Selfish Giving

MARCH 27, 2018

Today on CauseTalk Radio , Megan and I talk to Bjorn Erland , Vice President of People & Experience at Taco Bell and Jennifer Walker , Director of Strategic Development at Taco Bell Foundation , about the award of $3 million in scholarships through its Live Más Scholarship program. This includes $500k in scholarships for Taco Bell employees! On the show, Megan, Bjorn, Jennifer and I discuss: Bjorn Erland, Taco Bell.

Education 160

Education Education Foundations Values 160

Pam Moore

MARCH 8, 2018

A brand is not a logo, colors, fancy tag line or even a fancy Super Bowl commercial. A brand is not your Facebook page cover video, Twitter background or set of beautifully designed Pinterest boards or images on your Instagram profile. The truth is your brand is all of these things and more. It’s what you tweet, post, pin, +1, Instagram and offer as a call to action.

Non-Profits 167

Non-Profits Culture Values Marketing 167

Nonprofit Tech for Good

MARCH 20, 2018

The first “Donate Now” button was released in 1999 by Groundspring, a nonprofit founded by San Francisco-based Tides Foundation , and throughout the early 2000’s young Gen-Xer nonprofit professionals pioneered the use of “Donate Now” buttons. They experimented with placement and color, SEO, and new email marketing services, such as ConstantContact and MailChimp.

Fundraising 94

Fundraising Fundraising Technology Retention 94

The Agitator

MARCH 20, 2018

There’s an old joke at the right that often feels like nonprofit marketing. While we do and should have ambitions of expanding the charitable giving pie, we also want to secure our own organization’s piece of said pie. One of the points Kevin made yesterday is that organizations are differentiating themselves by creating donor journeys based on donor identity.

Values 89

Values Retention Nonprofits Governance 89

Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog

MARCH 19, 2018

Jenna Czaplewski. Welcome to our latest installment in our series on the “Day in the Life” of nonprofit communicators! This series lets you describe your workday in your own words. We’d love to feature YOU in this series! Don’t be shy – tell us what you do in a typical day as a nonprofit communications pro. Jenna Czaplewski is the Director of Communications for the Coalition for Children, Youth & Families.

Communication 81

Communication Children Nonprofits Finance 81

Fundraising Report Card

MARCH 6, 2018

Does this shift in thinking mean that fundraising is more science than art? I don’t think so. It could be that the entire argument is actually broken. Successful fundraising relies on neither art nor science to perform its best. Let’s add another phrase to the conversation: evidence based. The post Art vs. Science in Fundraising? It’s Neither. Try Evidence Based. appeared first on Fundraising Report Card.

Fundraising 68

Fundraising Fundraising 68

Selfish Giving

MARCH 28, 2018

We're starting to make a little progress here.??With today's webinar on measuring impact and success we can check off the #1 thing you asked to learn more about in 2018. Don't worry, they'll be more on this topic. Thanks to you, my readers, I'm thinking about it all the time now (looking for relevant article for you, booking podcast guests who can talk about it, etc.).

Retail 113

Retail Technology Recruitment Foundations 113

iMarketSmart

MARCH 14, 2018

Ack! Run, it's the brand police! Unfortunately, many major and planned gift officers are subject to harassment by the 'brand' police. They impede your progress telling you the colors are off, the font size is too small, or the pictures are wrong. Sometimes they even tell you the pixels online are incorrect. Here’s the issue. Too often they think ‘brand’ is a verb.

Management 66

Management Leadership Marketing Marketing 66

The Agitator

MARCH 4, 2018

Customer experience guru Gerry McGovern warns that even if a company is indeed “customer-centric” that may not be enough these days. “To truly be successful, you need to nurture a customer obsession culture within your organization.”, he warns. The Agitator says, “Amen.” So, let’s kick ‘donor-centricity’ up a notch and focus on what makes for a “donor obsession” culture?

