Winning a patron is a triumph. Keeping them is mastery. Many organisations are excellent at asking for support, then fall silent for months — only to ask again. The patron feels like an ATM. Others bombard supporters with messages every week — and the patron backs away. What is the right balance? Here is a guide to steady contact that works for years.
The golden ratio: 3:1
Fundraising wisdom says: For every single request for money, provide three non-commercial contacts. That means thank-yous, reports, invitations, or a personal note without any ask. Give more than you take. Then your patron will be happy to open your messages even when they aren’t being asked to contribute.
What to send and how often? A relationship calendar
| Frequency | Type of contact | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Every month (an SMS or short email is enough) | Quick update — one sentence + a photo | “Thanks to you, our tutoring runs today — 15 children attended. Thank you.” + photo |
| Every 3 months | Brief report — achievements, numbers, 3 bullet points | “Last quarter: 30 concerts, 1,200 attendees, 2 new instruments.” |
| Once a year | Annual report, personal invitation to an event, a phone call | “We’d like to thank you in person — please join us for a rehearsal preview.” |
| On special successes | Immediate thank-you (within 24 hours) | “It happened! Thanks to your support we opened a new playroom.” |
How not to be annoying? Three warning signs
- The patron doesn’t reply to three messages in a row — you either stopped being interesting to them or you’re too loud. Lower the frequency.
- Their replies are one-word (“thanks”, “ok”) — emotion is missing. Try calling them or inviting them for coffee.
- They cancelled their standing order — write to them personally and ask what happened. Sometimes they just changed banks, sometimes something is wrong. Find out.
Regular donors like to be pampered: 4 low-cost ideas
- A handwritten thank-you letter — once a year. Costs about 30 CZK, impact is huge.
- An exclusive online backstage tour — 15 minutes on Zoom to show what the public doesn’t usually see.
- Their name on a wall (even a small plaque) — people love it. A little sign in the cloakroom brings joy.
- An invitation to a dress rehearsal or training — no tickets, just them and you. A VIP feeling.
Case study: How one library kept a patron for seven years
The municipal library in Litomyšl secured a business donor who gave 50,000 Kč a year for book purchases. What did they do right? Every month they sent one photo of a child borrowing a book purchased with his donation. No text, just “Thanks, Honza.” Once every quarter they sent a list of new titles. Each year they invited him and his family to an evening tour of the library. The donor never missed a single payment and recommended the library to two other companies.
People don’t leave because of money; they leave because they feel forgotten. One photo a month is often enough to win them over.
Eliška, donor coordinator
Summary — three things to remember
- Regularity over quantity — a short message every month beats a long letter once every six months.
- Thank, don’t only ask — three thanks for every one request.
- Make the patron a hero — their name, their story, their impact.
Author: Sponza Editorial Team
Photographs: (illustrative – calendar with hearts, hand writing a thank-you note)
