RESOURCES

blog article

May 21, 2019

You may have heard that cloud computing can save your organization time and money. Here's how that works. Cloud computing can be a bit of a difficult concept to wrap your head around. For a comparison, let's look back to the early 1900s. When...

blog article

May 21, 2019

Nonprofit Founder’s Syndrome is a common treatable disease. Frequently carried as a recessive gene by passionate, dedicated, dynamic and visionary entrepreneurial leaders. Commonly found paired with groundbreaking new ideas to solve social prob...

blog article

May 20, 2019

Seventeen years ago, I was working at one of the top direct marketing fundraising agencies in the country. We just landed a brand-new client, and I was in charge of leading the team to work on their account. If I told you which nonprofit this was, yo...

blog article

May 20, 2019

There isn’t a nonprofit board that doesn’t shy away from fundraising. Some board members are nervous about making an ask, while some simply disappear when you need them most. But you can turn them around and increase your board’s co...

blog article

May 20, 2019

When fundraisers get together to talk about donor-centric fundraising strategy they tend to focus a lot on giving gratitude and engaging in cultivation. Rightfully so.  In fact, I run a fundraising training session for boards entitled “I G...

blog article

May 20, 2019

Pam Georgiana, MBA is the Vice President of Engagement for Lutheran Social Services in Ohio. She is a marketing strategy professional with more than 20 years of experience in experiential and relational marketing, communications, and branding. She is...

video

May 20, 2019

Nonprofit stewardship is cultivating an ongoing relationship with a donor. Accountability is demonstrating to funding sources that funds were used for their donor designated purpose. In 2018, new reporting requirements went into affect for nonpr...

whitepaper

May 19, 2019

For funders driven toward scalable philanthropic change, collective action allows them to take on increasingly complex social problems. By pooling resources, coordinating services, and collaborating around goals and sustainability, philanthropic orga...

video

May 18, 2019

Using Instagram influencers to help market your organization is a great way to attract new followers and donors. There are hundreds of fundraisers to help your organization. Many require you to sell candy, cookie dough, or other items to raise money....

infographic

May 18, 2019

36% comes from Government, 43% from earned income,11% from gifts & 4% from other sources. Rapid Boost Marketing  Canada's Best Local and Online Marketing Agency. Serving Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and across Canada. Pildochort...

blog article

May 17, 2019

As a nonprofit professional, tackling huge challenges is a part of your daily grind. You are fortunate enough to have higher-than-average levels of motivation, but even the most seasoned changemakers have moments where they need a little boost. In th...

blog article

May 17, 2019

I recently attended a golf meeting at the Brickyard Golf Course in Indianapolis, Ind. This golf course is next to the Indianapolis 500 race track. As I left my car to walk into the golf course building, I could hear, very loudly, the sound of race ca...

video

May 17, 2019

This video is an interview with Kevin Whitman, the Area Director for the Mission Increase Foundation, a nonprofit focused on helping other nonprofits implement a biblical approach to fundraising. Kevin has degrees from LIFE Pacific College and A...

video

May 17, 2019

In May 2019, REI leadership and board members visited some of the co-op's Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit partners who are helping create access and connect more people to the outdoors. Featuring the Capital Trails Coalition’s work to buil...

whitepaper

May 17, 2019

Good ministry cannot happen without stable funding. When planning to transition your model of care, it can feel overwhelming. How will you bring donors with you? How will you fund initial costs? Over the past year, we have studied organizations who h...

blog article

May 16, 2019

You had a dream to start a nonprofit organization for a cause you're passionate about. Creating a local office and overseeing the day-to-day running of your 501(c)(3) is a bit different than expanding and creating additional nonprofit chapters an...

infographic

May 16, 2019

While there are parallels between for profit and not for profit accounting, nonprofit accounting contains process nuances and system tools that, when leveraged appropriately, can make the difference between a sustaining, thriving organization and one...

blog article

May 16, 2019

It’s not enough for your board members to simply make their own donation and call it a day. They have a fiduciary responsibility to your nonprofit. Whether they like it or not, fundraising is part of the deal when they agree to join your board....

video

May 15, 2019

Pediatrician Dr. Shadi Alsmadi says, “This is not just one surgery and ‘Goodbye.” In this week’s episode of Behind the Smiles we caught up with two volunteers in the post anesthesia care unit during our medical mission in Mada...

whitepaper

May 15, 2019

A donor-advised fund is a philanthropic giving vehicle administered by a charitable sponsor. A charitable sponsor is a 501(c) (3) organization that has legal control over the donor advised fund and is responsible for operating and maintaining it. Cha...

blog article

May 15, 2019

If there’s one rule in fundraising that takes years of real experience to be convinced that it’s critical, it’s the need for a fundraising coach. Notice I didn't write consultant. And not because I don't think consultan...

video

May 15, 2019

Did you know that by collecting gently worn, used & new athletic sneakers you could be raising money for your organization? Sneakers4Funds offers a creative fundraising method: In many countries, sneakers are used as a form of transportation...

blog article

May 14, 2019

So much data is available to your nonprofit through your CRM, Google Analytics, social media analytics, email analytics, and beyond. When you make a dashboard, the goal should be to deliver the right data from the right time frame to the right people...

video

May 14, 2019

Instagram has three video features that your nonprofit can use to engage its audience and we're here to break them down for you! There are hundreds of fundraisers to help your organization. Many require you to sell candy, cookie dough, or ot...

blog article

May 14, 2019

At the core of many nonprofits’ fundraising strategy is the goal of acquiring new donors. Why? Because it looks glamorous. It feels good to share in your annual report that you’ve spread the word about your cause to X number of new p...

blog article

May 14, 2019

I love nonprofits. I must. Why else would I voluntarily spend most of my career working 12-14 hour days for less money than the for-profit sector pays? And vacations or retirement? Those are for other people. Because working for a nonprofit isn&rsquo...

blog article

May 14, 2019

Right now, year-end fundraising season probably seems far away. Far away enough that you’ve got other tasks to prioritize. You’ll get around to planning your year-end campaign in the Fall when it’s a higher priority. But here’...

blog article

May 13, 2019

Tax-exempt organizations have seen significant changes to financial accounting and reporting standards in recent years. Implementing new standards can be challenging, but the cost of noncompliance can be devastating: a tarnished reputation, loss of f...

blog article

May 13, 2019

There is something about social media and online communications that twists many people’s heads around to conclude that the up-and-coming Millennial cohort is where the money is. Couple this conclusion with a “direct mail is dead” v...

blog article

May 13, 2019

Historically, the path to nonprofit growth has been ill-defined. In fact, according to Tracy Palandjian of Social Finance, “of the 200,000 or so nonprofits that were created between 1975 and 2008, only 200 that’s 0.1 percent of these nonp...

blog article

May 13, 2019

What’s on your integrated development plan for the coming year? What you choose will depend on thinking about your goals, determining your objectives and laying out the strategies that will help you get what you need. For many nonprofits, ...

video

May 13, 2019

Instagram is a great tool to promote your nonprofit organization and we have three actionable, and easy things you can do to take your profile to the next level.

video

May 13, 2019

People buy everything on their phones from plane tickets to cars, yet nonprofits are still asking donors to mail them checks? The number of donors who prefer to give on their mobile devices is increasing at an exponential rate, and savvy nonprofits a...

whitepaper

May 12, 2019

We don’t always get to choose them, but we have to figure out how to live with them, and sometimes, we can be a little dysfunctional. Kidding aside, your board of directors plays a pivotal role in your organization’s success. These volunt...

blog article

May 12, 2019

Employee and company gift matching are popular programs that can have your nonprofit seeing a significant increase in donation intake! These programs make the original donation go twice as far, without you even having to reach out to the second ...

video

May 10, 2019

Seth Godin shares his strategies around how nonprofits should think about their marketing, and framing their story. Fundraising dinners need to be reimagined and nonprofits need to start learning from how placebos work in the medical field.

blog article

May 10, 2019

Corporate matching programs are a win-win-win for donors, nonprofits, and companies. However, the reality of administering these programs and the process to recover the funds can be cumbersome and time consuming.  What’s more, there’...

whitepaper

May 09, 2019

The past decade has been a period of challenge and questioning for community foundations, with significant changes in the context in which these foundations compete for donor resources and attention. Some conversations among community foundation lead...

blog article

May 09, 2019

At the center of every major advertising campaign you’ve seen or have been impacted by over the last half-century has been audience archetypes or personas. An audience archetype strategy is ubiquitous across the business marketing and tech worl...

video

May 09, 2019

Are you a registered Non-Profit Organisation and need help with your fundraising, financial management, and message flow? We are here to assist you. Watch this video to find out how we have helped NGOs in South Africa and Namibia.

blog article

May 09, 2019

The title of this post is going to lead many people into thinking that what follows will be technical and geek-oriented. Nothing could be further from the truth! Why? Because virtually all technology in the nonprofit world has moved away from the sta...

blog article

May 08, 2019

Online donation pages make it easy for donors to contribute to your cause and with so many nonprofits taking advantage of this way to solicit funds, how can you earn an edge? A focus on telling your organization’s story through customized conte...

video

May 08, 2019

Not every nonprofit has a five-figure budget to spend on social media marketing. So how do you rise above the noise, and reach the audiences that matter most to your organization? We took a look at several case studies that have shown high results on...

video

May 08, 2019

Founded in 1979, Thrive DC is on a mission is to prevent and end homelessness in Washington, D.C. In this video, learn more about Thrive DC impact and how they are using Google for Nonprofits to get the work done faster and spend more time serving th...

blog article

May 08, 2019

Fundraising drives with sizzling names raise more money. It’s a statistical fact. The name of your campaign, annual drive or new program should be dynamic and memorable, and convey your values to donors and funders, and the passionate impact yo...

blog article

May 07, 2019

Recently, some big news was announced at the recent Facebook Developer Conference: You can now raise funds for your organization on Instagram Stories using the Instagram donation sticker. Using the sticker is easy it's located in the same pl...

blog article

May 07, 2019

When you want someone to do something, you have to ask. And how you ask matters. Whether it’s clicking on a button or link to donate, volunteer, register or do anything else, when someone takes that action online, we call it a conversion. Conve...

video

May 06, 2019

Corporate social responsibility has been turned upside down. A new generation of employees has entered the workforce. They value purpose over paycheck. They care deeply about their personal impact and employer’s social impact. But how do you co...

infographic

May 06, 2019

Join a selective cohort of aspiring teachers through the Transformational Urban Educator Program, an alternative certification pathway for experienced professionals or recent graduates seeking to become a highly effective teacher through hands-on tra...

