| Quick answer: Champions are supporters who share your giving list with their own networks, multiplying your reach far beyond your own audience. Recruit them by asking your most engaged people directly and specifically, equip them with a branded link and ready-made content, keep the ask small and bounded, recognize them publicly, and report back what their sharing achieved. A free MyRegistry giving list gives every champion one trustworthy, concrete thing to share. |
Your organization’s reach is finite. Your supporters’ combined reach is not. Champions, people who actively share your cause with their networks — are the difference between talking to your list and talking to everyone your list knows. But recruiting them takes more than a general call for help, and keeping them takes more than a thank-you. Here’s how to do both.
A free MyRegistry giving list is what makes championing easy, it gives each person one branded, concrete link of real needs to share, rather than an abstract plea.
Who Makes a Good Champion
Look for connection, not clout. Your best champions are usually people already emotionally invested — volunteers, past donors, program alumni and their families, board members, rather than whoever has the largest following. Genuine belief converts; reach without belief doesn’t.
Genuine belief converts. Reach without belief doesn’t.
Recruit Specifically, Not Generally
A general ‘who wants to help spread the word?’ in a newsletter recruits almost nobody. A direct, personal ask, ‘You know how much this program means; would you share our list with ten people this month?’, recruits well. Name the person, name the ask, name the number.
| Recruiting move | Result |
|---|---|
| General newsletter call | Almost nobody |
| Direct, personal ask | Most say yes |
| Bounded number (‘ten people’) | Actually gets done |
| Ready-made content | Removes the last excuse |
| Give champions one link to share — create a giving list on MyRegistry . |
Equip Them Properly
The gap between a willing champion and an active one is usually a blank page. Hand them everything: the branded giving list link, two or three ready-to-send messages, an image, and a one-line impact statement. If they have to compose it themselves, most won’t, not from reluctance, but from friction.
Keeping Them (the Part Everyone Skips)
- Report back concretely. ‘Your shares brought in twelve items, that’s twelve families equipped.’ Champions who see impact keep going.
- Recognize publicly. Name them in your newsletter or at events, with their permission. Recognition is the currency here.
- Keep the ask small and rhythmic. A bounded ask each quarter beats a constant drumbeat that burns people out.
- Refresh the list. Nobody shares the same stale link twice. New seasonal needs give champions a fresh reason to post.
| Feature | MyRegistry Giving List | Single-store list |
|---|---|---|
| Add items from any store | Yes | No, one retailer |
| Cash gift funds | Yes | Rarely |
| Your logo & branding | Yes | Minimal |
| Embed on your website | Yes | Limited |
| Real-time tracking | Yes | Within that store |
| Cost | Free | Free |
Why Champions Beat Advertising
A recommendation from a trusted friend carries credibility no organizational ad can buy, and it costs nothing. Fifteen champions sharing a concrete giving list with their real networks routinely outperform a paid campaign a small nonprofit could afford, because trust does the work that budget can’t.
A Real-World Scenario
A nonprofit put a general ‘share our cause!’ line in its newsletter for months and got nothing. Then the ED personally asked twelve of the most engaged volunteers, each with a specific ask (‘share this with ten people’), a branded link, and three ready-made posts. Eleven did it. Afterwards she reported exactly what their shares brought in and named them in the newsletter. The next quarter, all twelve shared again without being chased, and three recruited friends as champions themselves.
| ✔ Pros — Building a Champion Network | ✘ Cons — Building a Champion Network |
|---|---|
| • Trust converts better than advertising | • Requires personal asks, one by one |
| • Direct asks recruit; general calls don’t | • Needs refreshed lists to stay shareable |
| • Ready-made content removes friction | |
| • Reporting back keeps them going | |
| • Free — costs only the preparation |
| ★ Expert recommendation: Recruit champions personally with a bounded ask, hand them a branded link and ready-made content, then report back exactly what their sharing achieved. Refresh the list seasonally so they always have something new to share. Belief plus easy tools is the whole formula. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who should we recruit as champions?
People already emotionally invested, volunteers, past donors, program families, board members, rather than whoever has the biggest following. Belief converts better than reach.
How do we get champions to actually share?
Ask personally with a bounded number, and hand them ready-made messages and a branded link. Most inaction is friction, not reluctance.
How do we keep them long-term?
Report back concretely on what their sharing achieved, recognize them publicly, keep asks small and rhythmic, and refresh the list so there’s always something new.
The Bottom Line
Champions turn your supporters’ networks into your reach, recruit them personally, equip them fully, and report back. Give them a list to share, free, at MyRegistry for Nonprofits.
