How to Grow a Nonprofit with 5 Sustainable Fundraising Tips

Reading Time: 5 minutes

The whole purpose of building your organization is to create impact. You believe in the mission of your why, and you know others do, too! 

And that’s why you want to figure out how to grow a nonprofit! 

But getting it to the level you want it to be is a big task. Especially when it feels like your growth ebbs and flows. Some months, you hit substantial fundraising goals. And other months, it feels like you’ve barely squeaked by. 

The good news is growth is attainable. Not only that – sustainable growth is possible! 

Here are 5 sustainable fundraising tips to answer your burning question: “how to grow a nonprofit.”

01. Remember Your Mission

Your mission is the beating heart behind your organization. It’s the sole reason it was founded. 

Just about every decision you make for your nonprofit should be based on your why. 

But, thanks to a growing digital world, we’re often persuaded to sprint through different channels for growth. And then, we’re frustrated when we don’t see it happen for us. 

Doing so spreads us too thin. 

So if you find yourself wondering how to grow a nonprofit after months of feeling stagnant, remember your mission and your current outreach efforts. Do they align with the why behind your nonprofit? 

 

02. Generate Recurring Giving Every Month

Recurring giving is one of the most crucial steps to take when it comes to how to grow a nonprofit. It’s a huge backbone of having a sustainable fundraising strategy! Why? Because your recurring donors are saying, “I’m invested in your mission, and I want it to be successful.” They’re an incredible group of allies and advocates to attract into your network of supporters.

Not to mention, having them in your community takes the hustle out of warming up brand new leads, since they’re already aware of your mission. 

So, how do you set yourself up to receive recurring donations every month? You’ll need to look at your nonprofit marketing strategy. 

Is it, including your website and online donation platform, currently optimized to receive monthly donations? 

We’re often too in the weeds to explore our own channels and give ourselves honest feedback. 

03. Build Trust With Your Donors

Donors want to feel like they’re truly part of what you’re doing, rather than just another number. 

Grow your nonprofit by building trust with the people who want to help your mission. Here’s just a couple of ways you can do that: 

 

Develop a Thoughtful Welcome Email Sequence

The prime time to start fostering a lasting relationship with your prospect is the moment they sign up for your e-newsletters.

At that point, they’re excited to be a part of your community! 

So, nurture them by sharing donor impact stories. Update them on the progress of your mission. And always be sure you show them how they’re playing a part to make your growth happen! 

 

Use Good Old Fashioned Snail Mail

Believe it or not, snail mail is making a comeback. And when it’s done right, it’s a powerful tool to help you grow your nonprofit! 

Think of it this way – the last time you received something personalized in the mail, how did it make you feel? Probably pretty good. 

Donors feel the same when, no matter the size of their gift, they receive a personalized thank you from a nonprofit. It makes them feel more connected to your mission, and it reassures them that they played a part in making a change. 

Handwrytten is a great platform that creates handwritten cards for you! Those surprise and delight moments you create for your donors all help them trust you and your cause more. 

 

04. Audit Your Online Donation Process

Having a streamlined online donation process is a large component of growing a nonprofit. 

Your prospects don’t want to sit through a clunky process or a page that refuses to load. 

And you don’t want to tack on extra tasks to your to-do list when they can be automated. 

So, to grow a nonprofit, you need to check your process. Is your landing page loading slower than a herd of turtles stampeding through peanut butter? Do you have a customized donation page in place? Are thank you emails automatically sent out, or are you having to write each individual one? 

If any of these seem like they can be improved, then I highly recommend using Fundraise Up. Just by using it to improve your process, you can double your donations! 

 

05. Add Nonprofit Facebook Ads to Your Sustainable Fundraising Strategy

Do you know your average cost per acquisition of new donors? How many hours do you spend on mailers? On that upcoming event? 

With social media ads, you have all the metrics upfront to know exactly how much it costs you to acquire a new donor. 

There’s a myth that ads are expensive. But in reality, the average (as of 2022) is about $40-$60. 

Plus, with Facebook and Instagram ad campaigns, you can customize specific audiences, goals, and budgets.  

And when you combine that with the power to track your data, you learn how to tailor your ad campaigns so you’re getting the biggest bang for your buck. 

If you still choose not to use social media ads, then you’re stuck pressing send on organic content, closing your eyes, and praying that it reaches the people you want it to. 

That tactic usually results in money and time wasted.

I specifically wanted to save this one for last. Because I highly recommend completing the other three tips before you start in on this one! 

And for good reason. All three of the other tips play a role in creating successful nonprofit Facebook and Instagram ads! 

And using them is one major way to grow a nonprofit! 

 

 

If you’re ready to learn how to grow a nonprofit with the help of Facebook ads, I’ve got even better news. 

Start Running Facebook and Instagram Ads with a budget of ONLY $1-$3/day to gain visibility and increase brand awareness with your ideal audience. Learn how with my Mini-Ads Course: Visible Reach In A Week for $27!