Culture 68

Culture Management Values Nonprofits 68

Ann Green

MARCH 5, 2018

In college basketball, players are allowed to turn pro after playing one season. This is known as one-and-done. If you watch the NCAA tournament (aka March Madness), it’s likely many of the players won’t be around next year. Like it or not, it looks like one-and-done will be the norm in college basketball for a while. Another place where one-and-done seems to be the norm is in nonprofit fundraising.

Retention 64

Retention Fundraising Fundraising Energy 64

Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog

MARCH 7, 2018

Rachel Clemens. Do you worry you’re being too intrusive when you ask for information about your supporters? Today, Rachel Clemens shares some tips on getting that information the right way. ~Kristina. Guest Post by Rachel Clemens of Mighty Citizen. One of my first questions for any new nonprofit client is: How good is your data? I’m not asking if they have data, but how good is it?

Donor Motivation 63

Donor Motivation Communication Marketing Marketing 63

Selfish Giving

MARCH 20, 2018

Photo via Cecilia Snyder on Flickr. Today on CauseTalk Radio , Megan and I talk to Perry Yeatman , CEO, Perry Yeatman Global Partners , External Director, Mission Measurement about how companies and nonprofits can measure the success of social impact programs. On the show, Megan, Perry and I discuss: Perry Yeatman, Perry Yeatman Global Partners. How are you currently working with companies as it relates to social impact programs?

Culture 100

Culture Nonprofits 100

Bloomerang

MARCH 23, 2018

There are a lot of strategies out there about the best ways to begin a new capital campaign. And because no two campaigns are exactly the same, it can be difficult to find information and best-practices that fit your unique scenario. Generis , a consultant group specializing in helping faith-based nonprofits, churches, and christian schools fund their visions, recently published a helpful checklist outlining important considerations before launching a new campaign.

Non-Profits 52

Non-Profits Culture Education Education 52

iMarketSmart

MARCH 21, 2018

Your donors want a partner, not a solicitor. Partners ask for advice before asking for money. Partners looking for advice are looking to collaborate. Partners requesting advice are less threatening. Partners requesting advice motivate supporters to ‘lean’ in. Partners requesting advice inspire exponentially more dollars throughout their long-term, mutually beneficial relationships.

Collaborations 65

Collaborations Fundraising Fundraising Philanthropy 65

The Agitator

MARCH 26, 2018

Last month, we talked about the advocate donor identity: how to tell if you have one , the science behind online activism , and how to get and convert advocates. Let’s assume you’ve gone through those, determined you have an advocate identity, and found it to be valuable (not all advocates are and advocacy is not a necessary condition of a quality donor ).

Advertising 68

Advertising Activism Philanthropy Values 68

Ann Green

MARCH 12, 2018

I’ve written several posts recently about the importance of staying in touch with your donors throughout the year. Some of you may be saying, “We do that because we have a newsletter.”. A newsletter can be a great way to engage with your donors, but how often does that actually happen? Unfortunately, not very much because most donor newsletters can be used as a cure for insomnia.

Fundraising 59

Fundraising Fundraising Nonprofits Communication 59

EveryAction

MARCH 29, 2018

Email fundraising and organizing has changed a lot since mass email tools first appeared on the scene. Just ten years ago, nonprofit newsletters were the go-to channel for collecting donations. But in today’s digital landscape, their impact has somewhat diminished. With major organizations and political campaigns adopting a more direct, targeted email donation ask, it can be intimidating to keep up with emerging trends.

Fundraising 56

Fundraising Fundraising Nonprofits 56

Selfish Giving

MARCH 14, 2018

Back in January I asked what you wanted to learn more about in 2018. The #1 response was: How to measure the impact of a partnership on your nonprofit and for your corporate partner. I was really surprised that this topped the list! Still, I heard you and have a free upcoming webinar for you on this very topic! Join me and Catalist co-founder and CEO Brittany Hill on Wednesday, March 28th at 2pm EDT for a FREE one-hour, deep-dive discussion into data and measurement, with answers to your pressin

Retail 100

Retail Production Foundations Philanthropy 100

Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog

MARCH 15, 2018

I decided to go all in with Google for my productivity apps this year, getting everything into some combination of Inbox by Gmail , Google Calendar, and Google Keep. While I loved playing with Asana and Trello and Remember the Milk over the years, I never fully adopted them the way I have my Google apps. But Google’s products aren’t always as user-friendly or customizable as I would like.

