6 Tips to Engage Your Supporters on National Nonprofit Day
National Nonprofit Day is coming up on August 17th and it’s a great opportunity to engage your organization’s supporters, including donors and volunteers, and show them how much you value their support. It’s also a chance to inspire them to make a donation or spread the word about your mission and impact.
What is National Nonprofit Day?
National Nonprofit Day was founded by Sherita J. Herring, a speaker, author, and nonprofit consultant, who wanted to raise awareness and appreciation for the nonprofit sector. The date of August 17th was chosen to commemorate the signing of the Tariff Act of 1894, which established tax exemptions for charitable organizations in the United States. It’s now celebrated in countries around the world, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.
How can you leverage National Nonprofit Day for relationship building and fundraising?
There are many ways you can celebrate National Nonprofit Day with your donors and volunteers to make them feel appreciated and inspired. Here are six tips to help you plan your celebration:
1. Send a thank-you message
A simple and effective way to celebrate National Nonprofit Day with your donors is to send them a heartfelt thank-you message. You can use email, social media, or even direct mail to express your gratitude for their support. You might even consider picking up the phone and calling your most fervent supporters for an extra special touch, or send out a video featuring your staff thanking supporters for the impact they make on your organization.
2. Highlight your supporters on social media
Throughout the day, share stories that show the impact of your donors or volunteers. This will make them feel valued and appreciated, as well as inspire them to continue supporting your cause. These stories can also demonstrate to potential future supporters how they can make a difference in the lives of the people, communities, or causes you serve by engaging with your organization.
Idea: Highlight individual donors and/or volunteers that have had a notable impact on your organization on your social media channels. Be sure to use the hashtag #NationalNonprofitDay to drive even more traffic and engagement.
3. Host a special event
Consider inviting your donors or volunteers to an event that showcases your work and your impact and celebrates their contributions. You can host a virtual or in-person event, such as a webinar, a a tour, a luncheon, or a happy hour. Use the event to educate your donors about your cause, share your successes and challenges, recognize your staff and volunteers, or to ask for feedback and suggestions.
4. Ask for peer-to-peer fundraising campaign support
Incorporate a fundraising campaign for National Nonprofit Day by enabling your volunteers, recurring donors, and past peer-to-peer fundraisers to campaign within their network for additional support on August 17th. You can leverage a peer-to-peer fundraising platform like JustGiving® from Blackbaud® to make it easy for your supporters to participate, or encourage activity-based fundraising if you use peer-to-peer fundraising event software like Blackbaud TeamRaiser with Good Move™.
5. Offer an exclusive gift
Encourage donations by offering a special gift with a donation only available on National Nonprofit Day. These can include a branded item like a tote or a mug, swag in line with your mission (e.g., a leash with your logo on it for animal shelters, a portable Bluetooth speaker for music or theater organizations, or a special edition print for art museums, etc.) or a discount on tickets or membership. You can also choose to offer a gift like an invitation to a special future event.
6. Ask for their input
A great way to make donors and volunteers feel heard is to ask for their input and to involve them in your decision-making process. You can solicit their opinions and feedback on various aspects of your organization, such as your programs, services, communications, events, or strategies. Invite your donors to share their ideas and suggestions on how to improve your organization and how to achieve your mission. You can use surveys, polls, interviews, focus groups, or online forums to collect and analyze your donors’ input.
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National Nonprofit Day is a perfect occasion to celebrate your donors and volunteers and to inspire them to continue supporting your organization. By following these six tips, you can make your donors feel valued and appreciated, and you can increase your fundraising results and your impact. Happy National Nonprofit Day!
