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'Communications directors and development directors are not magicians or miracle workers, and yet many executive directors and boards seem to think they should be able to pull rabbits out of hats and turn water into wine. Too often, when I coach communications directors through their daily challenges, I find that their jobs are being made so much harder than they should be because of a handful of leadership failures.
'The following is an excerpt from Mobile for Good: A How-To Fundraising Guide for Nonprofits. In 2013 the number of nonprofits that hired part-time or full-time new media managers increased fourfold. As nonprofits have gotten better at implementing multichannel communications and fundraising campaigns and improving their tracking and reporting systems, many nonprofits have come to the conclusion that creating a paid part- or full-time new media manager position is worth the financial investment
'Today it''s my pleasure to share with you a post on finding new donors for your nonprofit. A few weeks ago, Bob McCarthy and I were emailing about the formulas to look at when getting new donors. So I asked him to write a blog post about it! Read it both to learn the formulas and to pick up the language of the direct mail industry. Bob is a direct response/direct mail copywriter and consultant.
'On Monday we reported on the American Cancer Society (ACS) and its project over the past year to re-examine the role of direct mail in its fundraising program. ACS is committed to a sophisticated multi-channel marketing approach, in which direct mail remains a key work horse, and in which the full potential value of each donor (financial and otherwise) is recognized.
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!
'Editor’s note: I’m pleased to introduce Network for Good’s Chief Giving Officer, Jamie McDonald , as a contributor to The Nonprofit Marketing Blog. Jamie will be sharing her insight on philanthropy and trends in giving, as well as updates from the field. During this year’s Millennial Impact Forum (also known as MCON), thousands of leaders in philanthropy, social enterprise, and technology joined together for two days of inspiration from our next generation of leaders.
'Since 1996, Karla Capers has been working for advocacy organizations, figuring out ways to use the internet to raise visibility for progressive issues, engage people in campaigns, and try to make the world a better place. Note from Nancy: I came upon Karla’s terrific guidance for re-engaging folks on the Progressive Exchange list serv, and got her permission to repost here.
'Here’s yet another great example of how remaking your tired old traditional annual report into something more modern can reap great rewards. Paula Watson-Lakamp, Communications Manager at Poudre River Public Library District , shared how they pared down their 32-page (!!) annual report into an infographic that created more member engagement, especially on social media.
'Here’s yet another great example of how remaking your tired old traditional annual report into something more modern can reap great rewards. Paula Watson-Lakamp, Communications Manager at Poudre River Public Library District , shared how they pared down their 32-page (!!) annual report into an infographic that created more member engagement, especially on social media.
'At long last a mobile app has launched that allows Americans to easily donate to any U.S.-based nonprofit in just a few taps. By partnering with Guidestar and Network for Good , donors can now give to their favorite nonprofits and manage their giving portfolio in one simple, very smart mobile app called the Give App. Launched on July 13, donors search the GuideStar database inside the app for their favorite nonprofit, enter their credit card information which is then stored for all future donat
'Summer can be a great time to catch up on some reading. "Catch up" may be relative term. Summer doesn''t really slow down anymore, does it? But as those of you in the Northern Hemisphere experience the change in pace that summer brings, here are some books I recommend you consider adding to your summer reading list: Be Our Guest: Perfecting the Art of Customer Service by the Disney Institute with Theodore Kinni.
'In Part 7 of our Barriers to Growth series, I noted that the inability or unwillingness to take a hard and realistic look at an organization’s fundraising potential represents a significant barrier to meaningful growth. Why?
'Steven Shattuck is VP of Marketing at Bloomerang. As a HubSpot Certified inbound marketer, he is a contributor to Nonprofit Hub, National Council of Nonprofits, Ragan, Social Media Today, Search Engine Journal, The Build Network, HubSpot, Content Marketing Institute and Business2Community. Steven has spoken at national and local conferences, and is frequently interviewed by media outlets for his expertise in digital marketing. _.
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.
