Maybe This Is Why Donors Aren’t Giving to Your Nonprofit
Every nonprofit leader I talk to wishes more people would donate and partner with their organization for the cause.
Financial stress is way too common in nonprofit organizations. Which is why I want to help as many nonprofit teams as possible remove as many donor giving barriers as possible.
I see two very different situations playing out when nonprofits invite donors to give:
Situation one: a longtime donor, quietly disengaging… because she isn’t tuned in to the urgency of the crisis addressed through the organization or her specific role in solving it.
Situation two: a longtime donor, excitedly giving on the spot… after the nonprofit development team refined its core narrative to the donors’ point of view, her questions were answered and partnership was unlocked.
The difference between these two scenarios wasn’t the nonprofit’s mission. It was whether the donor was understood what the nonprofit development team already knew:
➡️ there’s a real, urgent problem in the world
➡️ the nonprofit has the expertise and track record to solve it
➡️ the donor’s role in that solution is specific and essential
When donors are outsiders looking in on what your nonprofit is doing, the mission stays invisible to them. Donors cannot see the pathway to partnership with your nonprofit unless your team explains it. No matter how good the solution actually is, if donors are detached from the missional narrative, giving suffers.
When donors understand the “why” of partnering with your nonprofit, and the “why now” for giving a gift, and the “why me” for making a difference, your nonprofit’s mission becomes irresistible to donors.
And donors willingly, excitedly want to partner with your nonprofit to make an impact for the cause and for others.
Giving donors clarity on why they should give through your nonprofit for the cause isn’t a nice-to-have extra. It’s how everything clicks with donors to ensure your nonprofit achieves the impact you envision.
So tell me... is your next donor meeting likely to resemble situation one or situation two? If your donors are not rooted in the why of your nonprofit’s mission and the importance of their partnership, you’ll want to fix that ASAP.
Reach out to hear how we can connect the dots from your nonprofit’s core narrative to your donor marketing communications strategy.
Ready for more? Here are two ways Erin can help you make your nonprofit’s mission irresistible to donors:
1. Connect with me or follow me on LinkedIn.
Let’s talk all things in the NP realm, donor strategy ideas, and whatever catches our fancy.
2. Work with me.
I help nonprofits adopt marketing communications that inspire donors to partnership.
✴️ Donors fund irresistible missions… is yours?
Schedule your 15-minute Change Chat here; let’s see if we should work together!