Nonprofit Management
Article | July 12, 2022
Although we recommend talking directly with your donors to learn what matters to them, one-on-one conversations aren’t the only way to gain valuable information about your donors. Through analysis of the donor data in your fundraising software, you can obtain insights that will help you create a better experience for your donors, and motivate them to give more over time. Here’s what you can learn from the numbers and how you can apply this knowledge to improve your donor experience.
Biographic and Demographic Information:
This particular donor data isn’t snazzy, but it provides you with important tools to use in donor communications. Here’s what you can do with it.
Preferred Name: Even something as simple as addressing your donors by their preferred names or nicknames will go a long way toward building a meaningful relationship.
Employment: Improve the timing of your emails by sending to full-time individuals when they’re at work.
Age: Millennials are more likely to check social media or text messages for communications, while Baby Boomers are more likely to use email or even snail mail. A multi-channel communication strategy, however, is the best thing to help you reach your donors where they’re at.
Educational Background: While someone’s education level may provide insights about their capacity to give, consider looking at what your contacts were involved in while in school. Did they join clubs that provide a clue about their interests? Did they hold certain leadership positions that tell you what they’re committed to? What community service projects were they active in? This information can help you customize your communications more meaningfully.
Involvement History:
Monetary giving isn’t the only indicator of a donor’s interest in your organization. When you’re putting together your campaign lists, don’t forget to look at other historical indicators as well.
Note: If you’re already using Network for Good’s simple, smart fundraising software, demographic details, like the ones above, need to be individually added as “Custom Fields” to a constituent’s record.
Involvement in Advocacy Work: If an individual advocates for charities or causes, he or she is usually serious about making a difference and seeks to do so in other ways.
Corporate Sponsorships: If someone has organized a corporate sponsorship for her or his place of employment, the individual has demonstrated a willingness to go the extra mile foryour organization.
Showing Up at Events: If you have regulars who appear at your events, they’re prime candidates to get more involved. An events platform that integrates directly with your fundraising software can be a key tool here in making sure you’re following up with the right people.
Network of Connections:
Prospective donors will always be more willing to respond if a friend or business connection has introduced your organization to them. If you think an individual would be willing to contribute to your nonprofit, look at who in your donor database is connected to that person and ask for an introduction. This strategy can also be used for raising corporate sponsorships.
Hobbies:
Hobbies and interests will tell you who’s most likely to participate in your events. They’ll also give you ideas about what types of events will be most popular with your contacts. Here are a few ideas:
Games: Trivia night, bingo, or board games.
Outdoors: Run/Walk, golf or fishing tournament, or softball.
Food & Drink: Wine tasting, celebrity chef or bartender, or profit share at a restaurant.
Music: Benefit concert, talent show, or Battle of the Bands
Arts & Culture: Group night at the theatre, charity poetry reading, or author meet-and-greet.
Timing of Gifts:
When do individuals give? If someone tends to make donations at a certain time of year, your request will probably be welcomed (and successful!) if you ask at that time. Using tools such as the “Giving” filters to conduct donor analysis can help determine if there are trends around a particular time of year for one (or multiple) donors – and knowing the timing of gifts will also help you spend your marketing dollars more wisely. If someone has given within a year-long time period, that person is much more likely to give again than someone who gave two years ago. You can allocate your marketing resources more intelligently if you know who is more likely to donate.
These are just a few ideas on how to use your data to not only build a stronger donor experience but also increase your fundraising revenue.
Learn why the donor experience is vital to a successful organization and how to implement an effective donor experience program by downloading “A Better Donor Experience: Is it the Cornerstone of Donor Loyalty?”
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Fundraising
Article | July 15, 2022
Having worked in Hollywood for most of my career, it will come as no surprise to anyone that I champion the power of film for storytelling. However, as my life has headed down a different route, one of philanthropy and charity work, it has become increasingly apparent that the role of film in philanthropy is a crucial one and one that should never be underestimated.
