Let’s be clear — if you want to have people on your side, you just have to thank them. It doesn’t matter if it is a donor who contributed to your nonprofit’s mission or a stranger on the street held a door for you while getting into the building.

But we’re spending 95% of our time crafting our fundraising appeal, and not thinking (and thanking) our donors. Do you still want to know the reason why should we thank our supporters? Well, it is not just the right thing to do. It is the way to leave the good impression about collaboration with you and the only one way to retention your donors. Leaving your supporters without any appreciation makes you loosing people and resources.

If you out of ideas for now — I am here to help. Have your story of the impact ready to be shared and choose your own way to do it. All of them are hand-picked and dare-to-try:

1. Write a thank you postcard — yes, real mail still exists and it makes the paper card more exciting to receive
2. Give a phone call and leave the voicemail message if there is no answer — your gratitude will be delivered to a donor at the right time
3. Shoot a short email and attach the photo of the beneficiaries (don’t forget to have a permission to share each photo and name in prior)
4. Send a small gift — you don’t need to buy a gold ingot to send because a lovely origami made by a from your project or
5. Post the story of impact alongside a photo (with a permission) in your social network profiles and tag supporters to share your gratitude with a wide audience
6. Film a short video saying thank you and describing how the support impacts the cause — post on YouTube and share it everywhere or make it accessible just by the link
7. Create a photo book to highlight the best moments of the project supported and to show short-term and long-term impact made (remember — approved photos and names only)
8. Make a handwritten note and stick it where the donor can easily find it — works, for example, if you’re sharing the office space with your supporter or if you are neighbors
9. Invite for a tour or a volunteer shift in your organization to provide the first-hand opportunity to see the nonprofit in action and cementing the relationship you have
10. Do a special appreciation event — bring your supporters together for a random happy hour or your annual reception to thank and to provide them with networking opportunity

As you’ve picked up the right way for you to show your gratitude, the sky is the limit for you to actually implement it. Now, without procrastination.

Ready, set, thank!

Anna Kanterova,

Atlas Corps fellow working on ending chronic homelessness with Development team of Miriam’s Kitchen

BONUS: How can you do a better job saying thank you to your supporters? Do it from your heart and in your organization’s unique way (c) AL. If your donors are in love with the cause you support, you’re probably already in love them too. Isn’t it a right mood to write a lovely thank you letter now?