Inside Philanthropy

Go beyond 990s.

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How to Find New Donors for Your Nonprofit Organization

Finding new donors is essential for growing and sustaining a nonprofit organization. Small and mid-sized nonprofits often face challenges in attracting new donors due to limited organizational resources. However, several methods can effectively maximize donor acquisition.

Most Successful Methods for Finding New Donors

1. Leverage Your Existing Network

Your most promising potential donors are often connected to your organization.

  • Ask board members & volunteers for referrals – Encourage them to introduce friends, family, or colleagues who may be interested in your cause.
  • Engage current donors – Ask major donors or long-time supporters to host small fundraising events or invite friends to learn about your work.
  • Invite media contacts – Reach out to members of the press whose contact list might extend into areas you hadn’t considered, especially at the local level.

2. Optimize Your Online Presence

Websites play a crucial role in donor acquisition, serving as a digital calling card for your nonprofit.

  • Create a compelling website – Ensure your nonprofit’s website clearly explains your mission, proof of impact, financials and donation process.
  • Donation form – Make sure your nonprofit’s website has a well-placed donation form that is easy to find. Most donors prefer to give online, so make sure that your form can process various forms of payment and card types. 
  • SEO for nonprofits – Optimize your website with relevant keyword research to attract organic traffic from Google searches. Make sure you implement SEO Title tags and meta-descriptions on the back-end of your most important pages. Use only one H1 title per page that clearly defines its purpose. Write content that uses relevant keywords. Hire a technical SEO specialist to perform a site audit. 
  • Social media campaigns – Use Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Bluesky to share project success stories, engage potential donors, and run targeted ads that may attract new funding opportunities.

3. Implement Digital Strategies, Email & Direct Mail Campaigns

  • Segmented email lists – Send personalized emails to different donor groups based on interests and donation history. A segmented donor list organizes a donor database into smaller groups based on shared characteristics like giving history, interests, demographics, or engagement levels, allowing you to tailor communication strategies and fundraising appeals to each specific segment for increased effectiveness. Compile relevant information about your donors in a CRM system, including donation amounts, frequency, demographics, interests, and engagement with past campaigns.
  • Direct mail for older donors – Many mid-sized nonprofits find success in using well-crafted letters to appeal to older donors who prefer traditional communication. These are sent via snail mail on your organization’s letterhead in branded envelopes. Sharing relevant data about impact in a separate attachment can also help provide this kind of donor with more information about your nonprofit’s work that they might not access via digital formats. 
  • Reach out to one-time or lapsed donors – Thank these donors for their previous support and communicate various ways that they continue to be involved. Let them know about upcoming fundraising events, a monthly giving program or other ways to get involved.
  • Implement a nonprofit CRM – Manage your constituent ecosystem with a nonprofit CRM that helps you analyze your current donor list, as well as find new opportunities.

4. Utilize Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

  • Facebook fundraisers & GoFundMe – Encourage supporters to raise funds on your behalf. Your nonprofit can create a campaign that you can share with your supporters and invite their network to contribute. Note that GoFundMe adds a notable fee on all donations, which can impact how much money you actually raise. This is an option for nonprofits that are just getting started or need to raise emergency funds. 
  • Walk-a-thons, marathons, & challenge events – These allow individuals to fundraise on your organization’s behalf via social networks beyond their immediate contacts. Events like these also provide your nonprofit with outreach opportunities that help to educate members in your community about your mission and special projects.

5. Apply for corporate sponsorships & employee giving programs

  • Partner with Local Businesses – From small businesses to corporations with statellite offices, contact businesses in your orbit to deepen interest in your work and increase possible support. Corporate offices often have employee matching programs or support community-based initiatives. They also consider in-kind or pro-bono asks, which is another way to secure different forms of donations for your nonprofit.
  • Employer Matching Gifts – Many companies match their employees’ donations. This route requires you network with an employee to get on the company’s radar. If you get the employee interested in your work, they can pitch your work to their company.

6. Host fundraising events & community engagement activities

  • Networking events – Invite potential donors to casual events where they can learn more about your nonprofit. Potential donors can meet your development team, officers and board members, if you have them, over a light cocktail hour or power lunch that gathers community stakeholders and local influencers together.
  • Educational webinars & impact stories – Engage professionals and cause-driven individuals through storytelling sessions. Prepare a digital presentation that includes information about your perceived impact, financials and general data about how your work fulfills your mission and values.
  • Create an ambassador program – Contact your long-term and most enthusiastic donors to learn if they would like to join an ambassador program. Offer incentives to join. Present membership as a way for donors to increase their own influence and skills.

7. Engage in grant prospect research & grantseeking

  • Identify foundations that align with your mission – Use resources like Inside Philanthropy’s Grant Finder, which analyzes key funders in nearly every funding category and goes beyond 990 data to provide your nonprofit with information on how to pull the curtain back on a funder’s priorities and how to get through the funding door. Or you can use more traditional grant management products like Candid (formerly the Foundation Center) that simply scrape IRS data. 
  • Apply for small & mid-sized grants – Start with local or regional funders before pursuing national-level grants. Grant Finder also lists the key funders in every state with grant research updated annually.
  • Apply for large grants – Advance to applying for larger grants, often found at the national rather than local level. These grants may offer crucial general operating support or capacity building grants.

8. Collaborate with Other Nonprofits & Influencers

  • Partner with complementary nonprofits – Identify nonprofit organizations in your main funding areas that you can potentially partner with according to a shared .  events and campaigns can help expand your reach.
  • Influencer & Community Leader Endorsements – Getting endorsements from respected figures can help attract new donors.

Final Thoughts

Finding new donors requires a multi-prong approach that combines personal outreach, digital marketing, engagement, and strategic partnerships. Small and mid-sized nonprofits can significantly expand their donor base by leveraging existing networks, embracing online strategies, and fostering strong community relationships.

You might also want to check out:

Grant Finder: Find Grants for Your Nonprofit. Data and analysis beyond 990s.