Charitable Bequests: Messaging Framework and Execution Steps

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Bottom Line Up Front: Understanding charitable bequests, their legal wording, and precise execution steps is essential for donor-facing fundraisers and prospective supporters looking to leave a lasting legacy through alternative means of giving.

A charitable bequest lets donors transfer assets to a nonprofit through a will or trust, helping them create lasting community impact without changing their current lifestyle.

Understanding Charitable Bequests: The Basics

A charitable bequest is one of the most flexible and accessible methods for donors to make a transformational commitment to a nonprofit. Defined as a provision within a legal will, living trust, or estate plan, a bequest designates a specific asset, dollar amount, or percentage of an estate to a designated charity upon the donor’s passing. Because a bequest is revocable during the donor’s lifetime, supporters retain full control over their financial assets in the event of unexpected life events, medical needs, or economic changes. It’s basically a pledge card that’s ultimately fulfilled after a supporter passes.

For development officers, demystifying estate planning terminology is crucial when communicating with prospective donors. When nonprofits answer the common search-intent query about sample wording a donor should use to include a charity in a will, they reduce administrative friction and empower supporters to take concrete action with their estate attorneys. Providing ready-to-use, copy-and-paste language ensures donor intent is legally protected while simplifying the execution process.

Data Segmentation and Target Candidate Identification

Sending broad, unsegmented bequest appeals to an entire donor database is inefficient and often ineffective. To maximize response rates and capture gifts in wills, development operations must utilize targeted data segmentation to deliver sample bequest letters and copy files specifically to high-probability legacy candidates.

High-probability candidates for charitable bequests share distinct behavioral, demographic, and financial attributes:

  • Consecutive Giving History: Donors who have contributed consistently for five or more consecutive years, regardless of gift size, demonstrate deep institutional loyalty.
  • Property Equity and Asset Markers: Individuals with high real estate equity, long-term property ownership, or paid-off mortgages have substantial assets that can be structured into estate plans.
  • Life Stage and Age Demographics: Supporters aged 55 and older, as well as individuals experiencing major life transitions such as retirement, empty-nesting, or estate plan updates, are actively considering their long-term legacy.
  • Engagement Signals: Active volunteers, long-time newsletter subscribers, board alumni, and recurring monthly givers exhibit strong affinity markers that align with planned gift intentions.

By analyzing donor records for these specific signals, nonprofit development teams can build highly targeted mailing lists. Delivering customized copy swipe files, codicil templates, and wording samples to loyal supporters ensures bequest appeals reach the candidates most likely to include your organization in their estate plans.

Types of Bequests and Legal Terminology Breakdown

Charitable bequests are structured into several legal categories based on how the donor wishes to distribute assets. Understanding these distinctions allows gift officers to guide donors toward the structure that best fits their estate goals:

  • Specific Bequest
    • Legal Structure: Designates a fixed dollar amount, named property, or specific asset.
    • Donor Benefit & Operational Mechanics: Provides absolute clarity on exact gift value; straightforward to execute within a will.
  • Residual Bequest
    • Legal Structure: Allocates all or a specified percentage of the remaining estate after debts, taxes, and specific distributions are satisfied.
    • Donor Benefit & Operational Mechanics: Automatically adjusts with changes in overall estate value; protects family provisions while allocating remaining assets.
  • Contingent Bequest
    • Legal Structure: Executes only if primary beneficiaries (such as a spouse or child) predecease the donor.
    • Donor Benefit & Operational Mechanics: Serves as a safety net ensuring estate assets support a charitable mission if primary heirs cannot receive them.
  • Restricted Bequest
    • Legal Structure: Directs the bequest toward a specific program, endowment, or geographic region.
    • Donor Benefit & Operational Mechanics: Guarantees donor intent for a specific cause, provided the nonprofit confirms functional feasibility.
  • Unrestricted Bequest
    • Legal Structure: Directs the gift to the nonprofit’s general operating fund or area of greatest need.
    • Donor Benefit & Operational Mechanics: Grants maximum administrative flexibility, allowing leadership to allocate funds where most needed upon receipt.

Each bequest category serves a unique purpose in estate planning. Presenting these options clearly helps donors understand that they do not need to choose between providing for family members and supporting their favorite charitable mission; structured options allow them to accomplish both simultaneously.

Copy-and-Paste Sample Bequest Language Blocks

To streamline the legal execution process for donors and their legal counsel, nonprofits should provide clear, standardized language blocks. Donors can copy, paste, and insert these sample templates directly into a new will or share them with their estate planning attorney.

1. General Unrestricted Bequest (Specific Amount)

“I give, devise, and bequeath to [Legal Name of Nonprofit], located at [Street Address, City, State, Zip], Federal Tax ID Number [EIN Number], the sum of $[Amount] to be used for its general tax-exempt purposes at the discretion of its Governing Board.”

2. General Unrestricted Bequest (Percentage of Estate)

“I give, devise, and bequeath to [Legal Name of Nonprofit], located at [Street Address, City, State, Zip], Federal Tax ID Number [EIN Number], [Percentage]% of my total estate, to be used for its general tax-exempt purposes at the discretion of its Governing Board.”

3. Residual Bequest Template

“I give, devise, and bequeath to [Legal Name of Nonprofit], located at [Street Address, City, State, Zip], Federal Tax ID Number [EIN Number], all [or Percentage]% of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate, both real and personal, to be used for its general tax-exempt purposes.”

4. Contingent Bequest Template

“If [Name of Primary Beneficiary] does not survive me, I give, devise, and bequeath to [Legal Name of Nonprofit], located at [Street Address, City, State, Zip], Federal Tax ID Number [EIN Number], [Dollar Amount or Percentage of Residual Estate] to be used for its general tax-exempt purposes.”

5. Restricted Purpose Bequest Template

“I give, devise, and bequeath to [Legal Name of Nonprofit Organization], located at [Street Address, City, State, Zip], Federal Tax ID Number [EIN Number], the sum of $[Amount] [or Percentage]% of my estate, to be used exclusively for [Specific Program, Project, or Endowed Fund]. If, in the opinion of the Governing Board, it becomes impossible or impractical to use this gift for the specified purpose, the Board may use the gift for a purpose as close as possible to my original intent.”

Providing these exact language blocks removes guesswork for estate attorneys and prevents administrative delays. Including the organization’s legal name, corporate address, and Employer Identification Number (EIN) guarantees that the bequest reaches its intended destination without legal ambiguity.

Codicil Templates and Simple Estate Modification

Donors with an established will or living trust do not need to rewrite their entire estate document to include a charitable gift. A codicil is a legal amendment used to modify, add to, or revoke provisions in an existing will.

Below is a copy-and-paste codicil template that supporters can complete and take straight to their estate attorney:

  • Codicil Document Header: CODICIL TO THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF [Donor Full Name]
  • Declaration Statement: I, [Donor Full Name], residing at [Street Address, City, State, Zip], declare this to be a Codicil to my Last Will and Testament, dated [Date of Current Will].
  • First Provision (Gift Amendment): I hereby amend my Last Will and Testament by adding the following provision: “I give, devise, and bequeath to [Legal Name of Nonprofit], located at [Street Address, City, State, Zip], Federal Tax ID Number [EIN Number], the sum of $[Amount] [OR Percentage]% of my estate, to be used for its general tax-exempt purposes.”
  • Second Provision (Confirmation): In all other respects, I hereby ratify and confirm my Last Will and Testament dated [Date of Current Will] and any prior codicils thereto.
  • Execution Line: Signed and sealed on [Date], by [Donor Signature].
  • Witness Attestation Clause: Signed, published, and declared by the Testator in the presence of two witnesses, who subscribe their names as witnesses in the presence of the Testator and each other.
    • Witness 1: Signature and Address
    • Witness 2: Signature and Address

A codicil offers a cost-effective, simple option for long-time supporters who want to update their charitable intentions. Offering this template in your donor communication packets encourages existing supporters to make immediate, legal additions to their estate plans without incurring high legal costs.

