Fundraising Coach
JUNE 4, 2015
"Why can’t you tell us where you spent the money and what your expenses were? You obviously have that information. Why can’t the public see it?". - NPR's Laura Sullivan to Red Cross' David Meltzer. Last night, I was shocked and spellbound to hear NPR devote an entire half hour segment to the special report called: In Search Of The Red Cross' $500 Million In Haiti Relief.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
JUNE 4, 2015
Looking for an easy content idea for Instagram and Twitter? Try a day-of-the-week post with one of these hashtags. Some of them, like #ThrowbackThursday and #InspirationMonday, can even be used on Facebook. 3 quick tips for using this tactic: . Do your research. Hashtag meanings change over time. And some hashtags don’t mean what you think they mean.
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The Agitator
JUNE 30, 2015
What’s sexiest in your nonprofit these days? Who’s got the hot fundraising job? Email fundraising? Social media? Video? Mobile? Direct mail? Direct mail?! That’s so 20th century. But wait, direct mail is fighting back. Or at least, as reported in Direct Marketing , the (not disinterested) US Postal Service is. Advertising mail accounts for 31% of USPS revenue.
iMarketSmart
JUNE 5, 2015
So you want to know the real reason why people make major gifts and bequests? Ok. But first, I must share a quote. Confucius once said, “Life is very simple. But we insist on making it complicated.” I love that quote. In a way, it helps explain why people overcomplicate fundraising. They just can’t help themselves! The simple truth is that it’s easy to succeed in major and planned gift marketing today.
Nonprofit Marketing Blog
JUNE 5, 2015
What are your fundraising pet peeves? Joe from the Fundraising Authority has three big ones. My pet peeve has more to do with word usage than fundraising: I have a co-worker who insists on calling monthly gifts “reoccurring” donations. I correct him from across the office, “It’s recurring!” One day he’ll say it right! Boost the reach of your Twitter posts by using hashtags.
Ann Green
JUNE 8, 2015
You may think direct mail is a relic of the past or you don’t use it much because it’s too expensive. But beware. Direct mail is still a viable way to communicate with your donors. Listen to your donors. Some donors prefer to hear from you by mail. How do you know? You ask them. The more you know about your donors, the more effective your communication will be.
Fundraising Coach
JUNE 16, 2015
The new GivingUSA report is out. The estimates of last year's giving, the most recent on record, appear to be the best in the 60 years of tracking. As a sector, we are still impressed by low-growth. But 5% growth is better than no growth! According to GivingUSA's press release: Overall charitable giving in the USA last year was $358.38 billion. Individual Giving increased 5.7% in current dollars to $258.51 billion.
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The Agitator
JUNE 29, 2015
A sure sign that not much of anything worthwhile is being done in the area of donor relationships is the growing presence of lots of buzzwords surrounding this subject. In reality, my guess is that more folks have married Kardashians than there are organizations that have become seriously engaged in building true relationships with donors. The buzzwords and talk signal that ‘donor engagement’, ‘donor experience’, ‘donor loyalty’ are supposed to matter.
EveryAction
JUNE 3, 2015
As it becomes a bigger part of the marketing lexicon , "going viral" has become everyone’s holy grail, but does that approach to nonprofit campaigns make sense for your organization?
Nonprofit Marketing Blog
JUNE 16, 2015
(Editor’s note: Today’s post comes from our friends at the National Council of Nonprofits. Jennifer Chandler , Vice President and Director of Network Support & Knowledge Sharing, offers insight on new legislation that will allow nonprofits to own their true costs.). How the Fundraising Game Has Changed Forever – and Four Steps Your Nonprofit Should Take to Benefit.
Ann Green
JUNE 22, 2015
At the end of last year, I recommended Five Ways to Improve Your Fundraising and Communications in 2015. Now that we’re almost halfway through the year, let’s revisit this list and see how you’re doing. I’ll also share ways you can continue on this path throughout the summer and into the fall. Tell stories. Are you telling your stories?
Fundraising Coach
JUNE 12, 2015
Today I wore a t-shirt.to make a point! As a nonprofit leader, it's so easy to be "on" all the time. Especially if you live in a small town. I used to spend more time than I'd like to admit wondering if I should get back into "professional" clothes before I went to the store. But when you're "always on," you're boring. No one like 1-dimensional people.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
JUNE 10, 2015
Billy Attar. We know you guys love your nonprofit marketing tools – especially when they are free! Billy Attar of Pipl is here today to share some tools we haven’t even heard of. Let us know what you think and share your favorite tools too! ~Kristina. Guest Post by Billy Attar of Pipl. We marketers are always on the lookout for new tools to make our work easier.
