Get Your Donors to Stick Around!

Tom Iselin
May 30, 2021
4 min read

Updated: 2 days ago

The "Rainmaker" series provides strategies, tips, tactics, secrets, trainings, and lessons for board members, CEOs, and staff to improve performance, impact, engagement, governance, and culture of their nonprofit. This video is 4 min. This video is reminder that you should sweat the things you CAN control with the donors and not the stuff you can't control.

https://youtu.be/Tqu0b4O5UMk

Get Your Donors to Stick Around!

How to Create “Sticky” Donor Relationships That Keep People Giving for Years

Here’s a scary statistic: 50% of donors never make a second gift.And each year after that, there’s a 30% chance they’ll stop giving altogether.

That’s donor attrition—and it’s costing nonprofits millions.

So what causes donors to quietly fade away?It’s rarely the economy.It’s rarely their finances.It’s rarely your mission.

More often than not, donors walk because the relationship isn’t strong enough to pull them back.

In this article, you’ll learn a simple principle that helps transform one-time donors into long-term supporters—and dramatically reduces attrition.

How Donors Feel When You Only Contact Them to Ask for Money

Imagine donating $5,000 to an organization you care about…And then you hear nothing for an entire year.

Then suddenly a board member calls and asks you for another $5,000.

How would that feel?

Irritating
Disrespectful
Transactional
Impersonal
Like you’re nothing more than a cash machine

When donors feel ignored or treated like ATM dispensers, they leave.Period.

Future donations are directly linked to the quality and consistency of the relationship you build with each donor.This is what creates “stickiness”—the glue that keeps donors involved, connected, and giving year after year.

The Key: Build Personal, Meaningful Connections

If you want to keep donors, you must invest time, attention, and energy into nurturing relationships.

This means getting to know donors as people, not wallets.

Here are the basics:

For all donors:

Learn about their interests
Know their family or professional background
Understand their philanthropic passions
Talk to them regularly—formally and informally
Connect with them on social media
Engage at events and programs

People prefer doing business—and philanthropy—with people they like, trust, and enjoy spending time with.

Engaging Smaller Donors (And Why It Matters)

Small donors are often treated like background extras in the nonprofit world.This is a mistake.

Small donors become mid-level donors.Mid-level donors become major donors.Major donors become legacy donors.

To engage your smaller donors:

Interact with them on social media
Thank them personally
Connect during public events
Invite them to volunteer
Treat them like partners, not spectators

They remember these touches.They feel them.And they respond with loyalty.

Engaging Major Donors (Build the Relationship, Not the Ask)

For your major donors, go deeper.

Spend real time with them:

Coffee
Lunch
Site tours
Conversation about their values
Understanding why they believe in your mission
Learning how they want to be involved
Asking what impact matters most to them

Major donors don’t give because you asked nicely.They give because they feel emotionally connected and personally understood.

My Favorite Donor Relationship Builder: Shared Activities

If you really want to build trust and connection, do something donors love to do.

This is where magic happens.

Activities I’ve done with donors include:

Hiking
Skiing
Beach walks
Backgammon tournaments
Fly fishing (and yes—I once raised $450,000 on a fishing trip)

When donors spend time doing something they enjoy, they open up.They talk about life, passion, purpose, values—and your mission becomes part of that emotional landscape.

This is where major gifts grow.

Touch Your Donors Often (In a Genuine, Friendly Way)

To build sticky relationships:

Reach out frequently
Share impact updates
Celebrate milestones
Ask for opinions
Invite involvement
Be curious
Be friendly
Be professional
Be present

The more personal the connection, the more likely donors are to stick around.The more they stick around, the more money you raise.

Long-term donors aren’t an accident.They’re the result of ongoing personal relationship-building.

Summary: How to Reduce Attrition and Keep Donors Loyal

Here’s the big takeaway:

Donor retention is about relationships, not transactions.

When donors feel:

Appreciated
Seen
Known
Connected
Engaged
Inspired

They stay.They give more.They give more often.They give for years.

If you get to know your donors as real people and treat them with the same care you give your closest friends, they will stick with you.

And that is very, very good for your mission.

About the Author

Tom Iselin is recognized as one of America’s leading authorities on high-performance nonprofits. He has built nine sector-leading nonprofits and two software companies, written six books, sits on multiple boards, and has been rated one of America’s Best Board Retreat and Strategic Planning Facilitators. His work on nonprofit strategy, board leadership, and culture has been featured on CNN, Nightline, and in Newsweek.

Tom is the president of First Things First, a firm specializing in board retreats, strategic planning services, fundraising strategy, and executive coaching for nonprofit CEOs.

Board Retreats & Strategic Planning

If you’re looking for a board retreat facilitator or strategic planning facilitator who has been in the trenches and understands real-world nonprofit challenges, Tom can help your board gain clarity, build alignment, and create an actionable plan that improves performance and impact. His sessions propel organizations to the next level of performance and impact . . . and they're fun!

Board Retreats and Strategic Planning Services: