Category: General

Human lives are made of stories, our problems, our triumphs, even our ordinary days. Storytelling is how we connect, teach, and inspire. It’s how people understand experiences they’ve never lived through. That’s why storytelling is one of the most powerful ways nonprofits can connect with donors.

What Is Nonprofit Storytelling?

Nonprofit storytelling is the strategic use of narratives to communicate your organization’s mission, impact, and needs in a way that resonates emotionally with donors and volunteers. It’s about putting a face to your mission, helping people visualize and understand why your cause matters and how they can be part of the solution.

The Science Behind Storytelling

The Harvard Business Publishing article, “The Science Behind the Art of Storytelling,” explains that listening to stories releases three key hormones in the brain: cortisol, dopamine, and oxytocin.

• Cortisol aids memory.
• Dopamine sharpens focus and emotional engagement.
• Oxytocin fuels empathy and builds connection.

All of these elements—memory, emotion, attention, and empathy are essential in engaging donors, which is why storytelling is such a powerful nonprofit tool.

Professor Rachel Yehuda notes that storytelling allows for the successful transfer of meaningful knowledge because it engages both heart and mind. Likewise, Professor Uri Hasson explains that storytelling is the most effective form of human communication. It makes listeners intellectually invested and emotionally bonded with the storyteller.

How Storytelling Transforms Donor Engagement

Creating Emotional Connections

Emotional connection is a powerful motivator for giving. When donors hear stories about the struggles of real people or societal problems, they feel compassion and connect with both the story and your mission.

Helping Donors Visualize the Impact

When telling stories, donors can visualize the story as if they were there. Donors can picture what the beneficiary experienced and see how their donation made a difference.

Building Trust and Credibility

When you share honest, transparent narratives including challenges and successes, you build a connection and bridge the gap that annual reports cannot fill. Stories serve as proof of your credibility and authenticity.

Inspiring Action and Loyalty

A well-told story inspires donors and creates a sense of urgency in them to help the person in need and others like them. Over time, storytelling fosters loyalty and turns long-term donors and volunteers into ambassadors.

Makes Abstract Problems Practical

Complex and distant problems become more relatable through storytelling. For example, telling stories of an endangered animal’s struggle can improve conservation efforts.

Making Your Mission Memorable

Stories are easier to remember than facts alone. When donors recall your story, they’re more likely to remember your mission when it’s time to give. when deciding where to give. A memorable story becomes a reason for donors to give again.

Types of Stories That Drive Donations

Success Stories

These are narratives about the individuals who benefited from your programs. They’re particularly effective because they provide concrete evidence of your organization’s impact while creating emotional connections with real people.

Volunteer Impact Stories

Sharing stories about volunteers can inspire others to volunteer and demonstrate that the community support your cause. These stories also show how your organization brings people together around a common purpose.

Donor Impact Stories

Highlights the impact made by previous donations. These stories encourage donors to donate more and help potential donors envision the impact they can make with their donations.

Resilience Stories

These narratives focus on how your organization responds to crises or unexpected challenges. They demonstrate resilience and adaptability while showing donors why their ongoing support is crucial.

Founder or Origin Stories

These stories build emotional credibility and help donors understand why your cause was born — and why it still matters today. These narratives provide context and demonstrate a long-term commitment to your cause.

Every nonprofit has powerful stories waiting to be told. These aren’t just marketing tools, they’re the emotional bridge between the mission and the people who want to support it.

Donors today don’t just give because of a catchy campaign or emotional appeal. They pause, research, and ask questions. And if they don’t get clear answers, they walk away.

That’s not because they don’t care. It’s because they care enough to want proof.

52.9% of Gen Z donors now say they won’t donate to organizations they don’t trust. Transparent nonprofits raise 53% more than those that aren’t as open.
Transparency earns trust and trust is what turns one-time donors into recurring donors.

What Transparency Looks Like in 2025

Transparency used to mean posting a PDF of your annual report or uploading board bios to your website. That’s no longer enough.

Today, donors want a clear view of your leadership, funding, impact, and your everyday decisions.

Here are six areas where transparency matters most and how to get them right.

1. Finances: Show Where the Money Goes

You don’t need to overwhelm people with every financial detail, but donors do expect to understand how money flows in your organization.

They want to know:

• how the money is being allocated
• how much of it is going directly to programs
• why operating costs are what they are

Make your annual reports easy to understand. Conduct yearly audits. If possible send timely donation receipts.

And yes, even staff salaries matter. If leaders are paid competitively, explain why. Tie compensation to experience, sustainability, and the value they deliver. Most donors don’t mind fair pay, but they mind poor communication.

2. Fundraising: Let Donors Walk the Journey With You

Every fundraising campaign should be a shared journey not just about asking for money.