The Agitator
JUNE 14, 2015
Let’s kick off the week with an innovative and energizing example of the power of ‘thank you’ to enhance both acquisition and retention. A virtual symphony combining the creative use of mobile and a first-rate understanding of the importance of donor experience. This magnificent example is reported in the UK’s Independent. If you donate blood in Sweden you’ll not only receive a text message thanking you when your blood is first taken, you’ll also receive a second thank you when your
EveryAction
JUNE 5, 2015
Imagine your nonprofit is gearing up for a big initiative and, after lots and lots of research, you've settled on the amazing tools you're going to use for things like fundraising, marketing, and outreach.
iMarketSmart
JUNE 19, 2015
In Abila’s new donor engagement report , the first question they asked donors was, “What matters most to you?” Problem is… the answers they allowed were not all that great. And the results really don’t tell us much. That’s why I think we might be asking donors the wrong questions. What can you possibly conclude from the chart above?
Ann Green
JUNE 15, 2015
In my last post I wrote about Why You Shouldn’t Give Up on Direct Mail Some nonprofit organizations try to save money by cutting back on printing and mailing, but that could be a mistake if your donors prefer to hear from you by mail. Printing and mailing also takes more time, which is challenging, especially if you have a small staff. What can you do?
Fundraising Coach
JUNE 29, 2015
In his recent post, Jeff Brooks agreed with my “ Donor Fatigue ” video. And he went a step further. Like a newly minted Paul Harvey, he tells “the rest of the story.”. Fundraiser Fatigue. I love his concept of “ fundraiser fatigue ”! He says that we get tired of saying the same thing over and over so we just stop. And then blame the lack of donations on "donor fatigue.".
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
JUNE 23, 2015
We’ll be kicking off the fourth edition of the #NPCommPix photo-a-day challenge for nonprofit communications pros on July 1, and I hope you’ll join in the fun. Dawn Crawford at BC/DC Ideas and I host the challenge, but we are very excited to welcome our first guest co-host, the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network this time! All you have to do is take a look at the daily prompt, and post a photo to Instagram or Twitter related to that prompt with the hashtag #npcommpix.
The Agitator
JUNE 23, 2015
Our recent post Stop it. Fix It on barriers to growth was triggered by Jay Love’s prediction that when Giving USA 2015 was released it would show that once again charitable giving in the U.S. would not exceed 2% of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Sure enough, two weeks later on June 15 th Giving USA 2015 was released and once again reported that charitable giving remained at the 2% level.
Nonprofit Marketing Blog
JUNE 10, 2015
I’m a monthly donor to a nonprofit I love a lot. They use a membership model to boost monthly giving. However, I noticed that during their seasonal membership drives, I continued to get emails asking me to become a member. At first I ignored this, thinking maybe they incorrectly segmented their list. Then, when I got a second appeal email a few months later, I thought maybe my membership had lapsed.
EveryAction
JUNE 17, 2015
Recently, we've been taking a look at the ins and outs of nonprofit campaigns: everything from free tools you can use , how to properly do influencer outreach , and words of caution around trying to "go viral.". But we wanted to dive a little deeper into the social media aspect of nonprofit campaigns, so we called on Ritu Sharma, social media expert and CEO of Social Media for Nonprofits , for some advice on mistakes to avoid during your next nonprofit campaign.
Getting Attention
JUNE 17, 2015
Hey you! I’d love to know how you adapt your organization’s communications for summertime impact, for a blog post! Do you: Change timing. Shift topic, tone or language to make it more seasonally relevant. Adapt your campaign focus, channel and/or frequency. Tone it summer—light and fun. Something I haven’t mentioned yet. Change nothing at all?
Mission Minded
JUNE 22, 2015
Recently one of our clients, a program officer at a private foundation (we’ll call her Sharon), complained to me that so many of the stories she reads in annual reports sound the same. “Are stories really that important?” she asked. My first instinct was to argue with her. After all, I’ve spent most of my […].
