b'Relationships That EndureTurning crisis supporters into lifelong partnersDisasters bring many firsttime donors to a cause, but how supporters are encouraged to contribute financially.can you keep them engaged long term? Here are some practical steps missions can take to foster lifelong connections: Datadriven decisionmaking1. Ask for more than money Responsive fundraising emphasizes listening toResponsive fundraising encourages missions to listen to their donor behavior and responding with relevant,donors motivations. By inviting supporters to volunteer, atmeaningful communication. With a responsivetend events, or join a monthly giving program, missions give CRM, organizations can track which emailsdonors ways to stay engaged beyond onetime giving. Nondonors open, the causes they respond to most,monetary asks, such as asking donors to share social posts, and even how long they engage with content. Thiscan also create deeper buyin and extend the missions reach. data helps leaders make informed decisions like2. Show donors the full impact of their supportproject asks tied to donor passions, data-drivenAfter the immediate crisis passes, keep supporters informed non-financial asks, and responsive gift arrays thatabout how their donations continue to make a difference. deepen donor relationships over time and increaseSharing photos, videos, and stories from the field through real-time engagement during disaster response.email campaigns, social media, or private donor portals keeps donors close to the work and shows how their contributions Automated nurture campaigns:have an ongoing impact. staying connected with donors3. Stay attentive to donor preferences Automation may sound impersonal, but its aUsing data from a responsive CRM, missions can identify powerful tool for building and strengtheningcommunication preferences and customize outreach for relationships when used correctly. Automated nur- each donor. For example, if a donor frequently engages with ture campaigns allow missions to deliver regular,volunteer stories, they might respond further to content relevant messages to donors, fostering connectionfocused on volunteer testimonials. By understanding these without overwhelming staff with manual work.preferences, missions can suggest the right next steps and demonstrate they value each donor as an individual. Setting up automated thankyou and4. Use surveys and feedback to foster two-way update emailscommunication Donors who give during a disaster want to knowSurveys allow missions to ask donors for feedback on their how their donations were used. Automated thank- experiences and preferences. These insights help missions you emails provide a way to express immediateunderstand what resonates most, gratitude, sharing about the gifts importance.adjust strategies, Follow-up updates can automatically shareand continually progress reports, volunteer stories, and otherimprove engageimpact metrics to keep donors informed. Thisment efforts. helps cultivate a relationship with the donors and encourages them to stay involved in the cause. Personalizing the donor journey with nurture sequences Automated nurture sequences help engage with donors long after the disaster is over. Responsive \x02 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2025 WWW.CITYGATENETWORK.ORG 47'