Welcome to Propper Fundraising, the website collating fundraising blogs and articles written by some of the best fundraisers, leaders, marketers and data professionals.
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Christian H Propper
13 Ways to Write Better Fundraising Asks
When you’re only six weeks into your new fundraising job and your boss suddenly assigns you the task of writing your organization’s year-end fundraising appeal, due tomorrow, what the heck are you going do?
Instead of copying and pasting last year’s letter, how about you carve out some time to create your very own masterpiece? The results will be worth it.
But how do you do it? Especially with limited time? First off, turn off your phone and the online noise so that you can focus. And then pay heed to these 13 tips by Pamela Grow.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/13-ways-write-better-fundraising-asks-pamela-grow
Guide to Annual Giving Donor Segmentation
For most advancement shops, annual giving is the black hole of fundraising: a generic ask to a mass audience. But what if you could deliver a meaningful, personalized experience for all of your donors—without increasing the resources needed or time and energy spent?
In this whitepaper, you’ll learn how to segment your constituents to personalize your annual fund outreach in an efficient, scalable way.
Featuring original research from Greta Daniels, Director of Development at the University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, the whitepaper will cover:
- Why segmentation needs to be part of your playbook in the noisy charitable marketplace of today
- How to gather the right data, create donor segments, and test their effectiveness
- Three case studies of segmentation in action at nonprofit and for-profit organizations
Get it all for free by filling out the form on the following webpage:
How Donors Choose: One choice that’ll increase revenue
Many nonprofits already know the value of giving concrete examples for what donations of different amounts are worth. You know, things like…$25 feeds a shelter dog for three weeks…$60 pays for a counselTina Cincottiing session at the legal aid clinic…$100 provides five hours of tutoring help…
Whether people donate and how much is greatly influenced by how we ask. Examples like these increase donor response because they paint a clear picture of the impact you can have if you give.
But how can these examples create even more impact? Tina Cincotti explains more in this blog.
https://fundingchangeconsulting.com/how-donors-choose-one-choice-thatll-increase-revenue/
How to respond when they challenge your fundraising appeal
Does your appeal letter really need to be two pages long? What about that serif font? Sentence fragments?
Mary Cahalane answers common questions about writing successful appeal letters.
https://mcahalane.com/how-to-respond-when-they-challenge-your-fundraising-appeal/
Background investigations – Don’t skip the media report
Due diligence background investigations come in all flavors. They’re generally customised according to industry, level of risk, and time constraints.
There’s one component, though, that should be included in all background checks on people and companies – the media report. It’s the section of a background investigation that covers news and social media.
The media report complements public records findings, and it offers insights into both good and bad behavior that can help you decide whether or not this is the kind of person with whom you want to do business.
Marcy Phelps explains how “It provides the color.” Sometimes there’s nothing, and sometimes you strike gold…
Which traits predict graduates’ earnings?
Which university graduates will go on to earn the most money? Labour-market observers should not be surprised to find that both the subjects people study and the universities they attend are strong predictors of career earnings.
A report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), a think-tank, provides further clarity on this question by matching tax data with the academic records of university graduates in England.
This chart and insight by The Economist’s Data Team presents two important takeaways.
https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2018/06/15/which-traits-predict-graduates-earnings
10 Ways to Find New Donors for Your Nonprofit Organization
Each year, approximately 10% of your non-profit donor base will attrition naturally through death, moving, or just not giving any longer. Then you add lapsed donors on top of that natural attrition, and you are looking at an eroding donor list. Sound familiar?
Here, Robin Cabral shares some simple steps that you can take to combat this natural attrition and to begin adding new names to your donor list. These are the actual suggestions that she uses with her very own clients.
https://bloomerang.co/blog/10-ways-to-find-new-donors-for-your-nonprofit-organization/
Why your business needs an inbound marketing Growth Plan
It’s time to stop wasting money trying to interrupt your target prospects and instead reap the benefits of attracting your prospects to you. And that’s what inbound marketing services are all about – creating and sharing content that appeals to your audience so they build trust in your brand. It works on the principle of attract, convert, close and delight; turning strangers into visitors, leads to customers, and finally promoters.
35% say closing a deal is getting harder, whilst only 22% are happy with their current conversion rates. And that’s exactly where inbound marketing technology comes in.
Abby Mitchinson writes how inbound can give you the opportunity to think smarter, grow faster, and deliver powerful results.
https://info.angelfish-marketing.com/blog/business-inbound-marketing-services-gameplan
Where brand and fundraising meet. The case for a case for support.
Fundraising is focussed on the bottom line. Hard, tangible cash. Facts and figures. Brand is about perception. The heart and mind of the audience. Intangible feelings.
OK, so I’m being purposefully black and white. But everyone of my friends in the sector feels that brand and fundraising teams need to work better together. And with the sector still suffering reputational damage and a new drop in voluntary income, it needs to be all hands to the pump.
And I’ve seen where this happens in perfect harmony. The case for support. I’ve worked on lots of cases for support for very different charities, and they always show me how close communication, brand and fundraising teams actually are, and how well they can work together.
Alexander Scott explains how the case for support is the core story that weaves together brand narrative with need, and the action you want your audience to take.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/where-brand-fundraising-meet-case-support-alexander-scott
Branding Your Nonprofit
Everybody wants to run a successful nonprofit, but there are far too many that do not realize the importance of good business practices when doing so.
Take, for example, branding. When you set out to save the world, or at least make it a better place, it’s easy to just assume that the worthiness of your cause will be enough to convince people to contribute. What’s not immediately obvious is the sheer depth of other causes competing for attention—not to mention other nonprofits in same or similar niches.
