The era of reactive giving: Inspiring one-time donors to become lifetime sustainers  

Reactive giving is on the rise. Whether as a flash point response to a crisis, natural disaster, or an election, one-time, smaller donations are becoming commonplace. Reactive donors respond based on emotion, giving less than donors who give regularly, and historically have been fleeting supporters. 

For nearly all nonprofits, converting one-time donors into long-term partners is a struggle. What can nonprofits do to prepare for an unplanned surge of donors and turn a reactive donor into a sustainable, regular one?  

Make your mission message clear, concise, and consistent  

Reactive donors are emotionally motivated to give spontaneously in response to an incident or current event. They may not remember the organization they contributed to months later. But don’t dismiss their motivations. With memorable messaging, you can inspire new donors and cultivate long-term engagement.  

To make a lasting impression, be clear and concise about how your organization is making a difference and addressing emerging needs. The language of your online donation forms, scripting, print materials, and any other content should center this language.  

Don’t let your brand be an afterthought. Ensure the color palette, photo elements, and graphics contribute to your story. Every medium you leverage to reach donors and prospects—social media, email, fundraising pages, and website should be consistent.

Putting guidelines around your messaging and branding ensures that from that initial giving moment, reactive donors are more likely to remember your organization and why they gave in the first place—allowing them to connect more deeply with your mission. 

Connect with your audience proactively 

While there’s little guarantee an emotionally motivated, impulsive reactive donor will give again, a typical donor feels altruistic from the start. Turn a reactive donor into a sustained supporter by better educating your audience so they experience the same deeper connection as a regular donor. 

One proactive strategy is to share progress updates on your nonprofit’s mission throughout the year, at least quarterly, ahead of future opportunities for giving. 

Consider what options to raise awareness for your cause can be scaled. Videos of your organization in action, statistics of how you’re making an impact in your community, and constituent testimonials are just a few ways to bring your mission to life. Potential donors should be familiar with your mission before a reactive giving moment strikes. 

Tap technology to make giving easy 

Nonprofits are capturing reactive donations by modernizing their giving experience and using it to meet donors where they are—through mobile giving, social media, various payment options, and text messaging. Make it easy to give—or you risk your supporters abandoning their donations.  

Here are some steps you can take to improve online giving and receive more gifts:  

• Have a donate button in your website’s top navigation.  

• Turn on a recurring giving option on your donation form. 

• Provide a donation link in social media bios and peppered throughout posts. 

• Embed your online giving form directly on the website, so giving is just one click away. 

• Offer digital wallets and other ways to pay to reach a broader base. 

Prime moments for reactive giving are often turbulent, so ensure your fundraising technology offers a simple, seamless giving experience. Prominently display your value proposition so reactive donors can connect—despite their emotional state—with the impact of their gift and your mission. Donors need to know exactly where their dollars are going. Any friction during the giving process could leave money on the table.  

Personalize your outreach efforts 

Reactive donors generally give smaller amounts. The retention rate for a donor giving $100 or less is half that of those giving more. How can your nonprofit successfully turn reactive donors into sustained donors?  

Personalized outreach makes a defining impact on donor retention rates. A reactive giving windfall may make personalization en masse difficult, but a quick thank you and sharing mission updates should be a priority.  

As you segment your donors, weave in individualized outreach. Prioritize returning supporters, larger gifts, and local donors for phone calls and handwritten notes. As your staff learns more about your donors, your organization will be able to increase the average gift amount and the number of donors who give more regularly.  

Reactive donors are likely to be new to your organization. Don’t only ask them for money again. Continue to share program updates and mission developments, but also offer other opportunities as part of stewardship.  

Encourage donor connections and engagement 

Did you know that three out of four volunteers donate to the organization they volunteer at? Ask reactive donors to join your advocacy network, share across their network, or volunteer. Keeping them involved in your organization in other ways strengthens their connections and loyalties. 

As reactive giving becomes more commonplace, nonprofits have the opportunity to connect with a larger donor pool, motivate continual giving, and inspire them to be advocates for your cause.   

Make your organization the “go to” solution for donor funding

Being the recipient of a reactive giving windfall can be a mixed blessing, but you can set yourself up for success so prospective donors know your organization is worth turning to in times of need. 

Enthusiastically share the best things about your nonprofit: your mission, core messaging, and constituent testimonials. If you align all that with on-brand communications and easy, accessible giving technology, your organization will strengthen its donor stewardship and create sustainable funding. 

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