Making an online ask may seem difficult if you’re not used to digitally interacting with donors, but you’d be surprised by how easy it can be. Check out these five tips for bolstering your online fundraising. 1. Develop your social media strategy Social media has quickly become the most popular way to engage with your […]
communications
Why Do Nonprofits Need Marketing Automation?
Imagine having the ability to get in touch with your supporters in a myriad of ways, immersing them in engagement with your organization in all of the following ways: Automatically send an email to constituents on their birthday. Trigger a series of timed welcome emails to a donor after the first time they give. Test […]
The 5 ½ Principles of Effective Donor Surveys
Do you know why your donors give? Is there consensus within your organization about the reasons they dip into their pockets to fund your mission? Or are there simply “best guesses” floating around that may or may not accurately answer that question? Unless you ask your donors directly, your gut instincts are merely opinions. And research kills opinions. […]
7 Articles to Improve Your Workplace Culture
A reading list to help your organization look inward and examine how to better foster a culture where employees are empowered to thrive, collaborate, and innovate for maximum social impact. The internal operations of social sector organizations can make or break their impact. “Toxic” workplace cultures make headlines for failing to support employees’ personal and […]
The 7 Deadly Sins of Asking for Donations
Even after loads of practice, asking for donations can make our palms sweat and our hair stand up. It’s not easy, and it shouldn’t be—after all, you’re asking people to part with their hard-earned money. But don’t worry: as long as you avoid these common mistakes, your fundraising efforts will be just fine—even if your palms are still […]
25 Creative Summer Fundraising Ideas
We’re not sure about you, but we’ve got the summer itch. When it comes to your nonprofit organization, summer fun and fundraising go hand in hand. It’s time to leverage the fact that school’s out and everyone’s looking for something exciting to do with their free time. With your help, favorite summer activities become opportunities […]
Nonprofit Spring Cleaning: Getting Rid of Unwanted Clutter
Ah, Spring. Finally, the sun is shining, the flowers are blooming, our allergies are resurging. And, if you’re like me, your office has become something of a warzone: papers, notes, books and old coffee cups crowding your desk, allowing just enough room to rest your arms. Even if your desk isn’t as disastrous as mine, […]
12 Donation Appeal Ideas for Each Month of the Year
One thing I hear often from the nonprofits I work with is that they only ask for money a few times a year. “We have a spring Gala, summer Golf tournament, and end of year appeal. We have ten major donors that we talk to and a handful of grants.” “We have two appeals (spring/fall). We […]
The SMART Way to Create Fundraising Goals
If you’re looking to increase donations for your nonprofit organization, your first move will be to improve the fundraising goals you set for your organization. Most nonprofits have fundraising goals, but not all goals are created equal. In 1981, an article by George Doran, There’s a S.M.A.R.T. Way to Write Management’s Goals and Objectives, appeared in Management Review. It […]
5 signs you have a strong brand image
With the popularity and responses to our article on brand filters, I thought I would delve a little more into the topic of branding and specifically your brand positioning and image. Here are a few benchmarks for assessing the strength of your brand position/image: 1) Common understanding (of your positioning): this boils down to how […]
Find More Money: Partnerships that “Pay”
You’ve got great insight as to where you need to push the needle to further your impact; You probably also have great ideas about what and how to do it. But there is just not enough time, resources, or bottom line money to make it happen in order to see the results you imagine. You […]
Defining the “R” in Social Media ROI
Social media has been a buzzword since the early 2000s, and now that brands have invested in sustaining a presence on platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and more, marketing executives and CEOs are eager to see the ROI (return on investment).