How to Engage Today’s Donors: 7 Donor Engagement Ideas

If engaging today’s donors feels more challenging than ever, you’re not alone. According to our latest Fundraising Outlook Report, donor engagement is one of the top-reported fundraising challenges, with 87% of nonprofits citing it as a concern or problem for them.

The good news? Stronger engagement isn’t out of reach. With the right approach, you can inspire more meaningful interactions, build lasting relationships, and turn one-time supporters into lifelong advocates. In this guide, we’ll cover the basics of donor engagement and several creative ideas geared toward today’s donors. Here’s what we’ll explore:

• What is Donor Engagement?
• The Donor Engagement Cycle
• What Engages Today’s Donors?
• 7 Creative Donor Engagement Strategies

Let’s dive in so you can start evolving your strategy and deepening donor relationships.

What is Donor Engagement?

Donor engagement is the work your nonprofit does to keep existing donors interested and actively involved in your mission. 

It includes everything from thanking your supporters to hosting events to reporting on donations’ impact – anything you do to connect with donors after they give. Strategic donor engagement is essential for maintaining strong relationships and building a base of dedicated, long-term supporters.

The Donor Engagement Cycle

Before building your strategy, it helps to understand the basic donor engagement cycle. Typically, engaging and retaining donors involves four key steps:

1. Ask: Whether you’re appealing to a new or existing donor, you should personalize the appeal as much as possible and include information about how gifts further your mission.
2. Thank: Send a genuine thank-you message along with a donation receipt for the donor’s records. Then, use a variety of appreciation tactics to show how much you value their support.
3. Report: Donors want to know how their gifts make a difference. To keep them engaged in between campaigns, share periodic updates about the programs, projects, or ongoing initiatives that their donations supported.
4. Repeat: Repeat the process with your next campaign or fundraising event to strengthen relationships over time.

After the ask, all the remaining steps fall into the category of donor stewardship – the efforts you take to thoughtfully and continuously deepen donor relationships. If you’re engaging potential major donors, there should also be a cultivation phase before you take any of the above steps.

What Engages Today’s Donors?

The best engagement strategies consider how the past few years have impacted donors’ motivations and adapt to their changing needs. But what engages donors today?

Based on our latest research in the Giving Experience Study, donors’ expectations and giving patterns continue to evolve. In particular, their anytime/anywhere giving behavior has created an ongoing expectation for streamlined processes. We know from our research that today’s donors are motivated by giving that is fast, seamless, and easy. 

In fact, the top ten reasons donors said they contributed to nonprofits were:

1. Ease of giving (68%): “It was easy to do.”
2. Trust (67%): “I trust the organization to do the right thing and use the money wisely.”
3. Mission alignment (65%): “I care about the mission of the organization.”
4. Speed (61%): “I was able to make the donation immediately, in the moment.”
5. Perceived impact (60%): “The money raised would make a difference.”
6. Fundraising transparency (56%): “The organization made it clear exactly how my donation would be used.”
7. Inclusive involvement opportunities (55%): “The event/campaign was inclusive and welcoming.”
8. Direct peer influence (51%): “I wanted to support the person who asked me to donate.”
9. Indirect peer influence (48%): “Friends, colleagues, and/or family were participating in the campaign.”
10. Community impact (47%): “Money raised would directly impact my local community.”

The data proves that today’s donors are social, impact-focused, and busy. They want giving and engagement opportunities that are convenient and clearly relevant to your organization’s mission. If they get to interact with their peers in the process, even better!

7 Creative Donor Engagement Strategies

With today’s donor motivations in mind, we’ve compiled a list of creative and impactful donor engagement ideas.

1. Meet Donors Where They Are

It’s no surprise that when it comes to meeting donors where they are, the answer is their phones. To engage supporters, nonprofits must adopt a mobile-first mindset. 45% of last year’s donations were made on mobile devices, and that number continues to rise.

One of the fastest, most effective ways to lean into mobile giving is through text-to-give. The process is simple:

1. Create and promote your text-to-give keyword: Your text-to-give provider will set your nonprofit up with a phone number and designated keyword that supporters can use to opt into receiving messages. Get the word out with promotional messages like “Text ‘GIVE’ to 55555 to support local wildlife!”
2. Supporters opt into your campaign: When donors text in with your keyword, your fundraising software automatically marks them as an opted-in supporter and prompts them to make a donation.
3. Donors give right from their phones: The donor receives a direct link to your mobile-friendly donation page, where they can give to your cause in just a few clicks.

