I firmly believe in surveying your donors and contacts.
By “contacts,” I mean the people in your database who want to hear from you but have not yet made a gift. They may receive your newsletter, attend events, or follow your work closely. They may be waiting for the right invitation. They are not donors yet, but they are part of your community and worth listening to. Donors are the people who have financially supported your organization, whether recently or in the past.
Surveys are among the most useful tools we have for understanding the people who care about our work. They can help us learn why someone gives, what part of the mission matters most to them, how they see themselves, and how they prefer to be communicated with. Used well, a survey is not just a data-gathering tool. It is a relationship tool.
The Comprehensive Survey
A comprehensive survey might include 10 or 15 questions. The goal is to gather both personal and mission-focused information. These surveys can be sent to different segments at different times. For example, every new donor could receive a survey as part of their onboarding package. That gives you the chance to learn more about them early, while their connection to your organization is just beginning.
You could also send the survey to your full donor and contact universe to get a snapshot of who is in your database and what they care about. If you send it to segments of your database, useful segments include lapsed donors, longtime sustainers, event attendees, volunteers, and even unsubscribers, as long as you provide a clear opt-in option for unsubscribers who want to reconnect.
The Short Survey
Sometimes a short survey is the better choice.
A short survey of five to seven questions can be sent almost any time. It can work as a simple connection point with your donors and contacts. People often enjoy sharing information about themselves, especially when the questions feel relevant and respectful. It tells them that you are interested in more than the donor transaction. You are interested in the person.
Why This Matters
A good survey helps you stop guessing.
It gives you a more direct way to understand why people connect with your work, what they value, what they want to learn, and how they see themselves in relation to your mission. That allows you to tailor your correspondence to each reader. Most importantly, it makes your stewardship more thoughtful and your fundraising less generic.
A survey is not just a questionnaire. It is an invitation to be known.
Coming Next Month
In the next post, I’ll move from the “why” to the “how.” We’ll look at the types of questions that belong in a donor survey, those that need more care, and how to keep the survey useful for both the organization and the donor. I’ll also share a sample survey that can be adapted for your organization.