The relationship between nonprofit organizations and donors is something that requires careful maintenance and curation in order to avoid donor loss and grow general awareness.

According to Roger Craver, author of Retention Fundraising: the art and science of keeping donors for life, hands-on experience and an abundance of research shows that the fundamentals of a relationship between two individuals are almost identical to those in a nonprofit-to-donor relationship. Understandably, this is a complex claim, but it boils down to two key types of connection. These two “pillars” are the support that a healthy relationship between an organization and its supporters needs in order to promote commitment and retention.

The first pillar is a Functional Connection. A relationship begins with a donor who desires to establish a connection with an organization. In these instances, we see that the donor requires a particular level of consistency and reliability, making it what we will call a functional connection. “If your organization fails to deliver both reliable and consistent experiences, you will fail at retention. Period,” says Craver. “Conversely, when you achieve a solid level of functional connection, the donor’s level of trust allows you move to the next, vitally important tier of the relationship.”

The second pillar is a Personal Connection, which is the more emotional aspect of a donor relationship. These connections are built through making the donor feel more like they are a part of the action, such as giving recognition or asking for their opinion.

When both pillars are solid in a relationship with your donors, they will stay with you, endorse your organization, and above all, trust you.

For more insight on this topic, visit The Agitator.