The Agitator

FEBRUARY 13, 2014

Chuck Longfield, founder of Target Analytics and chief scientist at Blackbaud, is one of my favorite fundraising analysts and observers. He preaches a lot about retention and how monthly giving programs relate to it. Of course, that’s because if you can communicate with someone.

Fundraising 84

Fundraising Fundraising Retention Nonprofit Management 84

The Agitator

JUNE 16, 2016

Chapter 9 of my book, Retention Fundraising: the art and science of keeping your donors for life, focuses on ‘Barriers to Retention’ The top two barriers? Major gift officers look down on direct mail fundraisers and vice versa. The real killers? #1: 1: Silos and #2: False Attribution.

Retention 69

Retention Communication Fundraising Fundraising 69

The Agitator

SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

The Agitator is gratified by this report from Fundraising Success indicating that retention mailings have grown by 16% from 2010 to 2011. As Ethan Boldt observes: “…fundraisers are putting more emphasis on keeping the donors they have on their rolls.” Check our postings under 'donor retention'.].

Retention 75

Retention Fundraising Fundraising Nonprofit Management 75

The Agitator

OCTOBER 23, 2012

No sooner had Tom reported the grim facts contained in the AFP’s 2012 Fundraising Effectiveness Report than we received news that should brighten many hearts. Overall donor attrition in 2010 was 59% — that is, 59% of 2009 donors did not give again to participating nonprofits in 2010. Last year new donor retention was only 27%!

Retention 102

Retention Management Activism Communication 102

The Agitator

MAY 14, 2014

Building on Drayton Bird’s blog, Five shocking lessons from a lifetime in marketing , Jeff Brooks added some fundraising spin of his own with 5 things you wish you already knew. Jeff inspired me to think more specifically about basic marketing mistakes fundraisers make. Best practice’ is good enough.

Fundraising 86

Fundraising Fundraising Retention Nonprofit Management 86

Bloomerang

JULY 6, 2023

Nonprofit strategic planning FAQs What is strategic planning for nonprofits? During the strategic planning process, you should identify areas to spend money effectively in ways that increase your fundraising return on investment. Our nonprofit shouldn’t take any risks. Volunteer boards should take charge of fundraising.

Nonprofit governance and management 117

Nonprofit governance and management Public and Nonprofit Management Nonprofit Administration and Development Nonprofits 117

The Agitator

JUNE 23, 2011

That’s not the first time The Agitator has focused on donor retention as a top priority. But those results convinced Roger and me that we couldn’t hammer away at the retention issue enough. We fundraisers aren’t the only ones to give priority to retention. and the U.K.

Retention 77

Retention Management Marketing Marketing 77

The Agitator

APRIL 12, 2012

Tom’s post yesterday, Nonprofits and the Customer Experience not only warrants reading a second time, but I also feel compelled to pile on some more emphasis and detail because it goes right to the heart of retention and donor value. First off, most nonprofits actually have a donor service/call center, either in-house or outsourced.

Retention 90

Retention Production Values Activism 90

The Agitator

JANUARY 5, 2014

Yes, there are some ‘uncontrollables’ that will influence your fundraising success in 2014 — consumers’ confidence about their economic well-being, major breaking events/tragedies (political or natural), and of course the extent to which you laid proper groundwork (or failed to) in 2013.

Fundraising 79

Fundraising Fundraising Retention Nonprofit Management 79

The Agitator

MARCH 13, 2013

Here’s a classic marketing question: When do I imitate versus when do I innovate? As much as Roger and I bemoan a lack of innovation today in fundraising, without question there are plenty of ‘lessons learned’ that all fundraisers should seriously consider before launching into change for change sake.

Fundraising 109

Fundraising Fundraising Retention Finance 109

The Agitator

DECEMBER 11, 2012

Fundraisers face a similarly long-term financial problem, although there’s no December 31 st deadline. That’s why I urge you to read Steve McLaughlin’s post — Are We Approaching the Fundraising Cliff? We didn’t do so well this year because people gave to the presidential campaigns and less to nonprofits. Not an excuse.

Fundraising 104

Fundraising Fundraising Retention Leadership 104

The Agitator

APRIL 8, 2013

“What differentiates great fundraising from the average, good or poor?” ” These are the questions Professors Adrian Sargeant and Jen Shang set out to answer in a year-long study aptly titled: Great Fundraising. ‘Great Fundraising’ is defined not in absolute money terms but in terms of massive growth.

