This powerful and groundbreaking keynote will completely change how you communicate with and relate to donors, and how you ask those donors for money.

Have you ever wished for a magic formula…the one strategy that will turn anyone you meet into loyal, long-term donors? A magic formula so powerful, you will never have to worry about marketing or fundraising again? I WISH I DID TOO!

Unfortunately, there’s no magic formula but we often act as if there is. We think if we say just the right thing, have the fancy brochure or pitch it the perfect way, then we can convert someone. One more email, appeal letter or cup of coffee. When we try to convince people to care, we don’t take into consideration the donor’s passion or experiences.

This approach making fundraising time-consuming, unproductive and downright disheartening. You can’t make people care. Because why someone cares is not about your words or deeds but their experiences. Each of us has a Philanthropic Heart rooted in the same things all our beliefs are: our childhood experiences. We each own our own.  You cannot change a philanthropic heart, only connect to it.

In this keynote, Maryanne will share The Philanthropic Heart model that shows you how to connect with donors for who they are instead of who you want them to be to form long-term, loyal relationships and make your fundraising joyful and abundant.

Speaker: Maryanne Dersch, Founder & Chief Excitement Officer of Courageous Communication

The post The Philanthropic Heart appeared first on Network for Good.

You might not have an Ideal Donor Profile. If you don’t, you are wasting scarce, precious time and money.

Ellen Bristol will show you how to build an Ideal Donor Profile that attracts the right donors and engages them quickly. The Profile enriches your messaging so you are more likely to attract the right prospects in the first place, convert them from prospects to donors more quickly, and engage them more deeply.

Speaker: Ellen Bristol, President of Bristol Strategy Group

The post How to Find the Right Donors for Your Organization appeared first on Network for Good.

Key Highlights:

Unleash the Potential: Learn how to unleash the full potential of your volunteer team and witness the tremendous impact they can have on your organization’s success.

Ignite Enthusiasm: Discover how to build an engaged community of volunteers who are not just participants but active drivers of change.

Recruit from Within: Discover the art of recruiting volunteers from the very community you serve, building a dedicated team with authentic connections to your mission.

Volunteers to Donors: Learn how to design volunteer opportunities that attract and retain donors, fueling lasting impact.

Data-Driven Success: Uncover the profound impact of data and how leveraging insights can amplify your volunteer program’s success and drive meaningful change.

Mark your calendars and seize this incredible opportunity to supercharge your volunteer program and create a ripple effect of excitement and change! Secure your spot today and let’s embark on a transformative journey together!

Speaker: Jason Wallace, Owner of Blue Goose Solutions

The post Supercharge Your Volunteer Program: Engagement that Sparks Action appeared first on Network for Good.

After a surge in giving in 2020 at the onset of the pandemic, charitable giving began to drop slightly in 2021. And then in early 2022, economic uncertainty and inflation caused challenges.

After all was said and done, online giving and email giving in 2022 both declined an average of 4% since 2021, according to the 2022 M+R Benchmarks Study. And for many nonprofits, the landscape hasn’t changed much in 2023.

But if there’s any silver lining to this, it’s that these changes are forcing us to work harder and smarter to engage and inspire donors.

And as we turn our attention to the 2023 end-of-year (EOY) fundraising season, we have another chance to balance the tried and true best practices with some novel and new approaches to better inspire your supporters and donors once more.

1. Review your donor data.

Before you map out your EOY strategy, take a look at your email program data, making note of any specific tactics, messaging, or creative–and any downward trends in engagement–in your highest-performing appeals from your last EOY campaign.

What donor insights can you gain from your last year’s EOY data? Did you employ a different tactic or signer in your best-performing message? Did you notice a drop in click-through rate or a higher-than-normal unsubscribe rate? If so, what can these metrics tell you about what to repeat or adjust for this year’s campaign?

2. Segment your audiences and personalize your email content.

Email segmentation and personalization are hugely beneficial for targeting donors and crafting tailored messages during the most critical time of year. Here are a few things you should consider for your EOY campaign:

• Reference their status as a donor, or the amount of their last gift (or last year’s EOY gift).
• Segment among your donors and supporters to further tailor the message they receive:
  • Customize a few appeals for your monthly donors to thank them for the impact of their sustained support and ask them for a one-time special gift.
  • Recapture lapsed donors with a series of messages that reference the date and amount of their last gift while emphasizing the ongoing need for support.
  • You can also target potential donors with customized content that asks them to make their first gift today.

The options are seemingly endless–and your fundraising software’s data can help you see which segments of your audience might be the ripest for engaging with personalized content.

