They’ve crossed the finish line. They’ve raised the money. They’ve done the thing.
Now what?
For most charities, this is where the relationship goes cold. The thank you email gets sent. Maybe a certificate arrives. Then… silence.
But here’s the truth: the person who just ran 26.2 miles for you, or baked 100 fairy cakes, or climbed a mountain in your name, is the warmest prospect you have right now.
They’ve already proven they care. They’ve invested time, energy, and emotion into your cause. They’ve told everyone they know about you.
The question isn’t whether they COULD become a lifelong supporter.
It’s whether you’re going to help them make that journey.
Why Most Charities Lose Participants After the Event
Let’s be honest about what usually happens.
Someone signs up for your event. They fundraise brilliantly. They complete the challenge. You send a lovely thank you. Then you add them to your general mailing list alongside everyone else, and twelve months later you email asking if they want to do another event.
Meanwhile, they’ve moved on. The emotional high has faded. The cause that felt so personal three months ago now feels distant.
This isn’t because they stopped caring. It’s because you stopped nurturing the relationship at the exact moment it mattered most.
Right after the event is when they’re most connected to your cause. When the reason they fundraised is still fresh. When they’re still buzzing from the achievement and feeling proud of what they accomplished.
That’s your window. And most charities let it close.
The Journey from Participant to Supporter
Turning an event participant into a lifelong supporter isn’t about one big ask. It’s about a series of small, intentional moments that deepen the connection over time.
Think of it as a journey with distinct stages, each one building on the last.
Stage 1: Immediate Post-Event (Week 1)
This is your golden hour. Well, golden week.
They’ve just finished. The adrenaline is still there. The sense of accomplishment is huge. The photos are being posted. The conversations with friends and family are still happening.
This is when you reinforce that what they did mattered.
Not just a generic thank you. A thank you that shows you noticed them specifically. That tells them exactly what their fundraising will do. That makes the impact tangible and real.
“Your £750 will fund 25 hours of one-to-one support for families like Sarah’s” hits differently than “Thank you for your amazing support.”
This is also when you invite them deeper into the story. Share an update about someone who’s been helped. Show them the work happening right now because of people like them. Make them feel like an insider, not just a fundraiser who’s now done.
Stage 2: The First Three Months (The Dangerous Zone)
This is where most relationships die.
The event is over. The immediate buzz has faded. You’ve said thank you. Now what?
Most charities go silent here. Or they immediately start asking for the next thing, which feels transactional and tone-deaf.
Instead, this is when you keep the door open without asking for anything.
Send them an impact update that ties directly back to their event. “Remember that £750 you raised in April? Here’s what happened with it.” Show them the people they’ve helped. The change they’ve created.
Invite them to low-commitment engagement. A volunteer opportunity. An online event. A behind-the-scenes look at your work. Something that says “you’re part of this family now, not just someone who did an event.”
The goal here isn’t to get them to do another thing. It’s to help them see themselves as part of your community.
Stage 3: Building the Habit (Months 4-12)
By now, they should be hearing from you regularly, but not always with an ask.
This is when you’re building the habit of engagement. They open your emails because they’re genuinely interested, not out of obligation. They follow your social media because they want to know what’s happening. They think of your charity when they hear news about your cause area.
You’re giving them reasons to stay connected that aren’t about fundraising.
Maybe it’s a monthly impact newsletter that’s actually good. Maybe it’s invitations to online Q&As with people you support. Maybe it’s exclusive content that makes them feel like trusted insiders.
The point is you’re creating touchpoints that aren’t transactional. You’re building a relationship.
And yes, during this time, you might invite them to give in other ways. A regular gift. A one-off donation. Another event. But it’s not the only thing you’re saying to them.
Stage 4: Lifelong Connection (Year 2 and Beyond)
This is where it all pays off.
They don’t just think of you when it’s time for your annual running event. They think of you when they’re considering who to support with a monthly gift. When they’re looking for volunteering opportunities. When their company asks which charities to partner with. When they’re writing their will.
They’ve gone from “I did an event once” to “I’m a supporter of this charity.”
That’s the journey. And it doesn’t happen by accident.
The Practical Stuff (What Actually Works)
Okay, but how do you actually do this when you’re already stretched thin?
Here are the things that make the biggest difference, even if you’re a small team.
