How to increase donations for nonprofits: 7 must-ask questions

Wait, don't tell me—you're here because donations have lagged in recent months. Your fundraising events aren't generating the results your nonprofit needs. Now, the pressure is on, and your nonprofit risks falling short of its goals.

Don't worry! In this article, you'll discover powerful strategies for revitalizing your fundraising efforts and reigniting donor support to empower your mission.

7 key questions to consider when trying to raise donations

Before you start chasing bigger fundraising goals, take a step back. The key to increasing donations isn’t just about asking more—it’s about asking smarter.

These seven questions will help you build a stronger, more sustainable giving strategy:

1. What kinds of donors should I target? 
2. How can you make donating easier and more compelling?
3. How do you keep donors engaged and encourage repeat giving?
4. What fundraising strategies provide the highest ROI?
5. How can we fast-track fundraising with limited resources?
6. How can we strengthen our fundraising asks? 
7. When should nonprofits ask for donations?

1. What kinds of donors should we target? 

Your first step is to connect with supporters who believe in your cause and discover their interests and motivations. But who should you target first? 

Let’s explore the three different types of supporters you should reach out to when asking for donations for the best results.

Individual donors: The backbone of nonprofit fundraising 👤 

“When one gives, two gets happy,” says author Amit Kalantr in his book Wealth of Words. Individuals are motivated by personal values to give, spanning across diverse age groups—from young professionals to retirees. 

They form the backbone of nonprofit fundraising, and the numbers prove it: Individuals contributed $319.04 billion in 2022, accounting for 64% of total giving.

What does this tell you? Simply put, individuals are one of your best bets if you are looking to increase donations.

⚡Pro tip: Encourage individuals to set up recurring donations to make the biggest impact for your mission.

Businesses: Corporate partnerships and matching gifts 💼

Business donors can bear corporate sponsors as well as companies that match donations through employee gift-matching campaigns.

This category of supporters can range from small local businesses to multinational corporations or Fortune 500 companies—large organizations with healthy bank balances that can significantly boost your fundraising efforts.

Before reaching out or sending a sponsorship proposal, thoroughly research their match gifting programs and understand their CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) objectives. Additionally, leverage the influence of key decision-makers within each company to accelerate giving.

⚡Pro tip: Build partnerships with businesses that align with your mission—don't target just any business.

Foundations: Grants for nonprofit growth 🏛️

Grants are the lifeblood of many nonprofit organizations, funding projects, sustaining programs, and promoting critical social change.

To receive grants, identify foundations that align with your cause. Once you map out your target donors, craft a compelling grant proposal and submit it.

‍⚡Pro tip: Ensure your proposal adheres to the foundation's guidelines and clearly demonstrates the funding's need, benefit, and planned use.

2. How can we make donating easier and more compelling?

One of the  best ways to increase donations is by harnessing the power of the Internet. Widen your reach and engage a larger audience by creating social media posts, emails, and website forms.

When donors were asked their preferred method to give, the results showed that:

• 63% of donors give online via credit or debit card
• 16% prefer direct mail
• 10% use PayPal
• 5% give via wire transfer
• 4% donate in cash 
• 1% give with a digital wallet
• 1% use text-to-give

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‍Clearly, implementing online strategies yields fruitful results. Here are four common tactics to try:

• Donation forms: Making it easy for donors to give is the bread and butter of increasing funds. Donation forms are a secure and convenient option for people to contribute to your mission. 
• Website optimization: To enhance the donor experience, you need a well-optimized website with eye-catching aesthetics. An attractive, user-friendly website can generate more traffic and attract potential donors. Add compelling calls-to-action (CTAs) and widgets to motivate visitors to take action.
• Social media: Social media fundraising is a powerful tool for reaching a massive audience of potential donors without major costs. Focus your efforts on the platforms where your supporters are most active, and create high-quality content to engage them.
• Email marketing: Building an email list is one of the most valuable assets a nonprofit can have. Optimize your donation signup forms—embedded signup forms make it easy for visitors to share their emails with you. Offer freebies and giveaways to attract them.

Dive deeper

Explore over 350 fundraising ideas with Givebutter →

Online strategies are critical, but don’t discount offline tactics, too! Imagine hosting a gala where donors witness impact through storytelling and interactive sessions. That's the power of offline strategies—to build solid direct contact relationships. These can include: 

• Fundraising events: The right fundraising event can secure steady donations and build a community of loyal supporters. Host gala parties, auctions, or walkathons to unite donors.
• Direct mail: Direct mail fundraising quite literally puts your mission in the hands of your donor base, offering them an easy way to engage. With Givebutter, you can write, personalize, send, and track your direct mail campaigns from the convenience of your dashboard.  
• Grant writing: Nonprofit grant management involves defining clear objectives and a detailed project plan. Be sure to include a cover letter, executive summary, explanation of the need, and a comprehensive budget, then thoroughly review the proposal before submitting.

3. How can we keep donors engaged and encourage repeat giving?

The sweetest part of raising donations is when donors return month after month to support your cause. Nonprofits with a strong repeat donor strategy average a 45% retention rate, compared to just 23% for one-time donors.

