Think about your experience in fundraising when it comes to knowing people who have the capacity to make leadership gifts. They are few and far between, wouldn’t you agree? That’s why at a time when it’s more challenging to attract and retain donors, there’s strong evidence that the “middle” is the place to be looking for higher value gifts.
A recent Sea Change Strategies report found that 31% of mid-level donors have made a bequest and 23% are considering it.
Mid-level donors who give $1,000 to $10,000 annually are very loyal and though they’re unlikely to move up into the ranks of leadership donors, they are good prospects for giving within that range and help organizations in tough times.
The report surveyed 5,900 mid-level donors across 36 organizations, looking at key traits and what motivates them. It found that 53% of mid-level donors have been giving to the charity they support for 10 or more years.
These donors also tend to be older:
most are either baby boomers (61%) or members of the silent generation (21%),
Only 13% are Generation X,
5% are millennials and GenZ,
59% of the donors identified as women,
39% identified as men,
3% did not answer.
Interestingly, this survey also found that most mid-level donors connected with their favorite causes when they were young (72% by the age of 39).
Mid-level donors can be classified into 3 psychographic groups:
All Business – these are donors who want minimal contact with you but who are likely to continue giving;
Hands-on Donors – as the name suggests, these are donors who are already involved as board members, volunteer leaders or in other ways, and
Engagement Seekers – donors who want lots of ongoing engagement with your organization and are the likeliest to reward you with increased support.
These Engagement Seekers represent a third of all mid-level donors in the study referenced. These are the donors most likely to upgrade their giving and most likely to leave a bequest. But they also expect more attention.
If you have questions about how to identify and target Engagement Seekers in your organization, let’s talk soon (ron@rescignos.com).
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