Praise for Nonprofit Fundraising 101
“Good stuff! A great, incredibly helpful tool for any cause looking to raise
money, online or off.”
—Steve Wozniak, co-founder, Apple
“It’s not often you find such a distinctive twist on the world of fundraising.
Professionals—and lead volunteers—will find this to be a practical, global,
source of reference.”
—Andrew Watt, CEO, Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)
“This must-have book provides a comprehensive breakdown of the strategies
and tactics necessary to raise the financial resources essential to bring about the
changes we seek.”
—Jody Williams, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (1997); chair, Nobel
Women’s Initiative
“Nonprofits and charities around the world struggle to secure the support
needed to maximize impact, but that just got a bit easier thanks to the very
practical lessons in Nonprofit Fundraising 101.”
—Dan Kammen, professor of energy, University of California,
Berkeley; contributing lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change, which shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
“Nonprofit fundraising is really, really hard, and almost every nonprofit can
use a lot of help with it. This book makes it easier by getting together a lot of
useful, effective how-to information.”
—Craig Newmark, founder, craigslist and craigconnects
“This book is a gift to nonprofit leaders and fundraisers around the world!”
—Carolyn Miles, President and CEO, Save the Children USA
“Billions of dollars of support flow to nonprofits around the world every year, and
this book will help ensure your cause secures the resources it needs to thrive.”
—Bill Strathmann, CEO, Network for Good
“Nonprofits are fueled by two things: passion and money. Nonprofit Fundraising
101 helps show how the two come together and offers a quick intro for the
beginner, or a deep dive for the experienced fundraiser.”
—Jacob Harold, president and CEO, GuideStar USA
“By providing a step-by-step framework for fundraising success across all
disciplines, this book makes a much-needed contribution to those dedicating
their lives to social change.”
—Charles Best, founder, DonorsChoose.org
“Whether you are a volunteer, board member, or executive director, Nonprofit
Fundraising 101 is a complete guide to the do’s and don’ts of effective
fundraising. I don’t just recommend it—I’m using it.”
—Greg Baldwin, president, VolunteerMatch.org
“This is an impressive collection of experts and practitioners, all with ideas
and strategies proven by real experience. I’m thrilled to see this compendium
of resources available to the nonprofit sector and know every fundraiser and
executive director will soon have it on his or her desk!”
—Amy Sample Ward, CEO, NTEN
“When nonprofits consider launching social enterprises to supplement charitable
income with earned revenue, Nonprofit Fundraising 101 provides an expert overview
of the key factors for leaders and boards to think through at the outset.”
—Jim Schorr, CEO, Social Enterprise Alliance
“Nonprofit Fundraising 101 is a wonderful new tool as to ignite your
Changemaker™ skills into action!”
—Nancy Welsh, executive director and CEO, Ashoka’s Youth Venture
“Social entrepreneurs at all levels of experience can benefit from this
thorough text, which unlocks the secrets to earning more income and raising
more capital for your cause.”
—Cheryl Dorsey, president, Echoing Green
“If you want to be a force for good in the world, fundraising is essential to
furthering your cause. Nonprofit Fundraising 101 is an extraordinary resource,
full of practical advice and wisdom gleaned from numerous sector experts. It
has everything you need to succeed, all in one place.”
—Heather McLeod Grant, co-author, Forces for Good
“Beyond covering the traditional fundraising basics, Nonprofit Fundraising
101 does a great job clearly breaking down the secrets to success for groups
interested moving into the digital age.”
—Wendy Harman, director, Information Management and
Situational Awareness, Red Cross of America
“This book provides nonprofits and social entrepreneurs around the world with
a new, powerful tool.”
—Will Kennedy, senior programme officer, United Nations Office for
Partnerships
“An absolute must-read for anyone who is any way involved in fundraising.”
—Peter Brinckerhoff, author, Smart Stewardship for Nonprofits:
Making the Right Decision in Good Times and Bad
“It’s not easy changing the world, but this book gives nonprofits and fundraisers
a huge edge in the quest for impact.”
—Aaron Hurst, founder, Taproot Foundation; author, The Purpose
Economy: How Your Desire for Impact, Personal Growth and
Community Is Changing the World
“If you’re looking to build the fundraising capacity of your organization, this
book is a great starting point and offers a single point of entry for success.”
—Jeanne Bell, CEO, CompassPoint Nonprofit Services
“This book provides a helpful set of easy to understand and implement
fundraising tips and tools. It is the perfect follow-up to Nonprofit Management
101.”
—Emmett D. Carson, CEO, Silicon Valley Community Foundation
“This book holds the key to catapult your mission forward. After working with
social entrepreneurs in more than 100 countries, rarely have I come across a
resource so useful and robust.”
—Ernesto Sirolli, founder, Sirolli Institute; TED Speakers
“Heyman offers a comprehensive approach to fundraising that is practical,
helpful, and relevant to current issues. With many helpful tips, excellent
examples, and relevant case studies, any reader will find this to be a valuable
fundraising resource.”
—Nathan Medina, GPC, VP of the Board of Directors, Grant
Professionals Association
N o N p r o f i t
f u N d r a i s i N g
1 0 1
N o N p r o f i t
f u N d r a i s i N g
1 0 1
a practical guide with easy to
implemeNt ideas & tips from
iNdustry experts
d a r i a N r o d r i g u e z h e y m a N
w i t h l a i l a B r e N N e r
Cover design: Wiley
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Copyright © 2016 by Darian Rodriguez Heyman. All rights reserved.
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Heyman, Darian Rodriguez
Nonprofit Fundraising 101 / Darian Rodriguez Heyman.
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Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-119-10046-1 (paperback); ISBN
978-1-119-10050-8 (pdf ); ISBN 978-1-119-10056-0 (epub)
1. Nonprofit organizations. 2. Fund raising. I. Title. II. Title: Nonprofit fundraising one
hundred one. III. Title: Nonprofit fundraising one hundred and one.
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978-1-119-10050-8 (ePDF) 978-1-119-10056-0 (ePub)
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Darian’s Dedication
I dedicate this book to my beloved
grandmother, Martha Heyman.
I love you, and I thank you for a
lifetime of service to our family and
to the community. You taught us
all the value of family, the love of
travel, and the joy of serving others.
Laila’s Dedication
To my mother, Lori Steele, for teaching me to believe in myself, and that I
could do anything I put my mind to. I love you.
xi
Contents
About the Book xvii
Acknowledgments xxv
Foreword: Discovering What It Means to Be a Fundraiser xxvii
Lynne Twist, author of The Soul of Money: Reclaiming the
Wealth of Our Inner Resources
Part 1: Planning for Success and Preparing Your team 1
Chapter 1
Creating a Fundraising Plan 3
Interviewee: Andrea McManus, president of The Development Group
Insets: Dispelling the Overhead Myth; Sample Fundraising Plan
Chapter 2
Hiring and Training Development Staff 13
Interviewee: Missy Sherburne, cheif partnerships officer at
DonorsChoose.org
Inset: Get Your Executive Director to Love Fundraising with
Brian Gougherty, director of major gifts at Worldreader
Chapter 3
Engaging Your Board 25
Interviewee: Lisa Hoffman, fundraising and board development
consultant
Chapter 4
Volunteer Fundraising 37
Interviewee: Simon Tam, director of marketing at Oregon
Environmental Council
Case Study: APANO
x i i C o n t e n t S
Part 2: Building Your toolkit and tracking Progress 45
Chapter 5
Prospecting and Donor Research 47
Interviewee: Helen Brown, co-author of Prospect Research for
Fundraisers: The Essential Handbook and president of the
Helen Brown Group
Chapter 6
Donor Databases and CRM 57
Interviewees: Suzanne DiBianca, president and co-founder of
Salesforce.com Foundation, and Peggy Duvette, director
of social impact at NetSuite
Chapter 7
Measuring Impact: Data, Stories, and Organizational
Dashboards 65
Interviewee: Stever MacLaughlin, director of analytics at Blackbaud
Inset: Outputs Versus Outcomes
Case Study: charity: water with Kaitlyn Jankowski, supporter
experience manager at charity: water
Part 3: Individual Donors 77
Chapter 8
Grassroots Fundraising: Building Your Donor Pyramid 79
Interviewee: Kim Klein, author of Fundraising for Social Change
and principal of Klein & Roth Consulting
Inset: Don’t Be Afraid to Dream Big
Chapter 9
Major Donors: Building Relationships, Making the Ask,
and Stewardship 87
Interviewee: Kay Sprinkel Grace, author of Beyond Fundraising
and fundraising consultant
Inset: Tracking Major Donors in Databases
C o n t e n t s x i i i
Chapter 10
Direct Mail: The Ins and Outs 99
Interviewee: Mal Warwick, author of Revolution in the Mailbox
and founder and chairman of Mal Warwick | Donordigital
Chapter 11
Year-End, Annual Appeals, and Membership Campaigns 107
Interviewee: Farra Trompeter, vice president at Big Duck and
vice chair of the board at NTEN
Inset: Sample Year-End Campaign Calendar
Chapter 12
Event-Based Fundraising 117
Interviewees: Tracy Kosolcharoen, marketing manager at
Eventbrite, Daniel Lurie, CEO and founder of Tipping Point
Community, and Jen Pitts, managing director of communications,
events, and development at Tipping Point Community
Inset: Van Jones’ Live Ask Recipe with Van Jones, CNN
correspondent and president and co-founder of Dream Corps
Chapter 13
Runs, Walks, and Rides: Community-Based Fundraising 133
Interviewee: Jeff Shuck, founder and CEO of Plenty
Case Study: Kyra Millich, volunteer fundraiser
Chapter 14
Fundraising Across the Generations: Millennials, Baby
Boomers, and More 143
Interviewees: Alia McKee, principal of Sea Change Strategies,
and Derrick Feldmann, president and founder of Achieve
Inset: The Generations: What Fundraisers Need to Know
x i v C o n t e n t S
Part 4: online Fundraising 153
Chapter 15
Maximizing Website Donations 155
Interviewee: Caryn Stein, vice president of communications and
content at Network for Good, and editor of The Nonprofit
Marketing blog
Case Study: Mercy House, by CommitChange
Chapter 16
Fundraising with Email 165
Interviewee: Kivi Leroux Miller, author of The Nonprofit Marketing
Guide: High-Impact, Low-Cost Ways to Build Support for Your Good
Cause and president of NonprofitMarketingGuide.com
Inset: Email Cheat Sheet, by CommitChange
Chapter 17
Social Media and Crowdfunding for Your Cause 175
Interviewees: Beth Kanter, author of The Networked Nonprofit and
blogger, and John Haydon, author of Facebook Marketing for
Dummies and founder of Inbound Zombie
Inset: P.O.S.T. to Social Media
Social Media Case Study: The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge with
Lance Slaughter, chief chapter relations and development officer
at the ALS Association
appendix
Practical Tips for Key Social Media Platforms 189
Crowdfunding Case Study: RE-volv, with Andreas Karelas,
founder and executive director at REV-volv
Chapter 18
Mobile Fundraising 195
Interviewees: Heather Mansfield, author of Mobile for Good: A How-To
Fundraising Guide for Nonprofits and principal blogger at Nonprofit
Tech for Good, and Tanya Urschel, nonprofit vertical manager at PayPal
Insets: Planning for Success: The Mobile Matrix™ by Sparrow: Mobile
for All; Text-to-Give
C o n t e n t s x v
Part 5: Foundations 205
Chapter 19
Research, Getting in the Door, and Securing
an Invitation to Apply 207
Interviewees: Tori O’Neal McElrath, author of Winning Grants
Step by Step and founder of O’Neal Consulting Services, and
Leeanne G-Bowley, manager of capacity and leadership
development at Foundation Center and artistic and executive
director at In-Sight Dance Company
Insets: The Different Kinds of Foundations; Types of Grants
Chapter 20
Government Grants 221
Interviewee: Joshua Sheridan Fouts, executive director at Bioneers
Inset: Where to Find Government Grants
Chapter 21
Writing a Winning LOI and Proposal 227
Interviewees: Susan Fox, co-author of Grant Proposal Makeover:
Transform Your Request From No to Yes and fundraising consultant,
and Jane C. Geever, author of The Foundation Center’s Guide to
Proposal Writing and founder of J.C. Geever
Chapter 22
Tracking Progress and Reporting Back 235
Interviewee: Beverly Browning, author of Grant Writing for
Dummies and vice president of grant writing services at eCivis
Inset: Logic Models
Part 6: Corporate Support 243
Chapter 23
Sponsorships 245
Interviewee: Maureen Carlson, president of GoodScout
Inset: Sponsorship Proposal Template
x v i C o n t e n t S
Chapter 24
Cause Marketing Partnerships 255
Interviewees: David Hessekiel, co-author of Good Works and
president of Cause Marketing Forum, and Joe Waters, author
of Cause Marketing for Dummies and founder of Selfish Giving
Inset: Cause Marketing Proposal Tips
Chapter 25
In-Kind Fundraising and Media Sponsorship 265
Interviewee: Gayle Samuelson Carpentier, chief business
development officer at TechSoup Global
Part 7: Unlocking Social enterprise 273
Chapter 26
Earned Income Strategies 275
Guest Contributor: Rick Aubry, professor of social enterprise at
Tulane University and founder of Rubicon Programs
Social Enterprise Case Study: Grow Dat
Afterword: Finding Your Path 287
Premal Shah, president and co-founder of Kiva.org
Closing Thoughts 291
Book Partners 295
About the Authors 317
Index 319
xvii
About the Book
“You don’t have to know all the answers, you just need to know
where to find them.”
—Albert Einstein
There’s a story I like to tell whenever I address an audience of nonprofit
fundraisers. It speaks to what I think of as the single greatest obstacle
standing in our way as a community, and especially as a sector—the
mistaken notion that when we raise money for an important cause,
somehow we’re begging for alms, holding out our tin cup.
The story is about a young college student in a philosophy class. One day,
the professor greeted his audience of 100 master’s and doctoral students
with a question. “Is this glass half full, or half empty?” he asked.
The students spent the entire 90-minute class debating and discussing, but
as you might imagine, they never solved the age-old riddle. This especially
frustrated one of the students, whose family had made great sacrifices to put
him through school, even after he finished his undergraduate studies.
He huffed and puffed on his way home, where his grandmother, Gertrude,
was there waiting for him.
“How was class today?” she asked as soon as he walked in the door, but
the student was upset and didn’t want to talk about it. She pressed him, as
grandmas are prone to do, and finally he told her about his experience.
“Well, if you really want to know, it was incredibly frustrating. We had a
hundred master’s and doctoral students sitting around for an hour and a
half, and all we did is debate if the glass were half full, or half empty.”
His grandmother, with only a second-grade education, didn’t miss a beat.
x v i i i A B o u t t h e B o o k
“Well son, it depends on whether you’re pouring or drinking.”
Pouring . . . or drinking. Brilliant. And the reason I share this story with
fundraisers every chance I get is that I believe the tin cup approach to
fundraising is based on a failure of perception. We mistakenly think of
ourselves as the drinkers, relying on the charitable contributions of others
to conduct our work. And although it may feel like that at times, nothing is
further from the truth.
We are the pourers. What we do as a sector, as a Movement with a capital
“M,” is connect people with resources to the change they want to see
in the world. Fundraising is holy work in my mind, and we’re privileged
and honored to do it for causes we believe in. The world needs us—we are
a conduit, a channel. And through us, the world finds the resources and
support it needs to thrive, or at least to improve in some small way, one
dollar, peso, or pound at a time.
Book Overview and Purpose
Our goal when writing this book was to offer a useful, unique resource to
you, the reader. Laila and I may not know you, but we’ve been where you
are. You’re passionate, creative, and committed to your cause. Maybe you
have resources, expertise, and contacts at your disposal, as we have these past
years, or maybe you’re like us years ago, starting nonprofits with no budget,
no plan, and no experience. Either way, this book will serve you. After more
than a decade in the sector, we’ve seen lots of fundraising books, but there’s
nothing like what we’ve pulled together in these pages. This book is the first
comprehensive, practical guide to all aspects of nonprofit fundraising
around the globe.
Ultimately, this is a reference manual, and not every fundraiser needs to know
about every tactic or strategy. It’s unlikely that you’ll read this book straight
through, and that’s OK; Nonprofit Fundraising 101 is intended to be your yellow
pages for social change. Apply it as needed. Keep it on your desk and when you
decide to pursue your first government grant, or your executive director charges
you with creating a fundraising plan for your nonprofit, it’ll be there. Break
it out when you get ready to launch a new crowdfunding campaign or finally
commit to taking your cause mobile. Or simply refer to the various Resource
Reviews and the Book Partners if you’ve already mastered the basics and are
looking for resources to advance your professional development.
A b o u t t h e B o o k x i x
Use the book as you see fit and, please, share it with colleagues and peers.
All of us can learn a lesson from Chapter 9 interviewee, Kay Sprinkel Grace,
who once quipped, “We need to tilt our silos on their sides, and turn them
into pipelines.”
Book Structure and Style
To make the book as readable as possible, we’ve crafted a consistent framework
for all of the chapters, which is in line with the one used in Nonprofit
Management 101:
• Introduction: Each entry starts with a short overview of why a
busy nonprofit leader like you should take 20 to 30 minutes out
of his or her schedule to learn more about this topic. Which kinds
of nonprofits can benefit from this strategy, and what does this
approach have to offer your cause?
• Critical Skills and Competencies: This portion typically contains
70 to 80 percent of the content for each chapter, and is where you’ll
find the step-by-step framework for success in each respective arena.
We’ve done our best to distill each interviewee’s comments and
insights into a how-to formula for success, presented in a logical
progression with several main headlines, each of which is followed
by a few paragraphs to fill in the specifics.
• Conclusion: A paragraph at the end of each chapter helps to
underscore key points and takeaways, reminding you of some of the
highlights and crucial components of the formula for success.
• Do’s and Don’ts: These are bullet point lists of concrete,
actionable tips from within the chapter and beyond, each of
which is distilled down to a sentence or two to make it as easy as
possible to digest.
• About the Experts: Brief bios for each chapter’s interviewees are
included at the end of their respective chapters.
• Resource Review: The final component of each chapter is where
you’ll find additional resources to learn more about that particular
discipline. Many of these also offer helpful templates, resources,
and reports to keep you updated as trends and technologies evolve.
These resources are a treasure trove, so be sure to subscribe to the
newsletters and blogs, read the annual reports and books, and rely
x x A B o u t t h e B o o k
on the links outlined here to keep abreast of industry trends and
developments.
• Case Studies and Insets: Sprinkled throughout the chapters are a
variety of case studies that showcase specific nonprofits’ experiences,
with a focus on best practices and pitfalls to avoid. In addition,
you’ll also find a range of insets that dive a bit deeper into a specific
component mentioned in the chapter, or that provide templates,
checklists, and more.
All the chapters are short and incredibly practical, and our goal with this
book is not simply to leave you inspired, but inspired to action. Short
and to the point, we share concrete, real-world insights, tips, and tools from
globally recognized experts, and leave you with clear takeaways that you can
put to work immediately, making you both more effective and efficient at
serving your cause. As recovering executive directors and current fundraisers,
we know you’re busy, and the last thing you need are pie-in-the-sky ideas
and concepts that may make you think, but that fail to immediately help,
and even transform, the way you go about your everyday work.
From a style standpoint, we strived to make the book easy to read and
digest. Paragraphs are kept short to facilitate ideas sinking in, and we’ve
used a conversational tone, since ultimately, we are talking directly to you.
We’ve also formatted things in a way that aims to help you retain the most
important ideas without you feeling like you have to bend every other page
or break out that old, faded highlighter. To this end, important points and
comments are italicized, while concrete takeaways and best practices are
bolded and italicized throughout the book. You’ll see a wealth of the latter
in each and every chapter, because for us, that’s what this publication is all
about.
Admittedly, many of the interviewees and statistics are from the United
States, but this book is intended for a global audience of experienced
practitioners and emerging leaders, including university students and
volunteers. To this end, we’ve done our best to ensure Nonprofit Fundraising
101 speaks to nonprofits, charities, and causes all around the world. So
don’t worry if you’re just getting started, or if you’ve been in the sector for a
decade. Similarly, there’s great content in here for organizations of all sizes.
The tips and tools shared herein are relevant to organizations ranging
from small, grassroots efforts with no paid staff, to well-established
nonprofits with big budgets and a large team of paid professionals.
A b o u t t h e B o o k x x i
Common Themes
This book covers a wide range of fundraising topics; in fact, our goal was
to address a truly comprehensive range of disciplines, offering readers one
single book that provides at least a basic sense of everything you need
to know. As such, there are a huge diversity of perspectives and topics
represented in these pages, but three important common themes and ideas
appear throughout:
Plan for Success: Many of the frameworks and formulas for success shared
in the chapters start with—or even revolve entirely around—creating a
solid plan. Planning is the lynchpin of any nonprofit’s success, and in
fact you’ll often hear us share one of the questions we find most helpful
when driving this process, “What does success look like?” Ask this question at
every meeting, every strategy session, and reverse engineer how to achieve
your ideal outcome. Take a moment to step back and envision your path
before you dive into any activity or project to ensure you’re as impactful
as possible. As Peter Drucker once noted: “Efficiency is about doing things
right; effectiveness is about doing the right things.” Good planning helps
you be both efficient, and effective.
Meet People Where They’re at: Several chapters speak to the notion that you
cannot expect donors to come to you; you need to court and steward them
where—and how—they’re most comfortable. Whether we’re talking about
the importance of ensuring your website is mobile-compatible, talking about
Facebook and Twitter, or underscoring the huge, continued role of more proven
approaches like direct mail, the point is that, to be successful, you must take
a dispassionate look at which channels and media are most appropriate for
achieving your goals. Along those lines, this book contains some surprises. For
example, did you know that 2013 was the first year in U.S. history that Baby
Boomers were just as likely to give online versus by direct mail? Or did you
realize that odds are, at least 40 percent of your nonprofit’s website traffic today
comes from people on mobile devices? Keep an open mind and be willing to
experiment with some of the ideas and tactics shared in this book, always with
an eye toward the old mantra, “fail fast, fail forward.”
It’s Not About You: As we shared in the story at the beginning of this section,
nonprofits are a channel, a conduit, between donors and impact. The most
successful nonprofits and fundraisers communicate not about their work,
needs, or impact, but rather about the impact the donor or prospect makes
x x i i A B o u t t h e B o o k
possible. Talk with people about what drives them to act and contribute—
about what their past support has enabled or their future contribution will
make possible—and revenue will follow. Several chapters build on this idea by
speaking to the power of peer testimonials and creating a movement instead
of a campaign. And remember, people want to be part of a winning team, so
framing your work as powerfully as possible is critical. Always the inspiring
and inspired communicator, Kay Sprinkel Grace shares two great sound bites
that bring both of these key points home in Chapter 9 when talking about
major donors:
“People don’t give to you; they give through you.”
and
“People don’t give to you because you have needs. They give to you
because you meet needs.”
Flow of the Book
Nonprofit Fundraising 101 is broken into seven parts. After a Foreword
from fundraising guru Lynne Twist, we kick things off with Part 1, where
you’ll learn about a few crucial aspects of planning and maximizing human
resources. How can you create a killer fundraising plan without killing
yourself? How can you hire and train fundraising personnel and engage your
board and key volunteers in fund development?
From there, Part 2 will help round out your infrastructure with a range of tools to
track donors and gauge progress. You’ll learn how to use tools and technology to
identify donor prospects and research their interests, hear about how a constituent
relationship management platform can serve as a powerful donor database and
coordinate all your communication and contacts, and finally how to collect the
right data and personal stories to be able to gauge your efforts and convey impact to
donors. All of this rolls up into a powerful organizational dashboard that your staff
and board can use to quickly tell whether your nonprofit or program is on track, or
if there are red flags that need to be addressed.
Then you’ll dive into the meat of the book: actual fundraising strategies. Part 3
focuses on all aspects of individual donors, which represent the lion’s share of
nonprofit support, at least in the United States. We interviewed some of the sector’s
best and brightest to ensure this book shares concrete tips and tools for a wide range
of disciplines related to cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding supporters at all levels
A b o u t t h e B o o k x x i i i
of your donor pyramid, ranging from grassroots supporters to major donors. Part 3
is also where you’ll find the specific channels for doing that, including direct mail,
annual appeals, membership campaigns, and events, as well as learn about how to
raise money from people both young and old.
Part 4 explores the exciting world of online giving, starting with tips for optimizing
your website and email, which is where the majority of technology-based
fundraising currently occurs, and then looking at social media and crowdfunding’s
ability to turn your donors into fundraisers, and finally, what can be argued is the
future of giving: mobile. Here our experts will share tips for doubling your online
giving in just thirty days. And if you’re hoping to create the next ALS Ice Bucket
Challenge, this is the section where you’ll hear from the folks who orchestrated
that campaign via a detailed case study, as well as learning from a wide range of
experts with decades of experience under their belts—and literally more than a
billion dollars raised online between them. With their help, you can take your
nonprofit into the future, today.
Parts 5 and 6 share a range of tips and tools for institutional giving. Learn
how to identify the most likely prospects, secure the all-too-elusive call
or meeting, and not only be invited to apply for foundation, corporate,
or government support, but how to secure crucial pieces of information
that will catapult your odds of success from 5 percent to 50 percent. The
interviewees follow that with tips for writing a great proposal and how to
monitor your progress and report back in a language that funders appreciate
and expect. And beyond straight cash support, we’ve devoted a chapter to
in-kind and media sponsors, as we’ve witnessed firsthand the transformative
impact those partnerships can have on both a fledgling nonprofit and a
well-established organization, even though they’re infinitely easier to secure.
Finally, the book ends with Part 7, where guest contributor Rick Aubry
shares and explores the ins and outs of earned income for nonprofits. If
you’re considering launching a social enterprise in an effort to diversity your
revenue base, don’t miss this chapter. And as long as we’re in the world of
social enterprise, what better way to wrap things up than with an inspiring
Afterword by Kiva.org founder Premal Shah.
Again, this book is a reference guide, so feel free to skip around. Pick
the chapters that you find most compelling and useful today, and don’t be
surprised when other topics pop up on your radar as times goes by. After
all, change is the very essence of life, and it’s ultimately the goal of all
nonprofits, isn’t it?
x x i v A B o u t t h e B o o k
Fundraising Ethics
We’d be remiss if we neglected to introduce this book without a quick note
on fundraising ethics and, most notably, commission-based fundraising.
As you implement the best practices shared in the coming pages, always
remember that the public expects you to be honest, accountable, and
transparent. The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Code of
Ethical Standards (www.afpnet.org/files/ContentDocuments/CodeofEthics.
pdf ) provides a comprehensive overview of ethical aspirations and
boundaries for fundraisers. An ethical fundraiser applies the Code of Ethics
and all relevant laws and regulation to their work.
In particular, unlike the corporate world, in the nonprofit sector, donors
and funders can mandate exactly how their gifts are to be used. You are
ethically and legally bound to use funds as directed by the donor. If
someone states he wants his donation or grant to be used exclusively for a
specific program, or even a particular line item in your budget, then you
need to take all proper measures—especially bookkeeping, accounting,
and measuring program expenditures—to ensure those funds are used as
directed.
Whether you’re a consultant or a paid staff member, remember that in the
nonprofit sector, commission-based fundraising is considered unethical.
Standard 21 in the AFP Code of Ethical Standards addresses this principle.
Deviating from this simple guideline can have devastating implications for
your nonprofit and on donor relationships. Supporters want to know their
gifts go to the mission-based work of your organization, not to a glorified
salesperson. This, too, is very different from the corporate world, where
performance-based compensation is common. In short, in the nonprofit or
social sector, every fundraiser is expected to do his or her best to represent
the organization or client, and to be paid fairly for work out of the
organization’s budget.
As you begin, or continue, your journey doing your best to represent a
cause you care deeply about, may this book serve as a useful guide—to you,
to your cause, to the people whose lives you make better every day you go
about your work, and ultimately to the public trust we serve as fundraisers.
http://www.afpnet.org/files/ContentDocuments/CodeofEthics
http://www.afpnet.org/files/ContentDocuments/CodeofEthics
xxv
Acknowledgments
First and foremost, I offer thanks and congratulations to Laila Brenner, without whose contribution this book never would have been possible. Laila, you are a joy to work with, and I admire your great writing and
unwavering commitment, even while expecting your second child. I look
forward to working with you again.
Thanks also to John Wiley & Sons for graciously offering to publish my
second book and for being an understanding and flexible partner. I offer
a deep bow of humble appreciation to the 121 interviewees and partners
who shared their time, insights, and resources, ensuring this book offered
truly useful tips and tools for nonprofits and fundraisers, and providing
invaluable marketing support around its release. Thanks to my colleagues
at Sparrow for their support of this project and for their work helping
nonprofits employ the power of mobile technology to better serve the poor.
I also want to thank the two other sponsors of this book, Eventbrite and
CommitChange, for their invaluable support as well as the Association
of Fundraising Professionals for their incredible endorsement, and Social
Media for Nonprofits’ Ritu Sharma, for being the catalyst for this project.
I thank my family in Argentina for showing me firsthand how challenging
yet rewarding philanthropy can be on a personal level. To the Heyman
family, my mishpocheh, thanks for providing me with the support and love I
needed to experiment and discover my path. In particular, I’d like to thank
my brother for being the best thought partner I could ever ask for and for
always being in my corner, even when things get hard. Paulo, you can never
lose me. And most of all, I offer gratitude to my mother, Annette. Mom,
you taught me how to love and helped me see that, no matter how much
I work to change the world, ultimately what really matters is helping one
person at a time.
xxvii
Foreword
Discovering What It
Means to Be a Fundraiser
Lynne Twist
“You will find as you look back upon your life, that the moments
you have really lived are the moments when you have done
things in the spirit of love.”
—Henry Drummond
I discovered my passion for fundraising when I was in kindergarten in
Evanston, Illinois. My oldest sister had just gotten the lead role in the school
play, but there wasn’t enough money to buy costumes or sets because of a
budget crisis. I saw how heartbroken she was, so I went to my teacher and
asked if there was anything our class could do to help. Turns out I wasn’t
alone in wanting to support the cause, and I’ve often found since then that
when you take a stand for something you believe in, it inspires others to
follow your lead.
As Goethe once said, “Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid.”
The entire kindergarten class ended up selling chocolate chip cookies and
lemonade outside our school every afternoon, and on weekends, until we’d
raised enough money to support the play. Our actions inspired the rest
of the school, including the PTA and Board of Education, to step up and
look at how they could solve the budget crisis. At just five years old, this
was a life-altering experience for me; it ignited my passion and helped me
realize that fundraising is an act of love. We were a bunch of children
who couldn’t read or write, add or subtract, but we could fundraise with
homemade cookies and lemonade! I remember thinking how amazing it was
that, out of an act of love for my sister, we were able to solve a problem and
help turn the tide for the whole school.
x x v i i i F o r e W o r D
This first experience with fundraising taught me that it took commitment
and courage to raise money. Ever since, I’ve seen it as an act of love and
affirmation. We all know that giving is an act of generosity, and often
love, commitment, and vision; but I think that asking also taps into a very
powerful part of the human heart. To me, fundraising is sacred—it’s holy
work, and I’m privileged and honored to do it. Fundraising enables people
to move their resources toward what they really believe in. It’s how we shift
people’s relationships with money, showing them it can be used to empower
and inspire us to be the best people we can be, while nourishing others
around us.
At this time in history—the first decades of the 21st century—one of
the greatest things we need to come to terms with as a species is our
use of resources: the earth’s resources; human resources; and, of course,
financial resources. We need to recognize that we’re at a critical juncture,
where until we learn to live within our ecological means, we won’t learn to
live within our economic means. We need to look at how to move away
from overconsumption, destructive causes, and depletion of the natural
world, and reallocate resources toward our highest commitments, allowing
them to nourish our lives, and the health and well being of all humanity.
Fundraising is how we can, and are, doing this. Every time you raise money
for a cause you care about; every time you cultivate or steward a donor;
and every time you make an ask, you’re taking a stand for the just,
equitable, and sustainable world we all dream of.
As fundraisers, when we ask someone for money, whether it’s online, in
person, or through a letter or phone call, what we’re actually doing is
saying to that person: “I see you. I see your heart and your generosity. I
see that you have a vision, and that you care about the world. That is why
I am asking you to help.” You aren’t trying to manipulate people—you are
affirming them. You’re inviting them to leave our planet in a better state
than we found it. As fundraisers, our job is to listen to who people really
are and then to reconnect them to their courage, and to their heart. Is
your cause a match for what they really care about? It’s been my experience
that if an ask is done with respect and love, regardless of that person’s
capacity to give, the encounter ennobles both parties and inspires us to step
into our best selves.
In my workshops, I talk about the three rules of fundraising. The first rule is
ask for the money. You can’t be afraid to ask. It’s critical that you are willing,
eager, and completely comfortable asking people for money. You need to ask
F o r e w o r d x x i x
clearly and unapologetically. Be proud to invite support for a cause both you
and they care about.
Rule number two is ask people who are committed and want to make a
difference. Find people who want to leave this planet better than they
found it. In fact, they’re all around you, every day you go about your good
work. People care, and they want to be part of the solution. Your cause or
organization can represent that solution.
That leads us to rule number three, which is ask everyone, because everyone
is committed at some level and wants to make a difference with their lives.
Your role as a fundraiser is to help people see their commitment, and
then to show them a way to make a difference.
One of the most important lessons to learn as a fundraiser, is that it’s OK
to ask people and have them say no. If done with respect and love, and
acknowledgment and the affirmation that people want to make a difference
with their lives, every fundraising ask can open the heart and is a win
for humanity. Fundraising encounters will not always create money for
your cause, but regardless they can unlock something in people and help
their generosity to flow in the direction that’s right for them. Often when
people say no, you’ve helped them realize that they actually want to give to
something else that they care more about. We’re all in this together, so it’s
important you still see this as a win.
One of the other most important fundraising lessons I’ve learned is that
coming from a place of need is not sustainable. In Chapter 9, Kay Sprinkel
Grace shares that people don’t give to you because you have needs; they
give to you because you meet needs. Crisis fundraising—especially in
the aftermath of things like natural disasters—has its place, but it’s not a
strategy that can lead to long-term success. Effective asks don’t come from a
place of crisis or scarcity. To be successful, fundraising must be expressed as
an opportunity to partner with a nonprofit to make a difference. Rather
than “we can’t do this without you” or “our work depends on your support,”
aim instead for the sentiment: “Who’s with us?” This way, there is dignity
and respect in the relationship, and you create a partnership where everyone
is pulling together to make a difference, whether it’s saving the rainforest or
ending world hunger.
Another lesson I like to pass on to fundraisers is what I call the truth
of sufficiency. We live in a very intense global consumer culture that
x x x F o r e W o r D
constantly tells us that we don’t have enough; that we need more.
Fundraising interrupts this toxic notion, allowing us to rest in the
“enough-ness” of bounty and bear witness to the blessing of our lives.
Fundraising helps people realize that they are sufficient, whole, and have
what they need to live fulfilling lives. After all, generosity is a demonstration
of abundance, both to the recipient and the donor.
Even those of us struggling to pay rent or get out of debt can have these
realizations when we stop comparing ourselves to others who have more. By
realizing the fullness of our lives, we can truly experience gratefulness—of
the friends we have, the rich tapestry of love in which we dwell, the people
who care about us, our families, the work we get to do, the health we enjoy,
and more. And once we dwell in this realization, the fullness of our lives
grows. I like to say, “What we appreciate, appreciates.” For me, fundraising
is the opportunity to help people appreciate the bounty that they live in
and share that with others. Of course, this saying also relates to stewarding
relationships after the gift, since expressing gratitude and demonstrating
the impact someone’s generosity enables is the surest way to secure
additional support.
Notwithstanding the name of this book, thinking of yourself as a
“nonprofit” fundraiser is actually a bit of a misnomer. The social sector
actually generates an enormous profit—a long-term social profit for
humanity, the environment, and all future life. Think about the great
leaders of history: Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King,
Jr., Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Nelson Mandela, and Susan B. Anthony,
to name a few. The work they did is still yielding a profit today and
will continue to do so for many future generations. And they were all
fundraisers. Had they not been successful in raising the financial resources
that were required to do their work, we would not know their names nor
benefit from their movements. These leaders are your colleagues. You are
following their example and working to change history. You are creating
a permanent profit for society, not the kind of profit that can be spent, or
wasted. This is the work you are here to do, and the world needs it.
As a fundraiser, you are not only creating profits, P-R-O-F-I-T-S, but in fact
you are a social prophet, P-R-O-P-H-E-T. In other words, whatever your
cause, your work aims to achieve a beautiful prophesy of the future, where
things are better than they are today. This takes courage, grace, and heart.
That is who you are as a fundraiser. You have the guts to garner the resources
needed to shift the direction of history. And so I bow to you—and to all
F o r e w o r d x x x i
fundraisers—for using your courage and heart to make our world a better
place in which to live. Thank you.
About Lynne Twist
For more than 40 years, Lynne Twist has been a recognized global visionary
committed to alleviating poverty and hunger, supporting social justice, and
promoting environmental sustainability. From working with Mother Teresa
in Calcutta, to serving in the refugee camps in Ethiopia, and helping save
the threatened rainforests of the Amazon, Twist’s on-the-ground work has
brought her a deep understanding of the social tapestry of the world and
the historical landscape of the times we live in. Her best-selling book, The
Soul of Money: Reclaiming the Wealth of Our Inner Resources (W.W. Norton
& Co.), shows us that examining our attitudes toward money—earning it,
spending it, and giving it away—can offer surprising insight into our lives,
our values, and the essence of prosperity.
IPart
Planning for Success
and Preparing
Your Team
3
1Chapter
Creating a
Fundraising Plan
“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”
—Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Introduction
Your organization has a mission, and to accomplish it you need to raise
money. But where do you start? That’s simple: with a plan. You need a clear
set of objectives, and a map of how you aim to get there. Your fundraising
plan will be unique to your nonprofit. Every organization has different
needs, goals, strengths, and priorities, and your fundraising plan will address
and incorporate these in a written document.
Being strategic about fundraising in this way generates better results, creates
efficiency, and ensures everyone involved is on the same page and accountable.
It will also allow you to evaluate progress and assess the effectiveness of
different fundraising channels, facilitating strategic shifts when necessary.
The rest of this book will help you understand each of the various fundraising
channels and tactics, enabling you to make informed decisions when creating
your fundraising plan. But before you dive in, remember to take stock of
what you have going for you and your cause, and to look at what you’re
4 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
already doing successfully if you’ve already launched the organization. Your
plan is a living document wherein you’ll spell out your proposed recipe for
success, and its goal is helping you focus on your strengths, while challenging
you to identify new opportunities. Be mindful of the resources you have and
don’t stretch them too thin, but also bring an open mind to considering assets
you’ve underutilized or ignored and look at how you can put them to work.
To learn more about the basics of creating a nonprofit fundraising plan, I sat
down with Andrea McManus, president of the nonprofit consultancy The
Development Group, and she outlined the six things you need to know to
succeed when creating an effective fundraising plan.
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Understand the Big Picture
Creating a fundraising plan means answering two basic questions: How
much money do you need to raise? and Who do you plan on raising it
from? In your plan, you’ll create realistic program goals based on the
expenses of running your programs and organization today—assuming you
have some past experience with the work—as well as aspirational goals that
inspire your team by clarifying exactly what kind of additional impact is
possible if you secure even more resources and support.
Your plan will also be a vehicle for detailing your sources of revenue and
how much income you expect from each, whether it’s individual donors,
corporations, foundations, the government, or earned income. It is critical
to have multiple, diverse sources of revenue, so that if you unexpectedly
lose one, you still have others to rely on.
Once you’ve identified your revenue sources, perhaps benefiting from the
rest of the book to determine which channels are most appropriate for
you, you’ll articulate your strategies and tactics for each source. If you plan
to raise money from individuals, will you be cultivating and asking major
donors, running an annual fund, doing direct mail, online fundraising,
or utilizing other approaches? Will you be soliciting businesses and
corporations for gifts of cash or in-kind donations? While many of the
remaining chapters of this book, especially those related to marketing and
donor communication, propose a “less is more” style, when planning for
success, the more detailed your vision, the more likely you are to succeed.
C r e a t i n g a f u n d r a i s i n g P l a n 5
2. Know Your Finances
Now that you have a sense of everything your fundraising plan is meant to
accomplish, and some of the various sections it will include, let’s get into
it. Knowing how much money you need to raise starts with good financial
planning. You can’t create a fundraising plan without a budget. How
much does the work you do cost? What are your programmatic, fundraising,
and overhead expenses? Once you know your expenses, you need to figure
out how you will pay for them; in other words, how will you raise the
money to pay for them? And don’t forget that fundraising itself costs money.
You can’t raise money without spending money.
Dispelling the Overhead Myth
At least in the United States, the IRS dictates that all nonprofit
expenses be classified as either program, fundraising, or administrative.
This adds not only an extra layer of bookkeeping, but also creates some
difficulties with fundraising, since some donors and funders will ask
for their contributions to be allocated only for programs. Others still
will want to know whether more than 80 percent of the funds you
raise go toward programs, a common industry benchmark.
Part of your job as a fundraiser will be using the tactics outlined in
this book to convey the importance of not just some of your work,
but all of it. Just as you cannot provide medical attention only to
the lungs and expect someone to stay healthy, you’ll need to refine
your ability to make the case for “general operating support” or
“unrestricted gifts,” both of which are discussed in detail in the
sections on individual donors and foundations.
For now, we’ll focus on dispelling the notion that staff payroll, rent,
and utilities should all be categorized as overhead. Not true: the staff
time spent implementing programs is a program-related—not an
overhead—expense. The way to calculate overall payroll allocations,
which are also used for rent and utilities, is as follows:
• Have staff members break down how they spend a typical week in
a spreadsheet. No need to get too specific; simply create 8 to 12
“buckets” for their time, for example, client meetings, fundraising
calls, answering email, etc.
(continued )
6 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
• Assign a time estimate for how many hours of each week is spent
on each bucket; an average over time is sufficient.
• Allocate each bucket: What percentage of that activity relates to
programs, versus fundraising, versus purely administrative details?
• Based on this, you can use a fairly simple spreadsheet formula to
figure that employee’s overall allocation, that is, what percentage
of his or her time is spent on programs versus fundraising versus
administrative duties.
• After doing this for each paid staff member, you can factor in each
person’s compensation to weight his or her personal allocation,
and then combine everyone into an overall staff allocation.
• Use this same allocation for staff-related expenses, such as benefits,
rent, utilities, and so forth.
3. Create a Process
Developing an effective fundraising plan cannot be done in a silo by the
fundraiser alone. Involve your executive director, senior staff, and board
members. Assemble your team and outline the process you’ll go through
to create the plan, so everyone knows what to expect. Here are the steps
McManus suggests:
1. Assess your environment, both internally and externally.
Internally, look at things like organizational priorities, programs,
and resources, including staff, technology, and capabilities.
Capabilities should include expertise in fundraising, marketing,
and other key areas. Externally, discuss things like fundraising
trends, best practices, industry benchmarks, and how peer
organizations (those doing similar work with similar budgets) are
succeeding at fundraising.
2. Assess your donors, both current and aspirational. What kind of
support can you conservatively expect from your current donors
and prospects? What does your current donor base look like, and
what do you want it to look like? Gaining a realistic sense of how
much money you can raise from your base, combined with other
potential strategies, will enable you to determine the feasibility of
the financial goals you’ll tackle later in the discussion.
(continued )
C r e a t i n g a f u n d r a i s i n g P l a n 7
3. Outline your goals. In order to achieve the impact your
organization envisions, what kind of fundraising infrastructure
and results are needed? A couple examples are included below
to help kick-start your discussion, but don’t just think about
financial targets from different channels, although those are
certainly crucial. Consider also the kinds of capacity that you as
an organization need to build to thrive, for example, increasing
board participation in fundraising and contributions; launching
your first successful crowdfunding campaign, etc.
4. Identify your objectives. What are the three or four (or more)
things you need to accomplish in order to achieve the big-picture
goals and strategies you’ve outlined? Break down the goal into the
elements required to ensure it happens. Again, some examples to
get you thinking are below.
5. Identify your tactics. This is where you get into the nitty-gritty
details, breaking down each objective one more step. In other
words, the who, what, when, where, and how. Who will you be
raising money from, and how? What are the concrete actions that
need to occur to achieve your objectives? Be very specific and
include measurable goals, such as: We will apply for six grants
from private foundations by the end of the second quarter.
6. Identify your budget and resources. How much will it cost to
raise this money, and who will do it? Do you have the necessary
tools in place, including a CRM platform, staff, subscriptions
to foundation or donor prospecting databases, marketing and
communications support, an online fundraising platform, etc.?
Once you’ve outlined your process, assign responsibilities and create
deadlines. Keep people accountable by assigning them duties and clarifying
who is personally charged with ensuring the fulfillment of each tactic, as
well as deadlines for each.
4. Document the Plan
Once you’ve gone through the steps in this process and answered all the
relevant questions, it’s time to document your plan. Without a written plan,
you have no plan at all. This document should be specific, but also as short
as possible and easy to read. Organize the plan by two to five goals and
associate each goal with three to six objectives, and then associate each
objective with tactics. Assign a lead person and deadline for each tactic.
8 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Here is an example:
ABC 2016–2018 Fundraising Plan
Goal 1: To build a strong and adequately resourced fundraising
infrastructure that includes staff and volunteer resources,
technology, policies and procedures, and professional
development that provides a foundation for fundraising
sustainability and growth as required.
Objective 1: Build fundraising personnel resources.
Tactic 1: Hire a Development Associate. Lead: Development
Director. Deadline: 8/10/16.
Tactic 2: Secure at least one skilled volunteer to help with
administrative fundraising tasks. Lead: Development
Associate. Deadline: 1/12/17.
Objective 2: Build a strong board with reach and influence, as
well as fundraising and giving capacity.
Tactic 1: Create and implement a board member agreement
detailing board responsibilities, including financial and
fundraising commitments. Lead: Development Director.
Deadline: 11/10/16.
Tactic 2: Recruit at least three new board members able to
contribute major gifts and facilitate introductions to major
donors. Lead: Development Committee. Deadline: 6/15/17.
Objective 3: Build a strong annual fund program that will
contribute sustainable revenue toward operating expenses.
Tactic 1: Select and implement a CRM platform to serve as
our donor database. Lead: Development Director. Deadline:
3/15/17.
Tactic 2: Build prospect list with 15,000 mailing and 25,000
email addresses. Lead: Marketing Director. Deadline:
5/1/17.
Tactic 3: Select and implement an online fundraising platform.
Lead: Development Director. Deadline: 6/15/17.
Tactic 4: Create an editorial calendar mapping out all 2018 mail
and email solicitations, plus major marketing communications.
Lead: Development Director. Deadline: 9/15/17.
Goal 2: To increase fundraising revenues by 25% and raise
$1,000,000 in FY 2017/18.
Objective 1: Increase revenues from foundations by 30%.
Tactic 1: Research, qualify, and prioritize 10 new foundation
sources each year. Lead: Development Associate. Deadline:
6/30/16-18.
C r e a t i n g a f u n d r a i s i n g P l a n 9
5. Gather Your Prospects
Donor prospecting is absolutely crucial to fundraising. So much so that
we’ve dedicated all of Chapter 5 to it. Your prospect list will be critical to
the development and implementation of your fundraising plan. You will
need it to assess your current donors and determine where to focus your
efforts, as well as to identify new opportunities. Ideally, this information
should be stored in your CRM or database (see Chapter 6), but you should
export it into a spreadsheet to visualize the full list and better prioritize and
discuss it with your team.
Assign a lead fundraiser to each prospect, so you know who is accountable
and can provide updates during regular reviews. Create separate tabs for
each type of prospect, especially foundations, companies, and individual
donors. Add to the list regularly and review it frequently with your team
to measure progress and identify fundraising opportunities. As detailed in
Chapter 5, it’s helpful to implement a ranking system, even a simple one,
to help you prioritize prospects and determine where to focus your efforts.
How connected to your cause and organization are they, and what’s their
Tactic 2: Prepare Letters of Intent and/or grant proposals
according to foundation deadlines. Lead: Development
Associate. Deadline: FY according to required deadlines.
Tactic 3: Maintain schedule for research, qualification,
prioritization, grant preparation, and follow-up. Lead:
Development Associate. Deadline: Ongoing.
Objective 2: Build a strong and compelling Case for Support for
fundraising purposes.
Tactic 1: Consult with staff, volunteers, donors, and clients
regarding why they give and key messages. Lead:
Development Director. Deadline: 3/30/16.
Tactic 2: Draft key messages and circulate in small but
representative group for feedback. Prepare final Case for
Board Approval. Lead: Development Director. Deadline
6/30/16.
Tactic 3: Develop mini Cases of Support for each program.
Lead: Development Director. Deadline: 9/30/16.
Tactic 4: Communicate Case messages through various
formats, including print, proposals, social media, website,
marketing, etc. Lead: Development Director. Deadline:
9/30/16.
1 0 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
giving capacity? Focus first on people in your inner circle, such as your
board and close connections. Then think beyond the usual suspects, like the
wealthy donors in your town known for their philanthropy. Try to identify
people off of the radar who are connected to your cause, and devise a
strategy for your most important prospects.
6. Keep It Alive
Once you’ve spent precious time and resources creating a solid fundraising
plan that secures board approval, the worst that can happen is for it to
sit on a shelf. Your plan must be a living document that guides your
activities, and it must be updated or at least reviewed annually. At each
review, involve the board, key staff, and volunteers and evaluate whether
you are on point or falling behind. This will allow you to hold people
accountable, make strategic decisions, and shift tactics as needed. It will
also enable you to recognize and celebrate your successes, something too
few of us fundraisers take the time to do! Use your objectives to create key
performance indicators and include them in your organizational dashboard,
as outlined in Chapter 7, so that evaluation of your fundraising efforts is
integrated into the evaluation of your overall organizational health.
Conclusion
Muhammad Ali once said, “The fight is won or lost before I even get in the
ring.” To succeed in fundraising you need to know where you’re going and
how you’ll get there. How much money are you trying to raise? and Who
are you going to raise it from? You need to be strategic and think long-term,
but also clarify the interim steps required for you to succeed. Prosperity
for your cause typically doesn’t come quickly; it comes from hard work, a
well-conceived strategy, diligent execution, and the investment of time and
resources. You need to identify your revenue sources, your resources, and
your prospects before you get started to ensure a more mindful approach. Be
crystal clear on both your strategies and tactics, and hold yourself and your
team accountable to concrete deadlines. Engage key leadership, like your
board, and volunteers in your efforts, and revisit your strategy and progress
regularly with everyone involved. Create the systems to measure progress,
learn from shortcomings, and celebrate successes. When done right, a
fundraising plan will do all of this for you; it’s simply a matter of creating it
thoughtfully, keeping it alive, and holding yourself to it.
C r e a t i n g a f u n d r a i s i n g P l a n 1 1
Do’s and Don’ts
Do. . .
. . . include as many key staff, board members, and volunteers as
possible in your fundraising planning process.
. . . review your prospect list in advance to ensure your goals are
realistic and achievable.
. . . build a diversified fundraising plan that includes goals and
objectives, plus tactics that are assigned to an owner with a
deadline for each.
. . . review your tactics in the fundraising plan monthly.
Don’t. . .
. . . create a fundraising plan without the input of your
communications and marketing team, or one that lacks a budget to
ensure implementation.
. . . assume that all staff payroll, benefits, rent, and utilities are
overhead or administrative expenses.
. . . believe you have a fundraising plan in place if you fail to take the
time to document it in writing.
. . . create a fundraising plan without integrating your strategic plan
into it.
About the Expert
Andrea McManus is president of The Development Group and a
recognized leader in the nonprofit sector. With more than 29 years of
experience in fund development, communications, media, public relations,
and marketing, McManus has particular expertise in environments where
major changes, restructuring, or transition require innovation, leadership,
creativity, and an entrepreneurial attitude.
Resource Review
The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) (www.afpnet.org)
AFP is a great resource for fundraisers. They have regional chapters all
over the world that produce quality events, as well as a large international
http://www.afpnet.org
1 2 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
conference, and a storytelling conference. You can also find helpful
resources on their website.
Future Fundraising Now (futurefundaisingnow.typepad.com)
Jeff Brooks is a regular contributor to Fundraising Success Magazine,
and his blog is full of great posts and resources. Check out his podcast,
“Fundraising Is Beautiful.”
Ahern Donor Communications (www.aherncomm.com)
Tom Ahern’s blog is a great source for case studies, sample critiques of
fundraising materials, and links to useful resources.
The Fundraising Authority (www.thefundraisingauthority.com)
Find helpful resources including articles, webinars, books, and podcasts.
Check out their “Beginner’s Guide to Fundraising” and the article, “How
to Write a Successful Fundraising Plan.”
Joyaux, Simone P. Strategic Fund Development: Building Profitable
Relationships That Last (3rd ed.). John Wiley & Sons, 2011.
This book focuses on long-term strategic fundraising, rather than the
typical transactional approach that fails to nurture your most important
donor relationships.
Network for Good’s Fundraising 123 blog (www.fundraising123.org)
Find a variety of posts and resources on all things fundraising, including
the “Fundraising Planning Worksheet: A Tool for Creating Your Annual
Fundraising Plan” by Mimi Ho and Priscilla Hung.
Nonprofit Quarterly (https://nonprofitquarterly.org)
A print and online publication that provides articles on a variety of nonprofit
topics. Check out their webinars, and sign up for their daily digest.
M+R Lab (www.mrss.com/lab)
A free collection of articles and advice from a group of experienced
nonprofit consultants; includes case studies and covers a wide variety of
topics, including reports on industry benchmarks.
The Agitator (www.theagitator.net)
A great online blog from industry experts Tom Belford and Roger Craver
that provides information and advice on nonprofit fundraising and
marketing strategies.
Idealist (www.Idealist.org)
A very robust website that offers tons of links to useful resources and
articles, plus it gives you access to a global community of volunteers and
nonprofit peers.
http://www.aherncomm.com
http://www.thefundraisingauthority.com
http://www.fundraising123.org
https://nonprofitquarterly.org
http://www.theagitator.net
http://www.Idealist.org
13
2Chapter
Hiring and Training
Development Staff
“Good plans shape good decisions. That’s why good planning
helps to make elusive dreams come true.”
—Lester R. Bittel
Introduction
I’ve gone to great lengths to document and articulate all the tips, tools, and
tactics you need to succeed at fundraising in this book. But without the right
team in place, none of them matter. The staff, board members, and volunteers
charged with spearheading your development efforts are the single most
important factor in your success. From interns to senior management, event
volunteers to engaged board members, each and every person driving your
fundraising machine is a critical part of building a successful, high-functioning
development infrastructure. Surrounding yourself with the right people,
properly training them, and fostering their professional growth will result directly
in you raising more money. It will also keep employee morale high and provide
stability for your organization and its donors. Fundraising is about building
relationships, and each person on your team plays an important role in your
interaction with supporters. From entering gifts into your database, to sending
acknowledgment letters, to answering the phone, and making an ask, each team
1 4 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
member represents a link in the chain and influences how contributors feel
about your organization.
Building your fundraising dream team is only possible if you learn and
follow best practices around hiring and training. Investing resources in the
hiring process will help ensure you bring the right people on board and keep
employee retention high, saving valuable time and resources in the future. And
by dedicating resources to training and professional growth opportunities for
employees, you can grow your team from within, expanding their expertise
and capabilities, and helping you promote from within. Ultimately, a stable
development staff leads to more knowledgeable and passionate fundraisers
who can develop deeper relationships with donors.
To learn more about how to hire the right staff, efficiently and effectively
bring them into the organization through training, and foster their
growth, I sat down with Missy Sherburne, chief partnerships officer
at DonorsChoose.org, who outlined the following seven tips.
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Know Yourself and Your Needs
You can’t surround yourself with the right team unless you know who you
are and who you need. Ask yourself: What is important to my organization,
in terms of alignment with the mission, vision, and values standpoint?
What skills and experiences are most important in your new hire as your
organization grows? Do you need a relationship builder that can secure major
gifts, or a more detail-oriented person who can build the infrastructure and
systems you need to succeed? By looking at the opportunities and challenges
facing your organization, you will often identify needed positions. Whether
you’re a staff of one or 100, being crystal clear about what you’re looking for
will help you recruit and retain the right people.
If you are hiring your first fundraising staff, and your executive director
(E.D.) or founder is an effective fundraiser, hire a development associate
or a development manager to provide support and help with administrative
tasks. In this scenario, odds are your E.D. will continue to be your best
fundraiser, so “backfill” him or her to free up additional capacity, instead of
hiring a more senior person that you hope will take over this role. If your
leader is not a natural fundraiser or you have huge fundraising goals, then
you do want someone with experience and contacts, so you’ll likely want
to hire a development director. Also, use fundraising consultants wisely. Do
H i r i n g a n d tr a i n i n g d e v e l o p m e n t s t a f f 1 5
not hire them if you really need an employee. Bear in mind that consultants
can help with strategy, but they rarely drive actual fundraising. Your
organization typically needs to conduct its own fundraising efforts. As
such, consultants are typically best utilized for specific campaigns, initiatives,
and for strategic or development planning. In fact, DonorsChoose.org
doesn’t use consultants at all, instead opting to hire yearlong fellows prior to
making a full-time hire if they’re unsure of their needs.
2. Create a Job Description
Now that you know what you’re looking for in a new hire, write it down.
See the Resource Review at the end of this chapter for some websites that
provide great templates for, and examples of, nonprofit job descriptions.
Sherburne also recommends looking to similar, respected organizations
for ideas on building job descriptions that reflect the role and your
organization’s style, values, and needs. Crafting a compelling, authentic
job description is key to bringing the best candidates in the door. It
should convey not only what you want this person to accomplish and
the required skill set and experience base, but also the culture of your
organization. If you have a fun and quirky office, make sure the job
description relays that personality. Remember to frame your work in
the most powerful way possible. Just like donors, potential employees
want to be part of a winning team, so share your organization’s accolades
and accomplishments. Describe the role as it relates to the rest of the
organization, as well as the benefits of working there.
It’s common to list compensation as “based on experience,” but if you are
a very small organization that needs to offer significantly less than the
industry standard, be honest and explicit about your budget. It will save
you a lot of time interviewing candidates who are unwilling to work at that
compensation level. When laying out the qualifications for the role, write
in the second person, for example: “You enjoy diligently following up with
people to get them to yes.” Also, include specific information on what
materials applicants should submit in order to apply, and where and how.
Do you want a writing sample or references in addition to a résumé and cover
letter? Should they email it to a specific person? Candidates’ attention to detail
when submitting their materials is one of the first things you should assess.
3. Select the Right Candidates
Often, the best candidates come from within your organization, or from
the personal and social networks of your employees, board members, and
volunteers. Look within your own team first, and if you still need to look
1 6 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
externally, ask your network to reach out to relevant candidates and spread
the word more broadly through email and social media. Consider providing
a referral bonus to team members who refer candidates whom you hire for
a full-time position. Provide email templates and sample social media posts
to make it easy for people to help you source candidates. If possible, give
this process a week or two before posting the opportunity to more public
outlets, including those outlined in the Resource Review.
If you anticipate being inundated with applicants or are making an
entry-level hire, consider asking candidates to complete a simple
assignment (e.g., crafting an email), along with submitting a résumé
and cover letter. Only committed applicants will take the time to do
a brief assignment, plus this will give you a good sense of their work
ethic, follow through, and communication style. Once you review
résumés and cover letters, your next step will be narrowing it down to
the candidates you’d like to do phone interviews with. Create a rubric
by which to evaluate applications based on what’s most important for
the position, such as communication skills, experience, or strategic
thinking. Typically you’ll only want to call 5 to 20 people, but be sure
to honor the time each person put into applying by responding to
every applicant with at least a brief and courteous email.
4. Conduct Interviews
Sherburne recommends a three-step interview process, which is directly in
line with what I’ve found to be most effective for identifying and hiring the
best candidates:
Phone Interviews
Before your phone interviews, prepare four or five basic questions for each of
these 30-minute conversations, and communicate that time limit to applicants
beforehand. Consider asking foundational questions, like why they’re interested
in the role and what excites them about working for your organization. To
unearth how they align with the personality traits and attributes you most
desire, ask open-ended behavior-based questions. For example, if you want
someone who’s not afraid to experiment, but who needs to learn quickly and
fail forward, ask something like, “Tell me about a time you failed at something,
and what you learned from it.” You’ll likely also want to ask candidates to
walk you through their most recent fundraising positions, and share what they
learned from each. Leave room for candidates to ask their own questions, as
these can also give you insight into how they think and how they prepare for
an important meeting. Based on their responses and your overall impressions
H i r i n g a n d tr a i n i n g d e v e l o p m e n t s t a f f 1 7
of the phone interviews, narrow down the candidate pool to the three to five
individuals you’ll interview in person.
First Interviews
During the first in-person interview, your mission is to learn as much as possible
about each candidate and determine who will be the best fit. Keep the needs and
qualifications detailed in your job description at the front of your mind, and ask
behavior-based questions that help you ascertain how their interests and skills align
with your needs. Before the interviews, create a question bank to guide you, and
ask likeminded or allied organizations for suggestions.
A question bank organizes questions by skill set, so the interviewer can thoughtfully
tailor the interview for each candidate. For example, if the phone interview left you
with concerns that a candidate isn’t goal-driven or detail-oriented, the question bank
will provide questions that help you get at these areas of concern. Examples of great
questions and prompts include, “What’s the most useful piece constructive feedback
you ever received, and how did you use it?” “How do you manage your time?” and
“Tell me about the last time you were asked to do something you had no experience
in.” You’re looking to see how they think on their feet, and how they’d handle some
of the tasks and needs of the position.
Consider giving applicants a small, clearly defined assignment so that
they can demonstrate their interest and excitement. Sherburne has asked
candidates to draft an email to the CEO of a specific company overviewing
their organization and asking for a meeting, which offers her insights into not
only their writing skills and research acumen, but also how they think about
the work of DonorsChoose.org. See http://www.managementcenter.org/article/
how-to-ask-job-candidates-for-work-samples-exercises-or-simulations/ for tips
on how to conceive and request reasonable assignments, and work samples.
Final Interviews
After the first round of in-person interviews, narrow it down to 2-3 final
candidates. Have these finalists meet and interview with a variety of other
people within the organization. Make it clear that this is a top priority,
which merits taking time out of busy schedules. Invite other staff members,
leadership, and key board members to meet with the candidate and give
you feedback. Which of the candidates do they think is the best fit for the
role and the organization? Be sure to check all the references of your final
candidates, even though most large employers won’t say anything critical
for legal and liability reasons. Even still, share a bit about the role that
http://www.managementcenter.org/article/how-to-ask-job-candidates-for-work-samples-exercises-or-simulations/
1 8 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
you’re hiring for and ask them if this person would be a good fit. If you’re
not sure what questions to ask when you check references, check out The
Management Center’s suggestions at http://www.managementcenter.org/
resources/suggested-reference-check-questions.
5. Make an Offer
Once you’ve interviewed all the candidates, narrowed it down to finalists, received
feedback from your team, checked references, and made a decision regarding
whom you want to hire, you are prepared to make an offer. Call the candidate
with the good news and share your excitement about him or her joining your
team. Do not press for a commitment on the phone; rather, let the applicant
know that you will send an offer letter so he or she can formally accept. Your offer
letter should include the proposed start date and all compensation and benefit
information, including paid time off, healthcare, retirement, and other details.
Both the organization and the candidate need to sign the letter, but send it to the
candidate with your signature already in the document. If and when you receive
the countersigned letter back, share the good news with your team, especially
those who helped with interviews. Follow up with your new hire by emailing your
employee policy handbook if you have one.
6. Onboard Over Time
Don’t throw your new employee in the deep end on his or her first day; space
training and orientation out over one or two weeks to ensure everything has
a chance to sink in. Give the new hire time to get to know your organization,
the team, and the tools and resources on hand. Start with a presentation on the
organization, its history, and its current work and goals, ideally led by your
executive director. Set up meetings or lunches between the new team member
and key colleagues. Provide time and orientation so he or she can get up to speed
on your fundraising efforts, systems, and donors. Share all key fundraising and
marketing materials, including everything you share with the public and
your donors, to provide a sense of your communication points and style. Wait
a few weeks before having new hires do larger tasks, like creating an individual
fundraising plan or going on donor meetings.
7. Develop Your Team
Hiring is only the beginning of your effort to develop a successful
fundraising team. Training and professional development are ongoing
processes worthy of your time and resources. Create a professional
http://www.managementcenter.org/resources/suggested-reference-check-questions
H i r i n g a n d tr a i n i n g d e v e l o p m e n t s t a f f 1 9
development budget for your employees, even if it’s only $500 a year, and
encourage them to bring you classes, trainings, and conferences they’d like
to attend. Buy subscriptions to fundraising publications like The Chronicle
of Philanthropy, The Nonprofit Times, Fundraising Success Magazine, and
others, including industry-specific publications that match your focus.
Offer regular opportunities and suggestions for ongoing educational
opportunities that will improve capabilities and skills. Consider
suggestions in excess of your professional development budget if it’s in the
organization’s best interest. These investments will show your team that
you care about their personal and professional growth and success, and
that you’re willing to support them as they work to make your nonprofit
successful. This will keep employee morale and retention high, and most
importantly, will lead to more successful fundraising efforts.
Get Your Executive Director to Love Fundraising
This chapter focused on hiring and training development staff, but
what does it look like for these leaders to “manage up” and train
your executive director or board chair? After starting his new role
as director of major gifts at Worldreader, a nonprofit focused on
bringing e-books to every child and family, Brian Gougherty was
surprised when his E.D. told him that he didn’t like fundraising.
The group had already raised millions, so Gougherty knew he
had a lot to work with, and assumed that if he could change his
manager’s perspective, the group could raise even more funds and
educate more children. It worked, and here’s how he did it and
what you can learn from his experience:
Focus on the cause. Fundraising is not about the money;
it’s more about the cause and your personal connection to its
impact. Constantly remind your E.D. of this, and invite him to
share why he chose to devote a career and time to the
organization when meeting with prospects. If your E.D. can
let the passion flow, the dollars will follow. Gougherty did this
and subsequently, his E.D. found conversations with donors to
be surprisingly engaging. He now views questions they ask as
a challenge that drive new ideas at the organization, some of
which have even led to new programs. He’s grown to really love
having donor meetings, not just because they bring in money, but
because they bring forward new thoughts and ideas.
(continued)
2 0 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Conclusion
Raising money for your cause depends directly upon the strength of your
team. Hiring the right people, training them properly, and fostering their
professional growth are critical to building a, efficient, cohesive, and
successful fundraising team. Doing this requires an investment of time
and resources that, too often, nonprofits aren’t willing to commit to.
However, the investment is far outweighed by the tremendous benefits,
most notably increased revenue, higher employee morale and retention,
and deeper relationships with donors. Simply put, you will raise more
money with the right people at your side. So invest what’s needed to find,
keep, and empower them!