whitepaper

May 06, 2019

The old saying, “a picture is worth a thousand words” rings true when discussing Dashboards. Dashboards can portray both complex scenarios and subtle situations with ease. The science behind what we see and how we interpret data/images co...

video

May 06, 2019

Hear why local professionals chose a nonprofit career, and how Nonprofit Connect helps them to help others in Kansas City. Thank you to featured members Billy Brimblecon, Jr. with Steps of Faith Foundation, Tori Fugate with KC Pet Project, Rachel Ibo...

infographic

May 06, 2019

One of the easiest, most efficient ways to donate money is through an online crowdfunding campaign, which allows people to directly appeal for financial help from a large group of people.  Whether the ask is a personal one or a business one you ...

blog article

May 06, 2019

As I’m working on my presentation for the Bridge Conference on “Flip or Flop,” what has worked and what hasn’t worked in monthly giving, I came across a few examples of what not to do. I’m not going to name names, b...

whitepaper

May 05, 2019

Since the first blockchain advocates began promoting the technology’s capabilities over a decade ago, leaders across industries have often seemed unsure what to do with it. But in 2019, something unmistakable appears to be happening. What has e...

infographic

May 05, 2019

With friends, family, ant services that support participation. Through activities that promote health and personal enrichment. Older Americans Month 2019. Every May, the Administration for Community Living leads our nation's observance of Older A...

whitepaper

May 04, 2019

Digital Humanities Advancement Grants (DHAG) support digital projects at different stages throughout their lifecycles, from early start-up phases through implementation and sustainability. Experimentation, reuse, and extensibility are hallmarks of th...

infographic

May 04, 2019

60% of donors in North America prefer to give online. 17% by direct mail/post, 8% via PayPal, 6% via cash, and 5% by bank/wire transfer. 68% prefer to be thanked for their donations by email. 20% by print letter, 5% by print postcard, 3% by social me...

video

May 03, 2019

See how your nonprofit can use Summer 2019 as the season to crush it and utilize different methods to take your organization to the next level! Most of the nonprofits we meet are tackling the world’s toughest challenges in an innovative wa...

whitepaper

May 03, 2019

How do you get a grip on your nonprofit’s future? You can’t just look at where you are now. Status quo is today, not tomorrow. Sure, it’s comfortable. But that doesn’t mean it will stay that way. You can’t sleep your way...

blog article

May 02, 2019

Planning is an important aspect of any nonprofit staff member’s daily workflow. Without an effective plan in place, as Benjamin Franklin stated frankly, you’re preparing for failure. As you start considering larger campaigns and proj...

blog article

May 02, 2019

Large or small, nonprofits are always seeking more helping hands. As the next wave of volunteers comes of age, organizations need to ensure that they are visible to today’s audiences and equipped to attract new members. With communication and e...

video

May 01, 2019

Learn why LinkedIn is becoming a platform that many are tapping into and how your organization can benefit from LinkedIn Ads on both the organic and paid ads front. A lot of what is offered through the platform still has so much untapped potential, s...

blog article

May 01, 2019

So you want to steward your donors? Well, spring is the perfect time to do it. The weather’s getting nicer and so are people’s moods. Giving makes people happy and happy people give more. Since a primary goal of stewardship is to cre...

whitepaper

Apr 30, 2019

Each achievement in the disability movement today is built upon the dreams, struggles, and triumphs of the past. Some of our greatest leaders, like Justin Dart and President George H.W. Bush, have died. Other visionary leaders, including Judith Heuma...

infographic

Apr 30, 2019

New Canadians are giving more Annual average donation by new Canadians is $672, compared to $509 for those born in Canada. We give generously Canadians give $14+ billion annually to registered charities. INT 13 million Canadians volunteer time and ta...

infographic

Apr 30, 2019

Mix timely and timeless content. Share different types of content on your nonprofit’s Twitter account. Share and respond to breaking news pieces and tweet evergreen content. Working with 140 characters is no easy task. Keep your tweets short an...

infographic

Apr 30, 2019

In advance of the solicitation, prepare to ask the right person, at the right time, for the right amount, in the right way, for the right reason. Six things must go right for a solicitation to work. Make an appointment with the donor in a place where...

whitepaper

Apr 30, 2019

The SDGs 2030 are global goals, locally owned by 193 countries across the world, including India. Anchored by the United Nations, the SDGs offer a globally accepted language and uniform metrics for all countries against which to measure and compare p...

whitepaper

Apr 30, 2019

Since 1951, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta has been connecting donors, nonprofits and community leaders to strengthen the 23-county Atlanta region through philanthropy. With nearly 70 years serving the 23-county Atlanta region and a rob...

video

Apr 30, 2019

Today we're exploring AI hiring platforms that can help your nonprofit with recruitment. There are hundreds of fundraisers to help your organization. Many require you to sell candy, cookie dough, or other items to raise money. With this creative ...

infographic

Apr 29, 2019

Dream it and there’s a good chance the opportunity exists in nonprofit healthcare, from engineering to direct-care medicine to fundraising, this robust slice of the economy offers countless professions that make a difference.

blog article

Apr 29, 2019

Over the last 37 years, I have witnessed thousands of small and medium-sized nonprofits struggle with growing or even sustaining support for absolutely wonderful missions due to lack of any true professional fundraising training. Even worse, the...

blog article

Apr 29, 2019

By incorporating some nonprofit marketing best practices into your day-to-day strategies, your organization can increase your visibility to the community, communicate your mission, and share opportunities to get involved. We've broken down t...

blog article

Apr 29, 2019

Recently I provided a webinar for Candid called How to Engage Board Members in Fundraising in 15 Minutes Per Month. There were a number of great questions at the end of the webinar. I promised the attendees I would respond in a blog post. This is tha...

blog article

Apr 29, 2019

When I teach webinars aimed at growing monthly giving programs, I typically do some polls. One of the questions I have asked is, “How often do you ask your donors to give monthly?” The sad reality was that 35% said they never asked. ...

blog article

Apr 29, 2019

If you have attended a training program with a nationally recognized major-gift guru, you have likely learned many techniques and strategies on how to approach major donors. Much of this material is very good. But some of those trainings, just like m...

blog article

Apr 29, 2019

In this day and age as development professionals, we need to keep our eye both on donor retention and acquisition. It is one thing to retain your current donors, but if you are not constantly acquiring new ones, your donor file will naturally attriti...

blog article

Apr 29, 2019

Spring cleaning is in full swing. Whether you’re a fan of Marie Kondo’s approach to tidying and organizing or swear by your own method, one thing’s for sure getting your donor data in order is a priority for any fundraiser. How...

infographic

Apr 28, 2019

Donor Retention Past 5 Years 50% and larger donor retention Is higher. 250$ gift and lager donor retention is higher. 250$ gift and smaller donor retention is lower. Only - of all donors gave more from one year to the next.  Only 65 of 2,377 non...

video

Apr 26, 2019

More people in your community want to give to you than you realize. Sometimes they just don’t know how to give,” says Michael Buttacy, Executive Director of Ozarks Teen Challenge. Buttacy says building partnerships with those in your comm...

blog article

Apr 26, 2019

Engaging with your donors is critical to your fundraising efforts, and your donor newsletter is a key tool in your arsenal to take you on the path to success. We're using an expansive definition of the donor newsletter to include print, email, an...

blog article

Apr 26, 2019

In almost every case I think it’s totally fine to take notes. I have taken notes for 35 years, in more than 3,000 meetings with donors. Not in every meeting, but in the vast majority. We tend to be cautious in fundraising. We know upsetting a d...

blog article

Apr 26, 2019

Much has been written about how to approach Millennials. As the first “digital native” generation that is, they grew up with technology are the rules of communication really that different? If you answered yes, you’d be right. ...

blog article

Apr 25, 2019

Let’s start with the basics. Bitcoin was launched on January 3, 2008, in the midst of the financial crisis and bank bailouts. Why does that matter? Bitcoin is a digital cash with no middle-men, no central authority, and truly peer-to-peer in a ...

blog article

Apr 25, 2019

April is National Volunteer Month, and for many nonprofits, this serves as a reminder to reach out and encourage people to volunteer, while also showing appreciation and working to inspire local communities. Showing heart-felt appreciation is an effe...

blog article

Apr 25, 2019

These monthly giving thank you letter templates will save your staff time in telling your monthly donors just how special they really are. The key to retaining them? Thank them. Thank them often. And take “thank you” a step further b...

blog article

Apr 25, 2019

Following the devastating fire at France’s beloved Notre Dame, the cathedral raised a staggering $1 billion in just 72 hours to fund its restoration. And as the embers still smoulder, the debate of the scale of international giving rages on.&nb...

blog article

Apr 25, 2019

A not-for-profit organization is blessed when its executive director or CEO stays for a lengthy tenure. A leader who stays for 10, 15, or even 20 years usually means stability, respect, and success around the mission. If wildly successful or even the...

blog article

Apr 25, 2019

You never thought remote work would be the new norm for today’s workforce. But in the last ten years, telecommuting has grown by 140 percent. Nonprofits have joined the trend. The number of nonprofit employees working remotely has increase...

blog article

Apr 25, 2019

Last week, we shared this statistic with you: Approximately 63 million Americans 25% of the adult population volunteer their time, talents, and energy to making a difference. The 2016 national value of volunteer time is $24.14 per hour. In other word...

blog article

Apr 25, 2019

All these comments really mean the same thing. Each individual metric we track and try to improve upon is a KPI. And if we just try to improve KPIs, we will fail at accomplishing our missions because we are focused on the wrong things. Why is fo...

blog article

Apr 25, 2019

Aside from the work it does, an essential possession of a nonprofit is its donor database, which is the financial pipeline it requires to complete its mission. Recently, Adam Treiser, founder and CEO of Arjuna Solutions, and professor of decision sci...

blog article

Apr 25, 2019

Fundraising is the perfect job for hopeless romantics because being genuinely thoughtful and compassionate with your donors makes you a remarkably better fundraiser. Many of the charities I give to do an incredible job of making me feel appreciated. ...

video

Apr 24, 2019

At GiveLively.org we build better fundraising tech and give it away for free. Give Lively's products drastically improve the online giving experience for donors and help nonprofits raise more for their cause. Much like a foundation, Giv...

blog article

Apr 24, 2019

If your organization were a person, what would they be like? How would they look, speak and move? Would they be the life of the party, or more subdued? These questions might seem silly, but in nonprofit branding, they’re anything but. In fact, ...

