Thanking Donors

Going the extra mile by sending your donors a personalized thank you message is a great way to show them how much you value their support. Thank you cards, phone calls, and other thoughtful methods of recognition can also serve as the first step towards cultivating long-term relationships with your donors.

Sample Thank You Cards

Subject: Thank You for Making My Ministry With The Seeds Project Ministry Crowdfunding a Huge Success!

[Salutation],

Thank you so much for your generous gift of $[x]. Because of your support, I will be able to [Concrete objective your organization will be able to accomplish or item your organization will purchase because of this donation]. This means so much to me and to [those your ministry impacts] every day!

None of this could happen without you!

[Signature]

Subject: Looking to the Future

[Salutation],

Because of your generous gift of $[x] during Seeds Project Ministry Crowdfunding we were able to [Concrete objective your organization will be able to accomplish or item your organization will purchase because of this donation], but we still have a long way to go! Join us for these upcoming volunteer opportunities to help us keep our momentum alive!

[include list of upcoming volunteer or donation needs your organization has scheduled].

Thank you again for all that you do! Our organization and community would not be the same without you.

[Signature]

Tips for Making Thank You Calls

Quick Checklist for Brilliant Donor Thank You Calls

A personal phone call is one of the most effective ways for your organization to show timely and genuine appreciation for your donors after Seeds Project Ministry Crowdfunding. Below are some steps to help you develop and implement a successful thank you call strategy:

The best time to make a thank you call is within a month of receiving the gift. After a month has passed, a call is more likely to be perceived as an additional solicitation. For new donors and significant gifts, experts from Network For Good suggest calling within 48 hours of receiving the donation.

Obviously each thank you call will be different depending on caller, donor, gift amount, and perceptiveness/enthusiasm. The best thank you calls are brief and to the point and should be made with a smile on your face (this will put a smile in your voice!).

Consider making a “Thank You” script beforehand. This script should be used primarily as a guideline and is not something that should be repeated word-for-word. Here is an excellent template to work with:


    “Hi [Donor Name]! This is [Caller Name], I am a Seeds Project fellow, and I just called to say how much I appreciate your support for my ministry and your recent gift to our crowdfunding campaign!”

The greatest impact of a thank you call should come from the purity of its intent. Donors will likely be pleasantly surprised that you’ve called simply to express gratitude and that you do not want anything else from them. The above message is short enough to start an authentic dialogue with your donor and to take a pulse check on their interest in future opportunities.

If the donor is enthusiastic about chatting with you more about your ministry project, you might expand your conversation by asking these key questions:

  1. What inspired you to support my ministry?
  2. How did you hear about our crowdfunding campaign?
  3. What expectations do you have of the organizations you support?
  4. Would you like to be involved with my ministry in other ways beyond being a donor?

These questions can help to move your thank you call beyond a simple statement of gratitude towards making a concrete connection with your donor - and that is what donor stewardship is all about!

If you reach someone’s voicemail, you will want to leave a message and, for that, you should consider a slightly more detailed approach:

    “Hi [Donor Name]! This is [Caller Name] and I am a Seeds Project fellow. Sorry I missed you. I will try reaching you again [Day and Time]"

Keep in mind what time of day it is in your donor's time zone before calling. Donations are considered private and protected information, so do not share any information about their gift in a voicemail or before confirming who you are speaking with over the phone. 

Whether you simply leave a message or have an in-depth conversation with a donor you’ll want to record the results of your conversation so that you can keep track of all of your stewardship efforts.

Make specific notes about whether you left a voicemail or were able to reach someone in person, how the donor responded to being called, and if you were able to speak about why they gave.