How to improve donor engagement: 10 tips from top nonprofits

With so many worthy causes vying for attention, how do you turn a one-time donor into a long-term supporter? It’s no longer enough to send a thank you note or rely on a generic email campaign. Today, your donor communications need to be personalized and meaningful if you want to make a lasting impact.

A strategic approach to donor engagement isn’t just a “nice-to-have”—it’s the key to sustaining a thriving community of donors who are ready to support your next fundraising campaign. 

In this guide, we’ll share tried-and-true donor engagement strategies from fundraising experts and nonprofits, along with must-know best practices for building a loyal supporter base.

What is donor engagement?

Donor engagement encompasses every tactic and strategy you use to attract and retain supporters. It’s more than just sending an automatic donation receipt or an email newsletter—it’s about building lasting relationships through regular, thoughtful, and personalized communication.

Your approach to donor engagement should go beyond single transactions and generic messaging. Instead, view it as an opportunity to connect with donors individually and nurture loyalty—even if that means personalization at scale.

When done well, donor engagement drives loyalty and retention. With donor retention declining year over year, it’s more important than ever to improve your approach to donor relations. Engaged supporters feel welcome, valued, and appreciated, making them more likely to donate regularly, increase their giving, or encourage potential donors to join your cause.

10 donor engagement strategies to stay connected with your audience

Turning a one-time donor into a loyal supporter might feel challenging, but it’s absolutely achievable with the right donor engagement strategies. After all, donor acquisition can be tough, so you want to hold on tightly to your existing supporters.

To level up the way you communicate and deepen your connections with supporters, here are the best tactics to add to your donor engagement plan.

1. Send personalized thank you videos

Video is a powerful tool to stand out, and personalized videos are even more impactful. Send a short video that mentions the donor by name along with their specific contribution. Videos are especially impactful after a major donation or fundraising campaign.

Why it works:

• It feels personal: A video recorded just for you feels more genuine and heartfelt than a personalized email.
• It’s unique: Most nonprofit organizations aren’t taking advantage of thank you videos, so this is your chance to stand out.
• It makes the donor feel like a VIP: It’s not every day that someone receives a personalized video, so it’ll help them feel more invested in your cause.

One of the most effective donor engagement tactics I’ve coached a client through involved using personalized thank you videos immediately after a donation. People replied to say how meaningful it was to receive a direct thank you rather than a generic receipt. Some even initiated conversations that led to deeper engagement with the organization. — Mallory Erickson, Executive Leadership & Development Coach

How to get started:

1. Choose the right software: You can record your own videos using tools like Loom, or you can use dedicated nonprofit software like ThankView.
2. Prepare your script: Decide what you’re going to say in advance. It doesn’t have to be a long video to make an impact. Something short like “Dear [Name], thank you for your donation of [donation amount]. With it, we were able to [impact].”
3. Send your videos: If you’re creating and sending videos manually, this step might take awhile. Simplify the process by choosing Givebutter’s ThankView integration. 

Personalized thank you videos are an incredible way to show your donors how much they matter. While they can have a high production cost and take a while to organize, it’s worth considering for high-value donations or major campaigns.

💰 Cost: $$

💪 Effort: High

2. Invite donors to events

If your donors give online, they may not have had the chance to experience your hospitality or get to know your team in person. Change that by inviting them to an event or live experience, where they can connect with your mission and feel like a VIP for the night. Gala nights, family fun days, and donor appreciation events are all great opportunities to meet your supporters in person.

Why it works:

• It’s easy to do: If you’re already planning an event, making space on the guest list for some of your donors doesn’t add much extra work to event planning.
• It makes your donors feel special: Being invited to a gala night or donor appreciation event shows your supporters how valued they are. 
• It’s easy to tailor to your needs and budget: Plan a sophisticated dinner or a casual meetup in the park—whatever works best for your organization and resources.

How to get started:

1. Decide what event to host: Figure out which type of event would work well, then begin the event planning process.
2. Finalize your guest list: Decide how many donors you can invite, any criteria for who makes the list, or how you’ll allocate tickets to donors at random.
3. Plan unique event experiences: Think of ways you can enhance the atmosphere on the day, like a photo booth, personalized merch, or behind-the-scenes experiences.