Be clear and honest about:

• Your goals and progress
• Where the money is going
• Unexpected challenges or funding gaps

The more transparent you are during the campaign, the more confident donors feel when giving.

3. Governance: Show Who’s Behind the Mission

Your leadership matters to donors. They want to know the people leading the mission.

Make it easy for donors and volunteers to understand your structure:

• Share your board members’ names and roles.
• Describe your current board governance model.
• Let your community know how big decisions are made and who’s accountable.

When people trust the people behind your mission, they’re more likely to support it.

4. Impact: Show, Don’t tell

Saying “We changed lives” is no longer enough. Donors want to see how and who you’re helping.

Donors want: Real stories, photos, videos, and testimonials.

Example: If you raise money for a visit to an orphanage:

• Share photos of delivered goods
• Post a video from the visit
• Include short interviews with children or staff
• Send a 6-month update on how the experience made a difference

Make your supporters feel present in the story. Let them see the transformation they helped make possible.

5. Communication: Make It Easy to Reach You

Transparency isn’t just what you publish but also how you connect. Donors and volunteers should feel like they can reach out and be heard.

This could be:

• A donor app for updates and Q&A
• A CRM tool (like Lamp) that enables community-building and two-way communication
• Consistent messaging via email or social platforms

Use inclusive, clear language. Stay consistent in your voice. And be proactive with updates not just when people ask questions.

6. Accreditation & Ratings: Show That You’re Accountable

Positive ratings from third-party accreditation organizations (like Charity Navigator, BBB Wise Giving Alliance, and CharityWatch) add a layer of external trust.

These platforms evaluate your financial integrity, governance, legal compliance, and transparency.

Analyse Your Strategy

Here’s how you can evaluate the effectiveness of your transparency efforts:

1. Track engagement
   Are your emails getting opened? Are people interacting with your videos and impact stories?
2. Ask for feedback
   This feedback will help you make meaningful improvements.

• Do you understand how we use donations?
• Do you feel confident in our leadership?
• Do you feel included in the impact we’re creating?

Start Your Transparency Journey With the Right Tools

Transparency doesn’t have to be overwhelming or time-consuming.

Use tools like Lamp that make it easy to show donors exactly how their gift creates impact. With Lamp, you can:

• Track campaign progress in real-time
• Create donation reports effortlessly
• Share financial and governance info in a click
• Build stronger, two-way relationships with donors and volunteers

Transparency is more than a best practice; it’s the foundation for long-term success.
Explore the GetLamp Blog for more guides, and strategies to grow your nonprofit in 2025 and beyond.

Recurring donations are one of the smartest ways to create steady funding for your nonprofit. They give you predictable income, help you plan, and build more profound relationships with your most loyal donors.

Steps to build a successful recurring donation program:

Set Clear Goals

Before making any plan, be clear on what you want to achieve with the program. These goals will guide every decision you make and help you measure success.

Ask yourself:

• How many monthly donors do we want to gain this year?
• What retention rate would we like for our monthly donors?
• Is there a monthly revenue goal we’re aiming for?

With these answers, you’ll know what to track and how to adjust as your program grows. Once you have your goals, the next step is making it easy for donors to join.

Set It Up

How do you want donors to access your recurring donation program? Set up an access point that will be easy for donors to sign up through. You can use any of the following options:

• Set up an online donation form on your website
• Create a landing page for recurring donation
• Print paper forms for people to sign up through

Tip: The best method depends on what your donors are most comfortable with. If they’re tech-savvy, lean on online forms and landing pages. If they prefer in-person or mailed options, make them available too.

Choose a Fundraising Platform

Some nonprofits don’t use fundraising platforms which is not the best. You need a fundraising platform to track and analyse everything you’re doing. The fundraising platform you choose will also determine the success of your program. You want a platform that makes recurring giving simple and secure for you and your donors.

Look for a platform that has:

• Secure payment processing
• Easy setup for recurring donations
• A way for donors to manage their donations anytime
• Tracking and CRM capabilities

Lamp Fundraising CRM is a platform with all these features:

• Safe, secure payments through Stripe
• Simple recurring giving setup
• Built-in tools to engage and thank donors
• Clear insights into donor behavior and campaign success

Offer Flexible Donation Amounts

Don’t force your donors to pay a certain amount monthly. Suggest an amount based on your typical giving patterns, but also let them enter any amount they prefer.

Spread the Word

Creating your recurring donation program doesn’t mean donors will immediately sign up for it. Nobody will sign up for something they don’t know about. The next step is to create a steady plan to promote it.

Consider using:

• Email newsletters — Share the benefits of monthly giving and success stories.
• Social media — Highlight impact updates and personal donor stories.
• Events or virtual campaigns — Offer “Join as a monthly donor” as a giving option.
• Your website — Feature recurring giving prominently on your donation page.