This results in the same problem that every for-profit business has—how can you differentiate in a crowded marketplace? Nobody wants their nonprofit to be blasted for spending more on promotions than actually helping others, but a little bit of expert branding can be a force multiplier that guarantees that a mission is accomplished correctly.
Raissa Frenkel from the Finker-Frenkel Family Foundation explains how improving your brand strategy can actually bolster a nonprofit, too.
http://raissafrenkel.com/the-importance-of-branding-in-nonprofits/
More Than Just Data: Why Actionable Insights Matter
There’s no question that customer experience (CX) is a data-driven discipline. After all, at the foundation of most CX programs are close-ended surveys designed to capture and analyze customer feedback.
Yes, metrics are a crucial element of every successful CX program. With metrics, you can establish a clear performance baseline and track trends based on actions you take over time.
But how do you know in advance if the actions you take will be the right ones? Wouldn’t it be great to have a crystal ball that lets you know exactly what to do to have the biggest impact on your anchor metrics?
Here’s some good news: You don’t need to have psychic powers to excel at CX. Instead, you need to use predictive analytics to clarify expected returns before you take every step—and to ensure you have clean data to power your CX metrics program. Only then can you take meaningful action based on your customer data.
In this blog, Richard Boehmcke shares how predictive analytics can benefit your business and therefore fundraising successes.
Big Data Analysis
Big Data is not just the ability to store large amounts of data, more important is what we can do to the data in that large volume, how we use the data with such large volumes.
One of its uses is for data analysis needs. Big Data Analysis can be done in order to assist the decision making process (Decision Support) and strategy (Strategic Business) of an organization, business institution, or company.
Jeefri A. Moka explains more below.
https://www.datasciencecentral.com/profiles/blogs/big-data-analysis
Business intelligence vs. business analytics: Where BI fits into your data strategy
Traditionally, enterprises have focused their data strategies around business intelligence (BI), but the rise of predictive and prescriptive analytics platforms, in part thanks to machine learning and artificial intelligence, is changing the equation. Even business intelligence itself is evolving, tipping in capabilities previously exclusive to business analytics platforms.
Analysts and consultants agree that understanding the distinctions between business intelligence and other analytics platforms, as well as the value each brings to the enterprise, matters significantly in getting your data strategy right.
Read the blog by Mary Pratt below on how business analytics is evolving.
What’s the difference between data, analytics and insights experts?
Utilising data to make better business decisions is on the agenda for the majority of organisations, with almost three-quarters (74%) saying they want to be “data-driven,” according to a study by Forrester. However, data is only valuable if it transpires into meaningful actions – only 29% of organisations said their data efforts have led to actionable insights.
While there are many platforms out there that offer inbuilt analytics and insights, more often than not you’ll end up with a hefty amount of data – very little of which you can actually put to good use. To measure your data, analyse it and produce worthwhile, data-driven actions, you’ll need a team of experts to take the reins.
Generally speaking, there are three functions that fit under the data umbrella; collecting data, analysing it and producing actionable insights.
This blog by Noa Muratsubaki explains the differences between these three functions.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/whats-difference-between-data-analytics-insights-noa-muratsubaki/
Experts on How Technology Is Changing the Future of Fundraising
Five key figures in fundraising tech reflect on how technology has changed fundraising and what’s next. With contributions from Mike Gianoni (President and CEO, Blackbaud), Bill Strathmann (CEO, Network for Good), Mike Geiger, M.B.A., C.P.A. (President and CEO, Association of Fundraising Professionals), Steve Spinner (CEO, RevUp Software) and Jean-Paul Guilbault (President and CEO, Community Brands).
10 Most Effective Communication and Fundraising Tools, According to Non-Profits
Survey respondents for the 2018 Global NGO Technology Report were asked to rate the effectiveness of the most commonly used communication and fundraising tools. Their answers provide valuable insight into which tools NPOs, NGOs, and charities should prioritize in their communications and fundraising strategy.
http://techreport.ngo/2018/03/28/10-effective-communication-fundraising-tools-according-nonprofits/
4 Steps to Strategic Communications
Picture this: a wealthy donor opens up the daily newspaper at her kitchen table and sees a heart-warming story about a school-age child benefiting from your nonprofit’s services.
On her drive to work, she hears your executive director interviewed on morning news radio.
Before an afternoon meeting, the same donor scans her Instagram and Facebook feeds and sees your story being shared.
Later, she gets an email from your nonprofit, featuring the story and a direct request for a gift. In one click, a donation is made.
What steps did it take to turn one story into a donation? Maura F. Farrell provides the details.
https://www.philanthropy.com/resources/checklist/4-steps-to-strategic-communica/6598/
6 Ways to Beat Writer’s Block
The formula for getting work done is simple: Show up and sit there. Think. Stare out the window. Write.
There’s no muse, no need for a perfect storm of artistic conditions to come together before you can rack up the pages. You just do the work. The work gets done.
But simple formulas don’t always produce good results. Let Rachel Toor guide you through tips to of what to do when you get stuck.
https://www.chronicle.com/article/6-Ways-to-Beat-Writer-s/243587
How to Identify and Respond to Fundraising NOs
One of the greatest challenges of being a development professional is dealing with rejection. The fact is, you are going to hear the word “No” a lot.
But the best fundraisers know not to take it personally and get right back on that fundraising horse. They also learn that sometimes a No can help you find your way to a Yes.
Here, Allison Gauss, defines the 9 types of fundraising nos and what to do with them.
https://www.classy.org/blog/how-to-identify-and-respond-to-fundraising-nos/
Charity meetings: making decisions and voting
How to hold charity trustee and member meetings, including AGMs, so you can make decisions legally and your charity can run effectively.
Clear guidance from the Charity Commission for trustees.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/charity-meetings-making-decisions-and-voting