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Donor Traits vs. Donor Actions


The only thing I love more than an insightful report on donor behavior is an insightful report on donor behavior that supports what I've been telling clients for a while now.

 

So you can imagine my joy upon reading Bloomerang's latest - "The Giving Signals Report: 2026 Fundraising Trends for Nonprofits."

 

There's a lot of good stuff here, but what jumped out early on was this:

 

"Donors are motivated less by transaction and more by meaning, identity, and the desire to make a difference."

 

Again, it's great to see the data supporting what a lot of nonprofit leaders have been saying for a while now. When we spend too much time talking about the transaction, or when we center the organization over the cause, we're moving in the wrong direction.

 

Here's one more:

 

"Instead of thanking them for being generous or making a generous gift, thank them for who they are: a generous person, a helper, or a friend."

 

This one made me think about all the donor communication I've written in my career - and how rarely I talked about the donor's traits, not their actions. After all, it's their actions that catch our attention. But it's their traits, who they are and who they seem themselves as, that really matters.

 

Here's another way to think about the difference between actions and traits. Going to a baseball game is an action. Being a fan of the team is a trait. (Your donors are fans, not just attendees)!


 When I talk with clients about building a sense of community among their donors, this is what I am talking about. Because regardless of how they gave (via email, an event, or a DAF designation) the one thing your donors have in common is their heart for your cause.

 

Did you read this report? What jumped out for you?

 


PS - Join me on June 17 for a free webinar hosted by Auctria. I'll be talking about ways to design an engaging fundraising event. Register here:  https://www.auctria.com/webinar/designing-engaging-events-three-questions-that-matter/



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