Donor retention strategies: Tips to encourage recurring giving
You’ve just launched your fundraising page, and donations are coming in. Messages of support are filling your inbox. Now what? While starting a fundraiser can take less than five minutes, the most important work happens after you’ve launched your fundraiser. Once donations start rolling in, it’s crucial to connect with your supporters to maximise your crowdfunding efforts.
This is where donor retention matters. When it comes to personal fundraisers, donor retention simply means staying connected with the people who’ve supported you, so they continue to care about your cause. It’s about keeping supporters engaged after their first donation, rather than only focusing on attracting new ones. The advantages of doing this are twofold: it makes your donors feel appreciated, and it keeps them engaged with your cause.
So how can you encourage people to contribute again in the future? This guide explains the practical steps you can use to keep supporters involved, strengthen trust, and build lasting support for your fundraiser.
Why donor retention matters
When you’re fundraising personally, your supporters already know you. They care about your situation and want to help, which gives you a strong starting point. If you stay in touch, thank them properly, and share updates, they’re far more likely to support you again.
Research in charitable fundraising shows that donors who receive a prompt and meaningful thank-you are significantly more likely to give again. Studies have found that first-time donors who are thanked quickly can be up to four times more likely to make a second gift. People respond positively when they feel appreciated and informed.
For personal fundraisers, this connection is even more direct. Supporters often want to feel part of your journey. They want to know how their donation has helped, whether it covered medical bills, supported recovery, or funded a key milestone. When you share progress, you’re showing the real impact of their kindness.
Clear communication also strengthens trust. If you’re unsure how to approach supporters or ask for continued help, you can review practical guidance on how to ask for donations.
1. The power of saying thank you
Imagine sending a gift to someone through the mail and hearing nothing but radio silence afterward. People love feeling appreciated — it’s that simple. Research from Bloomerang has found that many donors stop giving because they feel unappreciated or don’t see the impact of their gift.
If a short thank-you note can have such a massive impact on recurring giving, it’s absolutely worth the effort to contact all of your supporters. Luckily, thanking your donors through GoFundMe doesn’t take much effort at all. You can send thank yous with just a few clicks once signed into your account. You’ll have the option to send a standard note, or personalise the message with your own text.
For personal fundraisers, this matters even more. Your supporters aren’t anonymous donors. They’re friends, family, colleagues, or members of your wider community. A genuine thank-you strengthens that relationship and shows respect for their generosity.
Practical ways to thank your supporters
You don’t need anything complicated. Choose a method that feels natural:
- Personal message through the fundraising platform: A short, sincere message soon after the donation.
- Text message or WhatsApp: Ideal for people you already speak to regularly.
- Handwritten note: Especially powerful in personal fundraising. It shows time and effort.
- Phone call: A call can mean a lot, particularly for close friends or family.
- Social media shout-out: Thank supporters publicly, if they’re comfortable being mentioned.
How to personalise your thank-you
Make it specific. Mention the supporter’s name. Reference their donation if appropriate. Explain what their contribution will help with. As an example, you might say it will cover medication, travel costs, equipment, or part of your overall goal.
If you’d like helpful examples and wording ideas, consult our blog, and be inspired on how to write a thank-you letter and affordable ways to say thank you to donors.
2. Keeping supporters updated
Your donors are hungry for information about what kind of impact their donations have had. One study from Software Advice found that 60% of donors are eager for stories about how they have personally made a difference to your cause.
Keeping your donors in the loop is a tried-and-true donor retention strategy, and here’s why:
- Updates show impact: It might sound obvious, but when people can see that their contributions have been helpful, they are much more likely to give again.
- Updates increase transparency: If you provide a detailed breakdown of expenses and how you’ve applied the funds to date, it shows your donors that you’re making good on your word.
- Updates keep your cause top of mind: Thoughtful updates remind donors that you’re still fundraising and still need help. Updates are automatically emailed to your donors who have subscribed, so they can read about your latest news directly from their inbox.
- Updates can double as thank yous: Use an update as an opportunity to give a special shout-out to a top contributor. This special and public recognition will shower your donor in appreciation and can motivate others to donate.
Once you’ve posted your update, don’t forget to share it on your social media channels to spread the word. Need some guidance on how to write a compelling update? Read our tips for how to write a fundraising update for extra help.
How often to post updates
Regular updates help maintain connection, show progress, and reinforce why the fundraiser matters.
Supporters want to know how their money is being used and what impact it’s having. When you share updates, you make them feel part of your journey. This can encourage loyal supporters to stay engaged, share your page, and even donate again.
