13 Jul Easy Tactics Nonprofits Can Do to Avoid the Summer Slow-Down

Vacations, scorching hot weather and overall change of pace, historically, summer is a slow season for nonprofit organizations. Donations and volunteers typically go down as people change their routines and spending. However, the pause in activity does offer nonprofits opportunities for planning, improvement, and experimentation. Here’s what your nonprofit can do to avoid the summer slow-down:

Make the most of the downtime

The lazy days of summer may mean less activity, but it also allows nonprofits to focus on opportunities they may have missed during the busier seasons. Summer is the ideal time to evaluate your performance thus far, identify gaps, and re-strategize. Maybe you’ll discover that you’ve been left behind by the competition by not offering donors as many payment channels, a mobile-friendly experience, or an optimized one-page checkout process.

Revisit your donor retention strategy

Nonprofits work hard to gain new donors because previous donors don’t always repeat their behavior. If your nonprofit struggles with low donor retention rates, now is a good time to try some strategies to boost donor retention. Create data-powered reports about donors and campaigns, allowing you to segment donors based on who has lapsed, made repeat donations, or has been downgraded. Identify relationship-building opportunities, such as increasing newsletter frequency.

And with summer being a slower season for most, donors may also have more time to participate in surveys. Rather than assuming what motivates donors, go ahead and ask through email or phone. Asking donors for their feedback is also great for strengthening connections because it tells them their opinions are valuable to you.

Host a summer event

Hosting a fundraising event during the summer doesn’t necessarily mean fewer people will attend. Remember, not everyone will take a vacation, especially during these times when people are still hesitant about travel.

The beauty of summer is that the weather allows you to host more creative outdoor events, which will appeal to people who are trying to avoid being indoors with a crowd. Think along the lines of events at the park, beach, golf club, and other outdoor venues. Because kids are off school, think of activities that involve the whole family, such as a fun run, treasure hunt, bike race, volleyball tournament, or drive-thru movie. The best part is that these mini fundraising events don’t only have to happen once but throughout the entire summer.

Grow your donor pool

Don’t worry too much about the slow summer months, especially since the busiest fundraising months will quickly follow. Use the summer to grow your donor pool with new names by tapping into personal and professional networks.

During the summer, your team members may be visiting their hometowns and attending school reunions, which are mostly held during the summer. Summer is also one of the most popular times for couples to get married. These common summer events allow people to reconnect with family and friends they probably haven’t seen in years, making summer critical for engaging new donors. You may even incentivize fundraising and donor cultivation for your staff, creating friendly competition that will ultimately benefit your shared cause and bring you all closer to achieving your mission.