blog article

Apr 24, 2019

Last month as I was preparing for a board retreat, it became clear that the board’s role, specifically related to how they could be effective community ambassadors, was unclear to most of the members. On the pre-survey, this was highlighted as ...

blog article

Apr 24, 2019

I can hear the shouts already: “Isn’t message just one component of effective marketing?” Yes, it is. And visual identity is another key ingredient. Diligence to Stay Updated in All Media Platforms Is Critical to Each Part of Your P...

blog article

Apr 24, 2019

In a previous post, we discussed why every nonprofit should prioritize monthly giving and how to develop a program that works. While major, annual gifts from large fundraising events and year end appeals are critical, recurring gifts provide predicta...

blog article

Apr 24, 2019

As a nonprofit professional, you work tirelessly to improve the lives of others and dedicate your time for the betterment of our world. And while you might not fight evil aliens in a futuristic suit of armor, or shoot lightning out of a giant hammer,...

blog article

Apr 24, 2019

Filing taxes is no one’s favorite pastime, but it’s necessary for nonprofits to keep their tax-exempt status. When you started your 501(c)(3), you registered to be a tax-exempt organization. Maintaining that status will help your nonprofi...

blog article

Apr 24, 2019

Team members at nonprofit organizations often feel a special kinship. Everyone strives to deliver on the organization's mission and is passionate about the same thing having a positive impact on people's lives and within their communities. In...

blog article

Apr 24, 2019

Markita Andrews was thirteen when she was interviewed on NBC morning television. At the time, she was the all-time champion seller of Girl Scout cookies eleven thousand boxes in a year. Let me paraphrase what she said about her success. “Markit...

blog article

Apr 24, 2019

You’ve successfully attracted donors to your cause. They’re passionate, eager, and willing to support you. But if you don’t steward them successfully, you’ll lose them. And then you’re simply spending all your precious f...

video

Apr 24, 2019

Here we have Part 3 of our conversation with Eric about scientists making the move to nonprofits. Stay tuned for the final installment of our conversation with Eric.  In the meantime, you can check out his Career Video to learn more about his ca...

blog article

Apr 24, 2019

If you have some monthly donors now, congratulations. Please allow me to share some recent statistics with you on why these small recurring donors are so powerful: Average monthly gift between $24 and $36, that’s between $288 and $432 a ye...

video

Apr 23, 2019

In today’s video, we are going to share the biggest mistake that nonprofits make when trying to find donors online AND we are going to share tips and tricks on how to find donors online. Our step-by-step training will show you how to succe...

blog article

Apr 23, 2019

Nonprofits are doing important work every day that impacts lives and makes our world even better. But due to many common challenges to constantly reach new donors, retain existing donors, and increase operational efficiency the amount of effort to im...

video

Apr 23, 2019

Baron Jay Littleton Jr, President and Executive Director of Baron Jay Foundation, gives his advice on how to start a nonprofit organization. He explains that the first thing he did was going to bookstore or library and pick up the book, How to Start ...

blog article

Apr 23, 2019

Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970 and was recognized worldwide by 1990. The brainchild of Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson, the holiday encourages budding and veteran conservationists alike to reduce waste, conserve resources, plant tr...

blog article

Apr 23, 2019

The Kenneth Rainin Foundation is celebrating our 10th anniversary of formal grantmaking this year. We’ve been thinking a lot lately about where we’ve been and where we’re going, so we were delighted with the timely invitation to par...

blog article

Apr 23, 2019

Do you feel like the world you're fundraising in has fundamentally shifted? That the things that used to work aren’t delivering like they used to? That something about your supporters and their expectations have changed? It’s not just...

blog article

Apr 23, 2019

In my last post, I wrote about the importance of staying donor-centered. Now let’s take it a step further. Try to think like your donors. Visualize one donor or a type of donor and imagine how they will respond to your communication. You m...

blog article

Apr 23, 2019

Are successful fundraisers born or made? I heartily take issue with the contention that fundraising is only for a special few of us. Too many people who are virtually fearless in everything else they need to face in their personal and profe...

blog article

Apr 23, 2019

Twice in the past month I’ve been asked for a major gift. Pretty much out of the blue. Without much preparation, relationship-building or making of an inspiring case for support. It was clear to me what the charity would get out ...

video

Apr 22, 2019

Nonprofit organizations are a lot more powerful than you may think. We're here to break down stereotypes and give nonprofits the attention they deserve.

video

Apr 22, 2019

This Spring over 2,000 nonprofit leaders gathered for 2019 Nonprofit Technology Conference (19NTC) in Portland, Oregon. The annual conference brings together thought leaders in the field to share the latest and greatest in the nonprofit tech space.

blog article

Apr 22, 2019

Companies of all sizes often choose to participate in employee matching gift programs. After employees of the participating companies donate to a nonprofit organization, they can request a match from their employer, which effectively doubles the init...

blog article

Apr 22, 2019

Pablo Picasso famously said one must “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.” Mastering the fundamentals of any field provides the foundation of success and creativity. You have to know how something works in or...

video

Apr 22, 2019

Unreliable, time-consuming public transportation and expensive ride shares are hope crushing constraints on the dreams and potential of people with limited means. MyCityRides re-imagined the non-profit model to help working people adopt a new means o...

blog article

Apr 22, 2019

Hopefully by now you know there’s no point in simply “doing” an event for the sake of the event itself. It’s a waste of precious time and resources unless everyone your organization, your staff, your volunteers and your donors...

blog article

Apr 21, 2019

As a non-profit, one of the most critical parts of your job is building a relationship with the donors, audience, and community. We’d say more so than any other type of business. In fact, your non-profit marketing strategy should revolve m...

blog article

Apr 19, 2019

Nonprofits face unique challenges that for-profit organizations don’t have to grapple with. First, nonprofits have to ask for money from people who don’t directly use their services. Instead of customers, nonprofits rely on donors. And ma...

blog article

Apr 19, 2019

You have an excellent idea for your nonprofit to help those in need. It’s a series of meetups to help your target audience in some way. You’ve worked endlessly on designing the schedule. You did your outreach. You’re all r...

blog article

Apr 19, 2019

Over the past five years, I have personally spoken with hundreds of nonprofit chief executive officers, executive directors, and chief financial officers. While driving donations is an ever-present topic of our conversations, I find that top nonprofi...

blog article

Apr 19, 2019

The fundraising environment and the donating habits shift all the time. This is why it’s necessary for museums, now more than ever, to take fundraising seriously, and dedicate appropriate resources and energy to the process. When it comes ...

blog article

Apr 19, 2019

How many times have you tried to research foundations, corporations, organizations, associations and individuals only to find out that these entities are not accepting new proposals? In fact, they have not accepted new proposals for quite some time. ...

blog article

Apr 19, 2019

Americans are generous and enjoy the sense of being a part of a worthy cause achieved by charitable giving. In 2017, charitable giving in the U.S. surpassed $400 billion for the first time, a 5.2% increase over the previous year. Over the past six de...

blog article

Apr 19, 2019

Donor acquisition is all the rage, but did you know nearly 3 out of 4 new donors leave and never come back. I’d stay that’s pretty stinky, wouldn’t you? Blackbaud’s latest Charitable Giving Report sheds light on the importance...

blog article

Apr 19, 2019

We recently held the fifth annual Blackbaud Target Analytics donorCentrics Sustainer Summit, hosted by WGBH in Boston on March 23 and 24, 2019, the question on everyone’s mind was simple: following significant gains in donors in FY2017, were we...

blog article

Apr 18, 2019

I recently had the honor to be part of a panel discussion releasing a new report on the state of fundraising in the U.S. The report came from a task group I’ve chaired for the past year and half with Rogare, the Fundraising Think Tank. Tog...

blog article

Apr 18, 2019

Here is the short answer to the question of how many Microsoft products you can request: You can get 50 of each donated product in a two-year period with a couple of exceptions for servers and unlimited discounted products. This article goes int...

blog article

Apr 18, 2019

As part of philanthropic advising for a Bay-Area funder, I’ve gotten a front row seat into the strengths and challenges of almost 20 small- to medium-sized nonprofits. This post and the next few will share learning from this work. The othe...

blog article

Apr 18, 2019

Twitter is a great platform for nonprofits to use as a way to engage in conversations with local communities, promote brand awareness and keep tabs on relevant issues and policies. However, it can be a challenge depending on resources, time and conte...

blog article

Apr 18, 2019

Nonprofits turn to awareness campaigns to increase their visibility and ride the wave of relevancy, often as part of designated awareness weeks and months. While there’s some good advice out there for putting together a campaign that drives peo...

blog article

Apr 17, 2019

You already know the importance of using online fundraising as part of your overall fundraising strategy  but does your board fully support it? Without the power of your board members to back you up, your online fundraising efforts could be...

blog article

Apr 17, 2019

Can you believe that we’re well into 2019 by now? January is over, and warmer spring winds are blowing in from the east. However, it’s not too late to use the fundraising lessons that your nonprofit learned in the past year to make sure t...

blog article

Apr 17, 2019

Have you ever caught a glimpse of yourself in the mirror and thought it might be time for a change? Maybe your haircut is getting a little tired, or you haven’t updated your wardrobe in a few years. Your “look” has worked for you, m...

blog article

Apr 17, 2019

This “new reality” is realizing that what engaged and activated supporters 10 years ago may not work today. For example, with the recent changes to postage prices, a direct mail appeal shouldn’t just be a letter asking for someone t...

blog article

Apr 17, 2019

If you’re like most nonprofits, Facebook is your top social network to engage supporters and increase awareness about your nonprofit. However, like most nonprofits, you’ve probably had your fair share of frustrations with Facebook.&n...

blog article

Apr 17, 2019

Understanding statistics behind giving patterns is a powerful way to unlock knowledge and help you shape your fundraising campaigns and events. Here's a list of 10 of the most important charitable giving statistics from 2018 compiled by Non Profi...

blog article

Apr 17, 2019

It’s no surprise that Facebook has cemented its role in nonprofit marketers’ plans for raising awareness and building loyal brand ambassadors. As part of an integrated, multichannel strategy, social media is more than a publishing platfor...

blog article

Apr 17, 2019

If your fiscal year ends June 30, chances are you’re planning a spring campaign. You’ve drafted a compelling, donor-driven appeal; branded your online presence; and integrated your messaging into every aspect. You’ve been so focused...

blog article

Apr 16, 2019

As a nonprofit, it can be challenging to effectively engage with your community especially online. A lot of donation revenue can come from online sources, but that means there’s also a lot of competition to get donors’ attention. So, how ...

