The phrase “responsive fundraising” is a powerful way to express the attitude nonprofits should have toward their donors.
For me, responsive fundraising is a big part of fundraising according to the Golden Rule.
Cultivate donors the way you’d want to be cultivated as a donor.
We all want the charities to which we give to be responsive to our needs and desires as donors.
In a previous post, I listed three of the most exciting benefits donor portals offer to nonprofits.
But what about your donors? Can RaiseDonor Donor Portals make them happy too?
Absolutely.
Here are the top five reasons why Donor Portals make donors happy.
1. Donor portals keep your donors informed
One of the best ways to show donors that you value them is to keep them informed.
No one likes to be kept in the dark. We want to know what’s going on.
That’s why I believe veteran fundraising writer Jeff Brooks says that donor love is not going “silent when they give because they need a ‘rest’ from hearing from you.”
I think it should be said that no one is trying to hide anything from the donors.
I’m sure if a donor contacted you somehow, you’d be happy to tell them what’s happening.
But what if you could be so responsive that your donor could have their update within seconds?
That’s what Donor Portals can do.
When your donors access their RaiseDonors Donor Portal, they can see their giving history, their recurring giving frequency and amount, which funds they give to – almost anything you want them to know.
Within minutes, your donors can see just how much of an impact their giving is having on the world.
And they can get this information without…
- Calling your office
- Speaking to your front desk
- Scrolling through your social media feeds, or
- Reading through your website.
More and more donors are coming to expect a state of “constant connectedness” with you.
That means they want information at their fingertips.
Donor Portals can make that constant connection happen for you and your donor 24/7.
2. Donor portals empower your donor
Almost all of us in the nonprofit space are trying to empower someone or something.
We want to give a voice to those who have no voice, a home to animals without a family, or power to a cause that’s being trampled underfoot.
But to do that, we must first empower our donors.
Donor Portals empower your donors to take charge of their giving.
Through their donor portal, not only can donors see how much they’re giving every month or year to your organization, they can modify the amount of their giving.
If they’re experiencing setbacks in their finances, they can go in themselves and adjust their giving amounts to what they can afford.
This is especially important if the donor prefers not to disclose their changing financial situation with a person over the phone.
Respecting donor privacy goes a long way to making them happy.
At first, empowering donors to change their giving might seem scary.
But the truth is, they are the ones in the driver’s seat anyway!
So giving them power over their personal information, giving frequency, and other preferences just recognizes what we all know to be true.
We couldn’t do what we do without them, and we want to help them give at whatever capacity they can.
3. Donor portals save your donor time
One of the best things about Donor Portals is that I can access my donor account within seconds.
I can access my donor account on my laptop, desktop, or my mobile device.
If your donor happens to be like me, they’re probably up at 11 o’clock at night paying their bills online.
That’s when they’re thinking about their finances and giving commitments.
And that’s when they’ll want to get in touch with someone about their giving amounts, frequency, and more.
Chances are, you’re not going to be available at the same time for a phone call or chat.
Donor Portals will save your donors a lot of time waiting to talk to someone on the phone or speaking to someone when they could just go in and do it themselves within minutes.
Saving time is a fantastic way to make donors happy.
4. Donor portals help donors share your work
You might not have thought about this one, but how many ways can your donors share the joy of their giving with others?
I know that most donors are not giving for others to see.
But what about that time when you want to show a family member the child that you’re sponsoring?
Or the missionary you support?
Donor Portals can be an effective, quick way for donors to share about their charitable causes with the ones they love.
Donors can log in to their Donor Portal within seconds through their smartphone and show their friends and family the person or cause that they support.
PRO-TIP: If you brand your Donor Portal with your nonprofit’s colors, typography, and logo, your nonprofit brand can really shine if a donor decides to share about your organization with those close to them.
5. Donor portals increase trust
One of the by-products of keeping your donors informed is trust.
Donors want to believe in you.
But in today’s world, trust is earned through transparency.
How can you maintain ultimate transparency without being available 24/7 for explanations, comments, and information?
Donor Portals can give your donors that sense of trust they need to continue to give for years to come.
Trust is a key ingredient to any happy relationship.
