Impact Donor Attrition During COVID‐19

Abstract

A simple and achievable 10 percent improvement in annual donor attrition can result in an impressive 200 percent increase in long‐term projected value. “Even as charitable institutions struggle to deal with the implications of the COVID‐19 pandemic, strategies to retain donors absolutely must be prioritized, and, in fact, the pandemic's effect on communities and daily life may play a role,” says Shannon Shamosh, assistant director of donor relations and stewardship for Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD). “The pandemic and its impact provide opportunities to stress to donors the value of your mission and services, the safety and mitigation steps taken by your institution and the increased need for donor involvement and investment.” By retaining more donors, specifically first‐time donors, and lowering attrition significantly, Shamosh suggests the long‐term benefits include donors upgrading their giving, giving in multiple ways, recommending others to become involved and, ultimately, pledging planned gifts to your institution. The keys to increasing your donor retention rate during the pandemic, according to Shamosh, include: ❑ Identification involves not only developing a perceived connection to your organization and its cause but also helping your donors to define their roles or place in the community or greater world in terms of the organization. In other words, donors can build such fierce loyalty to your institution and its mission that they cannot conceive of their lives without that involvement. An effective strategy involves reaching out to donors to inquire about how COVID‐19 is impacting their work and personal lives and sharing any positive coping suggestions with others. ❑ Trust is built and sustained when donors view your organization as exercising good judgment, demonstrating competence and adhering to a set of principles and values in which they believe. This means your organizational response to the pandemic must be clearly communicated, and your sustained efforts to continue to serve your constituencies and fulfill your mission must be shared. Consider sponsoring virtual sessions to solicit donor input and present specific pandemic‐related needs donors can help fund, such as technology upgrades and protection equipment. ❑ Relationship commitment that results in a strong and emotional attachment involves genuine passion on the part of donors for the future of your organization. This level of commitment occurs when supporters believe they have deepened their understanding and knowledge of the institution's guiding principles and also believe that harm to the organization will result if their financial and emotional involvement is withdrawn.