Want to Keep Your Donors? Send Them a Thank You Letter

Most nonprofits are laser-focused on getting donors. But what about keeping them?

While it can be tempting to assume that once a donor gives, she’ll continue to make a donation year after year, data says otherwise.  According to the AFP 2018 Fundraising Effectiveness Survey, the 2017 donor retention rate was only 45.5%. That means that, overall, one out of every two donors won’t make a second gift. 

The best thing you can do to keep your donors is to have a stewardship plan in place, and that starts with a great thank you letter.  If you’re ready to start stewarding your donors with enthusiasm and sophistication, here are a few tips for writing a thank you letter that keeps your donors giving year after year. 

Send a Physical Thank You Letter

When it comes to saying thank you, an email doesn’t count. Not only does email come across as impersonal, data shows that mail is remembered more than email. You’re more likely to make a positive impact on your donors if you send them a physical thank you letter.  It’s science, y’all.

Sending a physical thank you letter, postcard, or card is a priceless opportunity to forge a strong connection with your donors. A prompt thank you (and by prompt, I mean sent less than a week after you received their gift) illustrates that your organization is well-run and that you value their investment. And, so few organizations take the time to say thank you—your letter will make your work shine even brighter than it already does!

Your thank you letter also gives you the opportunity to tell your donors more about your work and invite them to become further involved. Use your thank-you letter to highlight a compelling story, share how you’ll use your donors’ investment, and invite them to a site visit or other upcoming event.

Be Personal, Creative, and Authentic

Nothing is less exciting than a letter that starts “Dear Friend,” and goes on to say “On behalf of our Board of Directors, thank you for…” Boring!

Your thank you letter is part of your organization’s brand. It can be playful, fun, sincere, heartfelt...whatever you want it to be.  You want your letter to sparkle with character, sincerity, and enthusiasm. Above all, you want your thank-you letter to put a smile on your donors’ faces. 

Want a free review of your Thank You Letter? Sign up for a Strategy Call and we’ll discuss how you can bring your donor stewardship to life!

Invite Donors to Stay Connected

A thank-you letter is a perfect time to invite your donors to get more involved with your work.  Invite them to email or call you (make sure to include your email and phone number in the thank-you letter), but also include upcoming opportunities to meet your team or see your programs in action.   If you have an upcoming volunteer opportunity, tour, or site visit, include a heartfelt invitation for them to join you. 

Be Sincere in your Gratitude

While it can be tempting (and you’ll surely see other organizations do it), don’t ask for another gift in your thank you letter or add language about upgrading a donor to a monthly gift.   Those asks can come later. For now, be simple and sincere in saying thank you. 

Need some inspiration? Here’s an example thank-you letter written by the Giant Squid Groups staff about our favorite, imaginary nonprofit organization. 

Dear Catherine,

When I got to my office this morning and saw a gift from you on my desk, I did a happy dance. Really - you can ask our office manager! 

As you know, we’ve set the ambitious goal to raise $10,000 this month in order to, so we canr rescue 11,000 senior dogs and help them find their forever homes with a senior citizen here in Central Texas. With your generous $100 donation, we’re one step closer to meeting that goal. 

I can’t thank you enough for being a supporter of our work. I recently had coffee with Bev, one of our adopters. Bev found herself with an empty house after her husband passed away last spring. 

“I hadn’t lived alone for 50 years. I was so depressed. No one warns you about this stage of life, and I didn’t know who I could talk to about it. But when I met [my dog] Bagel, I felt a spark of joy I hadn’t felt in almost a year. Every day I wake up happy that I get to spend the day with such a sweet, loyal friend.” 

Your support is what helps us connect dogs like Bagel, a 12-year-old pit bull, with Bev, an 80-year-old avid reader who still does yoga every day. I can tell you that what you have given them is a lifetime of joy, and that is truly priceless. 

Catherine, thank you again for your gift. I hope you will consider joining me at our upcoming “Dog Days of Summer” where you’ll have the opportunity to meet dogs like Bagel looking for their forever home, and see the impact of your gift first-hand. 

Thank you again. I’m bursting with gratitude.

Warmly,

Peter LeCanine
Executive Director
Seniors for Seniors Dog Rescue 

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