Multi-year gift commitments are good for the donor experience, frontline fundraisers, and building a sustainable pipeline for the nonprofit itself. But securing multi-year gifts from the entire donor pyramid is almost nonexistent at scale in nonprofit fundraising. That's because the majority of nonprofits use gift agreements designed for transformative and complex gifts that require legal expertise and multiple rounds of approval.
In this post, we'll examine why fundraising leaders turn to Digital Gift Agreements when scaling multi-year giving to gifts of all sizes.
Digital Gift Agreements
Digital Gift Agreements are different than traditional gift agreements because they are designed for every level of giving. And, they are designed so Advancement teams can create, send, and track commitments even as they sit across the table, speak on the phone or video call, or engage with a donor at an event.
Not only do Digital Gift Agreements empower fundraisers to secure more multi-year gifts, but they also create positive change on a much larger scale. Once the process around basic multi-year gifts is synergized with the needs and expectations of both fundraisers and donors, retention, bookable revenue, and the major gift pipeline all align themselves on an upward trajectory.
As leaders create a strategy around multi-year giving below the standard major gift threshold, they're seeing a ripple effect that goes far beyond replacing a paper or outdated pledge process. Here's how:
Breaking the Donor Solicitation & Resolicitation Cycle
Frontline fundraisers know their donors, and they may know that some donors give like clockwork on a certain date and a certain time. However, nothing is really “certain” until that gift comes in the door. This causes frontline fundraisers to constantly check in with even their most dependable donors to ensure a gift will be made. Imagine letting Digital Gift Agreements take on that responsibility, empowering your fundraisers to establish touchpoints that are actually stewardship – not a thinly veiled solicitation.
Developing Major Gift Pipeline & Reaching More Donors
When a frontline fundraiser has donors in her portfolio who are in active commitments, she can spend more of her time focused on developing relationships that lead to major gift opportunities, and securing gifts from the prospects who have yet to give.
Donor Follow-Up and Gift Followthrough In Real-Time
Donors are most likely to follow through on a gift commitment when it’s formalized quickly. When fundraisers travel, attend events, and make rounds of calls or donor visits, they often come away from these meetings with a mountain of CRM and spreadsheet updates, meaning it could take hours or even days before following up with donors to close gifts. However, Digital Gift Agreements are designed so frontline fundraisers can create, send, and track multi-year gift commitments, as they engage with a donor in real time.
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