Selfish Giving
DECEMBER 5, 2017
"Every corporation is filled with people. If you can inspire the employees to care about your cause, and you do great customer service with them, you’ve got a friend for life." Source: Chronicle of Philanthropy Colleen Brinkmann has been raising money for a long time. Way back in 2002, she started as the communications and marketing director for the North Texas Food Bank.
Nonprofit Marketing Guide
DECEMBER 5, 2017
Angela Crist. Last week Angela Crist, CEO of Findlay Hope House, reached out to me and Kivi about a thank you video they created after attending our recent webinar. It was so simple, yet so effective, we had to have her tell you the story! ~Kristina. Guest Post by Angela Crist. I’ve been keeping my eye on creative thank-you videos for a couple years, mulling over ways my organization could put one together that was: Mission-centric without being overly cheesy.
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Pam Moore
DECEMBER 7, 2017
Content marketing in 2018 is going to hit a new dimension of importance, organization and integration. Smart and savvy marketers know the days of throwing social spaghetti at the wall and hoping it sticks are over and done. It's not good enough to just create cool visuals, be on Facebook Live video daily and tweet a few links. The social web is getting noisier by the minute.
Ann Green
DECEMBER 5, 2017
Last week I both purchased some holiday gifts and made a bunch of donations online and there wasn’t much difference in the process.The key word here is process because both felt like a transaction. My inbox was filled with pleas – last chance to get a Cyber Monday deal or make a donation on #GivingTuesday. Many fundraising appeals focus more on the transaction than the relationship.
Speaker: Lee Andrews, Founder at LJA New Media & Tony Karrer, Founder and CTO at Aggregage
This session will walk you through how one CEO used generative AI, workflow automation, and sales personalization to transform an entire security company—then built the Zero to Strategy framework that other mid-market leaders are now using to unlock 3.5x ROI. As a business executive, you’ll learn how to assess AI opportunities in your business, drive adoption across teams, and overcome internal resource constraints—without hiring a single data scientist.
Selfish Giving
DECEMBER 8, 2017
"One in six people in the United States reportedly struggle with hunger, and yet, at the same time, up to 40 percent of all the food produced in the U.S. isn’t eaten." Source: Metro I hate wasting food. Ask my kids. It drives me nuts. And it drives them crazy because I'm always yelling at them about it.
Nonprofit Marketing Guide
DECEMBER 7, 2017
We asked a new set of questions about professional development for communications staff in the 2018 Nonprofit Communications Trends Report Survey this year. We wanted to know the kinds of training people were participating in. No surprise, webinars were the most popular. But I was also happy to see that local, regional, and national conferences ranked well too.
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NonProfit Hub
DECEMBER 7, 2017
Five years ago, at the Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact in New York City, #GivingTuesday started as a response to the Black Friday and Cyber Monday crazes that follow Thanksgiving. #GivingTuesday lives online through social media—as evidenced by the hashtag in its name—and aims to create a sense of global collaboration for an annual day of giving.
Selfish Giving
DECEMBER 3, 2017
I think this is the first Selfish Giving masthead. It started as almost a joke. It was 2005 and I was wracking my brain trying to choose a name for my new website. I can't even remember the other names I was considering. Even then it felt like all the good web domains were taken! But, truthfully, you could still get many great domains with a vowel! Back then, people were still trying to come up with clever names for their websites.
Nonprofit Marketing Guide
DECEMBER 6, 2017
Publishing an annual report is a best practice. But that doesn’t mean you have to spend 100+ hours creating it! Join us tomorrow for: Go Short with Your 2017 Annual Report. with Kivi Leroux Miller. Tomorrow, December 7th at 1:00 P.M. Eastern (10:00 A.M. Pacific). Registration is $99. Recording available if you can’t attend live, but you must sign up before we close registration at 12:45 ET tomorrow.
Fundraising Coach
DECEMBER 8, 2017
I often get asked by event organizers if we should talk about money in our event follow up. It's a great question because these people are wanting to be transparent but not wanting to hurt future donations. So should you mention how much was raised at the event? Especially if it was very successful? Yes! If your event was a success let your guests and sponsors and donors know about it!
Speaker: Gareth Webb & Phil Selley, Founding Partners at Intouch Business
For many nonprofit organizations and NGOs, managing grants and monitoring projects with spreadsheets and manual processes feels familiar—but is it holding your organization back? As funding requirements become more complex and stakeholder expectations for transparency grow, relying on outdated methods can lead to inefficiencies, missed opportunities, and compliance risks.
