Grassroots Donors are More Important Than Ever. Here’s How to Keep Yours Donating.
Grassroots donors — that is, individual donors that give less than $500 a year — are key for most nonprofits. According to a recent study conducted by The Fundraising Effectiveness Project, grassroots donors make up the majority of all donors. They are the largest donor category.
The study also revealed that the number of individual donors contributing to nonprofits in the first three quarters of 2022 was down 7.1%. And 96% of the drop in donors is attributed to losses of donors that give $500 or less annually.
Maintaining and expanding a base of grassroots donors is more important than ever! These are the individuals who care deeply about your cause and will make a positive in your community-building and fundraising efforts.
So how can you keep your grassroots donors engaged? And how can you bring in more of them?
TapKat sweepstakes fundraising offers a powerful solution to the challenges nonprofits are seeing in the declines of their grassroots donor base:
TapKat sweepstakes are inclusive: donors can participate for as little as $25.
99% of TapKat sweepstakes bring in new grassroots donors.
The average individual donation to enter a TapKat sweepstakes is $60 — right in the sweet spot for grassroots donors.
25% of TapKat donors will give more than once to the same sweepstakes.
TapKat Sweepstakes are Inclusive
TapKat sweepstakes are structured so that anyone in your community can participate, from the biggest donors to budget-conscious individuals.
This fact makes sweepstakes especially appealing to grassroots donors. Unlike an auction fundraiser, where only the highest bidder has a chance of winning (and donors with smaller pocketbooks may be priced out of participating before the bidding even begins), sweepstakes participants can enter with a donation amount that’s comfortable for them.
Not long ago, Michael Eaton of New Hampshire won a 1964 Corvette Stingray Convertible in Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum’s sweepstakes. His win was extra exciting because he had entered with a $25 donation!
Anyone can enter, and anyone can win a TapKat sweepstakes, which makes it even more fun for everyone involved.
99% of TapKat Sweepstakes Bring in New Donors
One of the hallmarks of a TapKat sweepstakes is that new donors are attracted to the excitement and, even if they’re unfamiliar with your cause, will enter for the chance to win.
When you run a sweepstakes and do a good job promoting it on social media, through email and live events, you’ll find that people who are new to your nonprofit will naturally be drawn in by the idea of winning a big prize. And, since everyone who enters the sweepstakes is added to your donor base, you’re building your base throughout the duration of your sweepstakes.
The Shelby American Collection ran their first TapKat sweepstakes in 2016. At the time, they had a donor base of about 800 people; names that had been collected since the museum opened in 1996. When they started running sweepstakes, their donor base expanded quickly: by 2023, they built it up to 53,000 names and counting!
Each year The Shelby American Collection runs a sweepstakes, they build the base even more. A bigger base means more community support and more successful fundraising.
The Average Donation to a TapKat Sweepstakes is $60
The majority of donors to a TapKat sweepstakes donate less than $100 at a time, and that’s great — that’s the definition of a grassroots donor!
In comparison to raffles with tickets that start at $150, donors can enter a TapKat sweepstakes with a donation amount that’s comfortable for them and feels inviting. This is really important when it comes to maintaining engagement among your grassroots donors: they need to feel like they can make a difference, even with a smaller donation.
To that point, 25% of TapKat sweepstakes donors will re-enter the same sweepstakes more than once, especially if the sweepstakes runs longer than a couple months. Depending on which prize you choose for your sweepstakes, we may recommend that it run anywhere between 2 weeks and 12 months. During this time, donors who are on your mailing list may donate once, then months down the line get excited again and donate again because they want to improve their chances of winning the prize.
TapKat Sweepstakes Fundraising is Fresh and Fun
If you’re looking for a way to strengthen and expand your grassroots donor base, try a TapKat sweepstakes. Getting started is easy: follow this link to apply for your nonprofit account, or click here to schedule a demo with one of our team members.
Whether you want to raise $2,000 or $200,000 or $1,500,000, TapKat can help you get there. Check out a recent case study, and look at previous sweepstakes for inspiration and insight.
