Your Guide to Donor Acquisition + 9 Key Strategies

It’s no secret that donors are the heartbeat of any nonprofit. Whether you’re spreading awareness for continued growth or re-engaging lapsed supporters, your donor acquisition strategy fuels long-term growth and organizational health.

But with so many key fundraising initiatives at the top of your to-do list, creating and refining the way you reach new donors can take a backseat. Keeping it top of mind throughout the year starts with creating an attainable and effective strategy.

Not sure where to start when looking to build or improve your donor acquisition strategy? We’ve got you covered! We’ll cover everything you need to know:

• What is Donor Acquisition?
• Why is Donor Acquisition Important?
• How to Measure Donor Acquisition
• 9 Donor Acquisition Strategies for Nonprofits
• Balancing Acquisition with Retention

What is Donor Acquisition?

Donor acquisition is the process of bringing new potential donors to your nonprofit through marketing or networking. You can approach this through several avenues, such as email campaigns, fundraising events, or ambassador networks.

Acquiring new donors doesn’t happen magically – it requires strategic planning and consistent engagement efforts. According to the latest Fundraising Outlook Report, 98% of organizations plan to prioritize donor acquisition to grow their supporter base this year, with 95% recognizing the importance of retention.

With overall donor retention rates between 40-45%, it’s more important than ever to have a plan in place to reach more donors who can help push your mission forward.

Why is Donor Acquisition Important?

Today’s nonprofits recognize the valuable impact of a well-planned donor acquisition strategy. Capturing the attention of a first-time donor is the first step to keeping your donor lifecycle alive. As donors lapse over time, acquisition efforts also bring fresh attention and renewed engagement to support your fundraising goals.

Above all, donor acquisition is crucial to building long-term sustainability for your mission, so be sure it remains a core focus in your organization’s year-round efforts. With the right strategy, you’ll see acquisition benefits like:

• Expanding your donor base
• Raising more funds for your mission
• Finding ways to strengthen current relationships
• Identifying new supporter audiences
• Spreading awareness for your cause

How to Measure Donor Acquisition

As you develop your acquisition strategy, leverage your data to determine the growth needed to reach your goals, starting with your current donor acquisition rate. The key is using your data to understand if you’re expanding your donor base in a meaningful and sustainable way.

In particular, you should track your organization’s:

Donor Acquisition Rate

To help you gauge how well your nonprofit is engaging with new supporters and find insights into what outreach campaigns are most effective, turn to your donor acquisition rate.

Calculate your donor acquisition rate by dividing the number of new donors by the number of all donors, then multiplying the result by 100.

Consider calculating this rate quarterly or after every campaign to see how well it performed. Your donor acquisition rate can provide insights into when potential donors are feeling the most generous, leading you to build stronger campaigns around the times when new supporters are ready to give.

Donor Acquisition Cost

Your donor acquisition rate isn’t the only metric you should keep a pulse on. Donor acquisition cost tracks how much your nonprofit spends to acquire a new donor. This calculation considers the cost of marketing, events, and other fundraising efforts against the number of acquired donors.

To calculate your donor acquisition cost, divide the total cost of your acquisition efforts by the total number of acquired donors.

When formulating your donor acquisition cost, you should consider every expense to ensure the numbers truly represent your spending. Pulling accurate numbers for your acquisition cost will lead to more informed decisions and a better understanding of where to distribute resources based on your goals.

Then, use this cost to pinpoint which efforts are working, make tweaks to campaigns that show promise, and cut off efforts that may be too costly for you to maintain.

9 Donor Acquisition Strategies for Nonprofits

Looking to acquire more donors and reduce costs in the process? We’ve put together nine donor acquisition strategies that will help you create a plan and set your nonprofit on a path to lasting success.

1. Leverage your data

The first step in elevating your donor acquisition strategy is to understand your existing donors and their motivations for supporting your cause. Knowing what events or forms of communication resonate best with your donor base provides insight as to what might work when trying to attract your target audience.

To reach prospective donors, identify patterns in your data that will streamline your focus and bring in people with shared characteristics. This includes:

• The type of events that donors are more likely to attend
• What time of year your campaigns perform the best
• Average donation size
• Open and click-through rates for email campaigns

By uncovering these trends, you can make data-informed decisions that refine your outreach and attract donors who are most aligned with your mission.

