Donor recognition can take many forms, from physical gifts to virtual recognition on social media. Nonprofits with limited funds can show appreciation with thank you letters or recognition cards, while larger donations may result in buildings or wards being named after the donor. Some organizations have different levels of recognition based on the amount donated.
Organizations use a variety of ways to show appreciation for donations. Some forms of donor recognition are physical, like a gift, and some are activities, like a ceremony. Another type of donor recognition is the permanent installation of an object, such as a bench. The Internet has also given rise to virtual forms of donor recognition.
Donor recognition can be as simple and inexpensive as a thank you letter or recognition card. A nonprofit organization with limited funds may not be able to do more, and the letter will let the donor know that their donation was received and appreciated. Social networking sites are another inexpensive way to recognize a donor’s generosity. They are usually free to join and an organization can set up a page that all its members can view. If there is a fundraiser going on, the organization can keep a running total of donations received, as well as recognize people who do.
Gifts are a popular form of donor recognition and there are many to choose from. A plaque inscribed with the donor’s name is one of the most popular, and is usually given to donors during a ceremony or dinner. When a plaque is presented, photographs are often taken to be printed in a local newspaper or the organization’s newsletter. Mugs, magnets, T-shirts, and jackets printed with the organization’s logo are common donor recognition gifts. Some other popular gifts are engraved pen and pencil sets, ornaments or glass art with the donor’s name and organization’s logo, and lapel pins.
When a consumer makes a sizable gift to a hospital or university, sometimes a building or ward is named in his honor. Some facilities have a donor wall with plaques or nameplates for multiple contributors. People who donate land can have a park or school named after them. Bricks or plaques inscribed with the donor’s name can be installed on walkways in a campus or park, or a tree can be planted next to a small plaque engraved with the person’s name.
Some organizations have different levels of recognition based on the amount of money donated. For example, a theater might print the names of patrons on its program, listing the names of people who donated $100 USD as Boosters, those who donated $250 as Stars, those who donated $500 as Silver Stars, and the ones that donated $1,000 as gold stars. Organizations can also publish lists of donors and amounts on their websites or print them in newsletters.
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