blog article

Apr 16, 2019

We all use email to communicate to some degree. Email is quick. It is efficient. It costs a lot less than direct mail. But it’s also easy to have an email be disregarded or missed by its intended recipient. When you need a recipient to take a p...

blog article

Apr 16, 2019

It’s time to take back the discussion of effective philanthropy from those who don’t really know what they’re talking about. It needs to happen and there’s no better day than today to start. I don’t mean to be harsh...

blog article

Apr 16, 2019

Many nonprofits don’t seem to understand what it means to be donor-centered. I think it’s fairly obvious. It means focusing on your donors’ needs and interests, acknowledging them in your letters and other communication, and taking ...

blog article

Apr 16, 2019

In 1995, Robert Metcalfe, the inventor of Ethernet, predicted that the Internet would collapse within a year. He was dead wrong. Today, approximately 3.8 billion people around the world have an e-mail address and 2.3 billion have a social media profi...

blog article

Apr 16, 2019

It's fair to say employees of nonprofit organizations stretch themselves to the limit more than average, because they believe fiercely in the work they're doing and are striving to make a difference. While the work in a nonprofit organization...

blog article

Apr 16, 2019

Spring is in the air and it’s the perfect time to launch a fundraising campaign. Use this time to engage and renew donors, attract prospects, build awareness, and plant the seeds that sustain your organization. Tailor your spring campaign to:&n...

blog article

Apr 15, 2019

Want to write a technology grant application that is a no-brainer for a funder to approve? Then don’t forget to explain the project’s return on investment (ROI) in the proposal. ROI can apply to individual technology choices as well ...

blog article

Apr 15, 2019

According to a recent article from philanthropy and fundraising expert Gail Perry, we could very well be in the middle of a golden age of major gift fundraising. In a bad economy, people want to hold onto the money they have, but in a good econo...

blog article

Apr 15, 2019

Nonprofits very often serve vulnerable populations within the community, which means they’re consistently handling private data. They’re also finding new ways to utilize technology to help increase efficiency of sometimes very small staff...

whitepaper

Apr 15, 2019

Whether you’re a fundraising pro or an “accidental” fundraiser, it’s always good to remember your ABCs. And why not have a little fun while you do! From Appeals to LYBUNT to Year-End Giving, test your knowledge of these essent...

blog article

Apr 15, 2019

Advertising online requires a diverse set of technical, written, and artistic skills that many nonprofits might not have access to. Facebook Ads for nonprofits is no different, but we’re here to help get you started. We have experience cre...

blog article

Apr 15, 2019

Spring is in full bloom, which means a whole new season of fundraising opportunities are headed your way! By taking advantage of the sunshine, gorgeous weather and plentiful holidays spring has to offer, you can make spring fundraisers the best of th...

blog article

Apr 15, 2019

We’re not sure about you, but we’ve got the summer itch. We’re so close to outdoor activities, watching fireworks, and eating BBQ that we can almost taste it. What better way to harness that excitement than to start planning your su...

blog article

Apr 15, 2019

The donor was absolutely giddy about supporting the project. It was something close to his heart—something he wanted to put some of his hard-earned money into. So when the major gift officer told him about it, the decision was easy, but he had ...

blog article

Apr 15, 2019

In this post, you’ll learn from my mistakes and create better charts for your audience to show fundraising results, organization’s impact or benchmarking. Have you seen a chart and asked yourself, “What is this? What am I suppo...

blog article

Apr 15, 2019

My overarching philosophy of all nonprofit fundraising events, Galas and otherwise, is this: Make folks think they got more than their money’s worth! This holds true for everything they take away: Food, Beverage, Gifts, Treats, Fun, F...

blog article

Apr 12, 2019

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) increases your organization’s visibility in organic (not paid) search results, making your organization easier to find and driving people to your website. Many nonprofits don’t put time and energy into SEO...

blog article

Apr 12, 2019

If you’re looking for creative ways to broaden the reach and appeal of your fundraising campaigns, cause marketing presents exciting possibilities. From charity events to buy-one-get-one campaigns, cause marketing can invigorate your fundraisin...

blog article

Apr 12, 2019

Fundraising professionals don't need to be told that donors are more likely to support an organization if they feel they understand the work the organization does and that you, the fundraiser, value their investment in that work. The key que...

blog article

Apr 12, 2019

It’s been almost two months exactly since Foundation Center and GuideStar joined forces to become a brand new nonprofit entity known as Candid. These two infrastructure organizations have a long history with the IS [Independent Sector] communit...

video

Apr 11, 2019

In the year 2014, it’s estimated that 63 million America people volunteered their time. This equalled a grand total of 7.7 billion hours! That is a lot of generous people! Here are some more interesting facts on volunteering.

blog article

Apr 11, 2019

Your website plays an important role in promoting your nonprofit and raising funds to support your mission. It’s crucial to the success of your organization because your website is where donors go to learn more about your cause and offer their ...

blog article

Apr 11, 2019

During these last 10 years, we have discovered that when it comes to ramping up a new foundation or grantmaking organization, there is no single “how-to guide” or step-by-step plan to follow, despite the philanthropic community being a dy...

blog article

Apr 11, 2019

Spring is a great time of year to freshen up your fundraising. The birds are chirping, the sun is out, and the warmer temperatures encourage everyone to get out of the house. Here are some new ideas to take advantage of season and refresh your fundra...

blog article

Apr 11, 2019

Gary says that the hunger to create perfect content cripples you, and yet in order to get the most from social media, you have to share content consistently. Nonprofits understand this struggle more than most, I think. The desire to get things r...

blog article

Apr 11, 2019

Holding a fundraising event is a great way for nonprofits to earn support for their cause and attract new donors. For many nonprofit organizations, events play a key role in raising the funds needed to support the organization's projects. Events ...

blog article

Apr 11, 2019

One of the biggest problems peer-to-peer event planners face is $0 fundraisers. They register to participate in your fundraiser, they just never actually get started. How can you encourage your peer-to-peer participants to, well, participate? If...

blog article

Apr 11, 2019

As a nonprofit leader myself, I know how frequently social sector organizations are strapped for capacity. According to our research at Common Impact, most nonprofits spend only an estimated 2% of their budget to support key operations like marketing...

blog article

Apr 11, 2019

Recently we collaborated with one of Turnkey’s clients on the strategy to launch a crowdfunding campaign to run concurrently with its peer-to-peer events. Crowdfunding and peer-to-peer are different animals. The former is a direct-response outr...

blog article

Apr 11, 2019

The world of philanthropy will be heavily shaped in coming years by the greatest intergenerational wealth transfer in history, with tens of trillions of dollars being passed down in the next half century. Estimates vary about how much of this wealth ...

blog article

Apr 11, 2019

A nonprofit faces a financial crisis. The sky seems to be falling. The temptation is to put those money woes at the top of the list as to why you and your volunteers are fundraising. The urgency provides the case for supporting the annual campai...

video

Apr 10, 2019

You don’t have to read a book a week (you don’t really have time for that!) when you are running a nonprofit, but you do have to make time for more reading! And when you do, start with our list. These books will inform and inspi...

blog article

Apr 10, 2019

Philanthropy alone cannot solve the problems our society faces, but it has a vital role to play. We know this because it has historically played such a role, even as we can all agree that we wish it had achieved more. Over the past many years, philan...

blog article

Apr 10, 2019

Black Fox Philanthropy and Candid (formerly Foundation Center, which recently combined with GuideStar to form a brand new organization) co-hosted a gathering for capacity building partners and NGOs at Opportunity Collaboration last October. Why? We h...

blog article

Apr 10, 2019

You want others to get the word out about you and your cause. You want them to be talking about you. It’s the start of going viral – the holy grail of marketers everywhere. Everyone wants to know how to make that happen. There are lo...

blog article

Apr 10, 2019

Many nonprofits offer a variety of resources to fuel the success of their peer-to-peer fundraisers, like tip sheets, design assets for personal fundraising pages, and email and social media templates. However, when it comes to equipping and educ...

blog article

Apr 10, 2019

Everyone knows education is one of the most valuable resources for the future, and yet educational institutions often find themselves underfunded. The good news - people believe in education, if not out of loyalty to their alma mater or their childre...

blog article

Apr 10, 2019

As a nonprofit’s development officer, stewarding new and existing donors is what you do day in and day out. Sometimes you can feel like you aren’t doing enough, no matter how many people you reach out to every day. This is normal. Th...

blog article

Apr 10, 2019

Are you doing enough to make the joy and excitement of your event last long after the guests have left, and all the decorations have been packed up? The days and weeks following your event are a prime time to increase your donor engagement (and givin...

blog article

Apr 09, 2019

In 2018, Candid launched a new live, online training series, “All Together Now: Conversations in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI),” to raise awareness about funding for racial equity efforts. Over the last year, we have heard f...

whitepaper

Apr 09, 2019

Spring is in the air! You’ve made it through another cold, dark winter and are ready to tackle the joys and energy of spring. Your donors are feeling happy and generous. What better time than now for a fundraising campaign? Whether you’re...

video

Apr 09, 2019

Want to come to the Rollettes experience but don’t quite have the cash to get there? Try one of our fundraising ideas to help support your efforts to come to the Rollettes Experience! Do a crowd sourcing fundraiser, like a GoFundMe page, t...

blog article

Apr 09, 2019

Over the years I’ve come to find the value of keeping things simple. Whether it’s preparing a dish with just a few ingredients or not cramming my schedule with one thing after another. But keeping it simple doesn’t have to mean...

blog article

Apr 09, 2019

The Lerner Foundation had only been making grants for five years when the winds shifted the board of directors decided it was time for a profound change in our priorities. Our founding purpose is simple and straightforward: “to further opportun...

blog article

Apr 09, 2019

The conversations around nonprofit social media strategy too often focus on the “media” part: What to post and when. But what about the “social” part? That’s the real magic of social media, and remembering that will...

blog article

Apr 09, 2019

The top 300 foundations in the UK have combined assets of £65 billion and gave out £3.3 billion in grants in 2018. Collectively and individually these foundations wield a great deal of power through their wealth, status, and ability to se...

blog article

Apr 09, 2019

Fundraising is quite the beast. It’s a sprawling, various, intricate process, and there are areas of it that nonprofits, especially new ones, tend to avoid. One of these areas is legacy giving, a type of donor-based fundraising that scares a lo...

blog article

Apr 09, 2019

Digital security threats to the NGO sector around the world have never been more real. Cybercriminals everywhere have become increasingly bold, and NGOs are in no way immune to these dangers. In fact, as a result of smaller budgets and limited staffi...

