PART 3: ENDING DONOR RELATIONSHIPS

It is not uncommon for donors to reach the end of their donation cycle by no longer giving to your organization. This can happen for many reasons: the donor could have changed their funding priorities, they could have found other organizations that they prefer to give to, or they could simply be unable to give. Whatever the reason, there should still be joy and appreciation for the donor as they stop giving.

1. Be thankful:

First, be thankful. Your donor likely spent a lot of time and money on your organization over their many years of donations. Send them a final thank you to the donor to remind them of all that they helped accomplish. This will serve as a final summary of the donor’s good doing and will allow them to leave on good terms.

2. Welcome Feedback:

Second, be open to criticism. If a donor decided to stop giving because of something that the organization did, be willing to listen to feedback. Accepting criticism will help the organization shift, change, and grow in order to prevent lost donors in the future.

3. Donor Recognition:

Finally, it’s so important to leave on a good note. Even if the donor seems to be leaving for an unhappy reason, there still needs to be appreciation for their years of giving. If the donor is leaving because of reasons outside their control, the organization could consider giving the donor a donor recognition plaque. While this wouldn’t be feasible with every donor, long-term donors that have given a lot to the organization may appreciate the extra recognition.

For more help with donor relations, check out:

Podcasts Websites

The Philanthropy Podcast Nonprofithub.org

Nonprofit Hubcast

Nonprofit Ally

Nonprofit Optimist