Inviting your biggest supporters to events is a win-win. You get the chance to build deeper relationships with your donors, express your gratitude in person, and inspire future giving. Meanwhile, they gain exclusive access to connect with your organization’s mission in a more personal way.

💰 Cost: $$-$$$

💪 Effort: Medium

3. Ask for feedback

Donor engagement isn’t just about thank you notes and fancy invitations—it’s also about listening. Survey donors to ask for feedback on what’s working and what could be improved, so you can refine your approach before your next campaign launch.

Why it works:

• It shows growth: Donors see that you’re open to working together to improve your donor communications and experiences, making them feel valued.
• It sets you apart: Many organizations don’t ask donors for feedback, so giving them a voice helps your nonprofit stand out.
• It’s cost-effective: With the right survey tool, gathering donor feedback is easy and affordable—even with a small team or budget.

How to get started:

1. Prepare the right questions: Identify what you want to learn, then craft purposeful survey questions, testing them on a small audience first.
2. Send your survey strategically: Schedule it to go out to segmented groups in your donor database, whether on a specific date, after their first donation, or on a recurring basis.
3. Analyze and take action: Review the feedback, identify patterns, and implement improvements based on donor input.

You don’t need an expensive research team to learn what your supporters want. A simple feedback request can reveal key insights and help you create an even better donor experience.

💰 Cost: $-$$

💪 Effort: Low

4. Spotlight donors in your communications

Every nonprofit organization has superstar donors. They may not always be your biggest financial contributors, but their passion and dedication make a difference. Take some time to shout out their impact to drive even more engagement your way.

Why it works:

• It’s personal: Being mentioned in an update, case study, or on social media for a cause you care about feels special.
• It uses storytelling: Donations and the stories behind them are powerful, and this strategy gives you a chance to showcase your storytelling abilities.
• It’s easy to do: Asking a donor if they’d like to be featured in your promotional materials is a simple request that doesn’t require a big budget.

How to get started:

1. Identify good candidates: Look for stories and people that would resonate on social media or in your impact report. Be sure to ask if they’re comfortable being featured, as not all donors want to be recognized publicly.
2. Prepare your messaging: Collect information from your donor, such as a smiling photo and a short bio, and craft a message to go alongside that highlights their contributions.
3. Share your spotlights: Add the content to your promo schedule and tag the donor in any social media posts so they can share it with their network. If you’re a Givebutter user, the supporter feed is a great way to celebrate your donors.

Happy donors are often excited to help you bring in new supporters. Shining the spotlight on them is a fun way to encourage others to get involved—especially if they know the featured donor or have a similar backstory.

💰 Cost: $

💪 Effort: Low

5. Be active on social media

Recent research shows that 32% of donors are most inspired to give through social media. If you’re not already leveraging these platforms, now might be the perfect time to start. Plan a social media strategy that helps users discover who you are, what you do, and how they can get involved.

Why it works:

• It meets people where they are: Rather than asking people to attend an event or visit your website, reach them on the apps they’re already using.
• It’s long-lasting: A strong social media strategy can provide content ideas and plans that last for months and years.
• It’s possible to extend the reach with ads: Put some budget behind key pieces of content or collaborate with influencers to amplify your message and tap into new audiences.

How to get started:

1. Create a social media strategy: Determine your goals, which platforms align with your audience, and how you’ll approach social media at your nonprofit organization.
2. Plan your content: Develop a consistent content schedule, using a mix of stories, video, audio, and graphics to get your message across.
3. Engage with your community: Respond to comments, like replies, and initiate conversations with your followers.

Maintaining a social media presence takes a lot of effort, but it’s worthwhile. When done right, you can capture the attention of your supporters and motivate them to give. 

💰 Cost: $-$$

💪 Effort: Medium

6. Send personalized milestone messages

It’s nice to be remembered, whether on your birthday or for being part of a community for a long time. Bring some of that feel-good magic to your donor communications by sending messages at milestone moments to celebrate your donors’ involvement. 