Legal Gift Execution Standard Procedures (Step by Step))

To ensure seamless intake, accurate pipeline tracking, and proper legal compliance, nonprofit development offices must adhere to a standardized execution process when receiving bequest notifications:

  • Phase 1: Inquiry & Language Provision
    • Responsible Party: Gift Officer / Donor
    • Operational Action & Verification Protocols: Provide sample bequest language, EIN details, and codicil templates to the donor or their estate planner.
  • Phase 2: Document Drafting & Execution
    • Responsible Party: Donor / Estate Attorney
    • Operational Action & Verification Protocols: The donor executes a new will or codicil in accordance with state witness and notarization laws.
  • Phase 3: Gift Intention Notification
    • Responsible Party: Donor / Nonprofit
    • Operational Action & Verification Protocols: The donor completes a non-binding Bequest Intention Form and shares relevant gift details with the nonprofit.
  • Phase 4: CRM Logging & Verification
    • Responsible Party: Development Operations
    • Operational Action & Verification Protocols: Log the bequest intention in the database; record revocable status, gift type, and estimated value.
  • Phase 5: Stewardship & Enrollment
    • Responsible Party: Gift Officer / Leadership
    • Operational Action & Verification Protocols: Issue a formal presidential thank-you letter and officially enroll the donor into the institutional Legacy Society.
  • Phase 6: Estate Settlement Intake
    • Responsible Party: Legal Counsel / Executor
    • Operational Action & Verification Protocols: Upon the donor’s passing, coordinate with the estate executor, review accounting notices, and receive distributed funds.

Establishing a formal standard operating procedure (SOP) ensures that every bequest notification is handled with strict professional care. Systematizing these steps protects donor intent, builds trust with family representatives, and guarantees that legacy commitments are properly recorded and managed.

Legal Disclosure Checklist for Nonprofits and Donors

When distributing sample bequest wording and copy swipe files, nonprofits must include legal disclaimers to protect both the donor and the organization. Nonprofit fundraisers are not licensed attorneys or certified financial planners and must never provide formal legal advice.

Development teams should verify that every estate planning publication, webpage, and mailing includes these essential legal safeguards:

  • Professional Advisory Disclaimer: Explicitly state that sample wording is provided for educational purposes only and that donors must consult an independent attorney or financial advisor.
  • Organizational Identification Verification: Confirm that the legal name, tax-exempt identification number (EIN), and master corporate address match official IRS documentation exactly.
  • Variance Clause Inclusion: Ensure that all restricted bequest templates contain a variance clause allowing the governing board to adjust fund uses if the original program becomes obsolete or impossible to fulfill.
  • Revocable Intention Clarification: State clearly that bequest intention notifications are non-binding expressions of intent and do not constitute a legal contract.
  • Gift Acceptance Alignment: Verify that proposed non-cash bequest assets (such as real estate, closely-held business stock, or tangible personal property) comply with the organization’s formal Gift Acceptance Policy before confirmation.

These legal disclosures safeguard institutional integrity and reinforce professional standards. Clearly defined boundaries protect the donor’s financial interests while ensuring the nonprofit operates in full regulatory compliance.

Summary and Actionable Next Steps

Mastering charitable bequest messaging, wording templates, and execution protocols empowers nonprofit organizations to convert donor loyalty into sustainable, long-term support. Clean, copy-and-paste bequest language and codicil templates eliminate technical barriers and help supporters fulfill their philanthropic goals.

To launch a high-converting bequest initiative, development leadership should take these immediate operational actions:

  • Conduct a database segmentation audit to identify loyal candidates with five or more years of consecutive giving history and high asset markers.
  • Publish copy-and-paste bequest language blocks and codicil templates on a dedicated, easily accessible website landing page.
  • Assemble a downloadable bequest toolkit, including sample wording, legal disclosure checklists, and bequest intention forms.
  • Train development staff and major gift officers on the legal gift execution SOP to standardize intake and stewardship processes.
  • Deploy targeted appeal letters to high-probability legacy candidates ahead of key planning windows like National Estate Planning Awareness Week.

Implementing these steps equips your organization to capture gifts in wills, secure critical endowment funding, and protect donor intentions for future generations.

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5 Strategies to Diversify Your Nonprofit’s Revenue

Nonprofits that bring in funding from more than one source get to breathe a little easier. A slow quarter for individual gifts doesn’t force you to cut a program, and a promising new idea doesn’t need to be put on the back burner because your current grant won’t fund it. A mix of individual gifts, corporate philanthropy, earned income, grants, and investment returns gives your organization more control over its own future than leaning on one or two channels ever will.

No matter how you boost your revenue model, the goal is the same: to build enough variety that a single setback can’t knock your budget off course. Below are five concrete strategies to diversify your nonprofit’s revenue, along with guidance on how to make each one work.

Why diversify nonprofit revenue?

Diversifying revenue gives your team room to plan ahead, test new ideas, and say yes to opportunities without waiting on one source to come through. Additionally, as Jitasa’s guide to nonprofit revenue diversification notes, cultivating multiple funding streams protects your mission, keeping operations seamless even if a primary source falls through. A couple of reasons why revenue diversification matters include:

  • Reduced financial risk. A varied funding mix protects day-to-day operations if one revenue stream slows down.
  • More flexibility. Multiple sources mean less pressure to shape every program around a single funder’s priorities.
  • Steadier footing during downturns. When individual giving drops, sponsorships, grants, or earned income can help fill the gap.
  • Stronger brand recognition. Organizations that are active across several funding channels come across as credible and cater to many supporters’ preferences, which tends to attract even more support.

Operationally, diversification reduces the need for emergency fundraising cycles and protects against administrative burnout. Predictable revenue streams enable more precise budgeting, efficient resource allocation, and the flexibility to expand your programs in response to real-time outcomes.

Strategies to diversify nonprofit revenue

Building a stable funding base requires a mix of different revenue streams, each supporting your mission in a distinct way. Below are five practical strategies you can use to diversify your income and build a more resilient organization.

1. Build a multi-level individual giving program

Individual donations are the most flexible revenue type you have, so a structured program helps you capture more of them. To establish a multi-level giving strategy, consider the following key tactics:

  • Segment giving tiers: Develop distinct approaches for small-dollar, mid-level, major, andplanned gifts, because personalized engagement is essential for deepening relationships at every giving level (especially the higher ones).
  • Expand your reach: Bring in new donors throughpeer-to-peer fundraising, email and content marketing, and supporter-led awareness tactics (e.g., encouraging donors to wear your merchandise in public or share your social media posts with their followers).
  • Accept in-kind contributions: Welcome donated goods and services that align with your needs (such as prize contributions or free catering for an upcoming auction event), along with non-cash assets like stock or real estate.

You can also start by mapping your current donor base and seeing what needs improvement. If you don’t already have a mid-level donor program or planned giving track, that’s usually the fastest gap to close.

2. Maximize corporate philanthropy and partnerships

Corporate support doesn’t have to start and end with a single event sponsorship. Instead of just chasing one-off checks, focus on building long-term partnerships that grow with your organization’s needs.

Consider these key approaches to expand your corporate relationships:

  • Promote matching gifts and volunteer grants. Let supporters know their employer may match their donation or provide monetary support forvolunteer hours, multiplying their impact at no extra cost to them.
  • Build holistic partnerships. Combinepayroll giving programs, employee fundraising campaigns, and co-branded cause marketing into one year-round relationship, backed by clear benefits for the partner, like logo placement or audience reach.
  • Track restricted sponsorship revenue separately. Keep event- or program-specific corporate gifts distinct from unrestricted streams like matched donations in your accounting system.

Matching gifts alone go unclaimed at most organizations—with $4 to $7 billion in matching gift funds left uncashed each year, according to Double the Donation. Simply because donors don’t know how to ask. You can add a matching gift prompt to your donation confirmation page before building anything more elaborate. Marketing matching gifts is also an untapped source of revenue for your nonprofit.

3. Generate earned income

Earned income is typically unrestricted, giving your staff the most flexibility to cover operating expenses and overhead. Here are a few practical ways to start developing earned revenue:

  • Offer membership programs. Set membership dues in exchange for exclusive benefits and access. These programs not only generate reliable revenue but also deepen community engagement by providing tangible value and a stronger sense of connection to your supporters.
  • Charge service fees. Charge fees for direct services such as classes, workshops, or ticketed programs to establish a direct earned income stream from the mission-aligned activities you already offer.
  • Sell mission-related merchandise. Open an online store on a nonprofit-friendly platform that handles fulfillment for you, so you can easily sell items such as branded apparel, tote bags, stickers, pins, or water bottles that align with your mission.

