Community engagement metrics are a good way to see how connected your members are to one another and to your organisation.  For many nonprofits and charities, financial metrics such as donations are seen as the main metric to keep track of, but while financial support is important, there are other ways that supporters can build value for your organisation. 

Based on the results of your metrics, you can plan goals and strategies to connect with your community.

Why some engagement metrics are worth more than others

All engagement is good and helps to build stronger relationships with your supporters, but some forms of participation are a better indicator of the level of affiliation and can help you to identify individuals that could be asked to take the next step, either by donating or giving back in another way. 

1. Event attendees

Events are used as a primary tool for engaging existing donors and prospective donors. Events can be used directly as a fundraising activity, or more subtly to share information about your organisation and learn more about their aspirations as a donor. 

2. Number of online community logins per month

Your online community is a powerful tool for keeping engagement going alongside your events and communications schedule. It means that supporters can engage with your organisation, learn more about your progress and purpose, and can connect with other members of your community, whether that is beneficiaries, donors or volunteers. 

3. Email opens & click through rate

Email is still one of the most effective channels for fundraising; in Australia and New Zealand 48% of donors agree that email is most likely to inspire repeat donation*, and is their preferred channel to hear from nonprofits. Sending compelling email communications is a good way to supplement other forms of activity, whether it's in the form of a newsletter or targeted fundraising ask.   

4. Resource downloads & content views

Choosing to download more information about your organisation, such as your annual report or stories from beneficiaries, are a good indicator of engagement in your supporter community. Having these kinds of resources accessible to your donors and prospects is a great way to help them share the word for you, and get to know your mission in more detail. 

5. Replies to donor surveys

Donor surveys are a great way to learn more about your supporters & their views on your institution. You can find out more about how your supporters might like to be involved, either through volunteering or sharing their professional skills, and can use feedback to improve your stewardship and retention strategy. If an individual chooses to respond, it’s likely they are quite engaged with your organisation, and it might be a good time to ask them to engage further, either by increasing their donation amount or offering their time. 

How can you measure all of these metrics with one system?

Being able to measure each of these metrics is important for any organisation that wants to get closer to its supporters - at a community and individual level. ToucanTech makes it easy to engage and track your donors using an online portal integrated with a CRM, donor pipeline & database, so you can always have the latest data to hand. To find out more about using a single system to track your donor data, contact the ToucanTech team.
 

 * Stat provided by the Global Giving Trends Report 2020