3 Factors Affecting Nonprofit Fundraising According to Blackbaud Survey

Reputable industry research and reporting are essential tools to better understand the state of nonprofit fundraising. Having 30 years experience in the nonprofit sector Blackbaud has reliably produced reports that I regularly write about here. In fact I always look forward to the latest results of the monthly Blackbaud Index and most recently reported that Nonprofit Fundraising Showed a Slight Increase. Blackbaud has recently also released Donor Perspectives: An Investigation Into What Drives Your Donors to Give a survey of more than 4,000 donors in three countries: USA, UK and Australia. The research includes the donor landscape and behaviour and a technological component which I wrote about in my 2012 Technological Giving Trends According to Nonprofit Fundraising Industry Reports post. The results of the survey provide insight on the various factors that affect donor giving like:

1. Economy – Needless to say the economy has been a major factor in nonprofit fundraising since the Great Recession hit in 2007 and although economists suggest it ended in 2009 the lingering effects continued to be felt over the past three years. The research shows that although many more are opening their wallets, there is still a segment of the donor population that are hesitant to make increases in their giving. Of the 19.8% of respondents that reported a decrease in contributions, personal economic circumstance was cited as the main factor for not maintaining the same giving levels as the previous year and of those who were making regular or scheduled contributions 27.9% had stopped because of their personal financial situation. Interestingly this was also listed as the top reason for an increase in their donations by 27.6% of respondents. I suspect that the economy will continue to be a factor in fundraising results, albeit in a more positive way than in recent years.
2. Age – Senior American donors gave twice as much as millennial donors with an average of $1,403 in total donations and three times as much as donors under the age of 24. The older the donor the more likely they are to give and as I wrote in 3 Target Demographics to Boost Nonprofit Fundraising and Engagement Results in 2013 older women are definitely a demographic that nonprofits should pay closer attention to and consider strategically targeting in their marketing plans.
3. Personal Connection – Having a personal connection to a cause or an organization plays an integral part in why a donor gives. A little over one fifth (21%) of responding donors supported an organization because a loved one or themselves had been personally affected. In a time when more and more families and individuals are in need of support and assistance, it’s important for nonprofits to reach out to those who they have once served and/or continue to serve and incite them to give. Peer-to-peer engagement and fundraising should also be factored into initiatives as 16% of respondents gave to or sponsored someone they knew that was participating in a fundraising event. Making a personal connection with your supporters will ultimately lead to long-term relationships and strengthen fundraising results.

“Making it easier for donors to learn about your organization, answering their questions, and providing clear vehicles for contributions is essential to successful fundraising.”-Blackbaud

The 11-page Donor Perspectives: An Investigation Into What Drives Your Donors to Give survey contains additional findings that can be reviewed to better understand donors and their motivations, which in turn can assist nonprofits with marketing and targeting decisions that can be implemented for nonprofit fundraising success.

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Miratel Solutions is a Toronto call centre, eBusiness, and letter shop mail house specializing in professional fundraising services including telephone fundraising, online fundraising, lottery services, donation caging, donation processing and other donor management services. We are committed to our CSR business values in all contact centre services and mail house operations and advancing the missions of the nonprofits we proudly serve.