Keep Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT) in mind, since income from selling unrelated products can be taxable, though exemptions exist for volunteer-run sales, short-term fundraisers, and mission-education products. Talk to your accountant before launching a product line so you know whether UBIT will apply to it.

4. Build a pipeline of diverse grants

Grants often provide critical funding for major projects, and spreading applications across funders protects you against losing a single funding source. Implement these core practices to cultivate a diverse grant pipeline:

  • Target multiple grantmakers. Consider federal, state, and local government grants, along with private, public, and family foundation opportunities, rather than focusing on only one funding type (as long as you have the bandwidth to do so).
  • Invest in management systems. Track wage allocations, indirect costs, and program spending closely. Grant funds almost always come with restrictions, and accurately managing your grants builds the kind of trust that supports renewals.

A single large grant covering a significant chunk of your budget is a concentration risk on its own, so treat grant diversification the same way you’d treat any other revenue stream.

5. Steward renewable funding sources and investments

Renewable revenue is an often overlooked yet critical component for organizational stability, compounding into long-term security when prioritized. Building predictable income streams provides a reliable baseline that protects against sudden budget shortfalls.

Effective methods to build renewable funding include:

  • Establish recurring channels: Set up automated monthly giving options and actively solicit multi-year donation commitments to create predictable revenue baselines.
  • Prioritize donor stewardship: Maintain strong retention with prompt thank-yous, donor appreciation events, and regular impact updates.
  • Manage reserves wisely: Place cash reserves into low-risk investment vehicles like CDs or mutual funds to secure long-term financial resilience.

To sustain long-term supporter relationships, stewardship is essential. Prompt, personal thank-yous, donor appreciation events, and thoughtful recognition go a long way in strengthening supporter retention. Paired with wise management of cash reserves these strategies can help your organization achieve true, multi-year financial resilience.

These five strategies work best as complementary parts of a single funding model, although you don’t need to launch all of them immediately. Pick one or two that fit your current capacity, get them running well, and build out from there as your team’s time and systems allow.

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Avoid These 4 Common Mistakes in Donation Tracking

Managing a nonprofit with multiple branches brings unique administrative challenges, particularly regarding financial oversight. Tracking incoming funds across distributed chapters is notoriously complex and requires highly organized processes. When operating at scale, even minor recording errors can quickly become major compliance issues that jeopardize your organization.

In this guide, we will help you identify and avoid the most common mistakes nonprofits make when tracking donations. Refine your data management processes with the tips in this guide to ensure you can steward gifts responsibly while maintaining accurate records.

Mistake 1: Relying on fragmented systems across branches

You need unified data to accurately manage your organization’s finances. If different chapters use disparate spreadsheets or incompatible software to record incoming funds, it creates data silos and obscures the big-picture financial health of your organization.

To avoid disconnect and establish a clear financial picture, use these strategies:

  • Implement unified banking solutions: Crowded suggests adopting a unified banking platform to removemanage finances, removing the friction of manual data consolidation. Platforms designed specifically for nonprofits can route local chapter dues and fundraising event revenue into specific regional buckets while keeping the overarching ledger intact.
  • Conduct regular system audits: Review your chapters’ financial tools to identify any redundancies or security gaps. Standardizing these tools ensures that every regional treasurer has the same level of security and oversight.
  • Centralize financial visibility: Implement workflows that automatically roll chapter-level data up to the national or regional level. By configuring your database to sync local deposits with the main headquarters immediately, leadership gains real-time insight into cash flow. This prevents regional branches from accidentally overspending before funds officially clear the main organizational accounts.

Managing your finances from one central location reduces human error and empowers leadership to make faster, more confident decisions. Establish a firm policy on approved software for new chapters so that every branch starts with the right infrastructure from day one.

Mistake 2: Treating all incoming funds identically

Not all financial gifts are created equal, and processing different types of revenue requires distinct administrative approaches. For example, treating complex non-cash assets the same as standard recurring card payments obscures reporting details and increases the risk of improper handling.

These strategies can help you ensure your organization tracks non-standard donations correctly:

  • Clearly categorize asset types:Infinite Giving’s guide to accepting stock donations emphasizes the importance of establishing strict internal protocols for labeling atypical gifts like stocks and crypto. Correct categorization ensures you have the right tax documentation and can allocate enough amount of time to liquidate the asset safely.
  • Train chapter treasurers: Ensure local leaders understand the specific reporting requirements for high-value or restricted gifts.
  • Integrate specialized charity donation processing workflows: Connect your primary database to tools designed to securely handle diverse asset types. Purpose-built integrations automatically verify stock transfers or matching gifts and append the transaction records to the correct donor profile without manual data entry.

Recognizing the nuances of different gift types ensures accurate financial reporting and proper stewardship of your most impactful supporters. For additional support, partner with a financial advisor to help your team navigate the complexities of accepting diverse asset classes safely and legally.

Mistake 3: Missing crucial compliance steps for multi-chapter groups

Maintaining compliance across varying local and state jurisdictions is a major obstacle for large, multi-chapter nonprofits. Poor recordkeeping exposes your organization to regulatory penalties, including expensive fines or the loss of your operational status in certain regions.

Ensure you remain compliant across all chapters by establishing these practices:

  • Standardize reporting timelines: Create strict, universal deadlines for all chapters to submit their financial logs. Staggering these deadlines ahead of federal and state filing dates gives your headquarters ample time to review the ledgers, correct formatting errors, and compile the final organizational returns accurately.
  • Automate tax receipt generation: Use tools that instantly issue compliant receipts the moment a transaction is verified. This step not only ensures your compliance but also strengthens your relationship with donors by immediately sharing the information they need to claim tax deductions.
  • Monitor local regulatory shifts: Designate a compliance officer to track changes in state-level solicitation laws. Because charitable registration requirements shift frequently, having a dedicated team member to review these updates prevents local chapters from accidentally soliciting funds illegally across state lines.

A proactive, standardized approach to compliance protects your chapters from regulatory issues and builds trust with your community. To emphasize the importance of these rules, consider running quarterly compliance drills with your local treasurers to spot potential filing issues long before tax season arrives.

Mistake 4: Ignoring the power of automated donation tracking tools

Clinging to outdated manual revenue management processes prevents organizations from effectively scaling their impact. Wasted hours spent manually reconciling bank statements and performing data entry drain energy that your team should direct toward core mission initiatives. Fortunately, you can save time with automated donation tracking software.

When choosing a new solution, pay special attention to:

  • Workflow bottlenecks: Identify which administrative tasks are currently draining the most time from your chapter leaders. Sit down with a regional director to trace the lifecycle of a single donation; you will likely uncover redundant data entry steps where automation could immediately save hours of labor each week.
  • Integration capabilities: Before adopting new software, verify that it communicates seamlessly with your existing accounting ledgers. A modern donor database is practically useless if it cannot export clean, compatible files to your central accounting platform without requiring complex manual reformatting.
  • Real-time synchronization: Choose tools that update dashboards the moment a transaction clears to eliminate data lag.

Embracing modern automation frees up time that your team can use to focus on goals that require a more human touch. Look for technology vendors that offer dedicated onboarding support so your local leaders feel confident using the new systems.

Wrapping Up

Establishing a cohesive, scalable approach to managing funds across your entire organization is essential for long-term operational health. By proactively centralizing your systems, standardizing asset processing, and embracing compliance automation, you can eliminate the friction that holds distributed chapters back. Avoid these four common donation tracking mistakes to lay a firm foundation for transparency, compliance, and sustained growth.

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Promoting Matching Gifts FAQ: Strategies to Drive Workplace Giving Revenue

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The biggest obstacle standing between nonprofits and increased revenue is rarely donor unwillingness. Instead, it is often a simple lack of awareness regarding matching gift eligibility. If your supporters do not know these programs exist, they cannot participate, leaving significant funding unclaimed.

In this guide, we will outline an omnichannel marketing approach designed to close this gap. From optimizing your website to launching targeted email campaigns, we will demonstrate how to leverage fundraising software and donor stewardship to turn passive donors into active workplace giving participants.

