Securing donors’ support can be challenging, especially amid economic instability. However, many individuals are still committed to supporting the nonprofits they’re passionate about, with recent studies showing that 49% of donors plan to give more than they did in 2025 and 46% plan to give the same amount.

To reach as many of these individuals as possible and maximize donation revenue, nonprofits must be creative with their fundraising strategies. Organizations often have more data and connections at their disposal than they even realize, and when they take advantage of these insights, they can transform their nonprofits from a scarcity mindset to a strategic one, allowing them to increase their fundraising potential.

In this guide, we’ll discuss how your organization can leverage existing data and connections to fuel stronger partnerships that amplify giving.

1. Turn corporate volunteer days into donor pipelines.

Many companies are eager to partner with nonprofits for a day of service. Their employees work together towards a common goal and bond, while the businesses themselves receive positive exposure for the good they’re doing in the community.

However, besides gathering some volunteers for a day, these events typically don’t provide extensive value to nonprofits. To maximize the benefits your organization receives from corporate volunteer days, turn them into donor pipelines. Kickstart this process by:

• Collecting volunteer contact information. When volunteers sign up for the event, collect their names, email addresses, and physical addresses so you can stay in contact with them. You may also send them a survey after the event to gather this data if you haven’t done so already. Just be clear about how you’ll use this information to follow up with them in the future, and give them the option to opt out of these communications.
• Creating a segment in your CRM. Once you have corporate volunteer contact information, create profiles for these supporters in your CRM and tag them as part of your corporate volunteer segment. That way, you can develop and send personalized communications that speak to their relationships with your organization and how they can deepen their involvement.

Then, automate a post-event email series for your corporate volunteers that thanks them for their service, reports on their impact, and invites them to contribute monetarily. Space these messages out so that by the time you make a donation ask, corporate volunteers are fully familiar with your organization and are more willing to contribute.

2. Maximize matching gifts.

Did you know that anywhere from $4-$7 billion in matching gift funds goes unclaimed every year? Donors often don’t realize their employers will match their contributions, and nonprofits may not have the information they need to identify which supporters are eligible for matching gifts.

However, when you have matching gift information available, you can forge bonds with match-eligible companies and collect additional revenue without asking donors to reach back into their wallets. Maximize the potential of matching gifts by:

• Appending employer data. Work with a data provider to enrich your database with employer data for your donors. Then, you can discover which employers are well-represented in your supporter base and reach out to those companies.

• Surveying your supporters. You may also contact your supporters directly and ask them where they work. Store this information in your CRM for easy access.
• Using a matching gift tool. Bloomerang’s donation page guide recommends embedding a matching gift database into your giving form, donation confirmation page, or a dedicated matching gift page. This tool lets donors check their matching gift eligibility and send matching gift requests right from your nonprofit’s website.

When you find a company that many of your donors work for, research their corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts. For businesses that offer matching gifts and often participate in corporate philanthropy, you may reach out and propose a matching gift week or other partnership opportunity.

3. Run joint campaigns with other nonprofits.

Nonprofits sometimes view each other as competitors, but ultimately, every charitable organization exists to further a mission—not compete for funds. Consider partnering with an organization in an adjacent space to run a joint campaign.

For example, an animal rescue organization and a domestic violence shelter may collaborate to help survivors of domestic abuse and their pets leave dangerous situations. Since people experiencing domestic abuse can’t always bring their pets to a traditional shelter, the campaign could raise funds to build a temporary boarding facility for pets of abuse survivors, as well as human housing in the domestic shelter.

This type of campaign provides both organizations with exposure to each other’s supporter bases and allows them to fuel their missions simultaneously. Additionally, donors and other funders will look favorably upon organizations that prioritize holistic community development over sustained competition with other nonprofits.

4. Turn event sponsors into continued partners.

The traditional event sponsorship model is usually transactional. A sponsor will provide funds to support an event or other mission-related initiative, and in return, your nonprofit will promote the sponsor’s connection to your organization on relevant marketing materials.

Instead of continuing with these one-off sponsorships, transform your packages into annual impact partnerships. Bundle different sponsorship opportunities into year-long corporate packages, such as:

• Galas
• Volunteer days
• Walks or runs
• Peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns
• Educational resources and events

For example, you may have the same company sponsor your gala, your annual 5K, and a relevant co-branded webinar. That way, the sponsor receives repeated exposure to your audience, and your nonprofit obtains regular support, leading to deeper connections among organizations.

To maintain relationships with sponsors, treat them like you would major donors. Recognize their contributions often, and send them personalized impact updates so they know how their support truly makes a difference. For instance, you may share how many beneficiaries you were able to help using the funds from the peer-to-peer fundraising campaign they sponsored.

5. Leverage board connections systematically.

The best partnerships come from existing connections. While you may already leverage your board’s professional networks to identify potential corporate partners, systematize this process as much as possible to build a pipeline of partnership prospects. You can do so by:

• Having board members complete a network mapping exercise that asks questions about the businesses and organizations they have connections to
• Using employer and corporate relationship markers in your nonprofit CRM to identify connections between sponsorship or major giving prospects and your board
• Compiling lists of local companies, foundations, and high-net-worth individuals so you can ask which board members have connections to them
• Hosting events where board members can bring colleagues or friends to introduce them to your organization, without soliciting donations right away

Since board members are busy individuals, providing them with tailored opportunities to explore their connections and report back to your organization can help you pinpoint as many potential partners as possible and reach out to them accordingly.

To create and strengthen nonprofit partnerships, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. By taking full advantage of the data and connections you already have, you can fortify your relationships with potential partners, funneling as much support towards your mission as possible.