You know the feeling—you’ve sent the thank-you notes, optimized your donation page, and run a successful campaign or two. But as the dust settles, a nagging question pops up: How do we keep this momentum going? More specifically, how do we find new donors who care about our cause just as much as our current supporters do? Whether you’re prepping for your next campaign or just trying to shake that “donor fatigue” feeling, finding new donors doesn’t have to be a shot in the dark. Let’s explore how you can grow your community with intention, not overwhelm.
1. Start With What (and Who) You Already Have: Peer-to-Peer Fundraising
One of the most effective—and often underutilized—ways to find new donors is by tapping into your greatest asset: your existing supporters. Peer-to-peer fundraising turns your current donors, volunteers, and champions into powerful advocates by giving them the tools to fundraise on your behalf. Instead of you doing all the outreach, your community helps widen the circle.
A successful peer-to-peer campaign hosted on CauseVox that received donations from over 500 individual donors!
Here’s why it works: people give to people. When someone sees a friend or family member fundraising for a cause they care about, they’re far more likely to feel a personal connection and chip in—even if they’ve never heard of your nonprofit before. It’s trust by association, and it works wonders.
Individual donors engaging their networks to raise money for Amigos.
CauseVox makes launching peer-to-peer campaigns refreshingly simple. With customizable pages, built-in storytelling tools, and easy sharing options, your supporters can raise funds and awareness—without needing a marketing degree. It’s a great way to energize your base and find new donors organically through personal connection.
Download our free Ultimate Guide to Peer-to-Peer Fundraising:
2. Build a Sustainable Digital Funnel (So People Find You)
If someone’s searching online for a cause like yours and doesn’t find you, that’s a missed opportunity. Finding new donors isn’t just about outreach anymore—it’s about being discoverable. That’s where your digital funnel comes in.
Start with the basics: nonprofit SEO. This means optimizing your blog content, donation pages, and landing pages with the right keywords (like “how to help foster youth” or “animal shelter donations in Chicago”). Think about what someone might Google when they’re looking for a cause like yours. Use those search terms naturally in your headlines, page titles, and body copy.
You can use your nonprofit’s free Google Ad Grants account to do keyword research and help you get found online.
From there, it’s all about capturing interest. Offer a downloadable resource (think: “5 Ways To Get Involved With Local Hunger Relief”), a quiz, or a simple newsletter sign-up in exchange for an email address. That gives you a way to stay in touch—and more importantly, to nurture that relationship over time.
StoryBrand offers a free resource in exchange for email addresses
Once you’ve got those emails, plug them into a welcome email series. Tell your story, show your impact, and invite them to be part of your work. A warm, engaged lead is much more likely to turn into a donor than someone who just stumbles across your website once and never hears from you again.
With the right strategy, your digital funnel becomes more than just a set of pages—it becomes a steady stream of people who are already primed to support your mission.
3. Activate and Engage Volunteers: Your Built-In Advocates
Volunteers often show up first, stay late, and go the extra mile—not because they have to, but because they believe in your mission. And that kind of passion is contagious. When it comes to finding new donors, your volunteers are a goldmine of opportunity.
Think about it: they’re already invested in your work. They’ve seen the impact up close. That makes them some of your most authentic and powerful storytellers.
Volunteering insights from our webinar with Geng Wang at Civic Champs.
Volunteers are also what our friends at Civic Champs call “the stickiest givers”, meaning even when times get tough, your volunteers are usually the ones who continue giving.
In fact, younger generations (like Millennials and Gen Z) actually give more after volunteering than the older generations.
More millennials gave after volunteering than the older generations.
Encouraging your volunteers to become fundraisers—especially through peer-to-peer campaigns like we discussed above—can introduce your nonprofit to whole new networks of people who trust them and want to support what they care about.
You can also invite volunteers to bring friends and family into the fold. Whether it’s attending an event, sharing a social media post, or co-hosting a small gathering, sometimes all it takes is a personal invitation to make someone feel connected.
And don’t forget to celebrate their impact. Hosting volunteer appreciation events, giving shoutouts in your newsletter, or featuring their stories on social media not only shows gratitude—it reminds your community that volunteers are the heartbeat of your organization. When volunteers feel seen and valued, they’re even more likely to champion your cause and help you find new donors who believe in it too.
4. Utilize Social Media to Spark Connection (and Maybe Even Go Viral)
Let’s face it—we now live in a world where a single reel or TikTok can reach thousands (or even millions) in a matter of hours. Social media isn’t just a marketing channel anymore—it’s where people go to feel something. And that’s exactly where your nonprofit can shine.
