Thanks! (And Other Ways To Show Your Appreciation)

Ah, the holidays, when donors — feeling the season of giving — pass along their generosity to the organizations and causes they hold dear! As you manage the significant uptick of donations that traditionally roll in at the end of the year, be thinking of ways to show your gratitude. One great way to keep donors engaged going into the new year? Be sure to promptly thank them for their support. In addition, given the extra oomph these year-end donations can have, consider these suggestions on how you can express your appreciation with equal effect.

Invite donors to stay engaged (but not just with another gift). To retain these donors, encourage them to stick around with opportunities to interact in the new year outside of just opening their wallets. Invite them to volunteer at your organization, attend an upcoming free event, or simply follow you on social media. Through these continued donor interactions, you'll be able to show the impact of their generosity and express your gratitude throughout the year.

Send a greeting card. It's the holidays! Who doesn't love getting a nice card in the mail this time of year (especially as that tradition seems to be fading)? Rather than a stock acknowledgement, send high-value donors and major givers a nice greeting card to thank them for their year-end gifts. Or, for a less expensive alternative, take a cue from Hallmark and keep the contents of your year-end acknowledgement short and sweet, with warm sentiment that feels personal despite being mass produced.

Share the impact donations have. Want to give a donor a reason to give again? In addition to thanking them for their gift, show them how their generosity matters. Clearly — but succinctly — explain how you'll use their gift and give direct examples of the impact that gift has. Show the progress toward the end result of the gift's campaign, share how it advances your mission, and include professional photos of those your organization helps.

Let your mission do the thanking. A "thank you" from your organization is great, but gratitude from those who benefit from your mission helps can really drive home the impact of donations. Have a direct recipient positively affected by your efforts express in their own words — in a video embedded in an email, or written in a note enclosed with a mailing — how your organization helped and their appreciation for those whose donations made it possible.  

Enjoy the holidays, best of luck with the giving season, and thank YOU for being a part of the Raiser's Edge NXT Community!