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Community program invites eligible homeowners to apply for home repair assistance

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For local residents who are disabled, elderly, handicapped or chronically ill, keeping up with home repairs can be difficult if not impossible. Help is available, though, through the Community Powered Revitalization (CPR) program. The program is a partnership between 6 Stones, local cities, businesses, nonprofit organizations and churches to help homeowners who are struggling to make necessary home repairs.“CPR started in 2009 with two homes in one city and has helped over 541 homes in seven cities over the last eight years,” said Cody Bettis from 6 Stones. “Mobilizing community volunteers, we aim to strengthen, grow and revitalize our community one home and one family at a time.”

Spotlight

Safe Alternatives to Violent Environments

SAVE is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that assists any victim of domestic violence regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, language spoken, or geographic location. SAVE's mission is to strengthen every individual and family we serve with the knowledge and support needed to break the cycle of violence and build healthier lives.

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NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT

Utilize an Email Marketing Strategy to Drive More Donations

Article | July 12, 2022

When creating your nonprofit fundraising and donations strategy, email marketing should be on the top of the list of channels to use to support your efforts. However, 70% of nonprofits do not have an email marketing strategy, despite 26% of online donors saying email marketing is what inspires them to give. Email marketing can help nonprofits reach their fundraising goals by helping expand reach, develop a loyal donor base and drive more donations. Build an Email Marketing Strategy Implementing email marketing may seem intimidating to some, but once you have an effective strategy in place, it will act as a blueprint and support all your goals moving forward. When you start building your strategy, it’s important to spend time developing a unique strategy that aligns with your mission and goals. Consider these questions: Who is your target audience? How are you collecting email addresses? What types of emails will you send? What types of content do you want to share in those emails? What will your emails look like? What is the layout? What is the design based on? How often do you plan to send emails? What platform will you use? Does it integrate with your donor database and have all the features you need to implement your strategy? Email marketing is the most effective and successful when there's a strategic plan in place. Creating a detailed strategy that answers the questions above will provide your nonprofit with the stepping stones needed to set your email marketing efforts up for success and help meet your overall fundraising goals. Send Emails Once you have a strategy and execution plan in place, you’re ready to start sending your messages to your audience. Email subscribers want to hear from you, but you need to be sure you are sending engaging messages to the right audiences. When you start sending your emails, plan to send a mix of different messages to your audience. Email marketing is an effective channel to not only fundraise but to help subscribers stay engaged and keep donor retention high. A great example would be to include advocacy emails in your plans. Advocacy emails include newsletters and impact stories. These types of emails help your subscriber feel valued as a donor as they’re seeing the direct impact of their support. As you start and continue to send emails, always track each email's performance. This helps you determine what is working and what is not working. By tracking key metrics, like click-through rates, conversation rates and donations per email, you will be able to continuously improve your strategy and the emails you are sending. Follow Best Practices As you begin to execute your email strategy, there are a few key best practices I recommend following to help increase engagement, donations, and overall performance of your emails. Personalize the email for your subscribers. Personalized emails can generate donations up to six times more compared to a generalized email. Make sure your emails are well-designed with compelling imagery that helps the donor visualize your mission and the impact of their donations. Provide clear calls to action in each email you send and always include a “Donate” button in all your communications. Include social sharing buttons and links to your social channels in all your email communications. Emails with social sharing buttons increase click-through rates by as much as 158% and help expand your reach by allowing donors to recommend and share your nonprofit with their network. Create an email cadence so you are regularly communicating with your audience throughout the year. For every 1,000 fundraising emails delivered, nonprofits raised $78, so it is in your best interest to continuously send messages to your subscribers. Start by sending emails monthly and then experiment with increasing the frequency of emails per month and see what works best for your nonprofit. Utilizing email marketing is key to having a successful fundraising strategy for your nonprofit. By building a well-thought-out strategy and implementing it, you will be able to engage, retain and convert subscribers into a loyal donor base.

