One of the questions we have consistently asked is: “If you did not give to United Way this past year, have you ever given to United Way?” We have found that the percentage of people who did not give to United Way this year but have given to United Way previously has increased over time.

Many United Ways have faced the challenge of decreasing numbers of donors. Frequently, United Ways tell us that their donor rolls have dwindled over the years, no matter how hard they try to attract and retain new donors.

One of the more common questions we get from local United Ways goes something like this: “How do we get donors to stop asking about our administrative costs?”

United Ways will be successful when they make donors feel important. But, making donors feel important goes far beyond just thanking and acknowledging them.