3 ways to boost your donor contributions

By Steve Anseth, CPA

This year’s federal funding cuts have impacted nonprofits nationwide. Grants have been halted, payments have been put on hold, and budgets have been slashed. As a result, many nonprofits are taking a renewed look at their fundraising strategies and exploring new solutions.

One way to combat the effects of this development: focus on boosting your donor contributions.

Here are three ways you could maximize your nonprofit’s donor giving.

Leverage technology.

Using technology—whether on your website or at events—can make the process of giving easier and more appealing for donors, especially those of a younger generation. This could be as simple as using QR codes at events and on your website to encourage and facilitate giving.

At the same time, you may consider relying less on back-end applications and organizations to process your donations. While this isn’t a bad practice, it’s not ideal as a long-term solution, as applications and organizations often take a percentage of the donation to cover their processing fees.

Instead, seek out applications that allow you to own the entire (or a larger portion of the) transaction—and make sure donors know 100% of the contribution is going to your organization. Being creative in how you enable donors to give can also be a way to set your nonprofit apart from others.

Use AI to analyze your donor database.

AI can be a powerful tool in analyzing your donor database. If you have years of donor history, it could help you with everything from segmenting donors to forecasting future behavior. It can also allow you to identify historically high-dollar donors and prioritize outreach efforts.

Say, for instance, your goal is to raise $500,000 for a new building. With the insights you gained from AI, you could identify which donors would be most likely to respond to your ask—and even tailor your communications to meet donors’ preferences.

Develop monthly donors.

With the loss of federal funding, competition for major donors has ratcheted up. For this reason, consider building up a base of donors who give monthly.

Having monthly donors gives your organization a steady cash flow—one that typically doesn’t experience major downturns. You can be strategic with how you set up your monthly donations; technology can again be a helpful tool.

For example: Consider using AI to help you find previous donors who may be good prospects for monthly giving. You could also leverage AI to write compelling fundraising letters without the cost of a fundraiser.

Maintain momentum through a changing funding landscape.

Maximizing your donor giving is one way to keep your nonprofit moving forward during this time of uncertainty. By leveraging technology, AI, and perhaps a little creativity, you can make it easier for donors to support your mission.

At Abdo, empowering nonprofits isn’t just what we do; it’s who we are. Our passion lies in helping mission-driven organizations thrive. Whether you’re looking to strengthen your financial foundation or streamline your processes, we’re here to guide you to a brighter future.

If you’d like to learn more about how we can help you further your mission, contact us today.