Nonprofit Forms

Keep Donors Close Without the Hassle

Donors update their preferences, share feedback, and tell their stories—through forms that sync to their record in Airtable. When you reach out, you reach out right.

Why donor communication is a mess

A donor wants to update their preferences. Here's what happens:

'Remove me from the mailing list' emails take 3 weeks to process—if they're processed at all

Donors get mail at old addresses for years because nobody updates records

Feedback goes into a Google Form that nobody ever checks

Communication preferences live in email threads that get lost

Donor stories are buried in thank-you replies nobody sees

When you do reach out, you have no idea what they care about

The result: Annoyed donors. Wasted mail costs. Missed opportunities to connect. Supporters who feel like numbers, not people.

Donor communication that actually works

Instant sync

Donor updates preferences, it's in their record. No manual processing, no delays, no lost requests.

Linked records

Preferences, feedback, and stories all connect to the donor record. One place for everything you know about them.

Smart branching

Mail-preferred donors see address fields. Phone-preferred see phone fields. Everyone sees what's relevant.

Any device

Update preferences from the email footer. Share feedback after an event. Submit a story from anywhere.

How to create donor communication forms

Extend Your Donors Table

Add communication fields to your existing Donors table:

•Communication Preference — Single select (Email, Mail, Phone, Text)

•Email Frequency — Single select (Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Major Updates Only)

•Interests — Multiple select (Programs, Events, Volunteer Opportunities, etc.)

•Last Updated — Date field (manually or via automation)

•Mailing Address — Long text or separate address fields

•Do Not Contact — Checkbox

•Feedback — Long text (for survey responses)

•Story — Long text (for donor testimonials)

Keep these fields in your main Donors table so preferences stay with donor records.

Connect Filla to Your Base

Click "Connect Airtable" and authorize access. Filla uses OAuth—your credentials stay secure.

Select your base and the Donors table. Fields appear automatically.

Build Multiple Communication Forms

Create forms for different donor touchpoints:

Preference Update Form:

•Email, Phone, Address fields

•Communication Preference selector

•Email Frequency preference

•Interest checkboxes

Donor Feedback Form:

•Satisfaction rating

•Open-ended feedback field

•"How can we improve?" question

Story Collection Form:

•"Why do you support us?" prompt

•"What impact have you seen?" question

•Photo upload option

•Permission checkbox for sharing

Share With Donors via Email Footers and Thank-Yous

Get forms in front of donors:

•Email footer links — "Update your preferences" in every newsletter

•Thank-you page — After donations, ask for feedback

•Annual appeal — Include preference update link

•Donor surveys — Send feedback forms after events or campaigns

Use prefilled links tied to donor records so changes sync to the right person.

Use Feedback to Segment and Improve

Turn donor input into action:

•Filter views by preference for targeted communications

•Segment by interests for relevant appeals

•Review feedback regularly for improvement ideas

•Feature stories in newsletters and grant applications

•Track update dates to identify stale records

When a donor says they prefer quarterly updates, they get quarterly updates. When they share their story, you use it.

Taking donor communication further

Conditional Logic Examples

Show address fields only for mail preference donors
Display phone number request for phone preference donors
Show anonymous option for feedback forms
Hide public sharing question if donor opts out

Linked Record Use Cases

Connect preferences to Donor record for single source of truth
Link feedback to specific Events or Campaigns
Reference Programs for interest-based segmentation
Connect stories to Marketing for testimonial management

Automation Ideas

Send confirmation when preferences are updated
Notify development team of new donor stories
Flag negative feedback for immediate follow-up
Update 'Last Updated' date when any field changes

Common issues and solutions

“'Remove from mailing list' requests take weeks to process”

Use preference forms that update records instantly
Add a Do Not Contact checkbox that filters all communication views
Set up automation to confirm opt-out immediately

“Donors get mail at old addresses for years”

Include preference update links in all communications
Send annual preference verification emails
Use returned mail as a trigger to request updated info

“Feedback goes into a spreadsheet nobody checks”

Route feedback directly to donor records in Airtable
Set up weekly digest automation of new feedback
Create a dashboard view for development team review

Donor communication FAQs

Can donors unsubscribe through the form?

Add a 'Do Not Contact' checkbox or 'Unsubscribe' option to your preference form. When checked, filter this field in all communication views. Automations can send confirmation emails.

How do we use donor stories in communications?

Create a view filtered for stories with sharing permission. Link stories to your Marketing or Content table for easy access. Feature them in newsletters, annual reports, and grant applications.

Can we track when donors last updated their preferences?

Add a 'Last Updated' date field. Use Airtable automations to set this date whenever the preference form is submitted. Filter for stale records that need outreach.

What about donors who prefer phone calls?

Capture phone preference in the Communication Preference field. Create a view of phone-preferred donors for personal outreach. Include phone number in the form for those who select it.

Can we create different forms for different donor segments?

Create multiple forms targeting different segments—major donors, recurring donors, event attendees. Use prefilled links to identify the segment and show relevant questions.

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