Nonprofit Tech for Good

AUGUST 24, 2014

'In 2013 online giving grew 13.5% according to the Blackbaud Index of Online Giving and 14% according to the Network for Good’s Online Giving Index with small and medium-sized nonprofits are experiencing the largest growth. In addition, charitable giving is at an all-time high in the United States and nonprofits would be wise to invest in upgrades to their online donation service to ensure that they are meeting the needs of today’s online donors. “Donate Now” buttons were laun

Fundraising 111

Fundraising Fundraising Nonprofits Advertising 111

Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog

AUGUST 21, 2014

'It’s the question that thousands of nonprofit communications and development staff will be asked over the next several weeks: What’s our version of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge ? Of course, the real questions behind that are “How come we aren’t raising a bazillion dollars online?” and “Why can’t we get our supporters to make videos of themselves about our cause and share them with their friends?

Universities 110

Universities Culture Philanthropy Associations 110

The Agitator

AUGUST 10, 2014

'Editors Note: This is the first of a three-part series on how some politicians and their special interest supporters are attempting to intimidate, discredit and destroy nonprofits that oppose them through the misuse of fundraising regulations. Saturday the 9 th marked the 40 th anniversary of President Nixons resignation for abuse of power and process.

Nonprofit Management 109

Nonprofit Management Management Fundraising Fundraising 109

Fundraising Coach

AUGUST 25, 2014

'Every week, I send a fundraising coaching email to nonprofit CEOs and Executive Directors. These Kicks are designed to remind them to get out from behind their desk to interact with 5-10 major donors and prospects. I rarely share these Fundraising Kicks with anyone but them. But this week there will be hundreds, possibly thousands, of board conversations about their nonprofit can copy the uber-successful ALS ice bucket challenge.

Associations 109

Associations Fundraising Fundraising Foundations 109

Nonprofit Marketing Blog

AUGUST 15, 2014

'Are your social networks full of friends being doused in icy water? You’ve witnessed the #IceBucketChallenge. The “Ice Bucket Challenge” has taken the world by storm, prompting people across the nation to take note of, promote, and donate in support of research and assistance for those diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease).

Associations 88

Associations Marketing Marketing Fundraising 88

iMarketSmart

AUGUST 25, 2014

'If you have 18 minutes to spare, I implore you to spend it watching this speech. In just 18 minutes Simon Sinek will help you understand that it’s not what your organization does but, rather, why you do it that is important for success. He’ll show you how Steve Jobs used this approach. And, if you take the message to heart, you’ll be inspired to refocus your mission on what’s really important.

Fundraising 83

Fundraising Fundraising 83

Getting Attention

AUGUST 13, 2014

'Guest blogger, Dennis Fischman left a senior management position at a nonprofit organization to found Communicate! Consulting. We love talking with friends. We hate going to meetings. Why? Too often at meetings and conferences, were listening to people we dont know, talking about an agenda that doesnt matter to us. With friends, we can share not only thoughts and plans, but hopes and dreamsthe things that make us get out of bed in the morningthe things that make us human.

Production 82

Production Communication Management Nonprofit Organizations 82

The Agitator

AUGUST 18, 2014

'As of yesterday, the high visibility ‘Ice Bucket Challenge’ had produced $15.6 million from existing donors, plus 307,598 new donors for The ALS Association. The campaign designed to build awareness and support research for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, goes like this: People make a video of themselves or a friend dumping a bucket of ice water on their heads, post it on Facebook, Instagram or other social media sites, and then challenge friends to do

Retention 108

Retention Associations Fundraising Fundraising 108

Fundraising Coach

AUGUST 26, 2014

'In teaching nonprofit social media , I call LinkedIn the "little engine that could.". Started in late 2002, LinkedIn has seen many social media platforms rise and fall. (Anyone remember Friendster or MySpace?) But LinkedIn keeps trucking along. And in my non-scientific experience, it is the preferred social media platform of many executives. They tell me where the other platforms seem a free-for-all of personal information, they like LinkedIn''s focus on work.

