Your organization may be depending on fewer donors to keep its mission alive. What happens if one of your largest supporters stops giving?
The Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Fundraising Effectiveness Project found that charitable dollars increased by 6.6 percent in the first half of 2026, compared with the same period last year. Yet the number of donors fell 1.6 percent. Donor retention slipped to 26.4 percent.
That should get your attention.
Your next big fundraising win might not come from giving your current donors a better reason to stay.
Here are five ways to start.
1. A Donation Is Not Finish Line
A donor gives $100. Your nonprofit sends a receipt. Then that donor hears nothing for months.
Then what? Oops!
A donation should start a relationship, not end one.
After someone gives, help them understand what their gift means. Tell them what their support makes possible. Share progress, explain challenges, and show them why their decision mattered.
For example, a food bank could send a short update explaining how its team responded to a rise in demand. A youth organization could share a program milestone. An animal rescue could introduce a pet that has found a home.
Make the updates real and relevant.
Do not claim that one $50 gift paid for a specific service unless you know that is true. Instead, explain how donations support the larger effort.
Try this: Look at your last 20 new donors. How any received a meaningful update after their initial thank-you message?
If no, start there.
2. Give Donors Something Extra
Your supporters probably understand that your nonprofit needs money.
You do not have to remind them every time you contact them.
Instead, give them reasons to care about what happens between fundraising campaigns.
Try sending three types of messages:
The progress update: Show what your team has accomplished and what still needs work.
The human story: Introduce someone whose life has been affected by your mission.
The invitation: Give supporters a simple way to participate — an event, an educational resource, volunteer opportunity, etc.
This helps people feel connected to your work even when they are not ready to donate again.
Consider a nonprofit that helps people with disabilities find employment. (We work with them all the time, by the way!)
Share an approved story about someone who found a job, describe a new employment program, or explain a barrier that still needs to be addressed.
The message is not, “Look how great we are.”
It is, “Here is what is happening, here is why it matters, and here is how you can be part of it.”
That matters.
Keep asking for donations. Just make sure your communications offer value beyond the ask.
3. Make Your Thank-You Messages Worth Reading
A donation receipt is necessary. But it is not the same as making someone feel connected to your mission.
Think about the last time you received a generic message that started with “Dear Supporter.”
Did it make you feel special?
Nah!
Your thank-you message does not need to be expensive or complicated. It needs to sound human.
Use the donor’s name when you have it. Thank them for their support. Explain why the work matters. Make sure the message reflects what they actually did.
For a first-time donor, you might say:
“Thank you for making your first gift to our organization. Your support helps us continue working toward a community where every child has access to the resources they need. We’re glad you’re part of this effort, and we’ll keep you updated on our progress.”
Then follow through.
If you promise updates, send them. If you say you will share progress, share it. Trust grows when your actions match your words.
4. It’s About The People
December is important for any nonprofits.
Your donors need to understand three things:
- What problem are you trying to solve?
- Why does solving it matter now?
- What will their support help make possible?
A message such as “Donate before December 31!” gives people a deadline. There’s urgency!
Imagine a nonprofit working to provide meals to older adults.
Rather than sending five versions of “We need your help,” build a short campaign around its work: the challenge people face, how its meal program responds, what the organization hopes to accomplish, and how donations support that effort.
Each message could tell a different part of the story.
Be specific, but stay honest.
Also, don’t assume every donor needs the same message. A first-time donor may need an introduction to your work. A longtime supporter may appreciate a deeper progress report. A lapsed donor may need a clear explanation of what has changed since their last gift.
Make each message give people a useful reason to pay attention.
5. Show Your Impact Instead
Words are important. But sometimes people need to see the work to understand it.
Imagine receiving two messages from a nonprofit.
The first says, “We make a difference in people’s lives.”
The second shows a program in action, explains the challenge it addresses, and shares an approved account from someone who has experienced the program.
Which one gives you a clearer picture of the work?
The second gives the audience more to understand and remember.
Your nonprofit may already have the material you need.
Look at your existing photos, interviews, event recordings, program footage, and testimonials. You might find useful stories sitting in a folder that nobody has opened.
You can turn existing material into:
- A short video explaining a recent program milestone.
- A donor email featuring an approved participant story.
- A series of social posts answering common questions.
- A brief event recap showing supporters what their involvement helped make possible.
- A year-end message connecting your progress to your next goal.
You do not need to produce a major film for every update.
A short, clear message can be enough if it gives people a real reason to care.
Remember, attention is not the same as fundraising success. Track whether your communications help people take meaningful steps.
Your 30-Minute Donor Retention Checkup
You do not need a new marketing plan to find your first improvement.
Set aside 30 minutes with your team and answer these questions:
1. What happens after someone gives?
Write down the exact sequence of events.
2. When do donors hear from you without being asked for money?
If you cannot identify a recent example, plan one.
3. What proof of impact can you share?
There are tons of stories, and they are likely in your marketing videos or annual reports.
4. How do you know whether donors are coming back?
Review repeat giving and retention by donor group. Compare first-time donors with returning donors where your data allows.
5. What will you test next?
Choose one improvement.
Do not change everything at once. A small test gives your team a clearer idea of what works.
Fundraising Is About More Than Getting the Gift
Raising money matters. But the relationships behind those donations matter, too.
When fewer people give, your nonprofit will face greater pressure to find new supporters or rely more heavily on its largest donors. Building stronger relationships with existing supporters helps address that risk.
You will not keep every donor. People move, change priorities, and face financial challenges. And no communication plan can guarantee that someone will give again.
Before spending another dollar trying to reach new donors, take a look at the people who already support you.
They may be your most overlooked opportunity.
Want to Get More From the Marketing You Already Have?
Team Trust Productions is a disability-led video production and marketing company that helps nonprofits turn their stories into useful marketing content.
Schedule a free 15-minute video marketing review. We will help you identify three ways to get more marketing and fundraising value from your existing video assets.
You do not always need to create more. Sometimes you need to make better use of what is already there.