Unless they see something with their own eyes, people can find it hard to translate what they read on a page into reality. This is where the power of film for philanthropy comes in. By showing people the facts of a situation, you bring that into their lives, and you pique their interest. You create a connection between the viewer and the charity so that connection can be built upon to gain more support. I had seen this connection first-hand recently when I helped make videos for the 'Children of War Foundation' that highlighted the stories of the refugee students at COWF's School of Dreams. At that point, I had numerous friends who contacted me, saying how they were moved by the content and how they immediately donated after seeing these stories.
Philanthropy depends on sharing our experiences, both good and bad, in order to share struggles and achievements. By filming on-the-ground in war zones, or gaining access to share footage of sensitive situations, we can reach people and make them aware of what is happening, and how they can help.
Using video footage, a charity or a campaign can amplify their message and support 1,000-fold. It has been proved that donations increase once a video appears on a website or on a social media platform showing the suffering it is trying to help. Having worked on a Facebook/Instagram show, I have learned the importance of content being "shareable" and the massive amount of impact and views content can have if it is.
Let me explain a little about why I have come to these conclusions and what drives me. Through film, I can address and contribute solutions to broader world issues; that is my purpose and ambition now. I know how to create films in a way that inspires people and drives them to action. Unfortunately, many non-profits don't know how to utilize storytelling through film, so if I see a way that I can use media to help their cause, I will offer my expertise free of charge, and urge philanthropists, in general, to investigate how they can use film to share their message.
One recent example is when I was invited just this past week at the Cannes Film Festival to watch and speak at a round-table discussion for multiple short-form videos made by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), showcasing the various stories of refugees they have worked with. It was clear to me and others attending how important the messages of this content were, and it sparked a big discussion of how to further this kind of impact by sharing refugee stories in a way that is compelling and understandable to a wider audience.
Images Need to Have Impact
And now to the Children of War foundation (COWF), which has taught me so much about philanthropy and how charities work. I have traveled to regions from Jordan to Navajo Nation to document the foundation's work so that they can promote it on their website, in the media, and on their social media platforms. Most recently, I traveled for COWF to Ukraine to deliver medical supplies to two hospitals. Traveling through warzones with both active bombings and absolute destruction from past attacks, I saw things I never thought I would encounter. It was both the most rewarding and terrifying experience of my life, but it was essential. By making that journey and shooting footage of the realities of war, I am helping share the work and mission of COWF and in turn, that of so many charities risking lives to help the innocent civilians caught up in this and other atrocities around the world.
Having traveled to and filmed in refugee camps, most recently to Jordan with my daughters Sophia and Georgia last winter, I know first-hand the impact of war on children. But I have also seen how my films have brought about awareness and support from a greater audience for the charities I help, and this is where my commitment lies.
The images we see of the refugee crises around the world are not impactful enough. We need to show the harsher images so that the world grasps the severity of the situation and the everyday human toils, while also understanding that people are people, and making that connection to close the gap of the too well-shared idea of "us and them" when it should be just "us."
Clearly, women and children are often the most hard-hit in these wars, but unfortunately, they are also the most overlooked. Because of this, I am a strong proponent of showcasing their stories specifically but also pushing the idea of sustainable aid. The average refugee is displaced for 15-20 years, which is the entire childhood for kids who were displaced at a younger age, making it all the more important to ensure they have access to education and opportunities wherever they are. When sharing this information and pushing for sustainability, helps to educate a greater audience and break the cycles of giving short-term aid that often may not solve the real root issues.
Of late, I have frequently said that the Ukraine war is the first TikTok war - the first whereby imagery of those involved on-ground is shared as much as that filmed by mainstream media. This is good; it is getting the horrors of war out there for all to see directly. While this information is often brutally honest, by being subjected to these images, we are given the truth of the situation and often compelled to help.
Cinematography is prompting philanthropic action. I find it hard to take any positives from the current global situation. However, in such scenarios, ordinary people like you and I have often responded to the call to action and explored ways to help in the past.
So how do philanthropists and charities go about using film for good?
They need to know how to make content, whether as a short film, an Instagram video, etc., in a way that inspires people. Many non-profits don't know how to use storytelling, but if they can recruit those who do, it could be of great help. Especially if done with respect for the organization's work and wanting to share its story rather than sensationalize it.