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FUNDRAISING

The Psychology Behind Donations

Article | July 15, 2022

Are you expecting all donors to be the same? If you answered “no…well actually… kinda,” then you are not alone. It’s simple to send out the same fundraising message to everyone. However, you can transform your fundraising when you understand that there are many reasons why a person chooses to donate to a nonprofit. Once you understand the psychology of donating to charity, you can then best appeal to current and potential donors. Why do Donors Give? Along a spectrum, there are two extremes that prevent nonprofits from using donation psychology in their fundraising messages. On one end, the person making the ask – the Executive Director, Development person or Board member – assumes all donors have the same motivations for giving that they do. This translates into single-focused messaging that appeals to the person making the ask and to some donors, but not to others. On the other end of the spectrum when a nonprofit neglects philanthropy psychology, the person making the ask becomes paralyzed. They fear offending donors by asking at the “wrong” time. They focus on external, societal crises, such as the pandemic, wars, tragedies, and make a decision for the donor that this is the wrong time to be asked for a gift. They assume that the donor would be offended if asked. The Millennial Impact Project studied why donors across generations start giving. Unexpectedly, according to the researcher, Derrick Feldmann, donors first give because they want to belong. They desire to join their friends or be a part of a cause doing the good they wish to see in the world – this is before they understand what the cause or nonprofit is seeking to accomplish. As they gain that sense of belonging and begin believing in the cause, they can be motivated to continue to give when the nonprofit taps into their giving style. The Seven Faces of Philanthropy was groundbreaking research published in 1994 that has been updated and is still relevant today. In summary, the researchers found that donors give for different reasons. Some donors give because they enjoy the act of giving, especially through events. More donors prefer to donate to local charities or make a long-lasting impact through their investments. Other donors desire to repay or pay forward in gratitude through their giving. Others give because of religious or altruistic reasons. Then, there are donors who see giving as a family tradition and, if applicable, to teach their children generosity. Understanding the donor’s motivations for giving guides a nonprofit in developing the right message, using the right fundraising methods and segmenting to the right group of donors. How Can you Encourage Your Donors to Give? Now that you understand the psychology behind making a philanthropic gift, you can implement this knowledge to customize your fundraising appeals. First, you will need to determine why your donors give. This is done through discussions with Board members, personal conversations with donors, and through donor surveys. It begins with a simple question, “Why do you give to…?” The answers will assist you in creating donor identities; that is, the types of identities or groups where donors wish to belong. Sample identities could be “community leader” or “survivor” or “change maker.” Next, based on what you learned from your current donors, pick the top two or three donor motivations and associated identities. Alter your current messaging and fundraising methods to these giving reasons. The messaging and methods that inspire your current donors will likely attract more donors. Begin testing your messaging for these two to three reasons: Which message has the highest engagement in response and donation? This will be your primary message that you will rotate with the secondary messages. As you further explore your donor’s psychology for giving, you can advance to segmenting your communications based on what will motivate groups of donors to give. Once you understand donor psychology, you will wonder how you missed the clues to why your donors give – and be ready to catch future donors by staying one step ahead of their giving habits.

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NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT

How Donor Data Can Inform Better Donor Experiences

Article | July 15, 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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NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT

7 Reasons to Invest in a Volunteer Program

Article | May 20, 2022

Volunteers are the lifeblood of any nonprofit. Your services, fundraising campaigns, and even day-to-day operations of your nonprofit can depend on volunteers. An estimated 30 percent of Americans or 77.9 million people reported they volunteered for an organization or association.” AmeriCorps published survey So, if people want to volunteer, the key to garner willing volunteers is to: Communicate your needs Share your “why” Make it easy While all nonprofits know they need volunteers, investing time and energy into building a program can naturally fall by the wayside. As you look to recruit and retain volunteers, a best practice is to put a strategic volunteer program in place. You may be asking, “What’s the benefit to me, the nonprofit?” Let’s dive into it! First, let’s start with the basics — what are the top reasons to invest in a volunteer program? We’ve got you covered. A dynamic volunteer program: Creates ambassadors for your mission. Volunteers spread the word in your community and increase your community engagement. They can advocate for you with their friends, family, and local and state legislatures. Provide your volunteers with messaging so they can share their “why” on social media and by word of mouth. One pro tip shared by Points of Light is to provide a digital badge to add to your volunteer leaders’ email signatures. Develops new funding sources. The line between a volunteer and donor should be fluid, not separate. A 2014 study by Fidelity Charitable found that 83% of volunteers report supporting the same nonprofits with their donations. Don’t silo your volunteers and your donors! Reduces your operating costs. According to the Independent Sector, the value of a volunteer hour was estimated at $28.54 in 2020. Since payroll is often the largest expense for a nonprofit, volunteers provide essential support to your cause with minimal costs to you. Increases the quantity and quality of your programs and services. It’s a win-win situation for professional development and your lengthy project list! That list will be met by an eager, talented volunteer, and your volunteer will improve their professional skills at the same time. Maximizes your limited staff resources. We’re sure there’s been a few items on your wish list that you’d love to check off if you had more resources, like being open on holidays or offering more services to your community. Volunteers can fill in those gaps! Maybe they are looking for ways to give back over a holiday, or they may have the connections to develop a new service opportunity for you. Increases your diversity and brings in new ideas. Although your nonprofit may always strive to diversify or get out of the “we’ve always done it this way” rut, you may not meet the potential of those goals with your staff. Volunteers can provide unique perspectives, different experiences, and even that spark of excitement that comes with a new idea. Minimizes volunteer turnover.Just like staff onboarding, volunteer onboarding takes time and money. If you recruit and onboard well with easy-to-access opportunity matching, training, and tracking mechanisms in place, your volunteers will be well on their way to a successful experience. Build on that by learning more about your volunteers’ interests and skills, and they will feel seen and appreciated. An upfront investment will pay off in years of dedicated service. Are you convinced? If so, it’s time to take the next step of how to start putting a volunteer program into place. Then you can scale your volunteering as your nonprofit grows! Here are our 5 fundraiser-approved steps to developing a bullet-proof volunteer program. Step 1: Quantify your current volunteer impact. Gather data on number of volunteers, hours and skills contributed. Measure the return on investment (ROI) including your program cost and total estimated volunteer value (# of volunteer hours x est. volunteer wage per hour). You can even take it a step further and consider the monetary savings to the community when volunteers provide the service or in-kind donation versus a private provider (e.g. number of children tutored or trees planted). Step 2: Educate your staff and board on the benefits of volunteering. Share your ROI and other data with your executive team and board and garner to get them on board. Recruiting, onboarding, engaging, and retaining your volunteer base will be much smoother when you have their support. Step 3: Purchase or build a volunteer management software system. Track volunteer hours, record your volunteers’ information, and create reports. Your software/tracking system should include a personalized volunteer dashboard where they can track their hours and volunteer services provided, demonstrating to them their impact in real-time. Step 4: Develop a plan for recruitment, training, and growth opportunities for your volunteers. Share the plan with your current volunteer leaders and solicit their feedback before rolling out to the community. Step 5: Make the case for even more investment in your program next year. Give insight into how your efforts to recruit, engage, and retain volunteers positively impact your mission and your bottom line.

Read More
NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT

What Are the Top Five Lessons for Your Non-Profit This Year?

Article | July 12, 2022

When creating your nonprofit fundraising and donations strategy, email marketing should be on the top of the list of channels to use to support your efforts. However, 70% of nonprofits do not have an email marketing strategy, despite 26% of online donors saying email marketing is what inspires them to give. Email marketing can help nonprofits reach their fundraising goals by helping expand reach, develop a loyal donor base and drive more donations. Build an Email Marketing Strategy Implementing email marketing may seem intimidating to some, but once you have an effective strategy in place, it will act as a blueprint and support all your goals moving forward. When you start building your strategy, it’s important to spend time developing a unique strategy that aligns with your mission and goals. Consider these questions: Who is your target audience? How are you collecting email addresses? What types of emails will you send? What types of content do you want to share in those emails? What will your emails look like? What is the layout? What is the design based on? How often do you plan to send emails? What platform will you use? Does it integrate with your donor database and have all the features you need to implement your strategy? Email marketing is the most effective and successful when there's a strategic plan in place. Creating a detailed strategy that answers the questions above will provide your nonprofit with the stepping stones needed to set your email marketing efforts up for success and help meet your overall fundraising goals. Send Emails Once you have a strategy and execution plan in place, you’re ready to start sending your messages to your audience. Email subscribers want to hear from you, but you need to be sure you are sending engaging messages to the right audiences. When you start sending your emails, plan to send a mix of different messages to your audience. Email marketing is an effective channel to not only fundraise but to help subscribers stay engaged and keep donor retention high. A great example would be to include advocacy emails in your plans. Advocacy emails include newsletters and impact stories. These types of emails help your subscriber feel valued as a donor as they’re seeing the direct impact of their support. As you start and continue to send emails, always track each email's performance. This helps you determine what is working and what is not working. By tracking key metrics, like click-through rates, conversation rates and donations per email, you will be able to continuously improve your strategy and the emails you are sending. Follow Best Practices As you begin to execute your email strategy, there are a few key best practices I recommend following to help increase engagement, donations, and overall performance of your emails. Personalize the email for your subscribers. Personalized emails can generate donations up to six times more compared to a generalized email. Make sure your emails are well-designed with compelling imagery that helps the donor visualize your mission and the impact of their donations. Provide clear calls to action in each email you send and always include a “Donate” button in all your communications. Include social sharing buttons and links to your social channels in all your email communications. Emails with social sharing buttons increase click-through rates by as much as 158% and help expand your reach by allowing donors to recommend and share your nonprofit with their network. Create an email cadence so you are regularly communicating with your audience throughout the year. For every 1,000 fundraising emails delivered, nonprofits raised $78, so it is in your best interest to continuously send messages to your subscribers. Start by sending emails monthly and then experiment with increasing the frequency of emails per month and see what works best for your nonprofit. Utilizing email marketing is key to having a successful fundraising strategy for your nonprofit. By building a well-thought-out strategy and implementing it, you will be able to engage, retain and convert subscribers into a loyal donor base.

