When it comes to recognizing donors, there is no doubt that actions speak louder than words. Even if people are donating out of the goodness of their hearts, it is still your responsibility to ensure their contributions are acknowledged and appreciated. This creates a strong culture of donor stewardship and enables you to attract more people to your cause. After all, relying on a core group of donors won't get you far. You have to keep getting more people who can help you meet your financial goals. For that, donor recognition is of the utmost importance.
The best way to go about recognizing donors is by setting up a donor wall. For those who don't know, a donor wall is a structure, much like any other wall, with the name of the donors listed on it. Some organizations dedicate spare walls they have at their location for this purpose. Some have a new donor wall built from scratch. Nowadays, the concept of a virtual donor wall, that is powered digitally and electronically, is becoming popular. It takes less space and is quite easy to maintain.
There is no dearth of design options when it comes to choosing design options. You can select one keeping in mind the image of your organization and the message you want to send by having a donor wall installed. If the donor wall 'looks' very expensive, there is a chance that some people might have a negative perception of it. They might feel that far too much of the money collected is being spent on the donor recognition wall program. On the other hand, you cannot have a shoddy looking donor wall either as it would reflect poorly on your organization.
At the end of the day, it is all about recognizing the contributions made by your donors. A simple 'thank you' will suffice, no doubt, but not when you have to run a cause that requires a constant inflow of cash. Not to mention that the importance of donor recognition has increased over the years. Donors expect to be recognized. Moreover, getting their name up on the wall is a great motivator for other people to make contributions.
As sincere as your words are, actions speak louder. Make your donors feel appreciated. Feting them is much easier now with the option of donor walls. Avail this option to set up a comprehensive donor recognition program that not only acknowledges current donors but attracts future ones.
