Nonprofit Donor Experience & Giving Motivation Survey

Thank you for supporting our work! We'd love to understand your experience as a donor so we can serve you and our mission better. Your responses are completely confidential and anonymized. This will take about 8 minutes, and your honest answers help the most.

In the last 12 months, how many times have you donated to us?

• Never (first-time prospective donor)
• Once
• 2-3 times
• 4-6 times
• More than 6 times

Which best describes how you usually give?

• One-time gift
• Recurring monthly gift
• Workplace giving or payroll deduction
• Gift in honor or memory of someone
• Event-based giving (e.g., gala, fun run)
• Other

For each set, tell us which factor matters most and which matters least in your decision to donate.

• Alignment with a cause I personally care about
• Tax deduction benefits
• Personal connection to someone affected
• Recommendation from a friend or family member
• Confidence that funds are used effectively
• Recognition or acknowledgment for giving
• A matching gift or challenge campaign
• An emotionally compelling story or appeal

How satisfied are you with each part of your donation experience?

How likely are you to donate to us again in the next 12 months?

Thinking about a one-time gift to us, please answer honestly for each amount question below.

• At what one-time donation amount would you feel it's too small to make a meaningful difference?
• At what one-time donation amount would you feel you're getting great impact for your money (a real bargain)?
• At what one-time donation amount would it start to feel like a stretch for your budget, though still worth giving?
• At what one-time donation amount would you feel it's too much for you to consider giving right now?

Explore the reasoning behind the respondent's likelihood-to-give-again score: what specific experience, interaction, or piece of communication shaped that number, and whether it ties back to how funds were used, how they were communicated with, or personal circumstances. If they gave a low score (0-6), probe what would need to change for them to consider giving again; if their giving history suggests they've lapsed or only given once, ask what caused that and what would re-engage them.

If you were making a $100 gift to us today, how would you split it across these program areas? (Template note: replace the placeholder program areas with your organization's real programs before launching.)

• (Replace with Program Area A, e.g., Direct Services)
• (Replace with Program Area B, e.g., Research)
• (Replace with Program Area C, e.g., Advocacy)
• (Replace with Program Area D, e.g., Community Outreach)
• General operating support

Which method do you prefer for hearing about how your donations are used?

• Email
• Physical mail
• Phone call
• Text message
• Social media
• No further contact needed
• Other

What's one thing we could change to improve your donation experience?

Which age range do you fall into?

• Under 25
• 25-34
• 35-44
• 45-54
• 55-64
• 65 or older
• Prefer not to say

Which range best reflects your household income?

• Under $50,000
• $50,000-$99,999
• $100,000-$149,999
• $150,000 or more
• Prefer not to say

That's everything — thank you for your generosity and your time! Your answers go directly into how we shape our donor communications, giving options, and program priorities.