blog article

Apr 09, 2019

Nonprofit special events are traditions. Comfortable old shoes. Sacred cows. They’ve either been around so long no one can imagine doing away with them, or they’re the beloved brainchild of an important donor, board committee or executive...

blog article

Apr 09, 2019

If your nonprofit is already using Salesforce as your CRM, you’ll want to make the most out of the features offered by this popular platform. Your organization will also want to make sure that all of your software systems work together seamless...

blog article

Apr 08, 2019

As a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, passed at the end of 2017, many nonprofits found themselves facing a significant tax on both the compensation of certain employees and any separation payments, often called “parachute payments,” p...

blog article

Apr 08, 2019

How do you decide what data to collect to track your outcomes and progress? It may seem obvious when you think about it yet it’s a common failing that not only wastes time and resources, but denies organizations the strategic information they n...

blog article

Apr 08, 2019

For publicly traded companies, it’s expected that they disclose important information to their shareholders like financial statements, details about operational procedures, leadership salaries, and much more. Similarly, nonprofits also disclose...

blog article

Apr 08, 2019

It’s been 15 months since the Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TCJA) became law. At the time of passage many pundits predicted dire consequences for the nonprofit sector, largely due to the near doubling of the standard deduction, meaning the high thresho...

blog article

Apr 08, 2019

Ever feel like your nonprofit organization is operating the same way it did in the 1980s? Yes, the 1980s, a decade that brought us the ‘Miracle on Ice,’ the Celtics dynasty and, of course, the first laptop. Who can forget the laptops from...

blog article

Apr 05, 2019

Unsure whether your grant proposals have what it takes to stand out in a sea of applications? There can often be misunderstandings amongst nonprofits as to what constitutes a strong proposal in the eyes of a foundation. While there’s no on...

blog article

Apr 05, 2019

It’s much easier to learn something completely new than to unlearn an old habit. Just ask any parent. It’s why children are taught essential functions at an early age: they haven’t yet learned the wrong way to do things. Movement, l...

blog article

Apr 05, 2019

In the commercial world, money-back guarantees are everywhere. They are a cost of doing business if you want to sell anything to anyone, and they’re increasingly gutsy. We see guarantees of double your money back and other elaborate guarantees ...

blog article

Apr 05, 2019

If you’re looking to increase donations for your nonprofit organization, your first move will be to evaluate and validate the fundraising goals you set for your organization. Most nonprofits have fundraising goals, but not all goals are created...

blog article

Apr 05, 2019

Since 2017, Facebook has allowed users to fundraise for a non-profit of their choice around the time of their birthday. Through this platform, Facebook users have raised over $300 million for their favorite organizations. How does it work? Read this ...

blog article

Apr 04, 2019

The concept of recurring giving is pretty awesome.  It enables people to make a meaningful increase in their impact on an organization that they care about without feeling a big impact in their checkbooks. For donors who care about a cause, noth...

blog article

Apr 04, 2019

When we think of storytelling, we may think of childhood and bedtime stories. Yet storytelling has existed since the beginning of humankind. Cave drawings told stories before we developed the power of speech! Stories have been passed down across...

video

Apr 04, 2019

In this post, we are covering the three main tips we have for nonprofit marketers looking to organically grow their Facebook audience. Read the blog for the details! While there are algorithms that affect to whom social posts are shown and how o...

blog article

Apr 04, 2019

You’ve planned a smashing event. Your RSVP list is a veritable who’s who of your community. Everyone is buzzing, and when the event rolls around, it’s a hit. Even that one hard-to-please board member is smiling. So, how are you goin...

blog article

Apr 04, 2019

A huge chunk of a nonprofit’s donation revenue comes from major gifts—or it should. You might be thinking to yourself, “My nonprofit is too small for a major gift program,” or “We can’t afford a major gift officer ...

blog article

Apr 04, 2019

One of the happiest and most fulfilling results of providing database technology to the nonprofit sector for nearly four decades has been being able to witness the overwhelming majority of those new customers raise more dollars each year to fund thei...

blog article

Apr 04, 2019

If you’re like most peer-to-peer fundraising staff, you’re drowning in data. You ascertain averages, browse benchmarks, and create charts. You detail donations, edit estimates, and fetch files. You hoard history, gather graphs, and index ...

blog article

Apr 03, 2019

When you’re a nonprofit looking to strengthen your fundraising efforts, the entire process can seem overwhelming. After all, boosting fundraising campaigns typically takes a lot of effort. That’s why it’s important to break down the...

blog article

Apr 03, 2019

Do you know the most important word in fundraising? If you don't, I'll give you a clue. I've used it three times already. It's "you" as in "you," the donor. Your donor is the reason you can do your good work. Yet m...

blog article

Apr 03, 2019

What would happen if household tidying expert Marie Kondo took a look at your nonprofit’s email newsletters? If you’ve been struggling to keep organized, maintain your email list or stay on a schedule, it’s time to build (or rebuild...

blog article

Apr 03, 2019

Few of us think twice when we pull out a card to pay for a shopping cart full of groceries or a plane ticket. We enjoy the cashback or miles we’ll be getting, and whatever the merchant has to pay in processing fees is of no concern to us. ...

blog article

Apr 03, 2019

Back in 2016, Bill Gates, in the context of his partnership with the Heifer Foundation to donate 100,000 chickens to people around the world living on $2 a day, blogged about how raising egg-laying fowl can be a smart, cost-effective antidote to extr...

blog article

Apr 03, 2019

At this point, it may be safe to say that we know the value of content for our organization’s fundraising program. Content especially for annual giving donors helps us build relationships by thanking, stewarding, and cultivating donors. It&rsqu...

blog article

Apr 03, 2019

Data can feel cold and detached—but it’s actually the key to developing more meaningful relationships. In today’s day and age, being data-savvy means being thoughtful, informed, and relevant. However, it’s not always clea...

blog article

Apr 03, 2019

When is the last time you thought to yourself, I wish this was more difficult, or there should be a worse way to complete this task? If the answer is anything other than never, then you are an anomaly. Most people want simple they want easy, and they...

blog article

Apr 03, 2019

Your fundraising event’s success depends on the quantity (and quality) of guests who RSVP (and actually show up). In political campaigns, the “flake rate” tracks the number of volunteers who say they’ll canvas, phone bank, or ...

blog article

Apr 03, 2019

Did you know that last year marked the 40th year businesses have been using email for marketing purposes? A lot has changed in those 40 years! Email marketing can be a great way to communicate with your donors throughout the year as well as support y...

video

Apr 02, 2019

BPM's Daniel Figueredo, Partner and Nonprofit Industry Group Leader, discusses the Firm's Nonprofit Industry Group and who it serves, including those in: Arts and Culture, Private Foundations, Religious Organizations and Educational Instituti...

blog article

Apr 02, 2019

My favorite band is Los Lobos. I’ve listened to their music since (gulp!) high school more than 30 years ago, and I’ve been to countless of their concerts. All five original members have played music together for more than 40 years. I&rsq...

blog article

Apr 02, 2019

Marie Kondo is the high priestess of tidying up. The essence of her method, which everybody’s heard of by now, is this: If a thing gives you joy, you keep it. If it doesn’t, you thank it and let it go. What does this have to do with fundr...

blog article

Apr 02, 2019

I love working with nonprofits because they’re in a remarkable position to succeed with SEO. Your website is your lifeblood and whether you use it to rebrand your organization, communicate with the world, collect donations or spread more good, ...

blog article

Apr 02, 2019

Netflix has forever changed the way we watch our favorite shows and arguably, our general construct of television. Hulu, Amazon, and now Apple are all trying to replicate the Netflix model for their customers. What can nonprofits take away from Netfl...

blog article

Apr 01, 2019

With limited resources, most nonprofit financial management teams are stretched thin. Every month-end, quarter-end, and year-end, the team is under enormous pressure to complete financial reporting while still keeping up with a myriad of other tasks....

blog article

Apr 01, 2019

Do race and ethnicity affect women’s giving? A new report from the Women’s Philanthropy Institute provides insight into this question. Women Give 2019: Gender and Giving Across Communities of Color, examines giving by men and women across...

blog article

Apr 01, 2019

The work you do is so impactful and meaningful, you have a fan club. Multichannel donors cheer for you and pitch in to help. They follow you on social media, donate to your cause, rally their Facebook friends, and participate in your events. In other...

blog article

Apr 01, 2019

Everything you do emanates from the WHY and WHAT of your existence. Your mission! And both the why and what are important, because if folks don’t understand why you exist it’s difficult to inspire them with what you are doing. The mi...

blog article

Apr 01, 2019

Humor in nonprofit marketing can be a tricky thing. While consumer-facing businesses often employ it as a marketing slant, it can feel difficult and sometimes, inappropriate to use it as a nonprofit. After all, your work tends to be pretty serious.&n...

blog article

Apr 01, 2019

A received a very excited call from a client: “We got several monthly donors from the tick box on the special appeal! But how do I now report this? Our finance folks want to attribute this for the calendar year only. Help?” I congrat...

blog article

Apr 01, 2019

Fundraising events are a nonprofit mainstay, but they take a lot of time, money, and effort to produce. Creating a solid plan before you launch your campaign, will help create an event that your guests will remember and won’t break your bank!&n...

video

Apr 01, 2019

Ashley Thompson, Managing Director of The Blackbaud Institute, shares why it's important for fundraisers to understand generations in order to better realize their giving habits. The Next Generation of Giving research series reveals multicha...

infographic

Mar 31, 2019

Foundation funding for LGBTQ issues totaled $185.8 million in 2017. While this represents a significant decrease of nearly $17 million, or 8 percent, from the $202.3 million in LGBTQ funding reported in 2016, this decline is almost entirely attributa...

infographic

Mar 31, 2019

49,100 nonprofits are operating without a strategic plan. Yet strategic plans help with all areas of nonprofit leadership. 61%of CEOs are not getting evaluated by their board; 42% of nonprofits do not have any formal evaluation systems for anyone. No...

infographic

Mar 31, 2019

Many groups are unaware of the range of grants they could be searching and applying for. They tend to narrow the options rather than widen them. Your group should cast its net wide, already searching for grants in your primary area of concern, of cou...

whitepaper

Mar 31, 2019

In 2016, we released one of the first studies on religious-based fundraising foundations, The Advancement of Religious-Based Fundraising Foundations in the United States. We examined religious giving and focused on the use of stand-alone fundraising ...

whitepaper

Mar 31, 2019

Security Donations project aimed at addressing problems associated with the charity industry: lack of transparency and data openness. Platform allows you to track funds movement and make sure that donations have reached the recipient. The functioning...

