Nonprofit Bridge

In addition to spending many hours online, I still do read books.  Recently I finished Wendy Smith’s Give a Little – How Small Donations Are Changing the World.  If you ever think that only large contributions make a difference, this book will change your mind, showing how small gifts make up the bulk of many nonprofits’ revenues.  In addition, I was introduced to many wonderful nonprofits that I wasn’t already familiar with – a complete list is available here.  My favorite quote – “giving changes you as well as the world.”

Your small gift can also help these very worthwhile causes:

• Idealist is asking for help so it can continue to be a resource for the nonprofit community
• Nten’s Holly Ross asks that you celebrate her upcoming birthday by helping a nonprofit colleague to attend the upcoming Nonprofit Technology Conference
• Support Idealware’s mission of providing objective software reviews for nonprofits by purchasing its new Field Guide to Software for Nonprofits

If you missed the recent PBS Frontline presentation of Digital Nation, you can watch it (and comment) online.   It is very thought provoking, and may provide a reminder that multitasking is not always the best way to get things done.  Also see this report from Pew Internet on Social Media and Young Adults.

Wondering about whether mobile fundraising will become a major fundraising channel as it has been for Haiti?  See MobileActive’s Definitive Guide to Mobile Fundraising as well as Beth Kanter’s summary of some recent viewpoints.

When you present, do you get frustrated with attendees who seem to be paying more attention to their phones / computers than to your presentation?  In her presentation this week on the Trainer’s Social Media Tool Box, Beth Kanter explained how to use social media to enhance your sessions by encouraging sharing of information.   A new book, the Back Channel, details this phenomenon in more detail.  (If you’re still waiting until the end of your talk to take questions, you definitely need to see Beth’s notes.)

Jeff Brooks also spoke on a Network for Good call on what not to do in online fundraising – slides are available here.  (Hint – if your figures are not growing, you’re missing something.)

Do you maintain a database for advocacy that’s separate from your main donor database?  Care2’s webinar on Connecting Advocacy to Fundraising showed how activists can also be top fundraisers, if you take the time to cultivate them.   Activists also consistently open emails more frequently than other supporters.

If you need help in selecting tools for your organization (who doesn’t?), take a look at Idealware’s just released Field Guide to Software for Nonprofits.  Laura Quinn’s organization has always provided great information through her web site, blog and enewsletter.  I helped with some edits for this book – it is definitely worth getting.

Now that there’s so many ways to communicate with constituents, are you taking the time to make sure your messaging is consistent and on brand across channels?  See notes from Kivi Leroux Miller’s talk this week on Integrating Your Website, Email Newsletter and Social Media Sites.  Also see Blackbaud’s tips on Multi-Channel Engagement.

Like most nonprofits, Idealist has having some challenging times and has asked for our help.  Ami Dar’s work has long benefited the nonprofit community.  Please help.

Finally, are you helping your constituents to run their own fundraising events, or do you only help with events run by your organization?  If so, you’re missing a huge opportunity. Read Independent Fundraising Events Bring Big Returns, which links to a recent white paper by Blackbaud and Event 360; you can also register for a webinar on Feb. 3 to learn more.

Depending on how you interpret the 2009 statistics, online giving is the greatest thing since sliced bread or is over-hyped and still represents a small piece of overall donations.  Today’s Agitator.net post challenges us to think beyond the numbers.  Some major points:

• Are new online donors simply moving over from other channels, or are they really ‘new’?
• What’s getting in the way of some nonprofits that are not seeing increases in online giving?
• If your organization has experienced a jump in online donations, do you understand why?
• Are you taking advantage of integrated strategies to coordinate your online and offline appeals?
• Can new online donors be ultimately upgraded to higher levels of engagement – as you would normally want for offline supporters?
• If some donors are contributing because their friends or family asked, can you expect them to have a relationship with your nonprofit directly to encourage future support?
• Are you doing enough testing of online messaging, as carefully as you would do for offline?

Online fundraising isn’t a magic bullet, as those who simply add a donation button to their web site without any further effort soon learn.  Similarly, if you send out regular email marketing messages but don’t analyze who’s opening and actually reading them (and who unsubscribe), you’re missing the boat.  Regardless of your 2009 online numbers, you can probably do better in 2010 by taking the time to answer some of these questions.

For more online fundraising tips, download this new Online Fundraiser’s Checklist, review 25 Tips for Better Fundraising Copy and note the recent boom in mobile fundraising (hint – this channel won’t only be effective after earthquakes).  More people are online, but fewer are using the traditional desktop of laptop computer.  Apple’s new tablet is coming soon to add yet another option.

