Your best donors might be right in front of you. Research shows that people who volunteer are more likely to donate money to your organization than those who don’t. On the same note, asking donors to share something other than their money (like their time and talents) can help cultivate lasting, committed relationships.
So, what’s the best way to cross-pollinate relationships and create more super supporters? This guide includes some helpful resources for nonprofits looking to do just that. Be sure to check out the free letter templates, designed to help nonprofits convert more donors to volunteers and volunteers to donors.
Have a resource you’d like to add to the list? Tweet your ideas and helpful links to @VolunteerHub.
Converting Volunteers to Donors, Donors to Volunteers
Donors and Volunteers: More Alike than Different
This article, by Susan J. Ellis of Energize, Inc., takes a deeper look at the similarities and differences between volunteers and donors. It also provides some helpful insight for organizations pondering the idea of asking donors to give their time and volunteers to give their money. http://www.energizeinc.com/art/voldonors.html
How Tech Can Help Nonprofits Cross-Pollinate Volunteer and Donor Lists in 2014
Technology is constantly changing the way nonprofits interact with and even recruit volunteers. This article highlights four volunteer predictions for 2014 and explains how your organization can benefit from them. http://www.volunteerhub.com/blog/four-volunteer-predictions-2014/
“Super Supporters” and What They Mean for Your Nonprofit
People who donate both their time and money to a cause are considered “super supporters.” Take a second to think about your donor and volunteer lists. How many “super supporters” does your nonprofit have? This article provides actionable steps for converting more individuals to this distinctive group. http://trust.guidestar.org/2014/01/31/how-to-convert-more-super-supporters/
Top 10 Considerations When Asking Volunteers to Donate
Industry expert Joyce Lewis-Andrews shares her insight on how to convert more volunteers to donors. This helpful guide offers tips for making the ask and reminds us that volunteers “don’t want to only hear from you when you need them to do something.” http://www.joycelewis-andrews.com/when-innovation-matters/turning-volunteers-into-donors
Volunteers Give More to Charity
Looking for ways to grow your donor base? This article from the University of Notre Dame highlights some pretty interesting statistics on the connection between volunteering for and donating to an organization. http://www.notredameonline.com/resources/nonprofit-leadership/your-nonprofits-best-donors-are-right-in-front-of-you/#.UukrG_sRPz8
Free Letter Template – Volunteer Request Letter to Send to Donors
Ready to solicit volunteer hours from donors? This free letter template will help you get started. Just customize and send to your donors. http://www.volunteerhub.com/resources/volunteer-request-donors/
Free Letter Template – Donation Request Letter to Send to Volunteers
Should nonprofits ask volunteers to give more than just their time? Studies consistently show that volunteers are more likely to give money to charity. Therefore, failing to ask volunteers to donate could mean a very big missed opportunity. This free letter template will help your organization solicit more donations from volunteers. http://www.volunteerhub.com/resources/donation-request-letter-volunteers/
4 Ways to Turn Volunteers Into Donors
Converting volunteers to donors may not be as hard as you think. This article by Jeff Jowdy, president and founder of Lighthouse Counsel, gives four straightforward ways to transform volunteers into donors and explains that “if you are not asking your volunteers to give, you are leaving substantial money on the table.” http://www.fundraisingsuccessmag.com/article/4-ways-turn-volunteers-into-donors/1#
Avoiding Lost Opportunities with Volunteers and Donors
An oldie but goodie, this article from the Energize, Inc. blog explains why nonprofits shouldn’t shy away from asking volunteers to give money on top of time. It also explores why the reverse, asking donors to volunteer, is just as important. http://www.energizeinc.com/hot/2004/04jul.html
Building Synergies Between People & Technology
How many of your donors have never volunteered? How many volunteers have never contributed financially to your cause? This article explains how connecting your CRM and volunteer database can help your organization develop strategies for increasing engagement. http://www.volunteerhub.com/blog/volunteers-missing-link/
Mastering the Ask
Nonprofits ask a lot out of their volunteers and donors. So, making the decision to ask for more (money and/or time) can be quite intimidating. This article provides a great framework for developing the perfect “ask” and highlights several tips for building better relationships with donors. http://www.thefundraisingauthority.com/fundraising-basics/how-to-ask/
Ask for Advice – You’ll Usually End Up with Money
Another excellent article on asking for donations, this one by Marc Koenig of Nonprofit Hub, gives 7 helpful tips for crafting a successful ask. As Marc points out, “Ask for money, you’ll get advice. Ask for advice, you’ll get money.” http://www.nonprofithub.org/fundraising/7-tips-on-asking-for-donations-its-intimidating-we-get-it/
Bookmark this page and check back often! As we come across new articles and resources relating to this topic, we will add them to the list.