3. Make your strongest case for giving.

The data on 2022 EOY giving suggests that donors might have been less inspired to give–which makes an authentic, well-crafted case for giving more important than ever.

What motivates your donors to give–and how can you weave that into your messaging? Consider, for example, the specific challenge or problem your nonprofit is working to solve:

• How can you clearly and concisely convey why it’s so urgent to meet your fundraising goal?
• Who or what will suffer if you don’t meet your fundraising goal?
• What can your organization achieve if you do?

Once you’ve drilled down on those details, weave them into your messaging, framing donors’ gifts as the impact they have on executing your programs and serving your beneficiaries.

4. Use every channel at your disposal. 

Multichannel fundraising lets you stay top of mind among your donors and supporters, meeting them where they are–and driving conversions and retention.

Investing in digital ads, in particular, as another channel in your digital program has a measurable impact on fundraising results, particularly during the end of the year. If your nonprofit doesn’t already have a dedicated ads budget, now is the time to make the pitch.

Regardless of the channels you’ll be using, make sure that your donor journey is consistent and seamless across all of them. Your website (including the homepage, lightbox, and donation page) should reflect the theme, messaging, imagery, and match deadlines–and those elements should all be mirrored in all of your channels.

You can also use different digital channels to target specific segments of your donors. From following up on a direct mail drop with a fundraising email or targeting lapsed donors in your EOY campaign’s digital ads, providing donors with another “touchpoint” will help drive giving when it matters most.

5. Be flexible and adapt as needed. 

You might be tempted to “set it and forget it” after months of tireless work to develop and implement your EOY campaign’s goal, strategy, content, and creative. Unfortunately, the data on online giving in 2022–especially during year-end–makes it clear that we need to keep our fingers on the pulse and adapt when necessary.

M+R’s 2022 benchmarks on GivingTuesday indicate an average 18% drop in online revenue on a day we once could count on to generate giving. And it wasn’t just a slow start–many nonprofits saw their EOY campaign end with more of a fizzle than a bang, with online revenue down 22% year-over-year on Dec. 31.

Boosting email volume and frequency last year helped to mitigate those losses for many nonprofits. And while we don’t yet know how EOY giving will play out this year, you should plan to be nimble and adapt when the moment demands it. Keep your eyes peeled for any opportunities–including resends, match increases, and graphical emails–to boost urgency and effectiveness for your donors.

Get ahead of your end-of-year campaign planning—download Network for Good’s Comprehensive Year-End Fundraising Plan today!

Looking for a strategic partner to take your end-of-year fundraising campaign to the next level? The team at Fresh Eyes Digital has worked for decades with nonprofit organizations to acquire and inspire digital audiences and convert them into loyal donors and activists. Reach out to set up a call to discuss how you might work together!

Published: August 15, 2023

The post 5 tactics to engage and inspire nonprofit donors this end-of-year fundraising season appeared first on Network for Good.

In this blog, we will outline a step-by-step guide on how to develop an effective social media strategy for GivingTuesday and year-end campaigns, along with suggestions for various types of posts to inspire and mobilize supporters across different social platforms.

Why does year-end differ from any other social strategy?

GivingTuesday is a global movement focused on charitable giving, and year-end is a key time for nonprofit fundraising with 30% of charitable giving taking place in December and 10% occurring in the last three days of the year. . Unlike your regular social media strategy that may cover a broader range of topics and initiatives, GivingTuesday and year-end center exclusively on inspiring generosity and encouraging people to support your cause. 

Because year-end only occurs for a limited time, it is important to do extra planning to ensure that your nonprofit can maximize its impact within that time frame. Another thing to consider is urgency and how people respond to it. If you were to see a sale that lasted for two months you might not be encouraged to purchase right then and there. But If you see the sale ends in one or two days, you might be encouraged to make a purchase sooner. This goes for donations, too! If supporters see that there is only a limited time to hit a donation goal, and see it over and over on social media, then they may be more likely to donate. 

Embracing GivingTuesday and year-end campaigns through social media can ignite giving spirits, make a significant impact, and drive positive change.

Step 1: Set clear goals and objectives.

The first step in developing a successful social media strategy is setting clear and measurable goals. Determine what you want to achieve through your GivingTuesday and year-end fundraising campaigns. Whether it’s increasing the number of donors, meeting a specific fundraising target, or boosting brand awareness, having well-defined goals will guide your entire social media approach. 

Try using the SMART goal table to define and specify your measurable goals! 

Step 2: Know your audience.