whitepaper

Mar 31, 2019

Fundraising events are a nonprofit mainstay, but they typically take a lot of time, money, and effort to produce. Because even the most basic events can run into tens of thousands of dollars, it’s important to squeeze as much return on investme...

blog article

Mar 31, 2019

In recent years, organizations around the world have been using “influencers”  fitness gurus, beauty bloggers, fashionistas and others to supercharge your fundraising. Influencers usually endorse products from lipsticks to cars ...

blog article

Mar 29, 2019

Editor's note: Each year in the spring, the cause digital marketing firm M+R publishes its famous benchmark studies on U.S. nonprofit online fundraising and marketing trends. Sign up to get their free Benchmark Study later this month. This articl...

blog article

Mar 29, 2019

If your nonprofit is one of the tens of thousands currently using Salesforce as your CRM platform, how do you know that you're getting the most from your Salesforce donor management? Salesforce donor management software is completely customi...

blog article

Mar 29, 2019

Have you ever given thought to your nonprofit’s internal communications? Every day, you communicate several times to a variety of people within your organization, using various communication methods. Are these communications effective? Do you r...

blog article

Mar 29, 2019

Corporate sponsorship is an effective strategy for fundraising. In 2018 alone, corporate sponsorship generated a record $24.8 billion. Nonprofit professionals, however, sometimes hesitate to seek corporate funding. Much of this aversion stems fr...

video

Mar 29, 2019

Kentucky Non-Profit organizations face specific IT challenges. By working with CoreTech, your non-profit can benefit from the same level of care and detail that larger enterprises get, with solutions tailored specifically towards your needs.

blog article

Mar 28, 2019

As a nonprofit and resource provider to nonprofits, we understand the need for dependable and afforadable services to help us power our mission. That’s why we’re proud to partner with Jitasa, longtime Mission Capital business member and t...

blog article

Mar 28, 2019

When your nonprofit is running peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns, you often focus on the campaign theme, the communications, and the fundraising goals. But, do you consider how easy it is for your staff members to get their jobs done in support of y...

blog article

Mar 28, 2019

Artificial intelligence might not be top of mind for a lot of nonprofits, but there's no denying its potential. Machine-learning algorithms could help you raise more money, draft marketing content for donors, predict data for better program manag...

blog article

Mar 28, 2019

Typically, engagements with my clients in the nonprofit sector follow a similar pattern. I recommend some sort of formative research at the beginning in order to inform the messages, strategies, and tactics we’ll use to help them reach their go...

blog article

Mar 28, 2019

I was talking the other day with a client who was trying to rewire their annual fundraising campaign. They were putting together a prospect list, deciding whom to ask to serve on the campaign committee. First, we discussed what databases or other res...

blog article

Mar 28, 2019

Your space is cramped. You have two desks jammed in a room the size of a janitorial closet. There is nowhere to meet clients or donors that presents a professional face of the organization. Someone just gifted your nonprofit a piece of property upon ...

blog article

Mar 28, 2019

Nonprofit organizations are spending more money in digital than ever before, whether to raise money from individual donors, recruit special event participants, increase brand awareness or support mission programs and services. The industry is so eage...

blog article

Mar 28, 2019

Let’s face it, there are seemingly a million non-profits and charities out there doing amazing work. It can be difficult for donors to decide which organizations they want to support. How can you make your organization stand out from the rest a...

blog article

Mar 28, 2019

It’s no secret that turnover is a known evil for many social good organizations. What may be less obvious are the reasons why. Maybe you’ve seen the situation first hand – an incredibly passionate individual decides to make a differ...

blog article

Mar 27, 2019

The saying, “age ain’t nothing but a number,” is true particularly when it comes to the challenges that Gen Xers and Baby Boomers face in what continues to be a candidate-driven market. Pew Research Center confirms that 85% of Gen X...

blog article

Mar 27, 2019

You’ve probably heard a lot about Salesforce Einstein during AI for Good week! If not, here’s a quick recap. Salesforce Einstein is the latest technology from Salesforce that incorporates AI features and capabilities which enables users t...

blog article

Mar 27, 2019

Just in time for Women’s History Month, the Building Movement Project revisits data gathered from its 2016 survey Nonprofits, Leadership, and Race extrapolating and analyzing findings unique to women of color (WOC) in the non-profit sector. The...

blog article

Mar 27, 2019

The last federal government shutdown was the longest in recent U.S. history. Impacts of the shutdown extended far beyond the Federal Government to businesses and nonprofits, including those that do not receive direct federal funding. Understandably, ...

blog article

Mar 27, 2019

Google for Nonprofits started as a conversation about a volunteer program in an elevator in our New York office in 2010. Today, Google for Nonprofits has connected more than 200,000 nonprofits around the globe with Google products to help them run th...

blog article

Mar 27, 2019

One of the reasons that Salesforce is the world's leading CRM is that it is incredibly customizable. With an extensive number of Salesforce apps and integrations available, you can ensure you get the most out of your CRM. The one downside to havi...

blog article

Mar 27, 2019

Not every nonprofit organization receives grants, but those that do know how difficult it can be to keep track of these funds. Restricted funds can only be spent on specific programs or projects, so it’s crucial to know exactly where those fund...

blog article

Mar 27, 2019

Marketing, party of one? At small nonprofits, it’s not uncommon for there to be one staff member who wrangles all of the marketing and communications. And while you get a lot done, it can feel a little isolating when you don’t have other ...

blog article

Mar 27, 2019

Most nonprofits receive the majority of their funding from major donors. Engaging major donors is a must. These donors want to have a connection and make an impact with your organization. How your nonprofit creates engagement with major gift prospect...

blog article

Mar 27, 2019

In 1995, Robert Metcalfe, the inventor of Ethernet, predicted that the Internet would collapse within a year. He was dead wrong. Today, approximately 3.8 billion people around the world have an e-mail address and 2.3 billion have a social media profi...

blog article

Mar 26, 2019

Modern nonprofits realize that mobile is incredibly important to connect with their audience. You probably know that more people access the internet on mobile than on desktop, but did you know that mobile apps are used even more? In fact, w...

blog article

Mar 26, 2019

At your most recent meeting with donors, you probably discussed the impact of your programs and perhaps even asked for commitments for the upcoming fiscal year. Did you also talk to them about funding the movement itself to ensure its future viabilit...

video

Mar 26, 2019

Jean Case's newest book, "Be Fearless: 5 Principles for a Life of Breakthroughs and Purpose," is not only a valuable read, but a great point of inspiration for Nonprofit Marketers. Be fearless in making bold, marketing strategies and se...

blog article

Mar 26, 2019

We certainly live in interesting times. Today JustGiving announced that it is removing platform fees from all fundraising campaigns and charitable donations in the UK. This is surely a cause for celebration, right?  Well yes, absolutely. In the ...

blog article

Mar 26, 2019

I’ve been doing a ton of research and thinking about social media strategies for nonprofits, especially those of you without dedicated social media staff, ahead of the two new webinars I am teaching in April: Social Media Strategies for Nonprof...

blog article

Mar 26, 2019

One challenge that many nonprofits face today is the ability to capture and truly understand the time supporters are providing their organization. According to an IRS study, 85 percent of U.S. charities have little to no internal staff. Most organiza...

blog article

Mar 26, 2019

Big promises are being made about artificial intelligence and how it will impact our lives. Experts say artificial intelligence is slowly “edging” its way into daily life, but tectonic changes in transportation, the workplace and lifestyl...

blog article

Mar 26, 2019

If it happens on your website, it can (almost) always be tracked. Most nonprofits we work with are already using Google Analytics, which is a powerful tool for understanding the behavior of your website visitors. But fewer have heard of Google Analyt...

blog article

Mar 26, 2019

How many direct mail campaigns do you plan a year? One for year-end giving campaigns? One each quarter? No matter the number of mailings you send out a year, think of your offline direct mail campaigns as extensions of your digital channels. Thi...

blog article

Mar 25, 2019

One of the things I’ve been working on lately in my coaching practice with nonprofit leaders is finding the balance between truth and hope. This is because I think it’s much easier to create momentum for change if truth is laced with hope...

blog article

Mar 25, 2019

When Richard and I are out talking to prospective clients, one of the questions they often ask us is, “For the clients you have worked with who were not successful, what was one of the contributing factors?” We love this question, because...

blog article

Mar 25, 2019

I’ve created for you a little “Declaration of Fundraising Independence” to help you become a fruitful philanthropy facilitator from this day forward. This Declaration incorporates what I consider to be four essential fundraising tru...

blog article

Mar 25, 2019

There’s a lot of hype around AI in the news today, and while you may have heard bad news or science fiction, there is some good news, too: Machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) are tools you can use to advance your nonprofit’s...

blog article

Mar 25, 2019

Recently, the United States Post Office increased their postage prices by 10% and the postage cost of marketing mail by 2.5%. That pushes the price of stamps from 50 to 55 cents. It may not seem huge, but for nonprofits that send a lot of direct mail...

blog article

Mar 25, 2019

Myths are inspiring stories of gods and goddesses. They can also be widely held, but false, beliefs or ideas. But they’re compelling because they’ve been passed along as fact by so many people for so long. Some have even made their way in...

blog article

Mar 22, 2019

Major gifts likely make up a large portion of your nonprofit’s fundraising revenue. In fact,  as of 2015, over 53% of nonprofits considered major gifts to be absolutely vital to their fundraising strategy. Fostering large donor relationshi...

blog article

Mar 22, 2019

Some of the smartest things I do are accidents. I was planning a trip to visit current and potential donors. I sent out the dates that I was available. Two of the people on the list a current donor and a potential donor responded at the same time. Th...

blog article

Mar 22, 2019

This post is part of a series covering the topic of donor insights. Here, we review tips for making the most of your donor database. To continue learning about how to leverage donor data to raise more money, we recommend what to read next at the clos...

blog article

Mar 22, 2019

Our world is increasingly driven by experiences. In addition to raising funds, events have evolved into strategic tools that nonprofits can use to create inspiring experiences, connect to their supporters, and build their brands. The future is going ...

blog article

Mar 22, 2019

Our Women in Philanthropy series continues with a Q&A with Founder and Executive Director, Lois Bennett, from Network for Good customer, Feeding Hands. Located in Somerville, New Jersey, Feeding Hands engages individuals, businesses, and churches...

blog article

Mar 21, 2019

According to Bloomerang’s recent research of over 1100 people working in the nonprofit sector, women make less than men, in every level of experience, whether they have one year of experience, or twenty years of experience. This is true across ...