2. Use direct mail

Direct mail remains one of the most effective ways to engage potential donors, offering a personal touch that both introduces your nonprofit and educates recipients about your mission.

One of the biggest advantages of direct mail is the creative freedom it allows. Brainstorm ways to showcase your team’s creativity in the packaging, branding, and visuals. The goal is to stand out from other mail enough for potential donors to be interested.

If you’re writing an appeal letter, make sure to lean into storytelling to highlight relevant issues and your organization’s work toward a solution. Compelling, heartfelt narratives inspire empathy – and ultimately, the desire to give.

3. Develop email campaigns

Email marketing allows you to connect with supporters at every stage of the donor journey, whether they’re new or lapsed supporters. With engaging, well-targeted campaigns, you can deliver the right message to the right people at the right time.

There are many ways to plan an email campaign that aligns with your acquisition goals. You might send emails to people who have donated in the past but have not donated since, or target supporters who have attended one of your previous fundraising events but haven’t yet made any donations.

While emails reach a large audience, it often takes creativity to drive action. Compelling subject lines and preview copy can boost open rates, while adding images of your mission in action, testimonials, and information about upcoming events can improve link clicks – and ultimately, conversions.

4. Maximize ambassador networks

People are more likely to give when the cause matters to someone they care about. That’s why ambassador and peer-to-peer fundraising are so powerful – they empower existing supporters to help you acquire new donors by engaging their personal networks and spreading awareness for your mission.

By tapping into your ambassadors’ networks with a peer-to-peer fundraiser, you can:

• Engage your entire community in fundraising
• Raise awareness for your mission
• Build stronger donor relationships
• Grow your network of supporters
• Boost your revenue

When planning a peer-to-peer fundraiser, create a list of supporters who interact the most with your organization, including those who are well-known or heavily involved in your wider community. Best-in-class peer-to-peer fundraising software makes it easy for your ambassadors to share your fundraiser through social media integrations, so you can get the most eyes on your fundraiser.

Pro tip: Make sure to provide your ambassadors with a strong media kit, complete with visuals, sample posts, and talking points, so they can confidently represent your mission and inspire others to give.

5. Improve your storytelling

To help connect your prospects with your mission, tell the story of your nonprofit in a way that draws them in and makes them feel part of the impact. The key to attracting new donors is helping them see themselves in your cause – showing that their contributions make real, meaningful change possible.

This goes beyond simply explaining your mission and values. Successful storytelling is about including:

• Impact statements that highlight efforts in action
• Photos of beneficiaries or past events
• Videos that bring messaging to life
• Compelling language that aligns with your brand

A customizable peer-to-peer fundraising page is the perfect stage to tell your story. It not only highlights your brand but also celebrates the incredible difference made possible by your community of donors and supporters.

6. Promote corporate sponsorships

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) continues to be a priority for companies, making businesses the perfect partners for your nonprofit. When a trusted brand sponsors a nonprofit, it boosts credibility and trust for potential donors. Plus, corporate sponsorships open the door to entirely new audiences of supporters and volunteers, amplifying both reach and impact.

Asking corporations for sponsorships could be as simple as making a phone call or sending an email, but also consider checking with your current donors for any corporate connections to make outreach more personal and effective.

If you’re hosting an event and looking for sponsors, consider promoting corporate sponsorship opportunities on your social media, website, or even your event site to start building those partnerships.

7. Stay active on social media

Social media is an excellent tool to show off your organization’s personality and introduce new donors to your cause in a fun and engaging way. People like connecting with people, so use this as an opportunity to share photo proof of the excellent work you are doing in your community and the opportunities for others to get involved.

As you become active on your accounts, double-check that your profile includes important information like your website link or donation form. The goal is to maximize any potential impact each time someone clicks on your page.

Engagement is a two-way street, so tag relevant accounts to spread your message, respond to comments, and share posts you’re tagged in. Taking the time to reply to posts increases your visibility and can help grow your follower count.

