How Donor Attributes Contribute to a Solicitation Strategy

When seeking major gifts from corporations, foundations, organizations, associations and individuals, fundraisers interact with a variety of people. There are varieties of ages, backgrounds, experiences, personalities and motivations to navigate. The challenge is profound, and fundraisers must rely on understanding how to communicate effectively with different people.

In addition to the individuals solicited in a resource development role, it is critical to understand the organization’s mission type and priorities in addition to studying the donor attributes to effectively determine the appropriate marketing and solicitation strategies. 

The Impact Your Mission Type Has on Donors

Let us use my sector of focus, human services, as an example. I am in my 13th year as a development director for The Salvation Army, a large and well-known human services organization across the world. 

U.S. nonprofits received $557 billion contributions in 2023, according to the Giving USA 2024 report. Organizations with human services missions were the second largest recipient of funds that year, with approximately $89 billion in donations. 

Nonprofits rely on donors who support the mission and vision of the organization in alignment with their giving interests. In my development role with The Salvation Army, my primary focus is to secure significant numbers of major gifts and corporate gifts. My fundraising plan is based on obtaining large gifts to underwrite a capital campaign plus securing corporate gifts to underwrite a variety of special programs and services. 

I identify major gift prospects by determining their wealth capacity and reviewing their giving history to my organization as well as other human services entities. 

I follow the donor cycle of identification, engagement, solicitation and stewardship. The concept of linkage, ability and inclination comes into play. I also constantly evaluate data, such as my major gift program’s return on investment, retention rate, average giving capacity and number of solicitations made annually. I always attempt to determine if they have served nonprofits as volunteers and board members as well.

How Generational Giving Habits Are Evolving

Research has found the emergence of millennial donors who are on pace to give just as much as baby boomers as they age. Data shows that baby boomers have provided the greatest number of dollars and donors to my organization. I have also noticed an increase in donations from millennials — who love our cause, give online and use digital funding platforms — as well as Generation Z donors who understand we are a global charity and enjoy using online giving options to donate.

Because we are evaluating our giving and prospective giving data closely, we are tailoring our communications and messaging for statistics, stories and impact with these generations top of mind. We are developing new donor events, increasing stewardship activities, increasing social media presence and seeking ways we can engage multiple generations for greater institutional impact and sustainability of The Salvation Army for the long term. 

The days of using direct mail and kettles for annual giving only have evolved into a model focused on major and planned gifts but featuring personal solicitation and long-term donor engagement. It is important that you focus your fundraising solicitation program based on integration of multigenerational prospects and donors. 

To generate greater dollars plus an increase in the number of donors for your nonprofit focus, look at the best-of-class programs and follow their successful examples. Target your sector of giving and the attributes of that sector. Use research and data to create a sound fundraising plan. 

Determine what generations support your nonprofit and develop a communications and solicitation strategy for them by targeting each generation based upon their communication preferences. Utilize the donor cycle of giving and continually monitor your progress. Show institutional impact and always remember your donors are investing in your organization. 

If they are pleased with their investment, greater dividends will be forthcoming. Remember to use a multigenerational approach to your fundraising strategy and seek an array of prospects and volunteers for the purpose of acquiring their time, talent and treasure.  

The preceding content was provided by a contributor unaffiliated with NonProfit PRO. The views expressed within may not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of NonProfit PRO.