If you’ve ever heard the term “donor journey,” you may be confused about what it means — especially if you’ve only heard it in the context of the tech world. But the concept of a donor journey is actually really simple!
Definition of a Donor Journey for nonprofits
A donor journey refers to the process of how a new donor becomes engaged with your nonprofit. In other words, a donor journey outlines the steps someone must take to become an engaged donor for your nonprofit.
If you’ve ever seen an image depicting a donor journey, you’ve probably seen something in the shape of a circle (called the “donor lifecycle”) or in the shape of a linear path. But I like to show a donor journey in the shape of a funnel:
Why do I show the donor journey in the shape of a funnel?
A funnel more accurately represents what a donor journey looks like in real life, compared to a circle or a straight line. This is because, at each stage in the donor journey, your nonprofit will inevitably lose some donors. (Researchers know this because they’ve found that 86% of new donors fail to give a second gift the year after making their first donation.)
With this in mind, you can follow research-supported best practices for widening your donor journey funnel as much as possible.
The 4 Levels of the Donor Journey Funnel
As demonstrated in the image above, there are four key levels of the donor journey:
Awareness — Someone enters your funnel when they become aware of your nonprofit for the first time. Maybe they see your booth at a community fair, stumble across your social media ad, or find a poster you’ve hung up on a bulletin board advertising your upcoming event.
Engagement — Some of the people who become aware of your organization will then decide to engage with you. They may walk up to your booth and ask about your nonprofit’s mission, follow you on social media, or buy a ticket to your event.
First Donation — Some of the people who engage with your nonprofit will make their first donation to support your mission. They may drop cash or a check into a collection box, donate to a Facebook fundraiser, or give a donation at your fundraising event.
Leveling Up Support — Finally, some of the people who make a first gift to your nonprofit will become so passionate about your mission that they’ll level up their support. This could mean they make a bigger donation than their first, or it could mean they get deeply engaged in another way. Maybe they sign up as a weekly volunteer, apply to be a board member, or become a peer-to-peer fundraiser for your nonprofit.
Unfortunately, when I talk about the donor journey funnel, many nonprofit leaders believe this is how donors move through the donor journey:
In reality, the donor journey is a two-way street. This is how a real donor journey works:
How to build relationships with nonprofit donors at each level of the donor journey
Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can develop relationships with donors at each step of the donor journey funnel.
level 1: Awareness
Before donors will ever contribute to your mission, they have to learn that you exist. Some of the ways you can build awareness include:
Leverage your current supporters’ networks
Post flyers in strategic places
Run paid social media ad campaigns
Find local speaking opportunities
Form relationships with the media
Partner with local businesses
Participate in and/or host local events
Level 2: Engagement
Once prospective donors learn about your nonprofit and mission, you can offer engagement opportunities:
Offer volunteer opportunities
Involve people with advocacy efforts
Publish organic social media posts
Host Lunch & Learns and/or tours of your facility
Ask people to fill out a survey
Send regular email updates
Send personalized direct mail
Level 3: First Donation
When someone engages with your nonprofit, they indicate that they’re invested in your mission. Now’s your opportunity to invite them to support your work in a more impactful way.
When it comes to asking for donations, I break down the process into three steps:
Story — Tell the prospective donor a relatable story about yourself or someone else who has been impacted by your mission.
Scope — Let the prospective donor know you (or the subject of your story) are not the only one impacted by this problem. Tell them the scope of the problem.
Solution — Offer the prospective donor the opportunity to solve the problem by making a donation.
Here’s an example of how to ask for a donation:
Story — Hi Amber. Thanks for letting me tell you a little bit about a cause that’s important to me! I grew up in a home with domestic violence, and it was really scary. One of my parents was physically and emotionally abusive when I was a child, and the trauma from experiencing that violence has negatively impacted not only my childhood, but also my adult years.
Scope — And I’m not alone. Childhood domestic violence impacts about one in seven people around the world. Those who grow up living with domestic violence in their homes are significantly more likely to experience mental health crises, become dependent on drugs or alcohol, and even commit suicide if they don’t get help.
Solution — I’m really glad I found the Childhood Domestic Violence Association because they’ve created an online community supporting people like me who grew up living with domestic violence in our homes. This week, CDVA is trying to raise $10,000 to continue offering personal development courses and online support for us. Will you help us reach our fundraising goal by making a donation?
Level 4: Leveling Up Support
After you secure someone’s first donation, it’s important to keep engaging them with your mission so you can retain them as a donor and level up their support:
Personally, genuinely thank every donor
Tell stories about the impact donors have had on your mission work
Keep donors informed about your goals (including fundraising goals)
Offer committee and/or board service opportunities
Ask donors to help you raise awareness through the strategies mentioned under Level 1
Let donors know about non-cash giving options, such as planned giving and stock donations
Keep up with your regular engagement activities mentioned under Level 2
Remember: A donor’s first gift to your nonprofit does not reflect their capacity and willingness to give if you keep them engaged! Even if someone’s first donation is only $10, they may have the ability to give $1,000 or $10,000 if you follow the steps outlined in this article.
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