1. How can my nonprofit promote matching gifts to donors?

You can promote matching gifts through an omnichannel marketing strategy. This involves the following:

  • Email outreach is a vital component of online fundraising, with multiple ways to engage supporters. Your nonprofit can send digital newsletters, thank-you emails, and dedicated match emails or follow-ups. These follow-up emails can include information targeted for each donor, providing company-specific details regarding the next steps and submission forms. This can help nudge eligible donors to submit matching gift requests to their employer and double their donation’s impact.
  • Your nonprofit’s website is the centralized hub for all information regarding your cause and how to get involved. Create a dedicated matching gift page to give donors a centralized resource to learn about matching gifts. Incorporate matching gift statistics or annual matching gift figures. Embed a matching gift database to make it easier for donors to check their eligibility.
  • Social media platforms are powerful tools for fundraising pushes and engagement opportunities⁠. Incorporate eye-catching graphics with short and sweet captions, hashtags, and more. Then, link to the dedicated matching gift page on your site from these posts so donors can learn more.
  • Market matching gifts directly within your donation process. Contextualize your request for employer data as a means of determining match eligibility status. Then, highlight matching gift eligibility on your donation confirmation screen. Using a matching gift tool to provide automated insights based on the employer a donor selected on the previous page streamlines this process. With a dedicated tool, you can give donors access to company specific insights, like minimum and maximum donation amounts, match ratios, qualifying nonprofits, employee types, and direct links to online submission forms.

2. Where should nonprofits place matching gift information on their website?

Key placements include donation forms, pop-ups, thank-you screens, dedicated matching gift pages, and your donation process. Embedding a fundraising search tool like Double the Donation can help you improve the visibility of matching gift information. By integrating effective automation software and providing step-by-step instructions, you can encourage donor submissions and maximize workplace giving revenue.

3. How can my nonprofit use email campaigns to boost matching gift submissions?

To boost matching gift submissions, your nonprofit can:

  • Send automated emails and matching gift promotions to donors immediately after they make their donation. Ensure that your outreach includes instructions and a link to search for eligibility via a fundraising tool like Double the Donation.
  • Follow up with reminders for donors who haven’t submitted.
  • Segment campaigns for high-value donors or company-specific matches.

This allows you to re-engage supporters while their donation is fresh and giving momentum remains high.

 

How your nonprofit can use email campaigns to boost matching gift submissions

How your nonprofit can use email campaigns to boost matching gift submissions

 

4. How can my nonprofit combine matching gifts with volunteer programs?

The most effective way to combine these programs is to treat a donor’s employment information as a “multi-purpose key.” Many corporations bundle their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, meaning a company that offers matching gifts is highly likely to also offer corporate volunteer grants or paid volunteer time off (PVTO).

Therefore, the strategy begins with data collection. When a supporter provides their employer’s name (whether during a donation checkout or a volunteer registration) you should not limit your screening to just one type of opportunity. Instead, you should ensure that you check for every available program that the company offers.

Here is how to turn that data into a cohesive strategy:

  • Comprehensive screening: When you capture a company name (e.g., “Microsoft”), use your fundraising software to query the database for all workplace giving programs. You will often find that the same company offering a 1:1 donation match also offers a monetary grant (e.g., $25 per hour) for time spent volunteering.
  • Cross-pollinated outreach: Once you know a supporter works for a company with a volunteer grant program, you can target your subsequent outreach specifically to them. instead of sending a generic “Come Volunteer” email, you can send a targeted message: “Did you know [Company Name] will donate to us if you volunteer 10 hours this month?”
  • Unified promotion: Specialized fundraising tools, like Double the Donation, allow you to promote these opportunities simultaneously. After a donor makes a gift, the automated follow-up can highlight their matching gift eligibility and inform them about available volunteer grants, effectively doubling the potential engagement points from a single interaction.

By validating all available programs upfront, you ensure that you are maximizing the revenue potential of every corporate partnership in your database.

5. How can my nonprofit use storytelling to increase matching gift submissions?

Effective storytelling bridges the gap between a corporate policy and a human impact. To drive submissions, you must move beyond the technical definition of a match and illustrate the tangible outcome of that extra revenue.

Here are three storytelling strategies to increase participation:

  • Visualize the multiplier effect: Start by highlighting the difference a match makes in program impact and share examples. Instead of saying “Your gift will be matched,” say “Your $50 provides one semester of supplies. With a match, that same contribution supports two students for the entire term.”
  • Leverage social proof: Feature testimonials from supporters who have successfully submitted a match. A short quote or video from a peer saying, “It only took me five minutes to log into my portal and double my donation,” is often more convincing than a set of instructions from your staff.
  • Celebrate the hidden heroes: In your newsletters and impact reports, explicitly recognize “corporate matched donors” as a distinct category of supporter. By publicly celebrating these individuals, you create a social incentive for others to check their eligibility and join that group.

6. How can staff and volunteers support matching gift programs?

Your staff can mention matching gift programs during donor calls, events, or volunteer orientation:

  • In regular communications such as email newsletters, internal meetings and social media channels, consistently remind staff and volunteers about available programs.
  • On your website, create a dedicated matching gift page with easy-to-follow, step-by-step guides on how to submit a matching gift request through their employer’s platform. Provide links to corporate portals or databases that list eligible companies and their specific guidelines.

Training your nonprofit team on effective fundraising tools can help your team guide supporters effectively and ensure consistent messaging across outreach.

7. How can nonprofits measure the success of matching gift campaigns?

To measure the success of your matching gift campaigns, your nonprofit should:

  • Track conversion rates, submission numbers, and total matched revenue
  • Monitor company-specific trends and monthly remittance reports to identify new match-eligible donors
  • Check email engagement rates to help refine communication strategies
  • Compare year-over-year match capture rates to refine strategies

By integrating a fundraising tool like Double the Donation, you can get access to these insights and analytics to inform outreach timing, messaging, and targeting.

Promoting Matching Gifts to Increase Donor Participation

Effective promotion of a matching gift program requires consistency across every touchpoint in the donor journey. By weaving these opportunities into your storytelling and digital presence, you not only secure immediate funds but also open the door to broader corporate volunteering and payroll giving conversations.

We encourage you to audit your automated donation receipts this week. Ensure they contain a clear call to action for matching gifts, as this single adjustment is often the highest-leverage step toward increasing your fundraising results.

To learn more about promoting matching gifts and other forms of workplace giving, explore more resources from Double the Donation and implement best practices, streamline processes, and capture more matching gifts today.

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Launch a Peer-to-Peer Campaign in 30 Days & Avoid Burnout

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Peer-to-peer fundraising not only allows you to raise funds for your cause, but it also empowers you to strengthen relationships with current supporters and build new bonds as well. It’s a way to expand your reach and spread your cause far and wide—all while giving your community members agency to lead.

However, launching a peer-to-peer campaign can be intimidating, as it requires coordinating a group of fundraisers, preparing them to take charge, and constantly communicating with both fundraisers and donors. This guide will help you get up and running with your campaign quickly while also avoiding burnout along the way.

Week 1: Hone Your Strategy

The first week of your campaign preparation is about setting the foundation. By the end of this week, your fundraising team should:

  • Define your campaign goal. Rally your community around a SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) goal. Instead of a vague goal like “raise $50,000,” your goal should provide context so fundraisers know exactly what they’re raising money for and donors understand what they’re contributing to. For example, your goal may be to “raise $50,000 to provide 200,000 meals to our community through our food bank.”
  • Choose your technology. Select a peer-to-peer fundraising software that allows you to set up team and individual fundraising pages, gamify your campaign, track fundraising progress, and easily share campaign pages. Test it ahead of time by setting up a sample fundraising page and making a small donation.
  • Build a toolkit. Developing a fundraising toolkit will equip your fundraisers with the resources they need and save time that your team would otherwise spend answering questions throughout the campaign. This toolkit should contain a document summarizing the story behind your campaign and why it matters, as well as photos they can share, email templates, sample social media posts, and a how-to guide explaining how to set up their campaign pages.

While creating your fundraising toolkit will help avoid burnout by preventing your team from constantly answering fundraiser questions, take it a step further by developing a peer-to-peer fundraiser hub. Whether you use a web page, shareable Google Drive folder, Slack channel, or something else entirely, keeping all resources in the same place will further streamline the process.