Why it works:

• It’s highly personal: There’s nothing quite like receiving a custom message acknowledging a milestone in your relationship.
• It’s rewarding: Your message shows that you care about your donor, and helps them feel good about their contributions.
• It encourages future giving: A well-timed message about how they’ve always donated in their birthday month can spark another donation this year.

We use Givebutter almost daily. We love that we can also text our supporters. The ease of scheduling communications is fantastic and it saves me so much time. — Givebutter Review, Marisa C.

How to get started:

1. Identify which milestones to celebrate: Decide which moments should trigger an email. This could include birthdays, donation anniversaries, and other significant dates that you’ve recorded.
2. Prepare your messaging: Create a short script you can tailor for each type of milestone and include specific donor data like the number of years contributing or the total amount given over time.
3. Automate your milestone messages: Set up a workflow within your donor engagement software to automatically send these emails to donors at the right time.

Take that thank you message further and express gratitude to donors regularly with milestone messages. If you have the data and the ability to automate workflows, this is one donor engagement strategy that won’t take you long to set up.

💰 Cost: $-$$

💪 Effort: Low

7. Share success stories

Donors want to know that their contributions are making a difference. Paint a picture of the impact they’ve made by sharing success stories. This is highly effective within an annual report or Giving Tuesday recap, but impact stories are also valuable year-round, especially on social media.

Why it works:

• It shows your work in action: Donors get an inside look at how their contributions make real-world change.
• It’s transparent: Success stories give donors a clear view of where their money is being spent and how it delivers value.
• It’s uplifting: News of successful projects always resonates well, creating a feel-good moment that strengthens donor relationships.

How to get started:

1. Collect data: Partner with project teams and volunteers to gather data that helps you craft compelling stories.
2. Prepare your impact stories: Combine data, imagery, and storytelling to create messages that showcase your work.
3. Share your success stories with donors: Feature your impact stories on your website, social media, newsletters, and as part of your impact reports.

Gathering data and project outcomes isn’t always easy, but it’s worthwhile. If you’re able to do it, you can transform this information into valuable case studies and impact stories that help build connections with your donors and attract corporate sponsors and potential investors.

💰 Cost: $$

💪 Effort: High

8. Ask your board members to get involved

Your donors probably hear from your marketing and engagement team all the time, but it’s more rare for them to receive a direct message from a board member. Use this sense of novelty by leveraging the expertise of your board members to send personalized messages that carry added weight.

Why it works:

• It’s uncommon: Many board members, especially at larger nonprofits, don’t have time to engage directly with donors. Messages from them really stand out.
• It builds trust and loyalty: Board members offer a unique perspective, giving donors deeper insight into the organization.
• It feels special: Receiving a message from a board member can feel rewarding and noteworthy.

How to get started:

1. Approach your board members: Check in with your board to see who is willing and available to help with this.
2. Plan a campaign: Choose an approach that matches your needs and budget—whether it’s an email campaign, handwritten letters, or an in-person event.
3. Make it authentic: Add small touches to make the campaign feel authentic, like a digital or handwritten signature, a board member bio, or a personal note from the board members themselves.

Many board members would love the chance to connect with the community but often lack the time or resources. If you can overcome these obstacles, this can be a powerful way to nurture relationships with your supporters.

💰 Cost: $$

💪 Effort: High

9. Create opportunities to volunteer

Between 2022 and 2023, more than 75.7 million Americans volunteered for an organization, representing an economic value of $167.2B. Make sure your nonprofit benefits by making it easy for donors to volunteer for your cause.

Why it works:

• It creates deeper loyalty: People who volunteer for a cause they care about will feel more compelled to give when you fundraise.
• It’s engaging: Volunteers experience your nonprofit from a new and unique perspective.
• It’s a win for everyone: Your organization builds valuable support, and volunteers experience the rewarding feeling of making a direct impact.

How to get started:

1. Create a volunteer program: Set up opportunities that benefit the organization and create meaningful volunteer experiences.
2. Encourage volunteer signups: Make it easy to sign up and use volunteer management software to track, organize, and communicate with your volunteers.
3. Share on social media: Post photos from volunteering days on social media to highlight the volunteers’ work and encourage more signups.

