Comments on: ‘Thonors’, Not Donors

By: Jim Park

Jim Park — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 07:05:07 +0000

Nobody’s talked about the cost issue. Surely it doesn’t matter as these events still return a healthy ‘profit’ and I doubt the recipients of the charities money worry about how much the dollar/pound cost to acquire.
As in business, some customers are more costly than others, which is fine particularly if you can get them to repeat each year.

By: Mike Cowart

Mike Cowart — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 16:20:45 +0000

This is a fantastic commentary on event donors in general. Our agency works with 45+ nonprofits. Event donors are virtually impossible to renew via mail or other channels except next year’s event, but their affinity has shifed to another mission! “The way you acquire them is the way you will keep them!”

By: Jodi Segal

Jodi Segal — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 14:37:15 +0000

This can be a great revenue source, but the start-up resources need to be there. For a small or mid-sized organization on the wrong issue, it’s going to be extremely difficult to recruit enough walkers to then recruit the donors. It’s great for health charities that have cache because people are familiar with the disease, but I fear not so much for the ethereal statewide environmental group.

By: Beth Grierson

Beth Grierson — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 14:33:30 +0000

I think like any type of fundraising activity, some “thons” are more productive and worthwhile than others. Much depends on how effective an organization is at leveraging sponsorships, in-kind support and volunteers; what kind of cultivation and stewardship to they do with participants? How well do they connect those participants to their cause and organization?

I run an individual giving program in my professional life, but I’m also a regular participant and volunteer for a fundraising hike that supports a local women’s shelter. Over the years, I’ve been able to raise tens of thousands of dollars for this shelter that I would not otherwise have been able to give or get. Further, to build on what Paul said, the relationships the agency has developed with participants via the hike have resulted in many becoming regular (non-event) donors, in a number of participants going on to become major donors, and even a few joining the agency’s Board.

‘Thons should never replace a comprehensive development program, and frankly they to return more than 50 cents on the dollar to be considered successful, imo, but yes, they absolutely can be worth the effort.

By: Amy Leveen

Amy Leveen — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:40:34 +0000

There’s no question that event donors are just that – event donors. None of the organizations I’ve worked with have ever succeeded in converting them to committed donors. The money is dependent on the event and the friend or colleague who’s walking, playing, buying a table and asking for support. However, does the event raise awareness and visibility in a way that makes it more likely a prospect will open an acquisition letter or visit the organizations web site? Maybe.

Thanks to Paul’s comment, next time I do a sustainer campaign I’ll be testing a segment of event donors with a targeted script.

By: Paul de Gregorio

Paul de Gregorio — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 07:07:37 +0000

Here in the UK I’ve found that event participants can be a very good source of monthly givers when approached by telephone.

You need to know as much about the event experience as possible (location, number of participants, date, money raised by the event and individual etc etc). Scripting needs to take the participant back to how they felt on the day of the event and then explain how they can extend their support by giving in a different way.

But success is driven by the engagement taken from the initial event. You need something to build on.

Thanks for another great post.