Production 57

Production Activism Communication Nonprofits 57

iMarketSmart

MARCH 22, 2018

Joining Engagement Fundraising is Andrew Olsen, senior vice president of Newport One. If you are a fundraiser trying to find that silver bullet then this episode is for you. Andrew will be diving into why there are no silver bullets or unicorns and instead why it takes a lot of little things to make a big impact. Click here to listen on YouTube! Topic Timestamps.

Culture 63

Culture Fundraising Fundraising Marketing 63

The Agitator

MARCH 1, 2018

Last week, we talked about advocacy as a way of building your file (and I was called out, correctly, for discounting the potential of paid advocate acquisition). So how much should you spend to get one email address? There’s new data from Steve MacLaughlin and Blackbaud (that you can get from his Data Driven Nonprofits newsletter ) on how having an email address on file is related to increased donor retention, even if that donor doesn’t give online.

Values 66

Values Retention Advertising Communication 66

Ann Green

MARCH 27, 2018

Lagom is a Swedish concept meaning everything in moderation or not too much, not too little. Keeping things simple. This is not to be confused with the Danish concept of Hygge, which means getting cozy. Not surprisingly there isn’t an English translation of these terms, even though they are much needed in our overstressed world. The term lagom can be used in almost any context – the home, relationships, work, etc.

Communication 58

Communication Recruitment Nonprofits Activism 58

NonProfit Hub

MARCH 20, 2018

This article was originally published in Nonprofit Hub Magazine. Everyone has a favorite story. Whether it comes in the form of a book, a comic, a movie or a video game, we all have stories that we like and ones that we decidedly dislike. Maybe we fell in love with the characters, or maybe it was the writing, the setting or the theme. Some of our favorite stories are fiction, and some of them are nonfiction.

Nonprofit governance and management 55

Nonprofit governance and management Nonprofits Psychology Governance 55

Selfish Giving

MARCH 13, 2018

Today on CauseTalk Radio , Megan and I talk to Marty Posch , President, Finish Line Youth Foundation , which is the nonprofit arm of athletic apparel and shoe retailer Finish Line about their work with Special Olympics. This includes a very successful checkout charity program that raised $825,000 over the holidays. On the show, Megan, Marty and I discuss: Mary Posch, Finish Line Youth Foundation.

Retail 100

Retail Foundations Nonprofits 100

Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog

MARCH 28, 2018

Make your supporters the superhero in your story. We recently started working with a healthcare nonprofit that wanted to take a fresh approach to its communications and marketing content. The nonprofit had seen attendance at its community events slip over the past two years — and its fundraising revenues had declined. After a quick review of its website, marketing materials, and social-media accounts, it was easy to diagnose a major reason why the organization had been struggling.

Healthcare 53

Healthcare Construction Nonprofits Communication 53

iMarketSmart

MARCH 19, 2018

The market/sector has been ‘flooded’ with people talking about donor retention for many years now. Many of them make money selling software and services that supposedly help fundraisers improve their donor retention. Yet after all their talk, the statistics say that donor retention just keeps going down. The number of donors giving to charity keeps declining while total charitable dollars keep increasing.

Retention 56

Retention Production Values Marketing 56

The Agitator

MARCH 28, 2018

We’ve talked about ways to bring people in from the outside like advocacy programs and content marketing efforts. But while both are good ways to get people on your file, they may not always convert to donors. So what if it turns out that, like the Scarecrow’s brains and the True Meaning of Christmas*, the answer to acquisition was inside us, inside our organization (specifically our donor file) the whole time?