Establish credibility. Take the time to educate your E.D. on
your donor cultivation and stewardship process. Make sure he
or she knows exactly how you plan to follow up with donors,
and what you’re doing to build and strengthen relationships with
them. This will make your E.D. more comfortable and confident
in engaging and soliciting major donors, as well as bringing their
own personal prospects to the table.
Engage wisely. Value your E.D.’s time and utilize it in the best
way possible. Don’t ask her or him to do cold calls, instead of
cultivating major leads and closing big gift opportunities. You
can write acknowledgment letters and proposals, but your E.D.
should focus on making personal thank you calls to major
donors, attending key donor events, and the other things
that really benefit from your leader’s personal touch. Along
these lines, draft sample correspondence, such as follow-up
emails and thank you letters to facilitate fundraising. Think “low
touch, high value,” as this process is very much akin to what’s
detailed in chapter 3 for board engagement.
Point to success. When your E.D. secures a major gift that
inspires other major donors to contribute, make sure he or she
knows about this ripple effect. When you receive an unexpected
gift from a key donor after your E.D. sent a note, made a phone
call, or took a lunch meeting, share the good new! Success breeds
success, and the more your E.D. sees the fruit of his or her labor,
the more engaged he or she will be.
(continued)
H i r i n g a n d tr a i n i n g d e v e l o p m e n t s t a f f 2 1
Do’s and Don’ts
Do…
. . . send a very brief email to applicants you won’t interview to thank
them for their interest but let them know they’re not a fit.
. . . create a bank of interview questions for each phase of the
interview process.
. . . have key staff and board meet a final candidate before hiring.
. . . ask your network whether they know any viable candidates before
utilizing public job posting resources.
Don’t…
. . . let the hiring process take longer than a few weeks.
. . . hire a consultant to act as your development director.
. . . forget to include a professional development budget for every staff
member in your organization, however small.
About the Expert
Missy Sherburne is the chief partnerships officer at DonorsChoose.org, a
nonprofit that connects individuals, companies, and foundations with the
needs of public schools. Previously, she served as the founding executive
director of DonorsChoose.org North Carolina and South Carolina, and
North Carolina Executive Director with Teach For America.
Resource Review
The BridgeSpan Group (http://www.bridgespan.org/Home.aspx)
This group provides a great nonprofit job board, and their website is a
great starting point to look for job description templates, plus it offers a
wide range of reports and resources.
Both Sides of the Table (www.bothsidesofthetable.com)
Mark Suster’s blog is a helpful resource for organizations looking to grow,
and has a lot of tips for hiring the right people.
http://www.bridgespan.org/Home.aspx
http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com
2 2 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Young Nonprofit Professionals Network/YNPN (www.ynpn.org)
This is a great place to connect with younger nonprofit leaders, and you
can post jobs for free on their regional listservs.
Great places to post (and find) fundraising jobs:
• Association of Fundraising Professionals (www.afpnet.org)
• Foundation Center (www.foundationcenter.org)
• Idealist (www.idealist.org)
• The BridgeSpan Group (http://www.bridgespan.org/Home.aspx)
• Glassdoor (www.glassdoor.com)
• OpportunityKnocks (www.opportunityknocks.org)
• Chronicle of Philanthropy (www.philanthropy.com/jobs)
• Indeed (www.indeed.com)
• craigslist (www.craigslist.org)
Blue Avocado (www.blueavocado.org)
This online magazine writes about a variety of nonprofit management
issues, including hiring and training staff.
GuideStar USA Nonprofit Compensation Report (www.guidestar.com).
Every year, GuideStar conducts the most comprehensive analysis available
on nonprofit executive compensation practices, the only large-scale
examination based entirely on IRS data. Available for a fee, the report
is based on observations from over 100,000 Forms 990 filed by 501(c)
organizations with the IRS for the prior fiscal year.
Collins, James C. Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap—and
Others Don’t. HarperBusiness, 2001.
Collins and his team outline the key determinants of greatness for
companies—which are equally relevant to nonprofits—and speak to
why hiring the right people and setting them up for success is critical to
building a thriving organization.
The Management Center, DC (www.managementcenter.org)
Find great resources on hiring and training on their website, plus a
helpful monthly newsletter with a hiring section that shares useful tools,
like sample interview questions and exercises.
Association of Fundraising Professionals/AFP (www.afpnet.org)
This is a great place to connect with fundraising professionals. Check out
their job board and annual conference.
http://www.ynpn.org
http://www.afpnet.org
http://www.foundationcenter.org
http://www.idealist.org
http://www.bridgespan.org/Home.aspx
http://www.glassdoor.com
http://www.opportunityknocks.org
http://www.philanthropy.com/jobs
http://www.indeed.com
http://www.craigslist.org
http://www.guidestar.com
http://www.afpnet.org
H i r i n g a n d tr a i n i n g d e v e l o p m e n t s t a f f 2 3
Foundation Center (www.foundationcenter.org)
Find resources on their website, free events at local chapters, and check
out their job board.
Cause Marketing Forum (www.causemarketingforum.com)
This is a great place to find a nonprofit community that will provide
referrals and sounding boards, as well as access to tips and resources.
http://www.foundationcenter.org
http://www.causemarketingforum.com
25
3Chapter
Engaging Your Board
“Change is inevitable, but progress is optional, and leadership
makes all the difference.”
—Andy Stern
Introduction
Board members are part of the core leadership team of your organization,
and they’re in one of the best positions to serve as passionate advocates for
your cause. When effectively engaged and utilized, boards will step up,
and step in to fundraising. Board members have unique connections and
relationships in the community that are valuable and even transformative
when properly leveraged. The right board, successfully employed, can
catapult both your impact and fundraising efforts to the next level. Board
members should also be among your most dependable and generous donors.
For most nonprofits, the sum of these contributions makes a big difference
on their budget.
Unfortunately, this rosy picture isn’t as common as it should be. Many small
nonprofits launch with a friends and family board that simply lends their
names to the NGO application, and still others are grassroots organizations
that leverage a “working board” to augment their staff, assuming they
2 6 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
even have a payroll. Either way, transitioning your organization to one
that effectively recruits and engages a powerful board that contributes on
all levels to your fundraising efforts—donating, asking, prospecting, and
more—is one of the most vexing challenges facing many nonprofits. But
there’s hope: it doesn’t have to be that way.
In an effort to identify tips and tools that can help nonprofits
successfully partner with their boards to drive fundraising results, I
sat down with nonprofit executive coach and fundraising and board
development consultant Lisa Hoffman. We discussed six tips to foster
your board’s passion in your mission and increase their participation in
your fundraising efforts.
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Know What You’re Looking For
Building the right board is the first critical step in achieving fundraising
success, but of course, transitioning to your ideal board is difficult. The
key is gaining consensus on what you’re after. It’s a lot easier to recruit
from your network when you know that you’re hoping to find a Latina
lawyer with solid corporate connections who’s committed to our cause of
combating homelessness, versus just telling folks you want more members.
Your goal should be identify the top three things you’re looking for in new
candidates, and share that with the world. A board matrix is a powerful
yet simple tool that clarifies exactly what kind of characteristics,
assets, and skillsets you want on your board: someone with business
or foundation connections in a certain location; an issue area expert
well-versed in your cause; a person who contributes geographic, racial,
or gender diversity; someone who can make a large annual gift; an
accounting, fundraising, or marketing maven, etc.
A simple spreadsheet does the trick nicely—use the rows to write down all
the characteristics of your ideal board, including assets you may already have
in place. Typically, it’s helpful to organize these into “buckets,” including
leadership, expertise and connection to the mission, financial capability and
connections, demographics, and so forth. The columns are for the names
of your current and potential board members, as well as other prospects
identified over time. Here’s a simple example:
E n g a g i n g Yo u r B o a r d 2 7
Nonprofit Board Matrix Template
Categories
Current
Member 1
Current
Member 2
Current
Member 3 Prospect Prospect
Leadership and Expertise
Visionary X X X
Spiritual
Legal X
Accounting
Entrepreneur X X X X
Nonprofit Management X
Our Issue: Peace
Scientist
Recognized Leader X X X X
Community Contacts X X X X
Entertainment/Media
Media Contacts X X X
Music Contacts X X X X
Arts Education X X
Financial Support
Major Donor X X X
Donor Contacts X X X X
Foundation Contacts X X
Corporate Contacts X X X
Time/Availability X X X
Geography
International Relations X X X
Brazil X
South Africa X
Austin
India X X
Demographics
Youth
Latino X
African American X
Female X X
Although undoubtedly a powerful tool, the board matrix must be
presented with finesse. Start by getting your board chair sold on the idea,
even before you take a stab at a first draft, which you can create together.
Ideally, the board chair then convinces the other members to create a
2 8 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
blueprint to guide recruitment as the organization matures. Once they’re
sold on the idea, there’s usually a discussion about what’s called for, using
your draft matrix as a starting point. When this is in place, you’re ready for
the real exercise. Everyone simply puts an “X” under his or her name for
the characteristics he or she possesses. Finally, quickly tally the results and
discuss what’s missing, and what you need more of.
Then it’s time to share this profile with your colleagues and contacts. Work
your network, reaching out to the most connected, established people you
know, and have staff and board members do the same. Consider creating a
board development committee to drive recruitment and onboarding. Don’t
compromise: you need people who are passionate about your mission, have the
time to serve, and who will prioritize your organization. When a potential board
member is identified, someone needs to meet or talk with the candidate to share
your story and feel him or her out. If there’s a good fit, your ambassador should
then clarify what’s involved, which leads us to our next tip.
2. Set Expectations
A board member agreement is one of the most powerful tools for engaging
your board in fundraising, and beyond. This is a one- or two-page
document, written plainly, that details the responsibilities of all board
members. Simply put, it’s a checklist of expectations, written in clear terms
that aren’t subject to interpretation. So instead of “I’ll make a good faith
effort to attend all board meetings,” it should say something more like,
“I will attend 75 percent of all quarterly board meetings.” This document
serves as a perfect basis for onboarding new members, avoiding most
surprises and miscommunication.
Of course, you can’t expect the new guy or gal to sign up something that the
old guard isn’t subject to. Follow a process exactly like the one for the board
matrix to ensure the current board buys in and agrees on the requirements,
and then have every current board member sign an agreement, all co-signed
by the board chair. This creates a helpful dose of accountability for both
new and seasoned members, and your chair should use the board member
agreement as the basis for annual board reviews. Simply go through the
agreement point-by-point, ensuring each item was completed, and exploring
any shortfalls by asking whether the trustee needs more training or support
or, if it’s simply not possible for the person to deliver, invite him or her to
consider transitioning to an advisory role. This approach can help make
move inactive board members out much more gracefully than a subjective “I
E n g a g i n g Yo u r B o a r d 2 9
don’t think you’re doing a good job” chat, thereby increasing the chance of
the person continuing to provide financial support.
Now let’s talk a bit more about the terms of the board member agreement.
First, it must include an outline of required activities and their frequency:
board meetings, committee participation, special events, fundraising and
marketing campaigns, board recruitment drives, site visits, and so forth. Be
honest about the time and level of commitment you expect, but remember
the best way to engage your board is with a “low touch, high value” approach,
where you focus their contribution on the things that only they can do. Leave the
heavy lifting and the mundane tasks to staff and volunteers.
The agreement must also outline all fundraising responsibilities of board
participation, starting first and foremost with a personal financial
contribution. Rather than arbitrarily setting a minimum requirement,
which is especially tough if you have a diverse board, require an annual
capacity gift of every board member. A capacity gift is defined as the
largest gift someone can comfortably make and one of his or her top three
philanthropic investments of the year. It may be $20 for the student on
your board, or $1,000 for the accountant who also gets her company
to kick in $10,000 for your annual event, but having even one board
member fail to contribute personal funds undermines your chances of
securing other donations and grants from foundations requiring 100
percent board giving participation.
In addition to making a personal contribution, all board members must
also be engaged in the fundraising process. As Kay Sprinkel Grace suggests in
Chapter 9, it’s unlikely that every member of your board can be an asker,
but every member should be identifying prospects, utilizing connections,
and setting up meetings and calls, spreading awareness about your
organization, and supporting fundraising campaigns via social media and
email. Some organizations have a “give/get” requirement to encourage the
board to donate and fundraise in meaningful ways, but again this can be
problematic if your board is diverse. If one lowest common denominator
“get” number is inappropriate for your organization, which is, in fact, the
norm, there are two things you can and should do to still engage your board
in fundraising. First, rather than setting a dollar limit in the board member
agreement, require a minimum number of donor, funder, and sponsor
prospect introductions annually, perhaps three or five so you don’t scare
prospects away. Second, set an individual fundraising goal with each board
member, as discussed more in Tip 4, below.
3 0 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
3. Provide Training and Support
Most board members will come into your organization without any
fundraising experience or training. It is your responsibility to transform their
passion for your mission into successful fundraising activity. It is critical to
give board members tools like talking points, personal stories and case
statements, and fact sheets about the organization.
Don’t assume your board members know how to talk about your work, nor
that they’re comfortable advocating on your behalf. Hold a board training
session every year or two, conducted by your executive or development
director or a professional consultant. Leverage these regular trainings to
teach your board how to articulate your organization’s mission compellingly
and passionately. They should learn how to incorporate their own personal
stories of how they’re connected to the cause and why they care. Role
playing is a great, fun way to practice this.
Finally, be sure to use the training to address any fears or discomfort
your board has around fundraising. You need to make them feel proud to
fundraise and help them see that an ask is simply presenting people with
an opportunity to affect the change they want to see. Have them read the
foreword of this book and Chapter 9, or at least the part where Kay shares
her thoughts on transformative versus transactional giving. Whatever it
takes, your board must be willing, and proud, to reach out to their networks
and contribute to building your base of support. Some board members will
be naturals at asking, and others will prefer to make introductions and let
you or fellow trustees do the asking. In the latter case, always try to involve
a board member in calls or meetings with prospects they’ve identified.
This provides ongoing training, enabling those who are less comfortable to
witness respectful and effective asks firsthand, and hopefully leading to them
becoming askers over time.
4. Engage Each Board Member Individually
It’s important to foster relationships with each board member and meet
with them individually on a regular basis. At the very least, meet with each
board member annually to identify what support is needed in achieving
their annual fundraising goal, which they set with you or, ideally, the
board chair. If at all possible, connect more frequently to check in on their
progress, but let each board member dictate how often he or she wants to
talk or meet. Ensure that not only are they engaged and active in their role,
E n g a g i n g Yo u r B o a r d 3 1
but more importantly, that all members also feel satisfied and fulfilled with
their participation. Remember, it’s actually the board chair’s job to manage
the board, and you should only be focusing on getting them what they need
to be fully engaged and equipped to participate—of course, that’s certainly
not always the case. Either way, these meetings are a perfect forum to figure
out whether you’re getting what you need out of them, and whether they’re
getting what they want out of you. If they haven’t been attending meetings
regularly or following through on their commitments, this is a good time
to see whether there’s anything you can do about that. Is there any help,
materials, stories, or training that’d be useful as they pursue their leads?
These one-on-one check-ins also help to establish a personal connection
between you and your board, helping each member feel comfortable
reaching out with questions and concerns over time.
5. Let Your Board Lead
Generally speaking, your board chair needs to take charge of getting
other board members involved in fundraising. For larger boards and
well-established organizations, your development or governance committee
chair can also take on this responsibility. Either way, just as with all
fundraising, the most powerful form of ask is a peer ask, as in “I just gave to
Save the Children—won’t you join me in supporting their good work?” The
same holds true for board engagement, and it’s always better when a peer—
the board chair—asks members to step up and actively contribute.
Your chair should regularly communicate that fundraising is a core responsibility
and must hold each member accountable for his or her fundraising commitments
and annual donations. Your executive or development director should
be regularly meeting with the board chair about the board’s fundraising
progress and needs, so that that he or she can properly support the board
and unlock their full, active participation. Of course, this entails the board
chair having a clear understanding of the organization’s fundraising goals
and its strategic plan, as well as progress made to date. You can also create
a development committee within the board to focus on fundraising,
as long as the rest of the board understands that this doesn’t let them off
the hook for fundraising. This can be a great platform to further engage
people who want to contribute more to your fundraising efforts, as well
as create an opportunity for potential board members to start helping
out. A development committee is a tool to foster board and community
involvement in fundraising and provides support and coordination for
fundraising activities. In order to avoid confusion between the committee’s
3 2 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
role and that of the chair and staff, the first order of business for any committee
should be drafting a charter outlining its function and role.
One of your board chair’s most important responsibilities is making
personal asks of each board member annually. Again, the exception
to this is large organizations that task the development or governance
committee chair with this responsibility, but either way, it’s crucial that it’s
board-led. You can provide support and training to ensure these asks are
made respectfully, and effectively, but again, peer asks simply work better.
Your role is to support the chair in these asks, as it is with all the members.
Providing your chair with information on each member’s giving capacity
and any other major gifts they’ve made to other organizations is always
helpful. You’ll also want to share their giving history to your organization,
as well as the programs and impact they’re most connected to. This will help
your chair customize each ask and maximize dollars raised.
6. Maximize Board Meetings
There should be time allocated at every board meeting to quickly look at
fundraising results to date, and compare them to your overall plan and
goals. The board should be familiar with your strategic fundraising plan
and be able to ask focused questions about progress and results. You should
also use board meetings to continue to inspire members to participate in
fundraising efforts. Have one or two members share success stories about
progress they’ve made with leads, or donations they’ve secured. It’s also
helpful to have board members share how they’ve handled any “no’s” they
received, hopefully showing the others that you don’t need to take a “no”
personally. You can also share what Kay Sprinkel Grace calls “mission
moments” by having a client or stakeholder come in and share how the
organization has helped improve his or her life. These moments powerfully
connect board members to your organization and its impact on those you
serve.
Finally, one way to ensure board engagement at meetings—in fundraising
and in general—is to ensure that there’s more dialogue than monologue.
Board meetings should be a place for discussion, and reports and updates should
be kept brief and focused. As covered in Chapter 7, organizational dashboards
help streamline meetings by providing a quick, bird’s eye view of the health
of the organization and progress toward goals. Another great tool is a docket
agenda, also known as a consent calendar. Docket agendas are short documents
that include minutes from your last board meeting, plus top-line updates of no
E n g a g i n g Yo u r B o a r d 3 3
more than two or three paragraphs each. Keeping your board up-to-date is
important, but almost all reports and updates can be condensed down to a
couple of paragraphs. Distribute the document in advance, but even still,
start each board meeting with five or ten minutes of silence as everyone
reviews the docket agenda, after which it’s voted on and approved. If there
are items from the agenda that warrant further discussion, they can be
removed and added to a proper meeting agenda.
Conclusion
Your success in fundraising depends largely on having an engaged and
active board. The first step is recruiting effectively and making sure you
build a board that has the traits and skill sets your organization needs. As
Jim Collins says in Good to Great, it’s about getting the “right people on the
bus.” But what’s enormous potential if it’s not tapped? Board members also
need to be trained so that they can speak passionately and articulately about
your mission and feel proud to invite others to support your cause. Not
every board member will feel comfortable making direct asks, but everyone
needs to help identify prospects, foster connections, and spread awareness.
Cultivating leadership on your board and having a strong, engaged chair is
key to securing personal board contributions and fundraising participation
throughout. When effectively leveraged, your board can be your strongest
asset, and each member deserves personal attention and regular updates on
the impact his or her contribution has on your overall work. Follow this
recipe and your board will catapult your fundraising efforts, enabling your
organization to thrive.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do. . .
. . . be clear about fundraising and all other expectations when
recruiting board members.
. . . provide fundraising training and materials to all board members
annually.
. . . ensure each board member has an individual fundraising goal and
plan for the year.
. . . have each member sign a board agreement when first recruited.
3 4 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Don’t. . .
. . . spend the majority of board meetings giving updates, instead of
engaging in dialogue.
. . . recruit board members without first creating a board matrix.
. . . fail to communicate with board members who are not meeting
expectations.
About the Expert
Lisa Hoffman is a nonprofit coach, consultant, and facilitator with more
than 25 years of experience in helping nonprofits thrive by moving boards
from good to great. Hoffman is also an ordained Zen priest, bringing the
Buddhist practices of compassion, active engagement, and leaving the ego at
the door to her nonprofit coaching and consulting.
Resource Review
Grace, Kay Sprinkel. The Ultimate Board Member’s Book: A 1-hour Guide to
Understanding Your Role and Responsibilities. Emerson & Church, 2004.
This quick and easy to read book explains what board members must do
to help their organization succeed.
Grace, Kay Sprinkel. Beyond Fundraising: New Strategies for Nonprofit
Innovation and Investment (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons, 2005.
Fundraising expert Kay Sprinkel Grace presents her internationally field-
tested core beliefs, principles, and strategies for developing long-term
relationships with donor-investors and volunteers.
BoardSource (www.boardsource.org)
This is the go-to source for board development resources. They do live
and online trainings, have membership programs, and also provide a
wealth of articles and publications on their website.
Blue Avocado (www.blueavocado.org)
This is a great online magazine focused on all aspects of nonprofit
management. Search for board fundraising and find a wealth of
content.
http://www.boardsource.org
E n g a g i n g Yo u r B o a r d 3 5
Masaoka, Jan. The Best of the Board Café: Hands-On Solutions for Nonprofit
Boards. Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, 2003.
This book gives nonprofit board members just-in-time guidance to the
issues at hand. Because board members’ time is scarce, articles are “short
enough to read over a cup of coffee.”
CompassPoint Nonprofit Services (www.compasspoint.org)
This is a great resource for in-person workshops in the San Francisco Bay
Area and online trainings for nonprofits nationwide. You can also find
publications and articles on their website.
Klein, Kim. Fundraising for Social Change (5th ed.). Jossey-Bass, 2007.
This book provides a soup to nuts description of how to build, maintain,
and expand an individual donor program, and is often called “the Bible
of grassroots fundraising.”
Grassroots Fundraising Journal (www.grassrootsfundraising.org)
Search for board fundraising to find a lot of great content and resources.
Andy Robinson’s blog (http://andyrobinsononline.com)
Find links to articles, resources, and videos about fundraising.
Rosso, Henry A. Hank Rosso’s Achieving Excellence in Fundraising (2nd ed.).
Jossey-Bass, 2003.
This book explains the fundraising profession’s major principles, concepts,
and techniques, clearly defines each step in the fundraising cycle, and
demonstrates why fundraising is a strategic management discipline.
Robinson, Maureen K. Nonprofit Boards That Work: The End of One-Size-
Fits-All Governance. John Wiley & Sons, 2001.
This book offers practical yet flexible strategies that can be tried by any
nonprofit board, whatever its current effectiveness toward accomplishing
the goals they seek.
Zimmerman, Robert M., and Ann W. Lehman. Boards That Love
Fundraising: A How-to Guide for Your Board. Jossey-Bass, 2004.
This workbook explains fundraising responsibility as a board member
while providing information on board structure, its impact on raising
money, and outlining the concepts that will empower a board to ask for
money effectively and fearlessly.
http://www.compasspoint.org
http://www.grassrootsfundraising.org
http://andyrobinsononline.com
37
4Chapter
Volunteer Fundraising
“Until you ask, the answer is always ‘no’.”
—Nora Roberts
Introduction
If you don’t realize that your volunteer strategy and your fundraising
efforts are linked at the hip, you’re missing the boat. In fact, according to
Fidelity’s Charitable Gift Fund Volunteerism and Charitable Giving Report,1
two-thirds of volunteers donate to their nonprofits, and people who
volunteer donate ten times more money. Volunteers are also a great source
of capacity and connections, and they can bolster and expand your existing
development efforts, especially if put to use in the right way. They can also
serve as passionate advocates for your cause, connecting you to cash and
in-kind supporters, strategic partners, and expanding what your staff and
organization can achieve.
But how can you tap this immense potential, and what are the best practices
for gracefully inviting these key supporters to also open up their wallets and
support your organization financially? To answer these key questions, I sat
down with volunteer engagement expert Simon Tam, who managed 2,500
volunteers at the American Cancer Society.
In our conversation, Tam outlined eight crucial tips for engaging volunteers.
3 8 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Dedicate Staff
Having a dedicated staff member who can manage your volunteers, provide
guidance and training, answer questions, and serve as a main point of
contact is critical. It doesn’t necessarily need to be a full-time position, but
someone needs to manage these important relationships and potential donors.
Volunteers need a person to turn to for questions and feedback; someone
who can help them understand the workflow and politics of the organization,
its style and values, and key talking points. This dedicated staffer should be
responsible for onboarding new volunteers and thereafter tracking them,
from simple contact information, to volunteering history and hours, to
donor research—more on the latter in Tip 4, below.
2. Define Clear Roles
Volunteers need to be given clear direction so they know what’s expected
of them; this is crucial to them feeling their time and work is valuable and
maps to impact. This can be as simple as creating a job description or having
them sign an agreement before they start—typically, less is more, and even a
few simple bullet points can go a long way. The point is that you need to let
volunteers know that, even though they aren’t being paid, they’re still going to be
held accountable for their work, and it’s still crucial to your nonprofit’s work in
the community. Creating an agreement or contract also helps document hours
needed for school credits or résumés, and creates a paper trail that can help
later with letters of recommendation and job references. Clarity of purpose,
goals, and expectations is the key to successful volunteer engagement.
3. Create a Toolkit
Remember that scene in The Matrix where Neo instantly learns martial
arts? Well, your nonprofit needs a program like that to quickly and
effectively orient new volunteers. This kind of toolkit not only provides your
volunteers with basic, yet important, organizational information and talking
points, but it also gives them a sense of belonging and pride. It demonstrates
that you’re investing in them, that they are a crucial part of your team, and
that you want and expect them to represent you.
A toolkit can include things like basic talking points on the organization
and its history, marketing brochures and communication materials like
FAQs, simple training materials (e.g., database training manuals), contact
V o l u n t e e r f u n d r a i s i n g 3 9
information of your staff (especially their dedicated liaison), and perhaps
a gift, such as a t-shirt with your logo on it. Over time, you can even
consider adding in business cards for key performers, as these really help to
develop a sense of commitment. Building volunteer toolkits is a small, smart
investment when you consider how many hours volunteers contribute, not
to mention potential fundraising revenue.
4. Track Everything
As outlined in Chapter 5, having a database or constituent relationship
management (CRM) system is critical to not only tracking your donors, but
info on volunteers as well. This lets you track each volunteer, including contact
information, staff contacts, and hours donated; plus it allows you to track their
fundraising leads. This will help you better manage volunteer relationships, stay
in touch, and maximize volunteers’ fundraising potential. When appropriate,
volunteers should be involved in using your CRM, so that they can track their
own progress and see how they’re making a difference, not to mention saving
your staff time. And when it comes to the donor prospects they share with you,
be sure to document valuable connections, including contact info, giving
interests, and capacity. This allows you to better manage and cultivate these
relationships, particularly when you engage multiple volunteers.
5. Think Small, but Dream Big
Creating small workgroups, such as committees or teams dedicated to
a particular task, can expand organizational capacity and enable you to
more deeply engage key volunteers. So the next time you’re launching a
new campaign, producing an event, or contemplating expanding into new
geographic areas, create a team or committee to spearhead your efforts,
thereby enabling you to stay focused on the big picture and other key areas.
The big point here is that volunteers can do more than just execute on your
orders; they can think for themselves and strategically contribute to the
future and success of your nonprofit.
6. Communicate Regularly
Having weekly or monthly check-ins with volunteers allows you to review
their work, ask whether they have questions or concerns, and provide
guidance. This ensures both sides are satisfied with the relationship, increases
accountability, and gives you an opportunity to show your gratitude. (Plus
it minimizes the unlikely scenario that a volunteer goes off course and
undermines your work.) It can be as short as 10 minutes, and a check-in
4 0 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
can be something as simple as taking the volunteer out for coffee or lunch
or scheduling a brief meeting or call. Either way, these regular forums are
critical to optimizing the contributions of your pro bono support network.
7. Never Say Goodbye
Once volunteers are no longer actively working with you, it’s important to
continue to engage them. They’ve already invested in your organization,
and keeping them apprised of new accomplishments, activities, and even
challenges allows them to feel connected and appreciated—a part of your
inner circle. But this doesn’t have to be a lot of work, and you don’t need to
reach out to each past volunteer individually with updates; instead, create
a Listserv for alumni volunteers, and be sure to invite them to key events.
All this goes a long way toward cultivating these relationships and can
certainly lead to fundraising results—remember, volunteers are some of your
best donor prospects and must be treated accordingly!
8. Invite Financial Support
Asking volunteers directly for donations is inherently sensitive. Many
times, however, volunteers are waiting to be asked. The key is building a
relationship with your volunteer first, just as you would with any donor. Just
about all volunteers want to make a difference, but they don’t always know
how, both in terms of their volunteer service and contributing financially.
We covered a lot of tips for effectively engaging their time in this chapter, but
beyond that, if you make the ask properly (see Chapter 7) and the volunteer
is not in a position to donate at the time, he or she should feel honored to
have been invited. That’s the art of fundraising—inviting people to support
work you’ve clearly established they believe in; and it’s your job to ensure
they can reply gracefully no matter what their answer. Beyond the tips for
doing this with all donors, when it comes to volunteers, before making an ask
it’s especially critical that you make your volunteer feel appreciated and frame
the invitation to donate as an additional or incremental opportunity, so that
you in no way undermine the contribution of his or her time and energy.
Examples of Volunteer Activities
Depending on the fundraising strategy and needs of your organization, you’ll
want to engage your volunteers in different ways. At the American Cancer
Society (ACS), Tam managed volunteers who conceived and implemented
V o l u n t e e r f u n d r a i s i n g 4 1
their own fundraisers—bake sales, car washes, silent auctions, etc. To facilitate
this, ACS volunteers dedicated staff members who provided branding and
communication materials, plus best practices for throwing these kinds of
self-directed fundraisers. Nonprofits like ACS with enough resources can
even provide tools like Convio or StayClassy that allow volunteers to create
their own fundraising pages, further strengthening their ability to raise big
bucks for you. (See Chapter 15 for effective crowdfunding tips.)
Now that he’s at the Oregon Environment Council, a much smaller
membership organization, Tam and his staff utilize volunteers to call lapsed
donors and ask them to renew their memberships, as well as calling current
monthly donors to ask them to increase their giving. To do this, they
provide volunteers with a call script and guidelines and have them work
from the office to ensure that staff is there to provide support. Tam is also
a big fan of utilizing volunteers to help fundraising staff with administrative
tasks, including processing donations, entering new donors into the
database, and preparing donor acknowledgement letters. Again, volunteers
can help with both the mundane tasks associated with raising money for
your cause, but also the big picture, strategic opportunities that can really
move your organization forward.
So don’t be afraid to get creative and engage your volunteers as thought
partners—maybe you invite their input on a letter writing campaign and
ask them to contribute ideas and language, or you talk with them about
sharing fundraising and marketing materials with their personal networks
via email and social media to see who might be interested in becoming a
donor or attending an event, and then you solicit ideas for how to make the
appeal more viral—the point is you don’t need to have all the answers and can
make it a conversation instead of an assignment.
Case Study: APANO
Tam was impressed and learned something himself when he
volunteered for APANO, the Asian Pacific American Network of
Oregon. They needed to raise $20,000 for a new community
center. They looked through their database and identified their
“superstar” volunteers, then narrowed down the list to folks who
were also influential community leaders. They invited Tam and the
others out to dinner, where they presented their vision, the impact
it would have, the fundraising need, and their intended strategy
(continued)
4 2 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Conclusion
In short, if you treat volunteers the way you do staff and potential donors,
you’re on the right path. Volunteers are not only freely giving their time
to advance your cause, but they are also statistically likely to be your best
donors. Take the time to plan their contributions properly and make sure
to provide them with the support and resources they need to maximize
their engagement, including staff, materials, and most of all, access to your
time, attention, and appreciation. Train and appreciate your volunteers and
they will thrive. Get out of your comfort zone when it comes to actively
for raising the cash. Their focus was on a tight list of key major
donor prospects—they already had their contact info and invited
the volunteers to share any existing relationships they had with
the prospects. Since they stacked the deck with well-connected
supporters, almost everybody in the room was tied to somebody
and offered a personal intro. They also asked for additional names
and encouraged everybody to list two to five names of people
who might be interested in this particular project, and made sure
to confirm they felt comfortable with approaching them.
By the end of one well-executed night, APANO had a list of more
than 100 targeted prospects, each associated with a personal
connection, plus they had lots of inroads with the leads they
previously identified. From there, they provided packets, email
templates and talking points, and a top-level brochure and
one-pager. The APANO staff also checked in with their volunteers
on a call or email every week or two, asking about updates and
challenges and inquiring about possible meetings that staff could
support by participating. Throughout the campaign, whenever a
volunteer had a fundraising victory, APANO sent an email saying
something like “Haley just got a pledge for $1,000,” “John Smith
just pledged $5,000,” “Jane Betty is in for $20 a month,” and so
on. This kept the momentum going and created an environment
of friendly competition. APANO even kept an updated list of total
contributions that all the volunteers viewed regularly, ultimately
making the campaign a huge success, generating $25,000, with
the extra cash going toward the complete remodel of their offices,
as well as building a new community center. They also leveraged
this momentum to double the funds raised at their annual gala
shortly thereafter.
(continued)
V o l u n t e e r f u n d r a i s i n g 4 3
engaging them as thought partners in your fundraising efforts. Finally, never
underestimate the importance of regularly showing them the positive impact they
are having on your organization and cause. By creating and maintaining a
relationship of trust and accountability, you will create a more fulfilling and
prosperous relationship for everyone involved.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do. . .
. . . have clear expectations documented in an agreement that’s signed
by both your organization and the volunteer.
. . . check in with volunteers at least monthly to provide feedback and
show gratitude.
. . . engage volunteer alumni by regularly sending out key updates and
invitations after their terms of service end.
. . . offer business cards to top-performing volunteers to get them
more engaged.
Don’t. . .
. . . bring volunteers on without a clear sense of what’s required of them,
who’s going to manage them, and systems to set them up for success.
. . . be afraid to ask volunteers for their input on ideas in progress, or
to contribute financially.
. . . make assumptions about volunteer experience, skillsets, or
commitment; ask them what they want and don’t want to do.
. . . ask volunteers to do something that staff would not be willing to
do themselves.
About the Expert
Simon Tam is currently the director of marketing for the Oregon
Environmental Council, the author of How to Get Sponsorships and
Endorsements, and was previously the community relationship manager
at the American Cancer Society, where he managed more than 2,500
volunteers.
4 4 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Note
1. Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund. “Fidelity® Charitable Gift Fund
Volunteerism and Charitable Giving in 2009 Executive Summary.”
www.fidelitycharitable.org/docs/Volunteerism-Charitable-Giving-2009-
Executive-Summary . December 9, 2009.
Resource Review
VolunteerMatch (www.VolunteerMatch.org)
Great resource for finding volunteers, articles, and content on volunteer
engagement; useful for recruiting volunteers, board members, and
fulfilling skills-based requirements.
Idealist (www.Idealist.org)
A very robust website that offers lots of links to useful resources and articles,
plus access to a global community of volunteers and nonprofit peers.
J. Maxwell & S. Covey. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them
and People Will Follow You (10th ed.). Thomas Nelson, 2007.
Insightful book that offers great leadership advice, with direct implications
for staff and volunteer engagement.
HandsOn Network (www.HandsOnNetwork.org)
A U.S.–wide network of volunteer centers, many of which organize
events to share best practices for volunteer recruitment and engagement.
National Council of Nonprofits (NCN) (https://www.councilofnonprofits.
org/tools-resources/volunteers)
The NCN is a network of state associations of nonprofits, but their
website has a wealth of resources and links to useful data on volunteers, as
well as tools and best practices for their engagement and management.
Nonprofit Resource Center (www.nprcenter.org/volunteer-management)
Besides providing training and support to Sacramento-based nonprofits,
NPR also publishes a great list of useful volunteer resources.
Foundation Center’s GrantSpace (http://grantspace.org/tools)
In the Tools section, you can search for “Recruiting and Managing
Volunteers” and there’s an extensive list of resources, links, and research
on the topic.
Career Resource Centers at Community Colleges
These are great resources for finding volunteers, as they provide access to
working adults looking to expand their résumés. Google is a free and easy
tool for finding these.
http://www.fidelitycharitable.org/docs/Volunteerism-Charitable-Giving-2009-Executive-Summary
http://www.fidelitycharitable.org/docs/Volunteerism-Charitable-Giving-2009-Executive-Summary
http://www.VolunteerMatch.org
http://www.Idealist.org
http://www.HandsOnNetwork.org
https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/tools-resources/volunteers
https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/tools-resources/volunteers
http://www.nprcenter.org/volunteer-management
http://grantspace.org/tools
IIPart
Building Your
Toolkit and Tracking
Progress
47
5Chapter
Prospecting and Donor
Research
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
—Ben Franklin
Introduction
Prospecting and donor research are absolutely critical to a nonprofit’s
long-term fundraising success. It’s about more than just collecting data;
it’s about creating fundraising intelligence. To raise money, you need to
be able to identify fundraising prospects, track your activities, and gather
information on donors and prospects that will help you connect and
develop relationships. Without intelligence, you will be operating in the
dark, and at some point you’ll need to turn the lights on but won’t be able
to. This is where prospecting and research tools will help.
Fundraising research helps you identify and prioritize donor prospects
and provides helpful information to frontline fundraisers for their
interactions with foundations, corporations, and major donors.
Ultimately, it enables you to build a clear picture of your top prospects
and craft appropriate strategies to maximize results. Your budget and
organizational capacity will determine how deep you go, but every
4 8 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
nonprofit trying to raise money needs to research prospects, and in particular
you should focus on your top 5 to 10 percent, but of course that means
you need to be able to identify them.
Having a system in place for donor research will lead to larger pools of
funding prospects and increased fundraising revenue. Advances in technology
and information storage have been a game-changer for nonprofits and
fundraisers in particular. To learn more about this topic and the tools that
will help you be successful, I sat down with Helen Brown, co-author of
Prospect Research for Fundraisers: The Essential Handbook, and president of
the Helen Brown Group. In her words, she says this topic is crucial since,
“Research is the foundation that all great fundraising is built on.”
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Assign the Right Staff
Someone will need to take point on your fundraising research efforts, but who?
The staff member you charge with gathering fundraising intelligence will
need to possess or acquire specific skills and characteristics. Try to pick
someone who has a natural curiosity, combined with the ability to find,
synthesize, and communicate information skillfully. Of course, he or she
should also possess an understanding and passion for the organization’s
mission and goals, as well as the ability to ascertain how top prospects’
social aims map to those goals. A general zeal and affinity for philanthropy
is also hugely helpful. Finally, on the analytical side, make sure your
designee has the ability to search through a wide range of research resources
and the ability to track detailed information in your database, all combined
with an interest in continuing education on the topic.
Hopefully, you can find one person who possesses all these attributes,
and if you want to get even more specific, APRA offers a handy resource
for assessing the skill sets needed when hiring research professionals (see
Resource Review), which is free to members or available for a fee. Otherwise,
you can hire for the position and integrate these needs into your job
description or, if that’s not an option, select your top candidates and weigh
them against these criteria, but be sure to factor in how much capacity they
have available. Finally, many small-to-medium-sized nonprofits find it more
efficient, both from a budget and an overhead standpoint, to outsource this
function and hire a consultant, firm, or freelancer.
P r o s p e c t i n g a n d d o n o r r e s e a r c h 4 9
2. Start with Your Inner Circle
What do you already know about your donors, and are you starting
this effort from ground zero, or do you already have some donor and
prospect research in place? When starting any fundraising campaign,
you’ll typically want to begin with donors who are closest to your
organization, and already give regularly. The most important tool here
will be your database and the information you’ve collected and tracked
to date. (See more in Chapter 6 on databases.) Based on your existing
donors’ interest and connection to your cause, are they giving at capacity,
or is there room to upgrade them?
Once you have a strong grasp on your “inner circle” of donors, you’ll want
to expand your research to people and organizations in your database that
you don’t know much about. Your researcher’s goal will be to rank and
prioritize prospects, so you know where to focus. Hopefully, they can
do this by analyzing the data you already have: who donates annually;
who is married to someone who donated; who lives in the wealthiest
neighborhoods; who gives large donations to similar organizations, etc. You
can also use external tools, such as wealth screening services, to identify
prospects with the greatest capacity.
After you’ve done some homework on your other donors, you still need
a ranking system to help prioritize efforts. Keep it simple, at least in the
beginning. By subjectively assigning a score of 1 to 3 for both a prospect’s
connection and capacity, you will streamline your efforts tremendously.
When deciding if someone’s connection merits a 1, consider whether she
volunteers, is a board member or is married to one, and to what extent she’s
shown a commitment or passion for your cause. Perhaps you’re working
on a cure for malaria and know The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are
huge funders in that arena, but you give them a 2 since you haven’t had any
discussions to date, so you’re still an unknown. But they’d certainly score a 1
on capacity, which is the size of check you think they can write if motivated.
The most connected, highest capacity prospects will be ranked as a 1-1 and
quickly rise to the top of your prospect list, meaning you’ll focus the most
resources, time, and follow up on them.
If your organization has a large prospect pipeline, you may want to get even
more specific and use a rating system like the one Helen Brown and her
team employ. Brown says, “When you create a ratings system, keep it simple
and easy-to-understand at a glance. Systems fail when people have to pull
5 0 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
out cheat-sheets to look up codes all the time, or when available codes run
out due to growth. Here’s what I recommend:”
Capacity Ratings should be real numbers.
Rating Code Translation
5 $5,000–$9,999
10 $10,000–$24,999
25 $25,000–$49,999
50 $50,000–$99,999
100 $100,000–$249,999
Etc.
The Next Gift Amount is different from the capacity rating. Someone’s
capacity may be $1 million, but the next gift you might ask for could be
their first gift of $25,000. You might use the same codes as for the Capacity
Rating, or use the actual number rather than a range.
Rating Code Translation
5 $5,000–$9,999
10 $10,000–$24,999
25 $25,000–$49,999
50 $50,000–$99,999
100 $100,000–$249,999
Etc.
Inclination/interest codes should be quick and easy to figure out, like a
grade in school.
Rating Code Translation
A We are their top philanthropic priority
B We are a priority
C We are not yet on their radar
D We are not a priority
E Do not solicit (add date and reason
why in accompanying text box)
Readiness codes help keep you on schedule and forecast end-of-year totals:
P r o s p e c t i n g a n d d o n o r r e s e a r c h 5 1
Rating Code Translation
6m Will be asked in the next six months (add date)
12m Will be asked in the next year
18m Will be asked in the next 18 months
24m Will be asked in the next two years
Camp Will be asked in the campaign
Ask Ask has been made, awaiting response
Ask Accepted Awaiting gift
Ask Declined No gift. A “reason why” text box can be useful here.
Stewardship Gift arrived, donor to be thanked
3. Support the Ask
Now that you’ve identified your top fundraising prospects within your database,
it’s time to do more in-depth research. Your researcher can use both free and
fee-based tools, including searching the Web, to find information like the
prospect’s connection to the broader cause (e.g., he’s volunteered or donated in
this area, has a family member affected by your issue), if he is married and has a
family, where he lives and works, where he went to school, and any professional
affiliations he may have. Perhaps the researcher will uncover information like
the selling of a business, a big donation to a like-minded organization, family or
inherited wealth, foundation affiliations, and memberships in exclusive yacht or
country clubs. Your researcher can also use free tools like Google Alerts (http://
google.com/alerts) to keep tabs on any major activities or life events by simply
setting up an alert with the prospect’s name.
Simply put, the more information you gather on top prospects, the better
prepared your fundraising team will be to make and maximize their asks. This
intelligence adds context to any interactions, helping you or your fundraiser
to better know the prospect, develop a relationship, and create a suitable
strategy.
4. Keep an Eye on Top Prospects
Sustained fundraising success is dependent on your stewardship of existing
donors, particularly your biggest supporters. Tools such as Google Alerts,
mentioned in the last tip, will help you stay informed and provide critical,
up-to-date information to your fundraisers that enables them to strengthen
relationships and adjust strategies accordingly. You also want to track all
activity on key donors in your database so that you can identify patterns of
behavior and plan appropriate follow-up; that means notes from every call,
http://google.com/alerts
http://google.com/alerts
5 2 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
meeting, and bit of relevant research finds its way into the person’s profile
for future reference. It’s also helpful to track the lead fundraiser associated
with every prospect; that way, anyone who wants to communicate with that
donor knows whom to speak with regarding any questions or updates.
If you have the capacity to go a bit deeper into tracking key prospects and
donors, implement a “moves management” system to keep track of where
major donors are in the fundraising cycle. This can be as simple as adding
an extra column to your Excel spreadsheet or a new field in your database
to track their status, but using a consistent key is crucial. At the very least,
list every major prospect’s stage as identification, cultivation, ask, or
stewardship (e.g., I, C, A, or S). Finally, add a field for next steps, and then
set alerts in your calendar or from your database so you’re notified when it’s
time for the next follow-up.
5. Expand Your Pipeline
Now that we’ve covered the donors and prospects you know about, let’s move
on to sharing some tips for adding new prospects. This is key to creating
ongoing sustainable revenue for your organization, so you should allocate
the resources needed to ensure constant prospecting, with at least monthly
activity. For individual donors, start by creating a donor model, meaning
you identify characteristics that your existing or ideal donors have. For
example, perhaps you are looking for donors interested in ALS who live in
San Francisco, have the capacity to give five-figure gifts, and have donated at
least $100,000 to similar organizations. You can then use subscription-based
databases, such as DonorSearch, LexisNexis, NOZA, ResearchPoint, and more
to find prospects who meet these criteria. (See Resource Review below for
links.) If you have the capacity, you can even use multiple databases to cross-
reference and narrow your focus on certain prospects. You can also buy a third-
party list, but there are wide ranges of lists, and thus a wide-range of quality.
For prospect research on foundations and corporations, Foundation Center has
a subscription-based online directory that’s fantastic. (More in Chapter 19.)
6. Stay Informed
Donor and prospect research is a dynamic industry, and advances in
technology make it important to stay on top of trends and new tools. If you
can afford the approximate $200 membership fee, it is wise to join APRA, the
Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement. They offer regular
webinars and ongoing educational opportunities, information on trends and
P r o s p e c t i n g a n d d o n o r r e s e a r c h 5 3
new tools, and a great annual conference. They also have regional chapters
that focus on educational opportunities and professional development,
many of which produce events that are open to the public. Take a look at the
Resource Review at the end of this chapter for more tools that will help you
keep your saw sharp and succeed in prospect and donor research.
Conclusion
In order to maximize fundraising success, it’s critical that you know how
to conduct research on your existing donors, as well as how to identify and
prioritize new prospects. Having the right person in charge of this task will
ensure that you find accurate, detailed information that’s communicated clearly
to your frontline fundraisers, allowing them to build stronger relationships and
create suitable strategies. Your number one tool in this endeavor will be your
database, where you will track key information and activity, rank your donors
and prospects, and keep track of their place within the fundraising cycle. There
are external tools like the Internet, wealth-screening services, and subscription-
based databases that can advance your efforts and help you find even more
major prospects, but again, all of this takes time and attention, which means
it must be made a strategic priority, instead of being viewed as a burden or
distraction. After all, without key information on your donors and prospects,
your fundraisers are operating in the dark.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do. . .
. . . assign someone on staff to spearhead your prospect and donor
research efforts, or work with a seasoned consultant who can
provide you with strategic support.
. . . focus the majority of your research resources on the top 5 to 10
percent of your donors and prospects.
. . . create a system, however basic, that enables you to rank and
prioritize donors and prospects.
Don’t. . .
. . . assume your researchers can find information that prospects want
to keep private.
5 4 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
. . . fail to debrief and communicate key information with frontline
fundraisers before they go on donor or prospect calls.
. . . let a month go by without spending some time and energy on
adding new prospects to your fundraising pipeline.
. . . use information that is not available publicly unless the donor has
divulged it.
About the Expert
Helen Brown is a development veteran of nearly thirty years and is the
president of the Helen Brown Group. She co-authored the book Prospect
Research for Fundraisers: The Essential Handbook. Brown works with a variety
of clients to establish, benchmark, and re-align research departments;
identify major gift prospects; and train researchers and other fundraisers
through on-site and web-based training services. She was previously a board
member of the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement
(APRA) and president of the New England Development Research
Association (NEDRA).
Resource Review
The Helen Brown Group (www.helenbrowngroup.com)
Find a great library of articles, case studies, and resources on prospect and
donor research.
Filla, Jennifer J., and Helen E. Brown. Prospect Research for Fundraisers: The
Essential Handbook. John Wiley & Sons, 2013.
A practical guide for fundraisers to get the most out of their prospect
development efforts.
Hogan, Cecilia. Prospect Research: A Primer for Growing Nonprofits. Jones
and Bartlett, 2004.
An essential how-to for those new to prospect research who want to learn
the basics of the profession.
Cannon, Christopher M. An Executive’s Guide to Fundraising Operations
Principles, Tools and Trends. John Wiley & Sons, 2011.
P r o s p e c t i n g a n d d o n o r r e s e a r c h 5 5
Provides fundraisers with easy-to-understand approaches to evaluate
and address fundraising operations needs and opportunities. This guide
simplifies and focuses on the analysis of problems and needs, allowing a
quick return to fundraising.
Birkholz, Joshua. Fundraising Analytics: Using Data to Guide Strategy. John
Wiley & Sons, 2008.
This book provides step-by-step instructions for understanding your
constituents, developing metrics to gauge and guide your success, and
much more.
MacDonell, Kevin, and Peter Wylie. Score! Data-Driven Success for Your
Advancement Team. CASE, 2014.
This book provides explanations of basic issues, such as obtaining data,
what to ask for, and what operations to perform once the data is in hand.
It also includes examples of useful and common analyses to give the
reader the “feel” of what data analysis is all about.
Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement (APRA) (www
.aprahome.org)
Great resource for continuing education; be sure to check out their
quarterly newsletter, blogs, webinars, and their annual conference, almost
all of which are squarely focused on prospect and donor research for
nonprofits. Their “Body of Knowledge” is a helpful resource, available
free to members, that defines standard competencies for those in the
functional areas of prospect research, data analytics, and prospect
management (www.aprahome.org/p/cm/ld/fid=493)
New England Development Research Association (NEDRA) (www.nedra.org)
If you are based in America’s Northeast, this is a great regional organization
that produces an annual conference and offers a wide range of helpful
resources and links.
The California Advancement Researchers Association (CARA) (www
.caresearchers.org)
Similar to NEDRA, but intended for nonprofits based in the Western U.S.
Association of Advancement Services Professionals (AASP) (www.advserv.org/)
Wonderful resource offering articles and information on prospect and
donor research, as well as an annual conference.
DRIVE (http://thedriveconference.com)
This is a big annual conference focused on data analytics, which is a
crucial component to successful prospect and donor research.
http://www.aprahome.org/p/cm/ld/fid=493
http://www.nedra.org
http://www.advserv.org/
http://thedriveconference.com
http://www.aprahome.org
http://www.aprahome.org
http://www.caresearchers.org
http://www.caresearchers.org
5 6 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Prospect Research Databases
• DonorSearch (www.donorsearch.net)
• LexisNexis (www.nexislexis.com)
• NOZA (www.nozasearch.com)
• iWave/PRO (www.iwave.com)
• ResearchPoint (www.blackbaud.com/howto/researchpoint.aspx)
• WealthEngine (www.wealthengine.com/markets/nonprofits)
Listservs are great forums for exchanging ideas, challenges, and questions
with peers:
• Prspct-l (general prospect research focus) www.aprahome.org/p/cm/
ld/fid=15
• Prospect-DMM (data analytics focus) https://mailman.mit.edu/
mailman/listinfo/prospect-dmm
http://www.nexislexis.com
http://www.nozasearch.com
http://www.iwave.com
http://www.blackbaud.com/howto/researchpoint.aspx
http://www.wealthengine.com/markets/nonprofits
http://www.aprahome.org/p/cm/ld/fid=15
https://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/prospect-dmm
57
6Chapter
Donor Databases
and CRM
“Information is the new oil.”
—Cheryl Contee
Introduction
Fundraising is the lifeblood of your nonprofit, so it’s critical that you invest
in a constituent relationship management (CRM) tool to serve as your donor
database. As donor profiles change, you need 21st century tools to help you
understand your supporters and reach them in personal ways. You need to
know what their interests are, how they give, and how to best engage and solicit
them. Segmenting your supporters and communicating with them in customized
ways will help you maximize response rates. This powerful technological tool can
also provide a dynamic way to give donors real-time feedback on the impact
their donations make possible, and enable you to analyze your efforts and
make more informed, strategic decisions. For example, how is your direct mail
program performing compared to your email campaigns or events, and how
are you tracking against your key performance indicators?
A CRM database allows you to store crucial donor information, including contact
info and gift history, and can also send communications, integrate with social
5 8 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
media, track organizational data like finances, volunteer activity, and much,
much more. This helps you better manage relationships with constituents
and supporters. For example, a CRM database can track information, like the
number of clients you serve, and help you collate that data in one simple view,
like a dashboard that can be accessed via the Internet, or even your cell phone.
Imagine meeting with funders or donors and pulling up your organizational
dashboard on your mobile device, showing them how you are meeting your
goals, sharing real-time statistics on impact and organizational performance,
and clarifying how you’re really making a difference with their money. (See
more on dashboards and tracking impact in the next chapter.)
There are many systems on the market today that are well suited to
nonprofits, most notably Salesforce and NetSuite.org, both of which are
donated freely to nonprofits and can address all your data warehousing
needs. If, for some reason, you choose to use multiple systems, remember
to ensure that they’re all connected and “talk to each other.” This is usually
done through an API, or application programming interface.
To learn more about how nonprofits can use CRM platforms to power their
donor databases and fundraising efforts, I talked with Suzanne DiBianca,
president of Salesforce Foundation, and Peggy Duvette, director of social impact
at NetSuite, who broke down the formula for success into five simple tips.
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Pick the Right Platform
There are a lot of options for CRM platforms on the market, and step one
is taking the time to do your homework and determine which will work
best for your organization. In order to ease this process, develop your
requirements and a clear understanding of the problems you’re trying to
solve. Read articles and reviews from third parties (see Resource Review
below), and talk with other nonprofits that do similar work and are of similar
size. Find a platform that your entire team will be comfortable using, as any
database or CRM is only as powerful as the information that is entered.
Choose a platform that will suit you five years down the road, while also
meeting your current needs. Of course, cost will be a determining factor,
including setup and customization costs plus ongoing fees, but make sure you
are also considering your return on investment, such as increased donations.
d o n o r d a t a b a s e s a n d C r M 5 9
The biggest companies in the field today are Blackbaud, Salesforce, and
NetSuite. Salesforce is the most popular tool for nonprofits and gives away
ten free licenses, plus they have a great hub called The Power of Us, where
customers can collaborate, share best practices, and see solutions. NetSuite
offers five free licenses to organizations to support their donor relationships,
financials, and volunteer program. Blackbaud is an expensive but powerful
tool best suited to larger organizations with multi-million-dollar budgets.
2. Identify an Owner
You need someone on your team to take ownership of your CRM and be its
champion. Ideally, this is a systems-focused person who understands and enjoys
data collection and analysis, but he or she should also be enough of a “people
person” to work well with all departments of the organization, including
development, marketing, volunteer management, finance, and others.
Once selected, this person should first create a timeline, budget, and
strategy for implementation of the platform (factoring in all the steps
below), and be responsible for integrating and customizing it for your
organization, or at least overseeing the volunteer or firm that does. He or
she will be in charge of collecting and inputting data, as well as guiding
other members on the team to contribute.
It will be your champion’s job to engage the end-users of your CRM as
early as possible, facilitating adoption. Your champion will also oversee
troubleshooting, reporting, and analytics, and be able to track key metrics and
create organizational dashboards, which can happen automatically with time.
Remember that your point person will need support, training, and access to
further educational opportunities, such as conferences and webinars.
3. Find and Clean Your Data
Once you have a CRM champion in place, focus on maximizing the value
and utilization of this tool. Based on your goals and objectives as an
organization, identify the key performance indicators that will help you
gauge performance. Remember, beyond tracking fundraising results, you’ll
also want to monitor programs, finances, volunteer efforts, and more.
To figure this out, you’ll likely want to talk to leaders and front-line staff
across all departments, possibly in a group setting. Be sure to include your
executive director and board, as those are two key audiences for the reports
you’ll generate, so knowing what information will be most helpful is critical.
6 0 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Once you’ve clarified what information you want to track, find out where
this information currently exists and how it will be used moving forward.
Once you know where all your data lives and are ready to migrate or input
it into your database, you need to “clean” it. This means ensuring that it’s
accurate and current, eliminating duplicate entries, and that data on all key
donors, volunteers, and staff and board are included.
LinkedIn is a great tool for filling in missing blanks and, if you have the budget,
which can sometimes come from “capacity building” grants from foundations,
you can hire a systems implementer. These are consultants or firms like
Exponent Partners that specialize in helping organizations gather, clean, and
input their data, as well as integrating and customizing CRM platforms for you.
4. Invest in Training and Documentation
Once your CRM platform is in place, your champion must introduce it to
each department and all key personnel, providing them with training and
guidelines for usage, including a data entry protocol to ensure consistency.
To maximize benefits, your entire organization has to be comfortable
with your platform and integrate it into their workflow. For most users,
it’s sufficient to only train them in basic functionality, but for department
heads and more advanced users, your champion should spend time training
them to do things like running reports and creating dashboards, which are
reports that integrate a range of metrics to provide a bird’s eye view of the
organization or a program or department. Once created, these dashboards
can be automatically generated by your CRM and emailed to relevant team
members, providing helpful insights regularly.
Your champion should also create a frequently asked questions (FAQs)
document to reduce time spent answering common inquiries, and he or she
should update this document over time as FAQs are identified. Your champion
should also create a simple user manual that outlines the various processes you’ve
put in place, clarifying their value and offering important how-to information.
Most platforms provide numerous training videos and free webinars that your
champion can also selectively share with your team over time.
5. Stay Current
To ensure that you get the most out of your platform, you’ll need to keep
it maintained and up-to-date. This means having an ongoing process for
keeping your data clean and staying abreast of new features and software
d o n o r d a t a b a s e s a n d C r M 6 1
updates. CRM providers often release new training videos or webinars,
usually for free, and these will help your champion ensure you take full
advantage of this powerful technology. Most providers also produce
annual conferences that are great places to learn new ways to more
effectively leverage your platform, as well as meet and learn from other
users.
Conclusion
Selecting and implementing a CRM platform is a lot of work, but it is
a long-term investment that will enable you to raise more money and
run your organization more effectively and efficiently. Having more
visibility into your operations and key data at your fingertips offers
benefits most nonprofits can’t even imagine. Your success will start with
tracking basic information, such as donor contacts and giving history.
And once you start tracking more detailed information like areas of
interest, how key donors like to give, and real-time insights into your
programs’ effectiveness, you can build relationships and communicate
with supporters and prospects in much more powerful, personalized
ways. Beyond the tremendous fundraising and external benefits,
your CRM platform will also bolster organizational capacity, giving
you access to key information and dashboards that will facilitate key
strategic decisions and help you keep your finger on the pulse of your
organization and its impact.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do. . .
. . . interview similar nonprofits to obtain their feedback on particular
platforms before deciding which CRM is right for you.
. . . test out CRMs you are considering to ensure they are user-friendly
and easy to use.
. . . ensure your systems are all integrated and able to seamlessly share
information.
. . . select a champion to “own” your CRM and have him or her train
key personnel on how to use it.
6 2 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Don’t. . .
. . . pick a platform or tool just because it is free; make sure it’s right
for you.
. . . rule out platforms because of cost without factoring in your return
on investment.
. . . fail to clean your data on an ongoing, regular basis.
. . . input all of your data into a new system at once; start with a small
sample and test.
About the Experts
Suzanne DiBianca is the president and co-founder of the Salesforce
Foundation. DiBianca is a recognized leader in the area of integrated
corporate philanthropy and in helping nonprofits take advantage of
modern technology to maximize impact. DiBianca sits on a number of
boards and advisory councils, including the World Affairs Council’s Global
Philanthropy Forum and Goodwill Industries.
Peggy Duvette is the director of social impact at NetSuite, a leading CRM/
ERP cloud platform, and oversees the NetSuite.org donation program,
which offers NetSuite technologies for free to nonprofits around the word.
She is a leading voice in the area of technology and social impact. Her
focus at NetSuite is helping small and mid-sized organizations advance
social impact though the grant program. Previously, she served as executive
director of WiserEarth.
Resource Review
The Nonprofit Matrix (www.nonprofitmatrix.com)
This is a directory of digital tools and services for nonprofits. Check out
their directory of CRM platforms to decide which is right for you at www.
nonprofitmatrix.com/database-crm/
Salesforce Foundation (www.salesforcefoundation.org)
The Foundation offers ten free licenses of their CRM platform to
nonprofits and higher education organizations, with discounts beyond
that. Salesforce’s annual conference in San Francisco, Dreamforce, offers a
http://www.nonprofitmatrix.com
http://www.nonprofitmatrix.com/database-crm/
http://www.nonprofitmatrix.com/database-crm/
http://www.salesforcefoundation.org
d o n o r d a t a b a s e s a n d C r M 6 3
dedicated track for nonprofits. Also, check out their nonprofit video case
studies at https://www.youtube.com/user/SalesforceFoundation
NetSuite (www.netsuite.org)
NetSuite is a leading ERP/CRM cloud platform that offers five
free licenses to nonprofits and social enterprises to support donor
relationships and financials. NetSuite also helps organizations build
capacity through their pro bono volunteer program, an initiative that
partners NetSuite employees with grantees to facilitate adoption and
build technology capacity.
Blackbaud (www.blackbaud.com)
This public company offers a variety of tools for nonprofits to manage
their data, including the donor database platform, Raiser’s Edge, and
the CRM platform, Luminate. Their platform is best suited to larger
nonprofits with millions of dollars in annual revenue.
The Connected Cause (www.theconnectedcause.com)
Find tips, resources, and helpful articles on nonprofit technology,
including: “Best Practices in CRM for Nonprofits”: http://
theconnectedcause.com/best-practices-crm-nonprofits/
Idealware (www.idealware.org)
This site is dedicated to helping nonprofits make smart software
decisions, with a focus on open source technology. Find reports, blogs,
and articles, including “Ten Common Mistakes in Selecting Donor
Databases (and How to Avoid Them)”: www.idealware.org/articles/ten_
common_mistakes_in_selecting_donor_databases.php
NTEN (www.nten.org)
NTEN helps nonprofits use technology more effectively. Check out
their annual conference NTC, and find great resources and articles on
their site, such as “Selecting a Nonprofit CRM System? Start with the
Strategy!”: www.nten.org/article/selecting-a-nonprofit-crm-system-start-
with-the-strategy/
TechSoup (www.techsoup.org)
The world’s largest provider of technology to nonprofits, TechSoup offers
steep discounts on all kinds of IT to nonprofits and libraries, as well as
providing great resources and articles on their site and a free webinar
series.
CauseVox (www.causevox.com)
This is an online fundraising and crowdfunding platform that also offers
great resources and articles on their website, including “5 Must-Know Tips
in Selecting a Nonprofit CRM”: www.causevox.com/blog/nonprofit-crm/
https://www.youtube.com/user/SalesforceFoundation
http://www.netsuite.org
http://www.theconnectedcause.com
http://theconnectedcause.com/best-practices-crm-nonprofits/
http://theconnectedcause.com/best-practices-crm-nonprofits/
http://www.idealware.org
http://www.idealware.org/articles/ten_common_mistakes_in_selecting_donor_databases.php
http://www.nten.org
http://www.nten.org/article/selecting-a-nonprofit-crm-system-start-with-the-strategy/
http://www.nten.org/article/selecting-a-nonprofit-crm-system-start-with-the-strategy/
http://www.nten.org/article/selecting-a-nonprofit-crm-system-start-with-the-strategy/
http://www.techsoup.org
Nonprofit CRM: Your Guide To Selecting The Right Tool & 5 (Must-Know) Tips
65
7Chapter
Measuring Impact
Data, Stories, and Organizational
Dashboards
“If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.”
—Peter Drucker
Introduction
Making a difference is the reason the nonprofit sector exists, and as we’ve
shared in many of the chapters in this book, fundraising success revolves
around your ability to make—and relay—impact. Donors, especially
younger ones, want to know where their money is going and what it’s
accomplishing, and are increasingly demanding metrics to prove it. If
you can’t clearly, compellingly show donors and prospects the difference
their donations have made, they won’t support your work. Furthermore,
you need to know whether you’re putting your organization’s valuable
resources and staff time toward something that’s having the impact you
intended, or whether a change of strategy is needed or can create even
greater impact. That means it’s critical you’re able to set and demonstrate
progress toward goals and objectives, which is only possible if you
measure progress. When you do, your donor cultivation and stewardship
6 6 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
efforts will thrive; plus, you can leverage these insights to refine your
efforts, magnifying impact and creating efficiencies.
Said another way, measuring impact serves two connected purposes. First,
it provides valuable insights, data points, and stories you can share with the
outside world, enlisting their support. Second, evaluation helps you gauge
your performance internally, against past performance, other organizations,
and the sector as a whole, enabling you to make better strategic decisions.
In order to excel in this arena, you need to create a culture that values
collecting both data and stories. That means tracking key programmatic and
operational metrics like number of youth served, meals delivered, money
raised and spent, and so forth, as well as individual examples of the lives you
change or specific success stories of your projects. Then you’ll organize this
information for both external communications and internal audiences. For
example, the stories you collect provide great content for your fundraising
and marketing emails, while key metrics can be integrated into useful
dashboards and reports to share with staff and board members.
To learn more about evaluation and measuring impact, I talked with Steve
MacLaughlin, director of analytics at Blackbaud, who provided a great
framework for any cause looking to gauge, convey, and maximize impact.
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Identify Key Performance Indicators and Secure
Stories
In all my years working with nonprofits, the simplest yet most transformative
question I’ve come across is: “What does success look like?” I share it at
almost every group meeting, especially when planning new programs and
initiatives, as well as when launching fundraising campaigns. Think about
your mission and the impact you hope to generate, whether it’s creating a
vibrant arts scene in St. Louis, helping people escape poverty in Mexico City,
combating climate change, or whatever your goal. Typically, these goals don’t
manifest out of thin air; key performance indicators (KPIs) are useful
metrics tracked to gauge your progress.
These will vary depending on the strategy you employ to achieve your goal, also
known as a “theory of change.” If your mission is to fight homelessness in Detroit
and your approach is doing that through vocational training, programmatic KPIs
might include the number of participants in your job-training program, or how
M e a s u r i n g i m p a c t 6 7
many people secured employment. When combined with powerful individual
stories, KPIs help you convey impact to your donors and prospects, enabling
you to better cultivate and retain them. Moreover, KPIs provide a road map for
how your work advances your vision and mission.
