You know what takes a lot of inspiration and a truck load of guts? Fundraising. I learned this the hard way when I started a nonprofit in the living room of my apartment with just $500 and a credit card. There were days when I second guessed myself but ten years later we raised over […]
New York
3 Mistakes Nonprofits Make When Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding is becoming increasingly common in organizations’ strategic planning. When crowdfunding campaigns are run correctly, nonprofits can realize incredible returns versus traditional fundraising methods. However, don’t expect the “if you build it they will come” result. Crowdfunding campaigns involve more than just setting up a page so you can sit back and watch the donations […]
The Ultimate Guide To Building An Email List
Social media is important when it comes to growing your brand and sending visitors to your website. Unfortunately, social media marketing alone is not enough to initiate pageviews. An email list is a marketing tool that will round out your online marketing strategy. However, in order to have an email list, you need to build it. […]
The 4 Questions Nonprofits Need to Address as They Make 2018 Tech Plans
As 2017 draws to a close and 2018 comes into focus, nonprofit organizations planning for next year should be thinking through their technology priorities. That can be a daunting task, but the most successful nonprofits have defined processes for making technology decisions. According to the Nonprofit Technology Network’s (NTEN) 10th annual “Nonprofit Technology Staffing and Investments Report,” 65 […]
30 Power Words That Convert on Social Media
When chosen carefully, the right words can prompt an audience to invest in your cause and spread your mission to the world. Below, we’ve rounded up 30 power words that convert on social media. But first, we dig into the science of copywriting and the psychology of headlines. Why Use Power Words? The right words in your online messages can […]
7 Essential Matching Gift Steps to Take in the New Year
As we approach the end of 2017, it’s time to look forward to ways to increase donations in 2018. It can feel like you’ve exhausted every fundraising avenue already like your donors have given all they can give. But what if that weren’t the case? What if you could significantly increase your donations with no […]
Write to Invite: 5 Secrets to Inspire Action on Your Nonprofit Appeal
You want to raise money with your year-end nonprofit appeal, right? Think about what inspires you about your mission. What are you passionate about? What drew you here and keeps you here? Look at your last appeal; does it sound like you know who you’re writing to? If not, you’re likely writing on auto-pilot, talking […]
How to Find Your Next Great Board Member
Each board is unique, so its members must be too. The right dynamic between a board and its leadership will ensure the success of the organization, satisfaction of those who drive that success, and realization of your unique and powerful vision. Who is your dream board member? Quantitative research has shown that board giving has […]
3 Ways to retain first time donors
According to the Fundraising Effectiveness Project, most first-time donors never come back to make a second gift. Nonprofits as a whole are losing 57% of their donors every single year. And 71% of first-time donors never return! Any fundraising professional will tell you that retaining existing donors costs less than acquiring new donors. The quickest and surest way to […]
5 Steps to Becoming a Stronger Networker
You curled your hair and put on your patent leather shoes. You even put on lipstick without your mom’s permission. You are ready for your first junior high dance. Will you ask Bobby to slow dance or stand near the wall with friends? Will you go near the chip bowl, or do you not want […]
Data Appends: A Guide for Your Nonprofit
Analytics is all the rage in development offices. Data scientists and prospect researchers on the nonprofit payroll are working side by side to mine data within the nonprofit’s information system and create models that predict who is likely to give—and who is not. Adding highly skilled staff to do this analysis is expensive, but stretches […]
Is Your Nonprofit Ready for #GivingTuesday?
Giving Tuesday 2016 yielded $168,000,000 in nonprofit donations. Is your nonprofit ready to leverage end-of-year giving in 2017? #GivingTuesday is right around the corner and presents a unique opportunity for nonprofits nationwide to drive in new donors (both financial and time-based). If you are not familiar with #GivingTuesday, it is a national campaign that begins the Tuesday after Thanksgiving (Nov. […]