This week’s disaster in Haiti has again highlighted online fundraising, as well as an expanded role for text messaging to raise money.  Apparently giving through your mobile phone is now a viable option and doesn’t always involve large fees to carriers – see post from Tech Soup, interview with Katya Andresen and CARE2’s advice that it’s Time to Get Mobile.  How sad it is that logistics have made it difficult to get the help to those in need quickly (hopefully this will change shortly).   Whatever channel you prefer, please give to the charity of your choice.

Hopefully, it won’t only be disasters that sends donors online.  Network for Good offers 5 Trends That Will Affect Online Fundraising in 2010.

But please don’t throw out the old tools when implementing the new.  Direct mail still has its place but this doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t try some new approaches.  As Steve MacLaughlin writes, Direct Mail is Not Dead, but single channel communication is.

Thanks to Katya and Jocelyn Harmon for this week’s session on how to thank donors.   It’s amazing to me that some nonprofits still don’t always acknowledge gifts, other than a generic auto reply (and sometimes not even that).   And don’t only communicate with your constituents when you’re asking for money – this is a year-round dialogue.

Care2’s Frogloop surveyed some of our brightest stars to summarize the Best Nonprofit Strategies for 2010.   Network for Good’s  Katya Andresen and Blackbaud’s Steve MacLaughlin provide some early statistics on 2009 online giving.   Convio, which offers a a 2010 Resolutions Guide to help plan online initiatives, recently asked nonprofits what they most want to focus on in the New Year:

1. Reconnect with donors by giving new options of engagement
2. Increase fundraising for participant-led events
3. Use social media to reach the next generation of supporters
4. Improve multichannel engagement/integration
5. Evaluate website’s effectiveness

Some of my thoughts:

1. Despite the recession, online giving continued to be a strong fundraising source.  If you already accept online donations and regularly communicate with your constituents, congratulations.  But if you haven’t worked to optimize your forms and don’t analyze how well your email marketing is working, you’re probably leaving money on the table.
2. Don’t obsess about the ‘best’ tools to use for online fundraising.  It’s more important that you select a vendor / product that will likely be around for awhile (ask colleagues at other nonprofits for recommendations) and that you consider how it will connect to your other systems.
3. Social networking is not a fad.  Yes, it’s still better to make sure your web site, database and email marketing strategies are in place first, but don’t overlook tools such as Facebook and Twitter.  Remember that conversations about your cause and organization are going on all the time;  make sure you’re a part of them.
4. Fundraising is everyone’s responsibility, not just the development department.  Ideally, marketing/communication and fundraising/development strategies should be planned together since one supports the other.
5. Still think that your constituents won’t respond to online fundraising initiatives?  Think again;  use all available channels and let your supporter decide which to use – direct mail recipients often choose to respond online.

Just getting started online?  Here’s a helpful online fundraising primer.

As we prepare to enter a new decade, consider these suggestions from Pamela Slim’s book Escape From Cubicle Nation, based on Martha Beck’s principles of being “transparent, authentic and open.”  These ideas are helpful not only for us as individuals but also for nonprofits in how to communicate with constituents:

1. Admit what you don’t know.
2. Ask for help.
3. If you can’t help someone, find a good person who can.
4. Don’t be afraid to laugh.
5. Mean what you say and say what you mean.
6. Don’t worry about being perfect.  Admitting flaws, fears and mistakes makes you human and likeable.
7. Apologize right away if you screw up.
8. Take responsibility for your business.  If someone is unhappy or unsatisfied, don’t be afraid to ask why (and try to make things right).

Have a safe, happy New Years’ and a healthy, joyous 2010.

2010 will begin the fourth year for Nonprofit Bridge.  Whether you have recently discovered our blog or have followed us since the beginning, I’d like to offer any small nonprofit organization a complimentary phone consultation to discuss how you can effectively implement online strategies.  Some questions I often receive:

• With a small budget, how can I effectively do online fundraising?
• How can I develop an email marketing campaign?
• How much should we use tools such as Facebook or Twitter to communicate with our constituents?
• What is the best way to update our web content?
• We’re considering a new donor database or content management system – where do we start?
• Should I put my events online, even if they have no charge to attend?
• Which department / staff member should take the lead in online / Internet strategy?

Please contact us to take advantage of this offer.

With year-end approaching soon, don’t forget to send out a last minute appeal to your constituents (and thank them for their past support).

Wishing you a healthy and peaceful holiday season and new year.

These are some organizations I support either financially, as a volunteer, or both:

G-ds Love We Deliver provides food deliveries to anyone suffering from HIV/AIDS, cancer, or other serious illnesses, as well as nutrition education and counseling.  I’ve helped in the kitchen to prepare food, and also to help deliver meals as a van assistant.  Mazon fights hunger as does City Harvest which salvages leftovers from food businesses in NYC.

