π From the Weekly Spark, my weekly email with one useful idea for nonprofit fundraisers. This oneβs about the donor journey. Subscribe here.
NIO was wildly fun this year. I met so many people and connected with clients, newsletter readers who made my day by saying hi, and nonprofits navigating challenging environments. I soaked up every minute.
One person I really enjoyed talking to was Todd Hiestand, who has worked for and with nonprofits for decades. He told me about his book, The Welcoming Nonprofit, and then remembered to stop by our booth and give me a copy. Anyone who remembers anything during the blur of a conference has my respect.
One of Todd’s ideas gave me a different way to think about donor relationships.
Nonprofits often picture those relationships as funnels. People enter at the top, move toward a donation, and fundraisers measure how many make it through. Funnels help us organize and measure progress.
They’re also how you pour oil into a lawn mower, which may explain why Todd thinks they miss some of the human part.
The Four Rooms of Your Donor Journey
He suggests picturing your nonprofit as a house instead. Depending on their relationship with your organization, people may be in one of four places:
π The sidewalk
Strangers deciding whether they’re interested enough to take a closer look.
π The front porch
People who are curious and beginning to connect with your work.
π The living room
Supporters who trust you and see themselves as part of your story.
π The kitchen table
Your closest partners who don’t just support the mission. They help shape it.
The goal isn’t to pull everyone through your donor journey as quickly as possible. It’s to understand where people are and welcome them accordingly.
Three Questions to Ask About Your Donor Journey
So here’s a quick exercise for this week. Look at your donor communications and ask:
- Are you asking someone on the sidewalk for a kitchen-table commitment?
- Do you give people meaningful ways to come closer that don’t require an immediate donation?
- Are your most loyal supporters invited into the conversation, or do they mostly hear from you when you need money?
Todd sums it up this way: “We don’t get to decide if someone belongs. They do.”
The funnel helps us measure how people move. Todd’s house is a useful reminder to think about how they feel while they’re there.
That’s an idea worth considering.
This first ran in the Weekly Spark, my weekly email with one useful idea for nonprofit fundraisers. No homework, no hard sell. Get the next one in your inbox.