The Agitator
DECEMBER 3, 2017
Over the next two months we’ll be working behind the scenes on changes and additions to The Agitator. Changes in how we organize and present information. Additions to our content and additions in the opportunities for reader engagement. Our editorial content will primarily focus on our view of the changes we see as essential if nonprofits are to thrive—new answers to old questions and new answers to new questions.
Selfish Giving
DECEMBER 7, 2017
Photo via Mike Mozart on Flickr. "Lower-priced items are often a financial necessity for shoppers. At a Dollar General in Nashville, Tenn., store manager Damon Ridley said he has helped older children put together a dinner menu for their younger siblings with the few dollars they have. “I am more of an outreach manager,” he said." Source: Wall Street Journal There's a fascinating article in this week's Wall Street Journal on how discount retailer Dollar General is thriving in rural America.
Nonprofit Marketing Guide
DECEMBER 4, 2017
Here’s what’s happening at Nonprofit Marketing Guide this month: Online Training: NOW! Annual All-Access Pass Sale. Save $200 on our All-Access Pass and get 365 days of access to webinars, downloads, support and more. Sale ends January 5, 2018. Learn more and get your All-Access Pass. December 7: Go Short with Your 2017 Nonprofit Annual Report with Kivi Leroux Miller.
Fundraising Coach
DECEMBER 8, 2017
I often get asked by event organizers if we should talk about money in our event follow up. It’s a great question because these people are wanting to be transparent but not wanting to hurt future donations. So should you mention how much was raised at the event? Especially if it was very successful? Yes! If your event was a success let your guests and sponsors and donors know about it!
Speaker: David Worrell, CFO, Author & Speaker
Your financial statements hold powerful insights—but are you truly paying attention? Many finance professionals focus on the income statement while overlooking key signals hidden in the balance sheet and cash flow statement. Understanding these numbers can unlock smarter decision-making, uncover risks, and drive long-term success. Join David Worrell, accomplished CFO, finance expert, and author, for an engaging, nontraditional take on reading financial statements.
The Nerdy NonProfit
DECEMBER 7, 2017
Educational nonprofits face some barriers when reaching their target audiences. Nonprofits, in general, are understandably wary of risk-taking since there are no stock options or investments to fall back on. Educational nonprofits are in a uniquely complex industry, with educational institutions showing restraint due to regulation and competition. As a result, they must seek out creative ways to reach their audience.
Selfish Giving
DECEMBER 6, 2017
Photo via Dean Shareski on Flickr. People often ask me what tools I use to run my business. Here they are! I use these tools EVERY. DAY. 1. Squarespace. My website is hosted on Squarespace. While it's not a perfect platform, and I would sometimes like more of the flexibility that Wordpress offers, Squarespace is easy to work with and their customer service is great. 2.
Nonprofit Marketing Guide
DECEMBER 8, 2017
Cane and Table. New Orleans, LA. It’s that time of the week again – the time where I share the best articles, posts, infographics, and training for my favorite nonprofit marketers and fundraisers. Join me for Mixed Links… Facebook has changed its photo sizes again. See the Recommended 2018 Facebook cover photo size specifications: Pages, Groups & Profiles.
Lets Talk Nonprofit
DECEMBER 6, 2017
"For sale: Baby shoes. Never worn.". It's been said that Ernest Hemingway wrote this six-word story. While its origins may be disputed, you can't argue with the fact that those six simple words do tell a story. What about you? Could you tell a story in six words? How about 140 characters? If you're looking for "short" story inspiration, you can check out the #140novel hashtag on Twitter, or. read some famous authors' Twitter novels online.
Speaker: Dave Sackett
Traditional budgeting and forecasting methods can no longer keep pace with today’s rapidly evolving business environment. Static budgets, rigid annual forecasts, and outdated financial models limit an organization’s ability to adapt to market shifts and economic uncertainty. To stay ahead, finance leaders must leverage a future-forward approach—one that leverages real-time data, predictive analytics, and continuous planning to drive smarter financial decisions.
The Agitator
DECEMBER 7, 2017
At the beginning of the week, Roger talked about behavioral science cues and how they can help you boost year-end giving. Today, I’m going to cheat just a bit and move the conversation a few days forward: what do you do at the beginning of the year? After the hangover wears off for those who not only feel, but imbibe, the spirit of the New Year, you probably start with New Year’s resolutions.