Just imagine a donor checks their phone for an update on why their train is running late and sees a text reminder about your nonprofit’s latest fundraising campaign. With one tap, they land on your mobile-optimized donation page, make a gift, and feel good about supporting a cause they care about – all before the train even arrives. 

2. Regularly Share Donors’ Impact

Making an impact on your cause is a key motivator for engaging with your nonprofit, so you should highlight that impact as often as you can. Engage donors by sending personalized impact updates and sharing the big picture progress you were able to make with contributions like theirs.

Here are a few practical tips to get the most out of your impact communications:

• Incorporate pictures, videos, and imagery of those you serve to humanize your mission and the positive change donations make.
• Include permission-granted testimonials from your constituents, whether beneficiaries, volunteers, or donors.
• Share impact statements on social media, your website, and other core channels. Make sure they’re concrete and specific, such as “Thanks to the $10K raised at our gala, we were able to feed X families.”
• Be clear and transparent when disclosing financial information, particularly in the breakdown of services/programming versus overhead.

These engagement tactics build credibility and demonstrate mutual trust between your organization and supporters. Not only are you keeping donors engaged in your mission after they give, but these touchpoint communications also help you close the loop and open the door to future generosity.

3. Get Creative with Virtual Events

Remember, the data tells us donors want convenience and inclusivity! Virtual event formats allow nonprofits to connect with a broader, more diverse audience (including younger donors and international supporters) while increasing efficiency and flexibility. They also provide today’s donors with a better mix of engagement options to suit different needs.

If virtual events align with your fundraising strategy, get creative with these online donor engagement ideas:

• Online auctions: Not only do online auctions save you time and money, but they also help you reach a much larger audience. Virtual auctions can run for much longer than physical ones, and donors can participate at any time, from anywhere.
• Virtual galas: Ask your board members if they would be willing to host ‘virtual tables’ where they can rally their network around the cause. You can host your gala online with all the same fundraising activities you do in-person, just targeted at a remote audience.
• Virtual cocktail parties: Send groups of guests party packages filled with drinks, cheese, crackers, or locally sponsored treats, and then hold your virtual cocktail party online.
• Virtual golf tournaments: Each group plays at the course of its choice and then posts fun photos, great shots, etc. You can even add a virtual reality component where guests play a course at home using virtual reality glasses or video gaming.
• Virtual picnics: Host a virtual ‘picnic’ to spur online connection. Charge a small donation for tickets, then livestream speakers and entertainment. Supporters can watch remotely from their own homes or gather in a park and watch the collective livestream on a large screen.
• Virtual photo contests: Have people submit photos related to a topic, such as their favorite hangout, funniest dog or cat, etc. Ask participants to vote (and donate) for their favorite picture and crown a winner, which is announced during your online event.
• Online gaming tournaments: Harness your supporters’ love for video games with an online gaming tournament or challenge.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of the events you can host online. Don’t be afraid to get creative and design any type of virtual event that aligns with your cause.

For example, Sierra Delta, a nonprofit that connects veterans with service dogs, partnered with OneCause to host an online “Step Up for Vets” event. They invited supporters to walk, run, cycle, or do another physical activity to raise money for their cause. Paired with peer-to-peer challenges and select outdoor events, this creative campaign raised over $71,000 and secured 10 corporate sponsors.

4. Foster Inclusion with Hybrid Events

Finding ways to make your supporters feel included and emphasizing that all donors are welcome builds trust, ultimately increasing long-term donor engagement. One of the easiest ways to do so is to host hybrid events.

Hybrid fundraising gained momentum as a way to bring fundraising events to both live and virtual audiences at once. Events like these boost engagement while giving donors the flexibility to participate in person or at home. Consider these ideas to add some creativity to your hybrid events:

• Small VIP events: Invite a small group of VIP supporters (e.g., major donors, board members, etc.) to attend in person, while a larger virtual audience participates remotely via mobile bidding software or livestreamed entertainment.
• Viewing parties: Encourage local donors to gather for a viewing party in a sponsor’s home, and livestream the event for anyone else to join. You can even partner with a hotel to use empty rooms as a private dining/watch party space.
• Drive-ins: Groups in vehicles drive into your event and enjoy programming or entertainment from the comfort of their cars. Anyone can participate in fundraising from their phones, so guests also have the option to join from home.
• Food-focused events: Sell tickets to virtual and in-person wine tastings or cooking classes to cater to an at-home audience. You can have volunteers deliver food packages or recipes/ingredients ahead of time. Then, just livestream the programming.
• Educational panels or webinars: For these events, a small group can gather in person to see the presentation and engage with speakers up close. At the same time, you can broadcast the content to a wider online audience and take questions via an online chat.
• Hybrid luncheons: Work with local businesses or caterers to offer delivered or pick-up luncheon packages to supporters joining from home. Then, find a few hosts to host small viewing parties at their homes and livestream your program for all to engage and enjoy!