Create a monthly giving program that keeps donors plugged into your mission: 

• Donor appreciation: Develop a long-term plan to engage, thank, and retain your donors. Always show gratitude for their support and offer them gifts of appreciation.
• Communication and engagement: Don't only reach out when you need donations. Stay in touch with your donors regularly to keep them engaged with your mission.
• Fostering relationships: Go beyond asking for help. Seek to build strong donor relationships through in-person meetups and meaningful face-to-face conversations.

4. What fundraising strategies provide the highest ROI?

‍A strategy with one of the highest ROIs is peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising, which involves enlisting your supporters to raise funds on your behalf by spreading the word to their networks. P2P campaigns are highly effective, adding gamification through team leaderboards, individual goals, and fundraising thermometers. Put these tools to use to have the greatest success with your P2P fundraiser: 

• Personalized fundraising pages: Provide each supporter with a customizable donation page where they can share their connection to your cause. This personal touch inspires others to contribute.
• Fundraising toolkits: Equip supporters with resources like social media templates, email scripts, and flyers to help them promote their campaigns effectively.
• Gamification features: Add leaderboards, fundraising milestones, or challenges to spark excitement and encourage friendly competition among fundraisers.

⚡Pro tip: Host a virtual or in-person kickoff event to inspire and motivate fundraisers while providing guidance on how to make their campaigns successful.

More to explore

5 simple steps to revamp your fundraising strategy →

5. How can we fast-track fundraising with limited resources?

Harnessing the power of volunteers is a tried-and-true avenue for kicking your fundraising into a higher gear. Volunteers are 66% more likely to donate to the organization they support than those who don’t volunteer their time. 

To manage a successful volunteer program that boosts donations, use these strategies: 

• Defined roles: Just like job descriptions, outline the responsibilities of volunteers clearly then match volunteers with tasks that align with their skills and interests.
• Volunteer engagement: Keep that talent coming back with a regular newsletter specifically for volunteers or start a thank you note campaign to express your gratitude.
• Volunteer management: Assigning roles is not enough to keep volunteers—manage volunteers  as valuable assets. Organized, passionate volunteers can help you increase donations like no one else. 

6. How can we strengthen our fundraising asks?

If potential donors haven’t contributed to your cause, it’s because they haven’t been asked—or the ask didn’t hit the mark.

Get more positive responses from your asks with these three tips:

• Personalize your appeals: Tailor each fundraising appeal specifically to the individual. Personalize your ask, use their names, and resonate with their values and interests to show you care.
• Create emotional connections: Maya Angelou once said that people will never forget how you made them feel. That's the power of storytelling—it’s the pathway to connect with your donors emotionally.
• Be transparent: Solid relationships are built on trust. Establish and maintain that trust by being transparent about how donations are used. 

7. When should nonprofits ask for donations?

Not all times and seasons are equally ripe for sending donation requests. While some asks will be met with rejection, many will bring in the support your cause needs.

We’ve done the hard work for you—keep reading for the three best times to ask for donations:

During the year-end giving season 📅

The holiday season is the most generous time of the year for donors. Statistics show that nearly a third of annual giving happens in December alone. 

This makes the end of the year a prime opportunity to reach out for funds. Why? Many donors are in the spirit of giving and may also seek year-end tax deductions. 

Around impactful milestones 🎉

Milestones naturally inspire reflection and meaning. Celebrating anniversaries, like a 10-year anniversary, can encourage existing donors to contribute to your nonprofit's continued success. By leveraging milestones, you create opportunities to highlight accomplishments and ask for support to maintain progress.

On major giving days 💛

Global movements like Giving Tuesday, Humanitarian Day, or even local fundraising events can provide significant momentum for donation appeals. These days are widely recognized and celebrated, making them ideal for nonprofit outreach.

Raise more with Givebutter 💰 

There's no better time than now to raise more money for your nonprofit. Lying in your hands are valuable strategies to reach your fundraising goals, but remember, there's no one-size-fits-all approach to increasing donations. You’ll need to cast a wide net—because there’s a pool of donors out there waiting to hear your story.

With Givebutter, you can butter your efforts by easily setting up donation pages, offering diverse payment methods, and connecting with donors through email and mail campaigns.

FAQs: Top questions about increasing nonprofit donations

How to get people to donate to my cause?

Getting people to donate starts with sharing stories that resonate with your audience. Craft a strong mission statement, then create content that portrays your story, vision, and impact. Personalize your proposals and address donors individually—remember, not everybody will donate, and that’s okay.

What cause gets the most donations?

The causes that receive the most donations are those that tell a compelling story and unite people with shared values.

How can I increase my average donation?

To increase your average donation, focus on improving engagement through donor stewardship. Engaged donors are more likely to increase their contributions over time.

How to get more donors for my nonprofit?

Attracting more donors requires a multi-channel approach. Implement online, offline, recurring donor, and peer-to-peer strategies like those discussed in this article to expand your reach.

What are the best ways to engage corporate partners?

The best way to engage corporate partners is by building strong relationships with companies whose goals or values align with your organization's mission and personalizing your communication.