Why should I give you money? Why should I care about your work? Why will this matter to someone? Too often, we focus on HOW. We love to talk about how we do the work. All the cool ways we accomplish great things. A new process. A unique way of tackling a problem. All of … Continue reading The big question your donors want you to answer: WHY
What does the Rich List tell us about the super rich?
Every year Susie Hills writes about the Sunday Times Rich list and reflects upon what it tells those of us who work in philanthropy. This year though, Susie felt surprisingly depressed as she read the List. The news that the richest 250 on the list collectively are worth more than the whole 1000 listers were worth in … Continue reading What does the Rich List tell us about the super rich?
Why the things you hate make good appeals
That informal language is undignified... A fundraising appeal is not a business letter. Say it again. Keep saying it until you believe it. An appeal should read like a letter from a dear friend. Or better yet, like a phone call from that friend, transcribed. So yes, there will be contractions, because people use contractions … Continue reading Why the things you hate make good appeals
The Science Behind What Motivates People To Donate To Nonprofits
There is no algorithm for human behaviour. To truly understand your donors, you need to take a cue from science and their findings. First, the good news: Charitable giving to nonprofits is contagious and elevating. Most people assume that generosity involves sacrifice: We are giving something up so someone else can have more. But this … Continue reading The Science Behind What Motivates People To Donate To Nonprofits
#GivingTuesday tweets that got noticed vs those that didn’t
Go on Twitter and search up the #GivingTuesday hashtag and you’ll find a never-ending torrent of tweets by non-profits trying to get the attention of digital passersby. Given how jam-packed the market is, and how short peoples’ attention spans are on Twitter, if there’s anything a non-profit can do to get even ONE like, or … Continue reading #GivingTuesday tweets that got noticed vs those that didn’t
Maximize Your Donations During the Last Week of the Year
If you only looked at how nonprofits spend most of their efforts during year-end fundraising season, you might think that Giving Tuesday is the most important giving day of the year.However, the data tells a different story. Giving Tuesday brings in 4.3% of online year-end revenue.December 31st brings in 15.5% of online year-end revenue.The last week of the year as … Continue reading Maximize Your Donations During the Last Week of the Year
How Accessible Data Can Make Nonprofits More Effective
Can you think of a time when a new strategy didn’t work, results changed unexpectedly, or a goal was missed? Through the power of hindsight, you may be able to see right away if it was due to a knowledge or skills gap. A recent study into these competencies showed that at least 59% of … Continue reading How Accessible Data Can Make Nonprofits More Effective
The Importance of Having a Multichannel Fundraising Campaign
Year-end fundraising season is starting to gear up. However, if you just send one fundraising letter and wait for the donations to come in, prepare to be disappointed. Your donors have a lot going on and may put your letter aside to handle later, and then never get to it. Of course, you can also … Continue reading The Importance of Having a Multichannel Fundraising Campaign
The Pixar Pitch! Telling your Story Crisply and with Clarity in order to Compel Action
In order to move others, we need to become much better at clearly stating what it is we want and where it is we want people to go. Daniel Pink presents the Pixar Pitch as a prime tool in thinking about this. Pixar Animation Studios, starting with Toy Story, is one of the most successful … Continue reading The Pixar Pitch! Telling your Story Crisply and with Clarity in order to Compel Action
The five steps of risk assessment
An event like a hacker attack or the loss of a major donor could be catastrophic for your charity. So what are you doing to reduce the risk of such an event? This question is at the core of risk management, and it’s one that charities of all sizes should be asking themselves on a … Continue reading The five steps of risk assessment
Propper Fundraising 