'Guest blogger Tom Furtwangler manages digital communications and social media for a large international development nonprofit based on the west coast. There’s a headline arms race on the web these days. Upworthy’s “curiosity gap” approach to click-enticing headlines is now widely imitated and even parodied. You know what I mean: those “You won’t believe…” headlines that we don’t believe anymore.
'Lindsay J.K. Nichols. Here’s the latest installment in our series on the “Day in the Life” of nonprofit communicators, where we ask you to describe your day in your own words. Lindsay J.K. Nichols is the senior director of marketing and communications for GuideStar , a nonprofit that powers philanthropy and is widely considered the leading source of nonprofit information.
'Each time @NonprofitOrgs reaches a 100K-follower benchmark, Nonprofit Tech for Good donates to various nonprofits. It’s a way to give back, but its also a system used to periodically review how nonprofits are innovating their online giving process. In this last round of donations – $25 to 28 nonprofits ($700 for reaching 700K followers), some progress has been made since the last round of donations made at 600K followers.
'Here''s a short video explaining one of the most important aspects of fundraising: shutting up. When you''ve done all the researching, engaging, and you''ve just made the ask.the decision is out of your control. And that''s ok. In my fundraising training , I recommend picturing Mr. T at this moment. He''ll help keep you from confusing your donor and losing money for you nonprofit.
Speaker: Duke Heninger, Partner and Fractional CFO at Ampleo & Creator of CFO System
Are you ready to elevate your accounting processes for 2025? 🚀 Join us for an exclusive webinar led by Duke Heninger, a seasoned fractional CFO and CPA passionate about transforming back-office operations for finance teams. This session will cover critical best practices and process improvements tailored specifically for accounting professionals.
'Agitator readers know I have this obsession with online video. Only yesterday I was writing about it. Sooner or later, one of you will take me to task and tell me to get over it already. But every time I get ready to wax eloquent over putting the donor at the center of fundraising, or testing subject lines in your email appeals, or upping your retention game, another online video comes along and I’m back in the rut.
'As nonprofits we’re often focused on the difficulties we face on our end—logistics, recruiting, finding jobs suited for each volunteer’s unique set of skills, etc. But we tend to overlook the difficulties volunteers face when trying to get involved with a NPO. In understanding what aspects of volunteerism frustrate them the most, perhaps you’ll have better luck at finding them.
'This is our final installment of Nonprofit 2.0 keynotes. In the last couple of weeks, we were able to recap Majora Carter and Craig Newmark. And we finally have the workshop session notes up for you to check out. Michael Smith, the Director of the White House''s Social Innovation Fund , spoke to the Unconference after lunch. His topic? Be Fearless.
'Leili Khalessi. I’ve had a wonderful time getting to know Leili Khalessi over the last six months as she participated in our Communications Director Mentoring Program. I think I learned as much from the experience as she did! I see too many nonprofit communications directors who are treated like gophers, or the catch-all dumping grounds for work no one else in the office wants to do.
Employee recognition has often been deemed a "feel-good" initiative, tied closely to rewards. While we understand its importance, we tend to associate recognition with intangible outcomes like engagement and sentiment, rather than direct impacts on retention and high performance. In today’s workplace, the true ROI of recognition lies in its ability to regenerate tangible, business-driven results.
'Freelance communications strategist Jeremy Porter shares his knowhow in his e-newsletter , his blog (where this article first appeared) and via Twitter. For people to care about global warming it needs to be made relevant. This guide shows the language that’s simple and uncontroversial. In Nebraska, there’s a father thinking about his children’s health and education.
'Fundraising training has never been more affordable! You may have already heard the news: The Fundraising Coach will now be directing The Nonprofit Academy! And I couldn''t be more thrilled!! Started by Kirsten Bullock, The Nonprofit Academy has become one of the most affordable venues for ongoin fundraising training. In addition to the monthly webinars, members have access to monthly members-only calls, a members only forum, and the entire Online Vault.