Understanding your target audience is essential to tailoring your message and content. Analyze your current supporter base and identify potential demographics that resonate with your cause. Different social media platforms attract diverse audiences, so consider where your target audience is most active and create content accordingly. Below is a general breakdown of the audiences on different social media platforms. There are two main generational demographics when it comes to giving: traditional donors (Gen X and Baby Boomers), and next-gen donors (Gen Z and Millennials). 

• TikTok audience: On TikTok, 69% of users are next-gen donors and 31% are traditional donors. There are 80 million daily active users in the United States and of those 49% said TikTok has helped them make purchase decisions. 
• Twitter audience: On Twitter, 61% of users are next-gen donors, and the remaining 29% are traditional donors.
• Facebook audience: Facebook hits a fairly equal amount of donors from both next-gen and traditional. 49% are next-gen donors and 51% are traditional donors.
• Instagram audience: With the second highest percentage of next-gen donors, Instagram’s audience is majorly next-gen donors with 64% being between the ages of 18 and 39.
• LinkedIn audience: LinkedIn, similar to Facebook, has 49% of the audience between the ages of 18 and 39 or next-gen with the other 51% being traditional donors. (source)

This is a great starting point to determine which platforms make the most sense for your organization. Now, consider who your current supporters are. It is ideal that you have similar data on your audience so you can decide which platforms you should start using or need to double down on for year-end. By using fundraising technology, you can easily track donor demographic information so you can pull this information quickly.

Step 3: Craft compelling content.

Engaging and persuasive content is the heart of any social media strategy, which is why developing a content plan that aligns with your campaign objectives and resonates with your audience is crucial. Some content ideas for GivingTuesday and year-end fundraising include:

Impact stories: Share real-life success stories that highlight the positive impact of your organization’s work. Stories can evoke emotions and inspire action. TikTok and Instagram reels are a great place to showcase impact stories. You can easily craft a video without any fancy equipment and show the real impact behind the scenes of your organization. 

In this video, Natik Esperanza shares the story of their program participant, Bernabe, who was able to participate in training to gain skills needed to lead a growing community of beekeepers in his community.

Behind-the-scenes: Offer a glimpse into your nonprofit’s daily operations, showcase an employee teambuilding event, or introduce your team members. Humanizing your organization fosters trust and connection.

This video works well because it humanizes the organization by showcasing the El Futuro staff learning and experiencing team building together.

Visual content: Utilize eye-catching images, infographics, and videos to convey your message effectively. Visuals often attract more attention on social media.

In this post, Mutts with a Mission utilized an impactful image to showcase their service dogs’ aircraft training.

Countdown campaigns: Build anticipation by creating countdown posts as the campaign launch approaches, or use countdown posts as a way to drive urgency to donate during the final days of the campaign. 

In this post, Go For Yours creates urgency for donors to contribute to their Dream Experience fundraising campaign before it ends. They also create a clear CTA in the caption and use appropriate hashtags.

Calls-to-action: Clearly communicate what you want your audience to do, whether it’s donating, volunteering, or sharing your content. You can include clear CTA’s at the end of posts to get people to complete the action you want them to do. This could be “click the link in our bio” or even “follow us on Instagram to learn more”

In this post, Go For Yours shares an update on their current campaign and urges donors to contribute to help them reach their goal.

GivingTuesday offers this canva folder with many different templates you can use to post on social media before and on GivingTuesday!

Step 4: Create a posting schedule.

Now, let’s talk about consistency. It’s the key to keeping your audience engaged on social media. Develop a solid posting schedule that mixes regular content like inspiring impact stories and campaign updates with timely posts related to GivingTuesday and year-end fundraising events. To make things easier, take advantage of scheduling tools. They’ll help you manage your posts efficiently, saving you time and keeping your social media game strong.

You can try using this template to begin planning your content for year-end 2023!

Step 5: Leverage hashtags and trends.

Time to stay on top of the game! It is important to stay updated with trending topics and hashtags that relate to GivingTuesday and year-end fundraising. There are over 1 billion views just on TikTok including #yearend and #GivingTuesday. 

Using popular hashtags can do wonders for your visibility and help you connect with a broader audience interested in charitable causes. So, don’t shy away from riding the hashtag wave–it’s a great way to spread your message far and wide.

Step 6: Engage with your community

Remember, social media is all about building connections. It’s a two-way street. So, don’t just post and forget about it! Engage with your followers, respond to their comments, and give a shout-out to your donors publicly. Building a strong and responsive community will foster loyalty and encourage more people to support your amazing campaign. Plus, it’ll show your audience that you genuinely care about their involvement.