Read More
FUNDRAISING

The Power of Film for Philanthropy

Article | July 15, 2022

Are you expecting all donors to be the same? If you answered “no…well actually… kinda,” then you are not alone. It’s simple to send out the same fundraising message to everyone. However, you can transform your fundraising when you understand that there are many reasons why a person chooses to donate to a nonprofit. Once you understand the psychology of donating to charity, you can then best appeal to current and potential donors. Why do Donors Give? Along a spectrum, there are two extremes that prevent nonprofits from using donation psychology in their fundraising messages. On one end, the person making the ask – the Executive Director, Development person or Board member – assumes all donors have the same motivations for giving that they do. This translates into single-focused messaging that appeals to the person making the ask and to some donors, but not to others. On the other end of the spectrum when a nonprofit neglects philanthropy psychology, the person making the ask becomes paralyzed. They fear offending donors by asking at the “wrong” time. They focus on external, societal crises, such as the pandemic, wars, tragedies, and make a decision for the donor that this is the wrong time to be asked for a gift. They assume that the donor would be offended if asked. The Millennial Impact Project studied why donors across generations start giving. Unexpectedly, according to the researcher, Derrick Feldmann, donors first give because they want to belong. They desire to join their friends or be a part of a cause doing the good they wish to see in the world – this is before they understand what the cause or nonprofit is seeking to accomplish. As they gain that sense of belonging and begin believing in the cause, they can be motivated to continue to give when the nonprofit taps into their giving style. The Seven Faces of Philanthropy was groundbreaking research published in 1994 that has been updated and is still relevant today. In summary, the researchers found that donors give for different reasons. Some donors give because they enjoy the act of giving, especially through events. More donors prefer to donate to local charities or make a long-lasting impact through their investments. Other donors desire to repay or pay forward in gratitude through their giving. Others give because of religious or altruistic reasons. Then, there are donors who see giving as a family tradition and, if applicable, to teach their children generosity. Understanding the donor’s motivations for giving guides a nonprofit in developing the right message, using the right fundraising methods and segmenting to the right group of donors. How Can you Encourage Your Donors to Give? Now that you understand the psychology behind making a philanthropic gift, you can implement this knowledge to customize your fundraising appeals. First, you will need to determine why your donors give. This is done through discussions with Board members, personal conversations with donors, and through donor surveys. It begins with a simple question, “Why do you give to…?” The answers will assist you in creating donor identities; that is, the types of identities or groups where donors wish to belong. Sample identities could be “community leader” or “survivor” or “change maker.” Next, based on what you learned from your current donors, pick the top two or three donor motivations and associated identities. Alter your current messaging and fundraising methods to these giving reasons. The messaging and methods that inspire your current donors will likely attract more donors. Begin testing your messaging for these two to three reasons: Which message has the highest engagement in response and donation? This will be your primary message that you will rotate with the secondary messages. As you further explore your donor’s psychology for giving, you can advance to segmenting your communications based on what will motivate groups of donors to give. Once you understand donor psychology, you will wonder how you missed the clues to why your donors give – and be ready to catch future donors by staying one step ahead of their giving habits.

Read More
NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT

The Advocacy versus the Activist Functions of Non-profits

Article | July 15, 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?”

