In the non-profit space, you may wonder what the difference is between the terms donator vs donor. Although there is a little more to the story, the answer is simple - they’re pretty much synonyms.
Understanding exactly what a donor is, and what they can do for your organization, can be hugely beneficial! Making the most of the donation space can give you the financial means to keep your non-profit running sustainably.
Let’s dive right in - what exactly is the difference between donator vs donor?
As mentioned earlier, they actually mean the same thing. These words are used to describe someone who donates something - be it money, products, or services.
Although the two words are synonyms, can you remember the last time you saw ‘donator’ being used professionally? You may never even have heard it before!
While ‘donator’ is no longer used, ‘donor’ is used across the board. You’ll realize this by scanning over the following terms: organ donor, corporate donor, blood donor, and major donor. If English is your first language, you won’t question how these sound.
If you try replacing the word ‘donor’ with ‘donator’, the terms don’t have the same ring anymore. For example, organ donor sounds a lot more familiar than organ donator.
If you’re looking for a way to describe someone who has given your organization a donation, donor is the preferred word across the English language.
To wrap up the debate on donator vs donor, ensure that you use the word ‘donor’ across all your communications. Currently, this is the most correct term and should be used to keep your dealings professional.
When one considers the term ‘giving’ over that of ‘donating’ - you might bring charity to mind. While giving and contributing might be associated with different types of organizations, giving may feel more closely tied to philanthropic or charitable ventures.
Donations are given away, freely, as gifts. The donor, in this case, should not expect anything in return for their donation. Donations tend to have value to the receiver - think about money or a product or service needed in a charity organization.
On the other hand, there are many cases wherein you might give or contribute towards an initiative. If you have a child, you may give money toward a school fundraiser, in the hopes of winning a raffle or some sort of prize. You might contribute to the birthday gift of a loved one if there is a big gift that people are pooling money together for.
The act of giving or contributing is not necessarily ‘for free’ or ‘charitable’. In other words, you might expect something in return.
For marketing materials as a non-profit organization, you’ll want to stick to the word ‘donation’. This implies that anything you receive from donors is freely offered and can be accepted without expected repayment.
When seeking out donors, there are a few notable sources you might approach. Foundations, individuals, and companies might donate to your non-profit.
In 2014, it was shown that Americans donated around $358 billion to charity. While 14% of that amount came from foundations, only 5% came from corporations! The biggest contributors, donating a whopping 81% of the total amount, were individuals.
While wealthy individuals do indeed play an important role in these statistics, Americans earning average to moderate incomes make up the vast majority of offerings. So, when you’re seeking out donations - don’t breeze over households! Six out of ten households actually donate to charities each year.
However, as corporate social responsibility grows and becomes more popular in the eyes of the public, businesses can be excellent options as donors. In particular, look at businesses that have something in common with your non-profit. For example, if your organization works with food security, then big brand supermarkets may be more willing to donate to your cause.
In 2020, online donations made up over 20% of donations. In this day and age, integrating the online space into your non-profit model should be a top priority.
This allows people in thousands of different locations the opportunity to support your organization. In the online fundraising space, BiddingOwl is a great option for hosting online auctions.
While this isn’t necessarily a donation opportunity, an online fundraising event can spread the word about your non-profit. This can lead to securing donors, who can contribute to the sustainability of your organization.
There are many ways to ask for donations in the non-profit space. How you do this is important, as donors are essential for the sustainability of your organization.
You may choose to ask for donations through different routes for a variety of reasons. Finances, accessibility, and social media savvy are some factors that may steer you towards asking for donations in a particular fashion.
For example, if you’re asking people at a live event to donate, you might want to offer some sponsored gifts in exchange. Think about t-shirts, mugs, or plants in custom-printed pots.
If you’re a non-profit that needs to reach large amounts of people, email-based donation requests might be a better idea. A social media savvy organization might make use of some major platforms, such as Facebook or Instagram, to appeal to potential donors.
There’s a wide range of ways to ask for donations. Really, the method you choose depends on your organization and the resources at your disposal!
In the world of nonprofits, keeping your communications professional is important. Ensure that you use the correct terminology in your marketing materials (note the donator vs donor discussion). In addition, it’s important to ask for donations in the most effective way.
Keeping the focus balanced across different aspects of your non-profit is essential. Your donors might be looking at multiple parts of your operations before they decide to donate! Keeping a great online presence shouldn’t be overlooked as a way to keep donations sustainable.
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