Congrats! You’ve now got a high-impact social media strategy to make your GivingTuesday and year-end fundraising campaign shine. By setting clear objectives, knowing your audience inside out, creating compelling content, and strategically using various social media platforms, your nonprofit is bound to drum up support, engage donors, and make a lasting impact. 

But don’t forget, social media is a dynamic landscape, always changing. So, stay flexible and open to adapting your strategy based on real-time insights and feedback from your audience. With a well-executed social media plan, your nonprofit can create a meaningful and successful GivingTuesday and year-end fundraising campaign that will leave a positive mark on the world.

Interested in learning more about how to make the most of GivingTuesday and year-end fundraising? Download Network for Good’s Ultimate Giving Tuesday Checklist and Comprehensive Year-End Fundraising Plan to get started on your campaign planning today!

About the author:

Community Boost is the premier full-service nonprofit digital marketing agency dedicated to mission-focused organizations of all sizes and sectors. 

Published: August 10, 2023

The post 6 steps to creating a nonprofit year-end and GivingTuesday social media strategy appeared first on Network for Good.

1. Create compelling content.

Develop a content marketing strategy that focuses on delivering valuable and engaging content. Use Canva to create compelling visuals (don’t miss out on the nonprofit discount!). Consider writing blog posts, creating informative videos, or producing podcasts that educate, inspire, and evoke emotions. Optimize your content for search engines to increase organic traffic and showcase your expertise in the field.

2. Engage with local communities.

Engage with local businesses, other nonprofits, or community groups by participating in relevant events and initiatives. Set up booths or sponsor events that align with your organization’s purpose. Actively engage with attendees, distribute promotional materials, and exchange contact information.

3. Offer multiple ways to contribute.

Provide various ways for supporters to contribute, such as volunteering or donating. Cater calls to action to attract different levels of commitment and engagement. Make sure that the instructions for how to get involved are very clearly outlined on your website and other promotional materials!

Network for Good’s fundraising pages allow you to set suggested donation amounts, customize donation receipts, and share fundraising updates with donors so you can optimize the giving experience for donors.

4. Host virtual information sessions to cultivate relationships.

Organize virtual information sessions to introduce your organization. Use Zoom to connect with potential supporters in an interactive and informative manner. Ask questions, use polls, and even facilitate breakout sessions to get your community chatting and exchanging new ideas.

5. Collaborate with influencers and bloggers.

Partner with social media influencers and bloggers who align with your organization’s purpose. Engage them in creating content that promotes your cause and encourages their followers to support your organization. Influencers can amplify your message, attract new audiences, and inspire action. Don’t be afraid to message some influencers online to see if they are interested in promoting your cause!

6. Seek local media coverage.

Reach out to local media outlets such as newspapers, radio stations, or television networks to share your nonprofit’s story and impact. Earned media coverage boosts your organization’s reputation and credibility, which can help attract new supporters.

7. Leverage email marketing.

You should have a consistent email marketing strategy year-round, but you can use this time before end-of-year to ramp up your communications and reach potential supporters directly. Develop targeted email lists and segment your audience based on their interests and engagement level. Personalize your messages, tell impactful stories, and clearly outline how individuals can contribute.

8. Run digital advertising campaigns.

Allocate a portion of your budget to run targeted digital advertising campaigns. Platforms like Google Ad Grants, Facebook Ads, or LinkedIn Ads can help you reach specific demographics, geographies, or interest groups. Develop captivating ads that drive traffic to your website or landing pages, focusing on the value of supporting your organization. Don’t have the budget for paid promotions? You can still reach your people with organic digital content! Use relevant hashtags, engage with your audience, and encourage them to share your posts to amplify your reach.

9. Organize webinars or online workshops.

Offer webinars or online workshops related to your organization’s cause or expertise. Share valuable insights, tips, or educational content that attracts individuals who are passionate about the same issues. Provide opportunities for engagement, Q&A sessions, and offer follow-up resources to cultivate relationships with participants.

10. Provide transparency and accountability.

Clearly communicate how donations are utilized and the impact they have on your nonprofit’s work in order to build trust with future supporters. Share annual reports, financial statements, and success stories to demonstrate accountability and transparency.

Acquiring new supporters is crucial for the success of your nonprofit’s year-end fundraising campaign. By implementing these ten powerful tactics, you can expand your network and engage individuals passionate about your cause. Remember to tailor your strategies to suit your organization’s unique goals and maintain a consistent and personalized approach to foster lasting relationships with your new supporters.

Interested in additional tips as you prep for your year-end campaign? Download our Comprehensive year-end fundraising plan featuring everything you need for a successful year-end!

