Donors Relationships and How to Maintain Them

When it comes to communicating with donors, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Managing a donors’ relationship requires best practice systems and processes to ensure compliance and deliver impact. So, keep the lines of communication open!

Innovative Communication is Key: Even if you have spent time practicing the art and craft of public relations, you must devise novel methods of communicating with donors. If you want to ensure ongoing funding, you must be willing to commit to a long-term communication strategy.

The following insights may help you ensure a strong organizational approach to relationship with donors:

Start by asking

Inquire with them about how they prefer to be communicated with. Let them choose the right format and their Proof of Concept; this will assist you in clearly meeting the needs of any donor.

Apply due diligence

The best practices for developing stronger relationships with donors are to conduct the necessary due diligence to assess good governance, financial strength, and leadership.

Adopt a genuine, honest and collaborative approach!

Donors are more likely to keep giving if an organization has a good donor relationship management that prioritizes honesty as a part of a concerted attitude of transparency.

Build Trust

Being transparent is another way to build trust. Communication is essential at this stage, and it cannot be one-way. It is critical to connect with donors and ask for their feedback and suggestions. Be always ready to answer any questions they have about what you do.

Show appreciation

This is a make or break stage for donor relationship. Send them a personal thank you letter and regular reports. Your acknowledgement should be clear on how their grant is being used.

Validate their impact

Share real life stories from people who have been impacted by your donors' grant. Let them know how their contributions are enhancing the quality of people. Donors will give more to organizations where their contributions make a difference.

Create a positive disruption

Despite a successful launch, many projects fail to take shape because donors are constantly requesting innovative thinking, so why not asking them to show a some will to reinvent themselves?