A strong collection of volunteers can be a valuable asset for nonprofits that don’t have a large budget or in-house team. Investing in your volunteer program now can yield long-term benefits for your organization.

💰 Cost: $-$$

💪 Effort: High

10. Set up a membership program

Donating to a cause you care about feels good, but becoming a member fosters an even stronger connection. Build a thriving community by establishing a membership program for your donors.

Why it works:

• It’s rewarding: Donors can earn points or rewards for engaging with your cause, giving them extra incentive to take part.
• It creates community: Supporters can connect, learn from each other, and get excited about fundraising together.
• It simplifies donor engagement: With your supporters in a centralized digital hub, it’s easier to get feedback, promote campaigns, and organize events.

How to get started:

1. Plan your membership program: Define your goals, program structure, whether it’s free or paid, and how members will benefit.
2. Choose a platform: Run your membership program on Facebook, Slack, Discord, or a dedicated membership platform like Podia or Patreon.
3. Encourage membership signups: Invite existing donors first to build a strong foundation, then promote the program to a wider audience.

Membership programs require ongoing effort, but they provide a valuable way to deepen donor relationships and create long-term engagement.

💰 Cost: $-$$

💪 Effort: High

How to increase donor engagement

Strategies are important, but execution really matters. Here are our best practices on how to engage supporters without financial appeals.

1. Personalize every interaction 💚

81% of customers prefer a personalized experience, and donors are no different. Intentional, data-driven communication shows that you care about donors as individuals, which can lead to higher levels of engagement.

How to do this:

• Use the donor’s name in emails, messages, and thank you notes.
• Send messages at the optimal time based on donor insights.
• Reference donation amount or giving history in emails where relevant.
• Tailor communication based on donor data like location, interests, and previous involvement.

2. Thank donors straight away 🎉

A short thank you message after an online donation is expected, but you should also acknowledge gifts in a more personalized way—and promptly. Aim to send thank you notes within 48 hours, and tailor the message for each donor based on data like gift amount or occasion.

How to do this:

• Send a prompt thank you message following each online donation.
• Create a workflow reminding you to send a personalized message for specific donation types, like a major donor gift, corporate donation, or legacy gift.
• Go beyond emails—look for creative ways to thank your donors, such as handwritten notes, phone calls, thank you videos, or social media shoutouts.

Explore more

Learn how to write a thank you letter for a donation (+free template!) →

3. Share impact stories regularly 🏆

Donors want to know where their contributions are being spent and how they’re making a difference. Keep your cause top of mind by consistently sharing impact stories.

How to do this:

• Build a library of stories that you can pull from to create donor engagement content.
• Include as much detail as possible to make each story compelling.
• Add photos and graphics to enhance visual appeal—Givebutter’s Canva integration makes this easy!
• Share impact stories across your website, social media, and newsletters.
• Re-share impact stories after a period of time to reinforce your mission.
• Use tools like Social Impact Solutions to measure impact.

4. Segment your donor list 🍊

Segmenting your list can boost revenue growth up to 760%, so it’s well worth prioritizing. To achieve this, look for donor engagement software or a donor management CRM that allows you to create lists based on data and organize donors into strategic groups.

How to do this:

• Group donors by categories like giving frequency, amount, or cause preference.
• Create unique messages for each donor segment.

• Target each segment with relevant messages and avoid generic communication.

Givebutter provides nonprofit organizations the opportunity to manage donor lists, create events, tickets, and more, but for a fraction of the cost of other similar donor management systems (and often for free!). I knew after the first demo that our organization needed this software. — Givebutter Review, Brock W.

5. Automate where you can 🤖

Your time is valuable. Spend it on those high-impact donor engagement tasks that require your expertise, and let automation software take care of repetitive actions for you.

How to do this:

• Set up automated thank you messages, donation reminders, event invitations, and more.
• Create a workflow that welcomes new donors to your nonprofit.
• Use automations to send the right donor messages at the right time.

I think the best strategy is a first-time donor welcome series. We did this for the Maui Strong Fund and it had HUGE success, including a $10K monthly recurring gift. — Lynne Wester, Donor Relations Guru

6. Do more than just ask for donations 👠

The focus of donor engagement should be on building meaningful relationships—not just asking for donations. Create valuable experiences for your donors through unique events and opportunities that go beyond fundraising.

