an impact your “Thank You” needs to feel good in the hands of those who are going to open it. What’s more it needs to be personalized and error-free.
A(uthentic)
Is the acknowledgement personalized with the donor’s name? Does the content of the acknowledgement speak directly to the individual? Is it unique (e.g., it’s not a form letter)? Is the acknowledgement being written with a deep sense of gratitude? Is it being sent from the person who will be most influential to the donor?
They key is to make every single donor feel like their gift—large and small alike— is going to make a difference in the life of someone who is in need!
N(o-Strings-Attached)
Is the acknowledgement free from any other requests for additional gifts and support? Remember, donors get annoyed (and for good reason) when they are asked for another gift before they’ve been informed on the impact their present gift has made. Said another way, every single donor should be provided with a concrete update of the difference their particular gift has made in a separate correspondence. Then, and only then, is it appropriate to provide a follow-up request.
K(ind-Hearted)
Will the note make the person FEEL good? Enough said.
S(pecific)
Does your note confirm that their gift has been assigned to a specific program, project, or initiative? Again, does it acknowledge, specifically, how their gift will help those in need?
To get the job done, your “Thank You” letter needs to check all these boxes.
Luckily, this doesn’t necessarily mean a long, labor intensive process for you. In fact, the more that you use this useful little framework in crafting your “Thank You” notes, the better you’ll get at the process.
And in case you are wondering what a solid follow up looks like, check out the following example.
Dear Beverly,
Inside the Heart Center at Methodist Hospital beats one more strong and steady heart – YOURS! I hope you know that we were thrilled to receive your gift today.
Because of you, we are so close to funding the new state-of-the-art MRI machine. Again, we can’t thank you enough for helping us to realize the dream of better health for everyone in this community. Working side-by-side, we are saving lives and keeping loved ones together. There is no higher calling than this—and you are helping to make this happen.
My sincerest gratitude for your generosity and kindness,
Elizabeth Williams.
Chief of Cardiology
Simple stuff (but so, so, so powerful!).
