Ce que 1 000 donateurs nous ont dit

(And How It Can Help You Raise More)

Nous savons que la collecte de fonds s'accompagne de beaucoup de pression, surtout lorsque les budgets sont serrés. C'est pourquoi nous avons interrogé 1 000 donateurs à travers les États-Unis pour savoir ce qui les inspire à donner, ce qui les rebute et ce qui les fidélise. Ce rapport est notre façon de soutenir les 50 000 organismes à but non lucratif et plus qui utilisent Zeffy, en partageant des données concrètes pour vous aider à entrer en contact avec vos donateurs et à amasser davantage. Nous espérons qu'il vous aidera à accroître votre impact.

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Ce que nous avons appris :

Regular updates lead to 40% more donations

Donors want to know what their gift made possible. But there’s a gap: only 36% say they currently have easy access to that kind of information. When donors understand the impact of their gift, they’re more likely to give again… and give more.

Insights from over $100M in monthly transactions

Quick wins for you:

  • Add a “Your impact this month” note to receipts or newsletters and be specific! “$25 = 50 school lunches” is more compelling than “Your donation helps kids.”
  • Show a visual breakdown of where funds go on your donation page.

See More Email Best Practices →

Target donors emotionally tied to your mission

The data is clear: connection motivates donors to act. Emotional connection was the strongest motivational driver for increased giving this year, beating urgency, impact, and even transparency. Seek out individuals who have been personally affected by the issues you work on or who have supported similar causes in the past. They’re more likely to give, and more likely to stay.

Insights from over $100M in monthly transactions

Quick wins for you:

  • Look for people who attend related events, follow relevant Facebook groups, or subscribe to aligned newsletters.These aren’t just potential donors—they’re your future advocates.

See our Guide for Mission Statements →

Donors have misconceptions: address them early

Donors care about where their money goes—and when things feel unclear, they walk away. 42% believe nonprofit executives are overpaid, and 31% think too much is spent on marketing and fundraising fees. Even though these costs often help nonprofits grow, many donors don’t see it that way

Insights from over $100M in monthly transactions

Quick wins for you:

  • Show why you spend in certain areas and what the return on that investment is.
  • Highlight what you don’t spend on: “We don’t overspend on fundraising fees because we use Zeffy.”

Learn More about Donor Management →

Show donors how funds are put to use at your nonprofit

40% of donors said they walked away because they didn’t feel their donation was used effectively, didn’t know where it went, or were turned off by high platform fees. The takeaway? Show donors exactly how you use their support. When they see you’re being smart with their money, they’ll stick with you.

Insights from over $100M in monthly transactions

Quick wins for you:

  • Be upfront: If you do pay fees, include them in your financial reporting. Donors appreciate honesty.
  • Add a “Where your donation goes” section to your website or receipts to show how you maximize every dollar.

Learn More about How Zeffy can save you money →

Simplify your donation experience

The data is clear: if donating feels like a hassle, people won’t do it. Even small points of friction—too many clicks, missing payment options, or a clunky mobile page—are enough to make donors abandon their gift. A smooth, mobile-friendly donation experience isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s non-negotiable.

Insights from over $100M in monthly transactions

Quick wins for you:

  • Test your donation form on your phone. If it takes more than 60 seconds, simplify it.
  • Offer popular payment methods like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal.
  • Cut unnecessary fields—every extra click is a chance to lose a donor.

See our Mobile-friendly donation forms →

Regular updates lead to 40% more donations

Donors want to know what their gift made possible. But there’s a gap: only 36% say they currently have easy access to that kind of information. When donors understand the impact of their gift, they’re more likely to give again… and give more.

Insights from over $100M in monthly transactions

Quick wins for you:

  • Add a “Your impact this month” note to receipts or newsletters and be specific! “$25 = 50 school lunches” is more compelling than “Your donation helps kids.”
  • Show a visual breakdown of where funds go on your donation page.

See More Email Best Practices →

Target donors emotionally tied to your mission

The data is clear: connection motivates donors to act. Emotional connection was the strongest motivational driver for increased giving this year, beating urgency, impact, and even transparency. Seek out individuals who have been personally affected by the issues you work on or who have supported similar causes in the past. They’re more likely to give, and more likely to stay.

Insights from over $100M in monthly transactions

Quick wins for you:

  • Look for people who attend related events, follow relevant Facebook groups, or subscribe to aligned newsletters.These aren’t just potential donors—they’re your future advocates.

See our Guide for Mission Statements →

Donors have misconceptions: address them early

Donors care about where their money goes—and when things feel unclear, they walk away. 42% believe nonprofit executives are overpaid, and 31% think too much is spent on marketing and fundraising fees. Even though these costs often help nonprofits grow, many donors don’t see it that way

Insights from over $100M in monthly transactions

Quick wins for you:

  • Show why you spend in certain areas and what the return on that investment is.
  • Highlight what you don’t spend on: “We don’t overspend on fundraising fees because we use Zeffy.”

Learn More about Donor Management →

Show donors how funds are put to use at your nonprofit

40% of donors said they walked away because they didn’t feel their donation was used effectively, didn’t know where it went, or were turned off by high platform fees. The takeaway? Show donors exactly how you use their support. When they see you’re being smart with their money, they’ll stick with you.

Insights from over $100M in monthly transactions

Quick wins for you:

  • Be upfront: If you do pay fees, include them in your financial reporting. Donors appreciate honesty.
  • Add a “Where your donation goes” section to your website or receipts to show how you maximize every dollar.

Learn More about How Zeffy can save you money →

Simplify your donation experience

The data is clear: if donating feels like a hassle, people won’t do it. Even small points of friction—too many clicks, missing payment options, or a clunky mobile page—are enough to make donors abandon their gift. A smooth, mobile-friendly donation experience isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s non-negotiable.

Insights from over $100M in monthly transactions

Quick wins for you:

  • Test your donation form on your phone. If it takes more than 60 seconds, simplify it.
  • Offer popular payment methods like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal.
  • Cut unnecessary fields—every extra click is a chance to lose a donor.

See our Mobile-friendly donation forms →

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À propos de cette étude

We created this study to help you raise more, without guessing what donors care about. We asked donors across the U.S. why they give, what turns them off, and what keeps them coming back. In just two weeks, over 1,000 people responded.

We cleaned the data by removing duplicates and incomplete answers, then looked for the patterns—what came up again and again in their responses.The study reflects everyday donors from across the U.S. They gave under $10,000 last year, supported all kinds of causes, and came from every state, age group, and gender.

Use it to shape your next campaign. Share it with your team. Or keep it handy the next time you wonder: what are my donors really thinking?

À propos de cette étude

We created this study to help you raise more, without guessing what donors care about. We asked donors across the U.S. why they give, what turns them off, and what keeps them coming back. In just two weeks, over 1,000 people responded.

We cleaned the data by removing duplicates and incomplete answers, then looked for the patterns—what came up again and again in their responses.The study reflects everyday donors from across the U.S. They gave under $10,000 last year, supported all kinds of causes, and came from every state, age group, and gender.

Use it to shape your next campaign. Share it with your team. Or keep it handy the next time you wonder: what are my donors really thinking?

En quoi Zeffy est-il gratuit ?
En quoi Zeffy est-il gratuit ?
Zeffy compte entièrement sur les contributions facultatives des donateurs. À l'étape de la confirmation du paiement, nous demandons aux donateurs de laisser une contribution facultative à Zeffy.
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