WHAT DO THESE 4 BIG TECHNOLOGY TRENDS FOR 2017 MEAN FOR PHILANTHROPY?

Here are four of the key tech trends for 2017 identified by the experts, and what we have had to say about their possible impact on philanthropy. Perhaps not as big a part of CES 2017 as some other trends, because it is more of an infrastructure technology, but still a given on most expert’s lists of major tech trends for this year. AI (artificial intelligence) is obviously strongly linked to the IoT. But there are wider applications of AI, including things like the growing prevalence of algorithms and the rise of chatbots.

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Village Enterprise

Village Enterprise’s mission is to equip people living in extreme poverty with resources to create sustainable businesses. Our vision is a world free of extreme poverty and chronic hunger, where people have the economic means to sustain their families.

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Nonprofit Management

Proactive Asset Maintenance for Nonprofits

Article | July 20, 2022

For small nonprofits struggling to keep pace with day-to-day work, planning ahead can seem like a luxury. Especially when it comes to IT asset maintenance: If everything is functioning well right now, why mess with it? But a little work now can save a lot of work in the future. It can also prevent downtime, security incidents, and other issues that can hurt your organization.

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Nonprofit Management

The Psychology Behind Donations

Article | July 12, 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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Fundraising

Marketing Your Nonprofit Organization in 4 Simple Steps

Article | July 15, 2022

It's not difficult to learn how to market your non-profit. Organizations can take a lot of simple steps to get in front of their target audience, inform the public, and win more people on board for their cause. These four stages will help kickstart marketing initiatives and put them on the right track to achieving their company's objectives. The non-profit is missing out on critical chances if its only marketing efforts are to organize an annual benefit event and periodically update its website. For a non-profit to expand and remain active, consistent marketing is just as important as for 'for-profit' enterprises. Without public awareness, even the greatest charitable group will be unable to accomplish anything. To properly carry out its objective, a non-profit needs strong ties with funders, volunteers, the media, and even governmental bodies. In order to retain relationships, attract regular donations, and keep an organization's activities in the public view, continual marketing initiatives are necessary. However, there are still stages that every employee can help with to establish a marketing plan, even if the non-profit doesn't have the funds for a professional marketing team. Choose the Target Market A non-profit must identify its target audience and the actions it wants them to adapt before it can take any steps to advertise its organization. Organizations can adjust their marketing initiatives to reach their target audience and motivate them to act once they are aware of who they are and where to find them. For example, they might find it helpful to look into firms that are comparable to their own to discover how they sell to the same demographic. Set Measurable Objectives Organizations can't determine whether their non-profit marketing is successful without knowing their goals. They are better equipped to assess what is working and what needs to change when they have quantifiable goals. After establishing their objectives, they should plan with their team how they'll gauge their success in achieving them. Curate Marketing Materials Marketing materials are necessary for non-profits whenever they engage with the public. These materials should be customized for their group, exhibit their achievements, offerings, and core principles, and provide information on how to get involved or donate. Build a Database Once the promotional strategies are ready, it's time to put them to use. But before they accomplish that, organizations must create a database of present and potential members. Organizations can use databases to categorize their audience into different groups depending on things like whether or not they've donated in the past, their economic level, or whether they prefer to be reached through email or physical mail. While deploying these above-mentioned steps, non-profit organizations can effectively boost their marketing capabilities that would, in return, aid in achieving their organizational goals.

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Nonprofit Management

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

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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Spotlight

Village Enterprise

Village Enterprise’s mission is to equip people living in extreme poverty with resources to create sustainable businesses. Our vision is a world free of extreme poverty and chronic hunger, where people have the economic means to sustain their families.

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Financial Management, Philanthropy

TIFIN Give expands its reach as a leading technology powered philanthropy platform for wealth enterprises