Use video and short-form content—think Instagram Reels, TikToks, behind-the-scenes clips, or day-in-the-life snapshots—to build emotional connection.
Well Aware created reels on Instagram to raise awareness about their cause and invite donors to give to their end-of-year campaign.
When people see your impact in motion, meet your staff or volunteers, or hear a real story from someone you’ve helped, they don’t just scroll—they care. That’s the first step to turning someone from a stranger into a supporter.
Lean into storytelling, and remember to do it ethically. Focus on dignity, not pity. Make sure your subjects are informed, respected, and empowered to share their story. Impact testimonials should highlight strength and partnership, not suffering.
And don’t be afraid to make giving feel personal and shareable. Use captions or content that invite people to take part: “You can help make this possible,” or “Leave a comment below if this made you smile”. The more your content feels like a conversation rather than a broadcast, the more likely it is to be shared.
Instagram story content from The Prevention Project that invites donors to give their input.
Encourage your peer-to-peer fundraisers and volunteers to get involved here, too. Ask them to post about why they care, what your mission means to them, and how others can join in. Then reshare their content—it builds trust, adds authenticity, and shows your community in action.
Well Aware invited their peer-to-peer fundraisers to share why they were raising money for their H2gO campaign.
Social media is a key part of your digital funnel. According to the marketing rule of 7, a person often needs to encounter your message at least seven times before taking action. That means even if someone doesn’t donate the first time they see your post, each interaction builds awareness and trust. Over time, those views, shares, and small moments of engagement add up—bringing people closer to becoming first-time donors who already feel connected to your cause.
At the end of the day, social media is just another way to bring people closer to your mission. And when done well, it’s one of the fastest, most authentic ways to find new donors who already feel like they’re part of your story.
5. Tap into Corporate Giving and Matching Gifts
Corporate giving and matching programs are one of the most underused tools in the fundraising toolbox—and a powerful way to connect with new donors.
Start by building relationships with local businesses. You don’t need to land a Fortune 500 company to make a difference—a neighborhood coffee shop, fitness studio, or small tech firm might be eager to support your cause through a matching gift campaign or workplace giving program.
Corporate partners can also serve as sponsors on fundraising campaigns, which they may also encourage their employees to get involved in.
These partnerships not only bring in new donors from their networks, but they also show that your mission matters to the community.
Don’t forget to educate your donors, too. Many people don’t even realize their employer offers an employee matching program. Include a quick reminder on your donation form (“Check if your employer matches donations!”), follow up with an email about how to submit a match, and even provide a searchable database.
When donors know their gift can go twice as far, it’s often the nudge they need to give—or give a little more. And when they hear about it through a trusted business or colleague, even better. It’s a win-win for everyone—and a great way to expand your reach while deepening your impact.
Download our free Complete Guide to Matching Gifts:
6. Analyze & Optimize Your Donor Journey
Finding new donors isn’t just about doing more—it’s about doing what works better. And the best way to do that? Track the journey people take before they give.
Start by paying attention to donor behavior. How did they find you? Was it through a blog post, an Instagram reel, a peer-to-peer fundraiser? What emails did they open? What pages did they linger on? Tools like Google Analytics, your CRM,email platform, surveys, and one-on-one conversations can give you tons of insight into what’s resonating—and what’s not.
Use that data to fine-tune the experience. Test different versions of your donation page. Try tweaking your calls to action or simplifying the number of steps it takes to give. Even small changes (like donation tiers or headline copy) can lead to big results.
When you understand the path people take to becoming a donor, you can make that journey smoother, more engaging, and more likely to lead to a gift. And as you continue to learn and adapt, you’re not just finding new contributors—you’re building a smarter, stronger fundraising strategy that keeps donors engaged over the long haul.
Build Connection, Grow Your Community
Ultimately, finding new donors isn’t about quick wins—it’s about creating lasting relationships. It’s about meeting people where they are, telling stories that move them, and guiding them thoughtfully along the journey from curious onlooker to passionate supporter. Whether you’re empowering volunteers, leveraging social media, or fine-tuning your digital funnel, every effort should center around one thing: meaningful connection.
The real key? It’s not just about finding new donor leads—it’s about engaging them every step of the way and continuing to build the relationship after they give. When you nurture these connections with care, you don’t just gain a donor; you grow a loyal, invested community around your mission.
Ready to take your donor engagement strategy to the next level?