KPIs are also helpful in assessing organizational effectiveness. If you aren’t running
an efficient organization, solving problems will be a huge challenge, even if your
strategy has great merit. Some examples of useful operational KPIs include board
member attendance at meetings and committee participation, monthly expenses
and income by department, cash reserves and number of months this can sustain
you with no additional income (also known as “runway” or your “rainy day
fund”), and the existence of strategic plans for departments such as fundraising,
technology, HR, or others. Similarly, identifying KPIs for fundraising is also very
useful, including number of prospects, calls and meetings with prospects per
month, proposals submitted, donor renewal rates, and so forth.
Remember that not everything that counts can be measured; and not
everything that’s measured counts. Don’t go overboard and drive yourself
crazy tracking a thousand things. Instead, identify the select few KPIs that
are most meaningful and insightful, and watch those religiously.
One final note here: while collecting data is great, don’t forget to collect
personal stories to document your impact and humanize your work. Talk
to the people you serve, and ask how you’ve affected their lives. Have the
people who run your programs or volunteer share their personal stories and
connections to the cause. Even brief videos or audio recordings from a phone
can be powerful, as can short blogs where one person’s voice shines through.
Remember: people don’t give to organizations; they give to people. Stories
are critical to your ability to share your story in a way that reaches people’s
hearts. That includes success stories, but also those that demonstrate the need.
As evaluation guru Lovely Dhillon puts it, “Although we all aim to change the
world, it starts with the little steps—the quality of life enhancements that we
make for just one person, and how we make their life just a little bit better.”
Outputs Versus Outcomes
When assessing impact, it’s important to know the difference be-
tween outputs and outcomes. An output is a quantifiable action
taken, such as number of emails sent, number of new followers
on Twitter, number of clients served, or meetings held. Outputs
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6 8 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
2. Develop a Plan to Measure Progress
Now that you have clarity on what success looks like, how can you tell if it’s
actually happening? This requires a plan and strategy for collecting data and
evaluating your KPIs. Nonprofits are typically stretched thin and trying to
make due with insufficient resources—including time and personnel—so if
you don’t set up systems and prioritize collecting information and regularly
assessing impact, you’ll be overwhelmed trying to go back and collect a
bunch of data all at once. That is why it is critical that data collection be
integrated into the way you do your everyday work.
Tools such as databases and CRM platforms (see Chapter 6) can streamline
this process and also provide a valuable central repository for storing it.
You can distribute a daily, weekly, or monthly survey to staff, volunteers,
clients, and even board members to collect key information. Think about
how often you want to measure certain metrics: How often do you want
to know things are going well, or how quickly do you need to know when
they are going badly? Tie all these inputs together and create daily, weekly,
monthly, quarterly, and annual reports, sharing progress as represented
are basically a list of things you’ve done. On the other hand, out-
comes are not about what you did, but what happened as
a result. Basically, outputs are the “what,” while outcomes are the
“so what?” Outcomes demonstrate you’re making progress toward
your goals and mission, delivering the change you seek. For ex-
ample, if you aim to increase college access for youth of color like
the Posse Foundation, college enrollment and graduation rates
for their participants are two concrete outcomes. Outputs help
deliver those outcomes, and in this case could include number of
mentors recruited, hours of academic support provided, etc.
It’s crucial to understand this difference, and many nonprofits
confuse the two and erroneously think that measuring outputs is
enough, when you really want to measure the difference you’re
making. It doesn’t matter that you fed 100 people last year and
1,000 people this year if those 1,000 are still suffering from mal-
nutrition. That is, outcomes force you to look at your strate-
gies and the differences they actually make and force you
to assess: “Is our theory of change working? Are we making the
difference we intended to make?”
(continued)
M e a s u r i n g i m p a c t 6 9
by your KPIs. Use these reports to think through how much you can
improve outputs and outcomes if you invest more resources, helping you
prioritize efforts. For example, when we increase our email list by 1,000
names, we raise $500 more a month through email solicitations, or with
$1,000 a month of additional spending, our soup kitchen can serve 5,000
more meals. Some of these return on investment and output calculations
can even find their way into your live event or the donate string on your
donate page, as detailed in Chapters 12 and 15, respectively.
3. Integrate Your Evaluation and Strategic Plans
What plans already exist in your organization? Do you have a strategic
plan, a fundraising plan, an operating plan? Start with these in mind
when creating your evaluation plan, since integrated plans and
strategies, all driving toward the same goals and outcomes, ensure
alignment and maximize impact. Your overall strategic plan is the
starting point for all planning efforts, especially evaluation. Do the
metrics and indicators you’ve identified lead to your overarching goal?
Your evaluation plan should assess both progress on specific programs, as
well as the impact on your overall mission and goals. Also, your strategic
plan should provide the resources and time for integrating learning culled
from measurement and evaluation activities.
4. Tear Down the Walls
It’s critical that you foster collaboration and partnership between the
people running your programs and those conducting evaluation and
analysis. They need to work closely and articulate the importance of their
work to one another for the good of the organization. Program staff need
to be included in the creation of your evaluation plan, as they are on the
front lines, collecting information and witnessing impact. They provide
a great reality check for determining how realistic proposed data capture
strategies are, and they can generally share great insights into the clients you
serve. Get them on board with your strategies, such as surveys, collecting
stories, and counting activities. Make sure they understand the connection
between data collection and the funding that makes their work possible.
Ask them open-ended questions about how they’d assess your impact, and
on the changes and trends they’ve seen over time. Smart nonprofits capture
and share these stories and trends, both at internal staff meetings and to the
public through newsletters, funding proposals, and other means.
7 0 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
5. Look to the Past to See the Future
If you’ve already tracked information and collected historical data, you’re in a
great position to forecast. For example, through simple analysis perhaps you
can determine how many major donor meetings you need to have in a month
to secure five gifts, or raise $50,000. These insights can dictate future activities
and priorities, helping you fine-tune your fundraising strategy, but also
programs, operations, and more. Look at a previous time period—ideally, the
same month in a previous year—and simply do the math. Measure how many
major donor meetings were conducted and how many gifts were received as a
result. If you make these changes and your results don’t match expectations,
then re-think your activities and strategies. Perhaps you’re not identifying the
right prospects, not sending the right people to donor meetings, or perhaps
there’s another reason. If you don’t have historic experience or data to rely
on as a baseline, ask other nonprofits or do research online. In this case,
you’ll want to be as conservative as possible in your estimates, setting realistic
expectations and avoiding being unpleasantly surprised.
6. Benchmark Yourself
Assessing your impact and progress toward goals isn’t just about looking at your
own performance. It’s also incredibly valuable to look at similar organizations,
either based on their area of focus, location, staff, or budget, perform. How
do you compare to your peers? Compare your fundraising efforts and specific
KPIs with other groups to identify growth opportunities and establish your
strengths. The best way to identify industry benchmarks is through aggregate
industry research, including that conducted by Blackbaud, Giving USA,
and M+R. Generally speaking, it’s not appropriate to ask peers for sensitive
information like donor retention rates, number of major donors, or conversion
rates, but if you have a close friend inside, sometimes he or she will share
otherwise sensitive information. What’s more accepted and realistic is assessing
your performance based on these third-party reports, figuring out the specific
metrics where you’re lagging, such as donor retention, and then reaching out to
ask peers for advice on how they succeed in that area.
7. Rock the Dashboard
As mentioned earlier in this chapter, you’ve enlisting the input of your board
and staff to identify your KPIs. Now take this to the next level and ask key
groups—including program staff, your board, and various departments—
which five to seven KPIs are the most helpful when assessing the health
and impact of the organization. Is it revenue raised per week, clients served
per month, annual employee retention, or something else? Prioritize and
M e a s u r i n g i m p a c t 7 1
showcase your most important KPIs in an organizational dashboard,
identifying a red, yellow, and green range for each.
For example, we should be serving at least 900 clients a month, but this may
dip to 800 in off months, but it certainly should never fall below that. Once you
know 0 to 799 is red, 800 to 899 is yellow, and 900+ is green, this information
is integrated into a monthly report automatically generated by a CRM or
created quickly by someone on staff and shared at every program staff meeting,
along with a select few other KPIs. If the various KPIs are all green, then it’s
a quick way to tell things are going smoothly and you can move on to your
intended agenda; a yellow, or especially a red, indicator likely means you should
take a second to discuss why something is off, and what to do about it.
Use this dashboard at regular staff and board meetings to assess your
organizational health as a group, and proactively identify and address any
potential “red” flags. Whether it’s a delay in completing work, problems securing
foundation grants, or a slowdown at your shelter, sometimes a visual, data-driven
tool is helpful in bringing important trends to light. This color system lets staff
and board take one look at a dashboard and know where to focus their efforts.
Case Study: charity: water
Since 2006 charity: water has raised over $170 million and brought
clean drinking water to 5.2 million people. They’ve completed more
than 16,000 projects, enlisting the support of over 700,000 donors.
A large part of their success comes from their ability to collect data,
measure their impact, and share this with donors and prospects.
When you give a donation to charity: water, you know exactly what
your money went toward, and you can often literally see the faces
of the people your contribution helped. This is why people keep
giving to them, and how they’re able to continue their work to bring
clean water to the world. Kaitlyn Jankowski, supporter experience
manager, shared the four secrets to their success:
1. Collect Specific Data
charity: water uses technology and partnerships to gather very
specific information from their projects and share it with their
donors. A large chunk of their data collection happens on the ground
through local, trusted partners who oversee the implementation
of their projects. To set these partners up for success, they created
protocols to ensure partners collect the most important information,
including village demographics, photos, stories, and project costs,
plus they provide support and guidance on data collection. They
(continued)
7 2 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
bolster this process by collecting as much data as possible internally;
they also leverage outside auditors to visit their partners and field
projects, alongside a program compliance team, to ensure the data
collected is reliable and accurate.
2. Communicate Honestly and Consistently
Throughout the 21-month lifespan between the time a donor
contributes to when he or she sees the actual completion of a
typical project, donors receive three specific communications
that convey the information gathered, plus detail the impact of
their donations. They’re notified when their money reaches the
area—at which time they receive an update directly from the local
partner—and once the project is complete, when they receive a
summary with GPS coordinates, photos, details on the number of
people served, exact project costs, and more.
Part of charity: water’s commitment to transparency is also being
willing to share bad news when it occurs. To them, authenticity
dictates being in full communication. For example, charity:
water knows on average it costs $30 to bring clean water to one
person, but in Rwanda costs ran to $65 per person. They seized
the opportunity to educate their donors on the specific political and
geologic obstacles faced, communicating in an honest way that only
solidified their role as an issue area expert, but never hid what some
groups might feel is embarrassing news. One year, on the anniver-
sary “live drill” where people log on to witness live video of villag-
ers rejoicing at the water spurting out of the ground, they couldn’t
hit water. charity: water was honest and let their supporters know
that they tried and failed, but made it clear they were committed
to coming back and doing what it took to serve this community. It’s
important to be transparent with the people who make your work
possible. If things don’t go as planned, let them know, and ensure
them that you are doing all you can to remedy the situation.
3. Use Data Externally and Internally
In addition to supporting fundraising efforts, monitoring and
sharing this specific information enables charity: water to keep
tabs on operational efficiencies. The same data points they share
with donors form the key performance indicators used internally to
assess their efforts. These data points, and others, are at the top of
their organizational dashboard and are used by staff and board to
gauge progress toward goals and outcomes.
4. Collect Stories
One of the most powerful ways charity: water communicates its
impact is through sharing personal stories of the transformation
that occurs in someone who gains access to clean drinking water.
(continued)
(continued)
M e a s u r i n g i m p a c t 7 3
Conclusion
Measuring the impact of your organization is absolutely critical to raising
money and to running your organization more efficiently. Thankfully, the
technology available today allows us to do it in easier and more insightful ways
than ever before. This work is transformative for organizations and is the basis
of your existence as a nonprofit—it is how you know you’re achieving your
mission and running a healthy organization. With this information at your
fingertips, you can prove to foundations that their investment is worthwhile,
inspire donors to give you more money, recruit new supporters to join you,
and make smarter strategic and tactical decisions for your organization.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do. . .
. . . identify a set of key performance indicators that can help you
assess your effectiveness toward achieving your overall goals.
These can be harder to collect and unearth, but because they are
so important to recruiting and retaining donors, charity: water
decided to dedicate resources and staff time specifically to
collecting stories. They send team members to communities to
get to know the locals and gain their trust. They host village or
town meetings and ask open-ended questions like: “What does
your life look like, now that you have easy access to clean water?”
or “What does having access to clean water mean to you?” or even
“Has this project impacted your life and community?”
When their staffers come across a great story, they make sure to
gather details such as names, specific locations, and other personal
details that provide important texture for donors, adding dimension
to the account. They gather photos and videos to bring stories to
life. Finally, charity: water uses these site visits to ask questions that
can help them refine their efforts internally, including: “How has this
project disappointed you or let you down?” or “Has the project ever
broken, and if so, what happened?” charity: water thrives because
they look for both success stories to share with supporters, as well
as stories that inform their future work and help them improve.
Ultimately, they want donors to feel good about being generous and
experience as much joy as possible after they give. Their goal is never
to guilt people into giving, but rather to inspire them to do so.
7 4 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
. . . select the most important KPIs and integrate those into
dashboards that help key departments and groups make smarter
decisions and proactively identify problems.
. . . evaluate your overall organization at least once a quarter and host
a group discussion to discuss strategies for improvement.
. . . set learning goals, questions, and hypotheses annually, even
though they may last several years.
. . . include evaluation costs into your foundation proposal budgets.
Don’t. . .
. . . determine outcomes and outputs without first consulting your
strategic plan.
. . . fail to engage program staff from the beginning of the evaluation
process.
. . . keep bad news to yourself; communicate with donors and
supporters transparently to build an authentic relationship.
About the Expert
Steve MacLaughlin is director of analytics at Blackbaud and has spent
more than 15 years building successful online initiatives with nonprofit
organizations across the world. MacLaughlin serves on the Nonprofit
Technology Network (NTEN) board of directors and is a frequent blogger,
authored a chapter in People to People Fundraising: Social Networking
and Web 2.0 for Charities, and was co-editor of Internet Management for
Nonprofits: Strategies, Tools and Trade Secrets. MacLaughlin is also a frequent
speaker and keynote speaker at a wide range of nonprofit technology and
fundraising events.
Resource Review
Foundation Center–Tools and Resources for Assessing Social Impact
(TRASI) (trasi.foundationcenter.org)
This database contains approaches to impact assessment, guidelines for
creating and conducting an assessment, and actionable tools for measuring
social change.
M e a s u r i n g i m p a c t 7 5
Urban Institute–Outcome Indicators Project (www.urban.org)
This resource supports nonprofit performance tracking by suggesting
outcomes and indicators, new measurement approaches, and
enhancements to existing systems. Visit their site and search for
“Outcome Indicators Project.”
Kanter, Beth, and Katie Paine. Measuring the Networked Nonprofit. Jossey-Bass,
2012.
This book offers the tools and strategies needed for nonprofits looking for
reliable and measurable data from their social media efforts. Using the many
tools presented in this great text will not only improve a nonprofit’s decision
making, but will produce results-driven metrics for staff and stakeholders.
Grantcraft (www.grantcraft.org)
This website provides materials that offer insights and approaches to
improve the effectiveness of social sector organizations, including several
guides on evaluation and assessment.
Innovation Network–Point K Learning Center (www.innonet.org)
Offers a useful set of tools, including an Organizational Assessment Tool,
Logic Model Builder, and Evaluation Plan Builder, all of which support
nonprofits in designing and implementing program assessments.
Root Cause–Building a Performance Measurement System (www.rootcause.org)
This guide provides a practical, five-step process for developing a
performance measurement approach to support nonprofits as they select
metrics, design reports, and communicate impact.
W. K. Kellogg Foundation–Evaluation Handbook and Logic Model
Development Guide (www.wkkf.org)
This workbook provides a framework for approaching nonprofit program
evaluations that support program performance. The guide introduces
the logic model tool to nonprofits seeking to strengthen program design
and delivery, and disseminate results. Go to their homepage and search
“evaluation handbook.”
Chaney Jones, Sheri. Impact and Excellence: Data-Driven Strategies for
Aligning Mission, Culture and Performance in Nonprofit and Government.
Jossey-Bass, 2014.
This book is the culmination of a robust study into the most successful
data-driven strategies for today’s nonprofit and government organizations.
It focuses on five strategic elements to success based on proven principles,
with solutions that are easy to implement and often lead to sweeping
change. Each chapter includes discussion questions and action items to
help leaders implement key concepts in their own organizations.
http://www.urban.org
http://www.grantcraft.org
7 6 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Nonprofit Hub (www.nonprofithub.org)
Find helpful resources, including the article “Nonprofit Storytelling:
Seven Tips for Sharing Stories About Your Work.”
Getting Attention (www.gettingattention.org)
Find case studies, tools, and resources on Nancy Schwartz’s blog and
check out the article “6 Story Types to Tell.”
Blackbaud (www.blackbaud.com)
Leading online fundraising platform, which leverages their vantage point of
processing more than $16 billion in giving to produce a wide range reports
and resources. Most notably, this includes their Index (www.blackbaud.
com/blackbaudindex), a monthly view of overall fundraising and online
giving trends across the nonprofit sector, and their Charitable Giving
Report (www.blackbaud.com/charitablegiving), an annual review of both
overall and online giving trends by size and sector in the United States.
American Evaluation Association (www.eval.org)
A global organization of 7,000 members dedicated to improving evaluation
practices and methods, increasing evaluation use, and promoting evaluation
as a profession.
Giving USA (www.givingusa.org)
The gold standard in charitable giving data for the past 50+ years; published
annually.
Money for Good (www.hopeconsulting.us/moneyforgood)
Series of valuable research reports on donor behavior.
Morino, Mario. Leap of Reason: Managing to Outcomes in an Era of Scarcity
(4th ed.). Venture Philanthropy Partners, 2011.
This book inspires leaders in the social and public sectors to take bold
action to create more meaningful, measurable good for those they serve.
It’s become a widely shared resource for those seeking measurable change,
informing board retreats, strategic-planning efforts, staff-development
initiatives, and university management classes across the United States
and in more than two dozen countries around the world.
Crutchfield, Leslie R., and Heather McLeod Grant. Forces for Good: The Six
Practices of High-Impact Nonprofits (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass, 2012.
This updated book examines a proven framework that helps nonprofits
shift from an organizational mindset to a relational one, from a more
industrial era model of production, where the nonprofit produces goods
and services for customers, to a networked model, where the nonprofit’s
mission is to catalyze social change by inspiring others to action.
http://www.blackbaud.com/blackbaudindex
http://www.blackbaud.com/blackbaudindex
http://www.blackbaud.com/charitablegiving
http://www.eval.org
http://www.hopeconsulting.us/moneyforgood
IIIPart
Individual Donors
79
8Chapter
Grassroots Fundraising
Building Your Donor Pyramid
“Nothing changes without individuals, but nothing lasts without
institutions.”
—Jean Monnet
Introduction
The movement for civil rights in the United States didn’t happen overnight.
Dedicated leaders and volunteers worked tirelessly for years to achieve
equality for all. And throughout the struggle, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,
and the dozens of other community and church leaders involved recognized
that to have power, strength, and longevity, they needed to build a broad and
stable base of support. This same principle applies to your fundraising efforts.
Without a large base of individual donors, your fundraising pyramid can
collapse; diversification is the key. Grassroots fundraising means that your
organization isn’t supported by just one foundation, corporation, or wealthy
individual; it means that you have the power of many, and the aggregate total
of their time, money, and support adds up to real change.
Grassroots fundraising doesn’t necessarily mean having a large number of
small donors. It’s really about having a large base of individual donors that you
8 0 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
can count on. And if properly cultivated and stewarded, donors who start small
can grow into major donors and lifelong supporters. This strategy is especially
critical to the success of smaller organizations and efforts that may not have
the resources or staff to pursue government, foundation, or corporate support,
since anyone can reach into their community to build a base of loyal donors.
But just as the civil rights movement took years to develop, you must be ready to
make the investment in cultivating a large base of individual donors over time.
There are no shortcuts with grassroots fundraising. You can’t just buy a list
and hope to raise money. You have to identify people who care about your
cause and inspire their connection, then their passion, and finally, their
support. You have to work hard to build trust, communicate clearly, and
cultivate relationships that will result in a stream of steady income, as well as
priceless advocacy on behalf of your organization. To talk about grassroots
fundraising in-depth, I sat down with author and Grassroots Fundraising
Journal co-founder Kim Klein, who started by saying, “Grassroots
fundraising is the financial expression of democracy.”
I asked Klein to talk about the specific skills and capabilities that nonprofit
leaders and organizations need to have in place in order to successfully grow
and activate a diverse base of support, and she listed these top seven tips:
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Have a Compelling Plan for Change
To inspire donor support, you’ll need more than just a dream of how the
world should be. Taking it a step further and being able to present a clear
vision of exactly how you’ll get there—the partners, the strategy, the traction
to date, etc.—are all imperative when establishing your credibility. Put
simply, donors need answers to the questions: “What do you believe in?”
“What are you going to do about it?” “What have you already done?” “
How can I trust your organization?” and “Does anyone agree with you?”
Having a concrete plan that includes these answers will form the primer
coat of your effort to secure a large base of individual donors.
2. Set a Clear Goal
It is crucial to understand how much money you need to raise, but to do
that, you need to ask yourself: “What does success look like?” and “How
many donors do we need to achieve that goal?” Assess your prospects
g r a s s r o o t s f u n d r a i s i n g 8 1
and look at factors such as your fundraising and campaign history,
organizational capacity in terms of volunteers, and resources such as staff,
databases, and equipment. And if you’ve never done a campaign before and
you can’t pick a fundraising goal based on experience, Klein says to just pick
a number that feels right to you. In any case, having a specific fundraising
goal is absolutely imperative to maximizing support.
Don’t Be Afraid to Dream Big
As you’re setting your campaign fundraising goal, consider setting your
sites a bit higher and creating both a baseline goal and an aspirational
one. Donors often prefer ambitious goals and like to see organizations
with big visions. You aren’t raising money to maintain the status quo;
you’re constantly trying to move your organization and cause forward.
As Leo Burnett said, “When you reach for the stars, you may not get
one, but you won’t get a handful of mud either.”
Consider the story of an executive director of a hospital, who was
reading the Chronicle of Philanthropy and saw that one of her board
members had given a $6,000,000 gift to the other main hospital in
town. She was frustrated and upset because this board member had
never given them a seven-figure gift. She went for a walk around the
block, came back and contacted the board member to set up a lunch.
After dispensing with the small talk, she finally got the nerve to ask
the question that she was really there to ask: “I saw the big news
about your gift to St. Luke’s—how wonderful!” She continued, “But
I have to ask, why didn’t we get that $6,000,000 gift?” The board
member paused and then replied, “Well, nobody ever brought me a
$6,000,000 idea.”
Remember: If you don’t swing the bat, you can’t hit the ball. If you
don’t bring the $6 million idea to the table, no one can fund it.
3. Ensure 100 Percent Board and Staff Participation
No one person can recruit and engage a large base of supporters, so you need
lots of people driving this effort—and not just staff. You need volunteers
and, most importantly, a strong board that fully participates. As discussed in
8 2 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Chapter 3, each of your board members should make an annual “capacity”
gift, meaning the largest gift he or she can comfortably make and one of
that person’s top three philanthropic contributions of the year. If they aren’t
prioritizing the organization in their philanthropic investments, they shouldn’t
be on the board, and this expectation needs to be clearly, explicitly set from the
get go in a Board Member Agreement—again, see Chapter 3 for more on that.
The point is, you need to be able to tell other potential donors that 100
percent of your board gives because they deeply believe in what you’re doing;
after all, if they don’t give, why should this donor? Beyond their own personal
contributions, it’s also crucial that the board play an active role in fundraising.
Board members should help you identify prospects, make introductions, attend
donor meetings, make direct asks of peers when appropriate, host house parties,
and participate in thank you letter writing and phone calls to key donors. In
addition to the board, all staff members must participate in the organization’s
fundraising efforts, and they should be trained on how to contribute, from
sharing information to their networks, to identifying fundraising prospects.
4. Invest in a Donor Database
A successful fundraising effort is dependent on your ability to track critical
information about your donors, such as their contact information, how
much they give, their giving preferences (via email, direct mail, annually
or monthly, etc.). Using a donor database will allow you to track this
information as you receive it and to use it strategically in your fundraising
campaigns. You need to invest not only in the database, but also in training
multiple people to regularly use it. Details on selecting a tool and building
out your database can be found in Chapter 6, but one quick word on how
this intersects with your grassroots fundraising:
If you learn something useful about a donor that will help you build the
relationship, put it in the database. You can’t rely on memory alone to
keep track of these important bits of information. The next time you have
a meeting with a key donor, you’ll be able to check your notes and prepare
by reviewing how much they’ve given, which appeals they’ve supported,
and, hopefully, personal information that will help show them that you
truly care—did they mention family during your last meeting or other
organizations or causes they are dedicated to?
Think through the kind of information you can collect on your donors beyond
the basic contact and giving information. Are you interested in age, race,
g r a s s r o o t s f u n d r a i s i n g 8 3
gender, marital status, length of time in the community, etc? Tracking donor
information also allows you to analyze your donor base and target your asks or
shift your strategies accordingly. But remember to be systematic and thoughtful
about the information you record; focus on updates that are relevant and
helpful in the fundraising process, instead of trying to track every minor detail.
5. Know Your Donors
Once you have a database to track critical donor information, you can
begin to strategically communicate and fundraise. When new donors
join, you can coordinate a batch of personalized thank you letters.
When grassroots donors tell you they don’t want paper mail, you can
ensure that they only receive electronic communications. If a donor
only wants to give once a year, you can make sure that you only solicit
the person annually. Personalizing communications to donor segments
dramatically improves results.
You can even pull information out of your database so a solicitation letter
references programs they supported previously and their last gift date and
amount (“Your recent gift of $x on x/x/xx allowed us to accomplish. . . With
another gift of $X today, we’ll be able to. . . .”). If you are sending an annual
appeal to monthly donors, it is critical that you acknowledge their monthly
donations before asking for an additional donation (more on annual
appeals in Chapter 11.) You need to show your donors that you pay attention
and that every one of them is valuable to you. Even small donors want respect,
they want their names spelled correctly, their giving histories tracked and
acknowledged, and to be communicated with in the ways they prefer.
6. Ask Regularly
Too often organizations are under-asking their most faithful donors. Unless
a donor specifies otherwise, it is completely acceptable to ask three or
four times per year. If properly thanked and kept informed of the impact
of their donations, donors can be extremely generous. Klein suggests using
diverse asks on key donors to keep things interesting. Consider a phone
call or inviting them to an event, in addition to traditional asks like mail
and online appeals. If you aren’t asking your donors often enough, you are
missing out on huge fundraising opportunities. And from time to time,
don’t be afraid to humbly and respectfully invite your existing donors to
consider increasing their support. As you stretch and take your efforts to the
next level, they may want to join you!
8 4 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
7. Show Impact and Gratitude Often
Donors have a right to know that their money is being well spent. They
aren’t likely to give you money again if you can’t show them how their past
support was put to good use, in ways they care about. People donate with
their hearts first and then with their heads. Don’t underestimate the value
of sharing stories and statistics with your donors—show them what their
funding made possible. And thank them. A lot. We can’t emphasize this
enough. Donors want to know that you respect and appreciate them. You need
to make them feel like they’re part of your work, instead of treating them
like ATMs, or abandoning them when you get a big gift or grant. Be sure to
send prompt, personalized gift acknowledgements to all donors regardless
of size, and make sure that you space out your requests so that not every
communication is an ask.
Conclusion
Grassroots fundraising isn’t just about the money—it’s about building a
powerful base of support. With grassroots fundraising you get more than
donors; you get people who help you accomplish your work—you get
a choir. Building a broad base of donors is hard work and requires time
and energy. You must be willing to invest in the process and into building
relationships. But if you do, it will pay off with huge rewards.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do. . .
. . . take the time to spell out a clear vision and goals for your
fundraising campaign.
. . . thank your donors every time they give, and in addition express
gratitude two or three times a year to communicate the impact their
support is having.
. . . create an aspirational goal that you don’t necessarily share with all
donor prospects.
. . . ensure all board members make a personal capacity gift every year.
. . . send prompt, personalized gift acknowledgements to all donors,
regardless of size.
g r a s s r o o t s f u n d r a i s i n g 8 5
Don’t. . .
. . . treat your donors like ATMs; put the relationship above all.
. . . be afraid to invite donor support three or four times a year.
. . . abandon small donors when you get a big gift or grant.
About the Expert
Kim Klein, principal of Klein & Roth Consulting, is an internationally
known trainer, speaker, and author of five books, including of Fundraising
for Social Change and Reliable Fundraising in Unreliable Times. Klein
co-founded the Grassroots Fundraising Journal in 1981 and was its publisher
for 25 years.
Resource Review
Grassroots Institute for Fundraising Training (GIFT) (www.
grassrootsfundraising.org)
Great resource for finding articles and practical information on grassroots
fundraising; they also produce the Grassroots Fundraising Journal, the
annual Money for Our Movements conference, and provide training and
consulting services.
Grassroots Fundraising Journal (http://bit.ly/1CX3dDM)
A bimonthly print and digital publication that features articles with
practical strategies covering all areas of individual giving, including
special events, direct mail, major donor programs, membership
campaigns, and more.
Nonprofit Quarterly (https://nonprofitquarterly.org/)
A print and online publication that provides articles on a variety of
nonprofit topics. Check out their webinars, and sign up for the daily digest.
M+R Lab (www.mrss.com/lab/)
A free collection of articles and advice from a group of experienced
nonprofit consultants; includes case studies on a wide variety of topics
and causes.
The Agitator (www.theagitator.net/)
A great online blog from industry experts Tom Belford and Roger Craver
that provides information and advice on nonprofit fundraising and
marketing strategies.
http://www.grassrootsfundraising.org
http://www.grassrootsfundraising.org
http://bit.ly/1CX3dDM
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/
http://www.theagitator.net/
8 6 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Klein, Kim. Fundraising for Social Change (7th ed.). Jossey-Bass, 2016.
Comprehensive overview offering a step-by-step strategy for identifying,
securing, and stewarding grassroots support.
Money for Our Movements: A Social Justice Fundraising Conference
(http://bit.ly/P9mwoP)
A biannual conference that provides fundraising skills training geared
toward social justice activists: concrete examples and models, debates
and plenaries, and networking opportunities.
Articles with Good Reviews of Database Options
Finding the Right Donor Database for Your Nonprofit: www.
nonprofithub.org/volunteer-management/finding-right-donor-
database-nonprofit/
Top 15 Nonprofit Donor Management and Fundraising Software
Report: http://bit.ly/1Ncq3iG (register to download the free report)
A Few Good Donor Management Systems: www.idealware.org/
articles/few-good-donor-management-systems
http://bit.ly/P9mwoP
http://www.nonprofithub.org/volunteer-management/finding-right-donor-database-nonprofit/
http://www.nonprofithub.org/volunteer-management/finding-right-donor-database-nonprofit/
http://www.nonprofithub.org/volunteer-management/finding-right-donor-database-nonprofit/
http://www.nonprofithub.org/volunteer-management/finding-right-donor-database-nonprofit/
http://bit.ly/1Ncq3iG
http://www.idealware.org/articles/few-good-donor-management-systems
87
9Chapter
Major Donors
Building Relationships, Making
the Ask, and Stewardship
“Fundraising is the gentle art of teaching the joy of giving.”
—Henry A. “Hank” Rosso
Introduction
Did you know that in 2014, 80 percent of the $358.38 billion in charitable
contributions to U.S. nonprofits came from individuals? The single largest
contributor to the 7.1 percent increase in overall giving, according to Giving
USA, “was an increase of $13.88 billion in giving by individuals—58 percent
of the total change between 2013 and 2014.” And even in countries where
the government provides the lion’s share of support to NGOs, tapping into
the massive potential of individual supporters is absolutely critical to your success.
Now that we’ve provided some tips for building out the base of your donor
pyramid in our last chapter, let’s move on to looking at how to engage major
donors who can transform your work and your organization.
As we noted in Chapter 8, all individual fundraising programs require
a lot of time and effort. They require an organization committed to
8 8 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
relationship-building and keeping people involved; they require staff, board
engagement, and strong stewardship. But if done well, the payoff is big.
Donors who are engaged and treated well can become life-long supporters.
They can also be great sources of new donors by connecting you to others
who support your cause. To learn more about why major gift fundraising is so
crucial to nonprofit success, I spoke with well-known fundraising consultant
and author of Beyond Fund Raising, Kay Sprinkel Grace.
The key to successful individual fundraising and securing major gifts
is stewardship. According to Grace, think of your supporters as “donor
investors” or “partners for positive change” instead of simply donors. And
most importantly, after you receive the gift, realize that this is when the
real work begins. “This is the most important, yet most neglected piece of
the fundraising process.” She argues that our lack of stewardship is leading
many nonprofits to a donor hourglass, versus a pyramid: at the top are a few
people making very large gifts, and at the bottom are a lot of people making
small gifts. The middle of the hourglass gets narrower and narrower if you
fail to properly steward your base and ensure those relationships blossom.
Without stewardship of existing donors, your only option is to constantly
bring in new donors, which only gets harder over time.
With that said, let’s dive into the tips and tools Grace shared when outlining
the most important factors necessary for building and maintaining a
thriving major donor program:
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Prospect Constantly
It’s unfortunate, but many organizations neglect their donor pipelines unless
there is a campaign or crisis. To be successful in securing major donors, you
must constantly be looking for new supporters of all sizes. Not all donors
stay with you for a lifetime, and in fact AFP’s 2014 Fundraising Effectiveness
Survey Report claimed an average 57 percent churn rate for donors annually.
This means that you need to be vigilant in adding new leads into your
pipeline, replacing slightly more than half your donors every year in order
simply to stay afloat.
Prospecting for major donors involves looking for people with shared
values, a passion for the issue(s) you focus on, and, one hopes, a personal
M a j o r d o n o r s 8 9
connection to your work or team. First, look at annual reports and donors
lists of organizations similar to yours. When you go to the opera, the
symphony, the theater, or museums, look at their donor lists, too. You’ll
probably find a lot of crossover between them, since these are clearly patrons
of the arts—make sense? You can do the same thing by reviewing published
lists of supporters from other groups that overlap with your work in some
way. You should be on the lookout for useful donor lists constantly and—
as outlined in Chapter 5 (Prospecting and Donor Research)—run them
through your own database and wealth screens, vetting people based on
existing contacts and demonstrated interests.
It is absolutely crucial that you involve your board in major donor
prospecting. Take their contact lists once or twice a year and run them
through your database to find even more connections. Your board should
not only be sharing names with you, but also reviewing prospect lists and
helping prioritize leads. Your board should be talking to people about
your organization, and then reporting back to you when they’ve identified
prospects. But the key to tapping this resource is making it both easy, and
expected. Dedicate a few minutes at each board meeting for members to
write down the names of a few new people they’ve identified as prospects.
Be sure to also create a development committee on your board, so that a few
dedicated members can help you screen and prioritize prospects and keep
fellow board members accountable and engaged. And finally, take the time
to meet or talk with each board member individually to create their own
custom fundraising strategy and provide them with any support, training,
and materials needed to secure their full participation.
Tracking Major Donors in Databases
When inputting major donor prospects into your database, be
sure to track their names, addresses, and any known connections
to your organization. You should also be tracking information on
their known connections (to people, organizations, other funders),
their interests, and other organizations they’re affiliated with or
have given large donations to. It’s especially helpful to assign val-
ues to major donor prospects for both how closely they are
connected to your organization and area of work, as well
as their giving capacity. A simple subjective range of 1 to 5 in
both of these fields will enable you to easily sort and identify your
top-priority prospects.
9 0 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
2. Realize Your Organization Is a Means to an End
In order to secure large gifts, you need to engage your donors
on a long-term basis. Grace talks often about the importance of
transformational versus transactional giving. When your organization
focuses on donations as transactions, you fail to appreciate that your
nonprofit is a channel that exists to connect people with resources to the
change they want to see in the world. Or as Grace is fond of saying, “People
don’t give to you; they give through you.” Always remember that you
are an investment vehicle through which donors and funders help solve
community challenges and enrich life experiences.
In transactional giving, an organization thinks only of what it is doing to
the donor: identifying, qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, acknowledging,
and so forth. With transformational giving, an organization instead focuses
on the impact that donor has on the issue, recognizing it is merely a conduit
for change. Again, this is the concept of the “donor investor” Grace started
out with, and this subtle yet powerful shift creates an infinity loop between
donor and organization.
A transformational donor stewardship loop has replaced the traditional stewardship model:
Organization further engages donor-
investors, inspired by shared values
Issues/Organization
Donor/Investor
Community
Impact of a gift is felt and acknowledged by
the community
The investment is made
evaluation is ongoing. The
relationship grows, the
investment is renewed.
Mutual cultivation and
information sharing
Be
ne
fit
o
f i
nv
es
tm
en
t i
s
tie
d
to
is
su
es
a
nd
im
pa
ct
.
Exchange of inform
ation
and involvem
ent
Donor identifies issue or organization
identifies donor
Just remember one of Grace’s signature sayings, “People don’t give to
you because you have needs. They give to you because you meet needs.”
Transformational giving calls for mutual identification, mutual stewardship,
and getting to know one another. It’s about realizing the coin has two sides.
So in addition to asking a donor to give to your organization, ask what your
organization can do for the donor. Just remember JFK’s famous “Ask not
what your country can do for you” speech if that helps!
M a j o r d o n o r s 9 1
3. Prepare Your People
Most people don’t want to ask for money because they don’t know how
and are afraid of rejection. Realize it’s your responsibility to equip and train
your staff, board, and volunteers and to prepare them for success. And again,
when done right, a prospect should always feel comfortable saying no. As
nonprofit professionals, we have a responsibility to give our people messages
that are easy to articulate and to help them practice. Equip your board and
volunteer network with facts, figures, and, most importantly, stories, and
results will follow.
In The AAA Way to Fund Raising Success, Grace developed a framework that
she calls the “Triple A”, and it’s used with hundreds of organizations across
the world, especially in the United States, Australia, Italy, and the Czech
Republic. The basis of the framework is that there are three roles: Ambassador,
Advocate, and Asker. Not everyone on your team is going to be confident or
comfortable with asking, but that doesn’t mean they don’t play important
roles in fundraising. Everyone on your team, particularly board members,
should be trained as effective Ambassadors. Ambassadors know the organization’s
message and are enthusiastic spokespeople. If they’re not enthusiastic, they
shouldn’t be on your team—passion is a prerequisite for participation.
Advocates play another important role. While Ambassadors make friends,
Advocates make the case. Advocates are not only conversant on your
organization; they know your issue well and can participate on a deeper level by
doing things like public speaking, recruiting new board members, and making
phone calls to elected officials. They are also coached in how to skillfully handle
objections. Finally you have the Askers. Askers are also Ambassadors and may
be Advocates as well, but must also be confident and well trained if they are to
feel confident. Take the time to map out your opportunities for involvement,
present those opportunities to the entire team, especially board and staff, and
use this framework to allow each member of your team to establish his or her
most confident role in the fundraising process.
4. Master the Ask
Fundraisers like Grace follow a framework created by the late Hank Rosso.
There are four main steps in making an ask: the opening; involvement;
the presentation; and the close. The opening should be very brief, keeping
chitchat to a minimum, thanking people for their time and conveying
excitement and gratitude. And never, ever apologize for taking their time.
The involvement phase of the ask is where you engage the donors and ask
9 2 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
open-ended questions to get them to talk about their relationship to the
organization and their passion for the issue. This step is critical and cannot
be skipped. You need to listen before you ask. (This is sometimes called the
“appreciative inquiry process”; see Resource Review for more information.)
Be sensitive to their needs, and if they push the conversation forward quicker
than you’d prefer, don’t linger—remember that the donor’s needs come first.
Now that you know more about what they care about and why, you are
better prepared for your presentation. This is where you talk about the
vision, plan, and programs of your organization and the impact a large
gift would have on your cause. This is where questions will be asked and
answered. And finally comes your close, where there is an explicit, direct
ask. That means you request a specific amount of money, map it to their
connection to the cause, and clarify exactly what it will make possible,
for example: “Thanks so much for your interest in our vocational training
program! Would you consider a gift of $500,000 to help launch the initiative
and serve 500 homeless people next year?” After making the ask, it is crucial
that you stay quiet. It is critical that the next person to talk is the donor.
There are a few answers you might hear. If it is “yes,” that’s great! If you get a
“maybe” or “I need to think about it,” you can respond with something like
“I understand. We are asking you to make a significant commitment. Do you
need further information, and can we set a time when I can get back in touch
with you?” If it is “no,” you should absolutely try to find out what “no” means,
but never, ever say “Why?” because it puts people on the defensive. This is
another place where silence will serve you. You want the donor to elaborate
and, if you are silent after the “no,” the donor most often will explain his or
her reason. Maybe it is the amount of the ask, in which case you can reply,
“I understand. What amount would you consider giving at this time?”
Maybe it’s that the timing isn’t right, in which case your reply should be “I
understand. When would be a better time?” If it is truly a “no” because he or
she hasn’t aligned with your approach or efforts, then simply thank the person
and say something like, “Well, naturally we’re disappointed. May we keep in
touch, and perhaps look forward to a time when you feel more connected?”
Of course, it goes without saying that you should definitely follow up on
whatever you commit to; tomorrow’s major donor may be the one who told
you “no” at today’s meeting. Finally, it’s extremely important to thank those
who have taken the time to meet with you, even if they turn you down.
A final note on asking: make sure that in addition to large gift, special project,
and program funding, you also ask all major donors for annual unrestricted
M a j o r d o n o r s 9 3
donations. Donors making gifts at certain levels often designate them for
specific programs and projects. However, you should also invite major donors
to give smaller, unrestricted annual gifts to keep them connected to your
organization and in support of its overall work. It is a way to safeguard their
investment. Typically, a large gift commitment may be a three-to-five year
pledge. It is critical that your donors understand the importance of supporting
the infrastructure of the organization annually as well. If you are engaging
your donors on a regular basis and making them feel a true part of your
organization, these asks will be easy. If they say their contribution includes
both annual and special project support, be sure to understand the donor’s
intent regarding the distribution of the gift inside the organization.
Of course, these requests need to be handled respectfully and, just like any
ask, it’s simply an invitation that may certainly be declined—Grace suggests
thanking donors for the gift they’ve already committed to, and then using
language like: “I invite you to consider strengthening your investment
by also supporting the current programming of our organization. Would
you consider a smaller unrestricted contribution of $X to provide us with
general operating support?” You can also invite them to support a capital,
endowment, or annual campaign, if appropriate. But at all costs avoid
securing a large gift and then circling back in a couple months to ask for
more, as that’s almost always viewed as disrespectful and unappreciative; the
key is making these additional asks on the spot.
5. Value Every Donor
Grace believes that stewardship is the most important, and the most
neglected, step in the fund development process. Too often fundraisers spend
all of their time and energy bringing in gifts, and too little on keeping their
donors on board. Remember it’s much easier to keep an existing donor than it is
to bring on a new one! Donor retention is much higher among repeat donors
than with first-time donors. After all, they’ve already demonstrated their
support and made contributions. The key to effective stewardship is building
and maintaining relationships with your donors. Thank your donors at least
three times a year and give them at least quarterly updates on the impact
their gifts are making possible. Send occasional notes with program updates
and make thank you calls for gifts of all sizes.
Unfortunately, many organizations have created an arbitrary internal
benchmark about when they start stewarding donors. Who are we to judge
the amount of a donation? $50 or $100 may be a “stretch” for the family
9 4 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
or person who donated it. Maybe a $10 donor will eventually leave you
a large estate gift. Every donor should be treated as a major donor prospect
worthy of stewardship. Whether they give $1 or $1 million, each should
get a personal touch. Donors give from the heart, and their gifts are an
indication that they are looking for a relationship. Sending generic printed
receipts to low-level donors does not show that we care and value their
contributions. Personal touches, such as a handwritten thank you on a gift
acknowledgement or a quick thank you call go a long way in bringing a
donor further into your organization’s fold. In other words, if you don’t
properly thank the little gifts, you’ll never get the big ones. Also, don’t
confuse automatic electronic acknowledgements generated after online
gifts with a true thank you letter. The first is only an acknowledgment; the
second is the real thank you that may launch a long relationship.
“Who does not thank for little will not thank for much.”
—Estonian proverb
Grace recalled an anecdote that’s similar to many I’ve heard from veteran
fundraisers:
“I had a donor in my very first job that would send one or five dollar
bills every month. One day, I called her and said, ‘I am so touched
by these gifts.’ ‘Well,’ she said, ‘What I do is that every month,
whatever I have left over, I send it to you.’ I was so moved because
I didn’t know of any other donors with this kind of incredible com-
mitment and personal connection, and I made sure that this woman
was invited to our tea parties and major donor events. It turned out
that she owned a piece of property that had become quite valuable.
She left the organization that property when she passed, resulting in
a sizable gift that had a major impact on our work.”
Let’s end with one final tip that makes showing appreciation to each and
every donor much more feasible. Stage an annual (or more frequent!)
thank-a-thon where you enlist staff, volunteers, board members, and,
when possible, beneficiaries of your programs, all of whom call donors to
simply thank them for their support. The key to success for these is that
there is no ask, no event invitation, nothing—you’re just calling to recognize
M a j o r d o n o r s 9 5
their contribution and let them know it made a difference. Donors usually
expect an ask on these calls and are almost always delighted to receive your
gratitude, and it’s a great way to remind your board and staff both of the
crucial role donors play, as well as the impact your organization has in the
community. And, of course, donors will certainly remember this when
making their next contributions.
Conclusion
Always remember to think of your organization as a conduit instead of
an endpoint. Donors aren’t giving to you because your organization has
needs; they’re giving to you because you are meeting a need and creating
change. When you realize that donors aren’t giving to you, but through
you, then the asking becomes an honor rather than a burden. Share your
passion for your cause with pride and people will be inspired to join you.
And realize you don’t have just donors—instead, you have donor investors
who give because they care, and who keep giving because you show them
that you value their support, and that it makes a difference in ways they
care about. As Grace says, “They are your partners for positive change.”
That’s their ROI. And as you express gratitude and communicate impact
through ongoing stewardship, you will reap the rewards of loyal and
generous supporters.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do. . .
. . . ask your board for a contact list of potential major donors once or
twice a year, plus invite them to share new prospects at every board
meeting.
. . . provide opportunities for Ambassador, Advocate, or Asker roles to
everyone on your staff and board.
. . . arm volunteers with stories to share with potential donors.
. . . ask major donors to make unrestricted annual donations, even if
they’re smaller.
. . . stage an annual thank-a-thon and recognize the contribution of
every donor.
9 6 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Don’t. . .
. . . only steward donors above a certain gift amount.
. . . send more asks than program updates.
. . . ask donors to meet your organization’s needs; instead explore how
you can advance their goals for impact in the community.
. . . don’t be the first to speak after making an ask of a major donor.
About the Expert
Kay Sprinkel Grace is a well-known fundraising consultant, founder and
principal of Transforming Philanthropy, and author of six books, including
High Impact Philanthropy and Beyond Fundraising. In 2013, the Lilly Family
School of Philanthropy at Indiana University awarded her the Henry A.
Rosso Medal for Lifetime Achievement in Ethical Fund Raising. On a
personal note, she’s one of my heroes and has been inspiring and educating
nonprofit fundraisers around the globe for decades.
Resource Review
Grace, Kay Sprinkel. Beyond Fundraising: New Strategies for Nonprofit
Innovation and Investment (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons, 2005.
This is a basic fundraising book that covers mission, vision, values, annual
and capital giving, planning and conveys Grace’s unique philosophy
about philanthropy.
Rosso, Henry A. Hank Rosso’s Achieving Excellence in Fundraising (2nd ed.).
Jossey-Bass, 2003.
Through two editions of this seminal work, initiated by one of the 20th
century leaders in philanthropy and continued through Indiana University’s
Center on Philanthropy—now the Lilly Family School—the basic
principles of fundraising and the related leadership and management issues
are presented so solidly that the book has become an essential guide for
beginners and those seeking to strengthen their skills.
Grace, Kay Sprinkel. The AAA Way to Fundraising Success: Maximum
Involvement, Maximum Results. Whit Press, 2009.
A brief and readable handbook for making sure everyone on your board
(and some staff) find their “confidence zone” in resource development.
M a j o r d o n o r s 9 7
Wealth Engine (www.wealthengine.com)
A great tool for prospecting and donor research, including wealth
screening.
Grace, Kay Sprinkel, and Alan L. Wendroff. High Impact Philanthropy: How
Donors, Boards, and Nonprofit Organizations Can Transform Nonprofit
Organizations. John Wiley & Sons, 2001.
Setting forth the transaction versus transformation giving model as the
basis of high-impact philanthropy, this book also explores how effective
marketing supports the fund development process.
The Fundraising Authority (www.thefundraisingauthority.com)
Great hub for articles and resources, as well as this helpful post about
major donor fundraising.
“Major Donor Fundraising 101.” The Fundraising Authority RSS. (www
.thefundraisingauthority.com/individual-fundraising/major-donor-
fundraising-101/)
Miller, Carolyn J. The Nonprofits’ Guide to the Power of Appreciative Inquiry.
Community Development Institute, 2004.
This book provides a variety of sample appreciative inquiry questions
in many topic areas, as well as a theoretical background of its use in
nonprofits and other organizations.
The Chronicle of Philanthropy (www.philanthropy.com)
This great print and online publication offers articles on the latest news
affecting nonprofit organizations. Sign up for their free news feed.
Local Community Papers. If your work is focused in a particular
community, regularly reading the regional paper is a great way to stay
abreast of local news.
http://www.thefundraisingauthority.com
http://www.philanthropy.com
http://www.thefundraisingauthority.com/individual-fundraising/major-donor-fundraising-101/
99
10Chapter
Direct Mail
The Ins and Outs
“Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a
result of hard work.”
—Booker T. Washington
Introduction
No one knows how much of the roughly $335 billion in U.S. nonprofit
contributions in 2014 was accounted for by direct mail—but anyone
actively involved in fundraising today (except perhaps for digital specialists)
will tell you that appeals with a stamp attached brought in far more than
social media, email, mobile, and other new communication channels. With
the possible exception of major gifts, which are generally solicited face-to-
face, there’s really no other fundraising strategy that’s as important for
nonprofit success from a purely financial standpoint.
Direct mail is a great way to build a steady stream of unrestricted revenue
from individuals, as well as spread awareness and brand recognition.
However, it’s an expensive investment, and direct mail is best suited to
organizations with large donor lists and budgets of at least $1 million.
If you are a national organization or have a large annual budget, and are
1 0 0 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
prepared to invest at least $250,000 to $500,000 over several years before
your efforts bear fruit, direct mail may have a lot to offer.
Smaller, grassroots organizations are better off focusing on online
fundraising and building relationships with individual donors who can
give major gifts over time, as outlined in various other chapters in the book.
Depending on the size of your donor list and your organizational capacity,
you can conduct a smaller direct mail program in-house by sending several
letters a year to your donors, including perhaps two standalone appeals and
appeals that precede or follow your online solicitations.
Direct mail is half art, half science. The greatest success comes to those
organizations that respond creatively to the needs and desires of their
supporters, standing out while staying on target with their message. And
of course, a strong commitment to rigorously maintaining and analyzing
your donor list is a must. If this sounds like you, then you’re sure to benefit
from the insights of industry leader and 30-year direct mail veteran, Mal
Warwick, who outlined these seven tips for success:
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Know Your Numbers
There are two categories of direct mail: acquisition and house mailings.
Acquisition mailings recruit new supporters, while house mailings renew and
raise additional donations from existing supporters. House mailings include
mailings to renew annual contributions from donors or members, as well as
special appeals. Either way, before you start, you must understand average
response rates so you have some sort of benchmark for what to expect.
Acquisition mailings typically receive a 0.25 percent to 2 percent response
rate. This means that up to 2 percent of people will reply with a donation.
Once you acquire those donors, and properly steward them, your investment
will really begin to pay off when as many as half of your donors respond with
second gifts. Subsequent appeals will bring donations from a much larger
percentage of those who give second gifts. Ultimately, your organization
will derive a steady stream of revenue from the valuable minority of newly
acquired donors who remain loyal for years. That’s because individual
renewal mailings and special appeals are likely to yield response rates of
10 to 25 percent. The profits from your program can rise much further over
d i r e c t M a i l 1 0 1
the years as you convert these loyal supporters into monthly donors, who
sometimes give as much monthly as they donated overall in earlier years.
2. Prepare for the Long Haul
Direct mail is a strategic, long-term process that generates its greatest
rewards over years, not weeks. It is extremely rare for a new direct mail
program to yield net revenue in its first few years. If you are just starting,
no matter what size program you have, you have to be prepared to invest
a substantial amount of money and persist in the face of what looks like
failure for several years. Once you have a large enough number of repeat
donors, you will see a steady stream of income that not only pays for the
direct mail program, but also a large portion of your organization’s work. As
the wise Yoda once said, “Patience you must have, my young Padawan.”
3. Grow Your List
Building a large donor list is critical to succeeding in direct mail. To do
this you will need to invest in strong acquisition campaigns by renting or
exchanging lists of donors, members, or subscribers who seem likely to be
interested in the work of your organization. Renting lists means paying a
third party—typically a brokerage firm specializing in lists, but sometimes a
fellow nonprofit—for a one-time use of their list.
Warwick recommends getting a random sampling of 5,000 names from the
list to do a test mailing before committing to renting an entire list. This
will help you determine the number and average amount of gifts you can
expect from the overall list, ensuring it’s a wise investment. If your donor list
is large enough and your privacy policy allows for it, consider exchanging
lists with other, like-minded organizations. In doing this, you are giving
those organizations the option of mailing single fundraising appeals to your
donors, and vice versa; but be sure to document the list is for one-time use only.
List exchanges are typically large mailings and your response rate from these
is not likely to be over 1 percent.
4. Trust the Data, Not Your Gut
In direct mail, being creative is not enough, and you can’t rely on your
intuition. There is no way to know what will work best to maximize response.
After over 30 years of industry experience, Warwick still cannot consistently
guess which letters and messages will succeed. As he puts it, “Only a fool will
1 0 2 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
depend on gut instinct and not read the numbers dispassionately.” That is why it’s
critical to rely on the data and test, test, test.
Take small portions of each of the acquisition lists you’ve selected and use
them to test different messages and creative approaches (different copy,
envelopes, graphics, inserts, etc.). To get accurate results, you’ll want to plan
for at least 200 responses to these test “packages.” This means you’ll need to start
with a large sample size. For example, if you are doing an acquisition mailing,
and you have a list of 100,000 names, the best way to find the right message
would be to take 20,000 random names from the list and split them into two
groups. Mail one group message A, and another group message B. Whichever
gets the higher response rate is what you’d mail to the remaining 80,000
donors. Ideally, if your list is large enough, Warwick suggests increasing your
sample size and doing another round of testing before mailing to your entire
list. The more you can test, the better the results you’re likely to see.
5. Know Your Donors
Once you have a steady stream of active donors, it’s important to customize
your communications for different subsets of them. To do this, you must
get to know them. Do they care about a particular program? How much and
how often do they donate in a year? Do they give monthly, or just during your
annual campaign or at your gala? As outlined in numerous chapters throughout
the book (Chapters 8, 9, and 16 on grassroots fundraising, major donors, and
email, respectively), knowing these things allows you to segment your donor list
and communicate with them in more personal ways, improving response rates
demonstrably. Consider creating a giving club or patron’s circle to entice
donors to give at higher levels, and provide them with public recognition.
Probably more than anything else, the key to success in direct mail is
getting to know the top 5 percent of your donors. Pay special attention
to your most loyal, generous donors, and work to move them up the
giving ladder. Send them special messages and shower them with personal
attention. Warwick wrote an entire book about this approach, known as
“high-dollar” direct mail fundraising (see Resource Review below.)
6. Focus, Focus, Focus
When drafting a direct mail letter, you must focus your ask. If you
overwhelm your reader with multiple messages and requests (e.g., sign this,
call your Senator, spread the word, donate), then you will dilute your efforts,
your ask will lose its power, and your letter will be tossed. Less is more.
d i r e c t M a i l 1 0 3
When a donor or prospect opens your letter, you only have a few seconds to
get his or her attention and convey your message. You need to communicate
clearly and get straight to the point: “. . . here is the problem; here is what
we are doing about it; will you support us with a gift of $X?”
7. Create a Schedule . . . and Stick to It
It’s crucial that you create an annual editorial calendar for your mailings.
Detail exactly when you’ll send your acquisition mailings, renewals, and
special appeals, so you’re clear on both timing and frequency. Mapping out
your mailing campaigns in advance not only helps with financial planning,
but also ensures an ongoing, consistent dialogue with your members; just
as with social media, it’s about finding a drumbeat, not riffing an occasional
solo. And, most importantly, it’s critical that you stick to the schedule and
don’t remove mailings from your calendar.
A typical annual direct mail calendar will include at least two
acquisition mailings and three to as many as ten renewal mailings
for existing donors or members—depending on the size of your donor
base—as well as special appeals for certain projects and programs spread
throughout. Your calendar should also map to your year-end strategy, as
outlined in Chapter 11, since a series of direct mail combined with email
appeals in the final days of December is likely to bring the best results.
And while some consultants will recommend that every communication include
an ask (even if less prominent or direct), Warwick disagrees. He emphasizes
the importance of including “relationship building” mailings in your calendar.
In order to properly steward your donors you need to keep them engaged
and make them feel informed and a part of the organization. Remember Kay
Sprinkel Grace’s insights on this transformational giving in Chapter 9—you are
a conduit for impact, not an endpoint. So thank your donors—via direct mail
and all other channels—for the work they make possible without always asking
for more. In the long run this will result in more loyal and generous donors.
Conclusion
Direct mail is best suited to organizations with large capacity and
substantial resources. When done properly, it can result both in significant
amounts of revenue and greater public awareness. Through direct mail
you bring new donors into your organization, and you create loyal donors
who renew their gifts year after year. It’s also an entry point for many key
1 0 4 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
donors who become major and planned giving donors. It may require a
lot of work, a sizeable investment of cash, and years of patience, but if you
follow Warwick’s tips and properly thank and steward direct mail donors,
you will create a steady and robust stream of sustainable revenue for your
organization.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do. . .
. . . create an annual editorial calendar for your direct mail efforts, and
stick to the plan.
. . . run test campaigns on portions of your list to determine the best
message to send to your entire database.
. . . send regular program updates and thank you mailings, which do
not include an ask.
. . . customize and personalize your messages to distinct donor
segments.
. . . create a giving club or patron’s circle to entice donors to give at
certain levels.
. . . create a special cultivation plan for the top 5 percent of your direct
mail donors.
Don’t. . .
. . . get into direct mail expecting to make your money back in less
than three years.
. . . send mailings with multiple asks or calls to action.
. . . undertake a direct mail program if your organization has less than
a 50,000-person mailing list or a budget under $2 million.
About the Expert
Mal Warwick is an author, consultant, and public speaker, and founder
and chairman of Mal Warwick|Donordigital. Warwick has authored 20
books, including How to Write Successful Fundraising Appeals (3rd ed.), and
Revolution in the Mailbox.
d i r e c t M a i l 1 0 5
Resource Review
Warwick, Mal. How to Write Successful Fundraising Appeals (3rd ed.).
Jossey-Bass, 2013.
Chances are, the thought of writing a fundraising appeal makes you
nervous; this book, the standard text in the field, will show you the way
to succeed.
Warwick, Mal. The Mercifully Brief, Real-World Guide to Raising $1,000
Gifts by Mail. Emerson & Church, 2005.
This is the only book on the topic of “high-dollar” direct mail
fundraising.
Warwick, Mal. Revolution in the Mailbox: Your Guide to Successful Direct
Mail Fundraising. Jossey-Bass, 2004.
Here’s a guide to the science of direct mail, including how to choose
acquisition lists, how to segment your donor file, and what results you
might expect from different mailings.
The Direct Marketing Association (http://thedma.org)
Great resource for news and information on direct marketing, and be sure
to check out their great annual conference.
The Bridge Conference (www.bridgeconf.org)
This is one of the best annual conferences for direct mail fundraisers.
It provides education and research on cutting-edge trends, as well as
practical insights and user-friendly ideas.
The Agitator (www.theagitator.net/)
A great online blog from industry experts Tom Belford and Roger Craver
that provides information and advice on nonprofit fundraising and direct
marketing strategies.
http://thedma.org
http://www.bridgeconf.org
http://www.theagitator.net/
107
11Chapter
Year-End, Annual
Appeals, and
Membership Campaigns
“It is more rewarding to watch money change the world than
watch it accumulate.”
—Gloria Steinem
Introduction
According to Giving USA, 72 percent of all nonprofit donations came from
individuals in 2014. And one of the most popular ways for individuals to
donate to nonprofits is through annual and year-end appeals and membership
campaigns. These donations are not only an important source of general
operating funds, but also a critical strategy for creating and sustaining a loyal base
of supporters. Fundraising is about building relationships, and you can’t possibly
meet every single one of your supporters in person. Membership campaigns and
annual appeals are great ways to connect with people on an ongoing basis and
share the impact of your work and their support. Whether driven by direct mail
or email (see Chapters 10 and 16, respectively), these efforts raise money for
your organization and create a special dialogue between you and your donors,
bringing donors closer to your work as they see the results of their support.
1 0 8 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Network for Good’s Digital Giving Index found that 31 percent of all
annual giving occurred in December 2014, with almost one-third of that
taking place in the last three days of the year, so having a solid year-end
strategy is crucial. But whether it’s your annual campaign or a formalized
membership campaign, raising money using these strategies can advance
your fundraising goals and create a legion of supporters ready to help you
spread the word and advocate on behalf of your cause. Telling a politician
that you have 40,000 members poised and ready to take action goes a long
way in establishing credibility and moving your agenda forward.
While similar in nature, year-end appeals, annual appeals, and membership
campaigns have unique features. Annual appeals are fundraising asks typically
sent through direct mail and email to existing donors at a certain time of the
year. A year-end appeal is simply an annual appeal sent at the end of the year,
and both of these strategies revolve around a campaign including an initial
message and several follow-ups. A membership campaign also features multiple
messages, but you offer specific benefits to those who sign up and contribute.
To learn more, I sat down with Farra Trompeter, vice president at Big
Duck, a communications firm that exclusively works with nonprofits,
and vice chair of NTEN’s board. Trompeter shared eight great tips to
help you succeed in raising money with annual and year-end appeals and
membership campaigns.
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Find Your Passion
Do you remember why you started working at your nonprofit? What was
it about its mission, vision, or programs that excited you on day one? That
same passion is what motivates your donors, and it’s important to tap into
it when you create campaigns. Too often, fundraisers are kept at an arm’s
length from programs. Seeing and experiencing the work you’re raising
money for is incredibly inspiring, and it often inspires some of your best,
most transformative fundraising ideas.
Get out in the field with program staff, see your organization’s work in
action, and meet the people you serve. Interview clients and unearth stories
about the impact your organization is having on their lives. Recharge your
batteries with the knowledge that your fundraising efforts are driving good
Ye a r – E n d , a n n u a l a p p e a l s , a n d M e m b e r s h i p C a m p a i g n s 1 0 9
work. Finding your passion will give you a sense of pride and honor in your
fundraising that you’ll convey in your fundraising appeals. Your ability to
communicate your organization’s impact—fueled by a dose of personal
passion—will shine through and inspire more and bigger donations.
2. Understand Your Donors
Good communication skills are key to success in this area. Your words need to
connect with people and inspire them. To do this, you need to know whom
you’re talking to. What do your donors care about, and what drives their giving?
When preparing your appeals, think about the answers to these questions, and
write as if you are writing to one donor, not a bunch of names on a spreadsheet.
Odds are you’ll target several different types of people with your campaigns,
but follow Trompeter’s suggestion and create a few “donor personas”
to personalize your message and get inside the heads of your intended
audience. Give each persona a name and a story, and detail what drives their
connection to your cause. Keep these in mind when you write your appeals.
Maybe you’re an LGBT advocacy group writing to Bob, a 62-year-old man
from Texas with a grandson who is gay. Bob made a small donation because
his grandson forwarded your last campaign, but this is not his number one
issue. Another persona could be Betty, the 41-year-old married lesbian with
a daughter who is passionate about LGBT equality, both because of personal
prejudice she’s faced, but also because she wants her daughter to grow up
in a world free from bigotry. The point is to connect with the donors you
are writing to and to remember what matters to them—not just what feels
critical to you or your organization.
3. Identify Membership Pricing and Benefits
As you prepare to launch a successful membership campaign, you need
to identify the right benefits and pricing. Look at similar organizations
in your area. If you’re a theater or museum, what benefits do other local
groups offer, and at what price? Next, look at your own data. Review your
average gift size and make your membership price point 10 to 20 percent
above that, so that over time you can increase this important metric.
When identifying member benefits, tie them closely to your organization
and the impact you have, not something generic. Your benefits should
be connected to the mission of the organization and the reasons why
1 1 0 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
people support you. For example, if you’re a group that promotes youth
development through sports, offer tickets to local sporting events; or if
you’re a museum, offer early access to new exhibits.
4. Plan Campaigns Instead of One-Time Appeals
Sending a single letter or email asking for support may generate a small
level of interest, but it’s never going to deliver the results of a full-fledged,
strategically planned campaign that unites messages across all of your
communication platforms. Create a theme for the campaign and interweave
relevant stories, images, statistics, and language throughout. Write and
design materials that resonate with your donors and help them appreciate
the issue you’re working on, why it matters, and how they can help. Explain
the problem, the solution, and how the donor can play a part.
Provide a timeline and goal for the campaign, along with the impact it
will enable, something like “We’re raising $100,000 by the end of the year
to open up a new facility” or “We’re enlisting 1,000 new members in the
next two weeks, and then we’re taking our case to Congress!” It’s crucial to
keep each message simple and include only one call to action. Trompeter
also recommends starting out by not asking for a donation, but instead
making action-based requests, like sharing an image on social media or
signing an online petition, before making your fundraising request.
5. Schedule Appeals and Updates
Plan a series of well-designed, professional communications that include
reminders for those who don’t donate initially, progress updates, and a
final impact summary. As we detail in Chapters 10, 16, and 17, creating a
comprehensive editorial calendar is the key to running successful campaigns
with consistent messaging across channels. Having a map helps you balance
the frequency and timing of your messages. Once you begin your campaign,
remember that just because a few people complain about hearing from you too
often, it doesn’t mean that you’ve stepped over a line. Analyzing key metrics (see
Tip 6) will help you determine the value of additional communications.
As a point of reference, year-end campaigns typically occur over a
six-week period starting in mid-November and culminating at the
beginning of the next year. A year-end or annual campaign might
include one to two direct mail pieces, five to six emails, and one to three
Facebook or Twitter posts per week (use the tips in Chapters 10, 16, and
Ye a r – E n d , a n n u a l a p p e a l s , a n d M e m b e r s h i p C a m p a i g n s 1 1 1
17, respectively). When integrating all this into your editorial calendar,
increase the frequency of messages as you approach the deadline or end
of the campaign to create a sense of urgency and enlist help in getting your
campaign across the goal line.
