Welcome back to Ask a Responsive Fundraiser! This week, we’re talking with Floyd Jones, a community-building strategist who helps nonprofits create engaged, sustainable donor communities that drive impact and revenue. Over his career, he’s helped raise more than $20 million for grassroots organizations and spoken at conferences nationwide.
Floyd shares his expertise on turning one-time donors into long-term supporters, motivating communities to engage in peer-to-peer fundraising, and making donor data work for your organization.
Be sure to check out past editions of Ask a Responsive Fundraiser and leave us a comment on LinkedIn so we can answer your questions!
Editor’s note: Floyd’s answers were edited for written format. Watch the video to see his full answers.
Question #1:
We struggle to turn one-time donors into long-term supporters. What are some community-building strategies that actually improve donor retention?
Floyd Jones:
The first thing I always say is: People are your partners, not your piggy banks. Relationships come first—when you build a strong community, the revenue will follow.
I use a framework called The Four C’s of Community Building to help nonprofits understand where their donors are in the journey:
- Catalyst – How do you capture a donor’s attention? A great event, a compelling video, or a social media post might spark their interest. But if you stop there, it’s like a firework…it lights up the sky for a moment and then disappears. You need to keep going.
- Communicate – Many organizations fail here. Communication isn’t just sending updates, it’s creating a two-way conversation. Ask questions, respond, and engage donors in meaningful ways.
- Convert – Invite donors to take the next step, whether that’s making a recurring gift, volunteering, or attending an event. Conversion isn’t always about money, it’s about deeper involvement.
- Catapult – The final step is empowering donors to take ownership. Give them opportunities to advocate for your cause, host events, or bring others into your mission.
If you map your donors to these four stages, you’ll see where you need to invest more effort to build lasting relationships.
Summary:
To turn one-time donors into long-term supporters, shift your mindset from transactions to relationships. Use the Four C’s framework–Catalyst, Communicate, Convert, and Catapult–to deepen engagement at every stage.
Question #2:
We rely on peer-to-peer fundraising, but it’s tough to get supporters to take action. How do we motivate our community to get involved?
Floyd Jones:
If you want people to engage, they need to see themselves in your mission. As a fundraiser, you’re a bridge between where your donors are and the change they want to see in the world. Right now, people are looking for hope and impact and your job is to connect them to it.
Here’s how:
- Make it about them: Show supporters how their involvement makes a difference. Instead of just asking for help, offer specific opportunities and ask, Which of these excites you most?
- Dig into your data: Your donor data holds the details that will help you succeed. Instead of taking a one-size-fits-all approach, analyze what drives different segments of your community and personalize your outreach.
- Find believers, not just donors: Anyone can make a donation, but true believers will champion your cause. Invest in building relationships with those who are passionate about your mission and they’ll help you reach more people in the long run.
Summary:
To drive peer-to-peer fundraising, shift from generic asks to personalized invitations. Show people how they fit into your mission, use data to tailor your outreach, and cultivate supporters who are deeply committed to your cause.
Question #3:
We’re collecting more donor data than ever, but we’re not sure how to use it effectively. How can we better leverage our data to engage supporters?
Floyd Jones:
If you’re new to tracking data, start with these key metrics:
- Recency – How long has a donor been giving?
- Frequency – How often do they give?
- Method – How do they give (credit card, check, digital wallet, etc.)?
- Amount – What is their giving level? (But don’t assume donors are giving at their full capacity.)
- Reason – Why are they giving? Are they responding to a specific campaign?
- Interest – What issues or programs resonate most with them?
- Type – Are they a recurring donor, a corporate partner, or a peer-to-peer fundraiser?
Tracking this data helps you understand your donors as individuals, not just transactions. When you know what matters to them, you can personalize outreach, offer relevant opportunities, and guide them toward deeper engagement.
Summary:
Make your data work for you by tracking key donor behaviors like recency, frequency, method, amount, reason, interest, and type. This will help you move beyond broad segmentation and create personalized, effective engagement strategies.
Final Thoughts
Floyd Jones reminds us that effective fundraising is about relationships, not just revenue. By focusing on communication, personalized engagement, and strategic use of donor data, nonprofits can build lasting communities that fuel their missions.
Learn More
Discover more about Virtuous’ nonprofit CRM platform by requesting a personalized demo today. Discover the tools you need with Virtuous’ responsive fundraising model, with helpful features such as integrated wealth insights, automation, relationship tracking, 360 donor views, and so much more!
Plus, download our CRM Conversion Playbook— your comprehensive guide to making the switch.