Fundraising 109

Fundraising Fundraising Culture Retention 109

The Agitator

SEPTEMBER 28, 2010

Target Analytics has just released its Index of National Fundraising Performance for the 12 months of activity through the 2 nd Quarter of 2010. With essentially flat revenue and donor growth from the first half of 2009 through the first half of 2010, there are still some rays of sunshine in an otherwise pretty dreary fundraising sky.

Fundraising 89

Fundraising Fundraising Retention Healthcare 89

The Agitator

OCTOBER 12, 2015

When it comes to holding on to donors most fundraisers, like fur-less hamsters, seem to treading their way to nowhere. As the Agitator noted last week in our post on the 2015 Fundraising Effectiveness Project Report , just as in past years the number of new donors gained is surpassed by the number of existing donors lost (100 too 103).

Fundraising 82

Fundraising Fundraising Retention Nonprofit Management 82

MNA Association

JANUARY 22, 2024

This policy defines MNA’s salary bands by position using benchmarks from market data, details the parameters and process for raises, promotions and adjustments to salary bands, and clarifies the process for any ancillary compensation, such as bonuses. We also value our team and would like them to stick around (aka employee retention).

Race and Ethnicity 52

Race and Ethnicity Associations Values Culture 52

The Agitator

JANUARY 12, 2014

— donor retention. Seems to me there is significant similarity between the management mindset of some of the Big Box stores and burger chains and many nonprofits. Don''t Miss these Posts donor retention fundraising marketing metrics nonprofit management research premium' Let me explain.

Public and Nonprofit Management 92

Public and Nonprofit Management Retail Retention Nonprofit Management 92

The Agitator

OCTOBER 8, 2013

Once again … the nonprofit world has painfully proven Aldous Huxley’s maxim that “facts do not cease to exist simply because they are ignored.” Once again … for the 7th year in a row the Donor Retention Rate among 2,840 American nonprofits surveyed has again dropped.

Retention 82

Retention Nonprofit Management Management Marketing 82

Top Nonprofits

JANUARY 2, 2024

To continue generating a meaningful impact on the lives of those you serve, you and your staff members need to adopt a mindset for continuous learning, whether that’s researching cryptocurrency donations or exploring how to inspire birthday fundraisers on your nonprofit’s behalf. Improved employee retention.

Participation and motivation 52

Participation and motivation Nonprofits Retention Management 52

The Agitator

JANUARY 16, 2018

This will quickly give you the vital fundraising metrics of your own organization. That dashboard rightly highlights what I’d argue is the most “K” of fundraising KPIs: donor lifetime value. What is the likelihood that they will give gift #2 from now (and three and four and five) – that is, what is their retention rate?

Retention 55

Retention Fundraising Fundraising Values 55

The Agitator

JANUARY 8, 2014

It’s fashionable these days for many nonprofit fundraisers and their consultants to claim they’re ‘data-driven’ Problem is, most focus on the ‘data’ part of the slogan; few understand the requirements of the second word — ‘ driven’. Here are my candidates for a basic set of 2013 KPIs every fundraiser needs.

Retention 88

Retention Nonprofit Management Values Management 88

The Agitator

AUGUST 8, 2012

Too many direct response fundraisers, many of whom should know better, continue to resort to acquisition techniques that only serve to camouflage the erosion and dry rot destroying long-term donor performance and value. When will they understand that Retention is the New Acquisition? raised in 2010, $5.54 was lost — a 1.9%

Fundraising 84

Fundraising Fundraising Retention Manufacturing 84

The Agitator

NOVEMBER 3, 2011

Re-orient toward longer term measures of fundraising performance. Enhance focus on retention and building supporter loyalty. With retention rates in the dumper too few nonprofits really understand that a 10% improvement in retention results in a 200% improvement in lifetime value. Look at long-term values.

Fundraising 107

Fundraising Fundraising Philanthropy Retention 107

The Agitator

MARCH 6, 2014

Donordigital has just released a study on integrated fundraising — Integrated Fundraising: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly — based upon ‘secret shopping’ at 16 major US nonprofits.

Retention 79

Retention Nonprofit Management Management Communication 79

The Agitator

OCTOBER 2, 2011

At first glance, this article from the McKinsey Quarterly — We’re all marketers now — might seem too ‘foreign’ to the experience of nonprofits and fundraisers to bother with. So, what does this mean in fundraising terms? But I urge you to read it. Believe me, it does apply.

Marketing 93

Marketing Marketing Retail Retention 93

The Agitator

OCTOBER 2, 2011

At first glance, this article from the McKinsey Quarterly — We’re all marketers now — might seem too ‘foreign’ to the experience of nonprofits and fundraisers to bother with. So, what does this mean in fundraising terms? But I urge you to read it. Believe me, it does apply.

