Want Your Middle Donors to Give More? Do This

When’s the last time you thought about your middle donors?

Many small nonprofits spend a lot of time campaigning for new donors and cultivating major gift prospects. It makes sense, right? Bring in more support, and look for the people who have money to give.

But what about the people in the middle—the ones who are already supporting your nonprofit, and maybe even volunteer, but don’t have the means to be a major donor?

The truth is if you’re not paying attention to your mid-level donors, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity for increased revenue and long-term support. Middle donors tend to give a higher percentage of their income to charity and generally have a higher retention rate than lower-level donors. While they may not have the means to become major donors, middle donors’ commitment and support make them a fundamental building block for the future of your nonprofit.

What can a small nonprofit do to nurture and grow mid-level donors? Two things:

1. Know who they are.

How do you define a middle donor? The actual donation amounts that define a mid-level donor depends on your specific organization. Along with average donation amounts, however, consider factors such as cumulative giving, engagement with your organization, and how long they’ve been in your donor database. You’ll also want to identify potential middle donors—lower-level donors who have shown interest either through volunteering, recurring giving, or other engagement factors.

2. Be intentional in how you ask them to give more.

Effective emails need to be clear, specific, and personal. For a large list of contacts, segmentation makes this possible. You’ll want to segment your middle donors into more targeted groups based, for example, on giving level, volunteer participation, or length of their relationship with your nonprofit. This lets you send a more specific and more effective message.

For more tips on how to effectively communicate with and grow your middle donors, download a free copy of the Mid-Level Donor Growth Guide: A Toolkit to Help You Identify, Manage, and Upgrade Middle Donors into Long-Term Supporters. We’ve put together expert tips and analysis into one easy-to-use guide designed to help you get more support from your middle donors, even if you’re short on time. Get your copy now.