“Stop treating your donors like an ATM, and start treating them like a community.” We hear this advice all the time.

But how do you build a donor community?

We distilled some tactics to help you build a strong community that is motivated to support your cause. Follow these tips to build engagement in your supporter community. 

Understand! Get to know your community

More than just an occasional survey, try asking your donor community questions and genuinely listening to their answers. This Cause Vox eBook shares sample questions to understand your community better and what they see as opportunities to do more. 

Communicate! Give frequent updates about what’s happening inside your organization

Show that your organization’s success is a result of the work of real people who deserve your supporters’ trust. This article from FundRazr shares types of insights and updates your organization can share to show your authenticity. 

Act! Enable your supporters to fundraise for you

Provide access to an easy-to-use infrastructure that allows your community to fundraise for you. That includes technology but also resources and support. This article from Classy explains what discourages your supporters from taking action and how to make your fundraising community feel empowered, motivated and engaged as they raise money for your mission.

Delegate! Recruit people to be your organization’s cheerleaders and champions

Look at which of your board members and supporters would make strong leaders that inspire others to take action. This Clarification article shares the characteristics you should look for when deciding who to make your organization’s leaders.