Week 2: Recruit Fundraisers

Next, assemble your team of fundraisers. To avoid burnout and keep your campaign focused, start small. Instead of sending a mass email and trying to recruit as many fundraisers as possible, identify 10-15 people who are passionate about your cause and will likely participate. Look at the following supporter segments to find this group:

  • Board members
  • Volunteers
  • Loyal donors
  • Past peer-to-peer participants

Once you have this group, host one kick-off call in which you introduce the campaign, review the fundraising toolkit, and answer any questions. Instead of onboarding fundraisers as they sign up, you can record this call and add the link to your welcome email, further preventing burnout and saving your team time.

Week 3: Launch Your Campaign

You’ve made it to campaign week! Before officially kicking off, set up your campaign website. Bloomerang Fundraising’s peer-to-peer fundraising guide recommends creating an FAQ page to answer common participant, donor, and volunteer questions, using cohesive branding to match your organization, and including a fundraising thermometer to visualize progress.

Then, do the following to maintain momentum and keep your campaign running smoothly:

  • Automate coaching emails. Create an automated drip campaign that encourages your fundraisers to continue engaging and sets them up for success without requiring manual reminders. For example, you may send them a reminder about the fundraising toolkit on the first day of the campaign, give them a tip for how to make their communications resonate on the third day, and update them on the campaign’s progress on the fifth day.
  • Schedule social media posts. Use a social media scheduling platform to plan your social media posts. That way, you don’t have to worry about what you’ll post each day of the campaign as it’s happening. Create a variety of posts that share beneficiary stories and impact statistics, reminding participants and donors what they’re contributing to.

Additionally, consider reaching out to different businesses to see if they’d be willing to support your campaign through a matching challenge. For example, a food bank might enlist a snack company to match every dollar raised during a certain hour or day of the campaign. A matching challenge can maximize the funds you raise and increase momentum in the middle of your campaign.

Week 4: Wrap Things Up

Can you believe it’s already time for your peer-to-peer campaign to come to a close? Finish strong and avoid late-stage burnout by:

  • Publicly recognizing standout participants. Instead of sending individual check-in emails, celebrate small wins publicly. This approach not only saves your team time but also motivates the rest of your fundraisers. For example, you may send a text blast to your fundraisers saying something like, “Happy Day 5 of the campaign! Congrats to Emma, who has already surpassed her fundraising goal of $2,000. Let’s keep the momentum going in these last couple of days!”
  • Automating reports. Once your campaign ends, run reports in your nonprofit CRM to determine the total amount raised and identify the top fundraisers who contributed the most. Then, send a quick wrap-up email to everyone involved that summarizes the results, and follow up with additional impact communications once you’ve used the funds raised.
  • Having fundraisers thank their donors. Chances are, you had tons of supporters contribute to your campaign, and it would be difficult to thank them all personally. Avoid burning out your team by assigning this responsibility to your fundraisers. Provide them with the email addresses of everyone who donated through their personal fundraising pages and a thank-you template to make the process seamless.

When you follow up with participants and donors through your wrap-up email, take the opportunity to offer additional engagement opportunities. While you shouldn’t ask for another donation right away, you likely acquired new donors through the campaign who may be interested in expanding their involvement through volunteering, advocacy, or events.

To continually improve your peer-to-peer fundraising approach, collect feedback from staff, participants, and donors. While staff can help you further streamline the process and prevent burnout, participants can offer suggestions for better training and motivating future fundraisers, and donors can provide valuable tips for engaging supporters and attracting them to your cause.

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4 Effective Places To Share Your Nonprofit’s Impact Stories

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Every story your nonprofit tells has the power to inspire generosity, build trust, and deepen relationships with supporters. But your impact stories can only do their job if people actually see them. Strategic placement matters just as much as the storytelling itself.

Impact stories bring your mission to life, transforming statistics into lived experiences and abstract goals into tangible outcomes. They connect donors to the people and communities their support touches. As a vital part of your nonprofit marketing plan, deciding where to share your stories is almost as important as the stories themselves.

Here are four of the most effective places to showcase your nonprofit impact stories and inspire ongoing donor engagement.

1. Your Nonprofit’s Website

Your website is your nonprofit’s digital home base and the most reliable place to showcase your impact stories. Unlike social media, where algorithms control visibility, your site offers full control over how stories appear and how long they’re accessible. A strong web presence helps users understand your mission at a glance, while also helping you measure and communicate nonprofit impact more effectively, showing donors what you do and the difference it makes.

Using your nonprofit site builder, you can build space for storytelling directly into your site’s structure.

Tips For Publishing Stories on Your Website

  • Create a dedicated “Stories” or “Impact” section. This makes it easy for visitors to find your collection of narratives that clearly link your work to tangible outcomes.
  • Embed videos and photos. Visuals make stories more compelling and relatable. Be sure to include image alt text and closed captions on videos for optimal accessibility.
  • Include a call-to-action (CTA). Place a clear next step—like “Donate,” “Volunteer,” or “Share this story”—at the end of each story.
  • Tag and categorize stories. Organize by program, theme, or audience so visitors can easily browse what’s most relevant to them.
  • Feature standout stories on your homepage. Rotating highlights draw readers deeper into your site and can also promote your current priorities.

For example, the Lymphoma Research Foundation highlights its Stories of Hope program with prominently featured impact stories and a filter that lets visitors browse by topic to meet diverse audience needs. The program encourages supporters to both submit and read stories, fostering connection and support, while also showcasing the direct outcomes of LRF’s work.

The Lymphoma Research Foundation’s website includes a Stories of Hope page to highlight impact stories.

2. Your Annual Report

Annual and impact reports aren’t just for financials! They’re a chance to show donors the real-world results of their generosity. Stories paired with data are especially effective in demonstrating progress across the donor lifecycle, showing how contributions translate into long-term change.

According to DonorSearch’s guide to nonprofit annual reports, organizations should balance quantitative results with qualitative storytelling. DonorSearch emphasizes that stories can bring numbers to life and help supporters emotionally connect with achievements.

How To Write Story-Driven Annual Reports

  • Lead with a testimonial. Start each section with a quote from a donor, volunteer, or beneficiary.
  • Show multiple perspectives. Feature stories from the people you serve, donors who make it possible, and volunteers who give their time.
  • Tie stories to your goals. Align narratives with campaign themes or strategic priorities for clarity and cohesion, and use data to back your narrative.
  • Use a narrative arc. Highlight a challenge, describe your nonprofit’s action, and showcase the outcome to drive the point home.

These stories transform your report into more than a compliance document. They turn it into a marketing and stewardship tool too.

3. Email Campaigns

Email is one of the most direct ways to connect with supporters—and one of the best vehicles for impact stories. In fact, email marketing drives about 28% of all online nonprofit revenue, making it an essential part of your communications strategy. The right story in the right format can strengthen appeals, especially when supported by proven email templates that increase donations.

Impact stories in emails help humanize your appeals and keep readers engaged over time. They also provide opportunities to link back to full stories on your site, increasing traffic and visibility.

Types of Emails That Benefit from Stories

  • Monthly newsletters. Include a “story of the month” to keep supporters emotionally connected.
  • Fundraising appeals. Show the real impact of past donations to encourage future gifts.
  • Event invitations. Feature beneficiary or volunteer stories to highlight why participation matters.
  • Thank-you emails. Share a recent win or testimonial to reinforce donors’ role in your success.

Cornershop Creative’s nonprofit email marketing guide highlights that email campaigns work best when tailored to audience needs. For example, segmented email lists ensure that stories resonate with the right supporters—major donors, new volunteers, or recurring givers.

4. Social Media

Social media platforms thrive on storytelling. With the right approach, they allow your nonprofit to amplify impact stories far beyond your immediate circle. Since posts can be reshared by staff, volunteers, and supporters, one strategic story can ripple across networks and attract new audiences.

How To Create Story-Fueled Social Posts

  • Customize for each platform. Instagram works best for visual snippets, while Facebook and LinkedIn allow longer, more detailed storytelling.
  • Encourage shares. Ask your board, staff, or volunteers to engage with content to expand reach.
  • Diversify your stories. Share behind-the-scenes looks, spotlight donor contributions, highlight volunteers, or feature direct quotes from beneficiaries.
  • Use images and videos. Visual content grabs attention and boosts engagement rates across platforms.

By turning your impact stories into engaging posts, you not only update existing supporters but also position your nonprofit for discovery by entirely new audiences. This strategy is especially powerful when tied to a fundraising goal. For example, pairing stories with event promotion—like highlighting beneficiary voices leading up to a fundraiser—can increase reach and drive registrations.