Sample Year-End Campaign Calendar
● September to November: Develop specific goal for total dollars
and donors, create campaign theme and calendar, draft and
design high-end direct mail appeal card and seven email
messages, create low-end and high-end donation forms,
produce four shareable graphics and copy for weekly social
media posts.
● November 24: Drop direct mail appeal to existing donors,
scheduled to arrive after first email appeal.
● November 25: Launch campaign with a Thanksgiving email
message, sharing thanks and asking supporters to do the
same. After message is sent, tag three donors in a Facebook
post, and asked them to do the same using the campaign
hashtag (see the Facebook post below).
● December 01: Send first email appeal announcing matching
gift; post campaign artwork on homepage and via posts to
Facebook and Twitter.
● December 02: For Giving Tuesday, promote the campaign with
two posts each on Facebook and Twitter.
● December 13: Send second email appeal from a family member
of a child with Duchenne.
● December 15: Send December e-newsletter featuring the
campaign, a blog post about the fundraising project, and
donation-centric images.
● December 18: Send third email appeal from a staff member
about the need for research.
● December 26: Send fourth email appeal from a young person/
people with Duchenne (with video).
● December 30: Post last-chance message on Facebook and
Twitter; text appeal to mobile donors.
● December 31: Send fifth email appeal from founder with a last
chance to give message.
● January 06: Send out a thank-you message to all (with variations
for donors/non-donors); post report-back/thank-you messages
on Facebook and Twitter.
(continued)
1 1 2 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
(continued)
PPMD Facebook Post
Based on Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy 2014 year-end campaign developed by
Big Duck.
6. Use Your Best Channels
To maximize the impact of your campaigns, you must leverage the
most effective channels for raising money, including email, direct mail,
and your website. Integrate all these channels into your campaign
and be consistent with your messaging. Think about where you have
an established presence and where you’ve been successful in the past.
Rather than focus on identifying new sources of prospects, fundraising
campaigns like these work best when you focus on soliciting existing
donors through proven channels. Use social media strategically to provide
depth, share stories, and update supporters on the campaign using videos,
photos, and peer testimonials, but don’t rely on Facebook and Twitter
for direct fundraising appeals. Prominently feature the campaign on your
website using graphics, a lightbox or other image that takes over your
homepage, or a landing page. Customize your donation page to feature
the language and images associated with the campaign, and potentially
customize the ask string to match the campaign or donor’s giving history.
And per Chapter 18, ensure that all your channels are compatible with
mobile devices, especially the donation page on your website. You will
leave money on the table if people aren’t able to donate from their phones
or tablets, and this trend is increasing over time.
Ye a r – E n d , a n n u a l a p p e a l s , a n d M e m b e r s h i p C a m p a i g n s 1 1 3
7. Make Data Your Friend
The only way to determine your success is to take time to evaluate your
efforts and analyze your data. Invest in the right tools and dedicate staff
resources to collecting data on an ongoing basis (see Chapter 7 for more
on data capture and analysis). Look at open and unsubscribe rates to
see whether you’re losing people by sending too many communications.
Look at click-through and response rates to make sure donors and
members are taking the actions you hope for. Look at average gifts and
amounts raised by each message to determine whether your campaign is
effective. Compare current campaign data to previous efforts, as well
as to industry standards by looking at reports by groups like M+R,
Blackbaud, and Giving USA (see Resource Review below). During the
campaign, experiment with testing components of your communications
like graphics, messaging, subject line, day or time, and others to
determine what works best before sending to your entire list. See Chapter
10 to learn more about testing direct mail campaigns, Chapter 15 for tips
on optimize your website donation page, and Chapter 16 for tips on email
campaigns.
8. Report Back
The key to keeping your donors loyal and engaged is effectively
communicating the impact their donations have on your cause. When
your campaign ends, let donors know whether you reached your goal
and be honest if you didn’t; donors appreciate transparency. Thank them,
communicate the impact their donations are having, and be specific about
work that you will accomplish because of their support. Send ongoing
updates when you hit milestones and see successes, and remind donors that
it was their contributions to the campaign that made it possible. Update the
campaign page on your website or blog, and post to social media with the
same information.
Conclusion
The key to successful year-end and annual appeals and membership
campaigns is remembering that it isn’t about your organization; it’s about
your loyal base of donors. Put yourself in their shoes, and understand why
they care about your cause and why they give to your organization. When
you craft campaign messages, write as if you’re addressing a specific donor;
1 1 4 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
avoid generic language that doesn’t connect with donors. Convey the
impact their donations have on a regular basis in order to steward them and
sustain their support year after year. Build membership campaigns around
benefits that reflect your organization’s mission, and plan campaigns with
themes that are integrated across all of your best fundraising channels.
Continuously improve your efforts and fundraising results by paying
close attention to your data and looking at previous efforts and industry
standards. When done well, these appeals and campaigns can raise the bulk
of your critical general operating support and provide a dependable base of
support for your work.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do. . .
. . . create an editorial calendar to map out your campaign and
ensure strategic timing, frequency, and integration with any other
competing messages or campaigns.
. . . send a higher-end direct mail piece at the end of the year to
existing donors to cut through the clutter, perhaps in an envelope
that’s not a standard size.
. . . give prospects an action to take besides giving to engage them.
. . . regularly survey or interview your donors to find out what they’re
passionate about and what member benefits or programmatic issues
would be most compelling.
Don’t. . .
. . . choose member benefits that have no connection to your organization;
make sure they reflect your mission and are of value to donors.
. . . forget to send a personalized thank you message, in addition to an
automated donation receipt.
. . . ignore donors once the campaign ends; send monthly updates and
provide other opportunities to keep them engaged.
. . . fail to analyze your campaign once it’s completed; take a close look
at the data to see how it performed.
Ye a r – E n d , a n n u a l a p p e a l s , a n d M e m b e r s h i p C a m p a i g n s 1 1 5
About the Expert
Farra Trompeter is vice president of Big Duck, a communications firm that
exclusively works with nonprofits. Since joining in 2008, she’s led dozens
of organizations through major brand overhauls, multichannel year-end
and annual campaigns, successful membership campaign launches, and
more. She’s a frequent speaker around the country on topics such as the
link between branding and fundraising, donor engagement, and social
media strategy, and she serves as vice chair on the board for the Nonprofit
Technology Network (NTEN). Trompeter is also an adjunct professor at
New York University and The New School.
Resource Review
Here are three helpful studies that provide industry benchmarks for email
and online fundraising. Whenever you rethink your strategy, start by
comparing your current performance against past results. You should also
compare your data against your peers using some or all of these studies:
M+R Annual Online Fundraising Benchmark Study: mrbenchmarks.com
Network for Good Digital Giving Index: www1.networkforgood.org/
digitalgivingindex
Blackbaud Index of Online Giving: https://www.blackbaud.com/
nonprofit-resources/blackbaud-index
Fundlio’s Top 20 Fundraising Blogs (http://fundlio.com/blog/best-fundraising-
blogs)
Online fundraising platform Fundlio took the time to write up great
descriptions of their favorite blogs, including Big Duck’s and many others
from Nonprofit Fundraising 101 interviewees. These are great resources for
staying abreast of trends in the industry.
NTEN: The Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN.org)
A membership organization aimed at helping nonprofits master technology
for social change. Their annual conference, NTC (ntc.nten.org), covers all
aspects of nonprofit technology, fundraising, and communications, and also
offers a sneak peak at the findings of many of the reports outlined above.
https://www.blackbaud.com/nonprofit-resources/blackbaud-index
http://fundlio.com/blog/best-fundraising-blogs
http://fundlio.com/blog/best-fundraising-blogs
http://www1.networkforgood.org/digitalgivingindex
1 1 6 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Which Test Won (https://WhichTestWon.com)
This is a great resource to learn more about testing, where you can review
the tests and results from different emails and web pages and learn which
performed better. This is a great, fun tool to help you figure out what
works and apply test results to improve your programs.
The Chronicle of Philanthropy (https://philanthropy.com)
A weekly periodical that also publishes an online edition. This is a great
resource for finding articles and case studies about crafting fundraising
campaigns and appeals, as well as the latest trends in the industry.
The Agitator (www.theagitator.net/)
A great online blog from industry experts Tom Belford and Roger Craver
that provides information and advice on nonprofit fundraising and direct
marketing strategies.
Warwick, Mal. How to Write Successful Fundraising Appeals (3rd ed.). Jossey-Bass,
2013.
The thought of writing a fundraising appeal may make you nervous. This
book, the standard text in the field, will show you the way to succeed.
Association of Fundraising Professionals (www.AFPnet.org)
This is the leading association for development professionals. In
addition to publishing helpful resources and providing great content for
professional development, they host an annual national conference as well
as several regional conferences, often referred to as “Fundraising Days,”
which feature leading experts and current examples.
Big Duck (www.BigDuckNYC.com)
Their blog regularly features articles about fundraising campaigns and
suggested fundraising and marketing approaches, as well as lots of great
content on branding, communications, social media, and more.
https://WhichTestWon.com
https://philanthropy.com
http://www.theagitator.net/
http://www.AFPnet.org
http://www.BigDuckNYC.com
117
12Chapter
Event-Based
Fundraising
“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go
back to its old dimensions.”
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
Introduction
In today’s digital age, much of our fundraising and relationship-building
happens through technology. It is becoming less common for fundraisers
to have personal interactions with donors, but these are still critical when
raising funds and developing connections. Events are an important way to
engage with donors and create an experience that not only brings awareness
to your cause, but also inspires a sense of community among supporters and
generates much-needed funds. They’re also an important way to engage with
Millennials and younger audiences. Eventbrite found that over 75 percent
of the Millennials they surveyed would rather spend money on a desirable
experience—such as an event—versus simply donating, and over two-thirds
said events make them feel more connected to a cause. It’s crucial that your
nonprofit effectively engage your next generation of donors, and events are
one key to doing this.
1 1 8 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Events require a significant amount of time and effort and aren’t often an
organization’s primary source of funding. However, when done right the benefits
you reap with a successful event far outweigh the resources you invest in it.
Events can play a key part in cultivation and stewardship strategies, making
critical differences in your efforts with major donors, foundations, and important
allies like partners and board members. Live events will help you reap additional
donations from key supporters and inspire new ones to join you. They’re key
marketing opportunities and great ways to get your cause and story in front of
more people, and events provide a focal point for people to rally to your cause.
There are endless types of events, but all of them should reflect your
organization and fit within your fundraising strategy. If your goal is to
identify and cultivate a small group of high net worth donors, think about
having a small event at the home of a board member or major donor. If
you’re a small, grassroots organization fighting economic injustice, you
probably don’t want to throw an expensive and fancy gala. Whatever your
strategy, events provide an opportunity to inspire people in ways that other
forms of communication simply cannot.
To learn more about maximizing the fundraising potential of nonprofit
events, I sat down with Tracy Kosolcharoen, marketing manager and
nonprofit lead at Eventbrite, and Daniel Lurie and Jen Pitts at Tipping
Point Community. They shared ten great practical insights and tips to help
you bring more money in the door.
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Identify Specific Goals
What is the primary goal of your event—raising money, identifying new
donors, spreading awareness, or promoting your cause? According to Lurie
and Pitts, the key to success is a clear purpose that drives and focuses
all of your efforts. Once you’ve identified your primary goal, you need to
set additional, specific event goals, like number of attendees, tickets sold,
money raised, and so forth. Take the time to think through the impact of
your event. What will you accomplish, and why are you doing this? You
need to be able to clearly communicate the purpose and impact of your
event in marketing materials and to the supporters who join you in person.
Think about your key stakeholders—donors, board, volunteers, staff,
vendors, and more—and ask yourself: What do we want the experience to
E v e n t – B a s e d f u n d r a i s i n g 1 1 9
be like for them? Remember, your event begins long before the actual day; it
begins the moment you start talking to people about it.
2. Create a Calendar and a Budget
Create a calendar and work backward from your event date. List all
necessary tasks (such as creating marketing materials, securing volunteers,
selling tickets, securing sponsors and auction items, solidifying logistics like
venue and catering) and assign deadlines and people responsible for each
item. Create a conservative budget that estimates the revenue you expect,
plus all related expenses. Use past events as a baseline if possible, justifying
any increases in expectations, and keeping those to 10 to 25 percent,
unless there’s a significant change in format. If this is your first event, think
through how many tickets, tables, and sponsorships you can realistically
sell. And be conservative when it comes to your expenses as well, especially
around items like beer and wine that you hope to have donated.
Once you have a reasonable budget, including both projected revenue and
expenses, compare those two numbers. If you don’t project raising at least
twice as much as you spend, then don’t call it a fundraiser. That’s not to say
you shouldn’t do the event, but think of it as a “friend raiser” or networking
event to manage expectations. Keep people accountable to the budget and
your deadlines by holding regular meetings to assess your progress.
3. Recruit Key People
Your next step is mobilizing the human resources needed to succeed. These
people, including staff, board, volunteers, and key supporters, will be critical
to maximizing your fundraising results. Recruit an event committee at
least six months out, so that you have a team of people helping to focus
and drive your efforts. Key duties and roles include recruiting and managing
volunteers, coordinating logistics, promoting ticket sales, securing auction
items, and most importantly, enlisting speakers, performers, in-kind and
media partners, and sponsors and table captains. If you have enough people
on your committee, divide their roles and assign responsibility for these.
As detailed in Chapters 3 and 4, when engaging your board or volunteers
in fundraising, the key to success is making it as easy as possible for them to
support you. Again, think “low touch, high value” and create toolkits with
sample emails and social media posts and images to facilitate outreach.
This is helpful to drive ticket sales down the road, and to securing sponsors,
1 2 0 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
table captains, and partners when you’re starting out. And as we discuss in
Chapter 17, Social Media and Crowdfunding, “seeding the tip jar” helps
drive support, so tap this inner circle of supporters to secure initial ticket
sales, event hosts, and sponsors before engaging the public.
Ensure expectations are clearly communicated to everyone you recruit, and
that you leverage them strategically so they feel engaged and see the impact
of their contributions.
4. Secure Sponsors
If your event strategy includes securing corporate, individual, or foundation
sponsorships, begin outreach at least six months in advance. Securing
sponsors requires time and cultivation, and many institutions need months
to budget for this support.
Think through what you are asking of sponsors, and what you are offering
in return. Having a solid sponsorship package that outlines the various
levels and associated benefits will be key in driving results. Even if you’re
soliciting people and foundations, the most effective event sponsorship
proposals typically follow the corporate framework outlined in Chapter
23 and include an option for table captains, also known as event hosts.
Table captains typically buy eight to ten tickets and receive recognition at
the program, plus entry to a VIP reception beforehand if you include that in
your agenda. Often, their guests will pay for their tickets anyway, resulting
in twice the revenue. And as discussed in Chapter 25, pursue in-kind and
media sponsorships using your corporate proposal as a template, and then
make a few edits to customize it for this audience.
When reaching out to sponsorship prospects, start with past event sponsors
and your biggest supporters. Thank them for their patronage and remind
them of the impact they’ve made possible before inviting additional support.
For example, with the $100 million Tipping Point Community raised over
the past ten years, they’ve impacted nearly 500,000 people living in poverty.
In addition to these big numbers, they often personalize impact by sharing
individual stories of those who’ve benefited from their work.
Finally, remember that providing sponsors with a great experience is key to
securing their support in the future. Nurture these valuable relationships,
and make sure to fulfill and over-deliver on any promises you make. And
take the time to figure out what’s most important to these key partners
E v e n t – B a s e d f u n d r a i s i n g 1 2 1
so you can be sure to meet their needs. For example, ask sponsors what
information they’d like to know about your audience, and then integrate
relevant questions into the registration process or follow-up surveys.
5. Build a Strong Event Page
All-in-one event registration platforms like Eventbrite allow you to easily
build an integrated event page to sell tickets and promote your event. Your
goal with the event page is to maximize your conversion rate, meaning the
percentage of people who visit the page who actually sign up to attend.
The first step to improving your event page’s conversion rate is leveraging
your prime content areas, including the upper-right-hand corner of the
page, the middle of the page “above the fold,” and in your navigation
bar. “Above the fold” is an old newspaper term, meaning people see it
without needing to scroll down or flip the page. These key areas are where
you want to share the what, where, when, and how of your event, and be
sure to focus on only one call to action. Ideally, create a button that says
“Sign up now,” “Order Tickets,” or “Register.”
Once people click on the button, offer group registration options and
provide people with opportunities to donate if they are unable to attend.
Use a tool like Eventbrite to ensure your event page is compatible with
mobile devices, able to be integrated with your database or CRM, and that it
enables people to easily share the event information through email and social
media. It’s critical that you use a platform that prompts people to invite
their friends to attend immediately after registering. Just as with online
fundraising, making it easy for people to invite their social networks to follow
their lead after they donate or sign up drives huge results; in fact, Eventbrite
discovered that 67 percent of event shares happen after registration and that
every Facebook share is worth $4 in ticket sales. Social media shares can also
drive “FOMO,” or fear of missing out, since people considering attending
can see which of their friends registered and be motivated to do the same.
One final note on the registration portion of your event page: keep it simple
and ask only for necessary information. Eventbrite’s research established
a clear, direct correlation: the more fields in your registration form, the
lower your conversion rate. Part of this is due to load time—the Aberdeen
Group found that a one-second delay decreases conversion rates by 7 to
10 percent. You can always collect more details later, so focus exclusively
on securing the information you need to register people. If you really want
1 2 2 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
to know what music people want, secure input on the direction of the
event, or figure out which conference sessions people plan to attend, send a
follow-up email after people sign up.
6. Promote Your Event
Now that you have your team and plan in place, as well as your event
registration page, it’s time to spread the word. Start by leveraging your
existing networks and outlets, including social media, public relations,
your newsletter, mailing list, etc. Eventbrite found that email is the
most effective way to recruit event attendees, followed by social media,
particularly Facebook and Twitter. Coordinate and plan all your outreach
in an editorial calendar, as detailed in Chapter 17.
Remember that you’re not in this alone: engage your events committee and
volunteers, possibly including a social media marketing committee, also
outlined in that chapter. Recruit any event speakers or VIPs to this team,
reminding them the commitment is limited to just five minutes a week and
providing outreach toolkits to make emailing and posting as easy as cut and
paste. Ideally, give each person or partner on your event committee a unique
tracking link or URL so you can easily gauge which team members proved
most valuable as you plan future events.
Collectively, all this outreach drives excitement and momentum. This is
crucial since typically people need to hear about an event six times before
they sign up. Beyond the peer-to-peer and organizational marketing, don’t
forget that media sponsors are another great way to generate tremendous
exposure, as detailed in Chapter 25. Finally, if you have a Google Grant,
leverage AdWords to drive traffic to your event page, and add keywords
there to maximize search engine rankings.
7. Understand the Ticketing Lifecycle
According to Eventbrite, most nonprofits launch ticket sales six to eight weeks
out, which they’ve identified as a best practice. Kosolcharoen recommends
you provide a 10 to 20 percent early bird discount for the first two weeks to
drive initial registrations, since 40 percent of events sell less than half their tickets
until the week of the event. This results in tremendous stress; plus it complicates
planning and logistics, such as catering orders. Anything you can do to combat
people postponing their registrations will help on many levels, but be sure that
you’re covering your costs before offering any discounts.
E v e n t – B a s e d f u n d r a i s i n g 1 2 3
Use social media to build momentum and encourage early signups with
things like hashtags, which allow you to track and encourage conversations
around your event, and which can result in your event trending on social
media. Use free tools like Twubs or Hashtag.org to look these up and ensure
no one else is using them, or simply search on Twitter itself. We talked about
FOMO earlier; Eventbrite found that 80 percent of Millennials experience
and are driven by this phenomenon. To capitalize on it, offer incentives
through contests promoting your hashtag, price discounts, or reserved
seating to drive ticket sales. Invite people to tweet about your event in
exchange for a chance to win tickets, or hold a contest where the person with
the most retweets or shares gets to meet a VIP or keynote speaker.
8. Create an Agenda
Well before event day, it’s very helpful to map out a detailed timeline,
or “Q2Q,” for your program, including time for both preparation and
breakdown. Map out a realistic agenda and leave in cushions, because things
almost always run late. Here’s a typical sample agenda for a donor event,
including a few tips for each component:
• Welcoming Reception (cocktails, appetizers, and time to mingle;
Jazz or other light background music; if you have a VIP Reception,
it typically happens here in a private room)
• Food Service (dinner or lunch with sit-down service for more
formal events; it’s ideal to wait until plates are cleared before starting
the program to avoid background noise)
• Welcoming Remarks (two-to-three-minute welcome from a key
board member, MC, or sponsor; this can also be accomplished via a
short video)
• Client Testimonial/Mission Moment (a client shares the impact of
your work on his or her life, personalizing your work; can also be a
brief partner report speaking to your effectiveness and the impact
of a compelling program/project. Either way, this can also be
accomplished via a short video)
• Live Auction (use an experienced auctioneer if possible; secure
minimum bids ahead of time to ensure responses and kick-start
momentum; packages revolving around unique prizes that money
can’t buy, like lunch with a celebrity, are ideal)
• Presentation from Executive Director (outline the history
and impact of the organization; share the event’s purpose and
fundraising goal and the overall impact it will make possible)
1 2 4 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
• The Ask (pass around donation envelopes and have volunteers
poised with mobile devices to collect donations—see insert below
for detailed process and tips)
• Announce the Results (thank the audience and let them know how
much was raised and what these funds will allow you to accomplish)
This may sound like a lot to get through, but in fact, you’re best off keeping
your program as short as possible. After years of experimentation, Tipping
Point Community recommends you keep the spoken portion of your
program to 15 to 45 minutes. If you’re hosting a small, casual event—
especially one where people remain standing—keep it to no more than 15 to
20 minutes. If it’s a larger, more formal event like a gala or luncheon, keep
your presentation to less than 45 minutes. If you talk for too long, you’ll
lose people’s attention. Give your speakers and presenters clear guidance
and provide them with key messages and talking points in advance. And
definitely take the time to rehearse with them before the big day.
9. Maximize Your Ask
There are lots of ways to raise funds on site at your event, including silent and
live auctions, “fund a need”s, and of course, making an ask. If one of your
main event goals is fundraising, then—unless there’s a compelling reason—it’s
crucial you explicitly and directly invite people to donate and support your
good work. There are different approaches for doing this, including the one
detailed below by one of my personal heroes, Van Jones. Not surprisingly,
after raising more than $100 million, in large part via their annual benefit,
Tipping Point Community has dialed in their unique recipe for success.
As with many nonprofits, the CEO and founder, Daniel Lurie, has
traditionally been the spokesperson who makes the big fundraising ask.
Tipping Point creates an exciting, dynamic environment that evokes peer
pressure and friendly competition to maximize giving. After sharing the
overall work of the organization to date, and the impact its current campaign
will unlock, he tells the audience that the group’s board underwrites all
operating expenses—so every dollar raised goes directly to the cause—and,
when possible, shares a matching or challenge grant to inspire giving.
In partnership with an auctioneer, Lurie then invites attendees to stretch
themselves as much as they can, with gifts ranging from $25 to more than $1
million. Over the years, Tipping Point has experimented with using glow sticks
as bidding paddles, asking everyone to bid at once using event technology
E v e n t – B a s e d f u n d r a i s i n g 1 2 5
like LUMI, and visibly opting in at various pledge levels. Of course, there are
donation envelopes on the tables for people to complete, as well as volunteers
poised to assist donors with giving. Pitts cautions double-checking your cellular
and Wi-Fi connection before experimenting with various technologies and
mobile phone–based giving transactions. Finally, just as with auction items,
Lurie advises securing some gifts in advance if you plan to invite support at
various levels, which helps inspire others to follow suit and match giving.
Van Jones’ Live Ask Recipe
In all my years of fundraising and running in nonprofit circles,
I’ve been to lots of galas and fundraising events. Hands down,
I’ve never seen anyone better at making an ask at a live event
than Van Jones, CNN correspondent and president and co-founder
of Dream Corps. I sat down with him to learn a few of his secrets,
and he graciously shared his formula for unlocking support.
Establish credibility. Speak to your past impact and the
strengths as an organization. Focus on your accolades and
accomplishments, versus the needs or challenges of your
organization. Frame your work and progress as powerfully
as possible; remember that people want to be part of a
winning team, not bail out a sinking ship. It’s also helpful
to share a quick story to put a face to your work; perhaps you
talk about Martin, the 15-year-old who dropped out of school,
but whom you helped to get back on track, and who is now a
successful college student.
Humanize your work. Notwithstanding the last comment,
it’s still important to authentically share the passion and
dedication needed to drive impact. Have one of your staff
members share the obstacles you’ve overcome along the way,
including those he or she faced in their personal role. Jones
finds this often to be even more effective than talking about the
people in need, since your audience can identify with them as
peers, and they believe in and want to support their good work.
As Jones says, “It’s getting people to think about, ‘How can
I help this person, who’s doing something every day that’s
hard and that I believe in, but the fact is, I’m not doing it
myself? Look at the sacrifice this person is making; their time,
their life, their energy. What can I do to help them be more
effective?’ These are your good, hard-working peers who need
you to chip in.” Instead of merely sharing the same pitch as
(continued)
1 2 6 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
every other organization, with an exclusive focus on the need,
the numbers, and maybe some anecdotes, don’t be afraid to
pull the curtain back on how difficult—and even scary—the
work can be and what keeps you going. Be vulnerable and
share your emotional roller coaster, and let the audience know
how much is riding on the event as you head into the next day,
the next week, and the next month. Help attendees realize
that what they do in the next few moments is going to
really make a difference for the people you serve, and
also on your staff’s ability to help them.
Communicate the need. Now that people understand the
human impact of your work on both staff and clients, it’s time
to share the event goal and help your audience understand
the increased impact their support will make possible. Be clear
about what you’re raising money for and exactly how it will
make a difference. Communicate a specific overall dollar amount
and impact, and clarify what specific gift amounts can enable,
similar to the gift string concept outlined in Chapter 15.
For example, “With your support, we aim to raise $10,000
tonight, which will allow us to help 50 at-risk kids, just like
Martin. Every gift of $200 empowers us to provide a mentor
and after-school programming for a child in need. For every
$1,000 we raise, we can expand our programs to a new school,
and every $2,500 underwrites our expansion into another low-
income community like West Oakland.” If you have a projector,
display these levels of giving and associated impact on the
screen, using compelling photos to visually enforce each.
Make the ask. Before diving into the ask, make sure you
express gratitude for the support your attendees have already
provided simply by registering or sponsoring the event.
Remind them that their presence is a demonstration of their
commitment to the cause. Then start your ask and make it
clear you’re excited to invite their support, and let them
know you are also a donor by saying something like, “I now
have the honor of inviting you to join me in supporting this
crucial work.” Be real and authentic, and remind them that their
support will help create more success stories like the one they
just heard. Have volunteers pass out donation envelopes
and pens, but tell the audience not to fill them out yet.
Once everyone has an envelope, take a breath and ask the
audience to take a moment to reflect on everything they’ve heard.
(continued)
E v e n t – B a s e d f u n d r a i s i n g 1 2 7
Let silence do some of the work, since getting your attendees
to be fully present is critical. Jones says this is the part of the
program where you have to “stop the show.” You’ve talked about
the work, the impact, the stories, and about the passion of the
staff, but often many attendees are likely trying not to get “shaken
down” too badly and want to get out of the event as cheaply
as possible. Stopping the show is the key to fighting this lowest
common denominator. To do that, you ask for the attendees’
presence, in the form of handing them the donation envelope, but
telling them not to fill it out, but instead to reflect for a moment.
Instead of immediately asking them to complete the form,
invite your audience to think about a donation amount
that they’d be proud to announce if they had to come
up on stage and read it out loud. As Jones shares, “Can you
honestly say that this number, given what you now know—how
important this is to people doing this work—is a number you’d
be proud to stand up and yell out? If it’s not, you should pick
another number, because I might call on you! Then, once they
pick that number they’re proud of, push it one step further and
say, ‘OK, what if you went one level higher? Could you pay your
bills? Is everything going to be OK? Who’s willing to go one click
higher? Just raise your hand. We don’t even care what the click
is, it’s just who’s willing to go one level higher?’”
Just as your organization is stretching as it seeks to expand
its impact, invite them to stretch with you. To Jones’ point, ask
them to think about their intended gift amount, and then to
contemplate the difference it would make in their lives if they
were to add a zero, or check the next box over. What kind of
sacrifices would they need to make? And then invite them to
consider the impact that additional contribution would make
possible for your staff and the people you serve. And then,
finally, invite attendees to complete their envelopes.
Your goal when doing all this isn’t to inspire your most loyal
donors; they’re likely already committed to supporting your
work to the full extent possible. Rather, you’re looking to untap
the potential of the 75 percent of your attendees who, with
proper motivation, can go from giving nothing to writing a
check for $500, or even $5,000.
Close the ask. Once you’ve secured the presence of your
audience, had them contemplate their donation amounts,
invited them to stretch with you, and asked them to fill out their
(continued)
1 2 8 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
10. Follow Up and Debrief
Your event doesn’t end when everyone goes home. Seize the opportunity to
maximize the experience and ride the wave of goodwill created. Thank people
as soon as possible after the event for their attendance and donations,
ideally with calls and hand-written notes from your executive director or
key board members. Make them feel celebrated. Share the goals you reached
and the impact their contributions will make possible. Per Chapter 23, send
sponsors impact summaries and ask about their experience, looking for clues
on how you can improve in future years. You can even send a post-event
survey using tools like Eventbrite or SurveyMonkey to collect key data
points, input, and overall approval ratings. Debrief with your staff and key
volunteers to get their input on what went well and what needs work in the
future. Capture all of this and reference it closely when planning future events.
Conclusion
Of all the ways to raise money while building relationships with your
supporters, events are one of the most powerful. No other form of fundraising
allows you to give people a shared, in-person experience that can inspire
generosity and loyalty. A well-organized and professionally executed event can
deliver new donors, increase the giving of existing supporters, create a strong
sense of community and impact, and rally people and partners to support your
donation forms, you’ll need to fill a few minutes. Jones likes
to use this time to share a personal story, whether his own or
that of another donor who stretched financially and witnessed
the impact it unlocked. Often he’ll invite a board member up
to talk briefly at this point, which provides a public forum of
recognition for one of your major donors.
Either way, the message you’re looking to convey here is
that this isn’t about them; it’s about donating to the cause with
humility. Your speaker should communicate why he or she is
taking a stand, underscoring the hard work and commitment
of the staff, the tremendous value the organization offers
the community, and gratitude to the supporters—like your
attendees—who make it all possible. Once people have filled
out their forms, thank them for their incredible support, and
encourage the volunteers to start collecting the envelopes.
(continued)
E v e n t – B a s e d f u n d r a i s i n g 1 2 9
cause and take action. When done right, your events will create a positive,
long-term memory for people that serves as a keystone in your relationships. To
maximize your success, make sure that your event is focused, well planned, and
properly promoted, and that it leverages key resources, including your existing
support network, sponsors, and partners, and an event registration platform.
And remember: things always go wrong at events, but your audience rarely
notices. They only see what happens in front of the curtain, so provide them
with the best experience possible, and you will reap the rewards.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do. . .
. . . send out a save the date as soon as you confirm your date and venue.
. . . select an event registration platform that integrates with social
media, your CRM, and other key technology platforms.
. . . use unique tracking links or discount codes so you can analyze
which partners, volunteers, and campaigns drive ticket sales.
. . . have your keynote speaker or a supportive celebrity or VIP send
out your event invitation to drive response rates.
. . . have a Twitter wall at your event so people can read and contribute
tweets branded with your event hashtag.
Don’t. . .
. . . start or end your event late; it demonstrates disrespect for your
attendees’ time and is unprofessional.
. . . let the verbal program of your event run longer than 45 minutes.
. . . let anyone speak at your event without first giving him or her
talking points and rehearsing.
About the Experts
Tracy Kosolcharoen is marketing manager at Eventbrite, an organization
that helps nonprofits use technology to improve event strategies and increase
fundraising and awareness for their causes. Prior to spearheading nonprofit
events at Eventbrite, Kosolcharoen managed marketing at American Express
and OpenTable.
1 3 0 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Daniel Lurie is the CEO and founder of Tipping Point Community, a San
Francisco–based nonprofit that raises money for the fight against poverty.
Previously, Lurie worked for the Bill Bradley Presidential Campaign,
Accenture Consulting, and the Robin Hood Foundation. In 2013, Lurie
chaired the successful Bay Area Super Bowl bid to host Super Bowl 50. He
serves on the board of directors for Single Stop USA, the Mimi and Peter
Haas Fund, and the Levi Strauss Foundation.
Jen Pitts is the managing director of communications, events, and
development at Tipping Point Community, which raises about half of their
$21 million budget from their annual event. Prior to Tipping Point, Pitts
spent four years working in communications, events, and special projects at
the Robin Hood Foundation.
Resource Review
Eventbrite (www.eventbrite.com)
Eventbrite is a leading event registration platform, with a special focus on
serving nonprofits. Check out their Event Academy at www.eventbrite.
com/academy to find fundraising, sponsorship, and volunteer management
resources, including case studies, templates, and a valuable blog.
Ortiz, Claire. Twitter for Good: Change the World One Tweet at a Time.
Jossey-Bass, 2011.
This is a great book that breaks down how nonprofits can leverage social
media to promote their causes and events.
Kingston, Kathy. A Higher Bid: How to Transform Special Event Fundraising
with Strategic Auctions. Jossey-Bass, 2015.
This book offers a fresh approach to fundraising and walks you through
how to make a benefit auction one of the centerpieces of your next
fundraising event.
The Nonprofit Times (www.thenonprofittimes.com)
Find a variety of helpful resources on nonprofit issues, and check out
their article “9 Rules for Event Planning.”
Grayson, Harriet. Special Events Planning for Non-profits. Ocean Breeze
Press, 2015.
This book is a guide to creating, designing, organizing, implementing,
and evaluating special events for nonprofits.
http://www.eventbrite.com
http://www.eventbrite.com/academy
http://www.eventbrite.com/academy
E v e n t – B a s e d f u n d r a i s i n g 1 3 1
Network for Good Blog (www.fundraising123.org)
Find a lot of helpful resources on nonprofit issues, including planning,
implementing, and evaluating the success of events. Check out their
article “Planning and Executing a Successful Nonprofit Fundraising
Event” and the whitepaper “Analyze This: A Nonprofit’s Guide to Event
Fundraising Analytics,” which highlights key metrics and best practices
that drive event fundraising success.
Nolo (www.nolo.com)
Find helpful templates, contracts, and worksheets on a variety of topics,
including nonprofit events, and check out their article “Special Events
101 for Nonprofit Fundraising.” Attend other fundraising events of
like-minded organizations. This is a great way to learn best practices, see
pitfalls to avoid, and find inspiration.
http://www.fundraising123.org
http://www.nolo.com
133
13Chapter
Runs, Walks, and Rides
Community-Based Fundraising
“Without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community.”
—Anthony J. D’Angelo
Introduction
According to Running USA, 20 million adults in the United States
participate in competitive runs. And they estimate that three times as
many adults run recreationally, meaning approximately one-fifth of the
U.S. population. You’ll hear me say this in other chapters, but it’s worth
repeating since it’s so important: you have to meet your donors where they’re at.
To build a base of individual supporters, typically you need to reach out to
and engage the masses, and community-based fundraising events like runs,
walks, and rides are a great way to do this.
Runs, walks, and rides are not only great ways to reach large audiences;
they’re also a great platform to bring people together and create a powerful
sense of community, pride, and accomplishment. Humans associate with
one another through shared experiences. Participants in your events will
associate their feelings of community with you, leaving a lasting impact and
providing you with valuable future fundraising opportunities.
1 3 4 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
To learn more about organizing successful community-based peer-to-peer
fundraising, I sat down with Jeff Shuck, founder and CEO of the nonprofit
consultancy Plenty. Shuck believes that in today’s technology and social
media–driven world, more and more of our daily lives are influenced by our
peers. We check out restaurants on Yelp, buy things based on recommendations
from people we’ve never met on Amazon, and see news stories from our friends’
Facebook newsfeeds. Our world has become peer-driven and to succeed,
fundraising efforts need to follow suit. Runs, walks, and rides are opportunities
for you to share your pride in raising money with others, who in turn take it
into their communities. Not only will they raise money from their peers for you,
but they raise awareness of your cause and inspire others to join them.
To guide you on your efforts to produce successful runs, walks, and rides,
Shuck shared an insightful seven-point plan, which also has implications for
all forms of community-based peer-to-peer fundraising.
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Prioritize and Focus
The first thing you need to ask when organizing a run, walk, or ride, is: “What
is our primary purpose for doing this?” Is your top priority raising money or
awareness, bringing in new supporters, or something else? Of course, you can
accomplish more than one thing with your event, but unless you decide on
your number one priority, you won’t be able to properly focus your efforts.
If your priority is raising awareness, you should focus on creating shareable
marketing materials and asking participants to get the word out. If your
priority is raising money, you should focus on providing fundraising materials
and useful templates and coaching to participants. Whatever top priority you
identify, be sure to focus your calls to action around it. Don’t overwhelm
participants by asking them to do multiple things at once.
2. Specify Your Audience
In general, the more people you engage in your event, the more money
you’ll raise. But be smart about recruitment. Don’t make the mistake of
defining your audience too broadly or trying to educate an entire city. Start
with people who are most connected to your cause as your core base, and
let them help you expand and reach new audiences. The more focused you
are at first, the more people you’ll eventually engage, since engaging your
core audience deeply will result in powerful peer marketing. Plus, the more
r u n s , W a l k s , a n d r i d e s 1 3 5
specific and targeted you are with your outreach, the more you’ll get out of
your social media and marketing efforts.
3. Ask Away
They say, “If you don’t ask, you don’t get.” You need to explicitly ask people
to participate in your run, walk, or ride, and you need to invite them to
fundraise on your behalf. This sounds basic, but many organizations fail to
be specific and forthright in their requests. Shuck says the fundamentals of a
good event ask are threefold: talk about the need you’re addressing, specify
the impact their support will make, and finally, make a direct, explicit ask.
Remember, if it doesn’t end in a question mark, it’s not an ask. For example,
ask: “Will you support our cause?” instead of saying: “I hope you can help us.”
This sounds simple, but a question mark increases response rates.
The majority of giving for runs, walks, and rides happens online nowadays, so
your donation page is your main platform for making your ask. Pay close
attention to the language you use on the form, and make sure the donation
levels or “gift string” you suggest don’t sell you short. See Chapter 15 for more
about donation forms and how to calculate suggested giving levels.
You will have two primary opportunities to ask people: when you ask them
to sign up and when you ask them to recruit friends and raise money.
Ask People to Sign Up
Before you launch your event, get your board, staff, and key allies to
sign up. This is the “seed the tip jar” notion discussed in Chapter 17 on
crowdfunding. Once you’ve signed up the people in your inner circle, use
every tool at your disposal to spread the word: social media, newsletters,
website, emails, advertising, direct mail, media partners, etc. Focus on your
core audience, and ask those who sign up to encourage their friends to
follow their lead. Provide registrants with templates and sample language
for social media and email outreach and send reminders asking them
to follow through. There are many platforms on the market that will help
facilitate this (see tip 7.)
Ask People to Donate
How you frame your fundraising asks is critical. Don’t ask people to raise
$1,000 for you; that sounds daunting. Instead, ask them to email five of
their closest friends and family and ask for contributions to meet their
fundraising goal of $1,000. Provide registrants with encouragement,
1 3 6 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
guidance, and tools, such as communications templates, so they can easily
make fundraising requests of their peers. Make sure they have the ability
to customize these templates and that they understand the importance
of personalizing each ask they put out. And remember to continually
communicate, encourage, and inspire your participants with updates
on the overall campaign and celebrate their successes. Personalize your
communications with them and thank and congratulate them when they
make progress toward meeting their individual fundraising goals.
4. Separate Logistics and Fundraising
There are two kinds of events: good events and bad events. Your goal,
obviously, is to hold a great event that leaves your participants with fond
memories, not nightmares. Make sure you take care of the basics, pay
attention to the details, and carefully think through all logistics: securing
permits, having good food and entertainment, staying on schedule, ensuring
adequate facilities like restrooms, being handicap accessible, and so on. Ensure
you have a dedicated person responsible for event logistics who is separate
from the person in charge of raising money, recruiting participants, and
supporting their fundraising efforts. Don’t make the mistake of having the
same person in charge of both the logistic and fundraising aspects. These are
equally important parts of your event, and both need someone with the right
experience and skillset focused and dedicated to ensuring its success.
5. Provide Good Service
Good stewardship is essential to successful fundraising, and the same is
true for successful events. Think through all the problems people may
have, leading up to and at the event, and prepare resources and answers
for them in advance whenever possible. Where do people go if they have
questions the day of? If I am injured on the course, is there someone there
to support me? Who do I call about fundraising questions before the event?
What happens if I don’t know how to use the donation platform? What
if I need to cancel my participation for some reason? Taking good care of
your supporters goes a long way in ensuring a great experience and leaving
these key allies with a positive impression of your organization. Remember,
fundraising is about building long-term relationships, and cultivating and
stewarding donors is a crucial part of that process. And this applies beyond
simply putting out fires; take the time to recognize your VIPs and top
performers publicly and personally, like the ones who raise the most
money or recruit the largest team. These are the folks you want to drag
r u n s , W a l k s , a n d r i d e s 1 3 7
on stage and thank them in front of a huge audience, and the ones your
executive director needs to write hand-written letters to after the event.
6. Capture Everything
Your event participants, and the supporters they recruit, are valuable
fundraising prospects. They are likely supporting you because of a close
personal connection, but now that they’ve given, you have a chance to turn
them into long-term donors. To do this, you’ll need to communicate in a clear,
compelling way, demonstrate appreciation for and the impact of their gift, and
steward them over time. But that’s next to impossible if you don’t secure their
contact information in a database or CRM (see Chapter 6 for details).
Thankfully, as outlined in Chapter 12, many of the leading event
registration platforms integrate seamlessly with your CRM, facilitating this
data collection and analysis. But however you’re collecting information, be
sure to capture people’s email and mailing addresses, how much they raised
and/or donated, and any other useful data points around their engagement.
Did they share marketing materials or hold an event of their own to raise
money or spread awareness? If so, add those notes in! Use tools like surveys
to gather more detailed information and feedback from participants.
Not only do you want to capture information from your participants,
but you should also collect event insights. Host a post-event debriefing
meeting with all staff and volunteers involved and talk through what
was successful and what needs improvement next year. Review your
fundraising and attendance results and discuss whether they met your goals
or fell behind. What factors contributed to this? It’s important to learn from
both your successes and disappointments and to honestly evaluate your
efforts and the resources you dedicated to them.
7. Use Technology
In the previous tip, we listed some examples of the types of technology used
to capture event data: survey tools, databases, CRMs, and event registration
platforms. We’ve moved on from the days when nonprofits had huge wads
of cash in shoeboxes at events.
There are numerous event management and peer-to-peer fundraising
platforms available that make things like signing up attendees, accepting
registration fees and donations, sending customized communications, and
1 3 8 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
providing participants with fundraising and communication templates
infinitely easier, more efficient, and more effective.
There are options for every type of event and organization. Some are lightweight
and affordable; these are best for nonprofits doing small-scale events, and
others are better suited for organizations running large or regular events.
Some platforms only provide the basics, while others will guide you through
your fundraising efforts and offer more sophisticated tools for engaging and
interacting with participants. Take the time to find the right tool for you, and
see the Resource Review below for a list of options and resources for evaluating
platforms.
Case Study: Kyra Millich, Volunteer Fundraiser
Kyra Millich is an avid fundraiser and passionate participant in runs,
walks, and rides. She raised just over $25,000 for the Leukemia and
Lymphoma Society and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. She
was one of the top fundraisers at these popular events, even though
she had little to no fundraising experience, and this is in large part
due to her ability to share her personal passion and turn adver-
sity into positive experiences that benefit others. After suffering a
from the heartbreak of a failed relationship in 2003 and later being
diagnosed with relapsed MS in 2013, Millich used these events to
empower herself and do something meaningful about the issues
she cares about. I asked Millich how she was able to excel and, in
particular, what advice she’d give to nonprofits looking to foster
engagement with their participants. She shared four simple tips.
Help People Overcome the Fear of Asking
It’s important that your participants are proud to fundraise. Help them
understand that they aren’t asking their friends and family to donate
to them; they’re asking their loved ones to support a cause they
care deeply about, like fighting a disease or finding a cure. Take a
lesson from fundraising icons like Kay Sprinkel Grace and Lynne Twist
and teach your participants that they’re simply the channel
through which people give, and the vehicle that inspires them
to make change. Keeping these things in mind helped Millich feel
confident, empowered, and proud to raise money for worthy causes.
Ask for More Than Money
Taking the time to think about what resources her friends and family
had to offer beyond cash donations was crucial to Millich’s success.
For example, friends helped her secure wine, food, and venues for
fundraising events, where she hosted a live auction and took bids
r u n s , W a l k s , a n d r i d e s 1 3 9
Conclusion
Holding community-based fundraising events like a run, walk, or ride is an
extension of your mission into the community. Make sure it’s something you
are proud of. This is a valuable opportunity to recruit new supporters and
evangelists while raising money and awareness for your cause. Runs, walks,
and rides are a unique way to foster connections between people and your
cause and can provide your supporters with a sense of pride, accomplishment,
and community. By paying attention to the details and properly servicing and
stewarding your participants and the supporters they recruit, you will leave
everyone with a great experience and wonderful memories that will have a
lasting effect on your organization and its reputation.
for a free session with an executive coach, a one-on-one yoga class,
and even a date—all contributed for free by her friends. Some in
her network also volunteered to ensure the success of her events.
And most of these same friends became donors themselves! Help
your participants think creatively about fundraising strategies and
ways they can leverage their connections to raise more money, and
suggest concrete examples that other participants put to work.
Make Them Storytellers
Millich found the communication templates and sample messages
extremely helpful when conducting her outreach, as many times
putting the right words to a fundraising appeal, or trying to articu-
late a disease concisely, can be challenging. These templates made
her feel more comfortable and provided her with useful informa-
tion about the cause. Ultimately, though, Millich is clear that it was
her customization of these templates and inclusion of her personal
story that led to her success. Teach your participants how to
personalize materials and templates and briefly share their stories,
especially regarding their personal connection to the cause. Once
again, examples are very helpful here.
Be There
From making sure that participants know how to contact you for
answers or advice, to providing materials and guidance, to going
the extra mile and sending representatives to key participants’
personal fundraising events, being there for your participants will
help them feel supported and able to move past challenges and
successfully reach the finish line. Always follow up with a thank
you to all participants, even if it’s simple words of encouragement
and appreciation, and inspire them to stay involved.
1 4 0 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Do’s and Don’ts
Do. . .
. . . use mobile devices to allow people to register and pay on-site the
day of the event.
. . . collect information on the supporters your fundraisers and
participants recruit.
. . . have an information station at the event for participants and
attendees.
. . . give participants the name, number, and email of a key staff
contact for questions and support.
. . . have your entire staff either working or participating in the
event.
Don’t. . .
. . . have the same person in charge of the logistics and fundraising
aspects of your event.
. . . let your event get behind schedule.
. . . launch your event registration to the public before getting key
supporters signed up.
About the Expert
Jeff Shuck is founder and CEO of Plenty. For almost two decades, Shuck
has been a motivator and thought leader in the nonprofit space. His specific
areas of focus include nonprofit strategy and brand positioning, experiential
and peer-to-peer fundraising, mission-based leadership, segmentation and
forecasting, network modeling, and constituent analytics.
Resource Review
Plenty (www.plentyconsulting.com)
Shuck’s consulting firm has an active blog with a focus on runs, walks, and
rides. They also publish an annual report on the topic and offer free webinars.
http://www.plentyconsulting.com
r u n s , W a l k s , a n d r i d e s 1 4 1
Running USA (www.runningusa.org)
Running USA is the industry association for North American running
events.
Idealware (www.idealware.org)
Find articles, reports, training opportunities, and helpful resources such
as the blog post, “A Few Good Tools for Peer-to-Peer Fundraising.”
Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum (www.peertopeerforum.com)
They hold the leading Run/Walk/Ride annual conference, which usually
takes place in Atlanta or Orlando.
TechSoup (www.techsoup.org)
Find a lot of helpful resources on their site, particularly the article, “A
Few Good Online Event-Registration Tools.”
Nonprofit Technology Network/NTEN (www.nten.org)
Find lists and reviews of different technology platforms on their website
and check out their annual Nonprofit Technology conference (NTC),
where you can dive deeper and learn more about best practices and
available technologies.
Event Management Solutions and Software
Eventbrite (www.eventbrite.com)
Eventbrite will help you post and customize your event page, collect
registration fees online and at your event via mobile devices, get the word
out, and track your progress in real time. This is an affordable solution
with dynamic offerings for nonprofits, and it integrates seamlessly with
your CRM.
Classy (www.classy.org)
Formerly StayClassy, this is an online and mobile fundraising platform
that is great for runs, walks, and rides. They also have a very useful blog
and offer free webinars for nonprofit leaders.
Convio TeamRaiser (www.blackbaud.com/TeamRaiser)
This online event fundraising software is dynamic and well suited for
large organizations or organizations that do regular walks, runs, and rides.
Cvent (www.cvent.com)
Cvent provides online solutions for events and surveys. They provide
mobile support and have custom solutions for nonprofits.
http://www.idealware.org
http://www.techsoup.org
http://www.nten.org
http://www.eventbrite.com
http://www.classy.org
http://www.blackbaud.com/TeamRaiser
http://www.cvent.com
143
14Chapter
Fundraising Across
the Generations
Millennials, Baby Boomers,
and More
“If we do not plant knowledge when young, it will give us no
shade when we are old.”
—Lord Chesterfield
Introduction
Today, over half the world’s population is under 30. Wherever you work
around the globe, your successful long-term fundraising strategy depends on
recognizing that there are generational differences in how people approach
their philanthropy. Unfortunately, most nonprofits today are currently
fundraising with a “one size fits all” or “cookie-cutter” approach, and not
balancing their focus on younger and older donors. To maximize fundraising
results, you need to know who your donors are and adjust your strategies
accordingly. Your most generous donors today won’t be around forever, so
you need to equally focus your efforts on developing relationships with the
next generation of contributors.
1 4 4 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Effectively fundraising across the generations requires a multi-pronged approach
that balances a focus on retaining your older, more generous donors (Baby
Boomers and Seniors), while also making a long-term investment in building
new kinds of relationships and cultivating younger donors (Gen-Xers and
Millennials), who will contribute more as they age into their prime giving years.
This balance is the key to long-term sustainability. You don’t want to overvalue
younger, newer donors at the expense of your loyal, older donors or vice versa.
To learn more about how to effectively engage different generations, I sat
down with Alia McKee, principal of Sea Change Strategies, who was the
primary research partner on the 2015 Next Generation of American Giving
Report, and Derrick Feldmann, president of Achieve and lead researcher
for the Millennial Impact Project. Before we dive into the seven tips and
insights they shared on this crucial issue, let’s review a few facts for context.
Note that while the data shared in this chapter is U.S.-specific, the insights
and ideas apply to NGOs and charities worldwide, as the generations tend
to behave similarly around the globe.
The Generations: What Fundraisers Need to Know
Millennial (Born 1981–1995)
● Millennials represent 11 percent of total U.S. charitable giving. *
● They are the largest generation: 80 million.**
● They spend a lot of money: $300 billion on consumer
discretionary goods in 2014.*
● They’re philanthropic: $16 billion of the $300+ billion donated
in 2014.*
● They “get” marketing: the most marketed to generation in
history.***
● They are inherently social: most likely generation to spread
your message through social media.**
● They don’t respond well to fundraising phone calls.
● For them, the pinnacle of support is sharing your cause with
their social network.
Gen-X (Born 1965–1980)
● Gen-Xers represent 20 percent of total charitable giving.*
● Along with Millennials, Gen-Xers are far more likely to give online.
● Combined with Millennials, Gen-Xers represent 31 percent of
all dollars donated (an aggregate total that exceeds giving by
Seniors).*
f u n d r a i s i n g a c r o s s t h e g e n e r a t i o n s 1 4 5
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Track the Age of Your Donors
Knowing how old or young your donors are is the first step in fundraising
across generations. You can do this with data appends to your database
or by collecting the information through offering incentives like birthday
gifts, messages, or extra content. You can also send out a survey using a tool
like SurveyMonkey to collect key demographic information, including age.
Most importantly, you should be talking to your key donors and learning
about them, and then capturing this information in your CRM or database
so you can segment your donors and prospects accordingly. (See Chapter 6
for more information on databases and CRMs.)
● Sixty-two percent of Gen-Xers (and 70 percent of Millennials)
feel more excited about a product or cause when their friends
agree with them about it.*
Baby Boomer (Born 1946–1964)
● Baby Boomers represent 43 percent of total charitable giving.*
● At 78 million, they fall just below Millennials as the second
largest generation.*
● Boomers report donating an average of $1,212 to between
four and five charities each year (that’s more than twice the
average contribution for younger donors).*
● 2013 marked the first time that Boomers were just as likely to
give online versus via direct mail.*
Senior (Born 1945 and earlier)
● Seniors represent 26 percent of total charitable giving.*
● Seniors give more on average than either Millennials or
Gen-Xers, and support a wider array of charities.*
● Seniors are still most responsive to direct mail and telemarketing.
● Along with Boomers, nearly half of Seniors say that monetary
donations represent their most impactful contribution to a
nonprofit, compared to just over a quarter of younger donors).*
● In general, Seniors want to hear from someone of high
authority in the organization.
*Source: The 2015 Next Generation of American Giving Report
**Source: 2010 U.S. Census
***Source: The Millennial Impact Report (see Resource Review below for a link)
1 4 6 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
2. Listen
American culture values talking and eloquence, but in fundraising, listening
to your donors and prospects is more important. Take the time to find out
what your generational cohorts are looking for, what kinds of messages
are most compelling to them, which media and devices they want to use
to communicate with you, how often they want to hear from you, and
what they are willing to do besides donate. Again, you can collect this
kind of information in a survey, and incentives always help. You can analyze
your results by age group and compare your findings to third-party research
to gain insights about how to best communicate with your donors (see
studies listed in Resource Review).
3. Identify Goals for Each Generation
Having goals for each generational segment will allow you to create specific
tactics to achieve them. For example, if you want to increase your Boomer
donor retention rate by 15 percent, you need to know what messages are
most compelling to them and create a strategy to achieve your goal. If
your goal is to increase new Millennial and Gen-X donors by 10 percent,
then you can look at donor recruitment strategies, such as robust online
engagement and volunteer programs. (Read more in tip number 5 below.)
4. Diversify Your Giving Channels
As outlined in Chapter 10, direct mail is far from dead, but it won’t last
forever. Millennials and Gen-Xers are far more likely to give online.
According to the Next Generation of American Giving Report, as of 2013, for
the first time Boomers are just as likely to give online versus via direct
mail. Seniors are still more responsive to direct mail and telemarketing,
while Millennials don’t respond well to fundraising phone calls.
Your investments in particular fundraising strategies will pay off better if
you focus them on the appropriate generation. However, before thinking
social media is the best fundraising tool, consider that only 6 percent
of people across generations gave that way, versus making website and
mobile contributions. Every chapter in Part 4 provides insights on
these various channels, but for now, it suffices to say that social media
is best utilized as an engagement tool. Rather than ask for money, you
should be asking people to spread the word and promote your cause and
organization.
f u n d r a i s i n g a c r o s s t h e g e n e r a t i o n s 1 4 7
5. Know What Your Donors Want
Different generations respond to different approaches. In general, Seniors
want to hear from someone of high authority in the organization and are more
likely to trust the nonprofit to direct funds as needed, rather than needing
to know exactly where their gifts go. Nearly half of Seniors and Boomers say
that monetary donations represent their most impactful contribution to a
nonprofit, compared to just over one-fourth of younger donors according to
the Next Generation report.
Younger donors, especially Millennials, want to see their impact clearly.
A young donor once told McKee: “It’s not enough to tell me you are
doing something good. I want to see it.” They believe they can make the
biggest difference by volunteering and by spreading the word to their
networks. So it’s critical that you give younger donors and prospects
meaning ful things to do besides donating, and have robust online
engagement and volunteer strategies. And remember: regardless of age
or generation, no donor ever stops giving because he’s thanked too much.
Make sure you clearly communicate how all donations map to impact.
Millennials in particular want more updates throughout a campaign,
rather than only at the end, so be sure to leverage email and social media
to share these frequently.
6. Recognize the Power of Peers
If you want to engage younger donors, incorporating social media into your
fundraising strategy is key. If they donate, they will likely tell their networks,
creating an opportunity to not only enlist a donor, but also an evangelist,
advocate, and fundraiser. The Next Generation of American Giving study
found that 70 percent of Millennials and 62 percent of Gen-Xers feel more
excited about a product or cause when their friends agree with them about
it, as compared with 45 percent of Boomers and 40 percent of Seniors.
Younger donors are extraordinarily connected to their friends and are influenced
by what their friends like. You can employ social media and crowdfunding
to harness the power of peer influence, simply by showcasing how many
other young people are involved with what you’re doing.
As outlined in Chapter 17, crowdfunding campaigns can be a particularly
great way to engage and excite Millennials. In fact, according to the
Millennial Impact Report 78 percent of Millennials have participated in
peer fundraising campaigns, and many have actually run one themselves.
1 4 8 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Moreover, it’s typically their first exposure to fundraising, so you’re leaving
an indelible mark on future donors, plus their personal connections and
stories help other new donors emotionally connect with your impact and
work.
7. Create a Ladder of Engagement
Donor relationships are a journey, not a destination; your goal is to guide
people from inaction to action, and that happens over time in myriad ways.
Think of a ladder: you start at the bottom where your donor just learned
about you, and then you move them up a rung by persuading them to visit
your website. You move them further up when they share content on social
media, come to an event, and then perhaps make a donation. Map out the
desired touch points and contributions you seek from supporters, and
create a strategy for moving people from one rung to the next, engaging
them further at each step. Fundraising should only be one part of your
goal; devote equal focus to getting them to take action, including signing
petitions and telling their peers and social networks about you. Just like
the donor pyramid discussed in many other chapters, the bigger the base,
the more support is generated. This strategy will help you identify your
strongest community ambassadors, who are ripe to move up the ladder and
support you in other ways.
Conclusion
The long-term viability of your organization—in particular its fundraising
success down the road—is dependent on your next generation of donors.
Think of the major donors you have today. Will they be your major
donors 20 or 30 years from now? By implementing the tips above you
can balance your efforts between retaining your older, loyal donors and
recruiting and engaging younger ones. Fundraising is a time-consuming
and challenging task, and fundraising across generations may seem
overwhelming. But if tackled over time, it doesn’t have to be. Take it step
by step. Start with collecting the necessary data, and ease into customizing
your communications and approaches. Set goals and create strategies and
tactics that you know you can implement, and hold yourself accountable
to those goals. You’ll gather critical insights that will help you to better
create relationships and raise more money from all donors, ensuring your
organization continues to thrive and deliver the impact you know to be
possible.
f u n d r a i s i n g a c r o s s t h e g e n e r a t i o n s 1 4 9
Do’s and Don’ts
Do. . .
. . . balance your desire to recruit tomorrow’s donors with your need to
maintain healthy relationships with today’s loyal supporters.
. . . survey your donor base and find out how old they are, how they
want to hear from you, and what they’re willing to do besides
donate.
. . . showcase peer involvement with social media and crowdfunding
campaigns, especially when looking to recruit younger donors.
. . . make an effort to communicate more regularly with younger
donors.
Don’t. . .
. . . expect that the boom in online giving means that social media is a
great place to raise money; think of it more as an engagement tool.
. . . quit sending direct mail or doing telemarketing, especially to Seniors.
. . . bother using telemarketing on younger donors.
. . . limit the ways people can contribute to your organization to only
making a monetary donation.
. . . assume one message will work for all of your donors.
About the Experts
Alia McKee is a veteran online communications and fundraising strategist
and principal of Sea Change Strategies, a boutique research and fundraising
strategy consultancy that helps nonprofits transform their approach to
fundraising by building deep relationships with donors and prospects, and
the primary research partner for the 2015 Next Generation of American
Giving Report. Alia is a noted speaker, author, and blogger, and her work has
been featured in Forbes, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, on NPR, and more.
Derrick Feldmann is president and founder of Achieve, a research agency
that helps causes and companies address their most pressing issues through
research and data-driven awareness and fundraising campaigns. Feldmann is
a sought-after speaker, researcher, and advisor and is the lead researcher for
1 5 0 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
the Millennial Impact Project, a multi-year study of how the next generation
supports causes.
Resource Review
The Next Generation of American Giving Report (www.blackbaud.com/
nonprofit-resources/generational-giving-report)
This study shares a lot of practical tips for maximizing fundraising results
across the generations.
The Millennial Impact Report (www.themillennialimpact.com/research)
This annual study looks on how Millennials engage with causes directly,
at the workplace, and with peers. With more than five years’ of research,
this is the most comprehensive study offering great insights for nonprofits
looking to engage younger donors and allies.
MCON (www.mcon.events)
This annual conference is affiliated with The Millennial Impact Report
and provides a broad array of tips and tools for collaborating with next
generation donors and supporters to create movements.
The Millennial Alumni Study (www.themillennialimpact.com/research)
This study, done for The Chronicle of Philanthropy in 2014, looks at how
Millennial alumni engage, work with, and view donating to their alma
maters. The findings of this study help university fundraisers lay the
groundwork for post-graduate relationships.
Sea Change Strategies (http://seachangestrategies.com)
A consulting firm focused on helping nonprofits maximize fundraising
results by getting to better know their donors and build deep relationships
with them. Check out their whitepaper The Missing Middle: Why
Neglecting Middle Donors Is Costing Non-Profits Millions.
Blackbaud BBCon (http://bbconference.com)
Blackbaud’s annual user conference frequently offers sessions on generational
giving.
The Bridge Conference (www.bridgeconf.org)
This annual direct marketing conference features discussions around
generational giving and philanthropy.
Non Profit Crowdfunding Bill of Rights (www.kimbia.com/need-feedback-
crowdfunder-bill-rights)
This is an effort to define a set of standard expectations that legitimate
crowdfunding and peer-to-peer campaigns should adhere to in order to
ensure a well-managed, transparent, and effective experience.
http://www.blackbaud.com/nonprofit-resources/generational-giving-report
http://www.blackbaud.com/nonprofit-resources/generational-giving-report
http://www.themillennialimpact.com/research
http://www.mcon.events
http://www.themillennialimpact.com/research
http://bbconference.com
http://www.bridgeconf.org
http://www.kimbia.com/need-feedback-crowdfunder-bill-rights
http://www.kimbia.com/need-feedback-crowdfunder-bill-rights
http://www.kimbia.com/need-feedback-crowdfunder-bill-rights
f u n d r a i s i n g a c r o s s t h e g e n e r a t i o n s 1 5 1
Pew Research Center (www.pewresearch.org/topics/millennials)
Find a wealth of data and research done on the Millennial generation.
Saratovsky, Kari Dunn, and Derrick Feldmann. Cause for Change: The Why
and How of Nonprofit Millennial Engagement. Jossey-Bass, 2013.
Written by Millennials about Millennials, this book examines strategies for
engaging Millennials as constituents, volunteers, and donors and focuses
on how organizations can realign themselves to better respond to this
group of 80 million current and future supporters.
Case Study: LiNK (Liberty in North Korea).
This human rights organization raised over $500,000 from Millennials—
learn about it at www.achieveguidance.com/2015/03/12/peerfundraising/
http://www.pewresearch.org/topics/millennials
http://www.achieveguidance.com/2015/03/12/peerfundraising/
IVPart
Online Fundraising
155
15Chapter
Maximizing Website
Donations
“The Internet could be a very positive step towards education,
organization, and participation in a meaningful society.”
—Noam Chomsky
Introduction
According to M+R’s 2015 Online Fundraising Benchmark Study, online revenue
and the number of online gifts increased by 13 percent in 2014. Compare that
to the 2 to 3 percent annual growth of overall nonprofit fundraising, and factor
in the low barrier to entry for small, grassroots organizations, and you’ll quickly
grasp why online giving represents a huge opportunity, and why it’s now an
essential part of any successful long-term fundraising strategy.
People of all ages and generations have embraced the Internet as an essential
part of their lives, including identifying and supporting the causes they’re
most passionate about. It’s your responsibility to meet supporters where
they’re at, which is increasingly online. And this is especially true for reaching
your next generation of donors: Pew Research recently found that 24 percent
of teens now “live” online (see Resource Review). No matter what age donor
you’re courting, your website is likely the first place potential supporters
1 5 6 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
will go to learn more about you, so ensuring a solid presence there is vital to
fundraising. A great website will inspire people to donate to you, plus provide
valuable, real-time data that will help you analyze why and how people give,
allowing you to fine-tune your message and content.
To learn more about maximizing online giving, I sat down with Caryn
Stein, vice president of communications and content at Network for Good,
and editor of the Nonprofit Marketing blog. She outlined five solid tips that
provide any nonprofit with a great starting point for raising the big bucks in
a digital landscape.
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Stay on Message
Your message is your message, no matter what medium you use to share
it. It’s imperative that you integrate your website and online fundraising
activities with your overall fundraising strategy and marketing plan.
What kind of people are you trying to reach, and what do you want them to
do? Just as you should do with any marketing effort, think about how your
website engages people and drives them to action. Do the look and feel of
your website and online communications match the rest of your materials?
Donors will find you through many channels, and you don’t want them to
feel a disconnect when doing so. Stay consistent and ensure your website and
online marketing strategies are in line with your overall fundraising strategy.
2. Keep It Simple
Again, your website is the most likely place potential supporters and others will
go to learn more about your work. In fact, Google’s ThinkMobile report found
that 54 percent of people rely on nonprofit websites to research organizations,
compared to just 48 percent for search engines or social media, and 44 percent
who base decisions on conversations with family, friends, and colleagues.
Moreover, while social media is a great platform to engage people, the majority
of online gifts come through the “donate” button on your website. To build a strong
online presence, you need a website that clearly illustrates who you are, what
you do, why it matters, who supports you, and where the money goes. It doesn’t
have to be fancy or expensive; instead, it needs to be simple, focused, easy for
donors to use and the nonprofit to update, reflective of your message, look and
M a x i m i z i n g W e b s i t e d o n a t i o n s 1 5 7
“brand,” and ideally integrated with your social media and mobile presence.
(More on those topics in Chapters 17 and 18.) As Stein says, “When I come
to your nonprofit’s website, I need to feel an instant emotional connection and
immediately get what you do through images, colors, and fonts.”
