Beyond the Basics: 5 Creative Ways to Thank Donors and STAND OUT

Gratitude is a basic expression of human kindness. From a young age, we teach our kids to be polite — to say thank you and you’re welcome. But how do we keep gratitude from becoming rote and automatic, rather than creative, genuine, and authentic?

Are you truly grateful for your donors? Of course you are, but you have to show them in ways that help you stand apart from the crowd.

Your gratitude should be memorable and meaningful.

Of course, most nonprofit leaders are overworked and underpaid, so finding the time and energy to express gratitude in creative and meaningful ways can be a burden. For better or worse, most donors need frequent touches and reassurance that their donations are doing good at your organization.

With that in mind, let’s review the basics before we dive into the fun stuff.

QUICK REVIEW: Stewardship Basics

Before we get to how you can make your organization STAND OUT through more imaginative expressions of donor gratitude, let’s make sure you’ve got the basics down pat. Your stewardship efforts should never be random — you should have a plan for each and every donor.

A Simple Stewardship Plan

It’s essential to plan out what you will do for each level of your donors. Here’s a basic plan — simply adjust the dollar amounts to suit your organization.

A.) $10,000+ gifts:

These are your top donors. So how will they be treated differently than the rest?

Make a list of five to ten ways you will steward these donors throughout the year. Include the basics, like a handwritten note and tax receipt, as well as taking them out to lunch or a virtual coffee meeting.

B.) $1,000 to $9,999 gifts:

Will these donors all get a personal email from the Executive Director and a thank-you call from board members? What can you do to make them feel special? When (and how) will you tell them how their donation was used?

C.) Gifts under $1,000:

After the basic thank you letter, what else can you do for them? Can you do anything special or different for first-time donors? How about repeat donors? Give it some thought so they might be inclined to give more next time around.

QUICK REVIEW: Tried-and-True Donor Thank-You’s

I’ve discussed several tried-and-true methods for thanking donors before. These are the old stand-by methods:

1. Write a note
2. Make a call
3. Send a letter
4. Type up an email
5. Give a hug or a handshake (a little harder post-COVID)

But to keep your organization in the forefront of donors’ minds — especially your top donors — it takes something more. Try thinking outside the box to keep your donors involved, interested, and engaged.

Outside-the-Box Thinking: Beyond Gratitude

In addition to expressing gratitude, be sure to tell your donors how their funds were used. Modern donors want to know they are making a difference.

You can do this in many ways, including:

• Sharing a testimonial
• Telling a success story
• Reporting the statistics

Use a combination of all three in thank-you letters, regular communication, on your website, and in an annual report.

Testimonials and success stories get to the heart of the matter, while statistics address the concerns of people who are more analytical. Using a combination of the three will ensure all donors get the information they need to understand your good work.

5 Creative Ways to Thank Donors and STAND OUT

With the basics out of the way, it’s time to STAND OUT! So how can you express your creativity and thoughtfulness to make your organization shine brighter in a sea of stars? These five methods can work wonders.

1. Create a Short Thank-You Video to Send via Email

Although more and more organizations are creating thank-you videos, those that do are still in the vast minority. A thank-you video can be a powerful tool to communicate the impact of your work. And with the power of a whole video studio in the palm of your hand (via your smartphone), it’s easier than ever to make a short, quality thank-you video.

Additionally, you can utilize tech services such as Gratavid and ThankView to make thank you videos a seamless part of your development work.

2. Share a Meaningful Photo

While clearly less interactive than video, a photo can also tell an important story captured in a never-ending moment. Show the difference your donors made by telling them why the image in the photo was able to happen — all thanks to their donation.

Be sure the photo reflects the positive emotions brought about by your donor’s gift. Include smiling faces, even if the donor helped construct a new building. It’s never about the building itself, but about the people and programs inside that building.

3. Include a Note from a Client

A letter from a client goes a long way with donors. It provides that personal touch and important connection to the individuals who are being helped through their donations.

In that vein, it may be helpful to keep a list of clients on hand that could express their story and/or feelings of appreciation through the written word.

4. Give a Social Media Shout-Out

While you may not be able to do this for all donors, this may be appropriate for some. Think about ways to recognize donors who are active on social media and who give online.

Social media can be a little tricky; you don’t want to embarrass anyone or leave anyone out. So it may be helpful to come up with a plan and check with donors first. You could also combine your shout-out with a creative photo or video (see #1 and #2 above).

5. Send a Certificate of Appreciation

Cost-effective, yet different from a letter, certificates can be special ways to thank people. Prominently display your donor’s name, along with a line about what made his or her gift special.

For bigger gifts, consider framing your certificate and adding a gold star to drive home the point.

Additional Ways to Thank Your Donors

When gratitude is creative and meaningful, it will be remembered by your donor. And when it comes time to ask for a major gift, your donor will be eager to help.

For more info about thanking your donors, check out the following posts:

• 5 Simple Ways to Thank Donors and Raise More Money
• 21 Ways to Thank Major Gift Donors: A Round-Up of Strategies
• 5 Donor Love Languages: How Fundraisers Say ‘Thank You’ Matters

No matter how memorable your thank-you is, the most important part of successful stewardship is that your gratitude is genuine and heartfelt — no matter the gift size. In addition, always make sure a donor knows how their gift made a difference.

What creative ways do you use to thank your donors? I’d love to hear about them. Please share them in the comments below.