Surveys are among the most effective—yet often overlooked—tools that nonprofits can use to gain insight, build stronger relationships, and make better decisions. Whether you want to improve volunteer experiences, strengthen donor retention, or gather market research, well-crafted surveys for nonprofits can provide critical information to guide your mission forward.
This guide walks you through the essential types of nonprofit surveys, offers tips and best practices for creating them, suggests popular tools and templates, and introduces how Boardable can simplify and enhance your survey efforts with solutions built specifically for nonprofits.
Why Surveys are Essential for Nonprofits
Nonprofits rely on communication and feedback to thrive. Surveys offer a practical way to capture stakeholder input, uncover challenges, and shape strategy based on real data. When used effectively, surveys become a powerful engine for mission alignment and organizational growth.
Key benefits of nonprofit surveys:
- Improve communication and transparency with stakeholders
- Discover pain points and opportunities for improvement
- Build stronger relationships with donors and volunteers
- Drive higher engagement and retention
- Inform programming, fundraising, and event planning
Types of Surveys Nonprofits Should Use
Different surveys serve different goals. Here are four core types of surveys for nonprofits that can have an immediate impact.
1. Volunteer Experience Surveys
These are designed to assess how volunteers feel about their experience, training, and communication with your organization. They help you identify ways to improve volunteer satisfaction and retention.
Example Questions:
- Do you feel well-prepared for your role?
- Was the time commitment as expected?
- How likely are you to volunteer again?
2. Donor Feedback Surveys
These surveys give you insight into donor motivations and satisfaction. Understanding your donors’ perspectives can help improve communication and increase future giving.
Example Questions:
- How satisfied are you with the communication from our organization?
- What influenced your decision to donate?
- How can we improve your giving experience?
3. Event Surveys
Used before or after fundraising events, workshops, or community gatherings, these surveys help improve logistics, programming, and participant engagement.
Example Questions:
- What did you enjoy most about the event?
- Were there any challenges with registration or logistics?
- What would you suggest for next time?
4. Market Research Surveys
Market research surveys are used to assess community needs, test program ideas, or better understand potential beneficiaries. They can guide new initiatives and strategic pivots.
Example Questions:
- What services do you think are most needed in our community?
- Are you aware of the programs we offer?
- How would you prefer to receive updates about our work?
Best Practices for Creating Effective Surveys
Whether you’re using online or paper forms, the design of your survey matters. The following tips can help you increase response rates and collect more reliable data.
- Keep it short and focused: Limit the number of questions to encourage completion.
- Mix question types: Use multiple choice and open-ended questions for variety and depth.
- Avoid bias: Use neutral language that doesn’t lead the respondent.
- Test it first: Have a few colleagues or volunteers take the survey before launch.
- Ensure anonymity when appropriate: Allowing respondents to stay anonymous often results in more honest feedback.
How Boardable Helps Collect and Act on Feedback with Surveys for Nonprofits
Surveys are most powerful when seamlessly integrated into your organization’s workflows. That’s where Boardable comes in.
Boardable offers a suite of tools built specifically for nonprofit board and volunteer management, including survey and feedback features that simplify communication and improve operational insights.
With Boardable, you can:
- Embed surveys directly into meeting workflows and follow-ups
- Automate the delivery of post-event or post-meeting feedback forms
- Store survey templates for reuse across campaigns and departments
- Visualize results with built-in dashboards and analytics
- Access and complete surveys from mobile devices or desktops
Whether you’re collecting donor feedback or refining volunteer training, Boardable ensures the process is easy, secure, and insightful.
Surveys are more than just a checkbox—they’re an opportunity to listen, learn, and grow. For nonprofit organizations aiming to deepen engagement and deliver greater impact, surveys offer a direct line to the people who matter most.
Ready to streamline how you collect and use feedback? Boardable helps you move from manual methods to a centralized, integrated solution tailored for the unique needs of nonprofits.
Explore how Boardable can elevate your feedback strategy. Visit boardable.com to learn more or request a personalized demo.