Read More
NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT

7 Reasons to Invest in a Volunteer Program

Article | May 20, 2022

Volunteers are the lifeblood of any nonprofit. Your services, fundraising campaigns, and even day-to-day operations of your nonprofit can depend on volunteers. An estimated 30 percent of Americans or 77.9 million people reported they volunteered for an organization or association.” AmeriCorps published survey So, if people want to volunteer, the key to garner willing volunteers is to: Communicate your needs Share your “why” Make it easy While all nonprofits know they need volunteers, investing time and energy into building a program can naturally fall by the wayside. As you look to recruit and retain volunteers, a best practice is to put a strategic volunteer program in place. You may be asking, “What’s the benefit to me, the nonprofit?” Let’s dive into it! First, let’s start with the basics — what are the top reasons to invest in a volunteer program? We’ve got you covered. A dynamic volunteer program: Creates ambassadors for your mission. Volunteers spread the word in your community and increase your community engagement. They can advocate for you with their friends, family, and local and state legislatures. Provide your volunteers with messaging so they can share their “why” on social media and by word of mouth. One pro tip shared by Points of Light is to provide a digital badge to add to your volunteer leaders’ email signatures. Develops new funding sources. The line between a volunteer and donor should be fluid, not separate. A 2014 study by Fidelity Charitable found that 83% of volunteers report supporting the same nonprofits with their donations. Don’t silo your volunteers and your donors! Reduces your operating costs. According to the Independent Sector, the value of a volunteer hour was estimated at $28.54 in 2020. Since payroll is often the largest expense for a nonprofit, volunteers provide essential support to your cause with minimal costs to you. Increases the quantity and quality of your programs and services. It’s a win-win situation for professional development and your lengthy project list! That list will be met by an eager, talented volunteer, and your volunteer will improve their professional skills at the same time. Maximizes your limited staff resources. We’re sure there’s been a few items on your wish list that you’d love to check off if you had more resources, like being open on holidays or offering more services to your community. Volunteers can fill in those gaps! Maybe they are looking for ways to give back over a holiday, or they may have the connections to develop a new service opportunity for you. Increases your diversity and brings in new ideas. Although your nonprofit may always strive to diversify or get out of the “we’ve always done it this way” rut, you may not meet the potential of those goals with your staff. Volunteers can provide unique perspectives, different experiences, and even that spark of excitement that comes with a new idea. Minimizes volunteer turnover.Just like staff onboarding, volunteer onboarding takes time and money. If you recruit and onboard well with easy-to-access opportunity matching, training, and tracking mechanisms in place, your volunteers will be well on their way to a successful experience. Build on that by learning more about your volunteers’ interests and skills, and they will feel seen and appreciated. An upfront investment will pay off in years of dedicated service. Are you convinced? If so, it’s time to take the next step of how to start putting a volunteer program into place. Then you can scale your volunteering as your nonprofit grows! Here are our 5 fundraiser-approved steps to developing a bullet-proof volunteer program. Step 1: Quantify your current volunteer impact. Gather data on number of volunteers, hours and skills contributed. Measure the return on investment (ROI) including your program cost and total estimated volunteer value (# of volunteer hours x est. volunteer wage per hour). You can even take it a step further and consider the monetary savings to the community when volunteers provide the service or in-kind donation versus a private provider (e.g. number of children tutored or trees planted). Step 2: Educate your staff and board on the benefits of volunteering. Share your ROI and other data with your executive team and board and garner to get them on board. Recruiting, onboarding, engaging, and retaining your volunteer base will be much smoother when you have their support. Step 3: Purchase or build a volunteer management software system. Track volunteer hours, record your volunteers’ information, and create reports. Your software/tracking system should include a personalized volunteer dashboard where they can track their hours and volunteer services provided, demonstrating to them their impact in real-time. Step 4: Develop a plan for recruitment, training, and growth opportunities for your volunteers. Share the plan with your current volunteer leaders and solicit their feedback before rolling out to the community. Step 5: Make the case for even more investment in your program next year. Give insight into how your efforts to recruit, engage, and retain volunteers positively impact your mission and your bottom line.

Read More
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Spotlight

Safe Alternatives to Violent Environments

SAVE is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that assists any victim of domestic violence regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, language spoken, or geographic location. SAVE's mission is to strengthen every individual and family we serve with the knowledge and support needed to break the cycle of violence and build healthier lives.

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DENSO Donates $100K to American Red Cross to Assist Kentucky Flood Recovery