No matter what type of event you host, consider ways to make the experience even more accessible. For instance, you might provide free ticket options for supporters who may not have the means to purchase tickets. Or, you could offer VIP packages or tickets to active volunteers as a way to include all your top supporters, not just those who give financially.

5. Create an Ambassador Program

Ambassadors are your organization’s most vocal champions – passionate supporters who step into the spotlight to fundraise ahead of your event or as part of a larger campaign. Leveraging ambassadors for donor engagement is a fun and easy way to use people’s passion to foster confidence with today’s donors. Plus, highlighting the faces and stories of those who support your efforts provides the social proof needed to gain the trust of new supporters.

To maximize engagement with ambassador fundraising, add competitive elements that make it fun and rewarding to actively champion your cause. This could include:

• Leaderboards that track which ambassadors are driving the most engagement with your cause.
• Milestone badges for certain achievements, like getting 100 social media shares or recruiting 10 new donors.
• Fundraising thermometers that showcase real-time progress toward your organization’s revenue goals.
• Small prizes for participants, like branded merchandise or a swag bag full of items.

Encourage your ambassadors to post regularly on social media about your event or campaign, and recognize their efforts by tagging them in your own posts. To deepen engagement further, you can even showcase ambassador stories on your website, giving pages, and other marketing channels. By putting real supporters at the center of your storytelling, you create a ripple effect that strengthens community, expands reach, and drives more meaningful engagement.

6. Empower Peer-to-Peer Fundraisers

Peer-to-peer fundraising allows nonprofits to take advantage of social proof, empowering donors to tap into their social networks and help your cause reach brand-new audiences. By first motivating supporters to get involved and have fun, then recruiting them to fundraise and spread the word on your behalf, peer-to-peer fundraising can have a year-round impact.

The possibilities for peer-to-peer fundraisers are endless. Check out just a few creative ideas we’ve seen:

• Scavenger hunt: Create a citywide scavenger hunt where people walk, bike, or drive to pre-assigned locations and answer questions at each site. When they find items or answer correctly, they can post their progress on social media and tag your nonprofit.
• Virtual team tournaments: Create online challenge campaigns centered around a theme, and have teams complete online obstacle course activities, video game tournaments, or even karaoke contests.
• Fitness challenges: Challenge participants to reach their fitness goals while raising awareness for your cause. They can set weekly, monthly, or daily fitness targets based on dollars raised.
• Walk/step challenge: Host a virtual walk fundraiser where supporters track their steps over the course of a month, a week, or on a specific day. Go one step further and add competitions for individuals and teams.
• Annual celebrations: Transform your annual program into a virtual celebration. We’ve seen nonprofits of all shapes and sizes turn memorials, reunions, award ceremonies, and events with honorees into peer-to-peer fundraising opportunities.

The best way to host these fundraisers and support participants is to use dedicated peer-to-peer software. These platforms enable individuals to create their own fundraising pages, join teams, track their progress, and much more.

7. Stay Transparent to Build Trust

Building trust in your mission is a critical aspect of donor engagement. Building trust increases the likelihood of first-time donations and boosts retention and recurring giving amongst your current supporter base.

And while there’s an entire ecosystem of generosity motivators that contribute to building trust in your mission, the foundation is transparency.

Emphasize transparency in your nonprofit’s communications by consistently reporting on how funds are used and the success of your programs. Publish key financial statements and accessible annual reports on your website so anyone can find that information quickly. Don’t be afraid to discuss your challenges, either. Donors want to know what’s really going on and how they can help drive your mission forward.

Tapping Into the Latest Donor Engagement Ideas

As you try out these donor engagement ideas, remember to personalize your approach to your unique donor base. Use data to learn what types of activities and communications your supporters like best and tap into those opportunities.

If you’re looking for more insight into all things donor engagement, check out these additional resources:

• Giving USA 2025: Nonprofit Challenges & How OneCause Can Help. Dive deeper into common nonprofit challenges and learn how OneCause is designed to help you reach today’s donors.
• Donor Retention: 11 Proactive Strategies to Build Loyalty. Engaging donors is only one step toward long-term retention. Discover more strategies for boosting retention in this guide.
• 50+ Phenomenal Fundraising Event Ideas to Skyrocket Giving. Explore more ideas for in-person, virtual, and hybrid fundraising events to find the best activities to engage your donors.