Advertising 65

Advertising Retention Communication Values 65

EveryAction

MARCH 22, 2018

We're just a few weeks away from one of the most highly anticipated nonprofit conferences of the year , and we're so excited to be headed down South to the Big Easy! Considering our team is obsessed with all that is NOLA, we thought we'd share some favorite local spots to eat, drink, party, and enjoy the sights while visiting for the Nonprofit Technology Conference.

Food 43

Food Technology Marketing Marketing 43

NonProfit Hub

MARCH 7, 2018

When someone submits their email address on the ONE Campaign website , they receive a welcome email with a friendly message and a simple question: ”Do you think we’ll see the end of extreme poverty in our lifetime?” You’re also presented with three run-of-the-mill options. Clicking on any of the three takes you to a different form where you’re asked to take a 2-minute survey so the organization can understand your interests and motivations.

Poverty 52

Poverty Retention Communication Activism 52

Selfish Giving

MARCH 7, 2018

One of the best things I read this past week was how the California Symphony adopted a "long-haul" audience development model to increase attendance, attract younger supporters and land more donors. And it worked spectacularly! I thought, "Heck, what nonprofit doesn't want that!" I really suggest you read the article in full. But here are a few highlights and the implications for corporate partnerships. 1.

Public and Nonprofit Management 100

Public and Nonprofit Management Associations Children Fundraising 100

Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog

MARCH 13, 2018

Sometimes in the nonprofit world, we get consumed with the specific details of online fundraising, advocacy and education for our causes and forget about the bigger trends at play. Let’s take a quick look at three really big trends that will affect everything you do online, including fundraising. Think about all the pieces in the online experiences you are creating, including your website, email, social media and other third-party sites like crowdfunding or peer-to-peer fundraising pages.

Education 53

Education Education Communication Fundraising 53

iMarketSmart

MARCH 12, 2018

Frustration! Recently I was visiting a customer and one of the fundraisers was very frustrated. Thanks to our system, lots of donors disclosed that they already left her organization in their estate plans and many more donor prospects said they might consider such a gift. I felt her pain. She was clearly a very nice, caring person with a very warm heart.

Values 51

Values Fundraising Fundraising Communication 51

The Agitator

MARCH 13, 2018

We’ve had a few reader requests to talk about the nonprofit implications of the new tax bill. The trick in meeting this request is that 1) smart people on this issue disagree and 2) I’m not one of the people in #1. So I’ll try to lay out the gloom and doom case today, the silver lining case tomorrow, and an argument for a way forward two days hence.

Taxation 65

Taxation Civil Society Philanthropy Law 65

Care2

MARCH 19, 2018

We are thrilled to announce that Care2, hjc, NTEN, and Resource Alliance have just released the 2018 Digital Outlook Report.

Universities 41

Universities Marketing Marketing Nonprofits 41

NonProfit Hub

MARCH 30, 2018

This article was originally published in Nonprofit Hub Magazine. Here’s the biggest truth bomb that nobody is exclusively talking about when it comes to nonprofit finances: there’s no way for us to tell you exactly how your nonprofit’s budget should be spent. It would be easy to say “spend X amount of dollars on marketing, funnel X amount into your staff salaries, etc.

Finance 52

Finance Nonprofits Nonprofit Finance Marketing 52

Selfish Giving

MARCH 6, 2018

Today on CauseTalk Radio , Megan and I talk to Dashel Schueler , Associate Director of Development & External Relations, at Seattle public radio station KEXP, about International Clash Day. The day celebrates the music of the English punk rock band The Clash and others as enablers of social consciousness. On the show, Megan, Dashel and I discuss: Dashel Schueler, KEXP.

Activism 100

Activism Associations Nonprofits 100

Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog

MARCH 21, 2018

If you missed it, Antionette Kerr’s blog post from last week talked about “crunchy” conversations – those discussions when someone says something offensive and your body immediately reacts negatively. Whether it’s a straight-up racist uncle at Thanksgiving or a well-meaning, but clueless, co-worker, we’ve all felt the “crunch” at one time or another.

Communication 50

Communication Culture Nonprofits 50