7 Ways To Engage Religious Donors

Religious donors are anything but a one-trick pony. As a study by The NonProfit Times and InfoGroup last year showed, these individuals will also give to a select number of secular groups as well as their favorite religious groups. In fact, they are almost three times as likely to donate to other groups than those who do not give to religious institutions.

As with any strategy to reach new donors, one marketing strategy doesn't fit all. This is especially true with religious donors. It's one thing to just reach out to them; it's another thing entirely to convince them that your cause aligns with their morals.

In “Nonprofit Management 101,” Jennie Winton and Zach Hochstadt, two partners at Mission Minded, identified seven tactics you can follow to get religious groups to appeal on your behalf:

• Tactic 1: Identify local religious organizations;
• Tactic 2: Create a brochure that explains the benefits of supporting your nonprofit;
• Tactic 3: Mail an introductory letter and brochure about the nonprofit to each group;
• Tactic 4: Schedule and make follow-up phone calls;
• Tactic 5: Create introductory packets for organizations that agree to raise money for the nonprofit;
• Tactic 6: Create fundraising templates for religious institutions that agree to appeal for money on your behalf; and,
• Tactic 7: Follow up with all partners monthly.