If "fundraising is the gentle art of teaching the joy of giving" (Henry Rosso), thanking should be the first thing every nonprofit worker learns to do! Because giving and gratitude are like yin and yang.

A genuine act of gratitude reciprocates the generosity of the giver. It shows that you care about their caring. Here's how:

The thank you is personal. “Dear friend” is forbidden! As Dale Carnegie says, “Remember that a person's name is, to that person, the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”

The thank you reinforces the bond between the donor and the cause. “Donors don’t give to organizations but through organizations.” This quote comes from a great new report, Growing Philanthropy in the United States.

The thank you is much more than a piece of paper. Achieving Excellence in Fundraising calls stewardship “a sacred trust.” The responsibility of stewardship permeates your nonprofit’s entire operation.

We reap what we sow. For example, a simple phone call saying thanks (even a voice message) could result in a gift that is 40% more generous next year.

Remember that the greatest gifts are not always money. As nonprofit workers ourselves, let’s remember to thank the people who work alongside us. Let's remember to preserve and renew our own bond to the cause. To quote an inspirational post from Katya's Nonprofit Marketing Blog: "Let’s be grateful we are lucky enough to be in jobs that allow us to make tracks."

More tips on expressing gratitude here.

Thank you for image: Harvest Face on Flickr