A simple schedule helps keep your supporters engaged without overwhelming them:
- Weekly updates for fast-moving or short fundraisers
- Bi-weekly or monthly updates for longer fundraising needs
- Milestone updates when you hit significant points — for example 25%, 50%, and 100% of your target
For practical tips on sharing your fundraiser, see these fundraiser sharing tips.
What to include in updates
When you write a fundraising update, keep it clear and personal. Most updates include:
- Progress toward your goal: For example: “We’ve now reached 60% of our target! Thank you!”
- How the money is being used: For example: “This week, your donations helped cover my first round of treatment.”
- Personal reflections or milestones: For example: “I had my first therapy session today. It was tough, but I’m feeling optimistic.”
- Thank-yous to supporters: For example: “Special thanks to everyone who shared the page this week.”
- Next steps or timeline: For example: “My next appointment is in two weeks. I’ll update you again then.”
How to share your updates
You can post updates directly on your GoFundMe fundraiser page, where all supporters can see them. You can also share them on social media, by email, or by messaging apps. Posting visuals, like photos or short videos, can also help bring your updates to life.
Addressing the fear of oversharing
It can feel awkward to post frequent updates, especially about personal matters. That feeling is normal. Most supporters want to know how you’re doing and how their help is making a difference. You don’t need to share every detail, just meaningful progress and gratitude.
3. Host community fundraising event
While the internet is convenient, you can often convey a need much more effectively face-to-face. Not only that, but a fundraising event rallies the community and brings donors and potential donors together in a fun setting.
Hosting an intimate potluck is a wonderful way to unite close friends and family members and tell them about the impact their contributions have had.
Throwing a more community-focused event like an auction or a bake sale, on the other hand, can encourage involvement from outside your network. It also shows potential donors that you want to give back to them as well.
You can contact local businesses to see if they would be willing to host your event in exchange for the business you’ll bring. They may even agree to donate a certain percentage of their sales to your cause.
When throwing an event remember to:
- Create fundraiser flyers and pass them out at the event so people can easily find your fundraiser online
- Take photos of the event and post them in an update later to keep the momentum going
4. Building personal connections
Deepening relationships with supporters means more than asking for money, it means keeping people part of your story. You can use pure, genuine actions to turn once-off donors into long term friends of your fundraiser.
Personalisation strategies
Remember who donated and when, and keep a short list so you can follow up. Mention their name in messages and, where it feels right, the amount or what it helped pay for. If you know them personally, ask about their life and include a brief line that shows you care. With public thank yous, always check they’re happy to be named before you post.
Segment supporters
Don’t use generic messages or send the same message to all supporters. Consider grouping supporters into categories and tailor what you say accordingly. Close family will usually want frequent, detailed updates and phone calls. Close friends will appreciate short personal messages and occasional check-ins. Acquaintances will do fine with a brief personalised note or a public thank you. Online supporters and strangers are best reached with general updates and social posts.
Staying in touch after fundraising ends
Share final results and show the impact of donations, and invite people to celebrate various milestones with a photo or short update. If it’s appropriate, keep supporters posted on your recovery or progress, but don’t overload them.
5. Using social media to stay connected
With the average Irish adult spending nearly 6 hours online, it’s smart to take advantage of social media platforms to ignite people to action. Here are a few of the most popular social media channels you can use to remind existing donors that you’re still fundraising:
- Facebook: Facebook is the easiest place to reach friends and family, because many people already connect there. Post short updates with a photo or a short video, and use the fundraiser sharing feature so people can donate without leaving the app.
- Instagram: Instagram works well for visual updates, and stories are useful for quick day-to-day posts. Use photos or short clips that show progress, milestones, or moments of gratitude. If you use stories, add a link sticker to make it easy for people to visit your fundraiser page.
- WhatsApp: WhatsApp is best for close supporters, small groups, and family. Send a short personal message with the fundraiser link or share an update in a family group.
- Email: Email is good for longer updates and when you want to explain things in more detail. Use email when you need to give timeline information, receipts, or a fuller report of how funds have been used.
Tip: Facebook is ideal for sharing your fundraiser because it is the most popular social media platform, second only to YouTube. Posting an update on Facebook or sharing your fundraiser URL will link people back to your GoFundMe, where they can read your full story and donate.
How to use Facebook when fundraising
- Create a Facebook page specific to your cause and invite your friends to “like” it.
- Post your GoFundMe link to Facebook groups you’re a member of, if appropriate.
- Post an update on Facebook, then tag a few donors in your post and thank them publicly.
- Ask two or three friends to share your Facebook post on their own Timeline to spread more awareness for your cause.
Even though Facebook is the most popular social media platform, don’t forget to alternate between the others so you don’t overwhelm one audience.