How to do this:

• Invite donors to take part in behind-the-scenes tours or volunteering opportunities.
• Host Q&A sessions with your founder or board members.
• Plan in-person, hybrid, and virtual events, webinars, and interactive livestreams.
• Encourage donors to share your cause with others to expand your network of supporters.

So often, fundraisers are taught to push forward relentlessly, always preparing for the next ask. But what happens after a donor gives matters just as much. — Mallory Erickson, Executive Leadership & Development Coach

7. Be transparent 👓

Sharing impact stories is important, but transparency builds a strong foundation of trust and loyalty with your donors. Openly communicating about funding, budgets, impact, and successes allows donors to understand what you’re doing and why they should continue supporting your work.

How to do this:

• Send regular updates to donors on how their money is being spent, like project updates or an email newsletter.
• Share impact and year-end reports to establish and build trust.
• Create and share a “day in the life” video to provide an inside look at your work.
• Host an “Ask Me Anything” with your board members to give supporters direct access to leadership.
• Invite donors to get a look behind the scenes of your nonprofit’s operations.

8. Introduce opportunities to maximize donations 💼

Many donors don’t realize they can take simple steps to amplify their impact. Highlight ways they can use their networks and resources to make their contributions even more meaningful.

How to do this:

• Promote company gift-matching opportunities.
• Add a recurring giving upsell to your donation forms.
• Use a fundraising platform with a range of donation payment processing options, like Givebutter.
• Make it easy for donors to set up peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns.

9. Measure results and adapt your strategy 🎯

You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Track metrics and monitor results over time to see if your donor engagement tactics are effective. Double down on what’s effective and refine what isn’t.

How to do this:

• Track key engagement metrics like email open rates, donor retention, and donor feedback scores.
• Measure donor engagement and analyze trends over time.
• Use feedback to make positive changes to the donor experience.

10. Be consistent 📈

Donor engagement isn’t a one-time effort—it requires consistency and meaningful communication. Stay in touch with your community regularly to build lasting relationships.

How to do this:

• Plan a consistent schedule of content including blogs, newsletters, social media posts, videos, podcasts, and impact stories.
• Keep some easy content ideas on hand for when you run low on ideas.
• Don’t be afraid to re-share content, especially across platforms.

Download your free donor engagement strategy template

You don’t have to remember all of our best advice. To help you keep these best practices top of mind, we’ve created a free donor engagement plan template.

Use this free checklist to refine your donor engagement strategy or to plan a new communications campaign for your donors.

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Start small, be consistent with your donor engagement strategy

Successful donor engagement might be “always on,” but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start with small, consistent actions and they’ll have a big impact over time. 

Not sure where to begin? For a quick win, use Givebutter’s donor segmentation tools to filter your donor database and build smart segments based on user behavior or preferences. You can also save time by automating repetitive tasks—like thank you messages and donation reminders—with Givebutter Plus, so you can focus on building meaningful relationships with your community. 

Givebutter makes both of these strategies easy. Sign up for Givebutter for free today to access powerful tools that help you automate workflows, segment donor lists, and streamline donor engagement.

FAQs: Top questions on donor engagement

Have a burning question about donor engagement? We’ve shared our most frequently asked questions below, along with expert answers.

What does donor engagement mean?

Donor engagement refers to the process of creating relationships with donors and the strategies used to develop those connections, including donor communication, volunteering, social media, events, and reports.

What is another word for donor engagement?

You might find people referring to donor engagement as donor stewardship. The two terms are used interchangeably, with donor stewardship focusing on the actions you take to retain donors after their first donation.

What is the donor engagement life cycle?

The donor engagement life cycle, also known as the moves management cycle, represents every step of the journey donors take with your organization. It’s broken down into five steps: awareness, identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.

What does a donor engagement specialist do? 

A donor engagement specialist is an expert in building and maintaining relationships with supporters. Their role involves developing engagement strategies, managing donor engagement plans, and handling tasks like donor prospecting, donor acknowledgment, donor segmentation, donor cultivation, and stewardship.