The document discusses the importance of gift acknowledgements and thank you letters for donor retention. It provides data that shows the most common reasons why donors stop giving, including that 13% never received a thank you and 18% felt there was poor communication. Timely and personalized thank you's are important for keeping donors engaged. A study found that donors who received a thank you within 48 hours were 4x more likely to donate again. The document provides templates and best practices for effective gift acknowledgement letters.

1. Effective Gift Acknowledgements

2. @StevenShattuck

3. @StevenShattuck

4. The donor retention situation »
http://afpfep.org/reports/
@StevenShattuck

5. • 5% - thought charity did not need them
• 8% - no info on how monies were used
• 9% - no memory of supporting
• 13% - never got thanked for donating
• 16% - death
• 18% - poor service or communication
• 36% - others more deserving
• 54% - could no longer afford
Why nonprofit donors leave »
http://www.campbellrinker.com/Managing_donor_defection.pdf
@StevenShattuck

6. @StevenShattuck
The power of the thank you »
• “There were two instances this
year where I made gifts over
and above what I had intended
and they both involved personal
contact from someone in the
development office (director or
gifts officer). Being thanked for
my previous gift was much
more persuasive than receiving
multiple emails and direct mail
letters.”

7. We know they’re important.
But what makes a truly effective
gift acknowledgement?
@StevenShattuck

8. @StevenShattuck
• 2011 study
• Survey of 1,200 recent (last 12 months), frequent (more
than 2 gifts to cause based charities) donors from over
250 nonprofit organizations
• Donors were given a list of 32 reasons why they might
continue giving
• Asked to rank them by order of importance
Key drivers of donor commitment »
http://www.thedonorvoice.com/national-donor-commitment-study-and-proof-of-link-between-donor-attitudes-and-behavior/

9. 1. Donor perceives organization produces outcomes
2. Donor knows what to expect with each interaction
3. Donor receives a timely thank you
4. Donor receives opportunities to make views known
5. Donor feels like they’re part of an important cause
6. Donor feels his or her involvement is appreciated
7. Donor receives info showing who is being helped
Why nonprofit donors stay »
@StevenShattuck
http://www.thedonorvoice.com/national-donor-commitment-study-and-proof-of-link-between-donor-attitudes-and-behavior/

10. Thank you success checklist »
• Fast
• Segmented
• Communicate Impact
• Tells What Comes Next
• Solicit Feedback
• Mulb-Channel
• Part of a Documented
Communicabons Cadence
@StevenShattuck

11. @StevenShattuck
The fast, personal touch »
• first-time donors who get a personal thank you within 48
hours are 4x more likely to give a second gift
(McConkey-Johnston International UK)
• a thank-you call from a board member to a newly acquired
donor within 24 hours of receiving the gifts will increase
their next gift by 39%.
(Penelope Burk)
http://www.guidestar.org/rxa/news/articles/2010/how-to-increase-donations-by-39-percent.aspx

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14. @StevenShattuck

18. @StevenShattuck
Most likely to give a bequest »
• Length of giving to your organization
(5+ years of regular giving)
• Giving to you over a long period of time (Giving
may not be year after year - but gifts have
been made over a long, extended period of
time)
• Frequency of Giving (monthly credit card
donors, multiple gifts within a year)
• Is an active volunteer (at one time or now a
board member, or a volunteer in some
manner)
• The Family has been involved in some way in
the organization (best if there is a long-time
association)

19. @StevenShattuck

20. @StevenShattuck

21. @StevenShattuck
https://share.vidyard.com/watch/rh6mDE1mrwLKqZChs2bPfS

22. @StevenShattuck
https://share.vidyard.com/watch/rh6mDE1mrwLKqZChs2bPfS

23. @StevenShattuck

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25. @StevenShattuck
Favorite Segments »
• First-time donation
• One-time
• Monthly
• Monthly donation
• Repeat donation
• Reason for donating
• Former service recipient?
• Gift amount
• Gift channel
• online, mail, event, P2P, tribute/memorial

26. @StevenShattuck

27. @StevenShattuck

28. @StevenShattuck
Heather Carroll
Executive Director at
Skaneateles Education
Foundation

29. @StevenShattuck
Heather Carroll
Executive Director at
Skaneateles Education
Foundation

30. @StevenShattuck
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/3-truths-and-1-lie-about-online-donors_us_595cf48de4b0326c0a8d13fb?
Donor retention by age/channel »

31. @StevenShattuck

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36. A tale of three
gift acknowledgement experiments

37. First of its kind research »
Jen Shang
https://www.philanthropy-centre.org/learning-to-%20say-thank-you/

38. • Individuals sent a petition to a sign
• Signers thanked
• Thank you included a survey
• Order of survey questions tested
@StevenShattuck
Test #1 »

40. @StevenShattuck
Test #1 »

41. • Donor-centricity! Putting impact on donor before
impact on org more than doubled the degree to
which they are willing to take action later.
• Including surveys in thank you’s is effective
• Heartfelt thanks even though no $ gift was made
• So, from the very first action that any donors take
for an organization, thank-you’s should focus on
making supporters feel good about their action
(even if it wasn’t a gift).
Key findings »
@StevenShattuck

42. • What effect can centering a “thank you” letter on
the CEO vs. the Donor have on renewal rates?
@StevenShattuck
Test #2 »

43. @StevenShattuck
Test #2 »

44. Iowa Public TV »
@StevenShattuck

45. • Donor-centric won, but not by much.
• Okay to utilize leadership if they are well known!
• The longer a donor has given, the more effective a
letter that speaks to the relationship.
• talk about impact early on,
talk about relationship later
• flattery is disingenuous early in the relationship
• CEO-centered letter worked because she is
known in the community; an unknown CEO
might not have the same effect
@StevenShattuck
Test #2 »

46. • Thank you letter sent out prior to an appeal/
renewal letter (to “prime the pump”)
• Half got the letter, half didn’t.
• Which group do you think gave more to the
subsequent appeal?
@StevenShattuck
Test #3 »

47. @StevenShattuck
Test #3 »

48. @StevenShattuck
Test #3 »

49. https://www.philanthropy-centre.org/learning-to-%20say-thank-you/
@StevenShattuck
• Thank even if there was no monetary gift
• Okay to take advantage of a well-known CEO
• Try sending a thank you before a big appeal
Takeaways »

50. https://www.philanthropy-centre.org/learning-to-%20say-thank-you/
• Free download!
• Chock-full of other
tidbits and takeaways!
@StevenShattuck

51. https://bloomerang.co/resources
•Nonprofit Wrap-Up
•Bloomerang TV
•Bloomies
•Daily blog post
•Weekly webinars
•Downloadables

52. Email thank you
letter template »
https://bloomerang.co/resources/
downloadables/sample-donation-
thank-you-email-template/
@StevenShattuck

53. https://bloomerang.co/resources/downloadables/basic-thank-you-letter-template/
Snail mail thank you letter template »
1. Personal intro
2. Thank you
3. Impact statement
4. Future communications
5. Another thank you
6. Personal signature
7. PS w/ additional action
@StevenShattuck

54. 3
https://bloomerang.co/demo/video

55. Questions?
steven.shattuck@bloomerang.co
@StevenShattuck
Free eBooks »
@StevenShattuck
https://bloomerang.co/causecamp