Holiday Gifts for Donors: Ideas to Strengthen Relationships
A nonprofit CEO, Dorethea, asks, “Should I send holiday gifts to donors?”
Well, Dorethea, it depends on what type of gift and which donor segment (small, mid-size, or major givers) you have in mind. It also depends on your previous conversations or donor surveys. A gift can work to your advantage, but it can also work against you.
Dorethea was asking about sending gifts to her major donors. What defines a major donor varies. An easy way to define your major donors is to look at the range of giving from the top 20% to 30% of your donor base. In this case, Dorethea’s major giving range was $35,000 to $125,000, and she had 52 donors in that range. However, others may want to know about smaller giving donor segments and whether they should receive gifts too.
What makes a good donor gift?
The best holiday gifts for donors share a few common traits. They are personal, mission-aligned, modest in value, and clearly framed as thanks. Examples may include:
- Handwritten note or card — highest impact, near-zero cost
- Mission-related book or keepsake — reinforces why they give
- Custom impact report — shows their gift mattered
- Locally made or program-made gift — unique and community-tied
- Personal call or video from staff/board — relationship over product
Holiday gift ideas for donors (by budget)
Whether you have a large budget or no budget at all, you can find meaningful ways to show your gratitude.
- Free or nearly free: A handwritten card, a personal phone call, a digital impact report, or an e-card featuring a beneficiary story are all thoughtful, zero-cost options.
- Under $25 (small gifts): Consider bookmarks, seed packets, lapel pins, mission-themed postcards, or small ornaments.
- Mid-level: Mission-related books, locally made goods, custom ornaments, or beautiful calendars.
- Major/high-end donor gifts: Curated mission experiences, private briefings, or detailed impact portfolios are excellent for major donors. Exercise caution here—excessive or highly transactional luxury gifts can make donors feel like their charitable contributions are being misused.
Unique holiday gifts for donors
If you want something more distinctive than a standard mug, try these unique, on-brand options:
- Gifts made by program participants
- Framed beneficiary artwork
- Custom, personalized impact reports
- Personalized ornaments
- Behind-the-scenes video messages from your team on the ground
- Donor-selected holiday card designs
Last-minute holiday gifts for donors
Short on time? These low-lead-time options can still make a huge impact:
- A handwritten card sent directly from the executive director
- A personalized video thank-you message
- A quick thank-you call from a board member
- A printable certificate of impact
- A heartfelt e-card
- An invitation to an upcoming January appreciation event
Donor premiums
Before we dive into the psychology of giving, it’s important to understand the distinction between three different types of gestures:
1. Premiums: Items used to incentivize donations upfront (e.g., "Donate $50 and get this tote bag").
2. Appreciation gifts: Modest tokens sent after a gift is made to say thank you.
3. Relationship-based stewardship: Meaningful, personalized gestures to deepen the connection over time.
Donor premiums are usually small gifts offered in exchange for donations. Think bumper stickers, coffee mugs, or tote bags. They seem like a great way to acknowledge supporters and turn them into regular givers.
Donor premiums can be a smart part of your fundraising strategy. However, it’s not as simple as it appears.
Not all holiday gifts to donors raise more
A Yale study in The Journal of Economic Psychology explains the counterintuitive effects of thank-you gifts on charitable giving. They focused on small gifts—pens, coffee mugs, or tote bags, for example—offered as thank-you gifts to solicit charitable donations. They define “thank-you” gifts as low-value, non-monetary gifts offered to individuals who donate to the charity. You make the donation, you get a small token gift.
Their study describes a series of experiments that showed—contrary to expectations—that rewarding contributors actually cuts donations in most circumstances. The Yale researchers who conducted the study, George Newman and Jeremy Shen, found that the most probable reason for the negative effect on contributions was that the gift activated a feeling of selfishness in donors, which, in turn, reduced altruism and cut the average donation.
Premiums may actually decrease charitable giving by reducing response rates and total dollars raised. They can change the mental calculus for the best donors and transform them from high-quality, high-motivation donors to non- or lower-giving donors. In some cases, the extrinsic motivator—the premium—isn’t nearly good enough to match or exceed the intrinsic motivation, the altruism of giving.
The lesson is that quality matters more than quantity. A powerful personal note that makes it to your donor’s fridge is worth 100 tote bags that end up in the trash.
A smallish premium can reduce a donor’s intrinsic motivation and, ironically, suppress giving. Premiums tend to be most effective for non-donors and, in some cases, lapsed donors. Doesn’t that make sense, given that those donors often have low engagement? Premiums, generally, are best used to boost donor acquisition by “sweetening the deal” so to speak. Some say that for your existing, active donors, there’s less of a reason to make a special offer because they’re already engaged. Should you do away with donor premiums? Not necessarily. Consider these examples of what works before you decide.
What gifts work?
