Why Supporter Experience Is the New Fundraising Superpower
Authored by Sam Thomas
When I first set out to explore the role of experiential marketing in the third sector, I had a simple but pressing question in mind: does the “experience economy” really have something practical to offer charities?
Through my research, I discovered that the answer is yes. Experiential thinking maps well onto charity work, many organisations are already doing elements of it, and the real opportunities lie in how we approach co-creation, value exchange, and emotional touchpoints. These areas, if strengthened, could make the biggest difference in supporter engagement.
Why I felt this research mattered
The third sector is under pressure. Public income is shrinking (a problem worsened by COVID), and the traditional donor base is ageing. That makes it vital not only to reach new supporters but also to build deeper, more meaningful relationships with those we already have.
So my guiding question was: can experiential marketing — an approach based on creating and delivering experiences rather than just products or appeals — help charities build those connections more effectively?
What I looked at
To answer this, I:
Reviewed the existing literature on experiential marketing and examined how it might apply to the third sector, with its intangible offerings, voluntary exchanges, and emotional bonds.
Designed a bespoke supporter-experience tool — the NFPEXQUAL instrument — drawing on service/experience measures and Batat’s experiential mix.
Tested the tool online with supporters aged 18–40 to identify where charities are delivering strong experiences and where they are falling short.
What I found
Experiential marketing can be applied to charities. Both the literature and my data suggest it fits the sector well and offers a viable alternative to transactional marketing approaches.
Charities are already part-way there. Respondents reported reasonably strong experience scores, showing that experiential elements aren’t just theory — they exist in practice.
The biggest gaps are also the biggest opportunities:
Co-creation & collaboration — supporters rarely felt invited to contribute or shape the work.
Exchange — the non-monetary value that supporters get back (community, skills, recognition) often goes unspoken.
Emotion — while emotion is central to charitable connection, its use is inconsistent and often underdeveloped.
Experience doesn’t automatically equal donations, but it nudges future support. I didn’t find a simple, direct link between high experience scores and immediate donation behaviour. What I did see was that stronger experiences were linked to a greater likelihood of increased support down the line.
What this means in practice
The most important takeaway from my study is simple: treat experience as an offering in its own right.
That means moving beyond “How do we make the ask?” to “How do we design the supporter encounter so that it feels meaningful, participatory and memorable?”
Here are four practical ways you can start:
Build co-creation into campaigns. Give supporters a voice — ask for input on creative elements, priorities, or even micro-decisions like voting on a project.
Make the exchange explicit. Don’t just show outcomes; show what supporters get back (belonging, pride, connection).
Amplify emotional touchpoints. Look at your supporter journey and ask: where can we make the experience more emotionally resonant?
Measure cheaply and often. Use a quick 1–2 question experience check after a key touchpoint. The NFPEXQUAL tool shows the potential of measurement, but you don’t need a complex scale to get useful insights.
A quick checklist you can use today
Ask yourself: Where can supporters co-create?
Add one new emotional moment to your welcome series.
Reframe one appeal around what supporters experience, not just what they give.
Run a 6-question micro-survey after a key supporter interaction.
My final word
This research doesn’t promise a silver bullet. But it does provide a useful new frame: design supporter experience with the help of supporters themselves.
When charities get co-creation, exchange and emotion right, they do more than raise money — they create relationships that make supporters want to stay, to deepen their involvement, and to give again.
That’s a practical, testable path to long-term resilience.
If you’re interested in my research and want to know more, please do get in touch sam@verdantly.co.uk
References
Thomas, S. (2020). Experiential marketing’s applicability to the third sector [Unpublished master’s dissertation]. Solent University.