It takes significant investments of a nonprofit's time and resources to reach new supporters through fundraising and marketing campaigns—investments that don’t reach their full potential if donors only give once.

To re-engage these new supporters and motivate them to give that coveted second donation, you’ll need to create a detailed marketing strategy. In this guide, we’ll cover the most effective and compelling tips to help you get there.

Share timely, personalized communications

It’s easy to tune out irrelevant or dull messages—just think of all the unread promotional emails that are likely sitting in your inbox (or trash folder). Your first-time donors may do the same if they get the wrong impression from your nonprofit’s emails, which is why it’s so important to share targeted messages at opportune moments.

First, you’ll need to analyze your donor data, draw relevant insights, and enlist the help of marketing technology that can help you achieve personalization at scale. Then, customize and target your:

• Thank-you messages, which should be sent within 24 to 48 hours of the donation and include the donor’s name and specific details about their gift and its impact. Quick, personal thank-you messages make donors feel appreciated and help them stay engaged with your cause.
• Welcome email series, which should be triggered by a supporter’s first donation and include a personalized message from your team, details about your mission, and information about upcoming events and opportunities. Welcoming donors educates them about other ways to get involved and cements their connection to your organization.
• Donation appeals, which you can send to request additional support for projects. Greet each one-time donor by name, tailor your ask to their personal interests, and create a sense of urgency around giving again. These appeals can reinforce donors’ past impact and highlight new ways to contribute.

Make sure you’re connecting with donors via the communication channels they prefer, whether that’s email, direct mail, or text. Don’t assume these preferences based on demographic factors alone—dig into how they found your organization and their engagement history.

Recommend next steps

Once you’ve reached out to first-time donors post-contribution, promote additional ways that they can get involved with your cause. Like the other messages you send them, these recommendations should be tailored to the donor’s interests. For example, if they donated to a research project for childhood cancer, you might recommend a volunteer opportunity supporting that project.

These recommendations help deepen your relationships with new donors and establish more touchpoints with them. Asking them to volunteer or attend a fundraising event will allow them to have memorable, face-to-face interactions with your staff and fellow donors. A lower-lift action like signing up for your newsletter is still valuable—it helps them stay up-to-date on your announcements, recent impacts, and other involvement opportunities.

Additionally, Allegiance Group + Pursuant’s guide to digital donor acquisition stresses the importance of a high-quality website for attracting and retaining donors. A navigable website with a logical digital infrastructure will provide a better user experience, keeping donors on the site for longer. This way, they’ll be eager to learn more about your cause and explore other ways to get involved on their own.

Spread awareness of corporate philanthropy initiatives

Corporate philanthropy occurs when a business supports social good, especially through nonprofit contributions. These programs can help donors make a larger impact and stay involved with your organization without having to reach back into their own wallets.

Common initiatives include:

• Matching gift programs. Where businesses financially match their employees' donations to charitable organizations.
• Volunteer grants. These are awarded to nonprofits based on employees’ volunteer hours with those organizations.
• In-kind gifts of free goods or services. For example, you could write a procurement letter to a donor’s employer to secure a basket of products to sell at your charity auction.

Remember that lifelong donor relationships can grow stronger through nonfinancial support like volunteering. Spread awareness of corporate giving initiatives like volunteer time-off (VTO), which 360MatchPro defines as “paid time off a company gives its employees to spend performing volunteer work for charitable causes.” Promoting opportunities like this makes it easier and more likely for supporters to volunteer, deepening your relationship with them.

Frequently share impact metrics

One of the most important elements of donor stewardship is helping donors understand the tangible impact of their gifts. Emphasize this regularly in your communications through your annual report and recurring program updates. Aim to make these messages:

• Clear and transparent with concrete statistics and plenty of context.
• Visually engaging, using graphs as needed to drive your points home.
• Tied to tangible outcomes (e.g., “Your donation of $100 purchased school supplies for five children!”).

Impact metrics should also be relevant to each supporter. For example, let’s say you hold a fundraising gala. Donors should receive updates about total funds raised, while gala volunteers should be aware of metrics like total volunteer hours, the cost of those hours if paid, and the impact of their help.

Remember that one-time donors already saw the value in supporting your cause—they just need an additional push to take the next step. With strong, targeted communications and a focus on sharing impact, you’ll effectively welcome your new donors and inspire them to support your cause for years to come.