Competitive Environments in Fundraising

06 Oct Competitive Environments in Fundraising

7 October 2025

By David Allen, Development for Conservation

We fundraisers are operating in a competitive environment.

It’s easy to forget that in the nonprofit world, and I’ve found it even easier in the conservation world. But it’s true, and we forget it at our own peril.

Donors give to multiple organizations. So, they see information from these other nonprofits as well. How does that information sit with them? How does it make them feel? And how does our information and experience stack up to those standards?

For example: Acknowledgements. They send the same amount of money to Charity A and to the land trust. Charity A sends an email thanking them that same day and a handwritten card a week later, and a Board member calls to leave a thank you message on their voicemail. How does the land trust’s acknowledgement process compare? How do they feel? And how much is each organization receiving from them two, five, and ten years later?

For example: Planned Giving. When asked about not leaving a beloved charity in their will, many donors respond, “It never occurred to me.” Charity A sends planned giving information to them every year, making sure it occurs to them. And its  easy-to-find Wills and Bequests page includes all the information they will need to leave a bequest. How does the land trust’s planned giving information compare?

For example: Renewal and Appeal Letters. Charity A’s letters remind them of what they gave last year and ask them to give a little more this year, even specifying a target amount. How does the land trust’s renewal and appeal letters compare? And how much is each organization receiving from them two, five, and ten years later?

For example: Donor Communications. Charity A’s communications are tailored to the specific reasons each donor likes giving to the charity. They include stories that demonstrate how big a difference the donors are making through their gifts and donations. How does the land trust’s information compare? (Or is the land trust’s information all about the land trust?)

For example: Donor Events. Charity A’s events feature catered food that is constantly refreshed and wine that was purchased with the food in mind. How does the land trust experience compare? (Or, put another way, I have a choice of events to go to. Do I choose to attend the land trust’s event?

I hear from nearly every community that there are way more charities than the local donor base can support. In that environment, donors end up choosing between causes they would like to support, and those choices are not always rational. Much of it comes down to how the charities make them feel. We saw this during the COVID years, and somewhat even more poignantly during and just after the economic crash of 2008 and 2009. When donors reduced their charitable giving, they didn’t give less to everyone, they maintained or even increased giving to charities they felt the greatest connection to. And then simply gave to fewer charities. Some charities were left behind. Many land trusts failed that test – some tanked while others worked doubly hard just to tread water.

How does your land trust stack up in the local competitive charitable giving environment?

There’s an easy way to take the local temperature – ASK.

• In this community, is there a charity you feel does a particularly good job communicating with their donors?
• Name the local charities that have a reputation for having their act together.
• What does XYZ do that we should emulate?

Then comb through Charity A’s (and B’s and C’s) website critically, comparing its communication style, professional look, and ease of navigation to your own. Ask your Board directors to forward anything and everything from these other charities, so you can start seeing the competition as your donors do.

We can’t always make the changes necessary to improve our competitive edge overnight. But we can get incrementally better and better over time.

What can you learn from your local competition?

Cheers, and have a great week!

-da

PS:  Your comments on these posts are welcomed and warmly requested. If you have not posted a comment before, or if you are using a new email address, please know that there may be a delay in seeing your posted comment. That’s my SPAM defense at work. I approve all comments as soon as I am able during the day.

Photo by Simon Mettler courtesy Pixabay