Be sure that your organization's plans — overall through its strategic plan and with the fundraising plan as well — are grounded in valid needs.
Nonprofits know they must emotionally connect with their constituents. Now, for-profit brands are focusing on emotional marketing, or as Fast Company calls it, "sadvertising."
Fundraising is a complicated arena because it requires multiple relationships, balancing priorities. But sometimes — like retaining donors — we miss the opportunities right at our feet.
I now see the beauty in finishing second, as many teams never receive a plaque or trophy for their efforts. The goal of sports should be to teach good sportsmanship. Children and adults like to be recognized for their efforts, regardless of outcome. The coaches, umpires, parents of players, fans and others volunteer their time to promote a spirit of good will and enjoyment so all can enjoy. As for the young players, by promoting a fun environment for them to enjoy, they might grow up to be future volunteers and donors for many organizations. We need to make baseball and any activity fun for children. The future of philanthropy depends on it.
Are you inward-focused or outward-focused with your marketing and fundraising?
Some news we read or hear seems far removed from our jobs as fundraisers — but is that true? There are headlines that may not seem relevant, but they need to stir you to action so you can make sure your nonprofit avoids being the headline story next month or next year. Anything that potentially can impact fundraising has to be the business of fundraisers. You don't have to run it or repair it, but you have to understand it enough to give your donors assurances and to make certain it remains a priority for the organization. So what are these headlines?
The honeymoon period for nonprofit CEOs should be magical. It is the best opportunity for them to define themselves, including their vision and values, and paint a bright big picture that board members and other donors can embrace.
If your organization's style standards restrict your ability to create highly emotional messages, you’re leaving money on the table. Here are seven ideas that will help your organization develop branding requirements that will make your life a lot easier:
I admit it — if you follow these six steps you won’t have a model fundraising program in place. But beating your head against the wall until you finally give up isn’t a good solution, either. Start small and make sure everyone on the team knows about the successes and sees the positive notes and emails you receive from donors. Be the best cheerleader for fundraising.
Focus group respondents revealed a need for leaders to better configure the shared values, style, structure, systems, staffing and strategy within their organizations. The study’s findings were used to construct seven corrective action steps for nonprofit leaders managing the daily activities of charitable fundraisers.