Tip: Ensure you include a way donors can sign up every time you talk about your program with your target audience.

Track, Analyze, and Improve

This is where using a fundraising platform pays off. The platform allows you to track and analyze your set up.

• How many recurring donors you’ve gained
• Your retention rate
• The average gift size
• Feedback from donors

Review the metrics and adjust your strategy as needed. Your goal is always to make giving easy and rewarding.

Nurture Your Recurring Donors

Recurring giving provides nonprofits with sustainable funds, which makes these donors especially valuable. Treat them well through gratitude and care.

Here’s how:

• Send heartfelt thank-you messages
• Share regular updates
• Invite them to community events
• Offer small perks like early event access, exclusive stories, or behind-the-scenes updates.
• Recognize them publicly. For example, feature a “Recurring Donor of the Year” on your website or newsletter.

When donors feel valued and connected, they will stay. Recurring donors have an average lifetime of 8 years so they’re important assets to your organization.
A successful recurring donation program is built on clear goals, simple tools, promotion, and strong donor care.

Do you need a reliable tool for your recurring donation program? Lamp Fundraising CRM software is easy to launch, manage, and is perfect for your recurring donation program.

Have you ever wondered why you put so much effort into getting new donors, yet they never stay? The answer might be your donor retention strategy. 

Donor retention refers to how many donors continue to give to your nonprofit year after year. Tracking and optimizing your donor retention efforts is a crucial fundraising strategy.  

Donor Retention Rate

Your donor retention rate tells you what percentage of last year’s donors still give today. It’s a key indicator of how well you build relationships with donors. 

Here’s the simple formula to calculate it:

Donor retention rate = (Number of returning donors ÷ total donors from last year) × 100

Example:

If your nonprofit had 1,000 donors last year and 250 donated again this year, your retention rate is:

(250 ÷ 1,000) × 100 = 25%

That means 75% of your donors didn’t return, a sign that your donor retention strategy needs work. 

The Fundraising Effectiveness Project (FEP) says the average donor retention rate is 30.7%. If your rate is below that, it’s time to take action.

First-Time Donor Retention:

Most first-time donors never give again. That’s why first-time donor retention rate is a critical metric.

Formula:

First-time donor retention rate = (number of first-time donors who give again ÷ total first-time donors from last year) × 100

Example:

If 100 people donated for the first time last year and only 19 donated again, your retention rate would be:

Retention rate = (19 ÷ 100) × 100 = 19%

FEP data shows that, on average, only 19% of first-time donors give again.

If your percentage is higher, you’re doing a successful job engaging new donors! If not, you need to improve your follow-up and engagement strategies.

Donor Attrition Rate:

Donor attrition rate tells you the percentage of donors who stop giving each year.

Formula:

Donor attrition rate = ((Total donors last year – Total donors this year) ÷ Total donors last year) × 100

Example:

If you had 1,000 donors last year and 700 this year, your attrition rate is:

((1,000 – 700) ÷ 1,000) × 100 = 30% attrition rate

If your attrition rate is rising, you need to refresh your retention strategy 

Now, let’s look at some key statistics about donor retention.

Donor Retention Statistics

Retaining donors can be up to 5x cheaper than acquiring a new one.

In 2023, revenue from monthly donors rose by 6%, making up 31% of all online donations.

Research shows that 45% of online donors say email inspires them to give again. Email also increases retention for offline donors by 29%. 

Research shows that 51% of donations come from women, and they give 63% of contributions on Giving Tuesday. 

A recent campaign shows that easy payment methods boosted revenue by 80%.

Proven Strategies to Boost Retention

Personalize Communication:

Sending personalized messages to donors makes them feel needed and appreciated. Use your ideal donor profile to personalize the messages.

Show Impact:

Donors stay where they matter. Share stories of how their donations saved lives. Show them that they matter to your organization.

Recurring Giving:

Encourage recurring giving. Use pop-up prompts on your websites to get your donors to join your recurring donor programs. Note that 94% of recurring donors prefer to donate monthly.

Use Fundraising Software:

Fundraising software like Lamp automates strategies 1-3, including easy payment. 

A strong donor retention strategy is key to your nonprofit’s success. It gives you stable funding, deeper donor relationships.

Knowing your ideal donors is a key fund development strategy. You must know your donors, what drives them, how they prefer to give, and why they support your mission. This is where a donor profile comes in. 

What Is a Donor Profile?

A donor profile represents your ideal donor based on real data and research. It gives you a clear picture of the people who support your cause.

