New Hampshire Gives has come and gone. Now what?

Okay, New Hampshire Gives has come and gone. Now what? This is where the real work begins. Now’s the time to steward these donors in a deeper way.

Think about it. 

700+ nonprofits had their message out there this week. And they choose YOU.

So, let’s thank them for this.
Let’s learn more about who they are. 
Let’s make sure they are IN your database.

Let’s start there.

When participating in any Giving Day, most make you use a third-party platform, not yours. You must make sure you export the list of donors from their platform and put them in your CRM. You’d be surprised how many people miss this step and keep the data in the third-party platform.

Next, let’s find out if they’ve ever given to you before. 

If this is their first gift to you, we need to make note of this. I’d like to add a caveat here. If you don’t trust your data, and are not confident this is their first gift, do not call out in your communications to them “Thank you for your first gift.” This can leave a really bad taste in their mouth. However, if you are confident this is their first gift, acknowledge that with a handwritten note to them. 

People LOVE a handwritten note. I have heard time and time again how it is a lost art. One we must bring back.

If the donors on the list are repeat supporters, this is great. Ask yourself using the data these questions:

Is this an additional gift, not expected?
Did they increase their amount? 

If it is a yes to any of the above, write the handwritten note to them too, and make mention of this to them. Let them know you see them, and honor what they’re doing for your mission. 

And for anyone else that made a gift, what do you notice about their giving after looking at the data?

Have they been giving at the same level for years? Is it time to bring them in for a coffee or a tour? 

Were they a lapsed donor and now they’re back? If so, that’s amazing! Something you said within your campaign worked! Now write that handwritten note and welcome them back!

You see, personalized touchpoints are what brings your relationship with your donor to a whole new level. You need to tell them, because honestly, it’s true. You can’t do what you do without the support and dedication of your community. 

Okay, let’s pause. How does this feel? 

Overwhelming?
Inspiring?
Not sure how you’re going to get this done on top of EVERYTHING else?

I feel that.

So, this is where you lean into your team. Spoiler alert, that includes your volunteers and your board. Pull the information, get them the notecards, ask them to help. This is an easy way for them to support your fundraising efforts in a way that might feel more comfortable to them.

The truth is that stewardship doesn't have to be complicated.

It starts with noticing.

Noticing who gave. Noticing what changed. Noticing the people who continue to show up for your mission, year after year.

When donors feel seen, relationships deepen. And when relationships deepen, generosity grows.

As you look at your NH Gives results, I encourage you to spend just as much time on what happens after the gift as you did to prepare for the campaign itself.

Your donors chose you. Make sure they know how much that matters.