8. Offer multiple ways to give

No two donors are alike, especially when it comes to how they give. While 47% of donors choose to donate via credit or debit cards, other payment methods like Apple Pay and Google Pay are also must-haves for your donation form.

Offering flexible donation options isn’t only about convenience – it’s an effective way to appeal to the expectations of a larger audience.

In addition to digital wallets, here are a few unique giving options to include on your donation page:

• Recurring giving: Build a reliable, steady form of revenue by encouraging donors to give the same amount each month.
• Donor-advised funds: Make it easy for supporters to give from their DAFs without having to leave your donation page.
• In-kind gifts: Promote a way for donors to give no-cash contributions, such as donating an auction item or providing a service.
• Text-to-give: Allow donors to give quickly and seamlessly right from their mobile devices.

Find donation software that lets you offer flexible payment options. With OneCause, an all-in-one fundraising platform, you can offer donors the convenience of paying with credit, debit, ACH, Apple or Google Pay, Venmo, PayPal, or DAFpay.

On our donation forms, donors also have the option to cover processing fees, give anonymously, or choose from a set of custom suggested donation amounts.

9. Highlight your events in the community

Invite your community to celebrate your mission and welcome new supporters to your cause. Hosting fundraising events like auctions and galas is an engaging way to connect with new donors, inspire generosity, and showcase your impact.

To expand your reach to new audiences, consider marketing your event in community spaces, like:

• Community centers: Post flyers with a QR code that people can scan to interact with your event page.
• Popular restaurants and coffee shops: Advertise your event in high-traffic locations to reach diverse audiences.
• Local social media groups: Share event details in Facebook groups or neighborhood apps and encourage others to reshare.
• Partner with local businesses: Collaborate with new and existing partners to extend your reach to their customers.

Try promoting your event across multiple spaces to maximize your marketing efforts. Highlight the overall experience — successful auctions and galas, for example, blend entertainment, fundraising, and celebration to create a memorable occasion for all.

Balancing Acquisition with Retention

While bringing in new supporters expands your reach, nurturing relationships with existing donors is what sustains your mission year after year. Ultimately, balancing donor acquisition and retention is the key to long-term success.

To continuously evaluate and improve your engagement and re-engagement strategy, track your donor retention rate – the percentage of donors who gave last year and returned to give again. Calculate your donor retention rate by dividing the number of donors that gave this year by the number of donors that gave last year, and multiplying the result by 100.

According to the 2025 Virtuous Nonprofit Benchmark Report, top-performing nonprofits have a donor retention rate of 67.7%. These organizations actively invest in relationship-building activities and see consistent support. They also reengage lapsed donors – those who have believed in your cause in the past and may simply need to feel reenergized to give again.

If your nonprofit’s retention rate is struggling, here are a few key practices to help you strengthen retention and build lasting donor connections:

• Personalize your outreach: Tailor your communication to make donors feel valued and connected to your cause.
• Engage beyond the gift: Share regular updates on your fundraising progress and volunteering opportunities to keep donors informed.
• Simplify the giving experience: Invest in intuitive donation tools that make it easy for supporters to contribute to your cause.
• Ask for feedback: Encourage donors to share what they thought of your campaigns or events to enhance future engagement.

By maintaining a thoughtful balance between attracting new donors and nurturing existing ones, you’ll ensure consistent growth, stronger relationships, and lasting impact.

Acquire More Donors with OneCause

The journey to sustainable fundraising starts by connecting meaningfully with potential donors. As you improve your strategy to increase donor acquisition, rely on your fundraising software for support every step of the way. The OneCause Fundraising Platform equips your team with powerful tools to manage new and existing donor relationships from the very beginning.

From hosting a fundraising event to a mobile-optimized donation form, OneCause is here to help you unlock your donor acquisition potential.

Ready to strengthen your donor support? More fundraising resources are just a click away:

• How to Create a Standout Nonprofit Awareness Campaign: Spread more awareness of your cause to reach new audiences and connect with potential donors.
• Infographic: Best Practices to Reconnect with Lapsed Donors: Reignite the passion of past donors to support your nonprofit’s work again.
• eBook: The Ultimate Guide to Donor Retention: Sustain your mission for years to come with this guide on building meaningful connections.