Segment your event participants properly
Don’t lump event fundraisers in with everyone else. They’re a distinct group with a distinct journey. Create a segment in your database and treat them accordingly.
This means different email journeys. Different asks. Different content. Not forever, but at least for the first year.
Get the post-event follow-up right
Within 48 hours: Personal thank you that acknowledges what they achieved and shows specific impact.
Within 2 weeks: Impact story or update that connects directly to their fundraising.
Within a month: Low-commitment invitation to stay involved (not another event).
This isn’t about bombarding them. It’s about consistent, meaningful contact that shows you’re paying attention.
Create a welcome series for new participants
Automate the basics so they don’t fall through the cracks.
A simple email series over the first 90 days that:
- Thanks them properly
- Shows them the impact
- Introduces them to your wider work
- Invites them to get involved in different ways
- Asks how they’d like to stay connected
You set it up once. It runs forever. It catches everyone.
Give them easy next steps that aren’t huge commitments
Not everyone’s ready to set up a monthly direct debit the week after they finished a marathon.
But they might:
- Sign a petition
- Attend a free online event
- Follow you on social media
- Volunteer for two hours
- Share your campaign
- Fill in a quick survey about their experience
These small actions keep them engaged and help them build the habit of saying yes to you.
Use the data you already have
You know when they fundraised. You know what event they did. You know what they wrote on their fundraising page about why they’re supporting you.
Use it.
Reference it in your communications. “Last April when you ran the marathon…” makes them feel seen in a way “Dear Supporter” never will.
Tailor your impact updates to match why they got involved. If their mum had the condition you work on, show them stories about people like their mum.
You already have this information. Don’t waste it.
Track what’s working
You need to know if any of this is actually making a difference.
Simple metrics to watch:
- What percentage of event participants open your emails in months 2-6?
- How many event participants take a second action within 12 months?
- How many become regular givers?
- How many do a second event?
If the numbers aren’t moving, try something different. Test your messaging. Change your timing. Ask people directly what would keep them engaged.
What This Actually Looks Like in Practice
Here’s a real example (details changed, but the pattern’s real).
Sarah ran a half marathon in March. Raised £600. First time fundraising for this charity.
Week 1: She got a personal video thank you from someone the charity supports. It mentioned her by name and showed exactly what her £600 would fund.
Week 3: She got an email with a story about someone who’d just received the support her fundraising helped provide. It felt connected to what she’d done.
Week 6: She was invited to a free online event where she could meet other fundraisers and hear from the CEO. Low pressure, optional, but welcoming.
Week 10: She received the charity’s quarterly impact report, along with a note saying “thought you’d want to see this.”
Month 5: She got an email asking if she’d be interested in volunteering. She said yes to a one-off evening shift.
Month 8: She set up a small monthly gift (£10) because she’d been thinking about doing it anyway and they made it easy.
Month 12: She signed up for next year’s event without being asked.
Sarah’s now in year three. She’s a regular giver. She volunteers quarterly. She’s done the event twice more. She tells everyone about this charity.
Not because of one magic moment. Because of twelve months of intentional, consistent relationship building.
The Mistake That Kills This Before It Starts
You know what stops most charities from doing any of this?
Perfectionism.
They want the perfect email sequence. The perfect impact story. The perfect volunteer opportunity. The perfect ask.
So they do nothing. And they lose people.
Here’s the truth: done is better than perfect.
A simple thank you email that shows genuine appreciation is better than no email while you craft the perfect one.
A rough impact update that connects their fundraising to real outcomes is better than waiting until you have stunning photography.
An imperfect process that keeps people engaged is infinitely better than a perfect plan that never happens.
Start with what you can do now. Get feedback. Improve as you go.
The Bottom Line
Event participants aren’t just fundraisers. They’re people who’ve already shown up for your cause in a big way.
The work isn’t getting them to do the event. That’s done.
The work is helping them see that the event was just the beginning of their relationship with your cause, not the end.
Do that well, and you won’t just have people who fundraise once. You’ll have supporters who stick around, give in multiple ways, and become genuine advocates for your work.
And that’s worth infinitely more than another registration for next year’s 10K.
Want more strategies to support your community fundraisers? Check out The Ultimate Guide to Community Fundraising for the complete picture, or dive into Why Your Fundraisers’ Stories Matter More Than Yours to understand how to empower supporters to share their connection to your cause.u.