PR Newswire | February 01, 2024

TIFIN, a leading AI and innovation platform, today announced its philanthropy platform TIFIN Give has acquired Giving Place, the tech solution for family office giving programs and private foundations. The newly combined company now has increased scale and resources to service families through advisors, the workplace, and family offices. The firm now helps oversee $670 million in philanthropy assets and helped facilitate $40 million in charitable donations in 2023. The donor-advised fund (DAF) space has seen rapid growth in recent years. DAF assets nearly doubled between 2018 and 2022 and stand today at ~$230 billion; total DAF assets are estimated to grow to $1 trillion by 2030. Private foundation assets reached $1.25 trillion last year. The ability of TIFIN Give to serve these charitable structures, among others, continues to unlock substantial opportunities and value for wealth enterprises and their clients. TIFIN Give's next-generation DAF platform provides a multi-custodial platform, SOC-2 security compliance, and expanded investment options including custom model portfolios. It is now deployed at leading wealth enterprises and employers through their recent partnership to power an employee DAF solution with Morgan Stanley at Work. Through the Giving Place acquisition, TIFIN Give can now address the philanthropic needs of all asset classes in the wealth enterprise space," said Cor Hoekstra, Head of Wealth Enterprise Partnerships at TIFIN. "We are excited to now reach all types of donors. The new company will be led by Giving Place's co-founder and CEO, Paul Lussow. Co-founder Alex Paul, will remain involved and serve on the TIFIN Give board. "Our focus on supporting and growing the philanthropic capabilities of wealth enterprises will accelerate through this combined company," said Lussow. "The key to solving many pain points for donors and their advisors will be powered by the integration of TIFIN Give's digital-first DAF platform with Giving Place's philanthropy software solution for family offices and private foundations," said Giving Place co-founder and TIFIN Give board member Alex Paul.

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Philanthropy

Austin FC and Q2 Support Local Nonprofits Through Q-mmunity Gives Grant Program

Business Wire | October 03, 2023

Austin FC and Q2 Holdings, Inc. announced today that the organizations are once again teaming up to support local nonprofits dedicated to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in Central Texas through its Q-mmunity Gives grant program, which returns for a third consecutive year after launching in 2021. As part of the annual program, Austin FC and Q2 will award three (3) separate $50,000 grants to three (3) nonprofit organizations, altogether totaling $150,000, that focus on the advancement of underrepresented communities through the following impact areas: education, job skills and readiness, and health and wellness. Central Texas nonprofits Central Texas Table of Grace, Latinitas and Literacy Coalition of Central Texas were named the 2022 Q-mmunity Gives grant recipients. “During its first two years, the Q-mmunity Gives grant program has shown its ability to make a direct impact in our community, and as such, it has become a staple in our calendar,” said Austin FC President Andy Loughnane. “We’re grateful to be aligned with Q2 on this key initiative given the importance of directly supporting Austin’s nonprofit community.” “We’re excited to partner with Austin FC to support the Central Texas nonprofit community,” said Q2 Chief Executive Officer Matt Flake. “Our mission is centered on building strong and diverse communities by strengthening their financial institutions, and we look forward to supporting three local nonprofits to expand their community service and impact.” For a grant application to be considered eligible, it must meet the following criteria: Nonprofit organizations must be committed to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in the Central Texas Community; Program/project must fall within one or more of the following impact areas: (1) Education, (2) Job Skills & Readiness, (3) Health & Wellness; Program/project must be in the Central Texas community; Request must come from nonprofit organizations (no funding to individuals); Requested funds must be used to implement a project; capacity grants are not awarded by Austin FC and Q2 Q-mmunity Gives.; Nonprofit organizations must be certified as tax exempt under Section 501(c) (3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code and not a private foundation as defined in section 509(a) of the code; and Nonprofit organization must be in good standing with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Texas Franchise Tax Board and the Texas Secretary of State. The Austin FC and Q2 Q-mmunity Gives Grant Committee will accept applications beginning today, Sept. 26, through Oct. 16. About Q2 Holdings, Inc. Q2 is a leading provider of digital banking and lending solutions to banks, credit unions, alternative finance companies, and fintechs in the U.S. and internationally. Q2’s comprehensive solution set allows its customers to better onboard, grow and serve their consumer, small business and corporate clients. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Q2 has offices throughout the world and is publicly traded on the NYSE under the stock symbol QTWO. About Austin FC Austin FC joined Major League Soccer (MLS) as the League’s 27th club in January 2019. Austin FC officially began competing in MLS in April 2021 and played its first match at home on June 19, 2021, in the new, 100% privately financed, $260 million, state-of-the-art Q2 Stadium in Austin. In its second year, Austin FC finished the regular season 2nd in the Western Conference, while also making a run to the Western Conference Finals during the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs. Austin FC also operates the Austin FC Academy, the fully funded developmental academy representing the highest level of competition for elite youth soccer players in Central Texas, while serving as the exclusive developmental pathway to MLS for the region’s most talented young players. In 2023, the Club launched Austin FC II, a professional-level development team, competing as one of 27 clubs in MLS NEXT Pro. The team completes the pro player pathway between elite youth soccer (MLS NEXT) and MLS, for players to develop, improve, and potentially move up to the Austin FC first team.

