January 2025
Your End-of-Year campaign is wrapped up, what’s next?
Empowered Nonprofits is here to help! Schedule an opportunity to thank your donor community during the first quarter of the year. Your thank-a-thon personal outreach can include handwritten notecards, a personalized email, a text message, or even a phone call. Build in time to connect with donors, show gratitude, and encourage future giving. These are key ingredients to sustain a strong donor base for support. This month we are sharing our important takeaways and recommendations on how to make a successful thank-a-thon. Enjoy!
What is a thank-a-thon?
A thank-a-thon is an opportunity to express gratitude to individuals who have financially contributed to your organization by personally calling, texting, or emailing them directly.
Who is making the calls?
Engage board members, young leadership, and staff. This is an excellent opportunity to bring people together to foster team spirit and remind everyone about the power of gratitude.
Who should you call?
This varies from organization to organization. We recommend targeting different segments throughout the first quarter. See below for ideas on donor segmentation.
What are benefits to thank-a-thons?
Built-in donor cultivation touchpoint in your development plan
Encourages future giving from donors
An opportunity for the organization to clean up their data and update contact information
Fosters connection for volunteers making the calls with not only each other, but with the organization -- reminds them of why they are involved!
Feels good to thank and it feels good to be thanked!
What are must-haves for a successful thank-a-thon?
Each volunteer should have the necessary materials to feel equipped to reach out. Most importantly, make it a fun atmosphere. Let’s start this year with gratitude and connection!