If this can become a movement, we can see the real impact of film-making in philanthropy.
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Nonprofit Management
Article | July 13, 2022
Non-profits can lead with a data-driven strategy that seamlessly connects staff and volunteers and engages donors if they have the right tools.
In the coming year, non-profits will continue to correct course in a still chaotic environment, providing opportunities to rethink strategy with data gathered since transitioning to a digital-first environment. With Dreamforce in the rear-view mirror and the new year fast approaching, our non-profit experts are here to share the top five trends for non-profits in 2022.
Non-profits continue to adapt and shift strategies:
89% of non-profit marketers have updated their digital engagement strategy and the ability to pivot to digital-first options. For example, remote fundraising; these are the times when organizations adapt to change and priorities to win the hearts of constituents.
Connection and collaboration from anywhere:
Getting together, meeting new people, and gathering has changed drastically and will continue to evolve. Hence making remote connections is a key trend for non-profits in 2022.
Data-informed decisions:
Establishing transparency around your non-profit gives you insights into how your funds are spent. The best way to showcase it is through data-informed decisions.
Invest in people:
Non-profits use digital platforms and can depend on that data to create meaningful conversations with donors and volunteers to build relationships and also with the staff to ensure what are their needs that requires attention.
After two years of going digital, every non-profit’s new year's resolution should be to put data to use. Using data through foundational technology is the best way to connect with constituents while also remaining agile in order to adapt and ensure that teams are working effectively to power your mission.
Non-profits must continue to adapt to new ways of fundraising in a hybrid work environment in order to survive and thrive. Furthermore, there is a greater emphasis on finding new ways to connect with donors in an entirely digital environment.
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Nonprofit Management
Article | July 12, 2022
It is crucial to keep a keen eye on what the significant figures imply for NGO’s and how they affect their operations. Learn more in detail in the 5 key lessons!
It's alluring to concentrate just on the significant figures that affect the non-profit industry as a whole. However, it's equally crucial to concentrate on what those significant figures imply for certain NGOs and how they may affect your day-to-day operations. The report can be used to learn the following five key lessons.
Lesson One: Small-Dollar Donors Are Being Left Behind
Around 84.1% of contributors give less than $500 yearly to the organisations they support, and just 19% of new donors are retained over time, according to the most recent Fundraising Effectiveness Project data. This indicates that the great majority of small-dollar donors are leaving non-profit organizations.
Lesson Two: There are Winners and Losers by Mission Type
Donors change the emphasis they give to certain missions every year. Donors' giving priorities clearly reflect the legacy of COVID-19 as well as the enduring influence of racial and social justice movements.
The number of non-profits with missions in the arts, culture, or healthcare increased significantly in 2020. Non-profits with an emphasis on foreign affairs, human services, and education, on the other hand, had slow growth or reductions in 2021.
Lesson Three: Corporate Giving is a Distraction
It will become more crucial to engage with people instead of concentrating on corporate ties as businesses modify their philanthropic alliances and employees try to support their preferred causes outside of their workplace's giving program.
Lesson Four: It’s Time to Modernize Bequest Giving
A warning sign that NGOs are not investing in highlighting the opportunities available with legacy gifts is the decline in bequests during 2021. Although any donor can establish a contribution through their estate to a non-profit they are passionate about, there is a frequent misconception that bequests must be customized for significant donors.
Lesson Five: Retention and Acquisition Benchmarks Are Critical
For its key revenue figures, the Giving USA report heavily depends on IRS 990 information. When examining giving trends throughout the sector, that data is helpful, but it is less helpful when attempting to comprehend the behavior of all donors.
It is reassuring to see that when discussing contributors' ongoing support of NGOs, the Fundraising Effectiveness Project's data on acquisition and retention of individual donors was recognised as the primary source. It's crucial to comprehend donor behaviour, and you can achieve this by comparing the donor behaviour of your own organization to benchmarks from the ‘Fundraising Effectiveness Project.’
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