Why & How to Make Fundraisers and Communications Transparent

Trust is the foundation of any good relationship, especially those between a nonprofit and its supporters. The best way to build trust is through consistent, honest communication. But what does transparency look like in action, and how can your organization embed it into every aspect of your operations?

This guide outlines how nonprofits, schools, and mission-driven groups of all sizes can increase transparency to foster stronger relationships and boost campaign success. We’ll explore why transparency matters, how to build trust through your messaging, and actionable ways to embed it in fundraising campaigns.

Why Transparency Matters

Being upfront with your supporters offers both ethical and strategic advantages. When your organization makes the choice to communicate clearly with supporters, you’re taking a step towards benefits like:

• Increased giving: There’s nothing more off-putting than making a gift to a charitable organization and watching that money disappear without any inkling as to how it will be used. Trust plays a massive role in donors’ decisions to give; in an Edelman Data & Intelligence study, 83% of participants said that nonprofits had to earn their trust before they would support the organization. Transparency is the foundation of that trust, transforming uncertainty into action to encourage both first-time and repeat gifts.
• Deepens board and partner engagement: Engaged stakeholders bring more than just funding—they bring influence, expertise, and connections. Transparency through metrics, stories, and impact reports gives clear visibility into your organization’s performance and decision-making. By consistently demonstrating your nonprofit’s integrity and effectiveness, you encourage deeper investment and long-term commitment from these vital allies.
• Strengthens donor loyalty and lifetime value: Transparency is a powerful driver of long-term donor retention. When supporters receive regular updates on the tangible impact of their giving, it strengthens their emotional bond with your mission. This makes them more likely to become repeat donors and long-term champions of your cause.

Transparency has the power to transform your organization’s relationships and drive revenue. Making sure every member of your team is on the same page about the importance of honesty will keep you accountable as you infuse transparency into your communications and fundraising.

Building Transparency into Your Communications

To communicate transparently, you’ll need a structured strategy that’s consistent and adaptable across multiple channels. Follow these five steps to develop and maintain a transparent communication plan:

1. Audit your current communications: Meyer Partners’ guide to nonprofit communications strategy suggests you start by reviewing your email campaigns, website, social media, and fundraising pages to identify gaps in transparency. Ask: Are your goals clearly stated? Are you consistently sharing impact reports? Are updates regular and honest?
2. Create a messaging guide: Develop standardized language to describe your mission, use of funds, and impact outcomes. This ensures consistency across all touchpoints, increasing supporters’ confidence in your nonprofit’s reliability.
3. Share campaign goals and progress in real time: Clearly outline fundraising goals and timelines at the start of each campaign. Use progress bars, milestone graphics, or live updates to show supporters where things stand. Incorporate tangible impacts, like “$100 provides a month of meals for one family,” into your appeals.
4. Acknowledge challenges and show how you’re adapting: Transparency includes the tough stuff. When plans change or you fall short of your goals, explain what happened, how your team is addressing the challenge, and what you’ll do to prevent the issue in the future. This honesty strengthens credibility and shows your resilience.
5. Personalize communications throughout the donor journey: Segment your audience by giving history, communication preferences, or interests, and tailor your communications. For example, first-time donors might need a welcome series that educates about your mission. On the other hand, long-term supporters might appreciate in-depth updates like quarterly recaps showing program outcomes. Personalized messages demonstrate both attentiveness and accountability, which 99Pledges’ guide to fundraising platforms explains can create “long-lasting relationships you can count on for future campaigns.”

Building transparency into your communication strategy takes consistent effort. Regularly update your most important talking points and incorporate the latest information to keep your supporters well informed.

Design Transparent Fundraising Campaigns

Fundraising campaigns are often a stressful time for nonprofits. There are many moving parts, and it’s easy to let transparency fall by the wayside. However, failing to create a transparent fundraising strategy is a grave misstep that can cost your organization in the short and long term. 

Instead, use these best practices to ensure your campaign’s success. 

• Clearly state fundraising goals and fund usage: Transparency in campaigns starts with clear expectations. Spell out what you’re raising money for, how much you need, and how funding will be allocated. This builds trust early and aligns supporter expectations with your internal benchmarks. Display this breakdown prominently in campaign materials and during outreach to avoid ambiguity.
• Provide public campaign benchmarks and updates: Unlike regular communications, campaign updates should follow a structured cadence—think weekly progress snapshots, mid-campaign recaps, or milestone emails when specific goals are hit. Use donation tracking tools from your fundraising platform to celebrate your progress and reinforce your organization’s credibility by showing tangible results and keeping donors in the loop.
• Break down and justify budget categories: Fundraising campaigns are a critical opportunity to educate donors on where funds go and why. Go beyond disclosing administrative vs. program costs by explaining why operations, staff, and tech support are essential to your success. Use simple visuals like bar graphs or pie charts alongside short rationales to maintain transparency without overwhelming your audience.
• Train your team and volunteers: A solid team is key to your fundraising strategy. Especially for events where supporters play a major role, your nonprofit should provide some training to ensure all of your event leaders are on the same page about your organization’s mission and the details of the event. For example, if your organization is holding a Fun Run fundraiser, all of the runners seeking pledges should be able to answer questions about how the pledge process works and how funds will be used.

Remember to invest in tools that support transparency during your fundraising campaign, like a CRM or fundraising platform to send thank-yous with impact summaries, event microsites to show live progress and milestones, and donor portals to let supporters track their giving history.

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Providing transparency is vital to a nonprofit’s ability to build valuable trust with supporters. Being upfront about your organization’s objectives and operations can set you apart and let your supporters and stakeholders know that their faith in you is not misplaced. Remember to consistently adjust your approach to transparency and to seek feedback from supporters to understand what they want to know about your organization, and you’ll see how your ability to connect with people and reach your goals transforms.