There’s more than one way to appeal to your supporters, and discovering integrated solicitations can increase your organization’s funding outcomes.  

It’s hard to raise money. The competition in the marketplace for attention is fierce, and it seems that some nonprofits have an advantage. But we know that it’s actually very simple to increase your audience appeal. And it’s a safe bet that “simple” sounds pretty good when it comes to the production of your fundraising appeals. 

What makes for a good appeal? By appeal, we mean the intentional request for funding made to the audiences that support your organization, ministry, or church. Appeals are a part of your development strategy, which is the intentional, relational process through which your organization’s association with someone grows or changes and becomes more advanced and a positive change in quality of the relationship occurs. 

Strengthening relationships four ways. 

Now your nonprofit may already be comfortable and familiar with appeals for funding. But as an ad agency, we’ve found it isn’t unusual for ministries and nonprofits to be uncomfortable with making straight-forward appeals to supporters.  

So, let’s look at four basic characteristics of a good fundraising appeal. 

A connection with a shared mission. 

To start, we want to talk about the elephant in the room. Some organizations are concerned they will lose favor with their audiences if they ask for money. We find that’s especially common for church leadership. 

We also see nonprofits who continually use other unrelated activities to raise money like golf tournaments or auctions. The thought is that their supporters only give if they get something in return. Sadly, this can become a difficult funding model to perpetuate because lasting donor relationships need something more to believe in when it comes to your cause. 

Donors support you because they believe in your mission. They see a connection with what God is doing in the world through your nonprofit and ministry and through their support for your mission as well. 

It’s the connection of a shared mission that is foundational in your relationship with donors and is foundational in how to present appeals. 

A memorable experience. 

A good appeal is associated with a memorable experience. An experience that: 

• Educates your donor about your ministry, and the people you serve.  

• Engages your donor and allows them to see how they can play a part in your mission through their contributions. 

• Encourages your donor by demonstrating the difference and positive outcomes that result from their support. 

A good appeal needs to incorporate all three of these elements to be memorable. 

A close encounter. 

A good appeal provides your donor with a close encounter with your ministry that makes them feel like they were there.  

For many supporters, providing your organization or ministry with funding is a way that they can actively participate in working directly with those you serve, without being their firsthand.  

A demonstration of success. 

And, a good appeal provides your nonprofit with the opportunity to demonstrate your organization, ministry, or church’s success. Those who support you often pray for you, as well as donate, and the success of your ministry is compelling. Your appeal can be confirmation you are worth their support.  

Consider This . . . 

Subscribers can watch our Cahoots Course, Increasing Your Appeal — Seven Steps to Solicit Support, for the creative steps and communication tools you can take all the way through your appeal process that will increase the participation and donations for your nonprofit or ministry’s funding and build brand awareness as well.