'I seem to have accumulated a number of email related articles in — where else — my email in-box, so here’s a bit of a clean-out. First, a good overview of how your emails are being opened. This study from Campaign Monitor , which looked at 1.8 billion opens (be sure to check out the ‘Read More’), actually credits ‘only’ 41% of email opens to mobile devices.
'I think most of us can say we’ve been on both sides of the ask. Personally, I’ve been on the inside, wracking my brain for a creative way to convince a potential donor why he should give to my NPO. And I’ve also been asked many times, both as a decision maker in a company and on a personal level, to give to a worthy cause. So if you’re like me, you’ve seen all sides of the ask and you know how it can be perceived from different vantage points.
Managing HR tasks like payroll, compliance, and employee data can overwhelm small businesses. That’s where a Human Capital Management (HCM) solution comes in. Our eBook, Why Every Small Business Needs an HCM Solution: A Comprehensive Guide , shows how an HCM system automates tedious processes, ensuring your business stays compliant and efficient. You’ll learn how to simplify payroll, eliminate costly errors, and empower your employees with self-service tools.
'Wine and cheese tasting. Fancy dinner. Reception. What do all these events have in common? They are generic. Any nonprofit can host these events. They are not special to your donors. They are not especially meaningful. To paraphrase Lynne Wester, The Donor Relations Guru, in our popular Nonprofit 911 webinar : Donors gave you money. They can buy themselves dinner.
'We’ve added another advice and tips page to the website – this one covers online fundraising. So whether you are just getting started with raising money online or if you are looking for more advanced ideas, we’ve got you covered. Haven’t accepted online donations before? We’ll show you where to start with getting your website and email list in shape.
'People don’t like to talk about competition in the nonprofit world. Competition suggests a dog-eat-dog fight to the finish that would have one valuable nonprofit entity edging another out of the marketplace. Instead, we want to see do-gooders working nicely together to collaboratively accomplish shared goals, but typically this line of thinking leads nonprofit leaders […].
'If you knew that your donors and activists were very concerned about their privacy online, what would you do to better protect their personal data that you have stored in your databases? Well you better start thinking about it. Today, a new national poll was released that showed almost three-fourths of Americans worry about how much personal information is available online.
Speaker: Tim Sarrantonio, Director of Corporate Brand
Is your organization ready to build a recurring giving program that not only sustains but also propels your mission forward? 🚀 In this new webinar with industry visionary Tim Sarrantonio, we’ll guide you through the critical steps to establishing and scaling a successful recurring giving program. Whether you’re starting fresh or enhancing an existing program, this session will provide the strategies you need to deepen donor relationships and secure long-term support!
'I have no idea how much traction the CNN story on the New York Attorney General’s settlement will get. Nor whether it will trigger any, many or no donor inquiries to your organization or your clients. Nonetheless, good Boy Scout that Tom is, I’ve adopted his motto: “Be Prepared.” So, here’s some Agitator advice on dealing with the question of fundraising costs and ethics.
'Andrew Garberson is a guest contributor for Nonprofit Hub and the Manager of Search at LunaMetrics , a Google Analytics certified partner and search marketing consultancy. In addition to leading the SEO and PPC departments, Andrew is a GAIQ certified analytics junkie with a special interest in nonprofit marketing. Be sure to find him on Twitter. _.
'At this week’s Social Media for Nonprofits conference in Washington, DC, Avi Kaplan , Director of Online Strategy for Rad Campaign , challenged organizations to think about how they can break through the noise on social media when we live in a BuzzFeed world. Avi says the key to standing out is to focus on the right audience in the right context with awesome content.
'You know that donor-centered communications are vital to getting and keeping your supporters. During the coaching and feedback sessions for our fundraising writing e-clinics with Tom Ahern , he uses this little trick to instantly see how many times nonprofits address the supporter specifically by seeing how many times they use the word “you” in their writing.
Payroll optimization can be one of the most time-consuming and complex factors of small business management. Yet, organizations that crack the code on streamlining employee compensation often discover innovative avenues for growth. With the right strategies in place, outsourcing and streamlining payroll processes can result in substantial time and resource savings.
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