How to Win Donors in 2025: Building Genuine Connection in Nonprofit Fundraising
- Johnna Ehmke
- Oct 15
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 19
Nonprofits face tough competition for donors these days, and people want to know their money truly makes a difference. The shift toward transparency and humanity continues to deepen and donors want clarity and honesty. They want to know their money works. For marketers, this means turning empathy into operational clarity.
The point is clear: the audience is there, the volume of giving is growing, but the competition and donor expectations are rising too. This means marketers must go deeper than surface appeals. They need to build operational tactics that convert generosity into enduring relationships. Below, find some bite-sized strategies you can act on right away.
1. Make Storytelling Accountable
Storytelling drives emotion, but it should also drive measurable outcomes.
Plan the story journey. Match stories to each donor stage. Awareness needs a broad introduction. Consideration needs proof of impact. Retention needs ongoing updates.
Test delivery formats. Review which channel performs best through analytics rather than assumptions.
Collect material early. Gather quotes, photos, and progress notes during each program. Organise them by theme so teams can respond quickly when opportunities appear.
Track engagement quality. Look at dwell time, shares, and replies to see what really moves people to act.
Focus metric: Conversion rate of story-led campaigns compared with general appeals.
2. Treat Donor Segments as Ongoing Conversations
Segmentation works best when it behaves like a conversation, not a database. Use your CRM to automate meaningful touchpoints.
Segment | Messaging Focus | Channel | Trigger |
First-time donor | Thank you + one tangible outcome | Email or SMS | Donation confirmation |
Repeat donor | Progress report with visual proof | Newsletter | 3-month interval |
Lapsed donor | Reconnect with a new project or success story | Direct mail or retargeting | 6-month gap |
Peer fundraiser | Public thanks and recognition | Social | Campaign creation |
Bequest supporter | Legacy updates sent personally | Direct contact | Annual |
Action: Launch one new automation journey each quarter.
3. Use Data to Personalise with Purpose
Data is powerful when it adds human context.
Add donor motivation fields such as “reason for giving” in your CRM.
Identify which content triggers second donations.
Combine analytics with short surveys to shape campaigns around values, not just demographics.
Use dashboards to visualise giving frequency and preferred contact methods.
Goal: Produce one insight-driven campaign every two months.
4. Use Technology as a Campaign Tool
Digital tools should simplify execution and improve the donor experience.
Integrate donation platforms like GiveNow or Raisely with email and CRM systems.
Automate acknowledgements and impact updates to free time for creative planning.
Provide branded resources for peer fundraisers so every supporter campaign looks and feels consistent.
Build short supporter-led campaigns with custom hashtags and easy sharing links.
Action: Audit your technology once per quarter and activate one new automation or integration.
5. Build Trust with Openness
Donors reward organisations that communicate clearly and frequently.
Share project milestones as small “impact snapshots.”
Publish visual dashboards showing how funds are allocated.
Be honest about lessons learned and how you plan to improve.
Close every campaign with proof of results.
Action: Include a short “Your donation in action” update in every email series.
6. Bring Marketing and Fundraising Together
Alignment between marketing and fundraising is now essential.
Schedule joint planning sessions to connect data with messaging.
Create shared campaign calendars.
Agree on a single set of metrics so both teams track performance the same way.
Action: Create one shared campaign dashboard before mid-year.
Looking Ahead
Donor expectations in 2025 are shaped by transparency, relevance, and proof of impact. The charities that keep donors are the ones who treat marketing as a relationship engine, not a broadcast tool. Every interaction, whether it’s a story, an update, or a thank-you, becomes part of a bigger trust cycle that drives loyalty and long-term giving.
If your team is ready to turn insight into action but needs a hand refining your fundraising strategy, we can help. From mapping donor journeys to tightening your storytelling framework, our team helps build strategies that feel human and deliver results.