Leadership 108

Leadership Management Fundraising Fundraising 108

Nonprofit Marketing Blog

AUGUST 5, 2014

'Whether you’re you looking to win support for an issue, impact policy, or inspire donors to take action and give, a campaign rarely succeeds without a solid, thoughtful plan. At Network for Good, we’ve always been big fans of Spitfire Strategies’ original Just Enough Planning Guide as a primer for doing just that, and have featured the Spitfire team in our Nonprofit 911 webinar series.

Public and Nonprofit Management 85

Public and Nonprofit Management Activism Management Nonprofits 85

Ann Green

AUGUST 26, 2014

'Photo by Robert Couse-Baker. When was the last time you took a good, hard look at your website? As summer winds down, and we start getting ready for year-end fundraising, you want to make sure your website is up-to-date, easy to read and navigate,welcoming, and audience-centered. How does your website fare? Use the checklist below to find out. Home page.

Fundraising 82

Fundraising Fundraising Communication Marketing 82

Nonprofit Tech for Good

AUGUST 17, 2014

'Thanks to a partnership with Salsa Labs , Heather Mansfield of Nonprofit Tech for Good was able to report live from the FUSE Conference on August 6-7 in Annandale, VA. Over 250 nonprofits were in attendance represented by staff mostly from the Millennial Generation who actively contributed to the conference hashtag: #FUSEcon2014. Heather also presented two general sessions during which she invited attendees to share via Instagram the most useful piece of advice they gained from attending the

Healthcare 81

Healthcare Nonprofits Activism Marketing 81

Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog

AUGUST 19, 2014

'This is not a strategy. Just the other day a nonprofit communications director showed me her brand-new marketing strategy. Her organization’s leaders, the executive director and a committee of board members, had commissioned the strategy from a consultant. After several months of work, the strategy was delivered to staff to implement. But the document I saw contained very little leadership or strategy: instead, it was everything and the kitchen sink.

Leadership 87

Leadership Communication Marketing Marketing 87

The Agitator

AUGUST 11, 2014

'Editors Note: This is the second of a three-part series on how some politicians and their special interest supporters are attempting to intimidate, discredit and destroy nonprofits that oppose them through the misuse of fundraising regulations. Here’s part one: BEWARE: Oklahoma’s Mini-Nixon. A sinister move is now underway by Oklahomas attorney general and his special interest allies to use the states fundraising regulations in an effort to intimidate or silence the Human

Nonprofit Management 107

Nonprofit Management Management Fundraising Fundraising 107

Fundraising Coach

AUGUST 6, 2014

'As a nonprofit board member, it can be challenging to know how to best help your nonprofit. After all, they are the experts. They know their sector far better than you ever will. So how can you help them? 1 simple thing you can do today to help your nonprofit get new donors. Here is one simple thing you can do today. Right now. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/upcoming.

Nonprofits 97

Nonprofits Foundations Fundraising Fundraising 97

Mission Minded

AUGUST 5, 2014

'At Mission Minded we counsel our clients to think of branding as everybody’s job. It’s not only the responsibility of the executive director, or the marketing committee of the board, or the marketing director, (if they’re lucky enough to have one). Once you’ve set the strategy for your brand, everyone who works and volunteers for […].

Marketing 79

Marketing Marketing 79

Getting Attention

AUGUST 20, 2014

'Andy Robinson provides training and consulting for nonprofits in fundraising, board development, marketing, earned income, planning, leadership development, and facilitation. Along with training people to raise money, Andrea Kihlstedt writes, speaks and coaches about campaign campaign fundraising. Do you dream of a board composed of wealthy people with wealthy friends, people who are fearless about asking those friends for big gifts?

Leadership 77

Leadership Marketing Marketing Communication 77

Ann Green

AUGUST 19, 2014

' . Nonprofit organizations need to find ways to thank donors all year round. One special way to show appreciation is to hold an open house at your organization. If you can’t hold one on site, have it at a restaurant or other venue. You may be able to find someone to donate space. Invite other supporters, too. You could just have an event for donors, but why not invite your email subscribers and your social media followers, too?