The Wartburg is an adult care community in Mount Vernon, NY.  Many types of living arrangements are provided, from assisted living to 24 hour care.  Just spending a little time with a resident can make a huge difference.  Dorot also does great work with seniors, including programs which bring together the young and the old.

Southern Poverty Law Center helps fight intolerance through a variety of programs, such as the educational program Teaching Tolerance.  The Museum of Tolerance, affiliated with the Simon Wiesenthal Center, is based in Los Angeles but also has a wonderful exhibit in midtown Manhattan.

The Save Darfur Coalition and Charity: Water have used a variety of online fundraising / outreach tools to promote their causes, both which are well worth supporting.

Despite the tragic loss of its founders, the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation continues to seek a cure for spinal cord injury and support those who are afflicted by paralysis.  YAI recently won an award as the best nonprofit to work for in NYC.  So not only do they do great work to support the disabled, but they provide a nice work environment.

And of course don’t forget those organizations which serve the nonprofit community, Idealware and Nten.

While it’s nice to get a tax deduction, it’s especially rewarding to help a nonprofit that helps others year-round, whether financially or by the gift of your time.

What are your favorite causes to support?

As a regular user of the New York Public Library, I’ve usually had to time my visits to when the branches are open.  In the past, there have been at least one day weekly when the library was completely closed (in addition to Sunday), and ‘late’ hours would only be provided one or two days / week.  Recently at the Mid Manhattan Library, I was amazed to learn that this location was now open extended hours, not only daily but with hours to 11 PM several days / week.  How was the library able to do this, especially in these times of recession?

Over the years I’ve developed relationships with many consultants / vendors who serve nonprofits, only some which I’ve worked with directly.  In preparation for our regular update call, I listened to a presentation that Michael Johnston of HJC New Media which is available for listening from his web site.  During an hour of many examples of how he’s implemented cross-channel strategies at many nonprofit clients, he mentioned his work at the New York Public Library.  In addition to raising funds which allowed the library to avoid further cutbacks in hours, Michael’s work succeeded also in breaking down silos between departments, a problem which I’ve seen at many organizations when developing and implementing online strategies.

Other interesting takeaways included:

1. when combining direct mail and email, it’s usually better to send the direct mail first, then follow up with a corresponding email appeal.
2. since many recipients of direct mail will visit the nonprofit’s web page before donating, integrate the home page with the latest direct mail content / graphics
3. send direct mail to supporters who are already raising money online;  ask that they encourage others to do the same
4. to stimulate monthly giving, follow up with web donors with a phone call, thanking them for their support and asking that they deepen their commitment
5. put videos online, immediately followed by an ask – an effective alternative to always providing a static donation form
6. if using a radio campaign, direct listeners to visit a microsite / unique URL where they can show their support
7. if using social media, make sure you can track donations coming from this source;  make sure your social media pages include a call to action (not necessarily to donate)

Using a multichannel approach not only can result in higher donations, but can help your organization to work more effectively and provide a consistent message to constituents, no matter how they hear about you.  Which of the above techniques can you implement today?

Most nonprofits get the bulk of their donations during December.  So what can we do to get the word out this month?

Heavyweight Salvation Army has stepped up its digital marketing efforts, switching its radio budget to online communications.  There is now an online version of the red kettle, which have already appeared at many locations I pass daily.  They’ve also embraced newer tools, such as an Iphone application and have established a strong presence on Facebook and Twitter.   After long relying on direct mail for new donor acquisition, Salvation Army is now focusing on online community building and on attracting younger donors through online strategies.

Convio estimates that more than 111 million constituents will donate over $4 billion online this holiday season.   At last month’s Convio Summit and Blackbaud Conference (oddly held during the same week in different parts of the country), the theme was the same – web giving continues to increase, even while overall donations have dropped a bit during the recession.  In his overview of online fundraising, Steve MacLaughlin suggested that we segment our audiences by generation – and communicate with them differently.  He also suggested we build relationships with constituents by asking for small actions first before asking for financial help.

How do you keep up with the many communication channels now available, e.g. email, RSS, Facebook, Twitter etc.   In her recent presentation at the Blackbaud event, Nten’s Holly Ross suggested we use filters to find what’s most relevant and not try to “keep up with everything.”  The volume of information available through social media can be overwhelming, but we have to find a way to keep abreast of conversations that are already taking place about our organizations and our causes.   Looking for a tool to integrate email with social media?  Take a look at Threadsy.

What’s the fundraising outlook for 2010?  According to Mal Warwick Associates, we should try to get donors to give more frequently, even if they can’t make the large contributions they’ve given us in the past.   In addition, we should continue to use a multichannel approach because “the number of donors who choose to respond by writing a check will only continue to dwindle.”

Wishing everyone a prosperous end of year fundraising season.