The Blue Squirrel

08/12/2025

Donor retention averages only 46% across the sector, and just 23% for first-time donors (Bloomerang, 2024). And the #1 reason donors (and volunteers) don’t return?

They don’t feel their contribution mattered.

Gratitude is the bread and butter of nonprofit fund development, yet most nonprofits communicate as if donors are one group with one motivation.

The Blue Squirrel is launching a 3-part Gratitude Series to help your nonprofit fix that.

✨ Part 1 is live: how identifying your Audience Groups leads to more personal, meaningful gratitude that keeps donors connected.

If you want your donors to walk away saying "I made a difference, and they noticed", get ready to see your donor retention skyrocket and start here:

Improve donor retention by identifying your key Audience Groups. Learn how tailored gratitude and personalized touchpoints strengthen long-term supporter relationships.

18/11/2025

Gratitude is the bread and butter of the donor experience! It is the #1 way to tell your donor: You matter. Your gift matters. We noticed. 💙

One study found sending a "thank you" within 48 hours led to a 4x higher donor retention rate! At The Blue Squirrel, we advocate sending a hand-written note that uses their name and ties their donation directly to an outcome. For example, “Zahra, your gift yesterday helped stock our community fridge for the week! Thank you for caring!”

Hungry for more tips on how to make gratitude a part of your nonprofit's culture? Look out for a full "how to" blog from us soon!!

11/11/2025

Today we PAWS to honor the courage, commitment and service of our nation’s veterans.

We salute you, today and every day!! 🐿🇺🇸

05/11/2025

It's a special day over here at The Blue Squirrel ... wishing our CMO (Chief Morale Officer), Journey, the happiest 9th birthday!! Journey can be found enforcing work breaks, eating pup cups and patrolling the yard for squirrels that ARN'T blue! 🐾🐿

31/10/2025

🎃 The Blue Squirrel wishes you a spook-tacular Halloween! 🎃
Stay nutty, stay mission-driven and don’t forget to treat yourself today! 🧡

28/10/2025

🎉ATTN: Year-End Appeals!!🎉

You’ve built something incredible — now let’s make sure your donors see it. Don't let the opportunity pass to engage your donors for stronger relationships now and in 2026.

✨What's Included in the Year-End Appeal Package?
Audit + Strategy (Questionnaire + Meeting)
-Review of last year’s year-end campaign, donor demographics and communication channels
-Collaborative strategy session to map messaging themes, channels and timeline
Year-End Giving Toolkit (Digital Deliverable)
-Up to 6 editable touchpoints (email / social / newsletter templates)
-A suggested campaign timeline with posting dates and internal deadlines
Donation Page Optimization Review
-Audit of your giving page for user experience and conversion

Only 3 days left to save 10% on your year-end appeal package! Contact us by October 31st to spark your year-end momentum!!!

22/10/2025

It’s already snowing in Montana for my visit (yes, really) — and that means two things:
1️⃣ The squirrels are in overdrive.
2️⃣ Nonprofits like yours are ramping up for year-end giving.

You’ve spent weeks perfecting your appeal... but here’s the question no one asks until it’s too late:

👉 Have you actually tried donating through your own website? Is it donor-ready?

If the process feels outdated, clunky or confusing, your donors feel it too — and sometimes they give up before hitting “donate.”

Your website isn’t just a tech tool; it’s part of the donor experience!!

We put together a Free Resource with small (but mighty) updates to boost donor conversion — this season and beyond!

🔗 Enjoy the Free Resource here: https://thebluesquirrel.net/is-your-website-ready-for-giving/

Your team doesn’t have time to do a website inventory? We’ll handle the details so your donors have the best experience possible. Contact us!

You’ve written the perfect appeal. You’ve got the campaign name, the emails, the goal thermometer ready to go… but before you hit “send,” pause for a moment.

14/10/2025

🎉ATTN: Year-End Appeals!!🎉

Yes, end of year is donation season. But this isn’t a math problem — it’s a relationship!

Your donors don’t just want another ask — they want to feel seen and valued. They want to know how their gifts changed lives this year.

Your year-end appeal is your chance to do both: strengthen relationships and inspire generosity at the most giving time of year.

