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Question of the Month
What role does your organization's structure have in your donor pipeline?
Most organizations don’t realize there’s a connection between their structure and their donor pipeline.
But if your non-profit isn’t organized to support the donor journey, the effects are tangible. You’ll see clogs at all levels of the pipeline and giving will decrease because donors don’t feel as deeply connected to your organization.
Can you trace the path of the donor pipeline throughout your organization’s structure? Take some time to look at your org charts. How does each functional area serve the donor pipeline? Is your non-profit structured to support upward donor movement?
In this Question of the Month video, Jeff and Richard discuss how your org structure should support your donor pipeline, which is truly the lifeblood of your organization.
But if your non-profit isn’t organized to support the donor journey, the effects are tangible. You’ll see clogs at all levels of the pipeline and giving will decrease because donors don’t feel as deeply connected to your organization.
Can you trace the path of the donor pipeline throughout your organization’s structure? Take some time to look at your org charts. How does each functional area serve the donor pipeline? Is your non-profit structured to support upward donor movement?
In this Question of the Month video, Jeff and Richard discuss how your org structure should support your donor pipeline, which is truly the lifeblood of your organization.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a couple FAQs we get on this topic
How do I keep the pipeline moving so that more donors are moving into major gifts?
The short answer? Regularly and promptly show your donors that they’re making a difference and give them opportunities to give according to their passions and interests.
The sad truth is that most non-profits don’t treat a donor any differently until they get to the major gifts level. And even then, sometimes there is very little difference in the level of reporting back. When mid-level donors don’t see the impact of their giving, it’s nearly impossible to move them up the pipeline, let alone retain them.
In a healthy non-profit donor pipeline, donors are moving through the various giving levels easily and without clogs. Clogs are where donors get stuck, and you see large amounts of donors with little to no year-over-year growth in their giving. This often happens in the mid-level range, which is why we emphasize the importance of a mid-level program when talking about creating a healthy major gifts program.
The sad truth is that most non-profits don’t treat a donor any differently until they get to the major gifts level. And even then, sometimes there is very little difference in the level of reporting back. When mid-level donors don’t see the impact of their giving, it’s nearly impossible to move them up the pipeline, let alone retain them.
In a healthy non-profit donor pipeline, donors are moving through the various giving levels easily and without clogs. Clogs are where donors get stuck, and you see large amounts of donors with little to no year-over-year growth in their giving. This often happens in the mid-level range, which is why we emphasize the importance of a mid-level program when talking about creating a healthy major gifts program.
At my organization, fundraisers are not incentivized to move donors into other giving levels because it lowers their department’s metrics. How do we change this way of thinking?
Many organizations create this kind of territorial culture because their KPIs unintentionally punish fundraisers for moving donors into other giving levels.
Siloes are a natural response in this situation because we work toward what we’re measured on.
For metrics to change, there needs to be a high-level conversation with leadership about the harm donors experience when they’re not presented with the best-fit opportunities for giving. Ask your colleagues and managers for their ideas on how to reward fundraisers for moving donors up. It’s even worth celebrating a downward move – because it opens up room for qualified donors on your caseload.
Siloes are a natural response in this situation because we work toward what we’re measured on.
For metrics to change, there needs to be a high-level conversation with leadership about the harm donors experience when they’re not presented with the best-fit opportunities for giving. Ask your colleagues and managers for their ideas on how to reward fundraisers for moving donors up. It’s even worth celebrating a downward move – because it opens up room for qualified donors on your caseload.
For more insights into creating an org structure that supports your donor pipeline, check out our White Paper, “Understanding the Economics of the Major Gifts Pipeline.”
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And if you’re ready to examine your donor pipeline for any problem areas, we’re here to help. Get started here with our free donor file assessment. There’s no obligation to work with us, and you’ll get valuable information about the health of your donor file.
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