As 2014 came to a close, we talked about how to create momentum for successful year-end giving. In the new year, I’d like to shift our focus from one-off donations and annual campaigns to more year-round giving. And it starts with encouraging your donors to be proactive, not reactive.

A few ways to provide space for proactive giving:

• Give people the opportunity to donate anytime and through multiple entries. Doing this removes barriers or limitations for donating. People can simply hop onto their computers, or even on their phones, and donate via your website at anytime. You can also include information on where to send checks, in-kind gifts, etc on the page.

• Empower people to get involved in your campaigns by giving them personal fundraising challenges. Direct involvement in a campaign can be an exciting option for supporters - they’ll challenge themselves and get their own communities involved!

• Give your members a space to tell their stories and interact. Connecting your members to each other and giving them their own space can help strengthen their micro-community.

So, there are a number of options to encourage proactive giving, but where to start? See a few of my tips for building a donor community below.

Build meaningful relationships with your supporters.
Relationship-building is at the core of effective engagement strategy. Dynamic data (start thinking beyond spreadsheets) is your first and best friend. Knowing how often a person donates, how they typically donate (online, mail-in check etc) and their preferred communication will help you start building authentic, meaningful relationships with your supporters. The key here is to go deeper than just the giving details and get personal. Did you grow up in the same city, what’s their pet’s name, share a favorite sports team? Talk about it - make a connection!

Tailor communication based on how your supporters prefer to give.
Some supporters may prefer to donate online, while others historically donate via check at your fundraising events. Others may donate strictly via monthly membership. It’s important to know the difference between each supporter group in your community because you’ll be communicating with each differently. More tailored messaging means more authentic interactions!

Meet your supporters where they’re at.
If a supporter’s history indicates that they have never interacted with you on social media, it’s safe to say that your social media campaign won’t reach them. Instead, you’ll want to get in touch via email, phone, or the ultimate meaningful interaction: in person. Wherever a supporter feels most comfortable is where she is most likely to show up – and that’s where you should make your ask.

Thank your supporters and tell them about the impact they made.
Let your supporters know how their contributions last year made a difference. Give them a run-down of the programs they helped make happen and what those programs accomplished. People love to know that they’ve made a difference, so give them a pat on the back. And finally, let them know what your goals are for this year. Tell them about the programs, events, etc that you’re putting on so they know where their donations will have impact all year long.

Don’t wait until the end of the year to make another ask. How will you engage your donor community in 2015?