How DonorSearch Helps Turn One-Time Donations into Monthly or Annual Traditions

         DonorSearch and our clients understand there is no magic wand or crystal ball necessary to transform one-time donors into fervent supporters who embrace a new tradition of monthly or annual giving. The secret isn’t supernatural… it’s having the right data that looks far beyond the pocketbook and into what really motivates all those donors—true engagement to your organization and its worthy mission.

         Our AI system enables success by providing deep insights into the motivations of donors by greatly expanding those factors that are considered as part of an algorithmic scoring system. Thanks to stunning advances in machine learning, we can consider dozens of variables instead of 10 or less. This breakthrough provides scoring with more nuance and greater accuracy than is possible using many other tools. This tremendous data capability pays off in a significant way when your nonprofit interacts with a new donor or prospect for the very first time.

         To understand why, please consider a common scenario at every nonprofit in the United States. A new donor has just sent in a gift in the amount of $50. Of course, every dollar is appreciated and helps the nonprofit move forward towards achieving its goals, but what happens now? At many organizations, the donor is signed up for periodic emails in a nameless and faceless solicitation process that may never result in another gift.

         Unfortunately, this is a small tragedy that plays out many thousands of times a month throughout the nation. But it isn’t at all what happens when DonorSearch clients receive an unsolicited donation. Using a wealth of data available, our clients immediately swing into action with a plan to form a relationship with their latest donor.

         Using DonorSearch AI, clients can immediately pull a score on their new donor, a person they’ve never interacted with before. The initial modest gift is likely to be backed up with insightful AI and demographic data that demonstrates a deep affinity for the nonprofit’s mission. In this scenario, a member of the fundraising team will immediately reache out to conduct a conversation about the organization’s current programs and future goals.

Abracadabra! Before you know it, a lifelong giving relationship is formed.

         Daria Tavana of the Street Dog Coalition provides an example of how DonorSearch helps her own organization form deeper relationships with new donors. This is particularly important for the Street Dog Coalition, which provides free veterinary care for dogs that belong to owners suffering or at risk of homelessness. Using innovative techniques like pop-up street clinics, the organization helps dogs and their owners in many cities across the country.

         Tavana says, “We use DonorSearch to help us identify what we call hidden gems. These are individuals who are not necessarily giving at a major donor level to our organization, but these individuals have the capacity based on their giving history to other organizations to give more to Street Dog Coalition. Having this kind of information available is super critical for the longevity of our growth as an organization.”

         For many clients, it is the ease at which they can access DonorSearch data using other tools that makes all the difference. Specifically, for arts and entertainment nonprofits, one such tool is Tessitura, a unified system to run everything from ticketing to fundraising. Carol Hollatz of The Smith Center told us, “Overnight, DonorSearch ratings get uploaded into Tessitura and every two weeks we run a report of all first-time donors with their DS ratings, because that helps us create our portfolios. It’s really spectacular!”

         DonorSearch Senior Vice President Nathan Chappell explains, “The typical nonprofit in America isn’t going to catch the favor of a mega donor. It’s simply statistically improbable to count on massive donations to fund operations. The solution to this problem is to maximize the relationship with all donors and thus recreate the culture of monthly and annual giving that was once taken for granted in this country.”

         DonorSearch Executive Vice President and Co-Owner Sarah TeDesco adds, “One of the most rewarding things for the team at DonorSearch is when new clients discover that they have a large community of engaged prospects that they may have never had a single call with before working with us. The rate at which these prospects turn into long-term donors is the greatest proof that our tools are effective and generate immediate results.”

         To learn just how we can help your organization transform one-time donations into profitable long-term relationships, please contact DonorSearch for a demo today. And if you are an experienced non-profit professional interested in helping new nonprofits build for future success every day, consider a career with DonorSearch.