Donor Thank-Yous that Make Huge Impact
Hearing from students is THE BEST.
Especially hearing what a difference your scholarship made in their education and life. Cue the tears, right?
Maybe you’ve recently gotten some of those heartfelt messages (or are poised to get ‘em soon). Ones like:
“This means I don’t have to choose between books and groceries next year.”
“My mom cried when I told her I was selected.”
“You believing in me is just as valuable as the financial aid.”
Their gratitude is so life-giving. It can sustain you during the hardest moments in your work.
Check this out: Our Sarah Battersby has saved her very first thank-you from a scholarship recipient–for over 10 years!!
Cherished for over a decade.
Hopefully, you’re not keeping the gestures of gratitude all to yourself, and instead have ways to share them with donors.
Your being that good-news channel is super-important. You get to share the real-world impact of their investment, and you build a deeper connection between them and their giving to your organization. Wins on top of wins on top of wins.
And donor reporting doesn’t have to be complicated. You don't need lots of systems or fancy technologies or formal letters. A few genuine words from students is often more than enough to show donors that their giving matters.
Here are some of our team’s favorite ideas for sharing about students with donors. Maybe you’re already using some of these, and maybe you can test out others to make reporting easier.
Create a simple, straightforward way for students to thank donors.
Include a "Say thank you to your scholarship’s donors" field to your scholarship acceptance form.
Offer sample prompts in case they need inspiration, like, “This scholarship will make it possible for me to…” or “If I got to meet the donors in person, I’d tell them…”
When sharing students’ responses with donors, lightly edit them if needed (fix typos, personalize it by adding the donor’s name). But keep the student’s voice, tone, and gist of their message–that’s what really resonates.
Proactively set clear, realistic expectations with donors regarding reporting.
Have a protocol that direct student contact will always route through your office, and that students will never communicate directly with donors (this protects everyone).
Tell donors that they can expect to hear from your staff, not students.
If needed, talk about what’s appropriate per the specifics of their scholarship. For example, one-year awards get one-time thanks, whereas renewable awards get multi-year reports.
Thoughtfully create deeper connection opportunities.
Feature donors and students (maybe in pairs) in marketing materials, with both talking about what the scholarship means to them.
Invite both alumni and donors to participate alongside each other on selection committees.
Host casual mixers or student-led campus tours instead of formal galas. Ask students and donors to co-plan these events.
It’s okay to skip the one-to-one matching, where donors meet “their” students. They’ll be impressed with any of your recipients.
Be realistic about what to expect from students.
Remember that all students are busy humans, just like you and your donors. Thanking donors shouldn’t ask too much of them.
Don’t penalize them for simplicity or brevity in their thank-yous; brief acknowledgments are still meaningful, and the information you have about them can round out the profile you share with donors.
Don’t penalize students who don’t thank donors. (Here’s a thoughtful opinion piece on the subject, written by a student.) Encourage grace and gratitude, not punitive measures.
Scholarship giving is so cool. It’s the only form of philanthropy that connects donors with individuals. That’s incredibly special, and with effective donor engagement, you can ensure that your donors are there for students year after year (perhaps with even bigger gifts).
Want more on reporting to donors? We’ve got you.
We built a Scholarship Impact Report Template that you can download, customize, and begin using right away. Consider it a starting point for regular communications to donors (other stakeholders, too) about what their contributions make possible.
Grab the Scholarship Impact Report Template here.
And our latest blog post offers suggestions for customizing it: what to include, where to find that information, and more.
Donor reporting made easy-peasy!
