Thanking donors is vital to your mission! There are numerous ways to thank donors but we have to re-think some of those tactics due to Covid. So, what can you do?
Creating a Donor Recognition Plan
First, start with a plan! A website called TREC.org provides an interesting stewardship matrix for environmental non-profits that can easily translate to the animal shelter community. This matrix helps you determine and track types of donors, gift amounts, and then the thank you tactics that should be used for each type of donor. It’s a simple, easy way to help you determine, and track, which methods of recognition are needed.
Donor Recognition Tactics
Next, determine which kinds of thank you tactics will work best for organization. You can include these on your custom stewardship matrix. Below are just three ideas you can use!
- A handwritten thank you note is a classic that you can’t go wrong with utilizing. Go beyond the usual, and maybe write the note from the perspective of one of the animals in the shelter you have helped. It’s a way to personalize a note, and is more interesting than the usual note of appreciation.
- Utilize your website! Recognize donors on your website either on your home page or on a separate Donor Thank You page. You can highlight top donors with features, or add their company logos or individual names. It’s a simple step, but it provides great visibility for your biggest fans.
- Make a Thank you video! This tip comes from Classy’s website and they recommend a two to five-minute video directly thanking donors and sharing a mission moment. You can add this video to your website, and your social media.
Need Help?
Donor recognition is an important step in your fundraising process so don’t skip it, but have fun with it. If you need assistance with donor recognition, PetBridge can help! From setting up pages on your website to video production, we can help your shelter or rescue create a memorable and effective donor recognition solution! Contact us to discuss options.