American Red Cross | August 17, 2022

The DENSO North America Foundation (DNAF) has donated $100,000 to the American Red Cross to support flood recovery efforts in Kentucky. DENSO's donation will help the aid organization deliver its vital shelter, food and health services to people in need. Others who wish to support can make their own donation to the American Red Cross through DENSO's disaster relief microsite. Companies affiliated with DENSO that operate in Kentucky include Kyosan DENSO Manufacturing Kentucky, LLC, located in Mt. Sterling, and DENSO Air Systems, located in Hopkinsville. While these sites were not directly impacted by the flooding, employees at the companies and DENSO partners across the state are deeply connected to communities still in need of relief. "The devastation Kentuckians are facing is unimaginable. That's why it's so important we do our part in helping those affected get back on their feet, We'll always be committed to positively contributing to the places we call home, and we hope this donation advances communities closer to full recovery." -Bob Townsend, vice president of Corporate Services at DENSO and DNAF. DENSO's donation was sourced from DNAF funds specifically earmarked for charitable initiatives. In addition to providing disaster relief, DNAF is also dedicated to helping students advance their education in science, technology, engineering, math and related programs. To do this, the foundation provides grants to colleges and universities across North America, giving students opportunities to grow their skills, pursue technical careers and lead tomorrow's workforce. About DENSO: DENSO is a $45.1 billion global mobility supplier that develops advanced technology and components for nearly every vehicle make and model on the road today. With manufacturing at its core, DENSO invests in its 198 facilities to produce electrification system, powertrain system, thermal system, mobility electronics, & advanced devices, to create jobs that directly change how the world moves. The company's 167,000+ employees are paving the way to a mobility future that improves lives, eliminates traffic accidents, and preserves the environment. Globally headquartered in Kariya, Japan, DENSO spent 9.0 percent of its global consolidated sales on research and development in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022. In North America, DENSO is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, and employs 27,000+ engineers, researchers, and skilled workers across 51 sites in the U.S, Canada and Mexico. In the United States alone, DENSO employs 17,700+ employees across 14 states (and the District of Columbia) and 41 sites. In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022, DENSO in North America generated $9.5 billion in consolidated sales. DENSO is committed to advancing diversity and inclusion inside the company and beyond – a principle that brings unique perspectives together, bolsters innovation, and pushes DENSO forward.

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NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT,SOCIAL MOVEMENTS AND COMMUNITY

Inteleos Foundation Formed to Improve Global Patient Safety

Inteleos | August 09, 2022

Inteleos, a non-profit global healthcare certification organization, today announced the launch of the Inteleos Foundation with the mission of improving patient safety around the world. The Inteleos Foundation was established to assure patients have access to quality healthcare from providers with validated knowledge, skills, abilities, and certifications wherever they live. Among the initiatives being pursued by the Inteleos Foundation are global healthcare improvements, scholarships to increase access to healthcare education and training, expanding access to critical care for underserved populations, and workplace safety for healthcare professionals. "With the Inteleos Foundation, we are looking to accelerate the mission-driven work of making ultrasound certification a global focus, especially as the technology becomes more portable, affordable, convenient, accurate, and ubiquitous across many clinical practices, We want to encourage other groups with similar missions, goals and dreams to join us in cultivating a healthier and happier world." -Dr. Thomas Shipp, chairman, Board of Directors, Inteleos Foundation. The Inteleos Foundation is supporting the Ultrasound Proficiency Grand Challenge (UPGC), aimed at giving midwives in resource-limited areas access to education, training, and certification in the proficient use of ultrasound. The UPGC's stated goal is to have every user of medical ultrasound around the world be proficient and certified, ensuring patient safety and increasing equity in healthcare by 2030. The program supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #3: To ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. About Inteleos: Inteleos™ is a non-profit certification organization that delivers rigorous assessments and cultivates a global community of professionals dedicated to the highest standards in healthcare and patient safety. Inteleos is the overarching governance and management organization for the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography® (ARDMS®) the Alliance for Physician Certification & Advancement™ (APCA™) and the Point-of-Care Ultrasound Certification Academy™ which together represents over 117,000 certified medical professionals throughout the world. The Inteleos Foundation represents the philanthropic efforts for the organization.

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NONPROFIT TECHNOLOGY,SOCIAL MOVEMENTS AND COMMUNITY

CompTIA Spark helps young people unlock their potential and imagine new possibilities through technology