Final Thoughts

Nonprofit impact stories are more than feel-good narratives—they are powerful tools for building donor trust, deepening loyalty, and inspiring new gifts. By sharing them strategically on your website, in annual reports, through email, and across social media, you ensure that the right people see them in the right places.

Start small: choose one channel and begin sharing stories regularly. Over time, expand your efforts across platforms so supporters encounter consistent reminders of your mission’s success. When done well, your storytelling will inspire generosity and fuel long-term donor relationships.

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Understanding Donor Fatigue: Signs, Causes, and Solutions

Imagine this: You open your monthly report and notice some abnormal trends. Mid-level giving has dipped. A donor who reliably gives at year-end has been silent. A loyal monthly donor’s contributions have become infrequent. You know your mission is still worthy, so why has their behavior changed?

It’s donor fatigue. And that’s not just a trendy catchphrase or theoretical concept; it’s actually a practical threat to the sustainable revenue you need to plan programs, grow impact, and keep the lights on.

The kicker is that donor fatigue is a symptom of a faltering engagement strategy. However, that means you can take steps now to keep donors engaged or even bring back those who are drifting away.

In this article, we’ll explore why donor fatigue occurs and provide tactical, immediate solutions to keep your donors engaged.

Uncover the Causes of Donor Fatigue

Donor fatigue happens when supporters feel overwhelmed, undervalued, or disconnected from your mission and unsure about the impact of their support.

To identify the specific causes of fatigue affecting your supporters, leverage your donor management software. As CharityEngine explains, this software tracks all donor information and interactions to give you a complete picture of where your supporters stand.

However, there are a few general pitfalls that fuel donor fatigue across organizations:

  • The over-solicitation trap: Too many asks, period. If every donor touchpoint costs them money, they’ll start avoiding your communications. Supporters want various ways to engage beyond monetary contributions.
  • The generic ask: Donors don’t want to feel like a line item on a spreadsheet or like you’ve crafted emails using copy and paste. Personalization makes donors feel seen and appreciated as true partners in your nonprofit’s mission.
  • Impact amnesia: If you don’t close the loop by explaining how a donation helped your mission, donors may feel like they poured money into a bottomless pit. Connect the act of donating with the feel-good results, and donors will feel invested in your cause.

While staying aware of these common pitfalls is important, only you know your donors, and you’ll recognize the unique signals that something’s amiss! The sooner you act, the quicker you’ll reengage your supporters.

How to Prevent (and Address) Donor Fatigue

1. Identify Red Flags and Intervene Early

Donors won’t get fatigued overnight. If you pay attention, you can see subtle shifts that indicate your engagement strategies need refinement.

Here are five red flags and some suggestions on how to act on them:

  • Decline in gift frequency: Regular giving followed by a sudden pause in contributions for an extended period of time is an early warning sign of donor fatigue.
    • Use your fundraising software to run a report highlighting those with declining giving frequency. Send a personalized note to each individual, just checking in rather than asking for a donation.
  • Smaller average gifts: Similar to a decrease in gift frequency, reduced gift size may signal the early stages of disengagement.
    • Pick up the phone! Call to thank donors for their most recent gifts and share specific stories about how their contributions impacted your mission.
  • Missing events: If your nonprofit plans an event, and a supporter who usually attends fails to show up, they may also start to disengage with your organization in other ways.
    • Send a personal note expressing your gratitude for their support and letting them know you missed seeing them.
  • Email disengagement: Declining email open and click-through rates, among other metrics, show that fewer supporters are interacting with your communications.
    • Test new subject lines or calls to action (CTAs), and create email templates that follow best practices to boost engagement. You can even switch to a different channel for outreach (like phone calls, direct mail, or SMS) if necessary.
  • Sustainer churn: A recurring donor who cancels their gift is likely experiencing fatigue. Once they stop contributing regularly to your cause, they’ll begin disconnecting in other ways, as well.
    • Reach out with gratitude for past support, and then offer some alternatives. Donors may consider participating in your advocacy campaign, instead. Or, perhaps long-term volunteers want to make a monetary donation for a short period.

Share common red flags across the team so everyone is aware of signs that forewarn donor fatigue.

2. Sharpen Your Ask With Personalization

Instead of feeling like another name on your nonprofit’s long list of supporters, each donor should feel individually recognized, appreciated, and needed by your organization. Tailor messages to recipients’ unique interests and motivations.

Segment recipients into groups based on shared characteristics. Here are some segmentation criteria you can consider:

  • Interests: Focus on projects, programs, and activities that supporters have historically shown interest in. For instance, consider which fundraising causes or projects donors contributed to. Also, track volunteer data to identify which projects and events appeal most to those who donate their time.
  • Last gift: Your outreach should be appropriate according to the recipients’ existing levels of involvement. For example, you don’t want to ask someone who donated three days ago for another gift or send another “urgent” message to someone who hasn’t given in 18 months. For recent donors, send gratitude messages and impact information. For long-lapsed donors, reintroduce them to your mission before requesting a donation.
  • Prospects: If you’ve conducted prospect research and identified a group of potential supporters (or existing donors who might be willing to upgrade their gifts), that’s great! However, set them aside in a group that needs cultivation, so you know not to reach out to these individuals with donation requests just yet.
  • Off-limits: Some people just aren’t ready to hear from your organization yet, and that’s okay. Hitting the brakes on reaching out to certain contacts shows donors you respect them.

Try applying these segments to your next campaign. Even adjusting one appeal with tailored messaging can instantly and dramatically reduce donor fatigue.

3. Automate Donor Retention Through Recurring Giving

Recurring giving is the gold standard for avoiding donor fatigue: donors give consistently without constant requests, and nonprofits can focus on showing gratitude and reporting their impact. This type of program keeps them engaged with your mission.

Here are some quick tips to fortify your recurring giving program:

  1. Optimize your donation form. Make the recurring option the default or most visible choice. Keep fields to a minimum so signing up is frictionless.
  2. Invest in payment recovery. Expired credit cards are a leading cause of sustainer churn. Use automated card updater tools or soft retries to prevent donors from having to re-enter details.
  3. Track relevant metrics. Don’t just watch total recurring revenue. Track retention rates, average gift size, and churn reasons to help you spot trends and take action quickly.

It can be helpful to craft a donor journey for recurring givers. They don’t need heavy solicitation, but you should remind them often that their ongoing commitment fuels growing impact.

Donor fatigue poses a significant challenge for nonprofits. But once you realize it’s not that donors are losing interest, you can take a close look at your engagement strategies and see what you need to tweak.

When your team is attuned to early warning signs and can avoid common pitfalls, you can quickly develop strategies around personalization and recurring giving. The result? You’re protecting revenue and strengthening donor relationships.

At the end of the day, donors don’t want to feel like a nameless cash machine. They want to feel like partners in your mission. When you treat them that way, you’ll banish donor fatigue and win long-term support.

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4 Best Strategies to Boost Funding for Your Nonprofit

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Nonprofits face constant pressure to raise funds to power their mission—a pressure that has only grown as the federal government slashes funding for these organizations. To stay afloat, mission-driven organizations must sharpen their existing fundraising strategies and introduce creative new ideas.

Your fundraising strategy should evolve as your nonprofit’s needs and abilities change. In this guide, we’ll discuss four innovative and effective strategies for boosting funding now and in the long term.

1. Diversify with Mission-Aligned Earned Income

The key to long-term sustainability for nonprofits is diversified revenue streams. You may decide to accept stock, gifts from donor-advised funds (DAFs), or crypto donations, but many nonprofits find the most success by launching mission-aligned business ventures that create revenue and community value.

Like businesses, nonprofits usually offer services or products to earn extra income.

Services

Depending on your nonprofit’s mission, exploring service-based ideas like educational workshops might make sense. Selling services can increase supporters’ awareness of your brand and cement your organization as a part of your local community. You can get creative with these events and connect them to your cause.

For example, Trees Atlanta is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and expanding Atlanta’s tree canopy. It charges a fee for private walking tours with guides who can point out native wildlife and share the area’s history. These events educate the public about Trees Atlanta’s mission, provide something of value for the community, and generate additional revenue for the organization.