3. Make It Easy to Donate
Online attention spans are very short, and you only have a few seconds to grab
a potential donor. Make sure your message is clearly communicated in an
inspiring way on your website, and give people clear pathways to donate.
It needs to be easy and fast for people to give online. Each page of your
website should have a prominent donate button that directly leads to your
donation page, and it should never take more than three clicks to complete
a donation from any page in your website. On that page, quickly reinforce
the emotions and the messages that drove them there.
Ideally, at the top of the page use an image that conveys your impact,
featuring close-ups of people or animals, if appropriate. Minimize or
eliminate text and “close the exit ramps,” meaning remove any extraneous
navigation routes so people can’t click away. Keep your donation form
simple and reduce the number of required fields as much as possible—
you can always circle back for more information later, but the more you
streamline the giving process, the more money you’ll raise.
The exception to this rule is adding an option for recurring giving, meaning
you enable donors to give monthly, quarterly, or annually in addition to
providing a one-time option. This significantly increases the lifetime value
of donors and keeps them connected to your cause, plus $10 a month may
be easier for people to give, instead of a $120 contribution. Just make sure
to lay out this giving option in a way that’s simple and straightforward.
4. Suggest Gift Amounts
Follow the best practice of giving donors suggested donation amounts when
they contribute. Anchor this “gift string” off of your average online gift. Your
first option should be slightly less than your average, with your second option
slightly over, and then the third and fourth options go even higher. This
instantly increases online giving, since most people don’t want to donate at
the smallest amount. For example, if your average online gift is $35, then your
options could be $30, $45, $75, and $100. Of course, always leave a blank
field for people to fill in the donation amount of their choice.
1 5 8 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Stein explained how suggesting donation amounts affects donor behavior
through an anecdote from the book Switch (see Resource Review): An art
museum placed a see-through donation box on-site, and when the box was
empty, people walked right by it. When the box had coins in it, people
gave coins. When the box had dollars in it, people gave dollars. People are
unconsciously more comfortable following peer examples, which is why
telethons like NPR typically answer the phone by saying something like,
“Thanks for your call. The last woman who called in pledged $100. Would a
gift that size work for you, or would you prefer to donate $200?”
If you fail to provide a gift string with default donation amounts on your
website, you can create “analysis paralysis” for would-be donors, leaving
supporters confused as to what’s appropriate and potentially even resulting
in them leaving without making a gift. Don’t miss the opportunity to
provide guidance on how much people should donate.
5. Optimize Your Presence
Once you have your donate button in place, the next step to maximizing
website donations is having a tool in place to analyze traffic. Stein
recommends Google Analytics (see link in Resource Review), which is free
for nonprofits and easy to use. With that in place, you can test various
things on your site and donation page to maximize results. Personally, I
devised a three-step experiment that reliably helps nonprofits double their
online giving within one or two months:
Optimize Your Donate Button
When Network for Good, a group that’s raised over $1 billion for
nonprofits online, wrote the online giving chapter in my last book, they
shared a fascinating story. At one point they changed their donate button
from gray to red, instantly resulting in a 30 percent increase in online
donations! Now, I don’t know if red is your color, or if your button should
be round or square, or even what font you should use to make it stand out,
but I do know that the answer typically isn’t obvious. Testing colors, sizes,
and fonts—one at a time in the traditional A/B split methodology—will
unearth the ideal donate button for you. Take a few weeks to play with
different options, and use Google Analytics or another tool to figure out
which combination maximizes the percentage of visitors to your site
who click the button. And remember: your donation button shouldn’t
necessarily blend in. Use different colors or fonts to make it stand out on
your website. Your eye should be immediately drawn to it.
M a x i m i z i n g W e b s i t e d o n a t i o n s 1 5 9
Test Suggested Donation Amounts
We already shared some thoughts on the importance of presenting a “gift
string” when people reach your donation page, along with an approach for
figuring out initial default donation levels. But that’s just a starting point.
Identifying exactly which suggested amounts maximize online contributions
is a great use of your resources. Spend a few days or even a couple of weeks—
depending on how long it takes you to attract at least 100 visitors to your
donate page—with one set of donation amounts, and then assess your
average online gift, as that’s the metric you’ll want to optimize against. Once
you’ve ascertained that number, then experiment with two or three other
default sets, at the end of which you’ll know the optimal gift string for you.
Experiment with Impact
As Kay Sprinkel Grace shared in Chapter 9: “People don’t give to you,
they give through you.” What does a $25 donation accomplish for your
organization? Does it provide school supplies for one child, job training for
a homeless person, or simply pay for an hour of staff time, which you can
use to mentor a college student? Now that you’ve identified your optimal
gift string, associate some kind of impact with each default donation level to
communicate and concretize the incremental difference a donor can make
at that level. Host a staff, board, and volunteer brainstorming session and
come up with three or four impact examples for each donation amount.
Start with no impact conveyed to set a benchmark—again the metric to
look at here is average online donation size—and then run a series of tests
swapping out the impact examples to see which ones perform best.
I’ve invited thousands of nonprofits all over the world to run this test
and have yet to find a single one that was unable to double their online
fundraising revenue after completing the experiment. If you are the first, I’d
love to hear from you and learn from your experience. Feel free to email me
directly at Darian@DarianHeyman.com.
Case Study: Mercy House
Mercy House is a $3.8M nonprofit that’s provided housing and
support to the homeless since 1989 in Santa Ana, California. In
2013 they partnered with CommitChange, a nonprofit fundraising
platform who leveraged rapid A/B testing to increase online
giving by 110 percent in just six months. Through their
(continued)
mailto:Darian@DarianHeyman.com
1 6 0 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Conclusion
In the same Online Fundraising Benchmark Study referenced in the
introduction, M+R also found that nonprofit website traffic grew by 11
percent in 2014. The point is that more and more people are using the
experiments, they saw the most impact when implementing these
three changes:
Break it Down: CommitChange helped Mercy House break
the donation process down into four steps—recurring
versus one-time; amount; info; and payment. Simplify
each step, instead of asking for everything at once. This is
increasingly important as more donors give through mobile
devices, where long forms are especially overwhelming.
Promote Recurring Giving: The first step outlined above
was selected very intentionally. Recurring giving options were
only selected by about 2.5 percent of donors at first, but this
exploded to 11.7 percent after the first screen of the donation
process was dedicated solely to this choice, making it a much
more prominent option.
Stay Consistent: Even though you’re using a third party
to power donation processing, remind donors what they’re
supporting and keep the look and feel consistent. Ensure your
logo is visible throughout the donation experience and
integrate the design with your website, so people don’t
feel a disconnect. This simple change directly led both to more
people giving and to larger contributions.
Streamline Donations: Instead of a typical donate
page, when visitors click the “Donate” button on any page at
MercyHouse.net, a new window opens up exclusively dedicated
to the donation process. This change improved their conversion
rate and, on top of that, CommitChange discovered that for
every field eliminated from the donation experience, 2
percent more donors give!
One last note: the learning never ends. Online giving climbed
an additional 73 percent after another six months. Visit https://
www.commitchange.com/ca/santa-ana/mercy-house-living-centers
to learn how.
(continued)
https://www.commitchange.com/ca/santa-ana/mercy-house-living-centers
https://www.commitchange.com/ca/santa-ana/mercy-house-living-centers
M a x i m i z i n g W e b s i t e d o n a t i o n s 1 6 1
Internet to connect with, and support, organizations working on causes they
care about. However, a visit to your website, or even to your donate page,
is a far cry from money in the bank. Surprisingly, M+R found that only 13
percent of visitors to a nonprofit donate page actually completed making a
gift. This means that it is critical that you build a website that is compelling,
easy to navigate, and that inspires people to donate. People need clear
pathways to your donation page, and once they’re there, make it quick and
easy to contribute, and dial in your exact formula using the tips above to
maximize online donations. If you are new to online fundraising, don’t be
afraid to dive in and start small. Add a prominent donate button to your
site and analyze your results through tools like Google Analytics. Keep your
efforts simple and focused, and you will see results.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do. . .
. . . ensure the imagery and messages on your website are consistent
with the rest of your marketing and fundraising plan.
. . . add a prominent donate button to every page on your website,
and double-check that it never takes you more than three clicks to
complete a donation.
. . . ensure your website is mobile-responsive (more in Chapter 18)
. . . add a recurring gift option to your donate page and suggest default
donation amounts.
Don’t. . .
. . . require people to set up an account in order to donate.
. . . complicate your donation page; ask only for crucial information
and streamline the giving experience.
. . . assume older donors aren’t giving online; even if they don’t,
chances are they are still looking at your website.
. . . use a donation processing engine that sends donors to another
website, especially one that looks different from yours and creates a
disconnect in the giving experience.
1 6 2 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
About the Expert
Caryn Stein is vice president of communications and content at Network
for Good, where she oversees the development and distribution of their
vast fundraising training resources and is the lead editor of The Nonprofit
Marketing Blog. Stein has fifteen years of digital marketing experience
and has helped hundreds of nonprofits improve their online fundraising
campaigns by combining the best practices of the design with compelling
storytelling.
Resource Review
Network for Good (www.networkforgood.org)
Find free online fundraising content, a great blog and newsletter, and a
free webinar series.
Beth’s Blog (www.bethkanter.org)
This is a great blog on online giving, social media, and measurement.
The Nonprofit Marketing Guide (www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com)
Find a wealth of content on how to optimize your communication with
donors and prospects.
Nonprofit Tech for Good (www.nptechforgood.com)
A blog and other resources on online giving, including free webinars and
a nonprofit newsletter.
NTEN and NTC (www.nten.org)
Get help leveraging technology to achieve your goals, and check out
the Nonprofit Technology Conference, an annual gathering of leading
nonprofit technology professionals.
TechSoup (www.techsoup.org)
Find great resources on online fundraising, as well as access to a vibrant
online community, free webinars, and nonprofit discounts on a wide
range of technology.
Krug, Steve. Don’t Make Me Think! A Common Sense Approach to Web
Usability (2nd ed.). New Riders, 2006.
This is a highly accessible book that offers great tips and tools for
simplifying your website.
http://www.networkforgood.org
http://www.bethkanter.org
http://www.nptechforgood.com
http://www.nten.org
http://www.techsoup.org
M a x i m i z i n g W e b s i t e d o n a t i o n s 1 6 3
Heath, Chip, and Dan Heath. Switch: How to Change Things When Change
Is Hard. Broadway Books, 2010.
A great read about the psychology of why people do the things they do,
including donating to nonprofits.
Pew Research Center Internet Science Tech RSS. “Teens, Social Media,
and Technology Overview 2015.” April 8, 2015. www.pewinternet.
org/2015/04/09/teens-social-media-technology-2015/
Brooks, Jeff. The Fundraiser’s Guide to Irresistible Communications: Real-
world, Field-Tested Strategies for Raising More Money. Emerson & Church,
2013.
This book offers tips for nonprofits looking to develop killer language
that drives people to donate.
Wired Impact (www.wiredimpact.com)
This is a great blog about online giving, and how to ensure your site
is on-brand and highly functional. They also offer design services to
nonprofits.
Google’s Nonprofit Hub (www.google.com/nonprofits)
Find a variety of offers for nonprofits, including free access to Google
Analytics, a powerful website optimization tool, and Google Grants,
where you can receive $10,000 a month to spend on Google AdWords.
Here are four helpful studies (also listed in Chapter 16) that provide
industry benchmarks for online fundraising:
• M+R 2015 Online Fundraising Benchmark Study:
mrbenchmarks.com/2015-archive.html
• Luminate Online Benchmark Report from Blackbaud:
https://www.blackbaud.com/nonprofit-resources/luminate-online-
benchmark-report
• Blackbaud Index of Online Giving:
https://www.blackbaud.com/nonprofit-resources/blackbaud-index
• Network for Good Digital Giving Index:
http://www1.networkforgood.org/digitalgivingindex
http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/04/09/teens-social-media-technology-2015/
http://www.google.com/nonprofits
https://www.blackbaud.com/nonprofit-resources/luminate-online-benchmark-report
https://www.blackbaud.com/nonprofit-resources/luminate-online-benchmark-report
https://www.blackbaud.com/nonprofit-resources/luminate-online-benchmark-report
https://www.blackbaud.com/nonprofit-resources/blackbaud-index
http://www1.networkforgood.org/digitalgivingindex
165
16Chapter
Fundraising with Email
“The more you say, the less people remember.”
—François Fénelon
Introduction
If you want to be successful in raising money from individuals, you need to
reach them where they are—online. The majority of online fundraising
happens through email, and having solid strategy is key to your success.
According to Blackbaud, fully 90 percent of online giving is driven by online
appeals—especially email—but also website promotion (see Chapter 15) and
disaster giving, compared to just 9 percent from peer-to-peer activities like
run/walk/rides (Chapter 13) and 1 percent from social media (Chapter 17).
Having a solid email and online strategy is only becoming more important
over time; the number of people giving online and the amounts raised have
consistently outpaced overall giving growth by about 400 percent the past few
years. (See the Resource Review for links to a few studies with great statistics.)
The good news is that this isn’t rocket science, and with a few tried-and-true
tips and tools, you can start raising big bucks via email in no time.
Beyond raising money, email is also an extremely useful and inexpensive tool for
connecting with your donors and prospects on a regular basis. People on your
email list signed up for a reason, so you have a wonderful opportunity to build
1 6 6 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
a strong connection and inspire them to support your work. Moreover, because
email is a technology-based medium, everything can be measured and tested.
In order to identify the keys to success with email-based fundraising, I talked
with Kivi Leroux Miller, author and founder of NonprofitMarketingGuide.
com. Miller plays close attention to email marketing and fundraising trends
and helps smaller nonprofits and those new to online fundraising make sense
of it all. She broke everything you need to know down into seven succinct
steps, so let’s get into them.
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Plan Ahead
Instead of acting on impulse, to succeed in fundraising through email,
think in terms of four-to eight-week campaigns, and then be realistic
about how many campaigns you can successfully execute in a given year.
Have a strategy session with your colleagues and key volunteers to discuss
how email can help support your communications and fundraising
campaigns. Consider the capacity of your organization and fundraising
department and make sure that you create a plan that you can execute on.
As outlined in the social media and direct mail chapters, it’s key that you
create a communications calendar, also known as an editorial calendar,
that outlines all of the emails your organization will send so your marketing,
advocacy, and fundraising emails don’t get crossed or undermine one another.
The last thing you want is a donor receiving a fundraising appeal the same day
he or she receives an e-newsletter or request to call his or her congressman.
We’ve talked about an editorial calendar in multiple chapters now, which speaks
to how incredibly useful they are to underpin your communications strategy
across media—if at all possible, integrate your various editorial calendars into
one master document, so you can ensure a strategic approach to all outbound
communications. This will enable you to coordinate both the timing and
messaging of everything you send out, giving fundraising appeals the space they
need for action before another message is sent out, regardless of medium.
2. Build Campaigns
Avoid sending one-off emails; instead, create email campaigns centered
around a particular story or topic with a timeline and goal attached.
A typical email campaign consists of at least three emails over six to eight
f u n d r a i s i n g w i t h E m a i l 1 6 7
weeks. Start with a launch email that tells a quick and appealing story,
efficiently explains the need, and asks for a donation to your cause. Be sure to
identify a specific amount you need to raise, so you can follow up with update
emails saying how you’ve progressed toward your goal. You can send weekly
follow-up fundraising emails if you have the capacity, as long as you’re careful
to segment out those who have already given (more on this in point 6, below).
As discussed in Chapter 14, especially when it comes to youth, peer influence
drives behavior. But no matter what the age of your base, it’s always effective
to use statements like “In the last 24 hours, 326 supporters have donated
$12,539, moving us past our halfway mark!” Use testimonials and personal
stories from beneficiaries of your work to show the impact of donations;
facts and statistics can also be powerful in moderation. Ultimately, your goal is
to ensure people that their investment in your work truly makes a difference.
Miller also talks about the importance of what she calls an “engagement
email.” The idea is simple: use email to ask people do something other
than donate. Perhaps it’s an appeal to call their local congressperson or sign
a petition if you’re running an advocacy campaign, or to share information
with their social networks if you’re crowdfunding. Almost always, there are
things people can do to support your campaign besides—or hopefully in
addition to—donating. And when engaging youth, remember that the pinnacle
of engagement for Millennials isn’t donating; it’s sharing your good work and
leveraging their social capital (more on this in Chapter 14).
Finally, don’t be afraid to declare victory! To close out your campaign, be
sure to send a thank you email to your entire list to let them know you
hit, or ideally exceeded, your goal and remind them of the difference their
donations and support will make.
3. Build Your List
You can’t raise money through email if you don’t have a robust list of email
addresses to market to. And as you might imagine, the bigger your list, the
more money you’ll raise, but in fact, there appear to be some diminishing
returns as you grow your database.
According to M+R’s 2015 Online Fundraising Benchmark Study, an
organization with a 50,000-person email list raises an average of $6,000 per
fundraising email; organizations with 250,000 email addresses raise about
$13,000; and larger organizations with million-person lists raise $25,000.
1 6 8 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
So gathering email addresses is critical. Collect email address through your
website, at events, through social media requests, and any other ways you
can think of—a short brainstorming session can deliver many great ideas
to build your list. Beyond contemplating where to collect emails, think
about how to motivate people to sign up, too. At the very least, you should
entice people to join your list by letting them know about the valuable
information they’ll receive: volunteer opportunities, advocacy updates, and
stories of the impact their support has on your cause.
One important note when building your list: sending unsolicited email—
spam—doesn’t work and reflects poorly upon your organization. Make
sure people “opt in” to your email list, meaning they sign up and give you
permission to market to them. It’s simple: don’t send communications to
people who haven’t given you their email addresses, and make sure those
who do know that you’ll be emailing them over time.
4. Craft Killer Emails
OK, now you have a list, a communications plan, and a campaign (or
several). How can you ensure your emails will be read and drive people
to action? Sending email is very different from writing a letter, so always
remember these three key things to make your messages pop:
• Keep it reader-centered: Most people are inundated daily with too
many emails. It’s not the Sunday paper; people go through their
inboxes quickly and decide whether they will delete, keep, or take
action on an email. To keep your message out of the trash, you
need to grab them with a compelling subject line that’s personally
relevant and to the point. Experiment with the length of your
subject lines, but make sure that you have at least a few attention-
grabbing or highly relevant keywords within the first 30 characters,
and then get your message across quickly and efficiently.
• Make it a fast read: People want to understand your email and get
your message as soon as they open it—you have about three seconds
to grab their attention. They’re likely only skimming the content; use
tight headlines, two- or three-sentence paragraphs, and bolded key
points to communicate your message. Your one call to action must
be focused, explicit, clear, and repeated two or three times; don’t bog
your message down with competing asks. Ideally, include a graphic,
such as a prominent donate button that’s surrounded by white space.
f u n d r a i s i n g w i t h E m a i l 1 6 9
• Keep it easy on the eye: Many emails are modeled after website templates,
but this simply does not work. Unlike a website, your message has to
scream through an email. An ideal email uses only one font, only one
column, and has no sidebars. (If you do have a sidebar, use it only for
links.) And remember, according to Marketing Land, over 60 percent of
emails are opened on a mobile device, so your design needs to work on
screens of all sizes. (See Chapter 18 for more on mobile fundraising.)
Email Cheat Sheet
After working with hundreds of nonprofit clients, online
fundraising platform CommitChange has witnessed first-hand the
tremendous role emails play in driving online donations. After
reviewing thousands of campaigns and messages, they’ve created
a framework of questions they recommend nonprofits review
whenever crafting a fundraising message:
● Have I defined my target outcome and the potential reasons
why people would resist taking action?
● Am I using the minimum number of words? Can I cut anything?
● Have I clearly defined the motivations of my target audience?
● Can I segment my audience into smaller groups to improve
communication and results?
● Does my email include a clear call to action, or is it muddy?
● How long does this take to read? Can I make it more scannable?
Have all the “clever” ideas and wording been cut already?
● Am I using power words, or is my language abstract and
technical?
● Can I include any relevant imagery to break up my email text?
● Am I tracking my links? If not, use Google URL Builder or bit.ly.
● Is there any way I can provide additional value in this email?
● Does my email talk more about the recipient than the sender?
● Finally, does this email sound authentic or automated?
5. Leverage Data with A/B Tests
If you have the capacity, it’s a best practice to do A/B testing on your emails,
especially important ones like annual appeals. (See Chapter 10 for insights
on A/B testing with direct mail.) Instead of “spraying and praying,” take
a few small random samples of at least 1,000 emails each from your list
1 7 0 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
and run a test campaign. Send different versions of your email to each
segment, testing three key elements: subject line, copy, and imagery.
Instead of guessing which subject line will get folks to open the email and read
further, test out a couple of options. Whichever generates the highest “open
rate” (what percent of people open your email) is your winner. It’s equally
easy to test copy and imagery—again, just send different versions of the email
with only the copy or imagery changed, and then use the click-through rate
(the percent of people who click on one of the links) to determine the winner.
Finally, after you test each element, put the optimal combination of the three
elements together, blast it out to your entire list, and watch the results roll in!
6. Use Today’s Technology
There’s nothing more annoying than receiving a request to do something
you’ve already done. This makes people feel like you aren’t paying attention,
or worse—you’re incompetent. Either way, it undermines your ability to
effectively engage supporters in the future. As such, it’s critical that during
email campaigns you carefully suppress people from subsequent emails
who have already taken action during the campaign (and if someone slips
through the cracks and complains, be sure to reach out and apologize). It
is possible to circle back and invite people to step up and support you once
again, but those messages have to be carefully and gracefully crafted, clearly
communicating that you appreciate what they’ve already done.
Having a database and sophisticated email marketing platform like
Constant Contact, MailChimp, Vertical Response, iContact, or Campaign
Monitor makes this easy and automatic. (See Chapter 6 for more about
managing donor lists through technology.) Using an email platform will
also help you easily craft professional emails without a graphic design expert
on staff, process and collect donations, ensure your messages are responsive
to readers who view email on mobile devices, and immediately process any
unsubscribe and communication preference requests.
7. Pay Attention to the Numbers
Like any fundraising strategy, email marketing requires both careful
analysis of your efforts, plus an ongoing refinement to your approach
based on what you learn. The good news is that, since email is a
technology-based medium, if you’re using a platform like those just
mentioned, this process is easy and intuitive and will help ensure you
f u n d r a i s i n g w i t h E m a i l 1 7 1
maximize your success. Keep a close eye on statistics like open rates,
click-through rates, and “response rates.” (What percent of people take the
action you request on the back end, that is, donate, sign a petition, share
information, etc.?)
According to M+R, an ideal open rate is over 20 percent, a good click-
through rate is at least .5 percent, and a good response rate is 3 percent.
To analyze the effectiveness of your email program, use these numbers and
the industry standards from the studies listed in the Resource Review.
Conclusion
In today’s digital age, email has become an everyday tool in our lives. It is
how people communicate today, along with social media, mobile devices,
and other recent inventions. And just as with those other media, the key to
fundraising success is meeting people where they’re at. Given that, there can be
no doubt that email must be integral to your overall fundraising strategy.
You need to build a robust list and get your messages and fundraising asks
into people’s inboxes. That’s the only way to communicate your message
via email and raise money. But remember, that’s just the beginning: once
you show up in someone’s inbox, he or she must read the message and take
action, so keep your messages brief, compelling, focused, and well-designed.
In today’s attention economy, if you want to break through the clutter and
rise to the top of an inbox, you need to be thoughtful and craft direct and
concise messages that are relevant and make people care.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do. . .
. . . use an email platform and database; it’s worth the time and
expense.
. . . map out your four- to eight-week email campaigns in advance,
and look at how these integrate with your other marketing efforts.
. . . conduct A/B testing on important fundraising email messages.
. . . keep your email subject lines compelling and relevant, with a focus
on the first 30 characters.
1 7 2 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Don’t. . .
. . . add people to your list without them explicitly signing up.
. . . include more than one call to action in any email.
. . . send an unintentional email requesting action to people who have
already given you their support.
About the Expert
Kivi Leroux Miller is president of NonprofitMarketingGuide.com and
the award-winning author of two books, The Nonprofit Marketing Guide:
High-Impact, Low-Cost Ways to Build Support for Your Good Cause and Content
Marketing for Nonprofits: A Communications Map for Engaging Your Community,
Becoming a Favorite Cause, and Raising More Money. She is a certified executive
coach who has worked with and trained thousands of nonprofits and charities in
all 50 U.S. states, across Canada, and in more than 30 countries.
Resource Review
Here are four helpful studies that provide industry benchmarks for email
and online fundraising:
• M+R Annual Online Fundraising Benchmark Study:
mrbenchmarks.com/2015-archive.html
• Network for Good Digital Giving Index:
www1.networkforgood.org/digitalgivingindex
• Luminate Online Benchmark Report from Blackbaud:
https://www.blackbaud.com/nonprofit-resources/luminate-online-
benchmark-report
• Blackbaud Index of Online Giving:
https://www.blackbaud.com/nonprofit-resources/blackbaud-index
The Nonprofit Marketing Guide (www.NonprofitMarketingGuide.com)
The beginner’s guide for marketing in the social sector, and a place where
communication directors learn more about the field, how to love their
jobs, and can find professional development opportunities. Check out
https://www.blackbaud.com/nonprofit-resources/luminate-online-benchmark-report
https://www.blackbaud.com/nonprofit-resources/luminate-online-benchmark-report
https://www.blackbaud.com/nonprofit-resources/luminate-online-benchmark-report
https://www.blackbaud.com/nonprofit-resources/blackbaud-index
http://www.NonprofitMarketingGuide.com
http://www1.networkforgood.org/digitalgivingindex
f u n d r a i s i n g w i t h E m a i l 1 7 3
their free downloads, including “Getting Started with Email Acquisition
Campaigns,” and their free email course, “15 Days to More Engaging,
Inspiring E-Newsletters.”
Gunelius, Susan. Content Marketing for Dummies. John Wiley & Sons, 2011.
This book shows gives you step-by-step guidance on how to create a
content marketing strategy, identify and create content that will keep your
customers coming back, distribute it online, and measure the results.
Which Test Won (https://WhichTestWon.com)
This is an A/B testing portal where you can review different emails and
web pages and learn which performed better. This is a great, fun tool to
help you figure out what works and what doesn’t in email messaging.
NTEN: The Nonprofit Technology Network (www.nten.org)
A membership organization aimed at helping nonprofits master
technology. Their annual conference, NTC (www.nten.org/ntc/future),
covers all aspects of nonprofit technology, including email-based
fundraising.
Find blogs, whitepaper downloads, and other great information about email
and online fundraising at these sites:
• Network for Good (www.networkforgood.org)
• Razoo (www.razoo.com)
• Blackbaud (www.blackbaud.com)
• Bloomerang (https://bloomerang.co/)
MailChimp’s Blog (http://blog.mailchimp.com/)
The blog for this email provider features great tips and research on email
marketing.
The Chronicle of Philanthropy (https://philanthropy.com)
A weekly periodical that also publishes an online edition. This is a great
resource for finding articles and case studies about email fundraising.
https://WhichTestWon.com
http://www.nten.org
http://www.nten.org/ntc/future
http://www.networkforgood.org
http://www.razoo.com
http://blog.mailchimp.com/
https://philanthropy.com
175
17Chapter
Social Media and
Crowdfunding for
Your Cause
“We’ve entered a world where everyone is smarter than anyone.”
—Anonymous
Introduction
Social media is changing the way we interact with each other and with the
causes we care about. People of all ages and generations are using social media
to connect with nonprofits in unprecedented ways: identifying new causes
to support, tapping their social networks to raise money on their behalf, and
actively engaging them in dialogue. Facebook is now the equivalent of the
world’s third largest country—almost a billion and a half people logged on in
the last 30 days, including 71 percent of American adults, according to Pew
Research—and it’s not just “the kids” who are tuning in. In fact, women over
the age of 45 are Facebook’s fastest growing audience.
By embracing social media and meeting people where they’re at, nonprofits
can take advantage of the huge opportunities the digital landscape provides
to attract and engage supporters, while generating tremendous exposure
1 7 6 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
for your cause. Without a robust social media strategy and audience, your
organization will never have its own ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, which
tripled a nonprofit’s annual budget in just eight weeks, nor a Kony2012
video, which reached 100 million viewers on YouTube faster than any video
in history and was produced by a small nonprofit in San Diego. Moreover,
you will miss out on a vital opportunity to deeply engage younger
generations who will become future donors.
Perhaps most exciting, social media presents an opportunity to turn your donors
into fundraisers. After all, professional fundraisers are fond of saying, “The
most powerful form of ask is a peer ask.” And what is social media, other
than the most powerful peer-to-peer-based communication platform in
history? Moreover, with the rise of crowdfunding (an online campaign to
raise individual donations toward a larger goal) as a viable fundraising tactic,
nonprofits need to understand how to harness the power of people online
and turn them into donors and advocates.
To learn more about effectively using social media and running successful
crowdfunding campaigns, I sat down with Beth Kanter, renown #nptech
blogger, trainer, and author of The Networked Nonprofit and Measuring
the Networked Nonprofit, and John Haydon, digital marketing expert and
author of Facebook Marketing for Dummies.*
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Start with the Basics
Having a simple and well-designed website is the first step in preparing
yourself to embrace social media (see Chapter 15), and you’ll certainly want
to link to any social media platforms you’re active on from your site. Once
you have that dialed in, you can turn your attention to unlocking the power
of social media. The first platform you’ll likely want to focus on is Facebook,
since it’s by far the most popular outlet, plus 96 percent of nonprofits are
already there, according to NonprofitMarketingGuide.com’s Nonprofit
Communications Trends Report. Catch up first, and then you can lead the
pack. After Facebook, Twitter is the second most popular social network,
but you may want to concentrate on others, depending on your goals and
* Author’s Note: In addition to the chapter below, please read the appendix immediately following
this chapter for tips on maximizing your efforts across specific social media platforms.
s o c i a l M e d i a a n d C r o w d f u n d i n g f o r Yo u r C a u s e 1 7 7
audience; for example, Pinterest is great for nonprofits targeting women,
which is two-thirds of their audience, and for groups with compelling
photos or infographics. Read the appendix immediately following this
chapter for tips on specific social media platforms.
Regardless of which platform(s) you’re active on, success doesn’t just
happen; you have to plan for it. Create a monthly editorial calendar
to map out your social media and crowdfunding campaigns. This is a
simple spreadsheet or calendar used to plan the timing of your posts and
to coordinate messaging. Instead of only having one staff member handle
your social media posts, engage multiple people to distribute your expertise
and let individual voices and perspectives shine through. Remember, people
don’t give to organizations; they give to people. That said, coordinating efforts
can be difficult without a simple tool to plan who is going to post what,
where, when. Simply knowing that I’m posting a blog about our annual
gala on Thursday at 12 noon, and then Laila is posting our auction items
on Facebook that afternoon, and so on gives everyone the basic information
needed to efficiently support the organization’s efforts.
Note you can free scheduling tools like Hootsuite to pre-plan posts, so you
don’t have to actually log on during evenings, weekends, and holidays. An
editorial calendar will help you manage multiple social media contributors
efficiently and avoid duplicated efforts. Simply organize a monthly group
meeting to plan out your content and document everything in the calendar,
and then everyone knows what’s expected of them. Of course, you can also
add in timely posts if there’s an exciting announcement or relevant article
that pops up, but this gives you a baseline.
The most important thing when launching your social media strategy is to
commit dedicated resources and ensure a constant stream of new content.
Not doing so results in what I call the “empty store phenomenon,” and sadly,
it’s far too common. Just as you wouldn’t open up a store on Main Street
with no plans to keep the shelves stocked, so too should you never launch
a social media presence without a plan and commitment to stocking your
presence there with content. You can actually hurt your cause by establishing
a substandard, dormant presence, so if you’re unable to commit, then hold off.
Once you’ve built a sizable and engaged social media audience, you are
better positioned to experiment with crowdfunding. Before starting a
crowdfunding campaign, you need to organize and create your campaign
media: key messages including sample social media posts, shareable content
1 7 8 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
like infographics, photo and video footage of projects and programs, photos
of your team, testimonies from program beneficiaries, and whatever else
helps convey your work.
P.O.S.T. to Social Media
Kanter shared a helpful framework to help you plan successful
social media and crowdfunding campaigns:
P Is for People You Are Trying to Reach
What do they care about, and what do you actually want them to
do? How can you engage this audience? Create an archive of
compelling photos, videos, and surveys as you prepare your
launch. After mastering your presence on Facebook and Twitter,
find out which social media platforms the majority of your donors
and prospects are on, and focus your efforts there, but again,
remember to go deeper versus wider, and don’t dilute your efforts
by establishing a mediocre presence on too many platforms.
O Is for Objectives
Whether establishing a social media presence or launching a
crowdfunding campaign, the key to your success is clearly
communicating the outcomes of your work and spelling
out the impact of donations. It’s not about getting more
“likes” on Facebook; your objectives should map directly to your
mission. Start with a S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Actionable,
Realistic and Timely) goal, not something generic like “Help us
raise as much money as possible to build as many playgrounds
as we can.” Rather, be concrete, for example, “Help us raise
$15,000 in the next 50 days to we can build a playground for
the 637 children at Mission Elementary School. Research shows
that schools with playgrounds have 27 percent higher attendance
rates.” Again, remember to ensure these objectives integrate
with your overall fundraising and marketing goals; social media
and crowdfunding campaigns are simply another channel for
advancing your work and spreading your message.
S Is for Social
As Kanter says, “Crowdfunding is really the marriage of
fundraising and social media. It’s about engaging people and
raising money.” In order to inspire people to give, you need to
engage them with your story. And if you’re trying to create a
“viral” message—meaning that you hope that those who read
your message will pass it along—it’s critical that your story be
s o c i a l M e d i a a n d C r o w d f u n d i n g f o r Yo u r C a u s e 1 7 9
shareable. The secret to going viral is composing a message
that is compelling, concise, and credible.
Short videos under three minutes, even more than photos, are
key to creating appealing content that helps you make the case
for raising money. In fact, crowdfunding platform Razoo says that
campaigns with a video raise an average of 800 percent more
money! And before you publicly launch a crowdfunding
campaign, be sure to privately invite your inner circle of
donors, board members, and supporters to contribute;
that way when the floodgates open, people won’t see an empty
thermometer. See Chapter 15 for more on this “seeding the tip jar”
concept. Additionally, as outlined in Chapter 4, it’s helpful to recruit
a “social media marketing committee” before you launch.
These well-connected supporters agree to share your social media
posts and actively engage with your content through likes and
comments, magnifying exposure. When your campaign launches,
these tips will help the public see that you’ve made progress in
inspiring people to contribute both financially and emotionally, and
others will be much more likely to contribute and engage.
T Is for Tools
There are a variety of tools available to help nonprofits manage
their social media presence and crowdfunding campaigns:
Social media platforms include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn,
Pinterest, Instagram, and many others.
Crowdfunding platforms include CommitChange, Indiegogo,
KickStarter, Network for Good, StayClassy, Razoo, causes (now
Brigade), Causevox, CrowdRise, Fundly, GoFundMe, WePay,
RocketHub, Sponsume, StartSomeGood, Patreon, GiveFoward,
and more. (More on choosing the right crowdfunding platform
in the next tip, and see the appendix immediately following
this chapter for tips on effective crowdfunding.)
Content curation tools like Scoop.It, Storify, and Listly help you
identify relevant content on the Web and make it easy to share
it with your social networks.
Scheduling tools such as Hootsuite, TweetDeck, and Buffer that
allow you to pre-schedule your posts and tweets and ensure a
steady stream of content for your followers.
Analytics tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Insights,
Sprout Social, RowFeeder, and Klout allow you to analyze the
performance of posts and followers, plus measure things like
audience engagement. (More information and links in the
Resource Review below.)
(continued)
1 8 0 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
2. Pick the Right Crowdfunding Platform
There are many platforms to consider, and every nonprofit has its unique
set of needs and requirements. As you’re reviewing the aforementioned
platforms and more, keep in mind the associated costs (Is there a fee? What
percentage of the donation do they take?), the platform’s ability to integrate
into your website or social outlet (you don’t want people to feel like they
are leaving to make a gift), whether it automatically makes your presence
and donation page mobile responsiveness so people can easily view it on a
mobile device, and user reviews (Are people who have used this platform
happy with the results?). For more tips on effective crowdfunding, see the
appendix immediately following this chapter.
Whatever tool you choose, it’s critical that whenever people donate, either
through your website or via a social media or crowdfunding platform, your
donation-processing engine must prompt donors to invite their social
networks to follow their lead after they give. This is as simple as adding a
couple buttons to the thank you page where donors can click to share on
Facebook or Twitter, after which a pre-populated message pops up saying
something like, “I just gave to Save the Children and encourage you to join me
in supporting their good work,” followed by a link. Donors can choose to edit
the text if they like, but either way this simple functionality typically improves
revenue by 20 to 200 percent; plus it magnifies your campaign’s audience.
Take the time to do your homework and make sure you’re happy with the
platform you choose, because once you start a crowdfunding campaign,
you’re pretty much stuck with it. Swapping out a donation-processing
platform for social media or your website is a bit easier, but still entails a
And finally, good old-fashioned spreadsheets will help you track
analytics and create things such as editorial calendars.
Non-traditional “tools” also include things like the people on
your team supporting your efforts and promoting content, as
well as giving days (a designated day like #GivingTuesday, where
nonprofits promote an area- or industry-wide campaign and
request gifts). Giving days are great for inspiring donors, because
they hear about the campaign from multiple organizations, which
drives increased giving.
(continued)
s o c i a l M e d i a a n d C r o w d f u n d i n g f o r Yo u r C a u s e 1 8 1
cumbersome transition that should be avoided if at all possible. A little work
now saves you a lot of effort down the road!
3. Become a Content Curator
Social media should be leveraged as a platform for thought leadership,
rather than as a megaphone to promote your work. To make it simple, I
encourage nonprofits to follow the 50/50 rule: at least half your posts
should not be about you, your organization, or its needs and impact, but
rather about the cause and issue you represent. This includes relevant,
insightful information and updates, such as research, articles, infographics,
and industry events, including those of like-minded organizations. This also
includes posts you share and retweet from relevant media and nonprofits.
Your goal is to get people to think of you as the go-to resource for
information on your cause, so when they decide to support the issue, they
think of you. At the same time, this builds up social capital by strengthening
relationships with industry experts and other organizations in your space and
establishes your expertise. Pitch a big tent and the more people and groups
you invite inside, the more you will become a pillar of the community.
4. Master Frequency and Timing
Again, it’s key to have a steady stream of content to engage your users, but
you also need to find a good balance. Social media is nothing but a digital
cocktail party, and you never want to be the one sucking up all the air in
the room. On Facebook, post no more than twice a day if possible, as
engagement drops off after that point. To avoid hosting an empty store,
post at least twice a week. Post at least daily if you’re on Twitter, and
ideally more, as there’s really no limit to how often you can tweet—follow
@GuyKawasaki if you don’t believe me. But most importantly, as Ritu
Sharma, executive director and co-founder of Social Media for Nonprofits,
is fond of saying, find your drumbeat: consistency is key, and never let your
social media channels go silent. Give your followers enough content so that
they expect more, but not so much that you burden and overwhelm them.
Now, what time of day and what days of the week should you post? In
general, it’s best to reach people in their down time. I call this the “burrito
principle,” since during the week this tends to be during the morning
commute, on their lunch break when they’re checking their smartphones
while eating a burrito, at the end of the work day, or even better, from 9:30
to 11 p.m. after the kids go to sleep. Weekends tend to perform even better.
1 8 2 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
This formula varies for different organizations and audiences, so you’ll want
to test posts at different times of day and days of the week and analyze
their performance, in terms shares, likes, comments, retweets, etc. You
should also use Facebook Insights to identify when your audience is online.
(See the Facebook tips below for more information.)
5. Test and Learn
The only way to truly optimize your social media and crowdfunding
presence is through testing and experimenting. Try posting and tweeting at
different times of the day or days of the week, using different social media
outlets, experiment with and without images and videos, try out surveys and
questions versus statements, and so on. If you have a good analytics tool in
place, you will quickly learn what produces the best results and engages the
most people. You can also play with using different tones for your messages
(serious, light-hearted, humorous) to see what works, but once you find
your “voice,” you’ll want to stick with it for consistency’s sake. Of course,
remember that your social media posts are an extension of your overall
messaging, so not all tones will be appropriate for experimentation.
Social Media Case Study: The ALS Ice
Bucket Challenge
If you were alive and online in 2014, odds are you participated in
what was one of the most viral nonprofit awareness and fundraising
campaigns the world has ever seen: the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.
For a brief time, our newsfeeds were full of videos of friends,
family members, and celebrities pouring ice-cold buckets of water
over the heads, all to support the ALS Association and a relatively
obscure cause. In only eight weeks, the $66 million organization
saw over 440 million Facebook users upload videos with over 10
billion views, and raised over $115 million from donors across
200 countries, generating both tremendous financial support and
awareness. To unearth the magic that made this incredible campaign
possible, I spoke with Lance Slaughter, chief chapter relations and
development officer of the ALS Association, who shared some tips
that can benefit any nonprofit looking to embrace social media:
Be Open
The idea for the Ice Bucket Challenge didn’t actually come from
the ALS Association. Chris Kennedy, a professional golfer whose
brother-in-law has ALS, posted a video and challenged his sister to
raise awareness of the disease. That caught the attention of Pat Quinn
s o c i a l M e d i a a n d C r o w d f u n d i n g f o r Yo u r C a u s e 1 8 3
and Pete Frates, two young men living with ALS, who saw the video
and realized the stunt was a great way to convey the tremendous
shock of being diagnosed . . . and a viral phenomenon was born.
The concept bubbled up through the ALS Association’s regional
chapter, and headquarters saw a considerable spike in online
donations, but more importantly, embraced it as a tremendous
awareness opportunity. They jumped on board and put out the
call to their local chapters to support the campaign by leveraging
pre-existing communication channels, especially social media.
Slaughter’s big takeaway here? Be open to ideas from both outside
and within your organization, and embrace opportunities that
come from your supporters.
Be Prepared
Before the Ice Bucket Challenge was born, the ALS Association had
already recognized and embraced social media’s ability to deliver
content and resources. For them, it was a key communication
channel that enabled them to share information with those afflicted
with the disease, many of whom suffer from limited mobility, but
can still use a computer. Perhaps your nonprofit makes the same
strategic decision to master social media for a different reason,
such as wanting to reach youth, 24 percent of whom “live” online
today, according to Pew Research. Either way, it is because of this
commitment and capacity that ALS’s 38 affiliates already had the
infrastructure and expertise in place to leverage this transformative
opportunity. By devoting resources to building your social media
profiles and followers, and learning how to best engage them, you
too will be poised to seize opportunities as they arise.
Be Adaptable
Using the kind of donor research and segmentation techniques
outlined in Chapter 5, the ALS Association quickly realized the
Ice Bucket Challenge was connecting them with an entirely new
audience. Previously, they principally communicated with donors
aged 45 to 64 and affected by the disease, either directly or
through a loved one. But now, they were reaching younger donors,
ages 18 to 34, the large majority of whom had no affinity to the
disease. Once they realized this, they appreciated the need to adapt
their communications and messaging to those new to the cause
and with younger perspectives. They redesigned their website with
new visuals and messaging, they cancelled a planned direct mailing
campaign, and revised their tagline. Change can be hard, but by
being willing to make strategic shifts in response to changes in the
fundraising landscape, you will open up new opportunities.
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6. Survey the Landscape
Once you’ve established a solid social media presence, it’s helpful to conduct
Google, Facebook, and Twitter searches of key terms related to your issue,
as well as to look up like-minded organizations. See what’s out there and
reflect on how you’re different. Aside from programmatic considerations,
look at what similar organizations are doing with their social and overall
online presence. Try to get a sense of what these groups and people are
saying and what their followers seem to be most responsive to.
Set up a free Google Alert at http://google.com/alerts to keep you abreast
as new content is posted for key phrases and search terms, as well as news
stories on your executive staff, board, allies, and similar organizations.
Hashtagify.me is another great tool to help you stay on top of the most
popular “hashtags” related to your cause. Hashtags are a way to group
content into a stream, so that others searching or posting that keyword can
find it. They’re how “trending” happens in social media and are critical for
helping people discover what other folks are talking about at the moment.
Conclusion
Social media has become an expected form of communication for many
people. If your nonprofit isn’t taking advantage of this huge opportunity,
Earn Ongoing Support
Every donor and participant in the campaign who provided their
contact information was thanked, informed about the work of
the ALS Association, and was told exactly what impact their
contribution made possible. The ALS Association now faces a new,
exciting challenge: how to continue to engage this enormous new
group of supporters and sustain concern and loyalty to the cause,
not just to the organization.
Given these new supporters’ low affinity to the disease, and youth’s
overall predisposition to support causes versus organizations,
they are finding success by focusing their communications on
education, as well as sharing updates on progress toward a cure,
instead of the success of their own work. By focusing on the
impact, rather than the process to get there, you will have a better
chance of creating an ongoing movement.
(continued)
http://google.com/alerts
s o c i a l M e d i a a n d C r o w d f u n d i n g f o r Yo u r C a u s e 1 8 5
you are missing out on the biggest conversation happening in the world
right now. Sure, there are lots of platforms out there, tips for the most
important of which are outlined in the appendix immediately following
this chapter. It may seem scary and overwhelming to jump in, but you
can start quickly and easily with small steps and recruit others to help
you. Ultimately, there is no such thing as a “social media expert”; the
field is simply too new and evolving too quickly for that, so we’re all
learning by doing. Crowdfunding isn’t quite as commonplace as social
media, but it is quickly rising, and you don’t want to be left in the dust
as this becomes an even more powerful and popular fundraising tool.
By following the tips we’ve outlined in this chapter and the appendix
that follows, and learning from the success of organizations like the ALS
Association, you will quickly be on your way to leveraging the power of
the masses and catapulting your organization’s impact and fundraising
forward.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do. . .
. . . create a monthly editorial calendar to map out your social media
and crowdfunding campaigns.
. . . use a scheduling tool for social media posts to make sure there is
no lapse in your content stream.
. . . enable donors to easily invite their social networks to follow their
lead after making a gift.
. . . participate in giving days like #GivingTuesday and regional events
typically supported by your local community foundation.
Don’t. . .
. . . launch a crowdfunding campaign without first preparing all of
your marketing materials and securing at least 20 percent of your
goal from your “inner circle” of supporters.
. . . post content from your own organization more than 50 percent of
the time.
. . . rely only on scheduling tools like Hootsuite; make sure you are
adding fresh and timely content.
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About the Experts
Beth Kanter is the author of the best-selling books The Networked Nonprofit
and Measuring the Networked Nonprofit and producer of Beth’s Blog: How
Nonprofits Can Use Social Media, one of the world’s longest-running and
most popular nonprofit technology blogs. Kanter has more than 30 years
of experience in the nonprofit sector, with a focus on technology, training,
capacity building, evaluation, fundraising, and marketing. Kanter is an
internationally recognized trainer who was recently named as one of
BusinessWeek’s “Voices of Innovation for Social Media.”
John Haydon is one of the most sought-after digital marketing experts
for nonprofits and charities. He is founder of the nonprofit consultancy,
Inbound Zombie, and is a frequent keynote speaker on all aspects of nonprofit
technology. Haydon is also an instructor for CharityHowTo and MarketingProfs
University. He is the author of Facebook Marketing for Dummies and Facebook
Marketing All-In-One and is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post,
Social Media Examiner, npEngage, and the Razoo Foundation blog.
Resource Review
Beth Kanter’s blog (www.bethkanter.org)
This is a great resource for tips on crowdfunding, social media, and all
aspects of nonprofit technology. Check out her posts on the “Five Best
Practices in Nonprofit Crowdfunding,” the “10 Best Practices for Planning
Successful Crowd Funding or Giving Day Campaigns,” which includes a
detailed description of her P.O.S.T. framework, and the interesting case
study about the Dalai Lama Foundation’s use of crowdfunding.
www.bethkanter.org/5-crowdfunding-tips
www.bethkanter.org/10-best-practices
www.bethkanter.org/dalai-lama-crowd
John Haydon’s Blog (www.johnhaydon.com)
This blog is full of helpful tips and tools regarding all aspects of social media.
Download the guide to the “51 Best Social Media Tools for Any Nonprofit
Marketer or Fundraiser,” and sign up for John’s weekly newsletter.
http://www.bethkanter.org
10 Best Practices for Planning Successful Crowd Funding or Giving Day Campaigns
Nonprofit Crowd Funding Success Formula: Robust Planning, Networks, and Blessings
http://www.johnhaydon.com
s o c i a l M e d i a a n d C r o w d f u n d i n g f o r Yo u r C a u s e 1 8 7
Socialnomics on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=jottDMuLesU)
This is a series of well-produced videos with compelling social media
statistics that will help you make the case that social media should be a
priority for your organization. They’re constantly posting new videos, so
be sure to search and see what’s fresh.
Network for Good (www.networkforgood.org)
Find many great online fundraising and social media resources, including
an active, insightful blog, as well e-books on crowdfunding and online
fundraising.
GuideStar (www.guidestar.org)
Find helpful tips on fundraising, social media, and crowdfunding, and
be sure to subscribe to their newsletter and join their LinkedIn Group,
which is quite active.
NTEN (www.nten.org)
This website has great resources on all aspects of nonprofit technology; be
sure to check out their annual Nonprofit Technology Conference, NTC,
for a phenomenal networking and educational opportunity.
Association of Fundraising Professionals (www.afpnet.org)
Their site offers a wide range of fundraising resources, and their annual
international conference always features content on social media and
crowdfunding.
Social Media for Nonprofits (SM4NP.org)
This is the only conference series devoted to social media for social good,
with events throughout the U.S., Canada, and India. They also produce
a great blog and newsletter and offer a range of helpful tips on their
website.
Crowdfunding Platforms with Great Resources
• StayClassy.com—active, insightful blog.
• StartSomeGood.com—another active blog focused on social media
and online fundraising.
• Indiegogo.com—check out their giving day playbook and field
guide.
• Kimbia.com—great webinar series and useful online fundraising
blog.
http://www.networkforgood.org
http://www.guidestar.org
http://www.nten.org
http://www.afpnet.org
1 8 8 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Analytics Tools
• Google Analytics (www.google.com/analytics) is a great free tool to
assess your website traffic.
• Facebook Insights (find the tab at the top of your page when signed
in as an administrator) helps you analyze your Facebook traffic and
identify your most engaging posts and most valuable followers.
• SproutSocial (www.sproutsocial.com) is a paid analytics tool that
also manages content and has scheduling capabilities.
• Klout (www.klout.com) is a tool that allows you to measure your
online impact and influence.
Kanter, Beth. The Networked Nonprofit: Connecting with Social Media to
Drive Change. Jossey-Bass, 2010.
This book shows nonprofits a new way of operating in our increasingly
connected world: a networked approach enabled by social technologies,
where connections are leveraged to increase impact in effective ways that
drive change for the betterment of our society and planet.
Miller, Kivi. Content Marketing for Nonprofits: A Communications Map for
Engaging Your Community, Becoming a Favorite Cause, and Raising More
Money. Jossey-Bass, 2013.
This book explains how to design and implement a content marketing
strategy, an essential component to any nonprofit’s effort to raise money
with social media.
http://www.google.com/analytics
http://www.sproutsocial.com
http://www.klout.com
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appendix
Practical Tips for Key
Social Media Platforms
and Crowdfunding
Case Study
Facebook
Ask questions. If your post ends in a question mark instead of a period,
you can expect twice as many likes, comments, and shares; the
currency in today’s “attention economy.”
Use photos and videos. Typically, you’ll generate twice as many likes,
comments, and shares if your post includes a photo, four times as
many with a video. If you use a video on a crowdfunding campaign,
according to crowdfunding platform Razoo, you’re likely to receive
eight times the amount of donations!
Use the right photos. Since people will likely only see the small thumbnail
version of your photo, cut out the background and use cropping to
zoom in on one subject. Ideally, use photos with pictures of people
or animals, and focus on faces. As author Guy Kawasaki likes to say,
“ABC: Always Be Cropping.” Don’t use boring photos—instead of
people posing next to a house they just built, use an action photo of
them carrying a ladder or building a roof. Use photos that capture
your work in action and convey a sense of impact.
1 9 0 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Promote the right posts. If you have a budget and choose to do promoted
posts on Facebook, choose posts that have the best response rates,
rather than promoting donation requests and other posts that fall flat.
This may seem counter-intuitive, but your resources are best spent
promoting posts that have proven to be most engaging.
Keep it short. Ideally, under 80 characters. Bufferapp.com found a 66
percent increase in engagement when you get to the point.
Learn about your donors. Upload your email or donor list and see how
many of them are on Facebook. You can use Facebook Ads to gain
invaluable donor segmentation information about them, including
household income, home ownership, device use, how active they
are on Facebook, how much they engage with your posts, etc. The
more you know about your donors, the better equipped you are to
effectively engage and solicit them!
Reply to comments. Again, think of social media as a digital cocktail
party. If someone at a party says, “Hey, nice dress,” you need to say
“thank you” and reply back. If someone posts a comment or asks a
question, reply in a polite and conversational manner.
Leverage Facebook Insights. To succeed at engaging people, you need to
listen. Insights is a free analytics tool that allows you to analyze your
posts and how they perform, that is, how many likes, comments, and
shares or retweets they receive. It will also help you determine when
the majority of your users are online, which can help you plan the
timing of your posts. (Facebook Insights is accessed through a tab at
the top of your page when you’re signed in as an administrator.)
Twitter
Ask for retweets. Include the term “Please Retweet,” often abbreviated
as “Pls RT,” to significantly increase the percentage of people who
share your posts.
Use photos, videos, and links. Just as with Facebook, this will encourage
people to spend a few more seconds with your content and increase
the likelihood that they share it.
Recruit influencers. Twitter is a great place to make initial contact
with donor prospects and key influencers like celebrities, leading
academics, journalists, and bloggers. But before asking VIPs to
support you, build up your social capital by retweeting them and
writing comments on their posts.
Get your leadership active. Having your executive director and other
leaders active on Twitter develops additional communication outlets
for your organization and can establish them as thought leaders in
your field.
Use keywords. Add keywords and hashtags to your profile so that
people interested in your cause will find you when they search.
Using these in your posts will also help people who aren’t following
you find your content and organization.
Create a hashtag. Come up with a short yet descriptive hashtag to
include in many of your posts. Ideally, it’s something that others in
the field can adopt as well, promoting your thought leadership. For
example, Social Media for Nonprofits launched #SM4NP, which is
now widely adopted by others in the industry.
Use lists. Lists help you easily screen content and manage different
categories of users. For example, if you are a breast cancer
organization, lists can help you easily look at what’s trending from
breast cancer bloggers, pharmaceutical companies, academics,
journalists, competitors, as well as things like campaign hashtags.
Use tools. Social media tools like Hootsuite will help you manage
mentions, scheduling, and lists. Use tools like Klout (available as
a Hootsuite plug-in) and BuzzSumo to identify key influencers in
your field, so you know who to cultivate and prioritize.
Be active in the Twitter community. Twitter is a circular economy.
Participate in Follow Fridays by sharing the handles of other leaders
and organizations in your field on Fridays and including “#FF” in
your posts to gain social capital. If someone mentions you with an
@ sign, especially if it’s an influencer, you should definitely take the
time to retweet it and thank the person.
LinkedIn
Get your board and volunteers to link to you. When people include you
in their profiles, it gives you additional exposure, and since this is a
relatively new feature and not many nonprofits are using it, you will
stand out.
Ask questions. People on LinkedIn tend to be very engaged, and
you can receive well-thought-out answers to robust and complex
questions. This will help you to build conversations and further
engage people.
a p p e n d i x : p r a c t i c a l ti p s 1 9 1
1 9 2 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Start a Group. You can create a LinkedIn Group for free, which is
a great way to mobilize and engage your community of interest.
Invite people to join and make sure to post content, questions, or
links to a blog post or article at least twice a month.
Ask for testimonials. Ask past employers, partners, and clients to write
testimonials for your organization and on your personal profile.
This provides credibility and reinforces your expertise.
YouTube
Create “Call to Action” overlays. YouTube offers nonprofits free access
to this service, which increases subscriptions by 400 percent by
creating a pop-up window inviting visitors to subscribe or even
donate.
Keep it short. Keep your videos on YouTube and crowdfunding
sites short, ideally 90 to 120 seconds. This will result in people
watching the video when they first see it, instead of being daunted
and saving it for later, which usually means they’ll never watch it.
Instagram
Use hashtags. Just as on Twitter and Facebook, hashtags are a great way
to create a conversation and create more avenues to your presence.
Focus on faces. The photos that typically receive the best response are
close-ups of people’s faces and animals. Remember Guy Kawasaki’s
ABC: Always Be Cropping.
Use action shots. As mentioned in the Facebook tips, instead of staged
pictures, use images of people in action, delivering impact.
Pinterest
Girl power. Pinterest is a great place to reach women, as they’re two-
thirds of their audience, which recently surpassed 100 million users
a month.
Get visual. This platform is best suited for visuals and infographics,
both for finding and posting.
a p p e n d i x : p r a c t i c a l ti p s 1 9 3
Crowdfunding Case Study: RE-volv
RE-volv provides solar technology for nonprofits and community
centers by raising money through crowdfunding. They provide
low-interest 20-year loans on the projects, which their beneficiaries
pay out of energy savings, and then reinvest the funds into future
projects. Over the past three years, the grassroots organization
in San Francisco has conducted three crowdfunding campaigns
on Indiegogo and raised over $120,000. They’ve managed to
obtain over 1,000 contributions from donors in 38 states and 22
countries. To learn the secrets of their success, I sat down with
their founder and executive director, Andreas Karelas, who shared
some of the lessons he’s learned along the way:
Prepare in Advance
Part of RE-volv’s success has been due to the time and hard
work they put in before they launch their campaigns. Establish
partnerships, plan events, and create marketing materials in
advance of any crowdfunding campaign, including a short video,
email and social media messages, and website copy to enable you
to focus on the campaign as it unfolds. You should also create
an editorial calendar before your campaign, so you’re clear about
who is sending out which messages, where, and when, thereby
ensuring a coordinated effort.
Events Drive Results
To drive awareness and garner initial support for their
crowdfunding campaigns, RE-volv conducts what they call “small
engagement tours.” These are live events around the country that
allow them to recruit campaign “champions” who agree to become
volunteer marketers and promote the campaign on social media,
similar to the “social media marketing committee” concept outlined
in Chapter 4.
They also use these events to recruit initial donors to kick-start
their efforts and seed the tip jar before launching the campaign
to the public. In the beginning, before they implemented this
tactic and launched campaigns with no donations secured,
getting these efforts off the ground was much more challenging.
And finally, in addition to engaging these champions online, they
always bring marketing materials to hand out at their events,
including posters, flyers, and stickers that people can easily use
to evangelize the cause. Karelas says that nothing is better than
an in-person experience to really share your passion and engage
people in your cause.
(continued)
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Secure Marketing Trades
Trading marketing opportunities with like-minded partners is a
great way to gain exposure with relevant audiences. RE-volv lists
partner logos on their campaign page or mentions them in press
releases in exchange for outreach support on social media and
elsewhere, promoting the circular economy concept. It is important
to agree on specifics of any trade in advance, and document
it in a simple agreement so that both parties are accountable.
Engage Businesses
RE-volv reaches out to local businesses and national corporations
to sponsor their engagement tour events and crowdfunding
campaigns. They’ve recruited businesses like Whole Foods,
Patagonia, and Aveda to donate supplies for events and even perks
to offer donors to their crowdfunding campaigns. Having sponsor
logos on your website and materials also helps lend credibility to
your efforts.
Recruit Celebrities and Influencers
Karelas has successfully recruited key influencers to support
RE-volv’s campaigns by connecting them on Twitter and asking for
retweets, especially when he offered to offer books they’ve written
as perks in their crowdfunding campaigns. Although you may
have much smaller reach than these movers and shakers, even
celebrities respond to this gesture. Think about what you can do
for a VIP passionate about your cause and amazing things become
possible.
Experiment with Social Media
As outlined in this chapter, RE-volv experimented heavily on social
media. In the process, they learned to post screenshots of their
campaign thermometer and post late at night to maximize
results. Both of these tactics have proven effective for a wide
range of other nonprofits.
Simplify Your URL
RE-volv quickly learned that having a complicated link that
isn’t memorable hurts your campaign. Create a simple URL
that’s easy to remember and have it redirect to your
crowdfunding page. This also helps you brand your campaign
consistently.
(continued)
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18Chapter
Mobile Fundraising
“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
—Abraham Lincoln
Introduction
Mobile is not the future; it’s here and now. The people you are trying to
reach, whatever their age, are on mobile devices. People are glued to their
phones these days, keeping them within arms reach (even when sleeping),
checking them obsessively, and increasingly using them to find and learn
about nonprofits and to donate. PayPal alone processed over $800 million
in mobile nonprofit payments in 2014, an increase of 60 percent from what
U.S. and Canadian organizations earned in 2013. So we’re talking about real
money here, and the numbers are growing incredibly quickly. Because of this,
it’s critical that your organization is ready to meet people on their devices and
able to take advantage of the immense opportunity mobile provides to send
fundraising appeals and communicate key messages and updates.
Today, SocialNomics says that over 40 percent of website traffic
comes from mobile devices, including those of nonprofits, so if your
site isn’t optimized for mobile, then you’re already behind the times.
This is particularly true for email communications, since, according to
MarketingLand, about two-thirds of people look at email on their mobile
devices, most of which will delete or ignore your email if it’s not optimized
1 9 6 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
for their device. Make no mistake, the party has already begun, and your
presence is kindly requested.
Mobile and social media have changed the way people digest information;
attention spans are growing shorter and shorter, and nonprofit
communications need to accommodate this. Beyond email and fundraising,
mobile also represents a tremendous opportunity for nonprofits to better
serve their constituents. For example, I helped found a company called
Sparrow: Mobile for Common Good, which partners with nonprofits
serving the poor to power their mobile campaigns, helping the homeless
find jobs and housing, supporting foster youth to reconnect with their birth
parents, and more. Just like social media, mobile is a Swiss Army knife that
can be employed in myriad powerful ways.
Too few nonprofits are investing in the crucial yet simple infrastructure
needed to tap the potential of mobile, which means they’re leaving money on
the table. People need to be able to read your emails, look at your website,
and easily donate through their mobile devices. If you aren’t making this easy
for them, you’re missing out on critical opportunities to fundraise and engage
your supporters. To get at the heart of mobile fundraising and identify the
tips and tools needed for nonprofits to thrive, I sat down with Tanya Urschel,
the nonprofit vertical manager for PayPal, and Heather Mansfield author and
principal blogger at Nonprofit Tech For Good, who outlined seven great tips.
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Optimize Your Website and Email
In order to reach people where they are these days—on mobile devices—it is
absolutely critical that your website and emails are mobile-compatible or
“responsive.” That means basic technology, which is standard in many website
content management systems and email marketing platforms, detects the size
of the screen someone is using to view your content, and adjusts the layout
accordingly. Technically, as Mansfield shared in Mobile for Good, dynamic
websites “are built on a fluid, grid-based framework that allows for flexibility in
page width and image sizes, thus enabling the website to automatically convert
and reshape itself to fit the browser on which its being viewed—whether that’s
a two-inch smartphone screen or 17-inch laptop screen. For many nonprofits,
it’s simply easier and more cost-effective to launch a new responsively designed
website than to try to retrofit or redesign their current website.”
M o b i l e f u n d r a i s i n g 1 9 7
Your site and emails may already be responsive, especially if you’re using
a free template from a resource like WordPress.org or Constant Contact,
respectively. Simply check this by logging onto your site or viewing one
of your emails on a phone or tablet. Hopefully, what you see feels right,
but if not you’ll need to enlist a web developer or designer, which could
require a financial investment, but one that is well worth it. Remember,
on average about 40 percent of your website traffic and 60 percent of your
emails are currently being viewed on smaller screens, and these numbers are
going up daily. If you’re looking for more concrete numbers specific to your
organization, use Google Analytics’s free Mobile Performance Report to
assess exactly how much of your traffic is derived from mobile devices,
and which ones (see Resource Review).
Another option is creating a dedicated mobile site, so when people log on
from smaller screens they’ll see a special version of your site optimized for
that environment. Mansfield shared that, due to advances in responsive
design, this is typically unnecessary for most nonprofits and generally
produces little extra benefit.
Whether people are looking at a dedicated mobile site or a responsive
version of your standard website, there are a few design best practices to
keep in mind. It’s best to use minimal text and focus more on photos and
videos, space out hyperlinks and leave ample white space, and minimize
scrolling, possibly through creating sections of your web pages that can
expand. Perhaps most importantly, focus on only one clear call to action—
likely encouraging donations—and include a big button (at least 200×60
pixels) promoting it at both top right and the bottom left of your page. And
if you don’t have the resources to re-create an entire website, you can tackle
this one page at a time, starting with your home page and donate page, as
these are the two pages that drive contributions.
For email, keep your content simple and use one- or two-sentence
paragraphs and use a 13- or 14-point font. Nielsen found that 80 percent
of readers only scan emails, so they’ll miss anything more detailed anyway.
Just like with your mobile website, links should be spaced apart and focus on
one simple call to action. npENGAGE suggests keeping the header to under
100 pixels high, so readers can dive right into the content, and they also
found that your email should be no wider than 500 pixels across. In today’s
attention economy, you only have about two sentences to get people’s
attention with an email, or three on a website, so make them count.
And do whatever it takes to ensure your emails and website load quickly:
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KISSMetrics found that 40 percent of people will abandon a site that takes
more than three seconds to load, and 80 percent of them never come back!
If you don’t have access to responsive email templates, at the very least use
bigger fonts and switch out the links with buttons. Ideally, you should
at least invest in having a web designer create three mobile-responsive
email templates: your newsletter, your fundraising appeals, and an
event invitation. This tends to cover a large majority of the emails most
nonprofits send out and can be done inexpensively.
2. Optimize Your Donate Page
Every part of your online donation process must be mobile-optimized,
from the first viewing of the donate page, to the filling in of the fields,
to the thank you page and emailed acknowledgement. Make the process
easy and quick so that you don’t lose your donors before they complete
the transaction. Minimize scrolling by separating the donation process
onto more pages if needed, and streamline the donation process as much
as possible by asking only critical questions. You can ask for additional
information later, but if you lose the donor, you’ll likely never see him
or her again, nor receive that gift. Keep additional text to an absolute
minimum, since the donor has already decided to support you when he or
she clicked the donate button: a simple one-sentence impact statement at
the top of your donation page is sufficient (for example, “Your donation
will help us feed a hungry family”).
3. Tell Your Story Effectively
Having your website, email, and donation page optimized for mobile
won’t help you if you don’t have content that inspires people to give.