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Philanthropy

Catchafire Platform Drives $250M+ in Savings for Nonprofits, Further Empowering Philanthropic Impact and Dollar Value for Funders

PR Newswire | September 26, 2023

Catchafire, the leading online volunteer platform, proudly announces a remarkable milestone in its ongoing mission to supercharge nonprofit work with skilled and highly motivated volunteer talent. To date, Catchafire has facilitated over $250 million in savings for nonprofits, reinforcing its commitment to driving both philanthropic impact and value for funders. "Our success metrics demonstrate that Catchafire is powering the important work of nonprofits and saving them precious monetary resources at the same time," said Matt Miszewski, CEO of Catchafire. "Through enabling nonprofit work by harnessing the potential of skilled volunteers we not only ensure important philanthropic work is carried out, but we also drive unmatched value for donating and funding organizations through our partnerships." Catchafire Impact Metrics (to date): Nonprofit Value Created:$251,972,481 Total Hours Donated:1,303,945 Current Active Nonprofits:12,566 Total Volunteer Applications:341,272 Catchafire continues to grow its network of nonprofit organizations, volunteers, foundations, and corporate donors, with a commitment to fostering meaningful connections that ultimately improve the lives and communities of many. As the platform expands, the potential for even greater savings and philanthropic impact is possible. If you are a grantmaker or a corporate donor looking to maximize the impact of your funding, contact Catchafire to set up an informational meeting to discuss your needs. About Catchafire Catchafire is a place for people to come together and do good. Catchafire brings together government, philanthropy, business, and volunteers with the goal of bridging paths to stronger communities. We have been shifting skills and resources to communities across the country for over a decade. Every day, we help communities grow stronger by listening to what they need and making sure they get those resources. We are the leading online platform for nonprofits to connect with everyday professionals—our team has helped nonprofits create over $250 million dollars in value, with over 1 million volunteer hours donated. Learn more at catchafire.org.

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Financial Management, Philanthropy

TIFIN Give expands its reach as a leading technology powered philanthropy platform for wealth enterprises

PR Newswire | February 01, 2024

TIFIN, a leading AI and innovation platform, today announced its philanthropy platform TIFIN Give has acquired Giving Place, the tech solution for family office giving programs and private foundations. The newly combined company now has increased scale and resources to service families through advisors, the workplace, and family offices. The firm now helps oversee $670 million in philanthropy assets and helped facilitate $40 million in charitable donations in 2023. The donor-advised fund (DAF) space has seen rapid growth in recent years. DAF assets nearly doubled between 2018 and 2022 and stand today at ~$230 billion; total DAF assets are estimated to grow to $1 trillion by 2030. Private foundation assets reached $1.25 trillion last year. The ability of TIFIN Give to serve these charitable structures, among others, continues to unlock substantial opportunities and value for wealth enterprises and their clients. TIFIN Give's next-generation DAF platform provides a multi-custodial platform, SOC-2 security compliance, and expanded investment options including custom model portfolios. It is now deployed at leading wealth enterprises and employers through their recent partnership to power an employee DAF solution with Morgan Stanley at Work. Through the Giving Place acquisition, TIFIN Give can now address the philanthropic needs of all asset classes in the wealth enterprise space," said Cor Hoekstra, Head of Wealth Enterprise Partnerships at TIFIN. "We are excited to now reach all types of donors. The new company will be led by Giving Place's co-founder and CEO, Paul Lussow. Co-founder Alex Paul, will remain involved and serve on the TIFIN Give board. "Our focus on supporting and growing the philanthropic capabilities of wealth enterprises will accelerate through this combined company," said Lussow. "The key to solving many pain points for donors and their advisors will be powered by the integration of TIFIN Give's digital-first DAF platform with Giving Place's philanthropy software solution for family offices and private foundations," said Giving Place co-founder and TIFIN Give board member Alex Paul.