Products

Most commonly, nonprofits sell branded merchandise for extra income and to aid their marketing efforts. Apparel merch is particularly popular, as it allows supporters to wear their passion for your mission on their sleeve (literally!). Look for eco-friendly products to show that your organization seeks to do good at every level of its operations.

Your organization doesn’t have to stop at selling branded merchandise. An increasingly popular sustainable revenue option is a mission-aligned thrift store, which generates steady income while engaging your community in new ways. Host a capital campaign to get the necessary funding to open your storefront (whether digital or physical) and invest in important tools like a point of sale (POS) system. A dedicated thrift store POS system is the best option, as these solutions have features to meet specific thrift store needs.

For example, Lost-n-Found Youth is a nonprofit with a mission to support LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness. In addition to its traditional fundraising efforts, Lost-n-Found operates a nonprofit thrift store, the proceeds of which go towards the Lost-n-Found mission.

Regardless of which option you choose, focus on mission alignment and select an idea that matches your audience’s needs and interests. Share with supporters how this new venture will help your cause and ask them what offerings they want to see from your organization.

2. Launch a Recurring Giving Program

A strong recurring donor base provides monthly financial stability and deepens donor relationships. Even small monthly gifts add up—CharityEngine reports that recurring donors give more annually, and donors who give regularly tend to stick around for longer.

Here are some tips to create and sustain a recurring gift program:

  • Identify prospects. Donors who already make frequent gifts, longtime donors, and supporters who engage in multiple ways are your best bet for recurring donors. Comb through your donor database to identify donors who fall into these categories. Then, send these donors personalized fundraising letters to invite them to become a larger part of your mission.
  • Brand your program. Name your recurring gift program to show these donors that you see their commitment and foster a sense of community. For example, charity:water calls their monthly donors “The Spring” and asks web visitors to join their program using community-focused language and impact statements: “Join the global community serving 37,413 people every month.”
  • Make recurring giving easy. Many donors may be attracted to the idea of convenient, impactful giving, but they won’t always seek out your recurring giving program on their own. To make joining more convenient, allow donors to toggle between one-time and recurring gifts on the donation page. You can also add impact labels to your monthly giving levels; charity:water, for example, writes that a $20/monthly donation provides six people with clean water every year.

By creating and promoting a recurring gift program, you reduce your reliance on one-time gifts and secure consistent revenue for your nonprofit. Send consistent reminders to your donors to update their payment information as necessary, as an expired card can mean a lapsed donor.

3. Partner with Local Businesses

Strategic collaborations with local businesses are mutually beneficial; while your organization gains access to unprecedented funding, resources, and new supporters, local businesses generate goodwill and receive free advertising. Because of these benefits, there is potential to create long-term relationships that bolster your nonprofit’s stability.

Secure meaningful partnerships by:

  • Emphasizing alignment: The businesses you partner with should have ethics that match your own, but your mission must also speak to their goals and values. Look at a potential partner’s website to research their values and the language they use to describe their business, then formulate an outreach message that shows how a partnership will benefit you both.
  • Engaging on multiple levels: Your partnership doesn’t have to stop at sponsorships. Talk to your partners about hosting employee volunteer days to gain additional hands-on assistance. You also might seek in-kind donations for a charity raffle or auction. Or, if you have a nonprofit thrift store, you can accept in-kind donations to sell. ThriftCart lists dead stock as one of the best ways for a thrift store to add valuable items to its inventory while helping businesses get rid of items they no longer want.

Start by proposing a small project to test the fit of your two organizations. Then, keep the relationship going by showing your appreciation and how the partnership impacted both your organizations. You can even feature business donors in your newsletters or social media to show your gratitude.

4. Hone Your Grantseeking Strategy

It’s no secret that grants can be a powerful source of funding. The 2024 State of Grantseeking Report found that 91% of nonprofits surveyed submitted at least one grant application in the past year. To compete against all the other nonprofits throwing their hats in the ring, your nonprofit must approach grantseeking with focus and intention. Refine your approach to maximize your chances of winning funding and avoid wasting time on dead-end applications:

  • Start with values alignment. Go beyond the funder’s basic eligibility criteria by researching their past grantees, strategic goals, and published reports to gauge how your mission fits into their broader vision. For example, if you’re seeking funding to launch a nonprofit thrift store that supports workforce development, focus on funders prioritizing economic mobility and community-based sustainability.
  • Use a “modular” grant writing system. Build a bank of pre-written, mission-aligned content that you can mix and match across applications—such as your mission statement, key impact stats, or bios of program staff. This saves time while ensuring every proposal still feels personalized and high-quality.
  • Track outcomes. Keep tabs on which proposals received funding, which were declined, and what feedback (if any) you received. Over time, patterns will emerge around which funders resonate with your work, what narratives land best, and how to evolve your approach.

With a focused grant-seeking strategy, you can do more than cross your fingers while waiting for a response and see real change in the outcomes of your grant applications.

Nonprofits cannot afford to become complacent; you must always innovate and reimagine to continue advancing your mission. These funding strategies allow you to make the most of limited resources to create stability for your organization and bring your community of supporters closer together. Experiment with what strategies work best for your nonprofit’s resources, goals, and audience, and follow the most promising path forward.

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A Beginner’s Guide to Nonprofit Revenue Management

Nonprofit revenue is rarely predictable. Donor behavior shifts, variable funding cycles, and economic pressures can make accurate planning feel impossible. But with the right revenue management strategies, your team can take control of your nonprofit’s resources and make more informed decisions.

In this guide, we’ll break down what nonprofit revenue management is, what its benefits are, and how your organization can implement successful strategies.

What is nonprofit revenue management (and why does it matter)?

Nonprofit revenue management is the process of actively monitoring, planning, and optimizing income to support both short- and long-term goals. Effective revenue management tracks not only how much money comes in, but also when cash flows occur and what types of revenue your nonprofit receives.

Revenue management aims to optimize your nonprofit’s income sources and timing to ensure financial sustainability and alignment with your goals, even if you face complex situations or challenges. Understanding when and how revenue will be available allows you to make informed decisions about launching new programs, hiring staff, or scaling operations, which in turn fosters greater trust with stakeholders and empowers your team to proactively manage challenges.

Top Revenue Management Tips

Understand and categorize your current revenue streams

Before you can manage revenue effectively, you need to understand where it comes from. Tracking your current revenue streams lays the groundwork for more accurate forecasting and budgeting, helping you allocate resources effectively.

  • Identify all current sources of income: individual donations, grants, investment returns, corporate sponsorships, and earned income (e.g., membership fees or product sales).
  • Categorize each by type, timing (recurring or one-time), and restrictions (unrestricted vs. restricted).
  • Develop a reporting process that allows you to monitor revenue trends and understand how different streams perform over time.

There are a range of tools you can use to power your reporting process. Jitasa’s guide to nonprofit accounting explains that “while many organizations start out managing their finances in a spreadsheet, a specialized accounting platform will become necessary as your nonprofit grows.”

Remember to work with your finance team to ensure that revenue is classified accurately in your accounting system. Accurate categorization is essential not only for producing reliable financial reports but also for passing audits and maintaining transparency with your board and donors.

Diversify revenue for financial stability

After categorizing your organization’s revenue streams, you’ll be able to see what sources you’re relying on the most and what areas offer potential for growth. Use this information to take steps to create a more sustainable funding model through revenue diversification.

Try implementing one or more of the following programs to braid a new tactic into your revenue streams:

  • Create a monthly giving program. These programs encourage donors to commit to a recurring gift each month. This revenue is predictable, typically unrestricted, and useful for long-term planning. Leverage it by identifying and reaching out to your most loyal supporters about joining, as well as offering easy sign-up options with suggested donation tiers.
  • Tap into workplace giving opportunities. Employee matching gifts, volunteer grants, and charitable giving stipends are all examples of common corporate programs that encourage employees to give to nonprofits like yours. 360MatchPro’s guide to workplace giving strategies suggests you make the most of workplace giving opportunities by familiarizing yourself with businesses that have existing programs and building relationships with these companies by showing how your missions are aligned.
  • Explore nontraditional donation types. Cash and credit aren’t your only options for accepting donations—many donors today appreciate the option to donate stock, donor-advised fund grants, or even cryptocurrency. Nonprofits that accept both asset and cash donations can increase individual contributions by 55%, so it’s worth it to set up a brokerage account or invest in a donation platform that makes these transfers easy.

