Promoting Stock Gifting to Donors: 3-Steps to Success

Promoting Stock Gifting to Donors: 3-Steps to Success

As nonprofits are leaning into stock gifting as a new source of funding, it’s important that they inform and educate their board and donors about the ease and benefits of stock gifting. Here is a simple 3-step approach to making supporters aware of a new and better way to support your mission.

Step 1. Update your Website to include Stock Gifting

Stock gifting should be prominently displayed as a giving option in two key areas of your site.

1. Donate Page:

Your “Donate” page is the best place to inform donors who have historically donated cash but are highly likely to own stock (almost 60% of US Households):
While most Donate pages offer credit cards, ACH and PayPal, they should also include a stock gifting option. This can be added above the standard “Amount to Donate” menu or featured alongside, as illustrated below with World Central Kitchen (WCK.org).

We’ll provide the content and imagery. It’s all in your Nonprofit Portal at Donatestock.com

World Central Kitchen: Donate Page

2. “Ways to Give” page:

Donors seeking to support you in other ways will often visit your Ways to Give page that should include non-cash assets such as stock. Below is an example of how World Central Kitchen promotes stock gifting in Ways to Give.

World Central Kitchen: Ways to Give page

3. Dedicated Stock Gifting Page

Use our content to educate your donors on the benefits and ease of gifting stock instead of cash.
Best practice: Shriners Hospitals for Children website https://lovetotherescue.org/how-you-can-help/ways-to-give/stock-gifting

Step 2. Donor Outreach and Education of Stock Gifting

There are several ways to inform your donors about the benefits and ease of charitable stock gifting.

Email Marketing: send a standalone announcement that stock gifting is not only the most tax-advantaged ways to support your mission, but that it’s also fast, safe and free for donors.

Make it Newsworthy: issue a press release and include it in your News section.

Socialize Stock Gifting: leverage Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and Tik Tok to let your community know you are now able to receive stock gifts.

We’ll provide the assets and the templates. It’s all in your Nonprofit Portal at Donatestock.com

Case study: Take Stock in Children signed up and emailed its donors that it was now able to receive stock gifts. Within a matter of days the organization received a $50,000 stock gift.

Step 3. Incorporate Stock Gifting Into All Communications

One announcement will not create lasting change. Behavioral scientists tell us it takes 7 impressions for a message to have to resonance.

By integrating stock gifting language in all your communications (brochures, email, campaigns, donation requests, pledge fulfillments, etc.) you can remind donors that there is a better way to support your mission through stock gifting.

Try not to view stock gifting as a one-off way to give, but rather for what it is: a more tax-advantaged way for the majority of donors to make larger pre-tax stock gifts.

In summary, stock gifting is not new but it is still early in the adoption phase. Make it consistently visible in your communications and you too may find some quick wins on your way to a sustainable new source of funding.

If you have any questions about stock gifting please contact us today!