And let’s be honest — it’s already mid-October. If you don’t have a plan yet, you’re missing out on one of the biggest donor engagement opportunities of the year. But there’s still time to make it count.

The Blue Squirrel is helping nonprofits build custom Year End Appeal campaigns that do more than ask — they connect. Let us share your wins, your impact and your gratitude. The stronger the relationship, the more purposeful their giving will be now and in 2026.

✨What's Included?

Audit + Strategy (Questionnaire + Meeting)
-Review of last year’s year-end campaign, donor demographics and communication channels
-Collaborative strategy session to map messaging themes, channels and timeline

Year-End Giving Toolkit (Digital Deliverable)
-Up to 6 editable touchpoints (email / social / newsletter templates)
-A suggested campaign timeline with posting dates and internal deadlines

Donation Page Optimization Review
-Audit of your giving page for user experience and conversion

⌛️AND, there’s more…we’re offering a 10% discount on our End-of-Year Appeal Service ($1,195 regular price) - making it only $1,076 - available to nonprofits that book by October 31!

Contact us to spark your year-end momentum!

23/05/2025

🎉 We Have Winners! 🎉
The Blue Squirrel Discovery Assessment Giveaway has found not one, but TWO incredible nonprofits ready to take bold steps forward!

After reviewing inspiring applications from the Dane County area, we’re thrilled to announce the two winners of the Blue Squirrel Discovery Assessment Giveaway (each valued at $995):

🥁 The River Food Pantry
🥁 Domestic Abuse Intervention Services

We’re excited to partner with both to bring clarity, strategy and energy to the next chapter of their journey.

Here’s what each winner will receive:
✅ A high-impact 2-hour discovery session with Genna and up to five stakeholders
✅ A fresh, honest look at their current reality
✅ Space to confront what’s holding them back
✅ Insightful, actionable next steps to unlock new opportunities
✅ Follow-up notes + a bonus 30-minute check-in session

A huge THANK YOU to every nonprofit that applied. The passion, innovation and dedication you’re bringing to Southern Wisconsin is inspiring. If you weren’t selected this time, stay tuned—there are more ways to engage and grow with us coming soon.

✨ Want to explore the Discovery Assessment for your team? We’re just a message away.

Send a message to learn more

13/05/2025

🎯 Thought you missed the deadline? DON'T WORRY! We are giving you a whole extra week! 🎯

Because sometimes life happens. Meetings run long, inboxes get scary and applying for free stuff falls to the bottom of the to-do list. We get it. That’s why we’re extending the deadline for our FREE $995 Discovery Assessment!

🗓 New deadline: Wednesday, May 21 @ 11:59 PM CST
🎉 Winner announced on Facebook: Friday, May 23 @ 10 AM

💡 It’s a 2-hour strategy session to help your nonprofit cut through the chaos and move forward with purpose.

It takes less time to apply than it does to refill your coffee. ☕ Seriously—5 minutes.

✅ Apply here: https://forms.gle/FbXE4rN7Wwjr2z8L6
🙌 Know a nonprofit that needs this? Tag them and spread the squirrel joy 🐿️

13/05/2025

⏳ 5 minutes. That’s all it takes to unlock clarity, direction and momentum for your nonprofit.

We’re selecting one Dane County area nonprofit to receive a free Discovery Assessment (a $995 value) — and the deadline is almost here!

📅 Apply by Wednesday, May 14 at 11:59 PM CST
📍 Dane County area nonprofits only
📩 Apply now: https://forms.gle/3AZBCukMua79Wj9GA

The Discovery Assessment isn't just another meeting. It is a focused 2-hour session that helps you:
✔️ Cut through the noise and zoom in on what matters most
✔️ Get expert coaching on your top challenges
✔️ Leave with a set of clear, actionable next steps (plus our signature Squirrel Notes)
✔️ Follow up with a 30-minute check-in call for continued support

Not sure what you’d focus on yet? That’s okay—apply anyway.

🎉 Winner announced Friday, May 16 @ 10:00 AM CST

This could be your team’s turning point. Five minutes. No strings. Big impact.
Tag a nonprofit friend or apply now 👉 https://forms.gle/3AZBCukMua79Wj9GA