Practical tips for social sharing
- Share updates regularly, but don’t overwhelm people, aim for a rhythm that fits your fundraiser
- Use a mix of text, photos, and short videos, visuals help people connect with your story
- Tag supporters who’ve helped, only if they’re happy to be mentioned
- Ask supporters to share your page, and explain why a share matters
- Reply to comments and messages as soon as you can, that builds trust and keeps people engaged
- Use platform features like pinned posts, story links, and group messages to make the fundraiser easy to find
For more ideas on how to share, see the GoFundMe guide on social media fundraising, at social media fundraising tips.
Sample social posts
Facebook post example
Hi everyone, quick update and big thanks. We’ve reached 40 percent of our goal and the first treatment is booked. If you can share the page it would really help, thank you so much.
Instagram post example
Photo of a hospital room, caption
Thank you for the kindness. Because of you I started treatment this week, and I’m feeling hopeful. Link in bio to read more.
WhatsApp message example
Hi Paul, thank you for your donation today, it means a lot. I’ll keep you posted as things progress.
Email example
Subject line, short body
Progress update, thanks for your support. We’ve reached a milestone and I wanted to tell you how your donation helped cover my first appointment.
6. Get creative with your second ask
Many of your donors are probably willing to give again — they might simply need a little reminder.
Keep these points in mind when asking for a second donation:
Remain positive
Approaching your donors from a place of hope can make all the difference in the world. That old adage about catching more flies with honey exists for a reason.
Relay a sense of urgency
If you only have 17 days left to meet your goal, for example, let your donors know. A specific timeline will remind them that you still need help — and quickly.
Announce a “fundraising bonanza” day
Tell everyone that it’s crunch time and you’re seeing how much money you can raise in the next 24 hours. Challenge them to invite their friends to help.
Put things into perspective
People are more likely to donate when it’s clear their donation will make a tangible difference. Crunch some numbers and let people know that a €5 donation from just 30 people will get you to your goal.
Practical tactics you can use
- Mention a recent milestone and what comes next
- Say what a specific extra amount will cover so people understand the impact
- Offer options for different budgets, like small repeat gifts or a one-off larger gift
- Give people easy ways to help, like a direct link to donate or a suggestion to share the page
Sample messages you can adapt
For a close friend or family member
Hi [Name], thank you again for your support last week. I wanted to let you know the first treatment went ahead and it’s helped already. We still need a bit more to cover the next stage, and any extra help would go straight to [specific need]. No pressure at all, I just wanted to keep you posted.
For a group update on your fundraiser page
Quick update and a big thank you. We’ve reached [percent] of our target and [X] has started. To cover the next round of costs we’re asking for a little more help. Even a small repeat gift or a share would make a real difference.
For a gentle public nudge on social media
Thank you everyone for the kindness so far. Progress is happening, but we still need help to cover the next phase of care. If you can chip in again or share the page, we’d be so grateful.
Simple systems to stay organised
Keeping track of supporters and messages doesn’t need to be hard or techy. A few simple systems will stop you from missing thank-yous, let you personalise messages, and make updates feel natural rather than chaotic.
Easy tracking methods
- Spreadsheet: one sheet with columns for name, contact (email/phone), donation amount, date, preferred contact method, notes (how you know them).
- Notes: add a short line for each donor with personal details you might mention later, e.g. “Sarah — daughter in primary school with mine.”
- Calendar reminders: set quick reminders to send a thank-you within 24–48 hours, and to post regular updates (weekly, fortnightly or at milestones).
- Checklist: keep a running list of who you’ve thanked so you don’t repeat or miss people.
Why tracking matters
Tracking helps you personalise communication, which boosts goodwill and makes repeat support more likely. When you can say “Thanks, John. Your £20 covered my taxi to treatment,” supporters feel the impact of their gift, which makes them want to engage more.
Dealing with overwhelm
You don’t need a fancy system. Start with one spreadsheet and one weekly reminder. Do the smallest useful things first, like thanking close supporters by message, posting one update a week, and keeping your notes brief. If it feels too much, drop to milestone updates instead of weekly ones.
How GoFundMe can help
GoFundMe gives you basic tools to manage donors and communications. Your fundraiser dashboard lets you see donations and easily thank supporters, post updates to the page, add team members to help share the load, and use sharing tools to make your fundraiser easy to find. See How fundraising on GoFundMe works for details and tips.
Encourage recurring giving now
Asking for help is never easy, but it’s important to remember that you already have a pool of people who care about you and your cause.
If you make it a priority to keep your supporters informed and express your gratitude for their help, then you’ll be all set to meet — and even surpass — your fundraising goal.Haven’t started your GoFundMe yet? Launch your crowdfunding fundraiser today and start raising money for your cause.