Read More

Philanthropy

Austin FC and Q2 Support Local Nonprofits Through Q-mmunity Gives Grant Program

Business Wire | October 03, 2023

Austin FC and Q2 Holdings, Inc. announced today that the organizations are once again teaming up to support local nonprofits dedicated to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in Central Texas through its Q-mmunity Gives grant program, which returns for a third consecutive year after launching in 2021. As part of the annual program, Austin FC and Q2 will award three (3) separate $50,000 grants to three (3) nonprofit organizations, altogether totaling $150,000, that focus on the advancement of underrepresented communities through the following impact areas: education, job skills and readiness, and health and wellness. Central Texas nonprofits Central Texas Table of Grace, Latinitas and Literacy Coalition of Central Texas were named the 2022 Q-mmunity Gives grant recipients. “During its first two years, the Q-mmunity Gives grant program has shown its ability to make a direct impact in our community, and as such, it has become a staple in our calendar,” said Austin FC President Andy Loughnane. “We’re grateful to be aligned with Q2 on this key initiative given the importance of directly supporting Austin’s nonprofit community.” “We’re excited to partner with Austin FC to support the Central Texas nonprofit community,” said Q2 Chief Executive Officer Matt Flake. “Our mission is centered on building strong and diverse communities by strengthening their financial institutions, and we look forward to supporting three local nonprofits to expand their community service and impact.” For a grant application to be considered eligible, it must meet the following criteria: Nonprofit organizations must be committed to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in the Central Texas Community; Program/project must fall within one or more of the following impact areas: (1) Education, (2) Job Skills & Readiness, (3) Health & Wellness; Program/project must be in the Central Texas community; Request must come from nonprofit organizations (no funding to individuals); Requested funds must be used to implement a project; capacity grants are not awarded by Austin FC and Q2 Q-mmunity Gives.; Nonprofit organizations must be certified as tax exempt under Section 501(c) (3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code and not a private foundation as defined in section 509(a) of the code; and Nonprofit organization must be in good standing with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Texas Franchise Tax Board and the Texas Secretary of State. The Austin FC and Q2 Q-mmunity Gives Grant Committee will accept applications beginning today, Sept. 26, through Oct. 16. About Q2 Holdings, Inc. Q2 is a leading provider of digital banking and lending solutions to banks, credit unions, alternative finance companies, and fintechs in the U.S. and internationally. Q2’s comprehensive solution set allows its customers to better onboard, grow and serve their consumer, small business and corporate clients. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Q2 has offices throughout the world and is publicly traded on the NYSE under the stock symbol QTWO. About Austin FC Austin FC joined Major League Soccer (MLS) as the League’s 27th club in January 2019. Austin FC officially began competing in MLS in April 2021 and played its first match at home on June 19, 2021, in the new, 100% privately financed, $260 million, state-of-the-art Q2 Stadium in Austin. In its second year, Austin FC finished the regular season 2nd in the Western Conference, while also making a run to the Western Conference Finals during the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs. Austin FC also operates the Austin FC Academy, the fully funded developmental academy representing the highest level of competition for elite youth soccer players in Central Texas, while serving as the exclusive developmental pathway to MLS for the region’s most talented young players. In 2023, the Club launched Austin FC II, a professional-level development team, competing as one of 27 clubs in MLS NEXT Pro. The team completes the pro player pathway between elite youth soccer (MLS NEXT) and MLS, for players to develop, improve, and potentially move up to the Austin FC first team.

Read More

Philanthropy

Catchafire Platform Drives $250M+ in Savings for Nonprofits, Further Empowering Philanthropic Impact and Dollar Value for Funders

PR Newswire | September 26, 2023

Catchafire, the leading online volunteer platform, proudly announces a remarkable milestone in its ongoing mission to supercharge nonprofit work with skilled and highly motivated volunteer talent. To date, Catchafire has facilitated over $250 million in savings for nonprofits, reinforcing its commitment to driving both philanthropic impact and value for funders. "Our success metrics demonstrate that Catchafire is powering the important work of nonprofits and saving them precious monetary resources at the same time," said Matt Miszewski, CEO of Catchafire. "Through enabling nonprofit work by harnessing the potential of skilled volunteers we not only ensure important philanthropic work is carried out, but we also drive unmatched value for donating and funding organizations through our partnerships." Catchafire Impact Metrics (to date): Nonprofit Value Created:$251,972,481 Total Hours Donated:1,303,945 Current Active Nonprofits:12,566 Total Volunteer Applications:341,272 Catchafire continues to grow its network of nonprofit organizations, volunteers, foundations, and corporate donors, with a commitment to fostering meaningful connections that ultimately improve the lives and communities of many. As the platform expands, the potential for even greater savings and philanthropic impact is possible. If you are a grantmaker or a corporate donor looking to maximize the impact of your funding, contact Catchafire to set up an informational meeting to discuss your needs. About Catchafire Catchafire is a place for people to come together and do good. Catchafire brings together government, philanthropy, business, and volunteers with the goal of bridging paths to stronger communities. We have been shifting skills and resources to communities across the country for over a decade. Every day, we help communities grow stronger by listening to what they need and making sure they get those resources. We are the leading online platform for nonprofits to connect with everyday professionals—our team has helped nonprofits create over $250 million dollars in value, with over 1 million volunteer hours donated. Learn more at catchafire.org.

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