CompTIA Spark | August 08, 2022

With a new, exclusive focus on youth programming and a single-purpose commitment to helping young people unlock their potential through technology, Creating IT Futures has changed its name to CompTIA Spark, the social impact nonprofit organization announced today. CompTIA Spark will focus on delivering high-quality tech education and resources to middle schoolers through an innovative online learning hub. Building on the success of TechGirlz, a program that provides tech-centered learning opportunities for girls ages 11-14, CompTIA Spark aims to make technology engaging, accessible and inclusive for middle school students who are at a critical age to explore their interests. "Our mission is to spark an interest in tech because in today's digitally driven world, tech fluency is just as important to future success as reading, writing, and math, Young people have their sights set on big and varied dreams, but what's clear is that whatever path or passion a young person chooses, technology education will play a critical part in their journey, Nearly every career is a tech career in today's digital world. There are so many great job opportunities out there that require tech knowledge and not enough skilled people to fill those roles. Thousands of rewarding, well-paying jobs will go unfilled unless an expanded pipeline of new, diverse talent is created, That's why CompTIA Spark's middle school programming will have a big impact on thousands of young people's lives regardless of whether they ultimately choose a career in the tech industry. We want to show students that tech is for everyone and about so much more than just coding or computer engineering." -Charles Eaton, chief executive officer of CompTIA Spark. The CompTIA Spark middle school program, scheduled to be piloted during the 2022-23 school year, will be delivered through an online learning hub that can be accessed from anywhere, anytime. The hub is designed as a one-stop shop for students and teachers to access a range of fun, inspiring tech-related courses and resources, spanning topics from artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to mobile app development, podcasting, graphic design and more. Programs serve a diverse range of learning preferences and interests and can be taught by any adult who wants to bring high-quality tech education to their students or community, whether they have tech experience or not. A unique feature of the learning hub allows content to be mapped to students' existing interests and curated across different "careers clusters" — from finance to manufacturing and marketing to the arts. Students can discover career paths and future learning opportunities that align with their passions, strengths, and growing capabilities and confidence. While an independent nonprofit, CompTIA Spark operates as the social innovation and impact arm of CompTIA — the leading nonprofit association for the IT industry and workforce— which founded the organization. This unique connection to CompTIA means CompTIA Spark is plugged in to developments in the industry, keeping pace with its constant evolution. Additionally, its curriculum has ties to real certifications, helping to provide clear future pathways for students who want to take their interest to the next level. About CompTIA Spark: CompTIA Spark is a social impact organization that works to unlock people's potential though technology. It aims to bringing high quality tech education to youth — whatever their background — making tech exciting, accessible and inclusive, and building skills and confidence for life. The organization was founded in 1998 by CompTIA, the nonprofit association for the IT industry and workforce. Formerly known as Creating IT Futures, CompTIA Spark is a registered 501 (c)(3) nonprofit.

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FUNDRAISING,SOCIAL MOVEMENTS AND COMMUNITY

DENSO Donates $100K to American Red Cross to Assist Kentucky Flood Recovery

American Red Cross | August 17, 2022

The DENSO North America Foundation (DNAF) has donated $100,000 to the American Red Cross to support flood recovery efforts in Kentucky. DENSO's donation will help the aid organization deliver its vital shelter, food and health services to people in need. Others who wish to support can make their own donation to the American Red Cross through DENSO's disaster relief microsite. Companies affiliated with DENSO that operate in Kentucky include Kyosan DENSO Manufacturing Kentucky, LLC, located in Mt. Sterling, and DENSO Air Systems, located in Hopkinsville. While these sites were not directly impacted by the flooding, employees at the companies and DENSO partners across the state are deeply connected to communities still in need of relief. "The devastation Kentuckians are facing is unimaginable. That's why it's so important we do our part in helping those affected get back on their feet, We'll always be committed to positively contributing to the places we call home, and we hope this donation advances communities closer to full recovery." -Bob Townsend, vice president of Corporate Services at DENSO and DNAF. DENSO's donation was sourced from DNAF funds specifically earmarked for charitable initiatives. In addition to providing disaster relief, DNAF is also dedicated to helping students advance their education in science, technology, engineering, math and related programs. To do this, the foundation provides grants to colleges and universities across North America, giving students opportunities to grow their skills, pursue technical careers and lead tomorrow's workforce. About DENSO: DENSO is a $45.1 billion global mobility supplier that develops advanced technology and components for nearly every vehicle make and model on the road today. With manufacturing at its core, DENSO invests in its 198 facilities to produce electrification system, powertrain system, thermal system, mobility electronics, & advanced devices, to create jobs that directly change how the world moves. The company's 167,000+ employees are paving the way to a mobility future that improves lives, eliminates traffic accidents, and preserves the environment. Globally headquartered in Kariya, Japan, DENSO spent 9.0 percent of its global consolidated sales on research and development in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022. In North America, DENSO is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, and employs 27,000+ engineers, researchers, and skilled workers across 51 sites in the U.S, Canada and Mexico. In the United States alone, DENSO employs 17,700+ employees across 14 states (and the District of Columbia) and 41 sites. In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022, DENSO in North America generated $9.5 billion in consolidated sales. DENSO is committed to advancing diversity and inclusion inside the company and beyond – a principle that brings unique perspectives together, bolsters innovation, and pushes DENSO forward.