Food 72

Food Communication Nonprofit Organizations Nonprofit Organizations 72

Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog

AUGUST 26, 2014

'Laurel Dykema. Would your nonprofit communications make your English Lit professor cringe? Good! You’re probably on the right track. Today, Laurel Dykema shares some habits she had to change once she started writing for the real world. ~Kivi. Guest Post by Laurel Dykema of Mission India. Confession: I had a lot of bad habits when I started in nonprofit writing.

Nonprofits 80

Nonprofits Communication Marketing Marketing 80

The Agitator

AUGUST 12, 2014

'Editors Note: This is the last of a three-part series on how some politicians and their special interest supporters, through the use of fundraising regulations, are attempting to intimidate and discredit nonprofits that oppose them. Part One — Beware: Oklahomas Mini-Nixon Part Two — Anatomy of a Smear Campaign A key player in the drive by the Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, the Oklahoma Farm Bureau and the factory farm/agribusiness conglomerates to silence the Humane

Nonprofit Management 105

Nonprofit Management Management Fundraising Fundraising 105

Fundraising Coach

AUGUST 4, 2014

'The Nonprofit Academy Members’ August Webinar. Don’t Wing It! – Major Gift Mistakes Even Smart Fundraisers Make. August 14, 1pm ET (noon CT / 11am MT / 10am PT). In this webinar, Kathie Kramer Ryan will share the critical mistakes often made by even the most seasoned development professionals when working with major donors – and how you can avoid these costly errors!

Fundraising 87

Fundraising Fundraising Nonprofits 87

Mission Minded

AUGUST 19, 2014

'Here’s why brand should matter to you: your organization’s brand offers your target audiences a shortcut for: (1) understanding who you are and what value they might derive from engaging with you, and then (2) acting accordingly. Strong brands lead to desired interactions. They quickly attract the audiences who align with their values, appreciate what […].

Values 78

Values 78

Getting Attention

AUGUST 26, 2014

'Please post your open nonprofit marketing positions here. Communications and Digital Engagement , Rita Allen Foundation (Princeton, NJ). Communications and Marketing Manager , Catalina Island Conservancy (Long Beach, CA). Communications Coordinator , Ford Foundation (New York, NY). Communications Director , Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (Remote).

Marketing 74

Marketing Marketing Environmental Children 74

Care2

AUGUST 16, 2014

'New memes get started everyday. Some stick and go “viral” while others just get shared with a small community of friends, and some go nowhere. Remember the FB meme challenge that asked women to post what color bra they were wearing that day? Many thought the meme was connected to raising breast cancer awareness, but that was not the intention behind it.

Law 77

Law Foundations Associations Values 77

Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog

AUGUST 6, 2014

'Diane Greenhalgh. Diane Greenhalgh joins us again with some more great ideas on creating content for your nonprofit. ~Kivi. Guest Post by Diane Greenhalgh of the Pulmonary Hypertension Association. On this blog and in her webinars and book, Kivi talks about how you should try to become your community’s favorite nonprofit because research has shown that people give two-thirds of their charitable donations each year to one favorite charity.

Public and Nonprofit Management 79

Public and Nonprofit Management Associations Marketing Marketing 79

The Agitator

AUGUST 31, 2014

'Last month the ALS Association won fundraising’s equivalent of the Mega Million Power Ball Lottery — picking up 3 million donors and $100+ million in August alone from the “Ice Bucket Challenge”. Then on Friday they blew it. Up until then our tireless Agitator editors were happily and busily white boarding the steps that fortunate organization might take to ensure the best retention possible from this massive burst of flash philanthropy.

Retention 105

Retention Philanthropy Associations Nonprofit Management 105

Fundraising Coach

AUGUST 12, 2014

'As a fundraising coach, one of the most common questions I get is about how to get new donors for a nonprofit. The question was well summed up in this question from an Ask Without Fear! email newsletter subscriber: "How do I acquire new donors? I find that people keep saying donor acquisition is given way more attention than retention. I find retention articles are a dime a dozen but it is difficult to find quality articles on acquisition.".

