This year has been tough. You’ve learned to adapt and roll with the punches. You’ve gone virtual. Maybe your organization had to go from a staff of 5 to a staff of 2. No matter what, you haven’t done the hard work on your own. So we all have a larger list of people to show gratitude more than any other year.
We should all know that donors should be thanked. But what about other people in your “tribe”? The others that made the hard days bearable and celebrated the good ones. If you don’t know where to start, we made a list. Just below the list are some easy, inexpensive ideas on how to say thanks!
- Board Members (current and past)
- Volunteers- anyone who’s done anything over the last 18 months
- Donors! – Do you have a stewardship plan for them?
- Paid staff
- Your staff’s family- this year’s been tough on them too
- Your boss
- Your co-workers
- Your non-profit partners- helping you do the important work.
- Those you have learned from- be it mentors, speakers, a peer, etc.
- Social Workers
- Custodial Staff
- Sanitation Workers
- Delivery Workers
- Food Service Staff
- Your circle of supporters
- YOU! – You have done an amazing job this year!
How could you show your appreciation? Does it need to be low cost? Easy to implement? Here are a few to think about…
- If an in person thank you isn’t possible, call or set up a video call.
- Record a video on your phone of your leadership saying thank you and add it to your newsletter. You could even segment to your staff, donors, volunteers, etc., and send them a special email.
- A thank you card sent in the mail is always acceptable. I found this cool company that takes the card game up a notch. LovePop has some really unique cards that will be sure to put a smile on the person’s face.
- Say thank you to your staff or volunteers in public at volunteer and staff meetings.
- Connect your mission to the way you say thank you to your communities. If your in the visual arts for kids, have the participants create the cards. If you care for animals make sure you have a cat and a dog in your thank you video.
Thank you for taking the time for reading this and looking for ways to thank people who have been part of the 2020 journey.