The Yale study found that when nonprofits connected the premium with their mission, there was no reduction in gift size. For example, instead of saying, “If you donate, you’ll get a free tote bag,” frame the premium as an opportunity for the donor to help spread awareness. Explain to the recipient that a tote bag, bumper sticker, or coffee mug can be a conversation starter with someone who might be interested in supporting the cause. Think of all those bumper stickers you just couldn’t bear to throw out.
By connecting the premium to your mission, you encourage donors to advocate for your organization while letting them enjoy the gift. If your mission is education, consider gifting a book written by an alum or a bookmark designed by a student. If your mission is the environment, consider sending branded reusable items, seed packets, or sustainably sourced goods.
The negative effect found in the study took place when organizations offered the premium upfront as an incentive to donate. Since an unanticipated “thank-you” gift cannot create a feeling of selfishness, it presumably does not crowd out altruistic feelings.
Gift ideas by donor segment
A strategic approach means tailoring your gifts to different groups of supporters:
- First-time donors: A warm welcome packet or handwritten postcard detailing the immediate impact of their first gift.
- Recurring/monthly donors: To properly thank monthly donors, consider an exclusive mid-year impact report or an invitation to a virtual town hall.
- Lapsed donors: A simple "we miss you" card with a small, low-cost premium to re-engage them.
- Major donors: High-touch, personalized outreach like a private briefing or a carefully selected book relevant to their specific interests.
- Legacy donors: Framed photos from your archives or a special keepsake that honors their long-term commitment.
- Corporate/event sponsors: Framed certificates or plaques that they can display in their offices.
- Volunteer-donors: Branded apparel (like a special volunteer t-shirt or hat) that they can wear while serving.
- Board members: A high-quality, personalized token of gratitude, such as a custom calendar featuring the year's accomplishments.
Ask the donor
Consider giving major donors reasonable gifts that will resonate with their values. You may know, for example, that a major donor would welcome a certain type of gift because you have a relationship with them or your organization asked them in a donor survey. In a conversation, you can ask, “At year-end, we’d like to send you a token of our appreciation that reflects who we are. It’s generally a book related to our mission or a handmade craft produced by our clients. Is that okay? Yes or No.” Then you can record their answer in the donor’s record for future reference.
Examples of gifts that work
When looking toward this year’s giving season, remember these classic examples of organizations that got it right:
- As part of their year-end drive, The Fellowship of Reconciliation, a nonprofit organization, sent one major donor a book on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King. It contained a handwritten note from the Executive Director asking if they could set a time to talk. In reading the book, that donor could recall why their membership in the Fellowship was so important, and happily agreed to the call.
- The esteemed philanthropist, David Rubenstein, asked an Executive Director whether they wanted a copy of his important book, How to Lead. The ED was thrilled to be asked and responded, “Yes” immediately. While not raising funds, David intended to contribute to that nonprofit sector’s public education, a noble goal.
- The international nonprofit, Bread for the World, asked a donor for their input on the organization's holiday card designs. The donor appreciated being asked. There were six designs, and they could pick three. When their year-end appeal comes, that donor always contributes.
- Without asking, the ACLU sent one donor a copy of the U.S. Constitution. They were very moved. But in this case, that donor was already a declared legacy donor, so they knew they had a supporter.
Lastly, there’s giving the gift of a real relationship, which is the essence of why donor love matters. It’s probably the most valuable gift you can give. It starts with regular phone calls to the donor, occasional Zoom meetings, and handwritten notes.
All of these examples convey the values of the nonprofit, and all were winners.
When not to send donor gifts
Sometimes, the best gift is no physical gift at all. Avoid sending gifts in these scenarios:
- Upfront premiums to highly engaged donors: As the Yale study showed, this can suppress intrinsic motivation.
- Excessive luxury gifts: These can raise red flags about how your nonprofit spends its funds.
- When there are privacy or accessibility concerns: Respect donors who wish to remain anonymous or who have opted out of physical mailings.
Holiday gifts for donors: Frequently asked questions
What is a good gift for donors?
A good holiday gift is personal, mission-aligned, and modest in value—framed as a genuine thank-you rather than an incentive to give.
How do you thank generous donors?
Thank generous donors with relationship-based stewardship: personal calls, handwritten notes, mission-related books, or custom impact reports that show the result of their generosity.
What are good small gifts for donors on a budget?
Great budget-friendly gifts include handwritten cards, mission-themed postcards, lapel pins, seed packets, or digital impact reports.
What are unique holiday gifts for donors?
Unique gifts include items made by program participants, framed beneficiary artwork, behind-the-scenes video messages, or allowing donors to vote on your holiday card design.
Should nonprofits send gifts to major donors?
Yes, but the focus should be on personalization and relationship-building (like a private briefing or a relevant book) rather than expensive luxury items.
When should a nonprofit avoid sending donor gifts?
Avoid sending gifts if they are excessive in cost, if the donor has opted out of mailings, or if you are using an upfront premium to solicit a donation from an already active, intrinsically motivated supporter.
