Finding (and Keeping) Major Donors - Part 3

How do you find and keep major donors? The key lies in understanding donor types and styles—and knowing how to best serve those who are funding your nonprofit’s mission.

In this blog series, we’re diving into who major donors are and exploring strategies to surface individuals and families who are ripe prospects. Today’s focus is on understanding major donor types and styles to help retain these important givers in your development program.

Frameworks for Major Donor Engagement

🌟 Relationship

• How did this giver get connected to your organization?
• What is their story, and what keeps them involved or excites them the most?
• Consider asking which other causes or organizations they support to better understand their philanthropic interests.

🌟 Communication

• Is this donor inspired by storytelling or personal interactions but less inclined to read emails?
• Or do they pore over every word of your newsletter?
• Think about their engagement style. Are they energized by in-depth discussions, or do they prefer quick, to-the-point conversations?

Learning your donors’ communication preferences will help you tailor your outreach in a way that resonates best with them.

🌟 Engagement

• Is this someone who writes a check without hesitation or someone who only donates after hands-on volunteering?
• Statistically, hands-on volunteers tend to be more invested, so keep an eye on those consistently offering their time in your programs.

Understanding your donors’ styles and types will help you shape your asks, acknowledgments, and even broader campaigns to connect with them where they are. Our final blog in this series will cover strategies to grow and retain your major donors for the long haul.

Timothy L. Smith