blog article

Mar 21, 2019

In 2014, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the J.B. and M.K. Pritzker Family Foundation assembled 12 of the country’s leading funders focused on early childhood development into a new collaborative. We set sail on our journey with a l...

blog article

Mar 21, 2019

It’s hard to deny that social media has forever created a fundamental shift in the way we engage with each other. And this applies to nonprofits in a big way. That’s why when nonprofits encourage the act of social fundraising, they not on...

blog article

Mar 20, 2019

The most common question we’re asked about DonorDrive’s Live Fundraising™ is: “We’re not going to start a gaming marathon, so how else can our fundraisers use livestream fundraising?” Streamers can broadcast anythi...

blog article

Mar 20, 2019

The mere words “tax policy” may put some people to sleep, but small changes quickly add up to big impact on nonprofits’ bottom lines. Changes to income taxes can significantly influence charitable giving, leading to more or less. Ch...

blog article

Mar 20, 2019

Your nonprofit understands the value of a personalized approach when it comes to communicating with donors. When its collects and uses donor data effectively, it's able to tailor its outreach strategy to individual donors and strengthen its relat...

blog article

Mar 20, 2019

In this article, we’ll review what happened when the ED commented on a major donor’s Facebook post and the aftermath that followed. Then, we’ll explore ways you and your organization can prevent this kind of situation. In November o...

blog article

Mar 20, 2019

Is your nonprofit website ready for a party? How about an upcoming fundraiser, community gathering or a free workshop? If your organization sends people away from your website to complete online event registration, you could be making your process mo...

blog article

Mar 20, 2019

Surveys stand among the strongest tools at your disposal because they can arm your nonprofit with actionable insights based on precise data from your donors. If done correctly, it only takes a few quick questions to: However, you only get a brie...

blog article

Mar 20, 2019

We’re wrapping up our Storytelling Series based on the marketing book, Made to Stick (Amazon link) by Chip Heath and Dan Heath today. We have broken down the Challenge Plot and the Creativity Plot and how nonprofits can use them in their storie...

blog article

Mar 20, 2019

In our last Charitable Giving Report, we entered 2018 with a first look at answers to heady questions swirling around the sector. How was philanthropy affected by the tumult surrounding us? We knew then that the many shakeups of widening political ri...

blog article

Mar 20, 2019

For all the attention paid to how nonprofits raise funds, there is very little public understanding about the practice of fundraising and the various income streams nonprofits rely on. There are widespread notions that fundraising is a necessary evil...

blog article

Mar 20, 2019

Prospect researchers are up to their ears in data and usually with requests. Responding to individual needs probably occupies most of your day but reacting to requests is not the best way to spend your time. To have the biggest impact on your organiz...

blog article

Mar 19, 2019

When your nonprofit hosts an event, it’s a whole-team effort. Everyone on your nonprofit’s staff, from your fundraisers to your marketers and development team, are involved in the project. Your events are an important part of your fundrai...

blog article

Mar 19, 2019

Nonprofit organizations love their jargon, don’t they? But guess what? Your donors don’t love it as much as you do because it’s boring and they may not understand what you’re trying to say. I think people use jargon becau...

blog article

Mar 19, 2019

Last week I presented a session at the  Nonprofit Technology Conference called “Activating A Culture of Resilience for Sustainable Impact,” with fellow NTEN board members, Ananda Leeke & Meico Whitlock as well as Carrie Rice. We ...

video

Mar 19, 2019

In this five-minute video, Heather Clawson from Communities In Schools, Monica Rodriguez from Detroit Promise Path, Karen Pennington from Madison Strategies, and MDRC Director of Program Development John Martinez describe how MDRC applies its researc...

blog article

Mar 19, 2019

Ever since passage of the 2017 federal tax law, with its potential threats to charitable giving among middle-income households (and even among very wealthy households, due to the doubling of the estate tax exemption), nonprofits have asked us—a...

blog article

Mar 19, 2019

This post, which originally appeared on Giving Compass, is excerpted and adapted from Giving Done Right: Effective Philanthropy and Making Every Dollar Count, the forthcoming book from CEP President Phil Buchanan, to be published April 16 by Public A...

blog article

Mar 19, 2019

As the world migrates its IT operations to the cloud, the nonprofit sector stands to benefit significantly from this foundational shift in the way we use technology. Allowing nonprofits to do more with the resources available to them is just one bene...

blog article

Mar 19, 2019

Recently I spoke with a woman who wanted to increase awareness of her nonprofit. “Sara” spoke with passion about all the good work her organization does, but complained that no one knows about them. Sara mentioned several ideas she w...

blog article

Mar 19, 2019

As I watch nonprofits embracing content marketing as a strategy, I see a few places where they just aren’t quite getting it right. I think that’s because they are ignoring five truths about successful content marketing. Content is ju...

blog article

Mar 19, 2019

We recently launched our 2019 Seals of Transparency on GuideStar. This year, we’ve added new features to the Platinum Seal to help donors and funders better understand the metrics shared by nonprofits. Before we launched the 2019 Seals, we...

blog article

Mar 19, 2019

After what seemed like weeks of rain, Sunday was a beautiful day. The sun was out! As I was driving, I reached for my sunglasses to combat the glare. Wow! What a difference. I realized that it was the first time I had worn new prescription sungl...

blog article

Mar 19, 2019

You’ve been so busy with your regular programming that when you get the calendar reminder telling you to do your organization’s taxes, all you do is sigh and press “Remind me later”. I’ll do it next week, you promise you...

blog article

Mar 19, 2019

In our increasingly connected world, sometimes it’s easy to take for granted all that technology can do for your organization. Let’s take a step back and break down what different technology can help accomplish: Social media is criti...

blog article

Mar 19, 2019

Nonprofit leaders don’t usually like to talk about the Form 990. Every time I bring it up and my eyes light up, their smiles turn down and a sick look comes over their face. I completely understand. It’s a tedious form with dozens of conf...

blog article

Mar 18, 2019

In order for any organization or project to be truly successful, it is critical to have buy-in from the community. Generous civic groups, businesses, individuals, and foundations are the cornerstone of any healthy and sustainable nonprofit. Keeping t...

blog article

Mar 18, 2019

Every nonprofit loves to hear that it received a grant or a donation. Likewise, every nonprofit hates to hear that it missed out on an opportunity for funding. Sometimes as funders, we get caught up in the day-to-day hustle and bustle of our phi...

blog article

Mar 18, 2019

Whether you work for a small staff or you’re a bigger nonprofit with a clever new idea, crowdfunding can help you put your plans in motion. Crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter and Go Fund Me have shown great potential in terms of helping...

blog article

Mar 18, 2019

The nonprofit sector serves the public interest and plays an essential role in our economies. Working hard to strengthen communities and address a variety of issues and challenges, nonprofits enrich our lives in a variety of ways. They benefit our so...

blog article

Mar 18, 2019

A modern donor experience can make it easier for your nonprofit to attract new supporters, from one-time donors to monthly recurring donors and beyond. This is especially relevant given the expectations people have with modern platforms like Amazon, ...

blog article

Mar 18, 2019

People ask me this question a lot: “My monthly donors only make up 3 percent (or fill in another percentage) of my donors. Is that good? What’s the percentage I should strive for?” The answer is: “It depends!” Let’...

blog article

Mar 18, 2019

It is always amazing to me to hear managers and leaders who want to start or rebuild a major gift program say, “We will just hire some major gift officers and get going,” or something like that. It’s as if this MGO will arrive on th...

blog article

Mar 18, 2019

In Part 1 of this two-part series I began to talk about how neuroscience can help leaders be more effective and strategic in today’s economy. Above all else, we discussed the need to think about what people are thinking, not just observe what t...

whitepaper

Mar 17, 2019

Nonprofit organizations in the United States are now being challenged by major political, demographic, economic, and technological factors outside of their control, and are not able to adapt. There has been a tectonic shift in how consumers our donor...

blog article

Mar 15, 2019

Last Friday, the world took to the streets to celebrate International Women's Day, a day marked by celebration, encouragement and necessary conversations about gender differences in the workplace. But it doesn't end here. The theme of Interna...

blog article

Mar 15, 2019

Whether it’s as an employee or a volunteer, working for a nonprofit can be rewarding in many ways. But how do you sift through the thousands of nonprofits that cover hundreds of cause areas to find the right fit for you? Though there are many s...

blog article

Mar 15, 2019

In a small village up the Hudson River in New York, one small nonprofit is making a difference in the lives of local residents. Founded in 2003, Chiku Awali African Dance, Arts, & Culture of Rockland County is dedicated to fostering knowledge of ...

blog article

Mar 15, 2019

Even if you’re not the one in your household who pays the electric bill, checks your bank statements, or transfers the money into savings, you are still invested in the financial health of your family. How money is spent affects you and you&rsq...

blog article

Mar 15, 2019

I have been writing articles and blogs for many years. I love to promote having a nonprofit career and to share information with others. The by-product of writing is the variety of questions asked of me in a given month. These questions represent a w...

blog article

Mar 15, 2019

There are few structured career paths in the nonprofit industry. In fact, 67 percent of nonprofits have no talent acquisition strategy and 56 percent say they have no plan to change how they source for talent. But as the sector grows there are more a...

blog article

Mar 15, 2019

Whether you’re in the early stages of launching a capital campaign, planning an event, or just trying to hit your annual fundraising target, major gift donations are a must! This begs the question is every nonprofit focused on major gifts in th...

blog article

Mar 15, 2019

Thankfulness strengthens relationships, and it’s one of the most important and impactful types of donor communication. Demonstrating your appreciation shows that you value your donors and count them as an essential part of your team. Sending ta...

blog article

Mar 14, 2019

Imagine this: You’re standing at a vending machine. You’re hungry, but you only have one dollar bill. You select the bag of chips that looks the fullest from where you stand on the other side of the glass. You smooth out your dollar and i...

blog article

Mar 14, 2019

Peer-to-peer campaigns and events are such an effective way to extend your fundraising reach that many nonprofits today consider them a key part of the fundraising mix. But, what do you do if your peer-to-peer fundraising results aren’t what th...

blog article

Mar 14, 2019

It’s hard to know if you’re doing everything you can to maximize your online marketing efforts. Let’s start with these 10 ideas to cover the basics. You have a very finite amount of time to prove why someone should remain on yo...

blog article

Mar 14, 2019

The recently released Fundraising Effectiveness Project Report summarizing the fourth quarter of 2018 provides numerous insights, that not only put the full year of 2018 into perspective, but also sheds insight into what 2019 should bring for the fun...

