Thank you should be a familiar word in an NFP’s vocabulary. Without it, your relationship between your donors will be somewhat strained. Imagine giving a gift to someone and receiving no thank you in return. Your feelings will be hurt, and you may not want to ever give a gift to that person again. That is exactly how your donor will feel – hurt and frustrated.

Your NFP should understand the need to say thank you at all levels. You need to thank your board members and volunteers at every opportunity and thank the donors for every gift which comes your way. Create a gift report regularly, so you can ensure that thank you notes are sent, or phone calls are made.

Consider putting a specific thank you policy in place, so no one misses out on your appreciation. Are larger donors acknowledged differently to smaller donors? Recognise the donors in each meeting, on your website, in your newsletter and on social media.

Without your donors, nothing would get done. You need their support at all times. Think up fun ways to surprise your donors outside of the usual gift-giving process. You could hold an annual thank you event or produce a series of thank you videos that cater to specific needs. You could even personalise your videos for particular donations which warrant something special.

Helen Keller said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much” and it couldn’t be truer. Your donors make it all happen – thanking them is a must to ensure the longevity of your nonprofit.