Read More

NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT,SOCIAL MOVEMENTS AND COMMUNITY

Inteleos Foundation Formed to Improve Global Patient Safety

Inteleos | August 09, 2022

Inteleos, a non-profit global healthcare certification organization, today announced the launch of the Inteleos Foundation with the mission of improving patient safety around the world. The Inteleos Foundation was established to assure patients have access to quality healthcare from providers with validated knowledge, skills, abilities, and certifications wherever they live. Among the initiatives being pursued by the Inteleos Foundation are global healthcare improvements, scholarships to increase access to healthcare education and training, expanding access to critical care for underserved populations, and workplace safety for healthcare professionals. "With the Inteleos Foundation, we are looking to accelerate the mission-driven work of making ultrasound certification a global focus, especially as the technology becomes more portable, affordable, convenient, accurate, and ubiquitous across many clinical practices, We want to encourage other groups with similar missions, goals and dreams to join us in cultivating a healthier and happier world." -Dr. Thomas Shipp, chairman, Board of Directors, Inteleos Foundation. The Inteleos Foundation is supporting the Ultrasound Proficiency Grand Challenge (UPGC), aimed at giving midwives in resource-limited areas access to education, training, and certification in the proficient use of ultrasound. The UPGC's stated goal is to have every user of medical ultrasound around the world be proficient and certified, ensuring patient safety and increasing equity in healthcare by 2030. The program supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #3: To ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. About Inteleos: Inteleos™ is a non-profit certification organization that delivers rigorous assessments and cultivates a global community of professionals dedicated to the highest standards in healthcare and patient safety. Inteleos is the overarching governance and management organization for the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography® (ARDMS®) the Alliance for Physician Certification & Advancement™ (APCA™) and the Point-of-Care Ultrasound Certification Academy™ which together represents over 117,000 certified medical professionals throughout the world. The Inteleos Foundation represents the philanthropic efforts for the organization.

Read More

NONPROFIT TECHNOLOGY,SOCIAL MOVEMENTS AND COMMUNITY

CompTIA Spark helps young people unlock their potential and imagine new possibilities through technology

CompTIA Spark | August 08, 2022

With a new, exclusive focus on youth programming and a single-purpose commitment to helping young people unlock their potential through technology, Creating IT Futures has changed its name to CompTIA Spark, the social impact nonprofit organization announced today. CompTIA Spark will focus on delivering high-quality tech education and resources to middle schoolers through an innovative online learning hub. Building on the success of TechGirlz, a program that provides tech-centered learning opportunities for girls ages 11-14, CompTIA Spark aims to make technology engaging, accessible and inclusive for middle school students who are at a critical age to explore their interests. "Our mission is to spark an interest in tech because in today's digitally driven world, tech fluency is just as important to future success as reading, writing, and math, Young people have their sights set on big and varied dreams, but what's clear is that whatever path or passion a young person chooses, technology education will play a critical part in their journey, Nearly every career is a tech career in today's digital world. There are so many great job opportunities out there that require tech knowledge and not enough skilled people to fill those roles. Thousands of rewarding, well-paying jobs will go unfilled unless an expanded pipeline of new, diverse talent is created, That's why CompTIA Spark's middle school programming will have a big impact on thousands of young people's lives regardless of whether they ultimately choose a career in the tech industry. We want to show students that tech is for everyone and about so much more than just coding or computer engineering." -Charles Eaton, chief executive officer of CompTIA Spark. The CompTIA Spark middle school program, scheduled to be piloted during the 2022-23 school year, will be delivered through an online learning hub that can be accessed from anywhere, anytime. The hub is designed as a one-stop shop for students and teachers to access a range of fun, inspiring tech-related courses and resources, spanning topics from artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to mobile app development, podcasting, graphic design and more. Programs serve a diverse range of learning preferences and interests and can be taught by any adult who wants to bring high-quality tech education to their students or community, whether they have tech experience or not. A unique feature of the learning hub allows content to be mapped to students' existing interests and curated across different "careers clusters" — from finance to manufacturing and marketing to the arts. Students can discover career paths and future learning opportunities that align with their passions, strengths, and growing capabilities and confidence. While an independent nonprofit, CompTIA Spark operates as the social innovation and impact arm of CompTIA — the leading nonprofit association for the IT industry and workforce— which founded the organization. This unique connection to CompTIA means CompTIA Spark is plugged in to developments in the industry, keeping pace with its constant evolution. Additionally, its curriculum has ties to real certifications, helping to provide clear future pathways for students who want to take their interest to the next level. About CompTIA Spark: CompTIA Spark is a social impact organization that works to unlock people's potential though technology. It aims to bringing high quality tech education to youth — whatever their background — making tech exciting, accessible and inclusive, and building skills and confidence for life. The organization was founded in 1998 by CompTIA, the nonprofit association for the IT industry and workforce. Formerly known as Creating IT Futures, CompTIA Spark is a registered 501 (c)(3) nonprofit.

Read More

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