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
JUNE 16, 2015
You probably know that hashtags are words or phrases with the hash symbol (#) in front of them. The hash symbol creates a link and clicking on that hashtag will bring up other posts with that tag. Hashtags are used by everyone from individuals with 10 followers to big corporations and celebrities with millions of followers. But did you know that many nonprofits have also had great luck with using hashtags to get their tweets, images, and posts out to a wider audience and create more engagement o
The Agitator
JUNE 10, 2015
These days The Agitator is badgering readers on the importance of mastering mobile almost as much as we hammer away at donor retention. Why? For the simple fact that mobile is becoming the dominant vehicle for digital interaction — from simple communication to entertainment to e-commerce … pulling mobile fundraising along in the wake. Here’s yet another instructive guide from the commercial space regarding mobile marketing, this time from Oracle — The Modern Marketer̵
Nonprofit Marketing Blog
JUNE 24, 2015
A great story puts your kid to bed at night and makes you watch that next episode as you confirm, bleary-eyed, with Netflix that, yes, you are indeed still watching. Stories are what connect us to other people and, most important, motivate us to act. As a nonprofit, stories are the best tool in your arsenal to connect with supporters and empower them to act.
iMarketSmart
JUNE 26, 2015
Alaska’s residents are allowed to share in the revenue the state enjoys from investments in mineral royalties. In order to get their dividend they have to apply for Permanent Fund Dividends. Why am I telling you this? As residents apply for the money, they also get asked to donate to help Alaska. So far this year they have raised over $3 million from over 33,000 Alaskans.
Getting Attention
JUNE 22, 2015
Subscribers, we’re working on getting you the ability to opt-in or -out of these listings vs. other posts. Hold on! . Post YOUR comms job here —nonprofits, grantmakers, B Corps & vendors serving nonprofits. Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (Twin Cities, MN). Chief Marketing Officer Net Impact (San Francisco, CA).
NonProfit Hub
JUNE 1, 2015
Early in the 14th century, the French coined a saying that the pot goes so often to the water that it breaks. In the fundraising world, it might seem like our donors are like that overused water pot. We ask them to make a donation so often that might break from donor fatigue. However, donor fatigue is not a real thing. It’s an excuse. If your donors are feeling burned out from all your asks, then your asks are what—pardon my french—suck.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
JUNE 24, 2015
When something is overwhelming, like, let’s say, your job as a nonprofit communicator, it’s very hard to feel like you are getting anything done or making any progress at all, no matter how dedicated you are. We get overwhelmed, and motivation dissolves, in many aspects of our lives. For example, this summer, my husband has been pleasantly surprised by just how much work I am doing in the garden.
The Agitator
JUNE 28, 2015
Anyone with a heart and soul is celebrating Friday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision on marriage equality. The fundraising blogs are alive with the celebratory news. Tom Ahern and his partner Simone Joyaux report their giving patterns will now change. Hopefully, and surely, the Human Rights Campaign will be wringing mega $$ from the jaws of victory. I don’t want to let this glorious moment pass without recognizing those long ago folks who got this all started.
Nonprofit Marketing Blog
JUNE 1, 2015
Content for your social media channels is sitting right in front of you. Really! Your website, donor appeals, and newsletters are just waiting to be translated into a Facebook post, tweet, or YouTube video. Repurposing content can take some time, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll start thinking of ideas to feed your social channels in your sleep.
Care2
JUNE 11, 2015
Fundraising, fundraising, fundraising. It might get tiring to hear, but fundraising’s a critical component of the lifespan of a nonprofit. The 2015 M+R Benchmarks Study was recently released, and the stats are in. 84 nonprofits participated to compile the numbers about email, web, and social media.
Getting Attention
JUNE 16, 2015
Guest blogger Mark Dessauer is Director of Communications at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation. Frank : A gathering of communicators who work for the common good (or public interest). I found myself there this past winter, delighting in northern Florida rain while the rest of the country was being buried under snow. Frank brings together communications practitioners, funders, experts, students and speakers in a petri dish of transformative ideas and exceptional people.
NonProfit Hub
JUNE 24, 2015
Millennials are the people that make cool. They are largely the demographic that determines the latest trends in culture, technology and everyday life. However, millennials don’t operate in a vacuum. They are influenced by their managers, peers and work environment to get involved. As more millennials search for a purpose in their everyday work, their social impact doesn’t exist just in their hobbies and spare time.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
JUNE 26, 2015
Last week, Sheena Abraham tweeted this brilliant idea: @kivilm you know what would be cool…comms directors sharing screenshots of their daily calendar & what they have planned! — Sheena T Abraham (@SheenaTAbraham) June 17, 2015. And we knew it would be a perfect addition to our Day in the Life of a Nonprofit Communicator Series. Maybe some of you are just too busy to fill in your agenda, so we’ll give you a second option… take a screen cap or picture of your day.
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