Regular Donor Communication Is Essential to Advancing a Nonprofit’s Mission

To the Editor:

Theodore Wagenaar’s recent op-ed — “My Essay on Why I Stopped Donating Went Viral. Here’s What I’ve Learned Since.” (February 15) — insightfully captured why it’s so important for nonprofits to proactively communicate with donors.

As a staff development officer and strategic growth consultant for nonprofits, I’ve learned that in order to retain donors, thanking them for their support is an important first step. Crucially, when major donors request additional information about how their money is being used and the effect it’s had, nonprofits need to take the time to respond. After all, it’s usually easier to engage and motivate current donors than it is to research, cultivate, and secure new ones to replace them.

That’s why I was surprised when Wagenaar wrote that none of the nonprofits he donates to have asked about the other organizations he supports. While many organizations cannot afford sophisticated donor research services, even a cursory internet search on a major donor is a must.

Wagenaar was also spot-on when he explained how organizations should be more forthcoming about the difficulties they’re experiencing. Doing so allows donors to respond to — and help fix — any problems, such as needing new equipment.

I agree with Wagenaar that nonprofits should include all the information donors might want on their websites, especially data about results. It’s also important for websites to include a nonprofit’s 990s and a one-page strategic plan. Both are helpful for journalists looking to learn about the nonprofit and for recruiting board members, employees, and volunteers.

A solid donor-engagement strategy should enhance rather than impede a nonprofit’s mission and vision. To that end, I found Wagenaar’s concluding remarks most compelling: “A strong donor-organization relationship should include both listening and learning,” he wrote. “Each side needs to ask the other, ‘What do you need and what can I do better?’”

In these challenging times, all nonprofits should take note. And they should pair these practices with transparency, empathy, and gratitude for donors.

Liz DiMarco Weinmann
Founder and Principal
Liz DiMarco Weinmann Consulting