FundRaiser Blog

The FundRaiser Software Blog is an excellent resource for nonprofit organizations looking to learn more about fundraising, donor management, membership management, and much more.

Establishing Giving Levels and Perks Can Increase Membership Donations

Establishing Giving Levels and Perks Can Increase Membership Donations

 

What's in a Name?

You can be creative in determining the names you'll assign to each membership giving category, but donors will be drawn immediately to "tags" specific to your organization and related to your mission. You can also employ familiar categories such as, Friends, Benefactors, Pacesetters, etc., or designations such as "Individual," "Family," "Associate," or "Sustaining.

The Benefits of Offering Benefits

Donors everywhere have many opportunities to make meaningful contributions. Most choose to support those organizations whose missions resonate with their personal values.

While donors give mainly because they care about your organization, there's no reason to be shy about providing "perks" appropriate to contribution levels as tokens of appreciation. Doing so not only offers extra benefits and privileges to donors, but also provides an effective tool that increases confidence of volunteer solicitors approaching prospects, especially those of high value.

You'll want to structure membership levels and coinciding "perks" in cumulative fashion, with each higher level adding a benefit not available in levels below it.

Pluses and Minuses

When benefits or privileges have what the IRS describes as "market value," I urge you to disclose that value in your solicitation materials.

When you alert donors to what is and what is not tax-deductible, you can offer them the opportunity to accept membership but decline its "rewards." In this way, the full amount of the membership becomes tax-deductible as allowed by law.

What If My Organization Can't Offer Tangible Benefits?

A "What-your-gift-can-make-possible" strategy based on the estimated "cost" of various services increases the appeal of memberships when tangible perks are not feasible. For example:

  1. Six months of a scoutmaster's service to inner-city children.
  2. A week of computer training for a welfare mother preparing for employment.
  3. An education outreach program enriching the lives of 100 students.
  4. Wholesome and nutritious meals for 100 people per day at a food bank.
  5. Full, or partial, support of an educational scholarship program for needy and worthy students.

Remember, being creative about pulling these solicitation tools from your organization's budget, mission, programs, projects or services is symbolic, not literal. That is, we don't want to lead people to believe services won't be delivered unless they give their money. Rather, the concept is simply a technique that associates what specific good work will be supported by a specific level of support.

 

Want to learn more about how FundRaiser can help with your membership management?

Request a Tour of the Software

Short Take: Giving Levels
In Search of the Elusive Major Giver

Related Posts

Wait a minute, while we are rendering the calendar
Company culture training tip adding personal notes to letters prospects volunteers gift entry donor loyalty ROI solicitors merge notes anonymous donors passwords donor recognition Personalizing recurring gifts community arts nonprofits donor prospects new version letter #GivingTuesday appeal letters merge fields LYBUNTS vacation spare fields pledges letter templates Thanksgiving donor profile segmenting donors training targeted mailings alumni Excel Reminders Facebook campaign development director PayPal spreadsheets online donations donor relations donation history government grants in honor of donations building donor relationships memorial giving donor retention rate add ons large donations the Ask phoning donors GoFundMe project End of Year Letters user interface product news look and feel features correspondence overview Codes donor preferences new donors pictures Alternative Addresses updates announcements ticket sales mailing tax summary letters user spotlights donor retention how to handle auction gifts increasing giving amounts Importing Data how-to videos community broadcasting endowment campaign Crowdfunding Campaign Groupings advanced tab general board members GivingTuesday donor contact information understanding giving trends Task List major gift prospects entering auction gifts importing csv FundRaiser Basic corporate sponsors motivation premiums NCOA processing FundRaiser Hosted reports Donor Portal new features upgrading donors direct mail Snow Birds word processor customer portal charity golf tournaments grants donor engagement mode code personalizing letters new nonprofit appeal planning Reporting to IRS raffle planned giving role of nonprofits follow up on site training mission driven small donations office Volunteer module In-Kind gifts community supported gardens arts case study holiday animal rescue operating systems National Change of Address donor slip campaign management foundations gift acceptance policy accounting software data conversion donor donor targeting holiday giving capital campaign new leadership donor source tribute gifts membership benefits monthly giving fundraising letters legacy giving password protection online donations holiday letters Congratulations lapsed donor Facebook communications disaster relief annual campaign membersip benefits Network for Good grassroots campaign tech tip relationship tracking gift notes field donor attrition rate banquet Cloud brick campaign event management flash sales volunteering happiness operational costs backing up data social media publicity materials technical support transparency Thank You major donors membership programs SYBUNTS customer service nonprofit fundraising salutation data analysis motivation code email fundraising budget giving levels New Year Constant Contact ticketsales FundRaiser Spark repeat donors support campaign custom page donor attrition moves management change of address updating Resiliency upgrade security welcome packet giving history data entry annual maintenance plan texting donors auction thank you letters donor advised funds Tickles correspondance

Connect With Us

  800-880-3454 ext 3
  Email Us
  Request More Information
  Monday-Friday
      8:30AM-5:30PM CST

Customer Portal Login Form

   

The customer portal is unavailable. If you need support please reach out to support@fundraisersoftware.com Thank you.

 

  User Name:
  Password:

If you are not sure about your Customer User Name, please call 800-543-4131 and we will be able to help you.

Or you have lost your password, Request Password