Don’t Concede: Nonprofit Fundraising During an Election

This election year has been a topic of much conversation for a good, long time. It may come as no surprise that this period of uncertainty can drown out nonprofits. 

With some planning and thoughtful timing, your organization can stand out, strengthen donor relationships, and grow its bottom line with the right strategies.  

Red versus blue does not have to cost you.

Perfect Your Stump Speech

Messaging for Nonprofits

There is an overwhelming amount of noise during any election; depending on where your donors live, it can be borderline bombarding. Now is the time to align your messaging and value proposition. Get and share testimonials from constituents and volunteers. Add clarity and conciseness to what you deliver and why you matter, politics aside.   

If the outcome of the election (presidential and down the ballot) will affect your deliverables, be prepared with messaging for after a decision is declared. Bipartisanship may feel necessary, but you are not operating in a vacuum. If your constituents are at risk of greater hardship, your grants might predictably dry up, or other foreseeable changes in costs of goods and services, talk about them, openly, with what real dollar amounts are at stake.   

Watch How to Attract and Retain Committed Donors, a webinar with GiveSmart and our partner Beeline Marketing, to learn how to stand out in this competitive giving environment for greater year-round success.

Timeline

The 2024 presidential election is on Tuesday, November 5. Given how ballots are counted, it is quite possible we will not have a declared winner for a few days. People on both sides will be edgy and could tune out of any emails, with an estimated one in five people in swing states simply closing their email when they get a political solicitation.  

People across the U.S. may feel overwhelmed and frustrated. That is why sharing a consistent, clear message in the weeks and months ahead of the election is important. Focus your messages from mid-October to early November on gratitude, updates, and personalized stewardship rather than direct, blanket fundraising asks.  

Rage Giving is on the Ballot

Rage giving, or donors funding causes they feel are under threat or siege by their political adversaries, rises by nearly 60% immediately following an election. Our 24-hour news cycle, social media, and ever-deeper divides have already fueled many moments of rage-giving in 2024. Be prepared for a possible influx of dollars and the responsibility that being the custodian of those funds brings.  

Rage-giving donors are fueled by emotions such as anger, fear, and dread. They likely have not researched your organization in detail, may not even remember your organization’s name, and probably give in smaller amounts.  

This giving pattern differs from a typical donor, and all lends itself to diminished donor retention. Don’t pretend the differences don’t exist. Be reassuring and consistent in your follow-up. Share who or what was saved or improved because of the donations. Acknowledge their worries. Be honest. Don’t shy away from predicted deficits in real dollars and cents.   

There are ways to encourage long-term engagement that organizations do not always consider. Segment your rage-giving donors and see what success you can have by asking them to volunteer at your upcoming walk/run. Perhaps ask them to join your advocacy network and explain how your statewide or federal advocacy fuels long-term, permanent change. Recruiting for these other ways of being involved may encourage a sustainable giving pattern.  

Cast a Vote

Get into the spirit of election season and host a voting competition fundraiser. It should be a light-hearted, fun contest without political ties. In 2023, GiveSmart-powered nonprofits raised $1.25 million via voting contests. 

The voting parameters can be user-generated, such as a pet-doppelganger contest or a recipe contest,  or nonprofit-generated, such as naming a new animal, mascot, equipment, and more. A user-generated event would likely be easiest for your staff to manage.  

A voting competition fundraiser is an engaging way to be election-adjacent while aligning with your mission and core values. Like all peer-to-peer fundraisers, a voting campaign is a great way to grow your donor network. 

As you navigate fundraising during this period of volatility, amplifying your core values, focusing on stewarding your existing donors, and hosting an engaging peer-to-peer fundraiser will help you maintain stability.  

Looking for ways to improve your donor retention strategy? Our Go-To Guide for Donor Retention will support your team’s segmentation and stewardship efforts ensuring they remain effective beyond political cycles.