3 Strategies to Reengage Lapsed Donors

New donors are a boost to morale and your nonprofit’s finances. It’s encouraging to engage with a new supporter who believes in your mission and is willing to donate. And, it can bring a sense of relief; you’ve created a relationship you plan to cultivate for years to come, but the hard work of finding and winning a prospect over is done.

Unfortunately, however, gaining a new donor doesn’t always mean gaining a recurring donor. Supporters may pause or cancel giving at any point, for reasons that you won’t always know. But that doesn’t mean you should give up. In this guide, we’ll identify strategies for building donor loyalty and reengaging lapsed donors.

Who are lapsed donors?

Lapsed donors are typically defined as donors who have not contributed in the last year or more. A few common reasons for why donors lapse are:

• Changes to the donor’s financial or life situation : If a donor loses their job, that might inhibit their ability to give to your organization for a time. Another reason could be that the supporter has had a lifestyle change. For example, a donor who is also a parent may no longer participate in a school fundraiser once their child has left that school.
• Poor donor experience: Perhaps the donor didn’t feel appreciated previously, or they’ve forgotten about your nonprofit because they didn’t receive any follow-up communications.
• No longer aligning with your mission: The donor might have found a different nonprofit that better aligns with their vision or is no longer prioritizing the same values as your nonprofit.
• Administrative errors: Not all donor lapses are intentional. For example, if the card your donor had on file for a recurring monthly gift expired and they forgot to update it, that could cause a lapse.

While some donor lapses are impossible to prevent, a solid donor stewardship strategy is vital for donor retention. For all of your current donors, ensure you have planned personalized touchpoints to demonstrate your nonprofit’s impact and share your appreciation for their support.

For donors who have lapsed, we’ll cover three strategies for reengaging with them and reminding them of the importance of your mission. Let’s dive in!

Engaging Fundraisers

Our first strategy for reengaging lapsed donors is to invite them to participate in a high-engagement fundraiser. Fundraisers can be a great way to give back to your supporters by offering them valuable products or experiences while raising funds at the same time. The most popular types of fundraisers are:

Product Fundraisers

Product fundraisers grab supporters’ attention and provide an immediate and tangible exchange for their donation. Often, these are also peer-to-peer run fundraisers, with current supporters selling products on behalf of your organization, adding a personal touch to re-engagement.

Some of the most popular ideas for product fundraisers include:

• Discount cards
• Flower bulbs
• Yummy snacks, like popcorn or cookie dough
• Branded merchandise like travel mugs or t-shirts with your nonprofit’s logo
• In-season fruit, like oranges or strawberries

Event Fundraising

A fundraising event is another high-engagement idea. By selling tickets to a gala or hosting an auction or fundraising raffle, your nonprofit can generate revenue and use the event as a touchpoint with lapsed donors.

When you’re preparing for an upcoming fundraising event, include lapsed donors on the invite list. Take it a step further than a form email and personalize their invitation. If possible, give the lapsed donor a call to share how much you’re looking forward to catching up with them at the event.

During the event, it may be appropriate to share an update on your nonprofit’s mission and annual fundraising goals with the entire gathering. This in-person presentation can serve as a reminder to the lapsed donor of all the good your organization is doing, inspiring them to rejoin you in your efforts.

Volunteer Opportunities

If the donor lapsed due to financial reasons, they may still be open to engaging with your mission in other ways, such as through volunteering. When you reach out to the lapsed donor with this invitation, Better Impact’s guide to volunteer recruitment recommends sharing clear role descriptions and making the sign-up form as simple as possible.

Invitations to volunteer or other non-monetary engagement opportunities are effective for overcoming donor fatigue from current donors as well. Through sharing specific skills that benefit your organization, like pro bono legal work, construction, or landscape architecture, or donating their time to serve with one of your nonprofit’s programs, volunteers bring immense value to your nonprofit. Share your appreciation for their efforts and remind them of the impact of their time often.

Segmented Communication Cadence

In addition to the invitations to engagement activities, like product fundraisers and volunteering, that we’ve covered so far, we recommend developing a segmented communication cadence for lapsed donors.

Your communication strategy can—and should!—include the touchpoints we’ve already discussed, but it should also include informational updates on your work, like annual reports and requests for feedback. Hearing from lapsed donors about why they’ve paused or canceled giving can be helpful information for shaping your future donor stewardship strategy.

You should also include donation appeals in your communications. Outline what your financial needs are and how donations will support your mission. Be clear that your organization needs their support, and thank them for giving in the past.

By segmenting lapsed donors and creating a tailored communications flow with personalized messages and their preferred communication channels, you have a much better chance of reengaging those supporters.

The foundation for all donor engagement, whether that’s welcoming a new supporter or reaching out to a lapsed donor, is building a relationship. Get to know your donors and let them know how much you appreciate them! A quick phone call to share your gratitude or an invitation to volunteer could be the difference between a one-time donor and a lifetime relationship.