Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Business Administration

Advisor

Nicole Hamilton

Abstract

Financial donations are critical to the sustainability of nonprofit organizations. While most nonprofit leaders understand the importance of building lasting relationships with their donors, many nonprofit leaders lack the knowledge and understanding of the strategies necessary to develop and nurture donor relationships. This study was conducted to explore donor management strategies leaders of nonprofit organizations use to retain donors. Ledingham and Bruning’s theory of relationship management provided the framework for this study. An exploratory single case study design was used to answer the research question: How do leaders and staff of a successful community-based college access organization develop and maintain long-term relationships with donors? Data from semistructured interviews and company documents were analyzed using Colaizzi’s seven-step approach. The following themes were generated from the data: (a) cultivation of multiple relationships, (b) communication outreach, (c) sustained engagement, (d) transparency, (e) volunteerism. The agency’s current donor relationship management strategies foster the dimensions of trust, commitment, involvement, investment, and openness to build quality relationships with its donors. The findings add to the current research on donor relationship management in nonprofit organizations. The results of this study have potential implications for positive social change by offering nonprofit leaders potential strategies and processes to build a quality relationship with donors and potential efforts to increase donor retention rates.

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