Marketing 93

Marketing Marketing Retail Retention 93

The Agitator

AUGUST 30, 2010

I follow the articles of Kendall Allen, a marketing and digital media consultant who writes occasionally in Online Spin. In her latest article , she comments on some issues that drive commercial marketers nuts, and probably a lot of nonprofit marketers and fundraisers as well. Her four areas?

Marketing 60

Marketing Marketing Construction Retention 60

The Agitator

AUGUST 4, 2010

Our always-thoughtful fundraising colleague, Lisa Sargent, recently interviewed a dozen plus nonprofit execs re the fundraising issues they’re facing today. She publishes her observations in this report, What’s Working in Donor Fundraising and Development Today ? It’s definitely worth a read.

Fundraising 69

Fundraising Fundraising Retention Nonprofit Management 69

The Agitator

JANUARY 18, 2018

Anyone familiar with The Undoing Project or the works of Kahneman and Tversky can skip down to where “ retention rate” is written in bold. With that in mind, why do we talk about retention rate? Somehow in the mists of time, we’ve become numb to a 21% first-time donor retention rate. Word choice.

Retention 58

Retention Fundraising Fundraising Food 58

The Agitator

JANUARY 13, 2014

Acquisition Don''t Miss these Posts donor retention fundraising marketing metrics nonprofit management premium' How did you come up with that number? Here are some possibilities … 1. You got the message. Your CEO was looking for.

Retention 76

Retention Nonprofit Management Management Marketing 76

The Agitator

MARCH 4, 2014

This trend should raise questions for fundraisers concerning the ‘gray’ set. Thus we were pleased to hear from Barry Nelson, Senior Director of On Air Fundraising for public broadcaster WQED in Pittsburgh via an email with the enticing subject line: “The Gray Divorcee.” Here’s a guy who knows just how much donor details matter.

Retention 63

Retention Nonprofit Management Management Marketing 63

The Agitator

JANUARY 4, 2017

Irish fundraiser Simon Scriver produces a near-constant flow of bits and pieces on his Twitter feed (@ToastFundraiser). Some relate to fundraising, some to charity doings and some simply to the hilarity of the human condition. In Nonprofit Land money is clearly a form of.

Retention 60

Retention Fundraising Fundraising Nonprofits 60

The Agitator

MARCH 19, 2010

Here’s a brief report from Fraser Green at Canada’s FLA Group that further illustrates two key points about legacy fundraising: a) it pays to cultivate and ask, and b) it pays to target your loyal (i.e., longstanding) donors, not simply the wealthiest ones. " I’m impressed. Anyone wish to offer some comparative figures?

Marketing 66

Marketing Marketing Retention Nonprofit Management 66

EveryAction

NOVEMBER 27, 2018

We've searched far and wide for the best and brightest nonprofit conferences from all around the country! We have everything from: Fundraising & Grants. Nonprofit Management. Marketing & Communications. Nonprofit Technology, and more! Nonprofit Management / #AMI2019 / @NPL_Alliance.

Nonprofit governance and management 105

Nonprofit governance and management Public and Nonprofit Management Associations Finance 105

The Agitator

JULY 15, 2010

On Tuesday Tom alerted us to Convio’s Benchmark Report on Online Fundraising for 2009. This fundraising index reports revenue trends on a monthly basis for 1,787 nonprofits representing $399 million in 12 month online revenue. Today Blackbaud is out with another new Index – The Blackbaud Index of Online Giving. Good news indeed.

Fundraising 84

Fundraising Fundraising Retention Nonprofit Management 84

The Agitator

MARCH 4, 2012

First, I want to report on a wonderfully hopeful undercurrent of innovation and change that I sensed at last week’s Direct Marketing Association Nonprofit Conference in Washington, D.C. Donor Attitude” is the far too long-neglected, yet equally valuable, flip side of the fundraising coin. I’ll get to Coca-Cola in a moment.

Non-Profits 70

Non-Profits Fundraising Fundraising Retention 70

The Agitator

MARCH 27, 2012

YET… day in day out thousands of nonprofits pour the bulk of their marketing and fundraising dollars into a leaky retention bucket, seemingly oblivious to this gigantic waste that endangers their very future. This is the high level answer to retention. There’s no mystery to solving The Leaky Bucket Problem.

Retention 75

Retention Fundraising Fundraising Recruitment 75

The Agitator

APRIL 18, 2011

Willingness to invest in some non-fundraising communication with the donor (which means going beyond the mandatory one-size-fits-all organizational newsletter) specifically aimed at engaging the donor (e.g., In small, local organizations, this reaches right up to face-to-face contact.

Retention 78

Retention Management Communication Fundraising 78