blog article

Mar 13, 2019

We’re proud to help our nonprofit accounting clients create good! Click through the links below to learn more about the organizations we serve - and find out what you can do to make a difference too. Are you a dynamic and self-directed leader? ...

blog article

Mar 13, 2019

This is the moment in time that folks in science fiction have been writing about for years: the bots aren’t coming, they’re here. Chatbots are huge already. What chatbots do is they allow us to engage conversationally through code. Y...

blog article

Mar 13, 2019

What’s the number one question to answer when creating a direct mail appeal for your nonprofit? If you’ve answered, ‘who is going to be featured in the letter’, sorry, think again. If your answer is ‘when to mail yo...

blog article

Mar 13, 2019

The U.S. Department of the Treasury expects Opportunity Zones to unlock well over $100 billion in private investment in low-wealth communities across the United States. The tax incentive, which became law as part of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, se...

blog article

Mar 13, 2019

Welcome back to our Storytelling Series based on the marketing book, Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. Last week we looked at the Challenge Plot which is similar to a lot of Hollywood movies hero faces adversity and triumphs in the end! ...

blog article

Mar 13, 2019

There is a vast chasm between the perspectives of foundation and nonprofit leaders when it comes to the state of investing in the people who make up grantee organizations. The Center for Effective Philanthropy’s Strengthening Grantees stud...

blog article

Mar 13, 2019

When I’m working with a client to launch a new website, one of the more difficult copywriting tasks tends to be coming up with a full page of content for a new program or service. You can definitely do better than a single line saying, “C...

blog article

Mar 13, 2019

The days of mass communications are over. Today, people expect a more personalized marketing approach. Consider your own experience—for instance, when you get recommendations from Amazon or other online shopping websites based on your browsing ...

blog article

Mar 13, 2019

Data is the key to success for any organization, for profit or nonprofit, that wants to go from the abstract realm of “I think” to the concrete world of “I know.” Instead of relying on guesses or a go-with-your-gut mentality, ...

blog article

Mar 13, 2019

Live Out Loud is a nonprofit that nurtures and empowers LGBTQ youth to build a successful future. One of the nonprofit’s board members decided to turn his birthday party into a fundraiser, and raised nearly $1,200 with DipJar! In lieu of g...

blog article

Mar 13, 2019

I view January and February as a test run of sorts, before we really embark on a new year and new resolutions. This may feel especially true as we’re still figuring out what happened in 2018. Last year we saw lower year-end fundraising results....

blog article

Mar 13, 2019

The content of your messages isn’t the only way to tailor your communications to each donor. You can also customize the way you communicate and the methods you use. The more you tailor your communication, the more you supporters will welcome yo...

blog article

Mar 13, 2019

Through the introduction of text-to-give, social media fundraising, and online giving, combined with the chance to reach thousands of your targeted demographic with $20 in Facebook ads, people wonder if the time-consuming efforts of getting to &ldquo...

blog article

Mar 12, 2019

There has been a lot of hand-wringing in the last few weeks about how the 2017 tax law changes are starting to impact nonprofits. The fear is that with an increase in the standard deduction fewer Americans will itemize their taxes and thus be less wi...

blog article

Mar 12, 2019

In a previous post, we discussed the anatomy of a thank you letter. We focused on how nonprofits should structure the letter, what information to include, and how to handle each component of the letter, from the salutation to the story to the signatu...

blog article

Mar 12, 2019

Have an upcoming conference scheduled? We got you covered! Here are some tips to help you make the most out of the experience. In case you missed it; check out the top nonprofit conferences of 2019. Networking isn’t just for the event itse...

blog article

Mar 12, 2019

Instagram Stories create an extra layer of visibility for your nonprofit – whenever you want that visibility. Like Snapchat and Messenger Stories, Instagram Stories last for 24 hours. And like Snapchat, stories are told in a series of pict...

blog article

Mar 12, 2019

A newsletter can be a great way to engage with your donors, but the key word here is can. How often does that actually happen? Unfortunately, not very much because most donor newsletters can be used as a cure for insomnia. They’re too long and ...

blog article

Mar 12, 2019

These are questions we hear on a daily basis. Fortunately, the answers are all more encouraging than most people would hope. While there are a number of steps in the process, getting through all of them is not an insurmountable challenge. So how long...

blog article

Mar 12, 2019

Small funders have limited grantmaking capacity and must think about how to use those funds strategically to help their key nonprofit partners. When a funder can offer a nonprofit partner a fully-sponsored organizational assessment process led by a q...

blog article

Mar 12, 2019

Your human-service nonprofit exists to make a positive impact in the lives of the people you serve. But how do you get there, especially in the current environment? Join Sarah Olivieri, Founder of PivotGround, and host Valerie F. Leonard for a l...

blog article

Mar 12, 2019

My friend hates the word ‘donor.’ She isn’t a fundraiser…No, she’s a real person in the real world. And when she gets letters asking her to become a donor her mind strays to giving blood or donating her kidney.&nbs...

blog article

Mar 12, 2019

Statistics are used as a way to benchmark successes and growth opportunities. In an effort to be transparent and to help our readers continue to learn fundraising best practices, we’ve put together a 2018 year in review, now available for downl...

blog article

Mar 11, 2019

While many nonprofit organizations focus exclusively on online donations, some also depend on the generosity of major gifts from wealthy donors. While the means of receiving these gifts are different, a well-executed online campaign can additionally ...

blog article

Mar 11, 2019

There’s regular fundraising, and then there’s small shop fundraising. Raising money when you’re limited to a very small fundraising staff presents some unique obstacles that aren’t typically faced by larger organizations. Than...

blog article

Mar 11, 2019

The Dalai Lama once observed: “The greatest threat to our world is [that] we're raising a generation of passive bystanders.” WE is helping ensure that won’t be the case. Through our WE Schools service-based learning programs, it...

blog article

Mar 11, 2019

This post is part of a series covering the topic of donor insights. Here, we review key health metrics for fundraising organizations that ensure you keep a pulse on overall donor behavior. To continue learning about how to leverage donor data to rais...

video

Mar 11, 2019

QuickBooks Nonprofit software has enabled nonprofits and charities to manage fund accounting, track expenditures and allocate resources for specific programs in a better way. But the lack in real-time accessibility of QuickBooks application and ...

blog article

Mar 11, 2019

Last week, SSIR published a case study I co-authored with David Bley of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation detailing Gates’s significant investment in my organization, Rainier Valley Corps. Our partnership started with 1.1 million over four ...

blog article

Mar 11, 2019

All of a nonprofit’s actions are interconnected. If you do something to enhance your fundraising, that action is likely to affect another one of your strategies as well. Therefore, make sure you’re thinking through how one decision will a...

blog article

Mar 11, 2019

Are you looking for fresh, inventive, and effective fundraising ideas for your nonprofit organization? We know that choosing the right fundraising idea for your nonprofit can be challenging. There are a lot of factors to consider: budget and tim...

blog article

Mar 11, 2019

I think I’m changing my language on how a major gift officer’s approach with a donor who is difficult to engage should be. For years, both Richard and I have said you should be patient, yet persistent with a donor eventually you will come...

blog article

Mar 11, 2019

What makes the difference between donor communications that generate a response and action versus those that end up being forgotten? Effective donor communications share common characteristics based on best practices. Here’s how to create a com...

blog article

Mar 11, 2019

Nonprofit fundraising professionals, this month’s for you! We have great programming coming up, and I hope that this guide will help you make the most of it. For starters, we are kicking off the month with a great in-person program out of ...

blog article

Mar 11, 2019

I often turn to principles of neuroscience and psychology to understand what makes folks tick. I’m particularly interested in how these principles impact decision making. Especially, the decision to become involved philanthropically. To volunte...

video

Mar 10, 2019

The generosity of Duncan and Jan Andrews will support, in perpetuity, a new student each year undertaking the Bachelor of Commerce who is the first in their family to attend University. Learn about their motivations for giving to this transformationa...

blog article

Mar 08, 2019

Everywhere you look, charities big and small are making a difference in Canada and around the world. From your local animal shelter to your community food bank, charities are doing extraordinary work each and everyday. Using CanadaHelps, chariti...

blog article

Mar 08, 2019

Just because your organization is small doesn’t mean it can’t bring in big donors. In fact, some of your best prospects might be right under your nose. These tips will help you find major donors by capitalizing on the connections you alre...

blog article

Mar 08, 2019

On March 22, people around the world observe World Water Day. Water revolutionizes the health and future of entire societies, and for that very reason, many nonprofits have committed to bringing clean water solutions to global communities. To ce...

blog article

Mar 08, 2019

Shout out to all of you incredible women out there, because it is International Women’s Day! Every year on March 8, International Women’s Day celebrates the achievements of women.  Even more, we are called to a collective action to c...

blog article

Mar 08, 2019

Whether you've traveled to distant parts of the world and were inspired by the inventiveness of the communities you visited, read about an issue in an article, or maybe just feel a kinship with a special place, the desire to help others can quick...

blog article

Mar 08, 2019

Salesforce, the world's leading CRM, is used by nonprofits everywhere to store information about donors and details that will help them make stronger donation appeals in the future. As a nonprofit professional, you know the value of streamli...

blog article

Mar 08, 2019

Like all of us in this industry, we are invited to many nonprofit special events every month. These events represent breakfasts, luncheons and dinners that contain elements of meetings, seminars, lectures, receptions and other activities. Think about...

blog article

Mar 08, 2019

As we celebrate International Women’s Day it’s worth taking a moment to look at the state of women working in the nonprofit sector. In a field where so many women find their calling, what is it that drives us? In this past year, we&r...

video

Mar 08, 2019

Unreliable, time-consuming public transportation and expensive ride shares are hope crushing constraints on the dreams and potential of people with limited means. MyCityRides re-imagined the non-profit model to help working people adopt a new means o...

blog article

Mar 07, 2019

I was recently stopped in my tracks when I received a text from a nonprofit the other day whose mission is to fight child sex trafficking. In those few seconds it took me to read that text, I knew the immediate action and impact my donation enabled. ...

blog article

Mar 07, 2019

The DonorDrive team is back from the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum Conference in festive New Orleans. This year, the event broke attendance records with more than 500 attendees from over 80 nonprofits. As the largest conference for peer-to-peer fun...

blog article

Mar 07, 2019

Having such a publicly accessible platform can be a powerful tool for spreading your charity’s message to a global audience and increase donations. The DonorDrives 2017 ‘State of Peer to Peer Fundraising’ report shows that since 201...

blog article

Mar 07, 2019