Selfish Giving
DECEMBER 5, 2017
Today on CauseTalk Radio , Megan and I talk to Brock Weatheru p , Executive Vice President, Strategic Innovation & Digital Experience, at Petco , about the launch of Heads & Tails , the first iOS app where pet parents can both receive a gift card and donate to help animals in need by simply having fun taking cute pet selfies. On the show, Brock, Megan and I discuss: Brock Weatherup, Petco (With his dog Boulder!).
iMarketSmart
DECEMBER 8, 2017
It’s all about love. Once you brush away the internal politics, the nasty board member out to get you, the job title or raise you did or didn’t get, and so many other things that can drive you nuts, it all boils down to one simple question: Are you in love with your mission? If you are not in love with your mission, you can’t expect your donors to love it.
Selfish Giving
DECEMBER 4, 2017
Photo via Jeffrey Zeldman on Flickr. "Finding a content gap where we could offer something truly differentiated was critical. The news coverage worked. We were able to save our audience time every week and told them what we thought was the most important news of the week." Source: Content Marketing Institute After starting my blog, getting on Twitter and starting an email newsletter, the next best thing I ever did for my business was to start a podcast, which many of you know is CauseTalk Radio.
Speaker: Tim Sarrantonio, Director of Corporate Brand
Do you really know your donors? Not just what they give, but who they are? 👥 In this interactive session, we’ll break down how nonprofits can use behavioral indicators (affinity, recency, frequency, and monetary value) to build prospecting segments that go beyond wealth screening and actually align with donor identity. You’ll walk away with practical strategies to move beyond basic demographics and cultivate supporters based on how they already engage with you!
Selfish Giving
DECEMBER 2, 2017
“How many organizations have a ‘war room’ where they are building crazy, outlandish, and doable ideas to bring to their corporate partners?” Source: Fast Company Friday was World Aids Day. I heard about it because I saw on Twitter that 25 cents of every holiday drink sold at Starbucks was going to Red. This was great news for me as I didn't feel guilty about splurging on a second drink.
The Agitator
DECEMBER 6, 2017
The old saw was that nobody ever got fired for buying IBM. Being part of the herd is a safe, comfortable place to be. But back on Tuesday, we talked about zigging where others zag by avoiding year-end matches to increase revenues. Now, there’s some concrete proof that doing what you’ve done before, and what others are doing, can hurt your results.
The Agitator
DECEMBER 5, 2017
I bet it’s been at least a decade since you saw a mercury-based thermometer anywhere but the skeuomorphic version used on fundraising pages. We fundraisers are keeping a tradition alive. And with good reason. Unlike many “we’ve-always-done-it-this-way” techniques, this one has real science to back it up. In fact, you can probably increase your year-end revenues using what behavioral scientists call “goal proximity.”.
iMarketSmart
DECEMBER 6, 2017
Everyone is a fundraiser. Don’t believe me? First, a short story. My dad ran a very large insurance agency. Over 100 people. One of the largest in the U.S. He used to tell me that he had a nasty receptionist. But she had been on his staff for so long, he couldn’t bring himself to fire her. Then one day he found out that one of his biggest clients was no longer going to use his agency for their insurance.
Speaker: Jennifer Hill
Payroll compliance is a cornerstone of business success, yet for small and midsize businesses, it’s becoming increasingly challenging to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of federal, state, and local regulations. Mistakes can lead to costly penalties and operational disruptions, making it essential to adopt advanced solutions that ensure accuracy and efficiency.
iMarketSmart
DECEMBER 4, 2017
Some nonprofits seem to care about ‘having’ a legacy society far more than they care about the donors in them. . There’s lots of evidence supporting my claim. For instance: Way less than half of the people who make planned gifts notify the nonprofits in advance and many of those that do ask to be anonymous. Look online and try to determine the benefits of joining any legacy society and you’ll see that too many provide very little real, meaningful value to the donors.
Selfish Giving
DECEMBER 2, 2017
This Microsoft employee is willing to lose his man bun to help a good cause! "Microsoft has again broken its record for employee giving, donating $142 million to nearly 19,000 charities last year. That’s a 14 percent increase over the previous year’s donations, and the sixth straight year that Microsoft workers have given away $100 million or more." Source: GeekWire I just got back from talking to a bunch of nonprofits.
The Agitator
DECEMBER 4, 2017
Last year, I made the mistake of subscribing to the email newsletters of the top 100 nonprofits in the United States for end-of-year giving. The summary version of this story is that the average organization sent ten emails during December. And the emails were tough to differentiate by organization. For #Giving Tuesday almost every organization used a match.
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