Creating a content strategy—detailing how you tell your story—is the key
to raising money. Your strategy needs clear goals that outline your target
audiences and your tactics for reaching them. What kind of stories will
you share, how often, and through which channels? What voice drives
results and feels authentic to your cause? Will you use photos, videos,
infographics, blogs, or annual reports? Who is in charge of creating
and publishing these? As we discussed in Chapters 10, 16, and 17, it
is critical that communications are planned and included in your
organization’s editorial calendar (the document where you schedule
all outgoing fundraising and marketing communications, including mass
email, direct mail, web, social media, etc.).
M o b i l e f u n d r a i s i n g 1 9 9
Planning for Success: The Mobile Matrix™
While working with our U.S. nonprofit customers and partners, the
mobile startup I co-founded, Sparrow: Mobile for All, realized that
many nonprofits were struggling with mobile because, just like
social media, they didn’t realize mobile is a tool: it’s a means, not
an end. As such, the key to success is asking yourself, “What do
we want to use it for?”
To support this discovery process, we developed The Mobile
Matrix™. It’s a simple tool that helps nonprofits prioritize their
goals and inform their mobile strategies. Simply look at the
constituents up top and the objectives on the side, and then
explore their intersection in each cell, using a group discussion
to rate each cell 1 to 10 based on its priority. For example,
is the primary reason we’re embracing mobile to increase
donations (i.e. “Revenue” from “Donors”), or are we hoping to
engage our volunteers in fundraising, or to more efficiently
communicate with our clients?
Mobile Matrix™ Staff Donors Volunteers Clients The Public
Revenue
Efficiency
Communication
Service
Form follows function. Once you’ve clarified your mobile priori-
ties, then you can begin to devise a strategy, identify relevant
tools, and move forward in a thoughtful, planned way that maps
to needed results, including fundraising targets. Whatever you’re
hoping to achieve with mobile, the key is to follow the great
advice of T.E. Lawrence, who encouraged us all to “Dream your
dreams with open eyes, and make them come true.”
4. Mobilize Your Events
If your organization produces live events like runs or galas (see Chapters 12
and 13), you can benefit greatly by integrating mobile tactics for your staff,
volunteers, and event participants. For staff and volunteers, they can use
platforms like PayPal or Eventbrite to check people in using mobile devices,
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and then work the room and collect credit card payments on the spot for
live and silent auctions or for donations and pledges. Giving supporters the
ability to donate easily and securely on site means that you can capitalize
on impulses to support you. For participants, they can use their mobile
devices to check themselves in, as well as receive event updates and sign up
for your email newsletter. If you are doing a walk, run, or ride and are using
an event registration platform like Eventbrite, you can provide participants
with a free app to download that gives them an event schedule and a route
map, and some apps even track their progress while they run.
Text-to-Give
Text-to-give is a great way to make fundraising easy at large
events. By using a variety of available platforms (such as Mobile
Commons or Connect2Give), you can enable donors to text a
preset number and give a donation of a set amount (usually $5
or $10). The donation is added to the person’s phone bill, and a
check is sent to your organization once the funds are collected.
While text-to-give is easy and works well to acquire new donors
in environments where people are impulsive (such as at events or
after natural disasters), there are a few downsides to consider. The
set donation amount (typically $5 or $10) and inability to sign up
for recurring gifts can restrict the amount you might have raised
with an alternative ask; it typically takes about 30 to 90 days to be
paid, and these platforms typically do not integrate with your CRM
or donor database. You should also carefully review the setup and
transaction fees associated with these platforms, as that may lead
you to realize it’s not a feasible strategy. In general, text-to-give
tends to be a great way to enlist new donors, but it’s typically not
a tool that delivers the big bucks.
5. Get Social
TechImpact and Unified found that fully 30 percent of the time people
spend on their mobile devices is on social media and that mobile users are
nearly twice as likely to share content versus desktop users. As noted above,
images and videos are especially engaging, so one best practice is to make
a viral thank you for donors, including a compelling photo and brief
text outlining what kind of impact a certain size gift makes. These are
designed to share on social media and are a great way to turn your donors
into fundraisers (see Chapter 17 for more tips on using social media).
M o b i l e f u n d r a i s i n g 2 0 1
Optimize the size of viral thank you’s to maximize impact: 500×500
pixels for Facebook and 500×250 pixels for Twitter.
6. Consider Building an App
Apps are a great way to engage your base, particularly if you’re interacting
with people on a recurring basis or if you have a lot of foot traffic, as at a
museum or zoo. Apps are great because they are fast, can be accessed offline,
and can integrate with phone functionalities like their GPS and cameras.
The downside to apps is that they can be expensive to develop, you need
to develop separate apps for different mobile operating systems (Apple
iOS, Windows, etc.), there is a lengthy approval process to bring them
into the market, you need to heavily market them to attract users, and
sometimes donations or payments through apps are blocked and force
people to go through your mobile website. And, of course, just like a
website or social media outlet, you need to commit to posting fresh
content there; plus, you should plan on having to update the app as
operating system upgrades occur. Start with the basics outlined above and,
in nearly all cases, wait to develop an app until your website and email
efforts are optimized for mobile.
7. Stay Current
Being an early adopter gives you a leg up and helps your cause and message
cut through the clutter, plus it reflects well on your organization when done
right. Right now, mobile presents a great opportunity for you to do just
that. Mobile technology, specifically mobile payment technology, is rapidly
evolving, so if you do get on board, be sure to stay on top of it and keep an
eye out for new platforms, developments, and resources.
For example, with the launch of the Apple Watch and Fitbit, wearables are
now a hot trend, but what’s coming next? Also, apps for donating, such as
GiveApp.org and others like GreatNonprofits (think Yelp for nonprofits)
or One Degree (Yelp for social services) are gaining ground, so use the
resources outlined below to keep abreast of tools like these and assess how
your nonprofit can take advantage of them as they arise. But just as with
social media, don’t spread your efforts too thin and focus on mastering the
places where you already have a presence. Less is more, but staying on top
of the latest trends and tools is still crucial to maintaining a vibrant online
presence and effectively engaging supporters.
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Conclusion
Incorporating mobile tactics into your fundraising strategy will ensure
that you are meeting people where they’re at today—on their devices.
The past two decades have brought a vast array of technological
advances, and the pace of change and innovation isn’t slowing.
Technology is only going to continue to speed up and become the
primary way in which we live, communicate, and fundraise. Focus on
the big picture and view mobile as an opportunity to be innovative and
successful. It’s critical that your organization stay current on trends and
technology, and that you strategically take advantage of new platforms
and tools as they arise. But remember, no matter how many tools you
have at your disposal, they won’t make any difference unless you have
creative, empowered people running your campaigns and telling your
story effectively.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do. . .
. . . use at least a 13-point font for websites and email to optimize
mobile viewing.
. . . use clickable buttons, at least 200×60 pixels, for key calls to
action.
. . . test your donate page and preview emails on mobile devices before
sending them out.
. . . use Google Analytics’s Mobile Performance Report to
understand exactly how much of your traffic comes from mobile
devices.
Don’t. . .
. . . launch a mobile strategy before taking the time to clarify your
goals first.
. . . complicate your message by trying to ask people to take more than
one or two key actions.
. . . build an app before optimizing your website, donation page, and
emails.
M o b i l e f u n d r a i s i n g 2 0 3
About the Experts
Heather Mansfield is the principal blogger at Nonprofit Tech for Good
and author of the best-selling books Mobile for Good: A How-To Fundraising
Guide for Nonprofits and Social Media for Social Good: A How-To Guide for
Nonprofits. Mansfield has twenty years of experience utilizing the Internet for
fundraising, community building, and advocacy. To date, she has presented
more than 100 social media and mobile media trainings worldwide. She was
also named one of TIME magazine’s Best Twitter Feeds of 2013.
Tanya Urschel has worked at PayPal for more than nine years and currently
heads nonprofit marketing and oversees the growth of PayPal’s nonprofit
client base. Urschel combines a broad knowledge of PayPal’s online and
mobile payments offerings with deep fundraising industry experience, and
most recently she was the lead content writer for The PayPal Official Insider
Guide to Online Fundraising.
Resource Review
Sparrow: Mobile for All (www.SparrowMobile.com)
In addition to providing discounted cell phone service to U.S. nonprofits
and employees via TechSoup, Sparrow also partners with nonprofits
serving the poor to power their mobile campaigns with devices, plans,
and training on curated apps designed to connect people to jobs,
housing, and social services.
Google Analytics’ Mobile Performance Report (http://bit.ly/1kWVj34)
This free report will help you figure out exactly how much of your traffic
comes from mobile devices, and specifically which ones.
Nonprofit Tech for Good (www.nptechforgood.com)
Heather Mansfield’s blog is a wealth of information on all things social
media and mobile. Also be sure to follow @NonprofitOrgs on Twitter.
Social Media for Nonprofits (www.SM4NP.org)
This is the only conference series devoted to social media for social good,
and they also produce a great blog that frequently covers mobile topics. Over
time, they are more heavily integrating mobile into their conference agendas.
Eventbrite (www.eventbrite.com)
This leading event registration platform integrates seamlessly with your
mobile efforts and makes it easy for registrants to check in and receive
updates on their phones.
http://www.SparrowMobile.com
http://bit.ly/1kWVj34
http://www.nptechforgood.com
http://www.SM4NP.org
http://www.eventbrite.com
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PayPal (www.paypal.com/nonprofit)
PayPal produces regular mobile reports for nonprofits through this site;
plus, they provide nonprofits a fast and safe way to accept donations
online.
Mobile Marketing Watch (www.mobilemarketingwatch.com)
Find great articles on mobile marketing.
Mansfield, Heather. Mobile for Good: A How-To Fundraising Guide for
Nonprofits. McGraw-Hill, 2014.
This is a practical, step-by-step guide to launching a new website and email
newsletter that’s compatible with mobile devices, as well as optimizing your
efforts on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, YouTube, and more.
Network for Good (www.networkforgood.org)
Find great resources about mobile and online fundraising on their website
and blog, and you can also check out www.Fundraising123.org, their
online and mobile fundraising website.
NTEN (www.nten.org)
Find great resources on their website, including Tim Arnold’s article,
“How to Make Your Website Mobile Friendly with Responsive Design.”
They also cover mobile topics at their annual nonprofit technology
conference, NTC.
Pew Research Center (www.pewresearch.org/topics/mobile)
This is a great place to find data on mobile trends and usage statistics.
npENGAGE (www.npengage.com)
Blackbaud’s online resource center for nonprofits has a lot of great
information on mobile fundraising and other topics.
The Nonprofit Times (www.thenonprofittimes.com)
Find a wealth of information on fundraising topics, and check out their
article on the “5 Fundraising Predictions for 2015.” Hint: mobile is
included.
http://www.paypal.com/nonprofit
http://www.networkforgood.org
http://www.Fundraising123.org
http://www.nten.org
http://www.pewresearch.org/topics/mobile
http://www.npengage.com
VPart
Foundations
207
19Chapter
Research, Getting in the
Door, and Securing an
Invitation to Apply
“If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn’t be called
‘research,’ would it?”
—Albert Einstein
Introduction
Foundations gave out over $55 billion to U.S. nonprofits in 2013,
according to Foundation Center, and global giving is steadily increasing over
time. When done right, foundation fundraising can deliver much-needed
funding, support, and credibility to your cause, but the key to success is
working smarter, not harder. Identifying the right prospects, securing a call
or meeting to explore points of intersection, and making the most of those
opportunities may not be intuitive or easy, but with a few key pointers and
best practices that we’ll share in this chapter, you can turn your success
rate from 5 percent to 50 percent. And even better, you can do it in less
time than you’ve been spending trying to secure grants.
Foundation Center tracks over 140,000 grantmakers globally, and if you don’t
take the time to figure out which funders are a fit for your organization and
2 0 8 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
programs, you will waste precious resources pursuing grants that you’ll never
receive. You’ll also leave the impression that you didn’t do your homework,
which might give you a bad reputation in the foundation community.
Understanding how funders work and how to meet their standards and
requirements will ensure you don’t waste time pursuing dead ends. Directed
research can also uncover personal connections your team has to foundation
prospects who will help you get in the door. Ultimately, just like all aspects
of fundraising, securing foundation grants is largely about relationships, so
identifying or developing these bonds is critical to maximizing your chances
for success.
To learn more about how to identify the best foundation prospects and
secure those crucial calls and meetings, and ultimately invitations to apply
for funding, I sat down with Tori O’Neal-McElrath, fundraising expert and
author of Winning Grants Step by Step, and Leeanne G-Bowley, manager of
capacity and leadership development at Foundation Center, who outlined a
simple recipe for success.
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Secure Informational Interviews
The best way to start your foundation research process is by asking peers at
other organizations how they go about fundraising from foundations, and
what they’ve learned along the way. We’re all in this together, and nonprofits
are pretty good about sharing resources and best practices. You will likely
gain insights into particular funders that may be a fit for you and where your
contacts know someone. In addition, look locally. Who funds your geographic
location, and which of them care about the issues you’re focused on? If you
are new to foundation fundraising, try to secure two to three informational
interviews with local or regional foundations that support similar work.
These interviews will help you gather facts, hone your meeting skills, and
get a sense of how foundation funding works in your area. The goal of
this initial process isn’t fundraising per se, but is for you to learn about
foundation fundraising overall. Often, though, even though you’re not really
going into your full pitch, you can still get practice summarizing your work
to funders. In addition, you can also secure valuable input on potential
targets and regarding that particular foundation’s grantmaking process, and
gain helpful insights on how to refine your efforts moving forward.
r e s e a r c h , g e t t i n g i n , a n d s e c u r i n g i n v i t a t i o n s 2 0 9
To secure these meetings, simply call or email with meeting requests. Make
it clear you’re just looking for an informational interview that you’re new
to foundation fundraising, keep your message short, and include who you
are, and a short snippet of your work. Again, make it clear that you’re not
soliciting and that you just want to hear their input on foundation fundraising
overall. This will help you develop relationships that can be used in the future.
The Different Kinds of Foundations
In order to raise money from foundations, it’s helpful to first
understand the difference between the various types of entities.
Basic guidelines are below, admittedly more geared toward U.S.
regulations, but remember that every foundation is unique,
so thorough research is the key to knowing whether any
particular funder is a fit for your organization and its programs.
Private Foundations
“Private foundation” is an IRS term and, technically, it includes
family foundations. However, when we talk about these
foundations, we’re really talking about professional foundations
with a paid staff. As a result, they tend to have a more systematic,
strategic approach to giving, with established priorities and areas
of giving or “programs.” They’re mission-driven and typically have
clearly articulated goals and processes.
Usually, a “program officer” oversees grantmaking for each
program area. But the chain of command usually goes higher, with
grants formally approved by the board or investment committee.
The size of the foundation, as well as the grants they disburse and
how they do so, vary greatly, and there is usually a competitive
grantmaking process. Private foundations are known for innovative
solutions to big problems and are open to funding things that
are unproven but have high potential if your organization is well
established. Typically, you’ll need a two-year track record before
you can apply for funding, and I like to call these players “domino
tippers,” since they’re a great source of money to launch
new initiatives, but they want to know you have a plan for
reaching sustainability once their funding runs out.
Family Foundations
These are typically smaller, family-led groups where family members’
personal passions drive grantmaking. As such, they often behave
like major donors, and many of them do not accept unsolicited
proposals. So you need to develop a personal relationship
(continued)
2 1 0 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
with someone in the family or on the foundation’s board to
secure support. Family foundations are best suited for nonprofits
that are also engaged in major donor fundraising and understand
what motivates donors, know how to read people, and take the time
to understand relevant family dynamics. Given that their funding is
personality-led, the types of issues and causes these foundations
support can vary widely and change from one year to the next.
When researching family foundations, look into whether or not
they regularly add new grantees, in which case they may be a good
prospect, or whether they give to the same institutions every year,
which means they’re not a likely supporter.
Community Foundations and Donor-Advised Funds
Instead of establishing a family foundation, some high net worth
individuals choose to set up a donor-advised fund (DAF) at their local
community foundation. Although the law states that once the money
is contributed, the foundation decides exactly how to allocate it
given the donor’s priorities, in practice the donor directs its grants.
As such, DAFs behave like family foundations, but community
foundations typically also have discretionary grant budgets at
their disposal. Those grants are issued in ways similar to private
foundations, but the chief executive often has a personal “president’s
fund” he or she can grant from. There are generally multiple ways
to approach community foundations, and talking with the person
who oversees major donors can result in them sharing your
information and needs with potential supporters.
If you’re a newer organization, community foundations can be a
good starting point for foundation funding, because they often
work with a smaller set of applicants and grantees, given their
geographic focus. Also, after you secure one grant, others will
be easier to obtain; some funders look to see whether a nonprofit
has a community foundation grant as a stamp of approval.
Finally, many community foundations offer support beyond grant
programs, including technical support, professional development,
networking opportunities, and even in-kind space and services.
Corporate Foundations
Although corporate foundations are separate entities from their
parent companies, ultimately the funds they grant out were
originally the company’s money. Because of this, they are almost
always driven by similar values and tend to focus on program
areas that relate to the parent. Like with family foundations, you
have to read between the lines and understand their motivations.
Having a lot of donors or volunteers from a company
(continued)
r e s e a r c h , g e t t i n g i n , a n d s e c u r i n g i n v i t a t i o n s 2 1 1
2. Get Your House in Order
Are your organization’s mission, strategy, and programs well-established
and clearly articulated? Do you have a strategic or operating plan in place
to provide confidence that your strategy is well-established and feasible?
Do you have financial systems in place so you can track and monitor
impact, especially as it relates to grants? Things such as program evaluations,
quarterly reports, and impact reports will help foundations feel confident
that you have the staff and systems in place to deliver on what you want to
do and adequately report on your progress and impact. Aggregate these key
documents so they’re easy to access and share, and make sure you familiarize
yourself with them before talking with potential funders.
3. Prepare Your Pitch
Now that you have your strategy in place, take the time to identify exactly what
you want to fund and how much capital is required. This starts with your overall
organizational needs, but also includes each of your programs, plus the initiatives
you’d like to launch if and when they’re funded. These “fundables,” as I like to
call them, are like arrows in a quiver, and being crystal clear about each of them
will help you seize opportunities that arise with potential funders and donors.
Simply identifying your needs, with clear budgets for each, is not sufficient;
prepare a one-page overview for each of your fundables, along with a
is very helpful in securing corporate grants, because it
demonstrates a strong connection. Corporate foundations like
to support the geographic areas where they have employees to
build morale, and getting in-kind support or matching gifts from
companies are great ways to begin to establish a relationship.
Government Grants
Government grants can be complicated, so we’ve dedicated
all of Chapter 20 to this topic. Generally speaking, since these
grants are made with taxpayer dollars, they require a high level
of accountability, and there is a lot of infrastructure required
to apply and fulfill onerous reporting requirements. To pursue
government grants, you need to be a well-established and well-
resourced organization, fit the criteria closely, and have the
capacity and track record to demonstrate you can accomplish the
work. As you’ll read in Chapter 20, even in this arena, building
relationships with decision-makers is key.
2 1 2 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
compelling 30- to 45-second elevator pitch that succinctly conveys the need,
your solution, and the impact it will have. It’s crucial that you be able to
articulate your organization’s mission and goals in an inspirational yet concise
way, as well as each of your programs and initiatives. Knowing these elevator
pitches really well is absolutely critical to succeeding in fundraising, including
securing and maximizing foundation calls and meetings. Practice these short
pitches in advance as much as possible and ask for input to fine-tune them on
an ongoing basis. This will prepare you to present whatever fits best with the
priorities of funders and donors.
Types of Grants
Restricted grants from foundations can only be spent on specific
programs or expenses, as dictated by a funder. Similarly, restricted
gifts from donors must be used as directed. You are legally and
ethically bound to adhere to these requests, but if plans change
you can absolutely circle back and make the case for redirecting
funds. To ensure you fulfill your obligations, your accountant
needs to track all restricted funds immediately after they’re
received, and also as they’re spent down.
Most restricted grants are directed to things like supporting your
soup kitchen program, your capital campaign to buy a building
for low-income housing, or for buying art supplies to serve more
at-risk youth. Beyond these, you should also look for “capacity
building” grants, which are usually provided by a foundation that
is already supporting you to increase your ability to advance your
work. These grants can be used for things like staff development,
strategic plans, or technology upgrades.
Unrestricted grants—also known as general operating support—
are less common, but ideal. These funds can be spent on anything to
advance your mission, and certain funders exclusively provide this
kind of flexible support. Many gifts from individuals are unrestricted,
but major donors may want to direct their giving to specific needs
and initiatives (see Chapters 8 and 9 for more on this).
4. Narrow Your Sights
Once you’ve completed the above steps, you’re ready to conduct the research
needed to identify your most likely funders. The best resource for finding
potential funders is Foundation Center’s Foundation Directory Online,
r e s e a r c h , g e t t i n g i n , a n d s e c u r i n g i n v i t a t i o n s 2 1 3
which is available online through paid subscriptions and can also be used for
free through Foundation Center offices in five U.S. cities, as well as through
its network of more than 450 libraries and community centers worldwide.
More importantly, when you access their robust database through these
venues, an experienced guide can help direct your efforts and show you
the in’s and out’s of their system. If you’re not as concerned with having
an expert support your search, another unpaid option is their Foundation
Directory Online Free, which provides grantseekers with essential
information about nearly 90,000 foundations and enables keyword searches
for more than 250,000 IRS Forms 990-PF.
The Grant Professionals Association is another great resource that offers free
access to its prospect research database through regional partners and a paid
online subscription. And of course, there’s the Internet. Use the Web to
research specific foundation prospects once you identify them through other
tools, and also to identify the funders of other organizations in your field
and region. Once you have a list of prospects, dive deeper and determine
what drives their giving and, ultimately, whether they’re truly a fit for your
needs. Prioritize your leads based on connection and capacity—just as with
individual and major donors—and whittle your list down to the top 20 or
30 prospects, so you can focus your efforts where you’re most likely to gain
traction and funding.
5. Get in the Door
I promised to share the secret to increasing your grantwriting success rate
from 5 percent to 50 percent when we started this chapter. It starts with
what I personally consider the cardinal rule of foundation fundraising:
never apply for a grant unless you’re invited. You wouldn’t show up
to a party you weren’t invited to, and the same is true in foundation
fundraising. But this isn’t as easy as it may sound; program officers and
other grantmaking decision-makers are very busy, so you’ll need to be both
persistent and strategic in your outreach to get that crucial call or meeting.
The best way in the door is through leveraging a personal connection to the
foundation. If you or someone on your board or staff knows someone at the
foundation, even if it’s the office manager, have him or her make a personal
introduction. LinkedIn is a helpful tool to uncover these connections, and
you can also obtain the foundation’s board and staff list from their website
or Foundation Center’s database. Email that to your team and ask whether
2 1 4 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
anyone knows any of the people there, but do this with one prospect at a
time, so you don’t overwhelm your board and staff with requests. If you’re
lucky enough to find a connection and get an introduction, follow up
immediately and, if you don’t hear back, continue to follow up every 10
or 20 days until you do. The key to success here is walking the fine line
between being persistent and being annoying.
Your initial message should be brief: keep it to no more than one-to-two short
paragraphs and focus on getting the call or meeting or a referral to a decision-
maker. Thank your colleague for the introduction and quickly summarize why
you think you’re a fit with the foundation’s priorities. Use the language of the
organization, if possible, for example: “Given your work eradicating poverty
in San Francisco, I’d love to talk with you about our innovative microlending
program.” Anything that lends an authentic connection also helps; perhaps you
went to the same university, you have a friend in common, or you’re partnering
with one of their other grantees. Most importantly, propose one or two specific
days and times a week or two away for the call or a meeting. Again, if you
do not hear back, follow up every other week or so. You may also have luck by
reaching out to the decision-maker’s assistant or the relevant program associate
to see whether that person can get you on the program officer’s calendar or
refer you up the chain of command.
Finally, be sure to leverage social media. You can glean a lot of important
information through Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Facebook and
LinkedIn are great for identifying shared connections, and Twitter is a useful
forum to gain a better understanding of both the foundation and the program
officer’s interests and to build social capital by retweeting and following them.
Google Alerts (http://google.com/alerts) is another useful tool, especially
if you’re having a hard time securing a call or meeting. Set an alert for the
program officer’s name and you’ll receive an email whenever a new web page is
posted that references him or her, including speaking engagements. Then you
can prioritize attending those events and meeting your prospect in person.
6. Maximize Your Meeting
Once you’ve secured your call or meeting, your primary goal is to secure
an invitation to apply for funding, which will double the 5 percent success
rate of going in “cold.” Just as being invited to a party is useless without
the date, address, and time, success with foundation fundraising requires
a bit more effort. Spend the first five or ten minutes of your conversation
building the relationship, asking the program officer to share a bit about his
http://google.com/alerts
r e s e a r c h , g e t t i n g i n , a n d s e c u r i n g i n v i t a t i o n s 2 1 5
or her background and connection to the work, and then ask open-ended
questions to ascertain what drives the foundation’s and program’s funding
decisions. This is essentially the same as the “appreciative inquiry” process
outlined in Chapter 9.
It’s critical that you do your homework before your call or meeting;
nothing turns off program offices more than fielding questions that can
be answered through their website. Instead, focus on “level two” questions
that both demonstrate your familiarity with their efforts and provide useful
insights as you prepare to contextualize your pitch in a way that’s most
compelling given their goals. For example, why did the foundation choose
to focus on combating climate change, specifically by reducing carbon
emissions? What specific impact are they hoping to generate from the grants
they make? Ultimately, you are trying to figure out how you can help them
do their job and fulfill their mandate. If they indicate that they are not
interested in this level of conversation and relationship building, don’t force
it and move immediately to your pitch.
Now comes what I call the “pasta test,” where you quickly share your various
elevator pitches and see what sticks. As outlined above, 30 to 45 seconds is
all you should need to give them a top line of each of your fundables, and be
sure to only share the pitches that are most likely to resonate. Make sure to
pause between pitches in case the program officer has any questions, but often
he or she will wait until you’re finished with the aggregate 3- or 4-minute
pitch before asking questions and sharing which of your initiatives are most
interesting. It helps to say in advance that you’d like to share a bit about your
organization and X particular initiatives that you believe may be of interest.
Typically, he or she will let you know if anything resonates and feels like a
fit, and why. Take copious notes and be sure to capture which initiatives are
of interest and the exact language the program officer uses to explain why it’s
compelling. For example, “I think your vocational training program could be
a potential fit for our economic security program, given our commitment to
offering those in need a hand up, not a hand out.” Many times this language
is used internally and guides decision making, but cannot be found on their
website or public documents, and you’ll want to include it in your proposal.
If the program officer doesn’t indicate that any of your pitches are a clear fit,
you will need to ask outright by saying something like: “I see you’re taking
applications for your environment program, and I think our climate change
initiative might be a good fit. What do you think?” or “I know you don’t
2 1 6 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
accept unsolicited proposals. Do you think we’re a fit? Can we receive an
invitation to apply?” Either way, if you proposed something in alignment
with their goals, they may well ask questions and want to know more about
the initiative. Go as far down the rabbit hole as your audience wants, but
always remember to focus on the need and the impact.
At this point, you’ve received an offer to apply for grants for specific fundables,
and hopefully secured a bit of context in terms of why they’re a fit, but your
success rate is still only 25 percent or so. Your work isn’t quite done yet!
Your next step is to ask what size grant you should write for each of the
fundables the person expressed interest in. Your research will likely give
you a sense of an appropriate ask amount, which should be on the high
end of their range, since they’ll tell you if you’re overreaching. But if you’re
operating in a vacuum, I suggest giving a range of 50 to 100 percent of a
program’s budget, or 12.5 to 25 percent of your total budget for a general
operating support grant, since funders never want to underwrite your
entire organization.
This sounds something like: “Thanks so much for your interest in our art
therapy program! The overall program budget for next year is $100,000.
Would it be realistic to apply for the full amount, or as a first-time grantee,
might $50,000 be more reasonable?” or “We’re ecstatic to hear that you’d
consider making an unrestricted grant to support Save the Whales! Our
operational budget next year is $1 million. Do you think a quarter-million-
dollar grant request is reasonable, or would $125,000 be more appropriate?”
After each ask, be silent and let the person think and respond. It’s critical
that the program officer be the next person to speak.
Providing the foundation with two options often leads to a response that
also includes a range, for example: “Well, honestly, even $50,000 is well
beyond our grantmaking range. We typically keep first-time grants to
$10,000, but perhaps we could consider something as large as $25,000.”
The next thing you’re writing down after that statement is the ask amount
for your proposal: $25,000. In your proposal, always ask for as much
funding as possible within the range they’ve shared.
About one-third of the grants written at this point will hit home, but there’s
one final piece of the puzzle that can take you to 50 percent, which I call my
“Jedi mind trick.” After you have all the other information outlined above,
ask the program officer if he or she would be willing to review a draft of
r e s e a r c h , g e t t i n g i n , a n d s e c u r i n g i n v i t a t i o n s 2 1 7
your proposal before it’s formally submitted. If he or she agrees, make sure
to ask when you need to send the draft to leave enough time for the review.
Realistically, though, I’ve used this trick many times and program officers
almost always say “yes,” but almost never deliver. That’s OK: what you’re
after isn’t edits and fine-tunes, although that’d be even better, but more
importantly, your goal is to get the program officer to “adopt” your proposal
and actively champion it as it’s reviewed internally.
Now that you have the 50 percent secret, there’s only one final question to
ask, which is who else you might approach for funding. Program officers
tend to be knowledgeable and well connected in the areas they fund,
so they are a great resource for identifying additional prospects. As any
seasoned fundraiser or salesperson will tell you, you should never miss a
chance to ask a prospect or supporter for referrals to other leads, ideally
including a personal intro via a short email or at least someone’s contact
information.
7. Stay in Touch
After your call or meeting, be sure to follow up, ideally with a hand-written
card or at least an email expressing your gratitude for the time and insight.
Reiterate any action items and timelines, possibly including a bullet point
list of next steps. Be sure to promptly deliver any information, documents,
introductions, or anything else promised in your meeting.
If you were lucky enough to receive an invitation to apply for funding,
it’s important that you are in contact before submitting the proposal, as
well as afterward, even if you don’t get the grant. Keep in touch and send
occasional updates on your work as it relates to their funding goals. Two
to four updates a year should suffice. Add them to a list in your address
book that you can use to share big news, such as a front-page article or an
exciting new hire. Stewarding these decision-makers as you would a major
donor will help you build valuable relationships, increasing your chances for
funding from that foundation and others over time (see Chapter 9 for more
on stewardship).
Conclusion
The lion’s share of work that goes into securing foundation grants happens
before you even submit a proposal. If you want to succeed in institutional
2 1 8 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
fundraising, you’ll need to invest time, money, and people into properly
researching and cultivating foundations. But remember to go deeper versus
wider, since your efforts are best spent on a small list of top prospects whose
philanthropic goals closely align with your work. Once you have identified
these targets, you’ll need to be persistent and creative to get in the door and
receive an invitation to apply, along with other crucial information that will
help your proposal rise to the top. This is not an easy process, but you are
infinitely better off spending time investing in building these relationships,
instead of applying for grants that you have not been asked to submit.
After all, foundation fundraising, like all fundraising, is about building
relationships, and in this case it is with foundation staff, especially program
officers. Now that you have your recipe to achieve a 50 percent success rate,
it’s time to start cooking!
Do’s and Don’ts
Do. . .
. . . meet with peer fundraisers to hear their insights on foundations
before you start.
. . . take advantage of Foundation Center and identify your 20 to 30
top foundation prospects.
. . . craft a series of compelling yet concise elevator pitches for your
organization as a whole, and for each of your programs and
proposed initiatives.
. . . go beyond securing an invitation to apply for funding by
asking which “fundables” are a fit, why, how much to request
for each, and ask the program officer to review a draft of your
proposal.
Don’t. . .
. . . waste precious resources and time by applying for grants you
haven’t been invited to submit.
. . . overwhelm your staff and board by asking them whether they have
a connection to too many foundation prospects at once.
. . . assume that foundations are alike just because they’re focused on
similar issues or regions or have similar structures.
r e s e a r c h , g e t t i n g i n , a n d s e c u r i n g i n v i t a t i o n s 2 1 9
About the Experts
Tori O’Neal-McElrath is the director of institutional advancement at the
Center for Community Change and has more than 25 years of experience
in the philanthropic and nonprofit arenas. She previously ran her own
consulting practice (O’Neal Consulting), served as executive director for
The Price Scholarship Program and director of special programs at The San
Diego Foundation, vice president of development at Planned Parenthood
Los Angeles, and associate development director at The College Fund/
UNCF in Los Angeles. She is also author of the third and fourth editions of
Winning Grants Step by Step.
Leeanne G-Bowley is manager of capacity and leadership development at
Foundation Center and the artistic and executive director at In-Sight Dance
Company. G-Bowley is the lead instructor for Foundation Center’s national
capacity and leadership development program, and through facilitation,
coaching, and the creation of curriculum, she develops social sector leaders
who have strong nonprofit acumen, confidence, and renewed dedication to
the social sector.
Resource Review
Foundation Center (foundationcenter.org)
Foundation Center maintains the most comprehensive database on
grantmakers and provides resources through its website and webinar
series, and free education opportunities through local chapters.
Grant Professionals Association (www.grantprofessionals.org)
A national member organization, the GPA hosts an annual conference
on effective grantwriting, offers a valuable newsletter, and has regional
chapters across the United States that meet regularly for networking and
educational events.
GrantSpace (www.grantspace.org)
A service of Foundation Center, GrantSpace provides easy-to-use, self-service
tools and resources to help nonprofits worldwide become more viable grant
applicants and build strong, sustainable organizations. Foundation Center
resources will give you valuable insight into the grantmaker’s perspective:
GrantCraft (www.grantcraft.org)
GrantCraft combines the practical wisdom of funders worldwide with the
expertise of Foundation Center to improve the practice of philanthropy.
http://www.grantprofessionals.org
http://www.grantspace.org
http://www.grantcraft.org
2 2 0 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Glasspockets (www.glasspockets.org)
Glasspockets provides the data, resources, examples, and action steps
foundations need to understand the value of transparency, be more
open in their own communications, and help shed light on how private
organizations serve the public good.
IssueLab (www.issuelab.org)
Identify important reports and studies in your field, as produced by a
wide range of nonprofits, practitioners, and researchers.
Nonprofit with Balls (www.nonprofitwithballs.com)
Vu Le’s blog offers practical tips for foundation fundraisers and gives
readers a good reality check on cultural competency.
You can identify unique opportunities by staying connected to the rest
of the world by reading The New York Times, Crain’s Business, Forbes, the
Corporate Social Responsibility Newswire, and the like.
Staying connected to your field is an important way to ensure relevancy,
while raising your organization’s profile. Identify and connect with
your relevant service organizations, regularly read industry blogs and
publications, and identify and attend the top conferences in your field.
http://www.glasspockets.org
http://www.issuelab.org
http://www.nonprofitwithballs.com
221
20Chapter
Government Grants
“The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction,
is the first and only object of good government.”
—Thomas Jefferson
Introduction
According to the Urban Institute’s Nonprofit Sector in Brief, the U.S.
government awarded nonprofits over $198 billion in grants in 2014.
Government grants are available for a large variety of issues and programs,
and are often sizeable. However, they also come with intense demands
around implementation and reporting. Unless you have at least one staff
person dedicated full-time to managing government grants, think carefully about
your organization’s capacity before moving into this territory.
There is a saying among nonprofit professionals: “If you’ve seen a thousand
foundations, you’ve seen a thousand foundations.” Basically, every
foundation—government, private, or family—operates differently and has
different requirements and expectations. So while there are best practices
for how to research, request, and report to foundations, each situation will
differ and require a customized approach, particularly among government
entities.
2 2 2 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
To learn more about securing, managing, and surviving government grants, I
sat down with Joshua Sheridan Fouts, government grant veteran and executive
director of Bioneers, and he outlined top five tips to maximize your results.
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Get Help
If this is your first experience applying for a government grant, Fouts highly
recommends hiring a consultant. There are people who specialize in helping
nonprofits secure government grants and who know exactly what it takes
to apply for, and report on, them. A professional consultant can help you
effectively communicate how your project will meet the goals of the grant
program, and he or she will know the jargon and language that increase
your chances. Most importantly, the consultant will likely have relationships
with key decision-makers. In foundation fundraising, as in all fundraising,
the key to success is building relationships. A grantmaker is much more likely
to give you serious consideration if he or she recognizes your name on the
application and already knows something about your work.
Where to Find Government Grants
Grants.gov is the best place for finding U.S. government
grants. You can register on the site and choose which grant
opportunities are of interest. They will send you email notifications
of grant opportunities (often a lot, Fouts says), and you can
research and choose which to pursue. If you’re based outside the
United States, use Google to find an equivalent resource in your
country, ideally provided by the government at no cost to you.
2. Don’t Apply Cold
Following up on the previous point and chapter, the most significant
determinant of your success in securing government grants is making
contact with a decision-maker before applying and, ideally, securing an
invitation to apply. In government, the decision-maker’s title can change
from department to department, but grants, program, or desk officer are
the most common. Once you figure out who calls the shots, reach out
g o v e r n m e n t g r a n t s 2 2 3
to ask for an informational interview (see Chapter 19 for tips on how
to maximize your first meeting). At this meeting, focus on developing a
relationship and obtaining pointers on how to optimally position your
application. This will help you stand out from the others who fail to make
contact in advance and submit more cookie-cutter proposals.
3. Plan for Long Nights
Every government grant application is unique, and most of them are quite
onerous to complete. They are often detailed and elaborate and require
you to use specific computer programs to submit the grant. There is little
consistency, and you may even get stuck with an interface that is so outdated
that your computer isn’t compatible. This is where having a consultant
comes in handy, because they’re aware of these issues and have solutions
for overcoming them. Hopefully, these challenges will decrease as the
government invests in updating their systems, but don’t hold your breath.
4. Be Patient and Prepared
Receiving a response to your grant application can take months, or even
longer. Government officials, like grant officers, often change positions, so
keeping in touch is key. Don’t bother with email; a phone call every couple
months is much more effective and creates a much stronger relationship
with your contact and your cause. And once you’re approved, receiving the
funds can often take longer than you expect. You need to be ready to start
working on your project right away regardless, so be prepared to use cash
reserves until the grant funds are dispersed. If that’s not an option, there are
groups like the Northern California Community Loan Fund (www.ncclf.org)
that can loan you the funds temporarily. Either way, prepare yourself in
advance: it is critical that you are prepared to begin both work and
reporting immediately after being approved.
5. Stay in the Loop
Once you’ve received a government grant, the likelihood of receiving additional
funding goes up by an order of magnitude. This may affect the return on
investment calculations and justify hiring a consultant or research service.
Either way, keep in touch with the people you’ve developed relationships
with, especially grantmaking decision-makers, and continuously keep an
eye open for additional opportunities. Resources like grants.gov can also be
helpful, as you can sign up for notifications of relevant grants.
http://www.ncclf.org
2 2 4 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Conclusion
Government grants represent your tax dollars at work. They can enable
very rewarding opportunities for your organization, while benefitting
society in needed ways. While they may seem difficult and overwhelming
to secure, don’t be discouraged. If you have the capacity and wherewithal,
you can raise large amounts of money to do critical work. There are
hundreds of billions of dollars in government grants available to nonprofits
in the United States alone, plus much more abroad since many global
cultures support heavy government funding of nonprofits, so this is not
an area to quickly dismiss as “too difficult.” Take a look at grants.gov and
other resources to see whether there are any opportunities that fit the work
you do. Think carefully about how you can build capacity and dedicate
the staff needed to secure and administer these grants. With help from
consultants who specialize in this area, your chances of success increase
significantly, as they do when you take the time to build and nurture
relationships with the individuals who decide which organizations receive
funding. And once you receive a government grant, you’re in the game, and
your chances of receiving additional grants increase tremendously. Onward
and upward!
Do’s and Don’ts
Do. . .
. . . dedicate at least one staff person to managing your government
grant full-time.
. . . register your nonprofit with grants.gov if you’re based in the
United States, or with similar government services abroad.
. . . be prepared to implement your proposed program immediately
after receiving a decision.
Don’t. . .
. . . sign up for paid services that promise to give you access to
government grant opportunities; this information is free to the
public in the United States and most countries.
. . . apply for a grant without first making contact with key decision-
makers, ideally including them inviting you to apply.
g o v e r n m e n t g r a n t s 2 2 5
. . . expect the process to be simple and straightforward; in fact it’s
lengthy and cumbersome.
About the Expert
Joshua Sheridan Fouts is a globally recognized media innovator and
social entrepreneur, known for his visionary work paving new inroads for
meaningful understanding between cultures. Fouts is an anthropologist,
thirty-year fundraising veteran, and former U.S. State Department
employee responsible for grants management. He currently serves as
executive director for Bioneers, a nonprofit think tank that produces
conferences and media that bring together social and scientific innovators
to solve the world’s most pressing environmental and social challenges.
Resource Review
Grants.gov (www.grants.gov)
This is the best place to find and apply for U.S. government grants.
Register online and sign up to receive customized notifications of grant
opportunities.
GovFresh (govfresh.com)
This is a great blog that features public servant innovators, civic
entrepreneurs, and ideas and technology that are changing the way the
government works.
Browning, Beverly A. Grant Writing for Dummies (5th ed.). John Wiley &
Sons, 2014.
This book will help you navigate federal grant databases and apply online
for grants, find current public and private sector grant opportunities,
create strong statements of need, and submit applications that meet
funders’ expectations.
Richardson, Kimberly. The Official Federal Grants Prep Guide: 10 Tips to
Position Your Organization for Success. Kimberly Richardson Consulting,
LLC, 2013.
This book is for anyone who wants to participate in the U.S. federal grant
writing process. At the end of each chapter in this incredibly useful guide,
Richardson lists some questions to ask yourself, which help you reflect
and prepare; plus it offers many useful tools and examples.
http://www.grants.gov
2 2 6 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
eCivis (www.ecivis.com)
Provides a cloud-based grants management system to assist with
researching, tracking, and reporting, and that serves as a knowledge base
for nonprofits, municipal governments, and educational institutions.
They also provide nationwide grant writing services and webinars.
Find Consultants Specializing in Government Grants
• The Chronicle of Philanthropy (https://philanthropy.com)
• Idealist.org (www.idealist.org)
Urban Institute (www.urban.org)
Find a variety of research on the nonprofit sector in general, as well as
government contracts and grants.
Research portal: www.urban.org/research-area/nonprofits-and-
philanthropy
Nonprofit Sector in Brief 2014: www.urban.org/sites/default/files/
alfresco/publication-pdfs/413277-The-Nonprofit-Sector-in-Brief
.PDF
https://philanthropy.com
http://www.idealist.org
http://www.urban.org
http://www.urban.org/research-area/nonprofits-and-philanthropy
http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/alfresco/publication-pdfs/413277-The-Nonprofit-Sector-in-Brief.PDF
227
21Chapter
Writing a Winning LOI
and Proposal
“If you’ve seen one foundation . . . you’ve seen one foundation.”
—Anonymous
Introduction
In Chapter 19, we discussed how important foundation funding is to
a successful fundraising strategy. It accounts for 16 percent of the over
$300 billion given to U.S. nonprofits in 2013, according to Giving USA.
Foundations can be more accessible than major donors, since you don’t
need to have a personal relationship with a high net worth individual; you
just need to get in the door and prove that you are doing relevant work
that meets their goals, using the tips we provided in that chapter. However,
the vast majority of foundation grant requests are denied. In addition to
putting those tips to work to get you to that 50 percent success rate, it’s still
critical that you write letters of inquiry and proposals that break through
the clutter and clearly articulate your work and impact, inspiring the reader
to fund you. You need to get their attention, explain clearly what you’re
seeking funding for and how it maps to their goals, and get them engaged
as partners in your work so they’re excited about the impact they can help
make possible.
2 2 8 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
When you write a letter of inquiry, also known as a letter of interest (LOI),
the better the impression you make, the more likely you’ll be funded.
An LOI is traditionally the first step in being invited to submit a full
proposal—although this is changing and the LOI seems to be falling out of
favor with some funders, who prefer a one-step application process—but
can sometimes directly result in a grant. With few exceptions, I personally
believe you should only apply for grants you’ve been invited to submit.
That said, the experts I interviewed for this chapter agree it’s ideal to be
invited, but also suggest applying “cold” if your research tells you you’re
a solid fit and the foundation’s guidelines prohibit you making contact.
Either way, whether you’ve already done the hard work to get in the door
and secure an invitation to apply, plus secured a few key additional pieces
of information outlined in Chapter 19), or decided to apply anyway, then
your next step is implementing the best practices outlined in this chapter for
proposal writing to maximize your chances for success.
It’s not rocket science, and by implementing these tips, you can unlock
huge sums of funding and build important relationships and credibility. In
short, whether you’re writing an LOI or a full grant proposal, your primary
objective is to eliminate any reasons they may have for saying no, and to
give them compelling reasons to say yes. Ultimately, it’s not about you or
your organization; it’s about how you can help advance their goals.
To learn more about the secrets to writing killer LOIs and proposals, I
interviewed Susan Fox, veteran fundraising consultant and co-author of Grant
Proposal Makeover: Transform Your Request from No to Yes, and Jane Geever,
fundraising expert and author of The Foundation Center’s Guide to Proposal
Writing. They outlined the following simple tips to improve your success rate
and help you secure more funding, both from U.S. and global foundations.
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Communicate Clearly and Follow Directions
An LOI is usually a one- to three-page letter introducing your organization
and concisely laying out what you want funding for, how much, and most
importantly, how your request maps to the funder’s goals. In order to write
a successful LOI or grant proposal, you don’t need to be a great writer. You
simply need to be able to succinctly articulate and clearly communicate key
W r i t i n g a W i n n i n g L o i a n d p r o p o s a l 2 2 9
points to outsiders, ideally grantmakers who already expressed an interest in
your work and invited your proposal.
Based on the funder’s priorities and insights gained in the call or meeting
where you received the invitation to apply, focus your proposal on what you’re
doing that will help meet their goals and clarify why you’re in a unique position
to fulfill this need. Lead with your organization’s strengths, and include the
dollar amount requested and use of funds in the first paragraph.
You also need to be detail oriented and follow the grantmaker’s directions
and guidelines precisely—from the deadline, to the length, format, and
things like font size and spacing if those are specified. And make sure you
answer all the questions asked. Even if you are a perfect fit, you may be
denied if you fail to follow the application directions.
2. Do Your Homework
Nothing annoys a funder more than having to read a proposal that is
clearly out of sync with their priorities. Most foundations provide plenty of
information on their websites about what they fund and why, and hopefully
you gained valuable insights into why specific initiatives and programs are a
fit in the call or meeting where you were invited to apply.
Either way, if you don’t educate yourself and align your application with
their stated priorities, you are wasting everyone’s time, including your own.
You need to succinctly articulate why you fit within the foundation’s scope
of work; especially how the impact your work will have is aligned with
the goals of the foundation. As outlined in Chapter 19, any language the
program officer uses to explain why they may be interested in funding
you should absolutely find its way into your proposal.
3. Show Vision
When applying for a grant, it’s very likely that there are lots of other great
organizations competing for the same funding. You must convince the
foundation that they should fund your organization rather than another
because you have a vision and long-term plan in place. The foundation is
looking to further a specific set of objectives so, as mentioned, you have
to articulate how your work is in sync with that, but they also want to
understand how the proposed program or initiative fits within the context
of your overall organizational goals. Concisely explaining your long-term
2 3 0 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
strategic goals and quickly articulating how the specific, proposed program
advances those helps strengthen your case.
Programs should connect your vision to action, and this should be
summarized in a simple sentence like: “Your support of $100,000 will
help enable us to hire two field officers, enabling us to serve 250 additional
homeless next year and advancing our vision of a Minneapolis where no one
goes without housing, food, and medical care.” Even if you don’t volunteer
this information, many grantmakers find the context helpful, and as such
they sometimes ask for strategic plans as attachments to your proposal.
4. Verify Facts and Math
Nothing spells disaster for your proposal more than numbers that don’t add
up or false citations. Before submitting your materials, make sure to review
these one last time. Remember that your audience is likely an expert in your
field, so verify your sources for all data and statistics used. And, of course,
double-check the math on all your budgets and any numbers mentioned
within the proposal to ensure they add up. Funders pay attention to these
details and will notice if something is off, creating an embarrassing situation
that undermines your credibility and potentially resulting in you not
receiving the grant.
5. Establish Credibility
It is important that you demonstrate the competency of both the
organization and the people undertaking the actual work you’re requesting
funding for. By including short professional biographies outlining the
relevant expertise of key personnel, in addition to a short overview of the
organization and its accomplishments and accolades, you will bolster the
funder’s confidence. You can also provide past examples of similar work,
clearly articulating their impact, or compare your approach to similar
methodologies successfully used elsewhere, showing that you are using
proven best practices. Anything you can do to establish credibility will go a
long way toward making your case for support.
6. Make It Easy to Read
When in doubt, cover your butt. On one hand, as mentioned above, you
should assume the grantmaker reading your proposal is an industry expert
who can spot faulty citations. At the same time, when it comes to jargon
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and acronyms, assume you’re talking with a novice. Spell things out and
define industry terms when first used.
Re-read your application before you submit it with fresh eyes and ask
yourself: What questions might someone possibly have when reading this?
How can I proactively answer these so they don’t need to be asked in the
first place? If possible, have someone else in your organization, or even one
of your friends or family, read the proposal and see whether it makes sense
to them and feels compelling. This is also a fun and useful way to get your
mom to stop asking you what you do at work all day!
It’s also helpful to ensure your proposal is easy on the eye and not
challenging to read. Use a minimum 11-point font and avoid using
something smaller to meet a page number requirement. Put headers in
bold and underline them to highlight key points, or put them in all CAPS
if it’s an online form. You can also use things like colons and numbered or
bulleted lists to underscore important ideas and break up your proposal
so your concepts are easier to digest.
7. Be Persistent
As outlined in Chapter 19, it’s important that you take the time to develop
and nurture relationships with foundation staff. This is critical not only
for getting a meeting or securing an invitation to apply, but also when one
of your proposals is denied. Take the time to follow up and ask why it was
determined that you were not a fit, ideally in a phone call.
Just like with individuals and major donors, this can provide important
insights on your ongoing fundraising efforts and sometimes open a window
for subsequent appeals. Geever likes to say, and Fox readily agrees, “A
rejection is the first step in the process.” Perhaps it wasn’t the right timing
for the foundation, or you didn’t clearly articulate your program. Odds are
you won’t be able to convince them to change their mind, but you may
receive feedback that can refine your efforts with other funders and help you
prepare a more compelling ask for that funder on your next try.
You must be persistent and be willing to go back to foundations over
and over again and, as you develop strong relationships, your chances of
securing funding in the future increase. At all costs, avoid behaving rudely,
being disrespectful, or talking badly of foundations if you are rejected;
foundation fundraising is a smaller world than it seems, and developing a
bad reputation is easier than you might think.
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Conclusion
Just as nonprofits help people with resources achieve the change they want to
see in the world, so, too, are they an integral partner for advancing foundation
goals. In short, we are partners to foundations, and they’re in the business of
serving the community by working with us. A program officer’s job is selecting
the right partners to collaborate with, and if you can develop a relationship
and submit a clear, concise proposal that makes a strong case for why your
organization is in a unique position to advance their work, amazing things
become possible. More than you think, foundations understand your needs
and want to be your partner in creating impact and making a difference.
They are very knowledgeable and passionate about the areas they fund, which
creates a wonderful opportunity for connection. Take the time to gracefully
and intelligently approach foundations and program officers, view them as
partners, and nurture relationships with them. And when you’re writing LOIs
and proposals, remember that there’s a human being out there who will read it.
Make sure that you present something that is clearly and succinctly articulated,
easy to read, engages your audience, and inspires them to fund your work.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do. . .
. . . respond to inquiries from program officers in a timely manner,
putting your best foot forward.
. . . tailor your proposal to the foundation’s goals and objectives.
. . . verify all statistics and data you quote, and double-check your math.
. . . have a long-term plan and be able to articulate how your proposal
fits into it.
Don’t. . .
. . . preach to a program officer when he or she likely knows as much
as you do about the subject.
. . . send out a cookie-cutter proposal.
. . . provide extraneous information and attachments that are not
requested.
. . . exaggerate in your application.
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About the Experts
Susan Fox has worked as an independent fundraising consultant to
nonprofit organizations since 1980 and is co-author of Grant Proposal
Makeover: Transform Your Request from No to Yes. Fox has held the
designation of Certified Fund Raising Executive since 1995 and provides
services in strategic fundraising.
Jane C. Geever is the founder of J.C. Geever, Inc. (est. 1975), the first
woman-led fundraising company admitted into membership in the
Giving Institute, formerly American Association of Fund Raising Counsel
(AAFRC). Geever has written widely on topics related to fundraising, and
is author of The Foundation Center’s Guide to Proposal Writing, now in its
sixth edition.
Resource Review
Geever, Jane C. The Foundation Center’s Guide to Proposal Writing (6th ed.).
Foundation Center, 2012.
This book provides numerous samples of successful grant proposals and
gives you insight into the mind of foundation grant readers and what
they’re looking for in a proposal.
Foundation Center (www.foundationcenter.org)
Foundation Center maintains the most comprehensive database on
grantmakers and provides resources through their website and local
chapters.
Association of Fundraising Professionals/AFP (www.afpnet.org)
Their international conference and regional fundraising days offers tracks
on foundation fundraising. They also have regional chapters that do local
events throughout the year.
Resource Alliance (www.resource-alliance.org)
This is a wonderful resource for fundraisers around the globe. Find great
resources on their website, learn about educational opportunities, and
check out their International Fundraising Congress conference.
Alliance for Nonprofit Management (www.allianceonline.org)
Find a great resource library on their site, and connect to state nonprofit
associations, management support organizations, and universities.
http://www.foundationcenter.org
http://www.afpnet.org
http://www.allianceonline.org
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Grant Professionals Association/GPA (www.grantprofessionals.org)
GPA has a robust website with many online grantwriting resources and
articles, as well as an annual conference and regional chapters.
Clarke, Cheryl. Storytelling for Grantseekers: The Guide to Creative Nonprofit
Fundraising. Jossey-Bass, 2001.
This is an introduction to the ins and outs of foundation proposal writing
and grantmaking, which gives concrete examples of pitfalls to avoid and
best practices for proposal writing.
http://www.grantprofessionals.org
235
22Chapter
Tracking Progress and
Reporting Back
“The right thing to do and the hard thing to do are usually the
same.”
—Steve Maraboli
Introduction
Securing a grant is wonderful, but unless you also set up systems to track
and report on the progress of your work to that funder, it will likely be
the only grant you receive from them. When you sign a grant agreement,
you are legally and ethically bound to use the grant funds as dictated in the
agreement. Moreover, by being accountable and transparently reporting your
efforts to the funder—and especially what impact their support enabled—
you strengthen your relationship and increase your chances of securing
additional support.
Evaluation and reporting aren’t something people typically are trained
in because, let’s face it, the pressure to bring money in the door is
all-consuming. However, it’s critical that you recognize the connection
between foundation reporting and revenue opportunities and invest
resources in it. Just as you steward individual donors to increase and renew
their gifts, to maximize foundation funding it’s crucial you steward
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relationships with funders by letting them know exactly how you’ve spent
their money and what difference it made.
Investing time into training employees, creating systems to track grant
progress, and reporting back to funders is key. But this organizational
capacity can also help you secure new backers, since it enables you to
include evaluation metrics in your proposal, demonstrating your expertise
and ensuring the funder and you are on the same page regarding measuring
success. This gives funders confidence that you know what you’re trying to
accomplish, and how you’ll get there.
To learn more about tracking progress toward grant objectives and
successfully reporting back to funders, I sat down with Dr. Beverly Browning,
author of Grant Writing for Dummies and 40 other publications, and VP of
Grant Writing Services at eCivis, who shared five simple tips for success.
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Get SMART
As we discussed in the introduction, tracking progress starts with your
proposal. That’s where you share information on how you plan to
evaluate the proposed work, including key metrics and benchmarks. To
do this, Browning recommends utilizing what she calls “accountability
language.” This means including—and subsequently tracking—SMART
(Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-Bound) objectives
into your proposal and reporting against each of them in a detailed
way. This helps ensure a concrete strategy and goals, and will ultimately
facilitate you proving the program was successful and that the funder’s
money was well spent.
SMART goals are clear and specific, instead of vague and undefined. So
instead of saying something like, “We aim to help low-income students
of color graduate and pursue higher education,” a SMART goal would be
increasing the number of students from Mission High School who enroll in
college by 30 percent, as demonstrated by the number of students enrolled
in our university mentorship program by the end of the year. Especially
when a program like this has a history of directly contributing to the goal—
college enrollment in this case—this framework allows you to build off your
work and garner additional support.
tr a c k i n g p r o g r e s s a n d r e p o r t i n g B a c k 2 3 7
Just as your SMART goals are detailed and specific, so, too, must you be
when tracking progress against them. If you received a restricted grant (see
Chapter 19), you’ll also need to keep accurate reporting of all expenses
incurred against the program supported by the grant. To facilitate this, most
foundations provide their own budget proposal and financial reporting
templates, and some also request a budget narrative or a written description
of any significant discrepancies from your plan.
2. Have an Evaluation Plan
Once a grant is received, you need a plan in place to start monitoring and
tracking both impact and expenses. It is critical that you sit down with
all the team members involved to review the scope of work proposed and
the SMART goals you agreed to with the funder. Of course, this should
have already been discussed during the grant-writing process, but once you
actually receive the funds, things inevitably change. Either way, host a grant
kick-off meeting to ensure the entire team is in alignment regarding your
evaluation plan and understands what’s expected of them.
At this meeting, take the time to reiterate program and grant objectives, assign
responsibility to key staff for the various components of the work—including
collecting and reporting back on the metrics you’ve identified—and create
timelines for each objective. Discuss the methods by which each objective will
be measured (spreadsheets, surveys, or other means), and exactly how the data
and stories will be collected. (See Chapter 7 for more tips on this.)
Make sure you include both quantitative and qualitative inputs, such as
number of clients served, as well as individual testimonies from clients
regarding how the program has impacted their lives. Establishing an
evaluation plan from the start will allow you to regularly check in
and assess whether the work is progressing as intended and implement
corrective actions when necessary. Some organizations also work with
experienced evaluation consultants who help them monitor progress
and develop data collection tools like data logs, oral interviews, and case
management files to define and capture these outputs.
3. Be Diligent
As soon as you’re awarded a grant, the clock starts ticking. In addition to
developing your evaluation plan, schedule a SWOT analysis quarterly,
if not even more frequently. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses,
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Opportunities, and Threats, and this is a great framework for taking stock in
your program, identifying potential breakdowns and corrective actions, and
soliciting input regarding how to fine-tune and expand your efforts. Your
SWOT analysis should involve all of your stakeholders: program staff, clients
served, volunteers, partners, board members, and anyone else who plays
an active role or will be affected by the program. Regular SWOT analyses
help you stay proactive and ensure everyone is in active communication,
minimizing the chance that you’ll face a crisis you didn’t see coming.
Logic Models
Developing a logic model is the process of creating a roadmap for
implementing and evaluating your program. There are different
approaches for creating these, but in Browning’s world, a logic
model is an easy-to-read, one-page graphic with four
sections, presented in landscape mode so the paper is wider
versus taller. In the first section she lists resources or inputs. What
do you need to make this program work and succeed?
The second section is for strategies or goals. What are the goals
you intend to accomplish with this program to advance your
mission? Then there are outputs. What are you going to count to
gauge progress? These are the key metrics discussed above and
in detail in Chapter 7. Browning reserves the fourth section for
outcomes, split into two columns: short-term and long-term. Refer
back to the SMART objectives from your proposal and identify the
ultimate impact you seek.
Use the short-term column to evaluate programs for interim
grant reports, usually presented halfway through the grant, and
the long-term column is focused on impact for the final report.
If your grant term is longer than 12 months, consider adding an
intermediate-term outcomes column and define the timeline for
collecting the measurement in months. For example: short-term
(6 months), intermediate-term (12 months) and long-term
(24 months).
At the bottom of Browning’s logic model, she includes an impact
statement to underscore why this model is important, and what
the program is designed to achieve. This is where you share
your vision of success, or how the world will be different once
this project is complete. It’s a way to convey the big picture, and
envisioning your long-term impact can be exciting and inspiring for
both you and the funder, instead of focusing only on the immediate
accomplishments of the program and impact of the grant.
tr a c k i n g p r o g r e s s a n d r e p o r t i n g B a c k 2 3 9
4. Recruit Expertise
While you should always evaluate your own impact, having an objective
third party also review and assess your metrics and methodologies is
always helpful and adds crucial credibility with funders. Ideally, engage
this expert or firm from the beginning, when you craft your proposal and
evaluation framework (the formative phase), but definitely enlist support
with implementation and reporting once the project is complete and you’re
compiling a final report for a funder (summative phase). If you don’t
have the resources to hire a professional consultant, engage a volunteer
or student with experience in statistics or program effectiveness and
evaluation. This resource will help you answer these questions:
During the Formative Phase
• What needs attention immediately?
• What should the project try to accomplish?
• What are the goals and objectives of the project?
• Is there agreement on the goals from all involved parties?
• What do stakeholders perceive they need?
• What problems are they experiencing?
• What do project staff and/or volunteers perceive they need?
• What problems are they experiencing?
• How will we gauge the effectiveness of the project in addressing
problems perceived by the stakeholders?
• How will we identify where and why the project is failing to achieve
goals, and how often will this be assessed?
During the Summative Phase
• What were the goals and objectives of the project?
• Did the planned project occur?
• Were the intended goals and objectives achieved?
• How effective was the program?
• What conclusions can be drawn about the impact and effectiveness
of the project?
• What programs are available as alternatives to our project moving
forward?
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• How effective is our project in comparison to these alternatives?
• Is our program differentially effective with particular types of
participants and/or in particular locations or communities?
• How costly was the project, and how did these expenses align with
what was projected?
5. Share Bad News Quickly
Even if you have SMART objectives and conduct regular SWOT analyses,
there is still room for the unexpected and problems can still arise; programs
can still fail. If this occurs, be honest and communicate with your funder
as soon as possible, ideally conveying not only obstacles and problems, but
also how you intend to address and correct them. Transparency engenders
trust.
Your funders are your partners, so engage them in solutions, keep them
abreast of progress, and let them know as problems arise so you don’t
surprise them later. Funders appreciate transparency and communication;
they’re invested into your vision and share the same goal as you. Also, if
you delay delivering bad news, well-connected funders may hear about it
from another source, and you may lose your funding and the opportunity
to turn the situation around.
Conclusion
When you receive a grant and sign the award letter, you enter into a legal
agreement. You are obligated to spend this money on the work proposed
and agreed on, and to do this you must carefully track your expenditures
and impact. Foundations are investing in you and your approach when they
give you a grant, and they want to know that they made a good investment.
Did their investment pay off and generate the outcome you both envisioned?
Can you prove that? To do so, you need a system to evaluate and report
on the work accomplished. By setting up a plan for evaluation as you
write your proposal, you give yourself a roadmap to follow and a basis for
accountability. Be honest and transparent with your funders, and build your
relationship into a partnership. Work together with your funder to innovate
and create solutions that advance both your goals. Remember that it’s
not just about this one grant; the work you do will lead to future funding
opportunities and benefit your reputation with other funders.
tr a c k i n g p r o g r e s s a n d r e p o r t i n g B a c k 2 4 1
Do’s and Don’ts
Do. . .
. . . use a third-party evaluator or firm to help you evaluate progress.
. . . track expenses using the same line items that you incorporated
into your proposed budget.
. . . share your findings with all stakeholders, including clients, staff,
board members, community partners, funders, and the public.
. . . ensure the objectives outlined in the grant agreement align with
the objectives you evaluate.
Don’t. . .
. . . evaluate your own programs, because you can’t be objective, so
include someone outside of the organization in the process.
. . . pretend that your program was successful if it wasn’t or hide
failures or problems.
. . . wait until the end of your grant to follow up with your funder; keep
in touch throughout the grant period to share successes and obstacles.
About the Expert
Dr. Beverly Browning (Dr. Bev) is an award-winning grant writer, and
author of more than 40 publications, including Grant Writing for Dummies.
Browning is VP of Grant Writing Services for eCivis, founder and director
of the Grant Writing Training Foundation, and an online instructor for
Ed2Go, A.K.A. Cengage Learning. She is also a visionary, capacity-building
coach, mentor, researcher, curriculum developer, professional facilitator, and
keynote speaker.
Resource Review
Browning, Beverly A. Grant Writing for Dummies (5th ed.). John Wiley &
Sons, 2014.
This book will help you navigate federal grant databases and apply online
for grants, find current public and private sector grant opportunities,
2 4 2 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
create strong statements of need, and submit applications that meet
funders’ expectations.
Richardson, Kimberly. The Official Federal Grants Prep Guide: 10 Tips to
Position Your Organization for Success. Kimberly Richardson Consulting,
LLC, 2013.
This book is for anyone who wants to participate in the U.S. federal
grant-writing process. At the end of each chapter in this incredibly useful
book, Richardson lists some questions to ask yourself, which help you
reflect and prepare. The book also offers many useful tools and examples.
Grants Northwest (www.grantsnorthwest.com/resources)
Michael Wells’ site has great publications on grant writing and reporting.
Check out his article, “Basic Grant Tracking for the Small Nonprofit.”
eCivis (www.ecivis.com)
Provides a cloud-based grants management system to assist with
researching, tracking, and reporting, and that serves as a knowledge
base for nonprofits, municipal governments, and educational
institutions. They also provide nationwide grant-writing services and
webinars.
Foundation Center (www.foundationcenter.org)
Foundation Center provides resources on evaluation and reporting
through their website and in print, and educational opportunities
through local chapters.
Browning, Beverly A. Perfect Phrases for Writing Grant Proposals: Hundreds of
Ready-to-Use Phrases to Present Your Organization, Explain Your Cause, and
Get the Funding You Need. McGraw-Hill, 2008.
With this comprehensive, user-friendly approach to grant writing, you’ll
be able to tackle various proposal formats, create a professional purpose
statement, and back up your plan with solid data and evaluation.
Grant Professionals Association/GPA (www.grantprofessionals.org)
GPA has a robust website with many online resources, as well as an
annual conference and regional chapters.
Foundation Group (www.501c3.org)
Check out their article, “Are You Misappropriating Your Nonprofit’s
Funds?”
The Grant Helpers (www.thegranthelpers.com)
Find good articles on their blog, including “Grant Tip #5: Tips for a
Strong Grant Evaluation Plan.”
http://www.grantsnorthwest.com/resources
http://www.foundationcenter.org
http://www.grantprofessionals.org
http://www.thegranthelpers.com
VIPart
Corporate Support
245
23Chapter
Sponsorships
“The best partnerships aren’t dependent on a mere common
goal, but on a shared path of equality, desire, and no small
amount of passion.”
—Sarah MacLean
Introduction
Corporations are all around us, every day. We buy their products and
services, and increasingly, they’re interested in partnering with nonprofits to
reach more customers, increase employee loyalty, and improve their image.
