Survey Strategies for Nonprofits: Boost Responses with Smart Tools

Research drives smart decisions across all sectors. Primary research takes many forms—including interviews, focus groups, testimonials, Google reviews, social media listening, and observations—but surveys (such as polls, questionnaires and votes) are a particularly effective way to gather targeted insights. By asking specific questions to a focused group, surveys help evaluate opinions, preferences, and behaviors, offering nonprofits an affordable and scalable way to collect meaningful data. In terms of use-cases, nonprofits can conduct surveys to perform quantitative or qualitative needs assessments for program / service / product launches, enhance donor relations, improve volunteer engagement, evaluate program effectiveness, gather community feedback, plan events, and optimize fundraising strategies. 

Survey Strategies

While creating the correct survey is important, it is all the more critical to make the survey results reliable and statistically significant, so a sufficient number of respondents is essential. According to a recent research article, although a good survey response rate depends on variable factors such as survey type, target audience, and distribution channel,  a response rate of 20-25% is considered acceptable for online surveys. Owing to the variables involved, obtaining enough quality responses is often seen as a common challenge for nonprofits. Nonprofits that are relatively new in the market may face challenges in obtaining survey responses because of limited outreach resources, difficulty targeting the right audience, low visibility, and ineffective engagement strategies. 

This guide empowers nonprofits to select the ideal tools for their specific needs, with a special focus on maximizing outreach. We will conclude by offering tailored recommendations based on your organization's budget. 

Find the Right Fit: Survey Tools That Support Your Cause 

Not all survey tools are created equal. While many platforms allow you to simply create surveys, only a select few provide advanced features to customize surveys, analyze results effectively, and importantly, reach the right audience through market research panel services. These panels consist of pre-screened individuals who have agreed to participate in surveys, ensuring higher quality and targeted responses.  

We analyzed the key features of several survey platforms and found that they generally fall into three main tiers based on their capabilities and suitability for nonprofit use. These have been described below:

Source:  The CLASS Consulting Group 

A Closer Look: Survey Platforms with Built-In Survey Respondent Panels 

Since our focus is on maximizing survey outreach, we will concentrate on Tier-3 platforms that offer robust respondent panel capabilities. Here are some notable examples to consider (in alphabetical order). 

• Alchemer: Alchemer offers access to a vast network of over 100 million respondents across 100+ countries through partnerships with leading panel providers. To avoid any bias within the results, the platform balances invitations so that they are representative of census numbers for a given country.  

Discount for nonprofits: Alchemer provides a 25% discount on annual accounts for registered non-profit organizations. To qualify, organizations must present a valid EIN or an international equivalent. 

• Appinio: Appinio operates a proprietary panel of over 38 million consumers across 190+ markets, providing access to more than 8,500 attributes for precise targeting. The platform leverages AI and behavioral science to ensure high-quality, real-time insights.  

Discount for nonprofits: No mention of nonprofit discount availability. 

• Centiment: Centiment offers an all-in-one market research platform with a global audience reach in over 100 countries. Centiment supports detailed segmentation by demographic and firmographic data, enabling users to develop precise buyer personas and conduct in-depth market research.  

Discount for nonprofits: No mention of nonprofit discount availability. 

• SmartSurvey: SmartSurvey's Live Consumer Audience service connects users to over 20 million respondents in more than 70 countries. The platform allows for targeted demographic sampling, including niche audiences, and supports rapid data collection.  

Discount for nonprofits: SmartSurvey offers up to 10% discount for nonprofits, available across three license types: Professional, Business or Enterprise licenses.

• SurveyMonkey: SurveyMonkey provides access to a global survey panel, SurveyMonkey Audience, which includes over 335 million panelists across 130+ countries. Users can target respondents based on demographics, job functions, regions, and more, with surveys starting at $1 per response.  

Discount for nonprofits: The basic plan is free and there is an undisclosed discount for nonprofits on upgraded plans. 

• QuestionPro: QuestionPro boasts an active market research panel of over 22 million mobile-ready panelists across 32 countries, with more than 300 profile data points per respondent. The platform allows users to purchase targeted samples tailored to specific demographics and research needs, ensuring high-quality, reliable responses. 

Discount for nonprofits: QuestionPro offers free license access to nonprofit organizations and is trusted by over 10,000 nonprofits globally. 

Key Takeaways 

When planning your survey strategy, considering your budget is crucial. Below, we outline two key scenarios and corresponding takeaways based on your willingness to invest financially: 

1. Scenario 1: Routine Survey with Minimal or No Investment

   Instead of relying solely on Google Forms, Typeform, or Microsoft Forms, explore Tier-2 platforms (described above) that offer add-on analytics and branding features. Many of these platforms provide free plans or offer nonprofit discounts, often through 501(c)(3) status, making them cost-effective options. 

   
   

   After creating the survey, nonprofits can boost participation organically without spending money. Practical, no-cost tips for increasing responses are shared below to help you get started.

   
   

   

   
   

2. Scenario 2: Critical Survey with Willingness to Invest 

   Consider partnering with Tier-3 companies (described above) that offer both survey creation and outreach capabilities. Exact pricing with or without discounts is often not publicly listed, therefore obtaining quotes is essential to understand costs. 

   
   

   If you already have a survey and only need respondent outreach, you may additionally compare the pricing offered by panel providers such as Audience Align, Borderless Access, CloudResearch, CatalystMR, Cint, CRG Global, Eleven Market Research, Fieldwork, Harmon Research, Herron Associates, Insights Opinion, Kantar, L&E Research. Based on your comparison, you can then decide whether to proceed with a comprehensive, all-in-one service provider (such as the Tier 3 companies mentioned earlier) or opt for a standalone panel provider. 

Ready to maximize your survey impact and outreach? Partner with CLASS Consulting to receive expert guidance tailored to your nonprofit’s unique goals and budget. We’ll help you select the right tools, design effective surveys, and connect with the best respondent panels to ensure your research drives real results. Visit the CLASS Consulting Group.  

CLASS has been a trusted advisor to board and leadership teams of nonprofits since 2002. Learn more and reach out today.