Retention 86

Retention Fundraising Fundraising Nonprofits 86

Nonprofit Marketing Blog

AUGUST 8, 2014

'When I asked nonprofit experts in a range of fields, from fundraising to programs, to share their summer reading lists, I had no idea what to expect. I was thrilled to hear so many passionate stories about books that have made (or are likely to make) a huge difference in these folks lives. Im sure that youre reading all the timeblogs, Facebook, e-newslettersbut my colleagues told me that, for them, reading a book is something different.

Fundraising 68

Fundraising Fundraising Public and Nonprofit Management Psychology 68

Getting Attention

AUGUST 5, 2014

'Please post your open nonprofit marketing positions here. Assistant Manager of Digital Engagement , Rubin Museum of Art (New York, NY). Associate Director of Communications , World of Children Award (Dublin, CA). Communications Coordinator , Urban Libraries Council. (Washington, DC). Communications Manager , Trinity Church Foundation (Boston, MA). Design Associate , Public Interest GRFX (Philadelphia, PA).

Public and Nonprofit Management 71

Public and Nonprofit Management Marketing Marketing Associations 71

Care2

AUGUST 31, 2014

'If you are like most organizations, your staff wears many hats. If you are juggling several tasks including managing social media accounts, check out this data about the best times to post updates. However, before you dive into it, it''s important that you remember to look at your own engagement and what the best times are to post for your own organization.

Management 74

Management 74

Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog

AUGUST 15, 2014

'I read last week that Gmail would moving an unsubscribe button to the top of its email messages making it easier for people to opt out of unwanted messages. . I just noticed it in action today when I checked my personal Gmail account and saw this: Now, I may be a huge college football/SEC fan, but I root for the Auburn Tigers. Not the Florida Gators.

Communication 77

Communication Marketing Marketing Nonprofits 77

The Agitator

AUGUST 7, 2014

'OK, maybe this is a bit of a stretch. But think about it … what exactly is the ‘status’ or ‘standing’ you want your nonprofit to have in the hearts and minds of your donors? I suspect your answer to that question will say a lot about you feel about them ! Are they cash machines? Are they a ‘necessary hazard’ of raising money?

Retention 104

Retention Marketing Marketing Fundraising 104

Fundraising Coach

AUGUST 27, 2014

'We''re rapidly moving toward the most generous time of the year. Many nonprofits see 30% or more of their annual donations in December. But according to recent studies by Google , September is when donors start making their year-end giving decisions. Will you retain your donors this year? I''ve asked Shanon Doolittle and Vanessa Chase, the founders of the Stewardship School , to give a special free class for readers of this blog!

Fundraising 84

Fundraising Fundraising Nonprofits 84

iMarketSmart

AUGUST 20, 2014

'Nothing. Well… almost nothing. Here’s what your major gifts department can learn. 1. The ice bucket challenge is an awareness and fundraising strategy that went viral. 2. So far, over $23 million dollars has been raised. 3. We do not yet know the average gift size. 4. We do not yet know if any of these donors will continue to support the mission. 5.

Fundraising 67

Fundraising Fundraising 67

Getting Attention

AUGUST 12, 2014

'Please post your open nonprofit marketing positions here. Communications Coordinator , American Federation of Teachers (Portland, OR). Communications Director , Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences (Plymouth, MA). Communications Manager , CDF: A Collective Action Initiative (Clarkston, GA). Communications Specialist , American Chestnut Foundation (Asheville, NC).

Marketing 67

Marketing Marketing Foundations Nonprofits 67

Care2

AUGUST 5, 2014

'In the ever-changing world of online fundraising, it is easy to get distracted by the newest thing that promises instant success. We are so concentrated on the next big thing that we may neglect what really works! I recently wrote an article for The Nonprofit Times outlining exactly what makes up a fruitful digital fundraising program. The key piece of a digital strategy is (drum roll please) list growth!

Fundraising 70

Fundraising Fundraising Marketing Marketing 70

Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog

AUGUST 5, 2014

'Just about every nonprofit marketing consultant I know, yours truly included, ridicules the idea of “spray and pray” marketing, where you throw out as much stuff as you can at “the general public” and hope that some of it hits the right people. Nonprofits can’t afford to be that wasteful of their time and money. Instead, we tell you, be more refined and focused in your approach.

Advertising 77

Advertising Public and Nonprofit Management Marketing Marketing 77