Billions of dollars a year flow from companies to good causes globally, and
when pursued strategically, corporate sponsorships can yield significant
revenues and bolster awareness of your organization.
Personally, when I was helping to produce and spearhead sponsorships for
both Craigslist Foundation’s Nonprofit Boot Camp and Social Media for
Nonprofits, I witnessed the transformative impact of these partnerships
first-hand. We raised well over a million sponsorship dollars between the
two programs during my tenure, providing much needed resources; plus
the sponsors we engaged provided valuable resources to our audience and
helped promote our events.
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Corporate sponsorships are also a great way to align your organization
with a brand that people respect and recognize. This can give you
legitimacy with people unfamiliar with your cause and bring attention
to your nonprofit, specifically to fundraising events. And while getting
corporate sponsorships revolves around the same basic principle of all
fundraising—building relationships—it does require a slightly different
and unique approach.
Unlike foundations, corporations are not in the business of making
social impact. Their focus is on driving profits, which in part comes from
generating goodwill and loyalty among their consumer base. Take advantage
of this: know your audience and what kind of products and companies
they use. Consider also the kinds of companies you want your organization
and reputation linked with; the intersections you find will lead to valuable
fundraising opportunities. In short, if your nonprofit produces an event
that gathers decision-makers of any kind, ideally in large numbers, odds are
sponsorships are a promising fundraising vehicle for your cause.
To dive deeper into the secrets to successfully securing corporate
sponsorships, I sat down with Maureen Carlson, president of Good Scout, a
social good consultancy focused on corporate alliances. Carlson shared seven
great tips in a straightforward, step-by-step formula.
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Dedicate Personnel
In order to secure corporate sponsorships, you need to identify a champion
in your organization dedicated to the task. This can’t be the same person
coordinating an event, whether it’s a gala, luncheon, conference, or run/
walk/ride, as that person will have his or her hands full overseeing logistics.
Identify someone who can focus on securing meetings and calls and who’s
able to speak passionately and articulately about your cause and event.
The person you charge with spearheading corporate sponsorship should
have a fundraising or sales background, be able to discuss audience size
and demographics with sponsor prospects, identify his or her goals, and
frame your event in the context of those. In the corporate world, return
on investment rules. That means you’ll need a good listener who can clearly
identify sponsors’ interests and priorities, and then speak in a language
s p o n s o r s h i p s 2 4 7
that’s most compelling to them. He or she should excel at stewardship and
will need to ensure you fulfill any promises made to sponsors. Above all,
your champion needs to be persistent and willing to follow up with people
consistently, even if that means being told “no” often.
2. Price Yourself Right
Once you have a point person spearheading your efforts, the next step is
carefully determining sponsor benefits and pricing levels. Think through
the demographics of your audience, and consider what kind of decision-
makers you’re mobilizing at your event, and how you can offer sponsors
valuable access to them. Your marathon doesn’t attract youth; it attracts
emerging leaders. Understand the kind of assets your event has in paid,
earned, owned, and shared media and how you leverage those assets in
your sponsorship packages. Go beyond simply throwing up a logo or sign
and offer key sponsors the ability to address your audience and receive
recognition in a relevant and customized way. Identify how many people
sponsors will reach through each benefit and how valuable each of them is;
ultimately, the combination of reach, audience, and engagement drives
corporate decision making.
What companies want more than anything is access to their consumers and
potential customers. Offer things like logos and short descriptions or ads
in event materials, and through all your marketing channels, including the
World Wide Web, press releases, email, and social media. If you’ve enlisted
media sponsors (see Chapter 25), offer corporate sponsors inclusion in
those bartered ads, which can have tremendous reach. Let sponsors give out
product samples and have a physical presence at your event, like a booth or
table, or a branded, customized area.
Offer top sponsors things like experiential access to participants, free tickets,
recognition from the main stage, and public, post-event recognition. If you
have a VIP event or speaker dinner, invite top sponsors and perhaps let
them say a word or two. Offer things beyond exposure; benefits that garner
goodwill for the sponsor, such as underwriting scholarships.
Some say it’s difficult, if not impossible, to share a rule of thumb for pricing
sponsorships. Carlson says it’s as simple as doing a valuation of your event
to understand the overall combined assets around paid, earned, owned, and
shared media, combined with the value of aligning with your cause and
providing access to your constituents. Her agency, Good Scout, created a
2 4 8 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
tool called CauseRATE that uses your data and metrics to clearly value and
define what your packages should be priced at and what benefits are in each
package as a baseline framework.
Most nonprofits offer event sponsor packages (like bronze, silver, and
gold), plus a la carte opportunities. To share a couple simple examples
of what this might look like, a basic sponsorship package typically
includes little more than a couple tickets, a logo and description in the
program and on the event page, and perhaps a table. The silver level
includes more benefits, like signage, more tickets, an ad in the program,
verbal recognition, a VIP ticket, and the ability to distribute samples or
products. Finally, top sponsors receive all the other benefits, plus a chance
to speak from the main stage, a scholarship fund in their name, and
inclusion in media sponsor ads promoting the event, customized owned
areas, etc.
A la carte options can include underwriting scholarships, sponsoring specific
tracks or portions of the event, such as a VIP reception, the finish line, or
simply the ability to include a promotional item in the event goody bag.
The key here is scale, meaning making sure you provide your most valuable
assets to your highest-level sponsors.
3. Create a Killer Deck
Once you’ve identified your sponsor levels and benefits and thought about
how you present your audience, it’s time to create your sponsor deck. Due
to lack of resources, most organizations rely heavily on a PDF that you can
email to people, but you may also get a lot of use out of a print version for
meetings; either way, creating a professional, well-designed sponsorship
packet is your key to success.
If resources are available, Carlson recommends creating your materials
using a digital application that allows you to customize it easily and create
related follow-up materials. It’s also ideal, she adds, to ensure your deck can
be accessed online so it can be sent as a link, and for it to have impactful,
embedded video and infographics. No matter what format and platform
you use, your deck should be a smart, stylish representation of your event
and your “brand.” Your packet should contain a sign-up form if sponsors
want to be involved, and the electronic version should be easy to fill out,
save, and return, ideally without requiring them to print it.
s p o n s o r s h i p s 2 4 9
4. Fill the Pipeline
Chapter 5 of this book is dedicated to prospecting, and there are many
practical tips there that will help you with finding sponsor prospects, as well
as some thoughts on corporations in particular in Chapter 24. As you’ll
see in both chapters, your first step is uncovering the prospects already
Sponsorship Proposal Template
After fifteen years courting and securing corporate sponsors for
nonprofit events, I’ve developed a simple formula for crafting an
effective sponsorship proposal. The key elements I recommend
include:
● Cover Page: Include a large, compelling image, your logo,
the name, date, and location of the event, and “Corporate
Sponsorship Packet” written in large font.
● Overview: Briefly talk about the organization’s history and
impact, as well as the event itself and the impact it will have on
your cause. More important than talking about your nonprofit
and the event, which you’re really just doing to establish
credibility, this is where you want to share information on why
sponsoring your event might be attractive to companies. Talk
about your audience demographics and the types of decision-
makers you’re mobilizing.
● Sponsor Benefits: The next few pages of your proposal
will include the various sponsorship packages and a la carte
options, with a price associated with each, and a bullet point
list of associated benefits. If possible, share the reach of
various benefits, and arrange them with the most compelling/
valuable benefits up top. It’s also great to share the kind of
impact different levels of support make possible for your cause,
but if you do this, be very brief and focus on the benefits.
● Contact Info: End your proposal, or at least the main part of
it, with a bolded line simply saying something like, “For more
information, or to join us as a sponsor, please contact Impact
Investing Global Summit at the UN Co-Chair Darian Rodriguez
Heyman at (415) 123-4567 or darian@example.org.”
● Appendices: If appropriate, especially as it relates to making
sponsorship of your event more appealing to prospects,
include additional information in appendices, including detailed
audience demographics, testimonials, and so forth.
mailto:darian@example.org.%E2%80%9D
2 5 0 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
in your network. Gather your board, staff, and key volunteers, and have
everyone bring their connections and ideas to the table.
Evaluate which prospects are the best fit, especially those you’re already
connected to. Then look outside your inner circle and find prospects by
looking at who sponsors similar events, who the big companies are in your
area, and who’s already associated with your cause. And remember, it’s
important to look at every corporate contact you have in your organization,
even if he or she is not a traditional “sponsor” of an event yet. Connections
are what matter most, and if your relationships are strong enough, you
can often layer on this kind of partnership, to the benefit of both your
organization and the corporation.
5. Be Flexible
Listen to your sponsors and help them meet their needs by creating
customized sponsor packages and benefits whenever possible. For example,
if a sponsor is more interested in getting product samples into the hands of
consumers rather than logo exposure through media, be prepared to mix and
match benefits and price. Being flexible will help you secure more sponsors
and unlock additional revenue opportunities, but be sure to document any of
these one-off custom arrangements to ensure proper fulfillment. If you work
with many sponsors and have a small staff, be prepared to leave some money
on the table in order to avoid driving your staff crazy.
6. Have a Conversation
When you pitch a corporate sponsor, don’t deliver a cookie-cutter presentation.
Your pitch should be a conversation and your deck, a framework. Deals are
really closed through dialogue, where you listen to sponsors and present a
dynamic opportunity based on the needs and priorities they share. Emphasize
the benefits you can offer based on what the sponsor is most interested in. Is it
online exposure, association with your cause, or access to live audiences? And
don’t forget that you are likely not the only organization coming to them with
sponsorship requests. Be memorable and make your pitch meaningful. Convey
your passion for the cause and your personal connection so that you can begin
to build a relationship with the decision-maker.
7. Keep Your Sponsors Happy
Securing corporate sponsorships can be difficult and time-consuming. All
the more reason why you want to invest heavily and steward your sponsors,
increasing the likelihood they’ll sign up again. Make sure you deliver, if
s p o n s o r s h i p s 2 5 1
not over-deliver, on every detail in the agreement, and that the sponsor is
satisfied with the result. Thank your sponsors privately and publicly, and
thank participants on the sponsors’ behalf.
When the event is complete and you’ve collected all your data (ideally,
within 30 days), create an impact summary for all sponsors. In this report,
tell them specifically what impact their sponsorship had, both in terms of
the benefits directly to them (how many times and where you gave them
marketing exposure, how many people they reached, etc.), as well as the
benefits to your cause and the impact the overall event made possible.
Don’t ever make them guess at what they got out of their sponsorship.
Stay in touch with your sponsors throughout the year with brief emails,
handwritten notes, or updates on your work so that you aren’t only
communicating with them when you need money.
Conclusion
Going after corporate sponsors may seem daunting, but if you dedicate
resources and follow the right steps and best practices, they can deliver
substantial revenue, exposure, and other helpful support. Your sponsors can
become long-term partners if properly stewarded, not only helping you get
new events off the ground, but providing stable sustenance for your cause
over many years to come. Take the time and invest the resources needed to
build and nurture these key relationships. Always listen for their goals and
ensure you offer sponsors value that’s in line with their objectives. Take these
simple steps and you will create fulfilling and mutually beneficial partners
for life.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do. . .
. . . begin soliciting sponsorships at least six months in advance of the
event.
. . . aim to raise at least 25 percent of your event revenue from
corporate sponsorships.
. . . dedicate staff resources to corporate sponsorship.
. . . send an event summary and impact report to all sponsors after
your event.
2 5 2 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
. . . include questions about sponsors in attendee event surveys to find
out whether participants gained a more favorable impression of
them, and if so, use that information to steward and pitch.
Don’t. . .
. . . make your event coordinator responsible for securing and fulfilling
sponsorships.
. . . only communicate with sponsors when asking them for money.
. . . set sponsors up for disappointment with unrealistic projections of
audience size.
. . . undervalue your assets and “give away” valuable benefits to lower-
level sponsors.
. . . fail to customize a sponsorship package when valuable to, and
feasible for, your event or organization.
About the Expert
Maureen Carlson is the president of GoodScout, a social good consultancy
focused on corporate alliances. Carlson has extensive experience and a
successful track record in corporate alignment and cause marketing strategy,
corporate sponsorship development, and consumer marketing. She is a
sought-after speaker and facilitator on the topic of corporate alliances
and sponsorship, frequently presenting at events for the Cause Marketing
Forum, Peer to Peer Professional Forum, American Marketing Association,
and Association of Fundraising Professionals, among others.
Resource Review
IEG (www.sponsorship.com)
IEG is the leading resource for corporate sponsors and sponsorship
seekers. They have an annual conference and great resources on their site.
Check out their “Nonprofit Sponsorship Survey.”
Wild Woman Fundraising (www.wildwomanfundraising.com)
This is an e-learning company focused on helping nonprofits
professionals succeed. Check out their blog on corporate sponsorships
and access other free resources on their site.
http://www.sponsorship.com
s p o n s o r s h i p s 2 5 3
National Council of Nonprofits (www.councilofnonprofits.org)
Find a helpful overview of corporate sponsorships, including tax
implications, tools, and a list of resources. (www.councilofnonprofits.org/
tools-resources/corporate-sponsorship)
Selfish Giving (www.selfishgiving.com)
Joe Waters’ blog is a leading resource for cause marketing partnerships
and provides valuable insight on what companies desire out of
partnerships with nonprofits.
Nonprofit Hub (www.nonprofithub.org)
Find helpful resources on a variety of fundraising topics, including
corporate sponsorships. Check out their article “The Five Things
Corporate Sponsors Want from Nonprofits.”
Cause Marketing Forum (www.causemarketingforum.com)
Find helpful resources tailored for nonprofits. Check out their online
resource center, e-class series, and annual conference.
Waters, Joe. Fundraising with Businesses: 40 New and Improved Strategies for
Nonprofits. John Wiley & Sons, 2013.
This book offers forty practical fundraising strategies to help small- to
medium-sized nonprofits raise more money from businesses.
For Momentum (www.formomentum.com)
This Atlanta-based consulting firm offers custom services for nonprofits
and provides great resources on corporate sponsorship on their site and
blog.
The Chronicle of Philanthropy (www.philanthropy.com)
This is the leading publication on all things nonprofit, and they frequently
feature information on corporate sponsorships.
Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum (www.peertopeerforum.com)
They hold an annual conference and have a useful website with a lot of
resources and insights tailored for nonprofits.
On Twitter, follow corporate hashtags of the companies you’re targeting
in order to gain insights into their marketing efforts, and follow general
hashtags like #corpgiving, #sponsorship, and #causemarketing to keep your
finger on the pulse of current sponsorship news.
http://www.councilofnonprofits.org
http://www.councilofnonprofits.org/tools-resources/corporate-sponsorship
http://www.councilofnonprofits.org/tools-resources/corporate-sponsorship
http://www.selfishgiving.com
http://www.causemarketingforum.com
http://www.philanthropy.com
255
24Chapter
Cause Marketing
Partnerships
“The problem with many cause marketing programs is that
there’s too much cause and not enough marketing.”
—Billy Shore
Introduction
Cause marketing partnerships are corporate initiatives designed to do
well by doing good, meaning that a company does well by driving sales or
enhancing its image, while a nonprofit benefits through additional income
and awareness of its cause. We see frequent examples in today’s world: buy a
yogurt, return the lid, and the company will donate 10 cents to fight breast
cancer; donate to a cause when checking out at the grocery store and get a
coupon for a future discount; tweet a picture using a branded hashtag and
the company donates a dollar to charity; etc.
Cause marketing allows companies to align with good causes, create and
deepen relationships with target audiences, and give themselves a competitive
edge with today’s increasingly conscious consumers. Research firm Nielsen
discovered that, as of 2014, more than half of Americans want to align their
spending and values, and this important trend creates huge opportunities for
nonprofits willing and able to partner with corporations.
2 5 6 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
In most cases, the amount of money that companies spend on marketing
dwarfs their philanthropic contributions. By going beyond traditional
corporate grants and sponsorships (see Chapters 19 and 23, respectively),
your nonprofit can tap into much larger pools of money, while generating
huge awareness with people who may not already be familiar with your
work. If you have the financial stability and resources to sustain your efforts
long-term, cause marketing can greatly benefit your organization.
Successful cause marketing is based on understanding the business’
objectives and values, and then articulating how your work aligns with
those. Typically, that means leveraging their support of a good cause to build
goodwill among consumers, adding to their bottom line. But these partnerships
aren’t a fit for every organization or cause. Non-divisive causes that appeal to a
broad base of people—like feeding the hungry or educating children—are best
suited for cause marketing. And cause marketing should never be your primary
source of funding. These partnerships take a long time to develop, and you have
to be prepared to invest significant resources into sustaining them.
To learn more about the ins and outs of cause marketing, I interviewed two
subject matter experts. David Hessekiel is the president of Cause Marketing
Forum and co-author of Good Works, and Joe Waters is a published author,
blogger, and founder of Selfish Giving. Hessekiel and Waters outlined six
simple steps and tips to help you succeed in securing and sustaining fruitful
cause marketing partnerships.
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Think It Through
Before you devote any resources to cause marketing, take the time to
decide whether it’s the right fit for your organization. Do you have the
staffing and resources to sustain this long-term, and how comfortable will
your organization be aligning itself with corporations? Are there certain
companies or industries that would not make appropriate allies? Address
these questions with your organization’s leadership before moving forward,
since otherwise you can waste a tremendous amount of time prospecting
and securing a partner, only to have your board veto it. Plus, it’s crucial
these alliances never undermine your work; if you’re an environmental
organization fighting climate change, perhaps a partnership with a gas and
oil company sends the wrong message.
C a u s e M a r k e t i n g p a r t n e r s h i p s 2 5 7
Once you’ve established what is and isn’t appropriate, sometimes embodied
in a “gift acceptance policy,” ensure you have the fundraising and marketing
resources needed to identify prospects, craft compelling materials, make calls,
attend abundant meetings, and deliver on the partnership. You’ll also want to
ensure access to the appropriate leadership and program staff, so that as these
conversations unfold, you can strategize internally and propose compelling
benefits that also advance your work. Setting boundaries and ensuring
you’re able to meet both your own goals and your partner’s objectives before
embarking in cause marketing will lead to more successful partnerships.
2. Do Your Homework
What makes you an attractive cause marketing partner, and who are you
targeting? Figure out which companies to focus your efforts on and consider
how you can best appeal to them. Think deeply on the companies that
have a demonstrated interest in your cause or that have a strong presence
in the communities where you work. This prospecting effort is similar to
the individual and foundation processes outlined in Chapters 5 and 19,
although it’s a bit more challenging and requires creative thinking, since
there’s no third-party database like Foundation Center that can easily tell
you which companies are most appropriate. As such, talking with peers and
looking at the philanthropy or “CSR” (corporate social responsibility) page
of corporate websites is likely your best bet.
In addition to researching prospects, it’s also crucial to do some internal
work. Take inventory of your assets. Do you have organized volunteer
opportunities where you can engage the company employees, like Habitat
for Humanity constructing homes, or KaBOOM! building children’s
playgrounds? Do you have an engaged social media audience that the
company may want exposure to, or can you mobilize thousands of decision-
makers who align with your partner’s target market? Does your cause
have a logical and obvious connection to their product? Take the time to
contemplate how your work intersects with the goals of potential partners
and what you have to offer them that may be of interest.
3. Get in the Door
Once you’ve identified your top prospects and are prepared to present
relevant, compelling opportunities and ideas, your next step is getting
in front of a decision-maker. Ideally, you should pitch cause marketing
partnerships to the head of the marketing, community affairs, or
2 5 8 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
corporate social responsibility department, since otherwise, even if you’re
convincing, you’ll likely have to make the same pitch again to someone
more senior. That’s not to say that securing allies inside the company isn’t a
huge help, but ultimately—as in all institutional fundraising—you want to
talk with the person who oversees the actual budget.
Securing a call or meeting is not always easy, but it’s absolutely crucial.
Everything discussed in Chapter 19 regarding getting in the door at
foundations applies perfectly here, so put those detailed tips to use to
secure some face time. Be persistent but respectful, and look for existing
connections that can facilitate personal introductions. Ask your board
and search your LinkedIn connections to identify these, use Twitter to
create social capital, and develop relationships with others in the relevant
departments of the company.
Cause Marketing Proposal Tips
Once you’re in the door, most prospects will want some type of
proposal on your cause marketing program. But consider yourself
warned: Proposals are often a crutch for both nonprofits and
prospects. Many fundraisers use proposals to avoid selling to a
prospect, hoping to let the document do it for them. This is bad
form, since ultimately proposals don’t close deals, people do.
Moreover, your proposal will be infinitely more effective if it’s
customized to the needs and goals of the prospects, just as we advise
with your pitch in the next tip.
But not bringing a proposal to a meeting may disappoint or even
insult your audience. So bring a proposal, but use it strategically:
Save it for later. Proposals are not for first meetings; for those,
just bring a pen and notebook or a laptop. When you first talk, it’s
time to listen and explore. Save your proposal for later, after you
have a better idea of their objectives.
Customization is key. A proposal is about converting a
prospect into a partner. So make sure to include the examples,
metrics, and benefits a partner needs to make an educated decision
about working with you. See tip 4 below for more on this.
C a u s e M a r k e t i n g p a r t n e r s h i p s 2 5 9
4. Listen Up and Speak Their Language
Once you secure a call or meeting, your goal is to gather facts and establish
rapport. You’ll rarely close a deal in the first conversation, so building a
relationship will be key. While you’ve already done your homework, it’s
important to hear directly from the company regarding more specifics
on their target markets, the values their brand represents, and their social
impact priorities, especially as they relate to their CSR and philanthropy
strategy.
Find out what success means to the company and how you can help them
accomplish that; the formula for success is identifying the company’s
objectives and priorities, and then positioning your organization—
and the partnership—as a promising strategy for achieving them.
Ask intelligent questions, use what you learned from your research, and
Be clear. Everyone wants to know just how much time, effort,
and resources executing a cause marketing program will involve.
Make sure that your partner has a short checklist to work from. Be
sure he or she sees yours.
Money matters. This is critical. How will the campaign raise
money? Put it in the proposal. Have you agreed on a financial goal,
and a per-action contribution? Put it in the proposal. What if the
company doesn’t reach the agreed upon goal, or exceeds it? Put it in
the proposal. How long after the promotion ends will you have to
wait to receive the money? Put it…you get the point, right?
Ask for legal input. If you have a legal department, have them
review the proposal before sharing it with the prospect. If you
don’t, have a lawyer on your board read it over, or hire one for just
this purpose. It may seem like overkill, but it’s worth it, especially
when you’re new to cause marketing.
Remember: You are the closer. Too often, fundraisers
mistakenly think that if they send out enough proposals, they’ll
eventually land a partner. This never works. Your physical
presence and role in outreach is the most important part of
closing a deal. The proposal is just a nail. You’re the hammer that
will cobble the deal together and drive it home.
2 6 0 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
strive to integrate business language and terminology they relate to. Just
as with individual donors and foundations, it’s not about you or your
organization; it’s about how you can help advance their interests and goals.
Finally, if they ask questions that you don’t have the answers to, don’t make
something up. Instead, let them know you will get back to them with the
information.
5. Close the Deal
Securing a cause marketing partnership will almost always require long-term
cultivation of the prospect. Stay in touch and develop a relationship with
the decision-maker. Address any questions or doubts with thoughtful and
articulate answers, but be brief and respect his or her time. Once you come
to an agreement on the parameters of the partnership, including details
around marketing and fundraising campaigns, create a written agreement
that outlines each party’s commitments to ensure accountability. This can
be a full-blown legal contract or a simpler Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU), but either way you’ll want to have your legal counsel review it
before signing. Include details like budgets, timelines, deliverables, and so
forth. When making these commitments, remember that it’s always better
to under-promise and over-deliver.
6. Keep Them Happy
Just like any long-term relationship, cause marketing partnerships take work
and require stewardship and attention over time. As problems and issues
inevitably arise, be honest and transparent, and address concerns proactively
and immediately. Keep your partner updated on the impact the campaign
has on your cause and organization, and ideally create an automated
dashboard that regularly shares key performance indicators with key
personnel (see Chapter 7).
Share positive feedback and touching stories you hear from your supporters
about the company, its products, and the partnership. Recognize your
partners often, and use marketing vehicles like social media and email to
express gratitude for their support. When a campaign or partnership is
finalized, have a debrief meeting with the company and send a final
wrap-up or impact report. And keep in touch to maintain the relationship
and keep the door open for future opportunities.
C a u s e M a r k e t i n g p a r t n e r s h i p s 2 6 1
Conclusion
Cause marketing partnerships represent a huge opportunity for nonprofits
to secure both funding and exposure, and the potential for corporate
alliances will only rise as more and more consumers seek to support
companies whose values they admire. However, these partnerships are
resource- and time-consuming, so before diving in, think carefully to ensure
it’s the right decision for your organization. Identify the companies you’re
most excited to partner with and do the homework needed to find and take
advantage of intersections between your work and their goals. Appeal to
companies by speaking their language and letting them know how you can
help them achieve their goals. Make sure that you can fulfill your end of
any partnership before entering into a commitment and that the company
is accountable for contributions as well. When this recipe for success is
followed and nonprofits remember to stay true to their mission, but are
flexible enough to entertain mutually beneficial corporate partnerships,
amazing things become possible.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do. . .
. . . have frank conversations with your leadership before investing
energy into securing a cause marketing partnership.
. . . review the websites of prospects to familiarize yourself with their
corporate social responsibility and philanthropy goals.
. . . recognize the financial value of marketing benefits potential
partners bring to the table.
. . . understand your base of supporters online and off, especially how
their demographics intersect with the target audience of a corporate
prospect.
Don’t. . .
. . . create lengthy materials that over-describe your mission and work.
. . . pursue corporate partners whose brand you wouldn’t support
yourself.
2 6 2 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
. . . try to close a deal on the first meeting.
. . . promise deliverables you aren’t prepared to fulfill.
About the Experts
David Hessekiel is founder and president of Cause Marketing Forum, the
world’s leading resource on building mutually beneficial business/nonprofit
alliances, and of the Peer to Peer Professional Forum, which produces
conferences and online resources for nonprofits and companies wanting to
produce more successful run/walk/ride programs. Hessekiel is also co-author
of Good Works: Corporate Social Initiatives That Build a Better World and the
Bottom Line. His comments on doing well by doing good are frequently
featured in leading media outlets, from National Public Radio to The Wall
Street Journal.
Joe Waters is the founder and author of Selfish Giving, the Web’s leading
cause marketing blog. Waters is the author of three books, including Cause
Marketing for Dummies and Fundraising with Businesses. He has raised
millions of dollars from local, regional, and national corporate partners
and is a frequent public speaker and writer for publications such as Forbes,
Nonprofit Quarterly, and The Chronicle of Philanthropy.
Resource Review
Cause Marketing Forum (www.causemarketingforum.com)
Hessekiel’s site provides practical information for both nonprofits and
companies, including best practices, articles, case studies, and more.
Check out the article “Ten Commandments of Cause Related Marketing”
by Kurt Aschermann.
Waters, Joe, and Joanna MacDonald. Cause Marketing for Dummies. John
Wiley & Sons, 2011.
This guide shows both businesses and nonprofits how to build and
sustain cause marketing partnerships using social media, identify
potential partners, engage supporters, and model a campaign on proven
successes.
Selfish Giving
Waters’ blog is one of the leading cause marketing blogs on the web and
has hundreds of posts on cause marketing, fundraising with businesses,
http://www.causemarketingforum.com
C a u s e M a r k e t i n g p a r t n e r s h i p s 2 6 3
nonprofit branding, mobile technology, content marketing, and corporate
sponsorship.
Cause Update (www.causeupdate.com)
Find a wealth of information on current cause marketing campaigns and
valuable insights from Cause Marketing Forum’s insightful blog.
Kotler, Philip, Nancy Lee, and David Hessekiel. Good Works Marketing and
Corporate Initiatives That Build a Better World—and the Bottom Line.
John Wiley & Sons, 2012.
Marketing guru Philip Kotler, cause marketing authority David
Hessekiel, and social marketing expert Nancy Lee teamed up to create a
guide rich with actionable advice on integrating marketing and corporate
social initiatives into broader business goals. This book offers nonprofits
insight into corporate thinking and language, preparing you for more
effective partner solicitation.
Good Scout Group (www.goodscoutgroup.com)
This cause marketing agency provides excellent content for nonprofits.
IEG (www.sponsorship.com)
IEG is the leading resource for corporate partnerships and sponsorships.
Find great insights and resources on cause marketing partnerships.
The Chronicle of Philanthropy (www.philanthropy.com)
This is the leading publication on all things nonprofit, and they frequently
feature information on partnering with corporations.
Cone Communications (www.conecomm.com/case-studies)
Access a great repository of cause marketing case studies.
http://www.causeupdate.com
http://www.sponsorship.com
http://www.philanthropy.com
http://www.conecomm.com/case-studies
265
25Chapter
In-Kind Fundraising and
Media Sponsorship
“Help thy brother’s boat across, and lo! thine own has reached
the shore.”
—Hindu Proverb
Introduction
Whether it’s having a venue or food donated for your upcoming gala,
receiving a free billboard or full-page ad in the local newspaper, or securing
tablets to distribute to low-income youth to help them do homework, in-kind
fundraising and media sponsorships are a great opportunity to build key
relationships and gain valuable support from local and national businesses.
These alternative forms of support are just as valuable to your organization as
cash donations, since spending less money on your operations and events is
the same as raising more revenue. In Economics 101, instructors share one
of the basics of finance: profit (or net income for nonprofits) equals revenue
minus expenses. So as much as this book is focused on raising your top line,
let us not forget that minimizing bottom-line costs drives your mission and
impact just as much.
Moreover, in-kind fundraising and media sponsorships provide an easier
way to engage companies because they don’t require them to open their
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checkbooks. Businesses are often much more willing to donate products,
services, and ad space instead of money. These partnerships work well for
everyone: businesses gain an opportunity to align their brand with a cause and
organization, creating goodwill among existing customers, and potentially
reaching new consumers, while your nonprofit obtains something it needs or
at least can benefit from without having to tap your budget. Ultimately, any
money you save will have a huge impact on your organization.
Media sponsorships are usually done for large-scale events, like conferences,
high-profit events like runs/walks/rides, or galas that benefit from public
advertising, but also provide a great opportunity to offer benefits in
exchange to the sponsor. Advertising is extremely expensive, but it can also
be incredibly effective in spreading awareness of your cause or event.
It’s also possible to secure media support for your organization overall,
although in these cases the benefits you’ll offer in exchange typically revolve
around an event or offering recognition at your physical location. Media
organizations often have lots of unused inventory, and sponsorships can
take your marketing and credibility to the next level. Similarly, in-kind
supporters also typically want recognition for their donations, but if you
can offer this, you can save money on operational expenses, expand the
impact of your programs, and enhance the quality of your events, all while
spending less money on them.
To learn more about how nonprofits of all sizes, both in the United States
and around the globe, can successfully secure in-kind and media donations,
I talked with Gayle Samuelson Carpentier, in-kind fundraising veteran and
chief business development officer at TechSoup Global, which has secured
billions of dollars worth of resources from corporate partners. She outlined
six great tips to ensure your success.
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Clarify Your Needs
In-kind and media partnerships are unique for every organization and event.
Your first step when identifying opportunities is to look at your nonprofit’s
or event’s budget (see Chapter 12 for tips on creating an event budget).
Conduct a detailed review of all your expenses and identify the things
that can potentially be donated or provided at a discount. Even if you
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don’t get something for free, many businesses will give nonprofits special
discounts, and you will never know unless you ask!
Some obvious things can be identified for in-kind donations, like food and
wine for events, items for your auction, and your top operational expenses, but
also look for the non-obvious things that may not already be in your budget.
Do you need new computer equipment or software? Do you have small offices
and need somewhere more professional to hold your board meetings? Are you
building a new website and need someone to develop it? Could your program
serve more homeless if more food was donated? Could your event or cause
benefit from an ad in the local paper or on a popular website?
Host a brainstorming session with your development, events, program,
marketing, and finance or operations staff and create a list of all your
needs, prioritizing those that’d have the biggest potential effect and
provide the largest savings for your organization. Invite key volunteers
and board members, especially those with relevant experience, to participate
if possible; the more input you secure when considering the possibilities,
the better. Don’t be afraid to dream and think big at this meeting. Ask
those present: “What would we do if our marketing budget were doubled
or tripled?” and “What kind of product and service donations would enable
our programs to serve more people in need?”
2. Identify Your Prospects
Once you identify and prioritize your in-kind and media sponsorship
opportunities, think about which businesses, corporations, and professionals
are viable prospects. Start with businesses you already have a personal
connection to. Ask everyone at the brainstorming session which partners
would be best suited to meet the needs you’ve outlined, see whether they
have any relationships that can be useful and whether they’re willing to
make an introduction or ask.
From a marketing perspective, discuss who you want to reach for your event,
awareness campaign or, in general where you can best reach them. Is it online, in
print, on billboards, or somewhere else? Think through the top media vehicles
that communicate with your targeted audience. Who reaches the most people?
To identify additional prospects, look at similar organizations and events.
Who is sponsoring or donating to them? Most organizations and events list
their supporters on their websites, so this information is fairly easy to come
2 6 8 N o N p r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
by. Look at companies that regularly support your cause, as well as those
that are particularly philanthropic in your geographic location.
Put all this information in a simple spreadsheet, outlining both your
prioritized needs and the prospects you’ve identified thus far, plus comments
regarding any personal connections that can facilitate outreach. Share your
list of needs, prospects, and contacts with the rest of your board, staff,
and volunteers, and see whether they have any personal connections to
the prospects listed or to others they believe might be interested. And, as
you did during the brainstorming, ask whether they’re willing to make an
introduction or ask. Remember, it’s OK if you don’t know where to turn to
secure pro bono legal support, donated laptops, or free printing; share these
needs via your spreadsheet and ask for input on people and businesses they
know that might offer donations or discounts.
Solidifying your prioritized list of needs and prospects are your first two steps,
and don’t despair if you don’t have a personal “in” with a lead. Just as with
any type of fundraising, going in cold is never ideal, but when securing
in-kind and media donations, your odds of success are much higher than
trying this approach with foundations, donors, and paid sponsors.
3. Prepare Your Pitches and Materials
Before asking for an in-kind or media donation or sponsorship, be prepared
to articulate exactly what you need and what benefits you can offer in
exchange. It’s also helpful to have a sense of the approximate retail value of
each benefit. Take the time before making a call or going to a meeting to
research your prospects. What have they supported in the past, and at what
level? What are their philanthropic priorities?
Begin soliciting three to six months out from your event or deadline.
While in-kind and media sponsorship decisions typically happen much
quicker than paid sponsorships (see Chapter 23), be prepared to wait a
month or two as they decide. If you are holding a large-scale event such as
a gala, conference, or sporting event, prepare a sponsorship proposal for
prospective media sponsors and in-kind donors that outlines the specific
benefits they will receive at each level of sponsorship.
Personally, I’ve secured millions of dollars of in-kind and media support
simply by taking the corporate sponsor proposal template I outlined in
Chapter 23, doubling the prices at each level, adjusting a select few benefits
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as needed, and changing the title on the cover page to “Media and In-Kind
Sponsor Proposal.” Finally, I make it clear the “prices” aren’t for cash support
as with traditional sponsors, but represent the retail value of donations.
4. Make Your Pitch
Leverage the personal connections you’ve already identified to get in the
door, or simply cold call your prospects and ask who you can speak with
regarding them donating products or services to support your nonprofit
or event. Some large corporations have processes and policies for making
in-kind donations, and that’s the only way to secure their support. But even
then, finding an internal champion is always helpful.
One way or another, you need to connect with a decision-maker at
the business, share your story and need, relay potential benefits, and
explore a potential partnership. Spend time listening and find out about
their goals before making your pitch and, of course, integrate any research
findings you discovered in advance. Be sure to contextualize your pitch
around what they care about to the full extent possible (see Chapter 23
for more on this, as related to corporate sponsorship). And remember, even
when the answer is no, be gracious. Take an opportunity to respectfully
inquire why and try to overcome any objections, but don’t push too hard, as
some folks just can’t be convinced. Most importantly you want to maintain
a good relationship for future opportunities and not chance undermining
your reputation.
5. Treat Them Like Royalty
Just as with other key supporters, recognize your media sponsors and in-kind
donors as much as possible, including leading up to and at your event, if
appropriate. Make sure you fulfill all of the benefits agreed on, and go
beyond that and thank sponsors publicly in ways they didn’t expect.
Acknowledge a company representative at the event and have him or her
stand up while you encourage the audience to applaud the person for
supporting such a worthy cause. Give them free tickets, put them at good
tables, and personally introduce them to VIPs at your event. Think through
the things you can do to keep your sponsors not only satisfied, but delighted
with the outcome of their involvement. Odds are, you’ll circle back to them
for additional support later, and anything you can do to deliver a great
experience will make future requests infinitely easier.
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6. Invest in the Relationship
All successful fundraising is based on relationships, so it’s critical
that you follow up and properly steward your sponsors and donors.
Immediately after the donation or event, send personalized,
handwritten thank you notes emphasizing the impact their
contributions made possible. Make sure you also send any necessary
acknowledgements for tax purposes, although in my experience few
in-kind or media sponsors ever request or use these.
If a sponsor clearly had a good experience, ask him or her to share a one-
or two-sentence testimonial for future sponsorship proposals, and provide
a draft quote to make this as easy as possible. If the person was a major
sponsor, offer to do an in-person or phone debriefing to obtain feedback on
what worked and what you can improve upon next year. If possible, send a
summary of the impact the contribution and the overall event had, along with
the value of the benefits, about one month after the event (see Chapter 23
for more on impact summaries). Send brief updates about your organization’s
impact and future plans to lay the groundwork for future sponsorships and
maintain the relationship. Avoid making another ask until you have sent at
least two to three communications thanking and updating any sponsor.
Conclusion
Securing in-kind donations and media sponsorships is a wonderful
opportunity to engage professionals, businesses, and corporations and
obtain valuable donations that reduce your expenses and add to your impact
and events. Donated products and services are almost always easier for
businesses to provide than cash, and if you get the right people around a
table and review your budgets and plans, you can identify many compelling
opportunities to collaborate with these kinds of partners. Think out of the
box when it comes to listing not only the needs you’ve already budgeted
for, but also the contributions that can take your efforts to the next level.
Capitalize on any personal connections you have, do your homework
on top prospects, and don’t be afraid to make a few cold calls if needed.
You’ll find it surprisingly easy to get your foot in the door, and businesses
will often jump to support your cause and promote themselves in the
process. Remember that these relationships are true partnerships, so remain
flexible and always bear in mind the goals of your sponsors, nurture the
relationships over time, and if things go wrong at any point, be honest and
transparent, and fix problems immediately. Keep these supporters satisfied
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and excited to continue supporting you in the future, and you’ll unlock the
full potential of in-kind donations and media sponsorships.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do. . .
. . . think through what would delight (rather than just satisfy) your
in-kind and media sponsors.
. . . start your solicitations three to six months before your event or
deadline.
. . . create a package for large events that outlines the benefits you can
offer to media sponsors and in-kind donors.
Don’t. . .
. . . forget that securing in-kind donations and media sponsorships can
be just as powerful as obtaining cash support.
. . . neglect giving your in-kind supporter at least three benefits they’ll
get from supporting your organization or event—ones that will
really make an impact.
. . . have a meeting or call with a prospect without first doing your
homework and preparing key talking points.
. . . accept “no” for an answer without inquiring as to why and trying
to overcome any objections.
. . . produce an event without insurance to protect both you and your
in-kind donors and sponsors.
. . . ever say the words: “You should give us this/do this for me because
we are doing good things.” If you can’t be specific, you shouldn’t
waste your time or theirs.
About the Expert
Gayle Samuelson Carpentier is the chief business development officer at
TechSoup Global and a member of the Nonprofit Technology Network’s
(NTEN) board of directors. Carpentier joined TechSoup Global in 2001
as their founding business development lead and developed the strategic
structure of their product donation service, which has grown into the largest
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provider of IT to nonprofits in the world by leveraging in-kind donations
from corporate partners.
Resource Review
TechSoup (www.techsoup.org)
Provides a variety of resources to help nonprofits make smart technology
decisions, as well as access to deeply discounted software and IT products.
Check out their active online community, wealth of articles and tutorials,
and their free webinar series.
Foundation Directory Online (https://fconline.foundationcenter.org)
Foundation Center’s online directory of companies and grantmakers is a
great way to search for prospects. When searching, choose “In-kind gifts”
in the “Types of Support” field. You can narrow your search by a variety
of categories, including geography, fields of interest, total giving, etc.
The Nonprofit Times (www.thenonprofittimes.com)
This print and electronic publication covers all areas of nonprofit
operations and management. Check out their article, “11 Online and
Mobile Sponsorship Ideas.”
Good360 (www.good360.org)
This is a company whose sole purpose is connecting nonprofits with in-kind
donations from companies, all of which are outlined in their online catalog.
Google Grants (www.google.com/grants)
Google offers $10,000/month AdWords grants to nonprofits around the
world and approves these grants for almost all nonprofit applicants. This
is a great in-kind media donation opportunity and will enable your cause
or event to pop up on the top of relevant search results pages.
Nonprofit Accounting Basics (www.nonprofitaccountingbasics.org)
This is a great site for questions related to nonprofit financial issues,
including the tax deductibility of in-kind donations. Find a great
explanation online in their article, “Donated Goods and Services” in the
Federal Tax Issues topic area.
Taproot Foundation (www.taprootfoundation.org)
Taproot provides grants of professional consulting services for nonprofits.
Check out their offerings, as well as their whitepaper, “Beyond Cash: A
Guide on How Nonprofit Boards Can Tap Pro-Bono and In-Kind Services.”
Strengthening Nonprofits (www.strenghteningnonprofits.org)
This site offers a wide array of e-lessons on various nonprofit topics, including
working with businesses and corporations. Check out their e-learning lesson,
“Planning for, Securing, and Documenting In-Kind Donations.”
http://www.techsoup.org
https://fconline.foundationcenter.org
http://www.google.com/grants
http://www.nonprofitaccountingbasics.org
http://www.strenghteningnonprofits.org
VIIPart
Unlocking Social
Enterprise
275
26Chapter
Earned Income
Strategies
Guest Contributor: Rick Aubry
“Social entrepreneurs are not content just to give a fish or teach
how to fish. They will not rest until they have revolutionized the
fishing industry.”
—Bill Drayton
Introduction
The word “entrepreneur” is French and literally means “to take into hand.”
It’s about owning your own destiny, which is appealing to any organization
that’s suffered when economies take a downturn or after a long-term
supporter disappears or decreases funding you were counting on.
Moreover, many nonprofits are innovative and entrepreneurial in their
approach toward tackling social issues. Combined, these notions can
sometimes lead to the idea that generating revenue from earned income
via a “social enterprise” is a natural extension that will strengthen financial
independence and create a more sustainable organization.
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If only it were that straightforward.
This chapter, contributed by guest author Rick Aubry, longtime director
of Rubicon Programs, professor of social enterprise at Stanford and Tulane
Universities, and earned income veteran, is designed to introduce you to
the basic tenants of earned income/social enterprise strategies and help
you assess whether it’s appropriate for your organization. We’ll also share a
framework for success and provide guidelines on how to make the decisions
in a social enterprise environment. Let’s get started.
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Define the Terms
Our working definition for “earned income” is an activity or business
venture within a nonprofit organization that generates income from selling
goods and services to customers “at a profit” to supplement philanthropic
and grant support. A “social enterprise” or “social venture” is an entity
that generates revenues—and hopefully profits—while advancing a social
mission. Hence, this term applies to all earned income strategies, but also
more widely, including describing mission-led for-profit companies.
There are two basic forms of earned income strategies. One entails earning
revenues not directly related to your mission or core activities. For example,
a restaurant located in an art museum or the sale of candy bars, holiday
cards, or other third-party items. While these may generate income, the
activity does not directly advance the mission or purpose of the organization.
The second form of earned income is a revenue-generating activity that
inherently furthers the mission. Think of a homeless shelter that creates jobs for
clients by starting a business or a group that’s developed a new system to help
at-risk students graduate, which then creates and sells software based on their
method to scale its efforts and generate funding. Given the limited resources
of almost all nonprofits, when an earned income strategy does not directly
advance your mission, it’s often a distraction and should not be pursued.
2. Ensure Support
Social enterprises are usually a departure from business as usual in a nonprofit,
and doing whatever it takes to get buy-in and support before you start is
crucial; you need a supportive environment within your organization for
E a r n e d i n c o m e s t r a t e g i e s 2 7 7
your venture to flourish. Part of this is clarifying, in advance, that running a
successful social enterprise is more complicated than operating a traditional
nonprofit or business and that it may not succeed.
It’s also about securing the full commitment of senior management and
your board, ensuring they see this venture as a core asset of the organization.
Most nonprofits are resource-constrained with numerous competing
needs for limited resources, plus charitable organizations exist to advance
a social mission, not run a business. During the inevitable downturns and
headaches, your venture will require resources to succeed, and during the
first few years, it will require a lot more investment than it returns.
Part of what’s required to ensure this success initially and moving forward
is a focus on asking, and answering, what success looks like. We discussed
key performance indicators for nonprofits in Chapter 7, and social ventures
require a robust set of metrics to evaluate both social impact and financial
success, often referred to as a “double bottom line.” These KPIs are especially
important for earned income strategies, since you’ll need to benchmark your
impact against traditional approaches to assess success. For example, if your
goal is creating jobs for those with barriers to employment and your venture
invests $500,000 annually and only creates three jobs, you’re likely better off
expanding your nonprofit programs or pursuing other approaches.
Another critical tip: go in with your eyes open. As with any new business,
success with a startup is extremely difficult. Most studies indicate over
60 percent of small businesses fail within the first four years. If your goal is
simply to increase income for your organization, most nonprofits are
best served focusing on traditional fundraising. Funding, launching, and
managing a social enterprise requires lots of work, and many don’t make it.
That said, if you decide the potential mission and revenue benefits are worth
the risk, this chapter will offer some tips and strategies to maximize your
probability for success; we’ll also help you decide whether starting a social
venture is the right decision for your nonprofit.
So plan for the best and prepare for the worst; talk with your board about a
“realistic time horizon” for the venture to reach breakeven, and clarify
the exact limits to the organization’s patience and support in advance—in
terms of both money and time—should things take longer to get there and
require more resources, as they inevitably do. Putting your programs at risk
for a venture that might not succeed will prove unacceptable to your board at
some point, and it’s best you identify that ahead of time versus in the moment.
2 7 8 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
When preparing for “plan B,” take into consideration that tight times in a
business environment are different from those at a nonprofit. If a grant is cut,
you can reduce staff or programs to stay on budget, but if it costs more to
make a biscuit than your budget projected, you can’t just cut out the butter.
Take the time to learn about business-focused cost accounting, production
management, and sales forecasting if that’s not part of your background.
All these key elements, along with conservative financial projections, a
market survey to support those estimates, a list of strong leaders, including
executives and advisors, a detailed strategy and timeline, a detailed
competitive analysis, and a really strong but concise executive summary
must find their way into a compelling business plan, approved by your
board. Given the vast amount of free online resources for creating a plan,
including a few specific to social enterprises outlined in the Resource
Review, we won’t go into detail here, but suffice it to say this is critical in
your effort to secure the necessary support and approval to move forward.
3. Solidify Leadership
Before you can think any further about diving into earned income, it’s critical
that you have a zealous, empowered entrepreneur who is committed to the
venture as an all-encompassing job for at least the first several years. Savvy
start-up investors will tell you that the credibility and dedication of the
management team is even more important than the business model, and having
a champion to spearhead your efforts—ideally with ample, relevant industry
experience—will be one of the biggest factors determining your success.
To find the right leader, look for what social enterprise pioneer Jed Emerson
calls “the mutant manager.” Look first and foremost for a deep experience
base in the specific business or industry you’ve chosen, a clear commitment
to the social mission of the organization, and the ability to work well with
the leadership team of both your nonprofit and the business.
Under almost all circumstances, do not promote the best nonprofit
manager at your organization to run a venture if he or she lacks relevant
business experience. The requirements for success in a business environment
are fundamentally different. Instead, find leaders from the industry who
are ready to devote the next phase of their professional lives to advancing
your social mission through the business. Often, mid-career executives are
eager to apply their skills and industry knowledge to a business that offers
both purpose and profit, and this is the typical profile of your CEO.
E a r n e d i n c o m e s t r a t e g i e s 2 7 9
To recruit someone like this, you may be able to secure a small discount
off corporate salary potential, but don’t plan on this. Instead, ensure you
budget for a competitive compensation package that’s in line with
salaries at comparable for-profit businesses. You’ll also want to allocate
time and resources into successfully integrating someone from the
for-profit sector into a nonprofit environment, with its unique culture,
focus, and pace.
Rob Waldron, a successful for-profit CEO who became CEO of the
nonprofit Jumpstart, once shared in a presentation to a Stanford Social
Entrepreneurship class: “I feel like I have moved from being a general in the
army to a member of the Senate. In for-profits I gave a direction and people
jumped to it. In the nonprofit I have stakeholders, various interest groups,
a whole different culture, and I have to lead through persuasion rather than
through authority.”
4. Understand Your Competitive Advantage
For your social enterprise to succeed, you must find and take advantage of
the inherent competitive advantage of your nonprofit. What are the abilities
and competencies that make you best positioned to solve the social problem
your organization was created to address?
Does your nonprofit have a strong relationship with the community
you serve compared to traditional businesses in your space, and how can
these benefit the venture? Do you have a way of providing services more
effectively or efficiently? Can you leverage your physical locations in some
unique way? Have you developed a unique way of addressing a problem that
would be hard for others to copy without significant time and resources? Do
you have team members with talents or expertise others don’t? Would your
nonprofit’s reputation translate well into a social venture? Gather as a team
and organization to discuss these questions and any others you can think
of to unearth your unique advantages, and be sure to also ask clients and
potential customers how they perceive your organization.
This process may bring to light advantages so significant that they provide
one of the few exceptions to the rule that you should only pursue social
enterprises that directly advance your mission. For example, a museum
with a great location can realistically generate significant revenue from a
restaurant. If your nonprofit is lucky enough to have a unique geographic
advantage, there may be an earned income strategy worth undertaking.
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Ultimately, your competitive advantage will translate into your actual
delivery of products and services. That’s when it’s crucial to remember that
simply offering “a worthy cause” in the marketplace is not necessarily a
competitive advantage. Typically, customers don’t buy to support a cause,
but to get the best value.
In study after study of customer behavior, any social benefits associated
with a product or service are a tertiary consideration, after quality,
and then value and dependability. All other things being equal, many
will choose the conscious option, but, as Carrie Portis, a former general
manager of Rubicon Bakery, once said to me, “Our Rubicon Cakes have to
be the best cake in the dessert case, not the best nonprofit cake.” There are
some rare circumstances where the social purpose of your venture will prove
instrumental, such as government “set aside” contracts. For example, the
Javits Wagner O’Day law carved out U.S. federal contracts for organizations
that hire disabled workers. Keep an eye out for such opportunities and, if
appropriate, lobby to advance policies that create additional ones.
5. Secure Capital
Even with the right leadership, business idea and plan, and internal support
in place, finding and securing sufficient capital is both critical and difficult.
Social ventures often suffer from undercapitalizing the business at the
beginning. No matter how conservative your business plan, more financial
and other resources will be needed than you originally anticipate.
Typically, it will take more than twice as long to achieve the most
conservative revenue goals projected in your financial model, so plan for
that when setting your fundraising goal, or ensure your ability to deficit spend
if needed. Expenses also almost always run high, so budget for unexpected
“miscellaneous” costs of 25 percent in your budget. Better safe than sorry.
When it comes to identifying investors for your social enterprise, there’s
good news and bad news. The good news is that, although traditional
sources of startup capital will likely be unavailable, there’s a movement
around “impact investing,” where people and institutions are actively looking
to support social ventures. The bad news is that it’s still relatively small, so
you’ll need to budget a lot of time for securing funds from this community.
“Social capital market” is a term widely used to describe grants, loans,
program- or mission-related investments, equity, and other financing tools
E a r n e d i n c o m e s t r a t e g i e s 2 8 1
to support nonprofit and for-profit social ventures. Here, funds are made
available by foundations, government agencies, corporations, and individuals,
known as “impact investors” or “social investors,” seeking both financial
returns and social impact, typically with a focus on the latter.
This so called market, however, is not well coordinated, but it’s typically
your only option since typically you cannot issue equity or ownership in
your nonprofit’s business. As such, if you’re going to start a social enterprise,
be prepared to spend an inordinate amount of time raising money. By
most estimates, traditional businesses invest 3 to 5 percent of leadership
time raising funds for the venture, with the rest devoted to making the
business work. Your nonprofit should expect to spend 20 to 50 percent of
its leadership time raising money, a significant distraction from the actual
work of the organization.
6. Find Your Angel
It may sound like one in a million—and in fact maybe it is—but after
spending decades analyzing the formula of success for the most prosperous
social enterprises, most of them had an “angel” customer or investor who
made all the difference and got them off the ground. Greyston Bakery in
New York scored a crucial partnership with Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry’s Ice
Cream, who agreed to use their brownies and other products.
As you can imagine, for a small startup this was transformative, yielding
a huge, steady customer in the early years that even made a long-term
commitment to purchase from Greyston at sustainable prices. Although it’s
a long shot for your scrappy start-up to score this kind of partnership, it’s
worth investing the resources needed to identify and cultivate a select few
prospects—similar to what’s outlined for major donors in Chapter 9—and
see whether your lottery ticket comes due.
More common than the magical appearance of an angel is one of the biggest
pitfalls your start-up social enterprise needs to avoid: the investor who
pushes you too far, too fast. A 20-year-old, successful social venture nearly
went bankrupt when the overly ambitious growth plan it developed in
partnership with a foundation led it to the brink of financial collapse.
They lost over $2 million of foundation funding and bank debt trying to
implement a business plan that wasn’t adequately tested, and when the
business crashed and burned, the parent nonprofit shrunk overnight from a
2 8 2 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
budget of $8 million and 150 employees (mostly hard-to-employ workers)
to a budget of $2 million and 30 staff. Remember to know your limits since
businesses come and go, and in the for-profit world, it’s primarily the capital
that’s lost. In the nonprofit world, if you’re not careful the entire social
benefit organization is at stake.
Social Enterprise Case Study: Grow Dat
Grow Dat is a nonprofit social venture “operating at the intersection
of food justice and youth development.” The group was incubated
in 2010 when it set up a farm in New Orleans, and in 2015, in order
to clarify and grow their impact, they articulated their mission: to
nurture a diverse group of young leaders through the meaningful
work of growing food.
Grow Dat initially was primarily supported by foundations and
individual donors. Internally and among its funders, there was a
hope that they could reach self-sufficiency if they could just grow
their farm big enough, unlocking economies of scale. As they
examined an earned income strategy, they realized primarily relying
on selling produce was not going to deliver this goal, and so they
needed to diversify to advance their social mission. By diligently
talking with their supporters, participants, and the community,
they developed a comprehensive revenue strategy that leverages a
variety of assets and identifies some unique sources of competitive
advantage, which they built their business model around.
Strategic Focus to Grow Revenue and Impact
Launching earned revenue activities gave Grow Dat a chance to
hire program “alumni” into part- or full-time positions as educators,
creating much-needed opportunities for employment. Educators
teach the general public about sustainable agriculture and its link
to the environment, the economy, and personal and community
health. In addition to creating jobs, Grow Dat identified a series of
income-generating programs that also directly advance its mission:
1. Field Trips. Grow Dat designed experiential, standards-aligned
field trips for young students, ranging from Kindergarten to
eighth grade. These trips provide a great forum to teach the
next generation about sustainable farming, food justice, and
environmental issues. Alumni lead the field trips, providing not
only relevant information, but also sharing their own experience
as farmers.
2. Farm Tours. In addition to the learning tours Grow Dat already
provides to groups, they added tours for individuals. Led by
E a r n e d i n c o m e s t r a t e g i e s 2 8 3
Conclusion
Many nonprofits look for additional revenue sources to supplement their
income. A social enterprise that accomplishes this looks enticing, but it’s
something that must only be undertaken with the proper consideration
and commitment. That includes a realistic analysis of the risks, rewards,
true costs, impact on the parent nonprofit’s culture, and core competitive
advantage. It’s hard to make any blanket statements in the world of business,
but one thing is for certain: go into it with your eyes open. On the plus
side, a successful social enterprise not only supports your work financially,
but it also can advance your mission and create a “halo” effect with funders
and the broader community. Balancing your mission with the business
goals is the critical element in any social business success.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do. . .
. . . take the time to develop a robust business plan before seriously
considering launching a social enterprise.
. . . focus on a venture that directly advances the mission of your
organization.
youth and alumni, these tours provide a revenue generation
opportunity and chance to introduce new people to sustainable
agriculture and the importance of localizing food systems.
3. Farm Dinners. Grow Dat realized they could tap into the
interest many outside groups have in utilizing their space by
partnering to host dinners on the farm, showcasing their produce
and providing a valuable educational and revenue opportunity.
4. Volunteer Groups. Corporations, foundations, and other
large entities frequent the New Orleans landscape for various
retreats, conferences, and other events. Grow Dat offers them the
opportunity to build a tailored, unique experience shaped to their
interests, engaging individuals and groups in their service model.
5. Community Classes. The group launched “Learn Dat” classes
run by staff, guest educators, and external partners. These
classes provide educational opportunities for residents of New
Orleans to come to the farm and learn about the merits of
sustainable agriculture.
2 8 4 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
. . . identify the limits of the time and money your nonprofit can
provide to support your start-up enterprise if it falters or fails.
. . . ensure access to cash or lines of credit for the long periods between
when you buy ingredients and produce your wares and when you
collect payment.
Don’t. . .
. . . hire one of your best nonprofit employees to run a business he or
she knows little to nothing about.
. . . assume that being a nonprofit will get you regular steady
customers if you don’t have a great product or service.
. . . kid yourself with a self-serving business projection; everything can
be made to work on an Excel spreadsheet.
About the Guest Contributor
Rick Aubry served as president of Rubicon Programs for 23 years, starting
numerous successful (and unsuccessful) social ventures and cutting-edge
programs that created jobs and transformed lives for thousands of worker/
program participants in Richmond, California. He founded and launched
New Foundry Ventures, “the laboratory for scaling social enterprise,” and
has been a professor and assistant provost for social entrepreneurship at
Stanford and Tulane Universities.
Resource Review
Elkington, John E., and Pamela Hartigan, The Power of Unreasonable People.
Harvard Business Press, 2008.
A definitive book about social entrepreneurs around the world and the
work they’re doing to change the world.
Bornstein, David. How to Change the World. Oxford University Press, 2007.
A New York Times journalist takes an in-depth look at some of the world’s
leading change-makers.
Sharon M. Oster, Cynthia W. Massarsky, and Samantha L. Beinhacker.
Generating and Sustaining Nonprofit Earned Income: A Guide to Successful
Enterprise Strategies. Jossey-Bass, 2004.
E a r n e d i n c o m e s t r a t e g i e s 2 8 5
A comprehensive review of all the issues involved in developing a social
enterprise, including detailed tips, tools, and templates for creating a
business plan for your earned income strategy.
Stanford Social Innovation Review (www.ssireview.org)
The quarterly publication of the Stanford Center for Social Innovation is
currently the best place to find the leading thinking on social impact.
REDF (www.redf.org)
A valuable website to learn about the lessons learned from one of the
funders of social enterprise.
Social Enterprise Alliance (www.SE-alliance.org)
The leading U.S. membership organization for nonprofits starting or
running social enterprises. Beware, however, the glut of “consultants” in
the field who will often tell you to start a venture, even if it’s not your
proper course.
Impact Investment Conferences
A wide range of conferences bring together impact investors and leaders
in the social capital market, including:
• SOCAP (www.socapmarkets.net) in San Francisco and Europe
• Opportunity Collaboration (www.opportunitycollaboration.net)
in Ixtapa, Mexico
• ANDE (www.aspeninstitute.org/policy-work/aspen-network-
development-entrepreneurs) gathers impact investor and social impact
thought leaders at their annual conference and through webinars,
local working groups, and regional chapters around the globe
• SRI (www.sriconference.com/) mobilizes advisors and funds
annually in Colorado
• The Skoll World Forum in Oxford, England
New Foundry Venture (www.newfoundryventures.org)
A website providing information and links about building scalable social
enterprises.
Yunus, Muhammad. Building Social Business: The New Kind of Capitalism
That Serves Humanity’s Most Pressing Needs. Public Affairs, 2009.
A Nobel Peace Prize winner lays out his vision for what a “social business”
is, and how it can change the world. Yunus asserts a financially viable
business, which reinvests all its profits back into the business of helping
people, is the highest form of social enterprise.
http://www.ssireview.org
http://www.SE-alliance.org
http://www.socapmarkets.net
http://www.opportunitycollaboration.net
http://www.aspeninstitute.org/policy-work/aspen-network-development-entrepreneurs
http://www.aspeninstitute.org/policy-work/aspen-network-development-entrepreneurs
http://www.aspeninstitute.org/policy-work/aspen-network-development-entrepreneurs
http://www.sriconference.com/
http://www.newfoundryventures.org
2 8 6 N o N P r o f i t f u N d r a i s i N g 1 0 1
Dees, J. Gregory, Jed Emerson, and Peter Economy. Enterprising Nonprofits:
A Toolkit for Social Entrepreneurs. John Wiley & Sons, 2001
The late Greg Dees, recently professor of social entrepreneurship at Duke
University, and Emerson, recently of Uhuru Capital, are two of the most
savvy hands in the field of social enterprise, “blended value theory,” and
understanding social impact as the real goal of all social enterprise.
The Calvert Foundation (www.Calvertfoundation.org)
One of the early and still-engaged providers of capital in the “social
impact” world. They “connect individual investors with organizations
working around the globe, developing affordable housing, creating jobs,
protecting the environment, and working in numerous other ways for
the social good.”
http://www.Calvertfoundation.org
287
Afterword
Finding Your Path
Premal Shah
“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what
makes you come alive, and then go do it. Because what the
world needs is people who have come alive.”
—Harold Thurman
My path to nonprofits, fundraising, and building Kiva.org began at a pretty
young age, when my eyes were opened to the injustice and poverty facing
humanity. My parents are from India, and when I was five I went back to
my father’s small village in the state of Gujarat. In the middle of this village
is a market, which I walked through with my mother.
To keep me occupied, she allowed me to hold onto a one-rupee coin. It
was the rainy season, and there was mud and sewage streaming through the
streets. As we were dodging vendors, cows, and other shoppers, I dropped
my precious coin into the dirty water. As I started to reach for it, my mother
slapped my hand and pulled me away, telling me to leave it. It was gunda; it
was dirty. As we walked away, I turned my head and looked back to see an
old woman in a ragged sari walk over and pick up the coin. She held it up
to the sky, and thanked G-d for the blessing.
My life hasn’t been the same since. As it’s said, “one man’s trash is another
man’s treasure,” or more accurately, one auntie’s blessing.
What my mother made me throw away was something that literally answered
someone else’s prayers. As I returned to my comfortable life in the suburbs of
Minnesota, I couldn’t get rid of the uncomfortable feeling that I needed to do
something. I later realized this feeling was a sign to follow my calling—to help
the world’s poor by listening to, and acting on, what is in my heart.
2 8 8 A F t e r w o r d
I’ve come to realize that fundraising is the key to accomplishing change
and doing good in the world. To me, fundraising is a holy expression of
one’s highest self, a way to fulfill one’s calling in the world. It’s not about
begging; it’s about inviting people to direct their resources to affect the
change they want to see in the world. It’s about helping to close the gap
between those people’s dreams, and transformation in the world.
Fundraising is a profound responsibility that, in order to do well, needs
to be done with not only humility, but also tenacity and integrity. I don’t
think of myself as a natural fundraiser, but I believe in what we’re doing at
Kiva.org, and most importantly, in our dream of helping people all over the
planet gain access to capital from others who believe in them.
It is my belief in, and focus on, this mission that drives me and continues
to fuel our efforts. I encourage you to stop often and reconnect with your
mission, with your calling. As a fundraiser, focus first and foremost on
establishing your personal connection to the cause, and then on sharing
that vision with others, along with a realistic plan for achieving it. Then
people will want to join you and support both your vision and your plan.
I believe that we all want to be in community with one another, and that we
are naturally drawn to be a part of something greater than ourselves.
Remember to take the time to recharge as you heed your call, because
ultimately, impact is multi-dimensional. It has depth, breadth, and
duration. In order to sustain your work, you have to tend to your own
garden. Without balancing your work—however important it may be—
with your personal life, you won’t be able to maximize impact. Many of the
issues we focus on will not be solved in our lifetime, so sustaining yourself is
critical. We must all find grace in the struggle.
Ask yourself: Can you add more life to your work? Think about what you
can do less of, in order to focus on what’s truly important. Take the time to
rest and to reflect on the good you do. Too often, we let ourselves be taken
away from the “why” of our work by meetings, tasks, and the demands of
the office. As you move forward, never forget what Lynne Twist shared in
the Foreword: that your work is an act of love and an expression of your
purpose on this planet.
Remember that every life has value, right here and right now. We can all
share more with each other, especially within the nonprofit sector. As you
A f t e r w o r d 2 8 9
advance in your career, don’t forget to lend a hand to peers and emerging
leaders. As I introduce my newborn daughter to others when she starts
school, sharing is one of the first and most valuable lessons I will teach her.
Our best hope is to make the world a better and more fair place for the next
generation born into it.
Many of the issues we seek to address are thorny and complicated. At Kiva.
org, we raise funds by finding allies and connecting with partners and
supporters who share our vision and who believe in our strategy. Ultimately,
it’s not about us. We are all links in a chain, and none of us is the beginning
or the end. As Darian likes to say, the rope is stronger than the thread, and
when we work together across issues, organizations, and even sectors,
great things become possible.
We need to work together to achieve the social change we all dream about.
Many nonprofits are unwilling to collaborate due to a scarcity mentality, but
when we partner with one another, we get more leverage and accomplish
greater things. Alone you may feel small, but together we thrive.
The beautiful thing about helping others in life is that, when you die, your
work lives on. We all have only a brief time on this planet, so ask: What is
the legacy I want to leave? Think about the Statue of Liberty. France gave
the United States the statue without a base, so the newspaper mogul Joseph
Pulitzer ran a crowdfunding campaign to raise the money needed to buy
one. The average donation was just 83 cents, and donors didn’t get t-shirts
or their names on a plaque. They donated because they believed in the statue
as a symbol of liberty and wanted it to stand tall and reflect their belief in
the greatness of American society.
Thanks to Pulitzer’s fundraising, and the donors who contributed, the
Statue of Liberty continues to inspire millions of people a year. If you think
about many of the enduring institutions on our planet, including churches,
universities, and well renown organizations like the Red Cross, they are
nonprofits that provide an anchor point for humanity in a world that can
sometimes lose sight of what really matters.