Developing donor profile offers several benefits:

• Guides you when sending personal messages. Personalized emails see a 29% higher rate of opens compared to non-personalized emails. This leads to higher engagement rates
• Helps nonprofits focus on potential donors, saving time and resources.
• Increases donor retention. Most donors are only loyal to nonprofits they support and relate to.

How to Build Donor Personas in 5 Steps

1. Analyze Existing Donor Data

Start by analyzing your current donor database to identify patterns. Focus on these key areas:

• Demographics: Age, gender, location, occupation, and income level.
• Giving Patterns: Frequency of donations, average gift size, and preferred payment methods.
• Engagement History: Event attendance or volunteer involvement.

2. Conduct Surveys and Interviews

Get meaningful insights from your donors through surveys or interviews. This helps you understand the “why” behind their giving. Ask questions like:

• What motivated you to give to our cause?
• What causes do you care about most?
• How would you prefer we communicate with you?

Use interviews to understand what impact stories matter to your donors.

3. Segment Your Audience

Group donors with similar segments to create specific personas. For example:

• Young Experts: Aged 25–40, value digital engagement and prefer monthly giving.
• Retirees: Aged 60+, focus on legacy giving and appreciate phone or direct mail contact.

4. Create Detailed Donor Profiles

For each segment, create a complete donor profile. This should include name, photo, demographics, giving patterns and engagement history.

Example:

• Name: Maria
• Age: 30–45 years old
• Gender: Female
• Location: Urban and suburban areas with strong community ties
• Occupation: Healthcare workers
• Income Level: $60,000–$120,000 yearly
• Giving Patterns: Monthly recurring donations of $25-$50
• Preferred Payment Methods: Credit card
• Average Gift Size: $50 monthly
• Engagement History: Attends virtual and in-person fundraising events focused on child welfare.

5. Use fundraising platforms

Fundraising platforms like Lamp fundraising software make it easy to build donor profiles. They track key data points like donation frequency, payment methods, and engagement history. 

Why use fundraising platforms:

• Analyze Donor Behavior: They provide analytics on how and when people give. Making it easy to identify giving patterns and recurring donors.
• Store Information: They collect and organize demographics like age, location, and occupation. With this info you can build accurate donor profiles.
• CRM Capabilities: Platforms like Lamp make building relationships with donors very easy. 
• Integrated payment system: These platforms integrate with payment platforms like Stripe.

Creating a donor profile is extra work, but the benefits outweigh the extra work. Every donor wants to make a difference. By relating with donors in a personal way, you’re building a community of people committed to your cause. And the stronger the relationship, the greater the impact you can make.

Did you know that half of all U.S. citizens spend an average of 5–6 hours a day on their smartphones? That’s over 173 million people your nonprofit could reach with the right tools.

Fundraising apps are mini CRMs (Customer relationship management systems) that integrate payments, analytics, and donor relationship management into a single platform. These tools help to raise more funds, save time, and strengthen donor relationships.

5 Compelling Reasons Why Your Nonprofit Needs a Fundraising App

Better Donor Engagement:

Fundraising apps have in-app messaging that help to maintain close and constant relationships with donors. This builds trust, increases volunteer participation, repeat donations, and long-term donor loyalty.

Smarter Tracking & Analytics:

Most fundraising apps offer built-in tracking for donors and payments. The real-time insights make it easy for associations to be accountable to donors.

Lower Costs, Higher Impact:

47% of nonprofit organizations report a rise in operating costs. Fundraising apps help to reduce this cost with their solution.

Ease of Use:

You don’t need to be tech-savvy to set up your fundraising app. These platforms are simple to use, and your staff won’t have to struggle with complex systems.

Convenience for Donors:

The average American donor is 64 years old, so donating and volunteering should be easy to do. Fundraising apps make it easy to donate and stay updated on volunteering sessions.

Lamp: The Ultimate Fundraising App for Your Organization

Lamp is a fundraising app that helps organizations make an impact. It helps to increase donations, build donor relationships, simplify operations, and cut costs.

Built-in Community Engagement:

With Lamp, you can connect with donors, volunteers, and supporters in one place. Lamp strengthens donor loyalty through a community-driven experience.

Smart Analytics & Transparency:

This app gives meaningful insights into donor behavior, payment trends, and campaign success. It provides real-time reports to donors, increasing trust and credibility.

Easy Payments & Donations

Lamp has easy payment methods and will help you send prompt messages to donors.

Cost-Effective:

Lamp lowers operational costs while reaching a broader audience. It’s an all-in-one solution for organizations that want to save cost.

No Tech Skills Needed:

Fundraising rules have changed as more donors expect transparency, engagement, and convenience.

With better donor relationships, lower costs, tracking, and community, you can skyrocket your impact.

Whether you’re a nonprofit, church, alumni group, or campaign, Lamp is the tool for you.

Get Lamp today!