Looking for additional support for your nonprofit’s fundraising operations? Reach out to Devine & Parker Consulting to learn more about how we can help you succeed.

About the author:

Devine & Parker Consulting empowers nonprofit organizations to build sustainable and scalable fundraising operations so that they can maximize their impact and fulfill their missions.

Published: July 25, 2023

The post 10 powerful tactics for nonprofits to acquire new supporters before year-end fundraising campaigns appeared first on Network for Good.

People are more eager than ever for meaning and belonging, so nonprofits are uniquely positioned to offer missional involvement and investment as solutions to disconnection.

In this webinar, you’ll learn how simple innovations in lead generation, volunteerism, ambassadorship, board engagement, and other supporter programs can help you and your nonprofit develop more sustainable fundraising solutions through a loyal and generous circle of supporters using philanthropy as a conduit for connection.

Speaker: Madeleine St. John, Donor Engagement Consultant & Founder of St. John Consulting

The post How to Attract (and Retain) New Supporters through Innovative Donor Engagement appeared first on Network for Good.

Here’s the thing: When a donor makes their first donation, they are telling you “I am digging into what you’re doing and I’d like to be part of it.” So, now what?

In this session, Rachel Bearbower will walk you through the 5 emails to construct an engaging (and effective) welcome series for your new donors.

You’ll learn the key ingredients that go into each email to help your donor feel valued and appreciated and start turning your new donors into recurring, long-term donors.

Bonus: Rachel will give you her best tips for automating this process saving you bucket loads of time.

Speaker: Rachel Bearbower (she/her), Founder + CEO of Small Shop Strategies

The post Emails That Get Results: The ultimate welcome series for your donors appeared first on Network for Good.

In this guide, we dive deeper into the following elements of supporter engagement including strategies you can implement for success: 

Promote Your Purpose 

The first thing you should do when developing a supporter engagement strategy is ensure your community is aware of your organization and your mission. It can be challenging to develop a supporter base if your community isn’t aware of the great work you’re doing. Raise awareness for your nonprofit through your website, social media, email newsletter, and events. If you’re a new nonprofit, take the time to establish these tools for your organization to ensure you can connect with your community. If you’re a more mature nonprofit, work to refine your strategy for these various tools and platforms to ensure you’re reaching the right audience.  

Donor Management 

Once you have established a strong foundation for your work, think about how you’ll manage donor information. As people learn about your organization and become donors, you need to have a management system in place to ensure you can cultivate those relationships going forward. While newer nonprofits may establish their database using a spreadsheet, it’s important to think about a more sophisticated platform as your organization grows. Consider investing in a donor management system like Network for Good to better manage and utilize your donor data.  

Donor Stewardship

Now that you have a donor management process in place, it’s time to engage with your donors and steward those relationships. In this guide we outline four steps you should take to craft a winning donor stewardship strategy: identify donor giving levels, identify the best stewardship activities for your organization, develop your stewardship plan, and evaluate and adjust your plan. Download the guide for a deeper dive into these steps.  

Donor Retention

Just planning how you engage with donors isn’t enough, you need to keep donor retention in mind every step of the way. In this guide we review how to calculate your donor retention rate so you can establish a baseline and determine how to weave donor retention into everything your organization does.  

Donor Reengagement

According to the Fundraising Effectiveness Project, donor retention is down across the board. That said, it’s important to have a reengagement strategy in place to reactivate lapsed donors. Having a donor management system like Network for Good will allow you to track supporter activity and easily engage with donors on a regular basis.

Interested in learning more about each of these elements of a standout supporter engagement strategy? Download our eGuide today to learn more!  

Published: March 28, 2023

The post Standout Supporter Engagement Strategies for New and Mature Nonprofits appeared first on Network for Good.

Tips and Tricks for Nonprofits at All Stages

One of the most important steps a nonprofit can take is developing a strategy for engaging with and stewarding supporters at all stages of their relationship with the nonprofit. Supporters come to your organization because your purpose resonates with them, but there are actions you must take to initiate that support and cultivate the relationship going forward.

But what does this look like and what actions can you take to develop a standout supporter engagement strategy? We’re here to help.

In this guide, we will cover:

• Some of the key steps your nonprofit organization should take to attract, steward, and retain donors whether you are just starting out or have been supporting your community for years.
• The donor stewardship lifecycle and the eight stages of donor engagement.
• The importance of promoting your purpose to raise awareness for your organization.
• Donor management tips for both new and mature nonprofits.

Download the eGuide to start developing your supporter engagement strategy today!

The post Standout Supporter Engagement Strategies appeared first on Network for Good.