Diversification reinforces your revenue management efforts by smoothing out cash flow and increasing resilience, ultimately allowing your team to plan with greater confidence and flexibility.

Implement a revenue forecasting process.

Forecasting helps you make informed decisions with greater agility, particularly when managing multiple, fluctuating revenue streams. It’s dynamic and relies on real-time data to project cash flow trends.

Here are some tips to get started with forecasting:

  • Analyze your historical revenue patterns, including seasonality in donations and the timing of grant disbursements. Use this information to establish baselines for future expectations.
  • Segment your forecasts by source to gain insight into how reliable and consistent each revenue stream may be. Factor in donor behavior such as giving frequency, average gift size, and retention rates to more accurately anticipate how your revenue streams will perform over time.
  • Use technology like your CRM and accounting software to automate data collection and streamline forecasting. These tools can track pledges, recurring gifts, funding restrictions, and real-time donation activity, helping you adjust projections as new trends emerge.

A consistent forecasting process helps your team identify revenue gaps before they impact programs, optimize campaign timing, and build a more agile, resilient fundraising strategy.

Align fundraising and finance

Breaking down barriers between finance and fundraising aids with strategic decision-making and overall revenue management. These two functions may speak different “languages,” but their goals are the same: ensuring your organization has the funds it needs, when it needs them, to achieve its mission.

Ensure these areas work together by:

  • Holding regular meetings between departments to review forecasts, budgets, and revenue reports.
  • Working together to understand nonprofit revenue recognition, especially for large gifts, grants, or pledges.
  • Using financial reports to inform campaign strategies—for example, if financial professionals anticipate a dip in available unrestricted funds mid-year, your fundraising team can plan a targeted donor appeal to bridge the gap.
  • Encouraging fundraisers to use revenue insights to segment donors, pitch appropriate gift levels, and identify growth opportunities.

Collaborations between finance and fundraising teams help you use your revenue data to take strategic action. This ensures that budgets are grounded in real fundraising potential, that forecasts reflect operational needs, and that your revenue management strategy is accurate and adaptable.

Effective revenue management is essential for your nonprofit to be sustainable and impactful. When your team understands the full picture of where revenue comes from and how to make decisions that maximize your funding, you can plan for the future with more precision and purpose.

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The Donor Lifecycle: What It Means for Your Nonprofit

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Imagine you’re a brand-new nonprofit donor. You’re intrigued, curious, and excited about the prospect of making a difference through your involvement. But after receiving one thank-you email and a generic event invitation, you don’t hear anything else from the organization. It may slip your mind completely, ending a relationship that had only just begun.

As a nonprofit, you can avoid this situation by prioritizing the donor lifecycle. Approaching every supporter as a potential long-term relationship helps you connect with them more easily, improve communications, and ultimately build a thriving donor community.

In this beginner’s guide, we’ll explore the donor lifecycle and how you can leverage it to build stronger, long-lasting relationships with supporters.

What is the donor lifecycle?

The donor lifecycle is a framework used to understand and facilitate a supporter’s journey from prospect to long-term donor for your nonprofit. It encompasses the full length of a donor’s relationship with your organization, no matter how long they stay involved.

Since every supporter has a unique relationship with your nonprofit, individuals’ donor lifecycles will vary. One person may be a one-time donor who lapses after a year before getting re-engaged down the line, while another moves swiftly from prospect to donor to loyal peer-to-peer fundraiser. Regardless, understanding and optimizing your communications based on the donor lifecycle will help you improve relationships.

Stages of the donor lifecycle

You can break down a donor’s lifecycle in several different ways, but we’ll start with the most basic version. Typically, you can follow a supporter’s relationship with your nonprofit through these four stages:

  • Identification: Your team identifies the individual as a prospective donor. You might use research to find a major giving prospect or simply note that a member of your target audience visited your website or followed your organization on social media.
  • Cultivation: In the cultivation stage, the supporter learns more about your nonprofit as you start building a relationship with them. This may involve targeted, personalized outreach or general invitations to learn more about your cause and get involved.
  • Solicitation: This is when an individual makes a gift and becomes a donor. They might do this on their own or in response to a personalized fundraising appeal.
  • Stewardship: After donating, your nonprofit must keep the donor engaged by following up regularly, showing appreciation, demonstrating impact, and providing new opportunities to get involved.

The length of these stages can vary considerably, and a donor can move through the cycle multiple times. For instance, one person might learn about your nonprofit and donate within a few hours, while a planned giving prospect spends months getting to know your organization in the cultivation stage before making a commitment.

Depending on a supporter’s giving potential, you can also expand the donor lifecycle to include other steps like research and upgrades. If you want to upgrade a mid-level donor to the next giving tier, for example, you could move them back through the cycle or create a dedicated upgrade campaign after stewardship.

Why the donor lifecycle matters

Once you understand the importance of the donor lifecycle, you can learn how to deepen relationships and build a strong base of support. We’ve compiled three core takeaways you can act on today.

1. It’s vital to track donor relationships.

To improve any donor relationship, you first need to understand where they are in their lifecycle—and you can’t do this without thoroughly tracking donor data.

Use a constituent relationship management (CRM) system or other fundraising platform to organize and analyze data easily. According to OneCause, using holistic fundraising software with analytics capabilities helps you strengthen donor relationships and improve retention rates. To leverage the full potential of your software, track information like:

  • Giving history: Donors’ giving amounts, methods, frequencies, and habits
  • Communication preferences: How each supporter wants to be contacted, such as via email, text, phone call, or direct mail
  • Engagement history: The types of events, volunteer opportunities, and online interactions a donor has participated in and when
  • Notes from conversations: Any information you learn about a donor’s giving motivations, cause interests, or concerns
  • Personal details: Contact information, relevant relationships, personal interests, and other information that helps you better understand each supporter
  • Prospect research findings: Wealth data, other philanthropic activity, and verified charitable interests
  • Feedback: Any opinions they shared in surveys or conversations

This data will not only help you determine where donors are in the lifecycle but also how you can move them to the next stage. Use tracked information to inform your cultivation and stewardship efforts and personalize outreach.

2. You need an ongoing stewardship plan.

Relationships don’t spring up—and grow—out of nowhere. If the donor lifecycle teaches you anything, it should be that your nonprofit must work intentionally to engage, steward, and retain donors long-term.

To do so efficiently, you need a detailed plan. Develop a stewardship plan for ongoing engagement based on what appeals most to your unique donor base. Include several interactions and touchpoints you want to make with donors after they give, such as sending:

  • Welcome letters and emails for first-time donors
  • Prompt, personalized thank-you messages
  • Invitations to get more involved by attending events, volunteering, or taking a tour
  • Program, campaign, and impact updates
  • Annual reports
  • Requests for feedback

Ideally, your stewardship efforts should look different based on donors’ giving levels and individual preferences, but having a basic stewardship plan is an important first step. You can adjust this plan as needed, tailoring it to be more appropriate for certain donors. For example, you might manually individualize plans for each of your major donors while using your CRM to automate outreach for new supporters.

3. Give every relationship the attention it deserves.

The donor lifecycle proves that any supporter can become an impactful, long-term donor. This means you should engage every donor with the goal of building a genuine, lasting relationship with them.

The lifecycle isn’t just for major donors and prospects—even first-time event guests who bid on auction items or enter a raffle should be entered into your stewardship cadence. In fact, one study found that “auction donors are very likely to become long-term donors, with 83% reporting likelihood to become an annual donor.” Giving these supporters attention means:

  • Getting to know them personally
  • Sharing relevant information about your cause
  • Inviting them to get more involved
  • Genuinely appreciating their support

For instance, say you learn that a charity auction guest named Maria prefers text-to-give and has a special interest in your advocacy work. After sending her a thank-you message, you might text her a link to a blog post about your latest advocacy success. Then, invite her to sign a petition or take another action to make a greater impact.

To ensure your efforts remain sustainable, the level of individualized attention you give to donors should vary based on their gift size, giving potential, and engagement level, but every supporter should receive something.

Navigating the donor lifecycle

As you get to know your donors better and record that data in your fundraising solutions, you can adjust the type of information you track and how you plan to engage them over time. Keep the donor journey in mind when making decisions, and you’ll inspire deeper, longer-lasting relationships that help your organization thrive.

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