Fundraising is difficult, and there will be setbacks along the way that are
often beyond your control. Many times there are no easy answers. Seek solace
in your mission and in the eyes of those you help. Look inside yourself and
find your own personal calling and purpose, and answer it in your work.
2 9 0 A F t e r w o r d
That is ultimately what we exist to do in this sector, and in this world, in
my opinion. Remember that we’re all in this together—as a sector, as a
movement, and as a planet—and our goal is nothing short of unleashing
the full potential of the human race. And at the end of the day, none of our
work is possible without the funding that makes it move forward. Thank
you for the important work that you do each and every day to make this
world a better place.
About Premal Shah
Premal Shah is president and co-founder of Kiva.org, a website that’s
engaged thousands in lending over $1 million to low-income entrepreneurs
from 75 countries, in increments as low as $25. Shah’s inspiration for Kiva.
org came in 2004, after taking a sabbatical from PayPal to volunteer in
India. Working there to help low-income women sell handcrafts online
strengthened his belief that the right combination of technology, business,
and love can dramatically accelerate opportunity for those who need it most.
291
Closing Thoughts
Darian Rodriguez Heyman
“I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole
community, and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it
what I can.
I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I
work, the more I live.
I rejoice in life for its own sake.
Life is no ‘brief candle’ to me.
It is a sort of splendid torch which I have gotten hold of for
a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible
before passing it on to future generations.”
—George Bernard Shaw
One of my best friends, Chris Portella, once shared something that will
always stay with me: “When you’re in the zone, you never stop.” We may
have been talking about snowboarding at the time, but I’ve found the
insight equally relevant professionally.
We all wonder why we’re here at times and question our calling in this
world. My hope for you is that you discover that intention and purpose, and
that it involves fundraising for causes worthy of your support. And once you
discover this, may you unlock even more passion for your work and follow
the lead of many of our contributors, devoting your career to connecting
donors and funders to nonprofits that stir your passions.
Che Guevara once shared: “A true revolutionary is guided by great feelings
of love.” As professionals and leaders focused on social change, we are all
revolutionaries. But as you read in the Foreword and Afterword, the most
effective fundraisers are those whose actions and work come from a
2 9 2 C l o s i n g T h o u g h T s
place of love. As you connect with your love for a cause, or of fundraising
in general, I hope you discover a lifelong passion. After all, the world needs
you. Every cause, every organization, and every movement needs funding
to achieve its goals. That means they all need you, so finding work as a
fundraiser won’t be difficult. So pick wisely and choose the causes and
nonprofits you’re most committed to, and support them with your best work.
Love is one thing, arguably even a prerequisite for success in this work,
but I’d add another key variable in the recipe for success: persistence. In
my experience, in order to thrive as a nonprofit fundraiser, above all,
you must be persistent. Fundraising can be tough, and for every “yes” you
receive, odds are you will hear “no” even more. That means not being afraid
to be turned down and, more importantly, keeping your head high and
continuing on your path after every rejection. This is where the connection
to that love, to your passion, comes into play. It’s the fuel that drives you to
continue working, because you know the cause is worth it.
There are myriad problems in the world today, but personally, I believe that
nonprofits aren’t meant to focus on those. We exist to provide solutions. This
book contains a huge array of proven solutions, best practices, resources,
and ideas. Put them to work as you look to unlock your full potential as a
fundraiser. And remember, when you’re pursuing solutions, it’s not enough
to dream; we have to act, and act strategically.
I love asking nonprofits what they think the difference is between a dreamer and
a visionary. To me, it’s about the “B to the Y.” You see, I believe a dreamer can
see A to Z. A is the world as it exists today, with all its flaws and imperfections.
And Z is the utopian vision of tomorrow—the world where every child is
fed, clothed, and educated; where we live in a thriving local green economy;
or whatever it means to you. And that, in my mind, is a dream. It’s inspiring,
powerful, and stirs us emotionally.
But dreaming is not enough. The visionary sees this dream, but also sees the B to
the Y. These letters represent the steps involved in getting from here . . . to there.
They are the plans, partners, metrics, tactics, and every other consideration
needed to achieve the change you seek.
I trust this book will fill in a couple of letters in the alphabet for you,
enabling you to move past the dream and into the reality of impact. And
as you move along your path, remember to help others in their pursuit of a
better world.
C l o s i n g T h o u g h t s 2 9 3
There’s a story I once heard about a young nonprofit fundraiser. She was
walking along a country road when she fell into a pit. It was dark and the
walls were sheer. She tried to pull herself out but couldn’t, and started
calling out to anyone in earshot, to no avail. Despondent, she sat down in
the pit and pondered her fate, when suddenly a policeman walked by. She
could make out his hat over the brim of the pit, and she yelled out, begging
for help. Sadly, he just kept walking by, ignoring her cries.
After fruitlessly continuing to yell for a while, she sat back down and started
to cry. After another half hour or so, a fireman walked by. Once again, she
called for help: “Mr. fireman, help me! I’m a nonprofit fundraiser, and I’ve
fallen into a pit and can’t get out!” Unfortunately, the fireman ignored her
cries and simply carried on his way.
This is where she lost it. If a fireman and a policeman wouldn’t help her,
who would? She sat in that dark pit for what seemed like an eternity,
when an old man walked by. She didn’t even bother calling to him, since
if a policeman and a fireman ignored her, how could she possibly expect
this elderly fellow to hoist her out? To her amazement, the man peeked
over the edge of the hole and, seeing her below, jumped down without
hesitation.
He greeted her briefly, saying, “Hi there. I see you’re stuck down here.”
She picked her jaw up off the ground, and replied, “Yes, I’m a nonprofit
fundraiser, and I’ve been stuck down in this pit for hours! Thanks for
jumping down here, but why on earth would you do that?”
“Well,” he responded, “I’m a nonprofit fundraiser, too. Many years ago I
fell down into this same pit. A fellow fundraiser was kind enough to jump
down and show me that, back here through the darkness,” he pointed,
“there’s a stairway up to the surface.”
He slowly guided her up the passage, sharing: “She led me to safety and
told me that sometimes, we all fall into a pit. And as passionate, persistent
fundraisers we owe it to our profession, and to the many worthy causes in
the world, to help each other out when we can. So next time you walk by
this pit, or any others you’ve fallen into, take a peek inside. If there’s a poor
fundraiser trapped down there, jump in and help him or her out.”
The point of this story is that together we thrive, and alone, we struggle in
the darkness. It is the responsibility of every fundraiser to support and
2 9 4 C l o s i n g T h o u g h T s
help your peers. I hope the chapters and resources in this book shed light
on any pitfalls you face in the coming years and that they guide you to
success and impact. Remember that we’re all in this together, and it’s only
in unity and solidarity that the Z—the just world we all dream of—can
become real.
295
Book Partners
“When a thousand spiders unite, they can tie down a lion.”
—Ethiopian Proverb
In all, 77 amazing partners supported this book project. Collectively,
they represent some of the most important resources for nonprofits and
fundraisers globally, and I encourage you to learn more about them and
take advantage of everything they have to offer.
Book Sponsors
Founded in 2012, CommitChange is one of America’s fastest-growing
nonprofit software companies. They’re committed to building technologies
that change lives and help nonprofits raise money, more sustainably. www.
commitchange.com
Eventbrite is a global event marketplace empowering people to easily
discover and create events. Over 75,000 nonprofit events have been ticketed
through the Eventbrite platform to date. From mobile ticketing and
check-in at charity concerts to seating plans for fundraising galas, Eventbrite
offers features for all types of events. www.eventbrite.com
http://www.eventbrite.com
2 9 6 B o o k Pa r t n e r s
Sparrow is a mobile company on a mission: Digital Inclusion for All.
They are bridging the digital divide with the Mobile for All buy-one-
give-one mobile service, as well as a platform that connects economically
disadvantaged people—and the organizations who serve them—with the
mobile economy. www.SparrowMobile.com
Publication Partner
Since 1960, The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) has inspired
global change and supported efforts that generated over $1 trillion. AFP’s
members raise over $100 billion annually, equivalent to one-third of all
charitable giving in North America and millions more around the world.
AFP members throughout the world work to advance philanthropy through
advocacy, research, education, and certification programs. The association
fosters professional development and growth and promotes high ethical
standards in the fundraising profession. www.afpnet.org
Book Partners
Achieve is a research, design, and technology services company that helps
companies and nonprofits inspire action and change the world. Achieve
combines globally recognized research with thoughtful strategy, powerful
messaging, and stunning design to understand and activate audiences,
donors, and employees. www.achieveguidance.com
Ashoka’s Youth Venture develops and facilitates changemaker workshops
for youth by enabling parents, schools, businesses, and nonprofits to
http://www.SparrowMobile.com
http://www.afpnet.org
http://www.achieveguidance.com
B o o k P a r t n e r s 2 9 7
support them. This enables them to launch their own youth-led ventures
to solve social issues and to develop 21st century skills to prepare them for
today’s work environment. They offer competitions, feedback, and fiscal
sponsorship for their Youth Venturers. www.youthventure.org
The Aspen Leadership Group is a national network of fundraising leaders.
Through executive search and consulting services, and with a focus on careers
rather than on isolated jobs, ALG builds productive and enduring relationships
with individuals pursuing careers in philanthropy and with leaders of
organizations engaged in philanthropy. www.aspenleadershipgroup.com
Attentive.ly is a social media engagement platform that turns your
audience into advocates. They provide organizations with rich social
media data on their supporters and donors, and then help them use that
data to better target and personalize outreach for dramatically improved
response rates. They enable customers to send highly targeted, triggered
communications to contacts and donors based on digital body language
on the social web. www.Attentive.ly
Big Duck develops smart communications for nonprofits. They work primarily
in three areas—brandraising, campaigns, and consulting—to help nonprofits
of all shapes and sizes reach supporters, build awareness, and raise money.
Learn how they can help you inspire audiences and help people connect with,
and invest in, your nonprofit’s mission. www.BigDuckNYC.com.
Since 1990, Bioneers has acted as a nexus for game-changing social and
scientific visions, knowledge, and best practices, advancing the great
http://www.youthventure.org
http://www.Attentive.ly
http://www.BigDuckNYC.com
2 9 8 B o o k Pa r t n e r s
global transformation toward a human civilization that honors nature’s
genius, human ingenuity, and future generations. Through their annual
National Bioneers Conference, award-winning media, local conferences
and initiatives, and leadership training programs, they support individuals,
communities, organizations, and funders to connect, collaborate, and
co-create a shared future. www.bioneers.org
Blackbaud is the leading technology provider to all types of nonprofits
because they offer innovative software and services and the largest
philanthropic network in the world. Their mission is to empower and
connect nonprofits to take their missions as far as possible, so that good
can take over the world. www.blackbaud.com
Care2 is a highly engaged social network of 30 million citizen activists
standing together for good and making extraordinary impact—locally,
nationally, and internationally—by starting petitions and supporting each
other’s campaigns. Care2 has been a pioneer of online advocacy since its
inception. They provided the first central platform for online petitions and
were the first to help nonprofit organizations tap into this passion to grow
their organizations. www.Care2.com
Since 2002, the Cause Marketing Forum has been the go-to source for
nonprofit professionals seeking education, training, and connections in
their corporate alliance efforts. From monthly best practice webinars
to their annual conference, online resources, and industry benchmark
reports, CMF is the place to go for tips, trends, and tactics that
help further the efforts of those doing well by doing good. www.
causemarketingforum.com
http://www.Care2.com
http://www.causemarketingforum.com
http://www.causemarketingforum.com
B o o k P a r t n e r s 2 9 9
Causecast is the leading employee cause engagement platform, providing
a modern employee engagement solution to companies of all sizes.
Their robust system allows nonprofits to submit giving and volunteer
opportunities at no cost. In turn, corporate employees adopt or build their
own philanthropic campaigns, including offering their professional skills to
nonprofits and sharing their experiences using the Causecast Story Capture
feature. www.causecast.org
The Center for Excellence in Nonprofits (CEN) fosters highly effective
leaders and vibrant nonprofit organizations that transform the quality of life
in our communities. They are committed to building a strong community of
nonprofit leaders, fully understanding the challenges of our sector, providing
access to exceptional resources, and connecting nonprofit and community
leaders in ways that strengthen all of us. CEN puts on a variety of leadership
development programs, and has a strong focus on the importance of
fundraising to attain organizational sustainability. www.cen.org
The Center for Non-Profits is New Jersey’s statewide umbrella organization
for the charitable community. Its mission is to build the power of New
Jersey’s nonprofit community to improve the quality of life for the people
of the state. For more than 30 years, the Center has served as the leading
champion and first-stop resource for and about New Jersey’s nonprofits,
providing advocacy, tools and resources, strategic convenings, training,
phone and email consultation, cost-saving programs, and member services
to strengthen organizations and help them thrive. www.njnonprofits.org
As the world’s largest petition platform, Change.org empowers people
everywhere to create the change they want to see. Over 100 million
http://www.causecast.org
http://www.cen.org
3 0 0 B o o k Pa r t n e r s
people in every country come to Change.org to start campaigns, mobilize
supporters, and work with decision-makers to drive solutions. Thousands
of nonprofits use Change.org to advance their causes and connect with new
supporters and donors. www.Change.org
Commongood Careers is a mission-driven search firm that is committed
to supporting the hiring needs of nonprofits tackling today’s most pressing
social problems. Because of their clients’ ambitious goals, they work
hard to ensure they’re able to secure the talent needed to create even
greater social impact. Commongood Careers supports the hiring needs of
high-performing nonprofits at every stage of organizational growth—in all
functional areas and at all levels of seniority. www.commongoodcareers.org
Connecticut Association of Nonprofits (CT Nonprofits). There are
thousands of nonprofits in Connecticut—each striving to make a difference
on their own. Connecticut Association of Nonprofits (CT Nonprofits)
brings them together, so that each organization may benefit from collective
strength and a unified voice. As a capacity-building organization, they
focus on the tools and knowledge nonprofit professionals need to diversify
funding streams for their organization. www.ctnonprofits.org
Connecting Up is a not-for-profit organization that works to unleash the
power of not-for-profits by providing a variety of information, products,
resources, and programs. As the local partner of the U.S.-based TechSoup
Global network, Connecting Up manages technology donation programs
of companies such as Microsoft, Cisco, Adobe, Symantec, and many more
to qualified not-for-profit organizations in Australia, New Zealand (under
the TechSoup New Zealand banner), and South East Asia (under TechSoup
Asia). www.connectingup.org
http://www.Change.org
http://www.commongoodcareers.org
http://www.ctnonprofits.org
http://www.connectingup.org
B o o k P a r t n e r s 3 0 1
Constant Contact introduced the first email marketing tool for small
businesses, nonprofits, and associations in 1998. Today, the company helps
more than 650,000 customers worldwide find marketing success through
the only all-in-one online marketing platform for small organizations.
Anchored by their world-class email marketing tool, Constant Contact
helps nonprofits drive donor engagement and find new supporters.
www.constantcontact.com
For 50 years Development Executives Roundtable has provided exceptional
fundraising education to professionals in the San Francisco Bay Area in
an inclusive, supportive atmosphere. DER offers accessible, affordable
education and support to fundraising professionals. www.DERSF.org
eBay for Charity helps nonprofits and causes of all sizes raise funds on eBay,
the world’s most vibrant marketplace for discovering great value and unique
selection. Established in 2003, eBay for Charity has enabled the eBay
Community to raise over $600 million globally. It also gives eBay users a
secure and efficient way of donating to a charity of their choice when they
buy or sell on the site. http://charity.ebay.com
Echoing Green’s mission is to unleash next-generation talent to solve the
world’s biggest problems. Through Fellowships and innovative leadership
http://www.constantcontact.com
http://www.DERSF.org
http://charity.ebay.com
3 0 2 B o o k Pa r t n e r s
initiatives, they unleash potential by tracking down the best and brightest
leaders, bringing them together, and launching them on a path to success.
Echoing Green continues to build a global community of emerging
leaders—almost 700 and growing—who launched Teach For America, City
Year, One Acre Fund, and more. www.echoinggreen.org
eCivis is the leading cloud-based grants management system in the United
States for local governments, educational institutions, and nonprofits.
Their innovative solutions address both programmatic and fiscal grant
funding requirements, helping clients easily overcome the challenges and
heavy workload that come with finding and managing grants. Entities
rely on eCivis to identify appropriate grants, submit strong applications,
and efficiently manage awarded grants, while dramatically reducing
administrative costs. www.ecivis.com
For Momentum is a nationally recognized cause marketing agency.
Focused exclusively on cause alliance strategy and support, For Momentum
represents leading nonprofit organizations, corporations, and agencies to
form and strengthen strategic corporate partnerships. Founded in 2003 by
advertising and nonprofit executive Mollye Rhea, For Momentum has been
recognized by Corporate Responsibility Magazine as one of the top five cause
marketing firms in the United States. www.formomentum.com
Foundation Center is the leading source of information about philanthropy
worldwide. Through data, analysis, and training, it connects people who
want to change the world to the resources they need to succeed. It maintains
the most comprehensive database on grantmakers and their grants, and
operates research and capacity-building programs that advance knowledge of
philanthropy at every level. Its website, five regional centers, and more than
B o o k P a r t n e r s 3 0 3
450 Funding Information Network locations offer free access to resources.
www.foundationcenter.org
Improve your access to government funding, private investors, and
foundations by using The Funding Portal’s comprehensive funding services.
Search more than 14,000 sources of U.S. and Canadian funding aggregated
on the Portal, order their unique data and analytics products, and access
their partners and services that greatly improve funding outcomes. More
than 17,000 organizations use The Funding Portal to find funding each
month. TheFundingPortal.com
The Fundraising Institute of New Zealand (FINZ) is the professional
body for charities and those employed in, or involved with, fundraising,
sponsorship, and events in the not-for-profit sector. They lead the growing
professionalism of the sector in New Zealand with education courses,
advocacy support, mentoring, and maintenance of high ethical standards.
www.finz.org.nz
#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving that unites organizations around
the world for one common purpose: to give back. Launched in 2012, the
movement has created a community of philanthropists dedicated to giving
and sharing how they are making a difference. www.givingtuesday.org
For over 25 years, Global Exchange has been an incubator and hub for
movements and grassroots campaigns. They helped found the first Fair
Trade certification body in the United States, 50 Years Is Enough, United
for Peace and Justice, Code Pink, Green Festivals, and more. Today, Global
Exchange sponsors and supports nearly 20 small grassroots programs,
http://www.foundationcenter.org
http://www.finz.org.nz
3 0 4 B o o k Pa r t n e r s
providing start-up projects and grassroots leaders the opportunity to
connect with others in their network and access nonprofit resources.
www.globalexchange.org
Good Scout is a social good consultancy that helps brands take smart,
impactful, and sustainable leaps in how they contribute to the greater
good. Using their proprietary data tools and decades of corporate alliance
experience as a foundation, Good Scout helps their nonprofit clients
maximize opportunity with corporate partners across a spectrum of tactics,
igniting consumer and donor activation and resulting in millions in
incremental fundraising. www.goodscoutgroup.com
The Grant Professionals Association (GPA) is an international membership
association for everyone in the grants industry. GPA and its affiliates work
to advance the profession, certify professionals, and fund professionalism.
GPA offers continuing professional development through local chapter
meetings, regular webinars, the GPA Journal, and an annual conference.
www.GrantProfessionals.org
Grassroots.org serves as a catalyst for positive social change by offering
nonprofits free and deeply discounted technology tools, resources, and best
practices to save them money and serve their stakeholders more effectively.
www.grassroots.org
GuideStar is the world’s largest source of information on nonprofit
organizations. They collect, organize, and distribute crucial data about
nonprofit results, financials, operations, and more. Over 144,000
http://www.GrantProfessionals.org
http://www.grassroots.org
B o o k P a r t n e r s 3 0 5
foundation staff and board members use GuideStar to evaluate grantees
and direct more resources to organizations. This information is spread by
a network of more than 120 organizations, including AmazonSmile and
VolunteerMatch. www.guidestar.org
Humanity in Action is an international organization that educates, inspires,
and connects a network of emerging leaders committed to protecting
minorities and promoting human rights—in their own communities and
around the world. Since 1997, Humanity in Action has educated more then
1,500 emerging leaders via their offices in Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen,
Warsaw, Paris, New York, and Sarajevo. www.humanityinaction.org
Connect to impact
Nonprofits can drive strategic partnerships, establish key foundation and
corporate relationships, cultivate existing donors, and leverage board
connections with LinkedIn for fundraising. https://nonprofits.linkedin.com
Mal Warwick | Donordigital is a full-service, integrated fundraising
consulting agency that has worked with exceptional nonprofit organizations
and progressive political candidates and causes since 1979. Their senior-
level professionals provide strategic insight, in-depth analysis, award-
winning creative, and comprehensive management services. Their focus
is integrated direct mail, online, and telephone fundraising and advocacy.
www.malwarwick.com
Media Cause is a digital marketing agency specializing in nonprofits and
social enterprises. They help the world’s most impactful organizations
navigate the digital world as they change the real world. Media Cause
http://www.guidestar.org
https://nonprofits.linkedin.com
http://www.malwarwick.com
3 0 6 B o o k Pa r t n e r s
creates, shapes, and refines digital strategies to drive growth—whether
it’s developing a brand, raising awareness, building online communities,
creating engagement, or prompting action—and generate unparalleled
results. www.mediacause.org
The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits supports nonprofits and their
fundraising efforts through an annual conference focused on fundraising
strategies, trends, and techniques; a frequently offered Grantwriting
Clinic; Minnesota Grants Alert, an e-newsletter featuring grant deadlines
and foundation news and personnel updates; an annual publication,
Minnesota Grants Directory, profiling the largest public, community, and
private foundations in the state; the popular Minnesota Foundations
briefing, an annual review of recent changes in foundation priorities
and processes; and periodic Philanthropy Leaders events, where heads
of prominent foundations share their viewpoints with MCN members.
www.minnesotanonprofits.org
Mission Capital, formerly Greenlights for Nonprofit Success, provides
tools and guidance, including consulting, training, research, and more, to
help mission-driven people and organizations tackle complex community
problems in Central Texas. They promote the convergence of mission-
driven human, financial, intellectual, social, and political capital; the kind of
capital required to change the world. www.MissionCapital.org
Strong brands raise more money. Mission Minded is a branding firm that
works exclusively with nonprofits to help them determine the brand—or
reputation—for which they want to be known. Then they help them
bring that brand to life with compelling key messages, inspiring campaign
http://www.mediacause.org
http://www.MissionCapital.org
B o o k P a r t n e r s 3 0 7
collateral, powerful visual identity design, innovative website design, and
more. www.mission-minded.com
The Mobile Giving Foundation was founded in 2007 to create a “mobile
giving channel” that empowers nonprofits and donors, and that provides
mobile solutions for social good. Working with North America’s top
mobile carriers, the Foundation pioneered the use of “carrier-billed”
donations and owns the billing, reporting, and remittance infrastructure
that makes impulse giving on your phone possible. They partner with
the BBB Wise Giving Alliance to grow the mobile-giving channel,
strengthen mobile-giving industry standards and accountability, assure
donor confidence, and reinforce nonprofit acceptance of the mobile-giving
medium. www.mobilegiving.org
NEO Law Group provides nonprofit corporate and tax counsel to hundreds
of organizations on matters regarding charitable trust requirements,
solicitations, registration, sponsorships, gift acceptance policies, restricted
gifts, pledges, deductions, commercial fundraisers, and social media. The
firm’s lawyers are popular speakers and writers on nonprofit legal issues
and contributors to the popular Nonprofit Law Blog and Tony Martignetti
Nonprofit Radio. www.neolawgroup.com
Net Impact is a leading nonprofit that empowers aspiring impact makers
to use their skills and careers to change the world. At the heart of their
community are over 60,000 emerging leaders from more than 250
volunteer-led chapters across the globe, all working for a more just and
sustainable future. They provide the network and resources to help students
and professionals make a net impact that transforms the world. www.
netimpact.org
http://www.neolawgroup.com
http://www.netimpact.org
http://www.netimpact.org
3 0 8 B o o k Pa r t n e r s
Network for Good helps nonprofits grow individual giving through online
fundraising software and expert-backed training and resources, such as the
free Nonprofit 911 webinar series and The Nonprofit Marketing Blog. Since
2001, they have distributed more than $1 billion to over 100,000 charities
through their secure online giving platform. www.networkforgood.com
NetSuite.org is the Corporate Citizenship arm of NetSuite, a leading ERP/
CRM cloud platform. They support nonprofits and social enterprises to
create greater impact around the world in part by offering them five free
licenses to support donor relationships and financials. www.NetSuite.org
The Nonprofit Association of the Midlands (NAM) is the state association
for nonprofits of all sizes and missions in Nebraska and southwest Iowa.
They strengthen the collective voice, leadership, and capacity of nonprofits
in the region by providing resources to make running nonprofit businesses
easier. www.nonprofitam.org
The Nonprofit Association of Oregon (NAO) is a statewide membership
organization that provides a unique vehicle for nonprofit sector expression
and support. They believe the nonprofit sector strengthens the fabric of our
democracy and our communities. By representing and supporting charitable
nonprofits of all sizes and geographic locations across Oregon, NAO strives
to convene, build capacity, promote best practices, and be a thought leader to
help nonprofits build a thriving and vital Oregon. www.nonprofitoregon.org
The Nonprofits Insurance Alliance Group is dedicated to exclusively serving
the insurance needs of nonprofits and currently provides specialty liability
http://www.networkforgood.com
http://www.NetSuite.org
http://www.nonprofitam.org
http://www.nonprofitoregon.org
B o o k P a r t n e r s 3 0 9
coverage for more than 15,000 501(c)(3) nonprofits. The Nonprofits
Insurance Alliance of California (NIAC) provides coverage in California.
The Alliance of Nonprofits for Insurance, Risk Retention Group (ANI)
provides coverage in 32 states, plus D.C. www.insurancefornonprofits.org
Since 1948, the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance has worked to strengthen
the social sector with a talented, prepared workforce. Its Certified Nonprofit
Professional (CNP) credential is the only national nonprofit management
certification in the United States. The Alliance system, which includes
50 colleges, universities, and national nonprofit partners and more than
9,000 CNPs, is the largest network in the country working to build a talent
pipeline for the social sector. www.NonprofitLeadershipAlliance.org
Nonprofit Marketing Guide offers free and affordable online training and
downloads, as well professional coaching and mentoring programs. They
literally wrote the books on nonprofit marketing. Check out The Nonprofit
Marketing Guide: High-Impact, Low-Cost Ways to Build Support for Your
Good Cause, Content Marketing for Nonprofits: A Communications Map for
Engaging Your Community, Becoming a Favorite Cause, and Raising More
Money. www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com
With 100,000 monthly visitors and more than one million followers on
social networks, Nonprofit Tech for Good is a leading mobile and social
media blog for nonprofit professionals worldwide. They focus on providing
easy-to-understand news and resources related to nonprofit technology,
social media, online fundraising, and mobile communications. www.
nptechforgood.com
NTEN is a community of nearly 70,000 nonprofit professionals that
transforms technology into social change. NTEN connects its members
http://www.NonprofitLeadershipAlliance.org
http://www.nptechforgood.com
http://www.nptechforgood.com
3 1 0 B o o k Pa r t n e r s
to each other through networking and events, provides professional
development opportunities, educates their constituency on issues of
technology use in nonprofits, and spearheads groundbreaking research,
advocacy, and education on technology issues affecting the entire nonprofit
technology community—from fundraising to technology leadership.
www.nten.org
OneStar Foundation is a nonprofit corporation designated by the Governor
to build a stronger nonprofit sector in Texas. OneStar is recognized
statewide as a leading voice of the sector, a neutral convener, and a
respected business partner to foundations, state agencies, and the business
community. OneStar is home to Texas Connector, an online nonprofit
mapping tool with the most robust nonprofit data set in the country
overlaid with socioeconomic and demographic data for grant writing and
community needs assessments. http://onestarfoundation.org
The Peace and Collaborative Development Network (PCDN) is one
of the leading online networks connecting the global social change
community. PCDN is a rapidly growing social enterprise that gathers
over 35,000 professionals and organizations, offering a one-stop shop
to inspire, connect, inform, and provide the tools and resources to
scale social change. The network has extensive resources on all aspects
of fundraising, including many grant, crowdfunding, and related
opportunities. www.internationalpeaceandconflict.org
PeerSpring is a civic-tech education company dedicated to strengthening
collaboration among students, teachers, and their communities. They
work with educators, nonprofits, and youth leaders to connect real-world
problems with skills-based education programs implemented inside
secondary and higher education classrooms. Nonprofits are invited to
submit “challenges” for secondary and higher-ed students to “solve.”
www.peerspring.com
http://www.nten.org
http://www.internationalpeaceandconflict.org
http://www.peerspring.com
B o o k P a r t n e r s 3 1 1
The Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum (formerly the Run Walk Ride
Fundraising Council) was launched in May 2007 to support the
professionals who manage peer-to-peer fundraising events, who collectively
raise in excess of $1 billion a year for charities. Their conference and
workshops, webinars, and online services provide access to practical
information on producing more successful programs, valuable contacts, and
recognition for outstanding work. www.peertopeerforum.com
Plenty is a peer-to-peer fundraising consultancy with unmatched experience
helping organizations harness the power of networks, the possibility of
community, and the potential of peer-to-peer, so they can raise more money,
build larger movements, and create a lasting difference in the world.
www.plentyconsulting.com
Points of Light—the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer
service—mobilizes millions of people to take action and change the
world. Through affiliates in 250 cities and partnerships with thousands of
nonprofits and corporations, Points of Light engages four million volunteers
in 30 million hours of service each year. They bring the power of people to
bear where it’s needed most. www.pointsoflight.org
RSF Social Finance is a financial services organization dedicated to
transforming the way the world works with money. RSF offers investing,
lending, and giving services that generate positive social and environmental
impact, while fostering community and collaboration among participants.
Since 1984, RSF has made more than $275 million in loans and $130
million in grants to nonprofits (and for-profit social enterprises), working in
the fields of Food and Agriculture, Education and the Arts, and Ecological
Stewardship. www.rsfsocialfinance.org
http://www.plentyconsulting.com
http://www.rsfsocialfinance.org
3 1 2 B o o k Pa r t n e r s
Sea Change Strategies raises money by building relationships. They believe
that the change organizations are seeking in the world will accelerate when
they understand their donors, what they value, and how to build close
ties with them. They do audience research and create research-backed
fundraising strategies to give donors amazing experiences that keep them
giving. www.seachangestrategies.com
Selfish Giving helps do-gooders, nonprofits, and businesses create win-win
partnerships that raise money, build stakeholder loyalty, and change the
world. The site’s founder, Joe Waters, is co-host of CauseTalk Radio and the
author of three books. His latest is Fundraising with Businesses: 40 New (and
Improved!) Strategies for Nonprofits. www.Selfishgiving.com
The Social Good Summit is a two-day conference examining the impact
of technology and new media on social good initiatives around the world.
Held annually during UN Week, the Social Good Summit unites a dynamic
community of global leaders and grassroots activists to discuss solutions
for the greatest challenges of our time. During the Summit, global citizens
around the world unite to unlock the potential of technology to make the
world a better place. www.mashable.com/sgs
Social Media for Nonprofits (SM4NP) powers social change globally
by building the digital media capacity of nonprofits to use social media
tools and platforms and better meet their missions. SM4NP is the only
http://www.Selfishgiving.com
http://www.mashable.com/sgs
B o o k P a r t n e r s 3 1 3
nonprofit with a vast global and digital footprint, including a presence
in thirteen cities and three countries, dedicated solely to this work. In
addition to training programs, they convene global leaders around the
role of social media in social change movements to help elevate global
movements like the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, BlackLivesMatter, and
more. www.sm4np.org
Socialbrite is a leading social media consultancy for nonprofits and a
digital learning hub that brings together top experts in social causes and
social media. They help nonprofits with all facets of social media: strategy,
social PR, trainings, website design, community building, multimedia
storytelling, and fundraising campaigns. In addition, they provide
thousands of free articles, tutorials, and resources to the social good
community. www.socialbrite.org
StartSomeGood is a crowdfunding platform for social good project. They
work with nonprofits, social enterprises, and community groups to help
them develop and launch their campaigns. With a curated platform and
emphasis on providing great advice and support, StartSomeGood has one of
the highest success rates of any crowdfunding platform, with 53 percent of
projects reaching their goals. www.startsomegood.com
Stifter-helfen.de—IT für Non-Profits—is the online portal for IT donations
to nonprofits in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. A regional TechSoup
Global affiliate, they offer nonprofits discounted access to over 30 IT
providers, including Adobe, Cisco, Microsoft, and Symantec. They also
offer access to refurbished hardware and produce workshops and webinars
to build nonprofits’ IT knowledge and digital competence. They recently
launched ConnectingHelp (www.connectinghelp.de), a new one-stop
marketplace for donations of all kinds to nonprofits in Germany, including
IT and other product donations, competitions, grant opportunities, requests
for proposals, webinars, and pro bono activities of companies, foundations,
and other organizations. www.Stifter-helfen.de
http://www.sm4np.org
http://www.socialbrite.org
http://www.connectinghelp.de
http://www.Stifter-helfen.de
3 1 4 B o o k Pa r t n e r s
The Support Center/Partnership in Philanthropy has been dedicated to
improving society by increasing the effectiveness of nonprofit leaders and
their organizations since 1986. Their services—including change consulting,
executive search, training, and grantmaker partnerships—strengthen
nonprofit and philanthropic leaders and their organizations. They work with
organizations of different sizes and stages of growth to develop practical
knowledge, build productive relationships, and find the information and
resources they need to further their mission. www.supportcenteronline.org
The Taproot Foundation connects nonprofits and social change organizations
with passionate, skilled volunteers who share their expertise pro bono.
Through their programs, business professionals deliver marketing, strategy,
HR, and IT solutions that nonprofits need to achieve their missions. More
and more nonprofits are thinking comprehensively about “resource-raising”
to include pro bono service. Imagine what your organization could do for
the communities you serve if you could secure 20 percent of your budget
through pro bono service. www.taprootfoundation.org
TechSoup is a global network of 63 partner NGOs that connects over
600,000 nonprofits in every country around the globe to the technology,
support, and resources they need to enhance social impact. They are best
known for running the world’s largest technology philanthropy program in
partnership with leading technology companies, offering nonprofits access
to a wide array of discounted and donated hardware, software, and services.
www.techsoup.org
Thrive—San Mateo County’s Nonprofit Alliance—is a robust, trusted
network of nonprofit organizations, businesses, government agencies,
elected officials, and civic leaders. Thrive helps build the capacity of
nonprofits and strengthen San Mateo County’s critical community
http://www.techsoup.org
B o o k P a r t n e r s 3 1 5
organizations by providing over 230 members with invaluable connections,
collaboration opportunities, and resources to help them fulfill their mission
and fundraising goals. www.thrivealliance.org
UniversalGiving connects people with quality giving and volunteering
opportunities worldwide. Unique to UniversalGiving, 100 percent of
donations given through their online platform go directly to nonprofits.
UniversalGiving Corporate consults Fortune 500 companies on scaling their
Corporate Social Responsibility programs. www.universalgiving.org
VolunteerMatch believes everyone should have the chance to make a
difference. As the Web’s largest volunteer engagement network, they connect
good people with great causes. To date, they’ve helped nonprofits attract
more than $6.8 billion worth of volunteer services—and research shows that
two out of three volunteers also donate money to the organizations to which
they donate their time. www.volunteermatch.org
WVDO is a member-based organization in Oregon open to anyone who
engages in professional fundraising activities, including volunteers, board
members, executive directors, development directors and assistants, event
planners, grant writers, consultants, foundations, and business professionals.
They empower members to learn together and support one another as
they develop resources for fundraising excellence. Through educational
programming and job placement services, WVDO works tirelessly to
improve nonprofits and the communities they serve. www.wvdo-or.org
YES! is a nonprofit that connects, inspires, and collaborates with
changemakers to co-create thriving, just, and sustainable ways of life for
all. They work at the meeting point of internal, interpersonal, and systemic
http://www.thrivealliance.org
http://www.universalgiving.org
http://www.volunteermatch.org
http://www.wvdo-or.org
3 1 6 B o o k Pa r t n e r s
transformation. YES! supports leaders and visionaries to access and expand
the resources inside of themselves, their communities, and the wider world
at all levels. www.yesworld.org
The Youth Leadership Institute (YLI) builds communities where young people
and their adult allies come together to create positive community change.
They bring over 20 years of social justice work to their California community-
based programs—in San Francisco, Marin, San Mateo, and Fresno Counties—
and their national training and consulting services. YLI is committed to
engaging and developing young people of color, low-income youth, and other
non-traditional leaders as agents of social change. www.yli.org
http://www.yli.org
317
About the Authors
“The purpose of life is a life of purpose.”
—Robert Byrne
Darian Rodriguez Heyman is an accomplished fundraiser, social
entrepreneur, and author. His work “helping people help” started during
his five-year tenure as executive director of Craigslist Foundation, where
he launched their Nonprofit Boot Camp and educated and inspired
more than 10,000 nonprofit leaders. He edited the best-selling book,
Nonprofit Management 101: A Complete and Practical Guide for Leaders
and Professionals (John Wiley & Sons), after which he co-founded the only
conference series devoted to social media for social good, Social Media for
Nonprofits.
Heyman also co-founded Sparrow: Mobile for All, which powers mobile
campaigns for nonprofits and government agencies serving the poor, and
served as a commissioner for the environment for the City and County
of San Francisco, where he helped pass the largest solar rebate program in
U.S. history. He is a frequent keynote speaker at nonprofit, fundraising,
youth leadership, and environmental events around the globe and thrives
on connecting social change leaders to the best practices, resources, and
contacts needed to maximize impact. Heyman can be reached at
darian@darianheyman.com and strives to personally and promptly
respond to all inquiries and requests for support.
Laila Brenner is a writer and veteran fundraiser who has worked with a
variety of national organizations including Habitat for Humanity, The
Trust for Public Land, Craigslist Foundation, and KCETLink. In 2010
she received her master’s degree in nonprofit administration from the
University of San Francisco and founded LB Writing Services. Brenner has
worked raising money for and promoting a variety of causes within the
mailto:darian@darianheyman.com
3 1 8 A b o u t t h e A u t h o r s
sector, including education and literacy, access to technology, affordable
housing, environmental conservation, community building, performing arts,
volunteerism, women’s rights, media impact and reform, and more. She has
also served as executive director for Atmos Theatre and co-founded The
Women’s Service Club and Nonprofits101.
319
Index
Page references followed by fig indicate an
illustrated figure.
A
A/B email testing, 169–170
“ABC: Always Be Cropping” (Kawasaki), 189
Aberdeen Group, 121
Accenture Consulting, 130
Achieve, 144, 149
Advertisements. See Media sponsorships
Advocates (Triple A framework for the Ask), 91
AdWords, 122
AFP’s 2014 Fundraising Effectiveness Survey Report,
88
Ali, Muhammad, 10
ALS Association, 182–184
Ambassadors (Triple A framework for the Ask), 91
American Cancer Society (ACS), 37, 40–41, 43
American Express, 129
American Marketing Association, 252
“Angels,” 281–282
Annual appeal campaigns: critical skills and
competencies for successful, 108–114;
do’s and don’ts for, 114–115; as great way
to connection with donors and potential
donors, 107–108
Annual unrestricted donations, 92–93
APANO (Asian Pacific American Network of
Oregon) case study, 41–42
API (application programming interface), 58
Apple Watch, 201
Apps (mobile fundraising), 195
APRA (Association of Professional Researchers for
Advancement), 48, 52–53, 54
Asker (Triple A framework for the Ask), 91
Association of Fundraising Professionals, 252
Aubry, Rick: on earned income strategies,
275–284; professional background of,
276, 284
B
“B to the Y,” 292
Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964): critical skills
and competencies for fundraising to,
145–148; do’s and don’ts of fundraising
to, 149; what fundraisers need to know
about, 145
Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, 281
Beneficiary testimonials, 167
Benefits (job), 18
Beth’s Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media
(Kanter), 186
Beyond Fund Raising (Grace), 88, 96
Big Duck, 108, 115
Bill Bradley Presidential Campaign, 130
Bioneers, 222
Bittel, Lester R., 13
Blackbaud, 59, 66, 70, 74, 113
Board chairs: creating a board development
committee with focus on fundraising, 31;
responsibility to make personal asks of
each board member, 32; taking charge of
getting other board members involved in
fundraising, 31
Board development committee: created to focus
on fundraising, 31; to drive recruitment
and onboarding board members, 28
Board engagement: as critical for fundraising
success, 25–26; critical skills and
competencies for developing, 26–33; do’s
and don’ts of creating a, 33–34
Board engagement skills/competencies: 1: know
what you’re looking for by creating a
matrix, 26–28; 2: set expectations for
board members, 28–29; 3: provide board
members with training and support, 30; 4:
engage each board member individually,
30–31; 5: let your board lead, 31–32; 6:
maximize board meetings, 32–33
Board matrix: how to introduce it to your board
members, 27–28; Nonprofit Board
Matrix Template for, 27; as powerful
tool clarifying what you need in board
meetings, 26
Board meetings: introducing your board matrix at
a, 27–28; maximize your, 32–33; sharing
fundraising success stories at, 32; start
with ten minutes of silence during review
of the docket agenda, 32–33
Board member expectations: annual capacity gift of
every board member as, 29, 82; as basis for
annual board reviews, 28–29; a minimum
number of donor, finder, and sponsor
prospect introductions annually as, 29
3 2 0 I N D E X
water, 71–73; Grow Dat, 282–283;
Kyra Millich, Volunteer Fundraiser
of community-based walks, runs, and
rides, 138–139; Mercy House, 159–160;
RE-volv, 193–194; The ALS Ice Bucket
Challenge, 176, 182–184
Cause Marketing for Dummies (Waters), 256
Cause Marketing Forum, 252, 256
Cause marketing partnerships: aligning your
nonprofit with business’ objectives and
values, 256; Cause Marketing Proposal
Tips, 258–259; critical skills and
competencies of, 256–260; description
and advantages of, 255–256; do’s and
don’ts of, 261; written agreement to
ensure accountability, 260. See also
Sponsorships
Cause marketing partnerships skills/competencies:
1: think it through, 256–257; 2: do
your homework, 257; 3: get in the door,
257–259; 4: listen up and speak their
language, 259; 5: close the deal, 260; 6:
keep them happy, 260
CauseRATE, 248
Center for Community Change, 219
Champions: CRM (constituent relationship
management), 59–60; dedicated to
securing corporate sponsorships, 246–247
Charitable Gift Fund Volunteerism and Charitable
Giving Report (Fidelity), 37
charity: water case study, 71–73
Chesterfield, Lord, 143
Chomsky, Noam, 155
Cohen, Ben, 281
The College Fund/UNCF (Los Angeles), 219
Collins, Jim, 33
CommitChange, 159
Communication: charity: water case study on
honest and authentic, 72; follow up and
debrief event donors, staff, and volunteers,
128; fundraising campaigns and effective,
109–110, 113, 114; grassroots fundraising
by personalizing donor, 83; with major
donors several times a year, 93–95;
maximizing your website donations with
clear and effective, 156–159; personalized
gift acknowledgements to donors, 84;
tracking grant progress and reporting back
to funders, 235–241; writing an effective
LOI (letter of interest), 228–231. See
also Email communication; Language;
Listening; Thank you’s communication;
The Ask
Board members: Board Member Agreement with
each of the, 28–29, 82; brainstorming
to come up with impact examples for
donation amounts on websites, 159; as
critical factor in your success, 13–14;
critical skills and competencies for hiring
and developing, 14–21; engaging each of
them individually, 30–31; engaging them
in event-based fundraising, 119–120;
engaging your, 25–34; ensuring 100
percent participation in grassroots
fundraising by, 81–82; include them in
the fundraising process, 11; involve them
in major donor prospecting, 89; prepare
them to ask for major gifts, 91; setting
expectations for your, 28–29
Brown, Helen: professional background of, 54;
Prospect Research for Fundraisers: The
Essential Handbook by, 48, 54; on skills
and competencies for prospecting and
donor research, 48–53
Browning, Beverly: Grant Writing for Dummies by,
236, 241; logic model for tracking grant
progress developed by, 238; professional
background of, 241; on skills and
competencies of tracking and reporting on
grants, 236–240
Budgets: for donor database management, 59;
don’t create a fundraising plan without
adequate, 11; event-based fundraising,
119; identifying your fundraising, 7; LOI
(letter of interest) inclusion of accurate
math on all your, 230; for professional
team development, 18–19. See also
Financial issues
Burnett, Leo, 81
Business Week’s “Voices of Innovation for Social
Media,” 186
C
Calendars. See Editorial calendars
Campaign Monitor, 170
Campaigns. See Fundraising campaigns
Carlson, Maureen: professional background
of, 252; on skills and competencies for
securing corporate sponsorships, 246–251
Carpentier, Gayle Samuelson: professional
background of, 271–272; on skills
and competencies for securing media
sponsorships, 266–270
Case studies: APANO (Asian Pacific American
Network of Oregon), 41–42; charity:
I n d e x 3 2 1
Corporate sponsorships: benefits of nonprofits
by having, 245–246; critical skills and
competencies for getting, 246–251;
do’s and don’ts of getting, 251–252;
Sponsorship Proposal Template, 249. See
also Cause marketing partnerships
Craigslist Foundation’s Nonprofit Boot Camp and
Social Media for Nonprofits, 245
Credibility: creating it with your Executive
Director, 20; establishing with grassroots
fundraising donors, 80; LOI (letter of
interest) that establishes your, 230; Van
Jones’ Live Ask Recipe on establishing,
125
CRM champion: creating a CRM FAQs
(frequently asked questions), 60;
identifying key performance indicators to
gauge performance, 59–60; identifying
the person to take ownership of your
CRM, 59; training departments and key
personnel to CRM by, 60. See also Donor
database
CRM (constituent relationship management):
of community-based runs, walks, and
rides events, 137; design your event page
to be integrated with your, 121; donor
database management using, 57–62;
FAQs (frequently asked questions) on, 60;
identifying your resources including a, 7;
keeping it current and up to date, 60–61;
tracking volunteer information using, 39;
training key personnel on how to use the,
60. See also Technological tools
Crowdfunding: 50/50 social media rule for,
181; critical skills and competencies
for, 176–184; do’s and don’ts of, 185;
Facebook used for, 176, 181–182,
189–190; Instagram used for, 192; Joseph
Pulitzer’s Statute of Liberty, 289; LinkedIn
used for, 191–192; Pinterest used for, 192;
P.O.S.T. to Social Media for successful,
178–180; presenting an opportunity to
turn your donors into fundraisers, 176;
providing volunteers with the tools for,
41; Twitter used for, 176–177, 182–183,
190–191; YouTube used for, 192. See also
Social media
Crowdfunding case studies: RE-volv, 193–194;
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge on, 176,
182–184
Crowdfunding skills and competencies: 1: start
with the basics, 176–180; 2: pick the right
crowdfunding platform, 180–181; 3:
Communication channels: fundraising across
generations by diversifying your, 146–147;
used for fundraising campaigns, 112. See
also Social media
Community-based fundraising: Case Study:
Kyra Millich, Volunteer Fundraiser,
138–139; description and advantages
of, 133–134; skills and competencies of,
134–138
Community-based fundraising skills/
competencies: 1: prioritize and focus, 134;
2: specify your audience, 134–135; 3: ask
away, 135–136; 4: separate logistics and
fundraising, 136; 5: provide good service,
136–137; 6: capture everything, 137; 7:
use technology, 137–138
Community Foundations, 210
Compensation: be honest and explicit about
your budget for, 15; for leader position of
earned income strategies, 279; making a
job offer that includes information on, 18
Competitive advantage, 279–280
Connect2Give, 200
Constant Contact, 170
Contee, Cheryl, 57
Content curators, 181
Content Marketing for Nonprofits: A
Communications Map for Engaging Your
Community, Becoming a Favorite Cause,
and Raising More Money (Miller), 172
Convio, 41
Corporate Foundations, 210–211
Corporate social responsibility (CSR), 257
Corporate sponsor decks: resources available
to create, 248; Sponsorship Proposal
Template for, 249
Corporate sponsor prospects: benefits to offer,
247, 249, 250; creating sponsor decks
and proposals for, 248–249; identifying,
249–250; pitching to, 250; pricing
yourself right to, 247–248. See also Donor
prospects
Corporate sponsors: including them in ads
provided by media sponsors, 247;
keeping them happy and create an impact
summary for, 250–251
Corporate sponsorship skills/competencies: 1:
dedicate personnel, 246–247; 2: price
yourself right, 247–248; 3: create a
killer deck, 248–249; 4: fill the pipeline,
249–250; 5: be flexible, 250; 6: have a
conversation, 250; 7: keep your sponsors
happy, 250–251
3 2 2 I N D E X
Documentation: ABC 2016-2018 Fundraising
Plan example of, 8–9; ensure that the
fundraising plan has complete, 11; of
fundraising plans, 7–9
Donate button: Google Analytics to analyze
results of your, 161; optimizing your
website, 158
Donations: major gifts, 91–93; maximizing
website, 156–159; Mercy House case
study on website, 159–160
Donor-advised funds, 210
Donor database: build your donor email
address list, 167–168; critical skills and
competencies for managing your, 58–61;
CRM tool to manage your, 57–62;
do’s and don’ts on, 61–62; grassroots
fundraising investment in a, 82–83;
keeping it current and up to date, 60–61;
platforms available for managing, 58–59;
track the age of your donors in, 145;
tracking major donors in, 89. See also
CRM champion; Data; Donors
Donor databases skills/competences: 1: pick
the right platform, 58–59; 2: identify
an owner, 59; 3: find and clean your
data, 59–60; 4: invest in training and
documentation, 60; 5: stay current, 60–61
Donor investors, 95
Donor prospect lists: assign a lead fundraiser
to each prospect on, 8–9; gathering
information to create your, 9; review it to
ensure your goals are realistic, 11
Donor prospect research: critical skills and
competencies for, 48–53; do’s and don’ts
on, 53–54; importance to identify and
prioritize prospects, 47–48
Donor prospect research skills/competencies: 1:
assign the right staff, 48; 2: start with your
inner circle and create a ratings system,
49–51; 3: support the ask, 51; 4: keep an
eye on top prospects, 51–52; 5: expand
your pipeline, 52; 6: stay informed, 52–53
Donor prospects: creating a ratings system on,
49–51; keeping an eye on your top using
a “moves management” system, 51–52;
keeping tabs on any major activities or
life events of, 51; of major donors, 88–96;
a minimum number of introductions
annually required of board members, 29;
research for identifying and prioritizing,
47–54; tools for expanding your pipeline
for identifying, 52. See also Corporate
sponsor prospects
become a content curator, 181; 4: master
frequency and timing, 181–182; 5: test
and learn, 182; 6: survey the landscape,
184
D
D’Angelo, Anthony J., 133
Dashboards: cause marketing partnership, 260;
how to apply your, 71; identifying your
KPIs on the, 70–71. See also Measuring
impact
Data: applications to fundraising campaigns, 113;
average rates to renewal, special appeals,
and acquisition direct mail, 100–101;
community-based runs, walks, and rides
events, 137; fundraising through email,
170–171; leverage with A/B testing on
your emails, 169–170; measuring impact
using, 65–74; trust your direct mail,
101–102. See also Donor database
Deadlines. See Schedules
Debriefing: community-based runs, walks, and
rides events staff and volunteers, 137; of
event donors, staff, and volunteers, 128
Dhillon, Lovely, 67
DiBianca, Suzanne: professional background of,
62; on skills and competencies for donor
database management, 58–61
Digital Giving Index (Network for Good), 108
Direct mail: critical skills and competencies for,
100–103; description and best suited to
large organizations, 99–100, 103–104;
do’s and don’ts of, 104; “relationship
building,” 103
Direct mail donor lists: considering creating a
giving club or patron’s circle option for
your, 102; know the donors on your, 102;
as long-term investment, 101; strategies
for growing your, 101
Direct mail responses: average rates to renewal,
special appeals, and acquisition direct
mail, 100–101; focusing your ask to
increase your, 102–103; trust the data and
not your gut for increasing your, 101–102
Direct mail skills/competencies: 1: know your
numbers, 100–101; 2: prepare for the long
haul, 101; 3: grow your list, 101; 4: trust
the data and not your gut, 101–102; 5:
know your donors, 102; 6: focus, focus,
focus your ask, 102–103; 7: create a
schedule and stick to it, 103
I n d e x 3 2 3
Duvette, Peggy: professional background of, 62;
on skills and competencies for donor
database management, 58–61
E
Earned income strategic skills/competencies: 1:
define the terms, 276; 2: ensure support,
276–278; 3: solidify leadership, 278–279;
4: understand your competitive advantage,
279–280; 5: secure capital, 280–281; 6:
find your angel, 281–282
Earned income strategies: critical skills and
competencies for effective, 276–282; do’s
and don’ts for, 283–284; nonprofit need
for, 275–276; Social Enterprise Case
Study: Grow Dat on, 282–283
eCivis, 236, 241
Ed2Go, A.K.A. Cengage Learning, 241
Editorial calendars: campaign appeals and
updates, 110–112; creating and
sticking to a direct mail schedule and,
103; event-based fundraising, 119;
fundraising through email by creating
a communication, 166; mapping out
your social media and crowdfunding
campaigns, 177; planning for fundraising
through email communications, 166. See
also Schedules
Einstein, Albert, 207
Email communication: A/B testing on your, 169–
170; build your donor email address list
for, 167–168; create event toolkits with
same, 119–120; don’t send out unsolicited
or spam, 168; as effective way to recruit
event attendees, 122; Email Cheat
Sheet, 169; “engagement,” 167; make
sure that yours is mobile-compatible or
“responsive,” 196–198; mobile devices the
most common way to receive, 169, 195;
three key things to make your message
pop, 168–169. See also Communication;
Fundraising through email
Emerson, Jed, 278
Engagement email, 167
Entrepreneurship: Stanford Social
Entrepreneurship course on, 279; “to take
in hand” definition of, 275. See also Social
enterprise
Environmental assessment, 6
Evaluation plans: collaboration between program
staff and those conducting the, 69; for
grant tracking and reporting, 236–240;
Donor prospects rating system: capacity ratings,
50; inclination/interest codes, 50; keep it
simple, 49–50; for major donors, 89; Next
Gift Amounts, 50; readiness codes, 50–51
Donor pyramid: diversification as the key
to building your, 79; do’s and don’ts
of building your, 84–85; grassroots
fundraising to build your, 80–84
Donor requests: contacting lapsed donors with
a, 41; grassroots fundraising by making
regular, 83–84. See also The Ask
Donor responses: A/B testing on your emails to
identify “open rate,” 169–170; direct mail,
100–103
Donors: assess your, 6; contacting lapsed, 41;
event-based, 117–129; fundraising
campaigns and effective communication
with, 109–110, 113, 114; grassroots
fundraising by personalizing
communication with, 83; how social
media presents an opportunity to turn
them into fundraisers, 176; major, 87–96;
prospecting and donor research by starting
with your inner circle, 49–50; track the
age of your, 145; tracking all activity on
key, 51–52. See also Donor database;
Potential donors
DonorsChoose.org, 14
DonorSearch, 52
Do’s and don’ts: cause marketing partnerships,
261; corporate sponsorships, 251–252;
crowdfunding, 185; direct mail, 104;
donor database, 60–61; donor prospect
research, 53–54; engaging volunteer
fundraising, 43; engaging your board,
33–34; event-based fundraising, 129;
foundations and foundation grants,
218; fundraising across generations,
149; fundraising campaigns, 114–115;
fundraising plans, 11; fundraising with
email, 171–172; government grants,
224–225; grassroots fundraising, 84–85;
hiring and training staff, 21; LOI (letter of
interest), 232; major donors management,
95–96; measuring impact, 74; media
sponsorships, 271; mobile fundraising,
202; online fundraising and website
donations, 161; social enterprise earned
income strategies, 283–284; tracking and
reporting back on grants, 241
Drayton, Bill, 275
Dream Corps, 125
Drucker, Peter, 65
3 2 4 I N D E X
62; Tanya Urschel, 196–201, 203; Tori
O’Neal-McElrath, 208–217, 219; Tracy
Kosolcharoen, 118–128, 129. See also
Interviews; Job interviews
F
Facebook: campaign appeals using, 112,
113; crowdfunding through, 176,
181–182, 189–190; as effective way
to recruit event attendees, 122; getting
information about Foundations from,
214; optimizing the size of viral thank
you’s for mobile fundraising on, 200–201;
user demographics of, 175. See also Social
media
Facebook Marketing All-In-One (Haydon), 186
Facebook Marketing for Dummies (Haydon), 176,
186
Family foundations, 209–210
Feldmann, Derrick: on critical skills and
competencies of fundraising across
generations, 145–148; professional back
ground of, 144, 149
Fénelon, François, 165
Fidelity’s Charitable Gift Fund Volunteerism and
Charitable Giving Report, 37
50/50 social media rule, 181
Financial issues: dispelling the overhead myth,
5–6; finding your “angel,” 281–282;
identify your fundraising budget and
resources, 7; identity your overhead or
administrative expenses, 11; know your,
5; securing social capital funds, 280–281;
social enterprise earned income strategies,
275–284. See also Budgets
Fitbit, 201
FOMO (fear of missing out), 123
Forbes magazine, 149
Formative evaluation, 239
Foundation Center: Foundation Directory Online
by, 52, 212–213; Foundation Directory
Online Free by, 213; tracking nonprofits
and foundation grants by, 207–208, 218
Foundation funding skills/competencies: 1: secure
informational interviews, 208–211; 2: put
your house in order, 211; 3: prepare your
pitch, 211–212; 4: narrow your sights,
212–213; 5: get in the door, 213–214; 6:
maximize your meeting, 214–217; 7: stay
in touch, 217
Foundation grant tracking/reporting: critical skills
and competencies of, 236–240; do’s and
don’ts of, 241; importance of, 235–236;
measuring impact and integrating into
your strategic and, 69; recruit expertise for
tracking grant progress and report during
formative phase, 239; recruit expertise for
tracking grant progress and report during
summative phase, 239–240
Event-based fundraising: critical skills and
competencies of, 118–128; description
and advantages of, 117–118; do’s and
don’ts of, 129
Event-based fundraising skills/competencies: 1:
identify specific goals, 118–119; 2: create
a calendar and a budget, 119; 3: recruit
key people, 119–120; 4: secure sponsors,
120–121; 5: build a strong event page,
121–122; 6: promote your event, 122; 7:
understand the ticking lifecycle, 122–123;
8: create an agenda, 123–124; 9: maximize
your ask, 124–128; 10: follow up and
debrief, 128
Event committees, 119
Event pages: building a strong, 121–122;
promoting your event on, 122
Event sponsors: outreach to secure, 120–121;
recruiting key people to help secure, 120
Eventbrite, 117, 118, 121, 122, 128, 129
Executive Directors (EDs): getting them to love
fundraising, 19–20; hire a Development
Associate or Development Manager to
support your, 14–15
Expert interviews: Alia McKee, 144, 145–148,
149; Andrea McManus, 4–10, 11;
Berkeley Browning, 236–240, 241; Beth
Kanter, 176–184, 186; Caryn Stein,
156–159, 162; Daniel Lurie, 118–128,
130; David Hessekiel, 256–260, 261;
Derrick Feldmann, 144, 145–148,
149; Fara Trompeter, 108–114, 115;
Gayle Samuelson Carpentier, 266–270,
271–272; Heather Mansfield, 196–201,
203; Jane C. Geever, 228–231, 233;
Jen Pitts, 118–128, 130; Joe Waters,
256–260, 261; John Haydon, 176–185,
186; Joshua Sheridan Fouts, 222–224,
225; Kim Klein, 80–84, 85; Kivi
Leroux Miller, 166–171, 172; Leeanne
G-Bowley, 208–217, 219; Lisa Hoffman,
26–33, 34; Mal Warwick, 100–103, 104;
Maureen Carlson, 246–251, 252; Missy
Sherburne, 14–19, 21; Peggy Duvette,
58–61, 62; Simon Tam, 37–42, 43; Steve
MacLaughlin, 66–71, 74; Susan Fox,
228–231, 233; Suzanne DiBianca, 58–61,
I n d e x 3 2 5
donors, 145; 2: listen, 146; 3: identify
goals for each generation, 146; 4: diversify
your giving channels, 146–147; 5: know
what your donors want, 147; 6: recognize
the power of peers, 147–148; 7: create a
ladder of engagement, 148
Fundraising campaigns: building an email,
166–167; channels used for, 112; critical
skills and competencies for successful,
108–114; different types of, 107–108; do’s
and don’ts for, 114–115; reporting back to
donors on reaching your goal, 114
Fundraising campaigns skills/competencies: 1:
find your passion, 108–109; 2: understand
your donors, 109; 3: identify membership
pricing and benefits, 109–110; 4: plan
campaigns instead of one-time appeals,
110; 5: schedule appeals and updates,
110–112; 6: use your best channels, 112;
7: made data your friend, 113; 8: report
back, 114
Fundraising Effectiveness Survey Report (AFP,
2014), 88
Fundraising for Social Change (Klein), 85
Fundraising planning skills/competencies: 1:
understand the big picture, 4; 2: know
your finances, 5–8; 3: create a process,
6–7; 4: document the plan, 7–9; 5: gather
your prospects, 9–10; 6: keep plan alive
and review it often, 10
Fundraising plans: accomplishing your
organization’s mission by beginning
with a, 3–4; for campaigns instead of
one-time appeals, 110–113; critical
skills and competencies for creating a,
4–10; do’s and don’ts of creating a, 11;
for fundraising through email, 166; for
grassroots fundraising, 80
Fundraising Success Magazine, 19
Fundraising through email: advantages of using,
165–166; critical skills and competences
for, 166–171; do’s and don’ts of, 171–172;
Email Cheat Sheet for, 169. See also Email
communication
Fundraising through email skills/competencies:
1: plan ahead, 166; 2: build campaigns,
166–167; 3: build your list, 167–168; 4:
craft killer emails, 168–169; 5: leverage
data with A/B tests, 169–170; 6: use
today’s technology, 170; 7: pay attention
to the numbers, 170–171
Fundraising with Businesses (Waters), 256
logic models used for, 238; schedule SWOT
analysis quarterly for, 237–238, 240
Foundation grant tracking skills/competencies:
1: establish SMART goals and objectives,
236–237; 2: have an evaluation plan,
237; 3: be diligent, 237–238; 4: recruit
expertise, 239–240; 5: share bad news
quickly, 240
Foundation grants (fundables): cardinal rule
of never applying unless you’re invited,
213–214; do’s and don’ts of getting, 218;
given to U.S. nonprofits (2013), 207, 227;
“pasta test” your pitch for, 215; restricted,
212; tracking progress and reporting
back, 235–241; unrestricts, 212; writing
a winning LOI (letter of interest) to apply
for, 227–232
Foundations: different kinds of, 209–211; do’s
and don’ts of working with, 218; getting
“fundables” or grants from, 207–208,
212–215
Fouts, Joshua Sheridan: professional background
of, 225; on skills and competencies for
getting government grants, 222–224
Fox, Susan: as Grant Proposal Makeover: Transform
Your Request from No to Yes co-author, 228;
professional back ground of, 233; on skills
and competencies of writing a LOI (letter
of interest), 228–231; The Foundation
Center’s Guide to Proposal Writing by, 228
Franklin, Ben, 47
Frates, Pete, 183
“Fundraiser in the pit” story, 292–293
Fundraising: board member engagement with,
26–33; get your Executive Director to
love, 19–20; grounded in passion and
love, 291–294; importance of being
strategic about, 3–4; Premal Shah on
accomplishing change and doing good
through, 287–290; prospecting and
donor research components of, 47–54;
to security social capital funds, 280–281;
success revolves around your ability to
make and relay impact, 65–66; volunteer,
37–43. See also Nonprofit organizations
(NGOs)
Fundraising across generations: the challenge of,
143–144; critical skills and competencies
of, 145–148; do’s and don’ts of, 149; what
fundraisers need to know about each
generation, 144–145
Fundraising across generations skills/
competencies: 1: track the age of your
3 2 6 I N D E X
Government grant tracking skills/competencies:
1: establish SMART goals and objectives,
236–237; 2: have an evaluation plan,
237; 3: be diligent, 237–238; 4: recruit
expertise, 239–240; 5: share bad news
quickly, 240
Government grants: critical skills and
competencies for receiving, 222–224;
do’s and don’ts for getting, 224–225;
Grants.gov as best place for finding, 222;
learning to apply for, 211, 221–222;
number awarded to nonprofits (2014),
221; tracking progress and reporting back,
235–241; writing a winning LOI (letter of
interest) to apply for, 227–232
Government grants skills/competencies: 1: get
help, 222; 2: don’t apply cold, 222–223;
3: plan for long nights when applying,
223; 4: be patient and prepared, 223; 5:
stay in the loop, 223; do’s and don’ts of,
240–241
Grace, Kay Sprinkel: Beyond Fund Raising by, 88,
96; on critical skills and competencies
for securing major donors, 88–95; High
Impact Philanthropy by, 96; insights on
transformational donor stewardship by,
90, 103, 159; professional background of,
96; The AAA Way to Fund Raising Success
by, 91
Grant Professionals Association, 213
Grant Proposal Makeover: Transform Your Request
from No to Yes (Fox and Geever), 228
Grant Writing for Dummies (Browning), 236, 241
Grant Writing Services (eCivis), 236, 241
Grant Writing Training Foundation, 241
Grants. See Foundation grants (fundables);
Government grants
Grants.gov, 222
Grassroots fundraising: better off focusing on
online fundraising, 100; critical skills and
competencies for, 80–84; description of,
79–80; do’s and don’ts for, 84–85
Grassroots Fundraising Journal, 80, 85
Grassroots fundraising skills/competencies: 1:
have a compelling plan for change, 80;
2: set a clear goal, 80–81; 3: ensure 100
percent board and staff participation,
81–82; 4: invest in a donor database,
82–83; 5: know your donors, 83; 6: ask
regularly, 83–84; 7: show impact and
gratitude often, 84
GreatNonprofits, 201
Greyston Bakery, 281
G
G-Bowley, Leeanne: critical skills and
competencies for securing foundation
funds, 208–217; professional background
of, 219; Winning Grants Step by Step by,
208
Geever, Jane C.: as Grant Proposal Makeover:
Transform Your Request from No to Yes
co-author, 228; professional background
of, 233; on skills and competencies for
writing a LOI (letter of interest), 228–231
Generation X (born 1965-1980): critical skills and
competencies for fundraising to, 145–148;
do’s and don’ts of fundraising to, 149;
what fundraisers need to know about,
144–145
GiveApp.org, 201
Giving USA, 70, 87, 107, 113, 227
Global Philanthropy Forum (World Affairs
Council), 62
Goals: ABC 2016-2018 Fundraising Plan example
of, 8; fundraising plan outlining your, 7;
grant tracking and reporting SMART,
236–237, 240; identify for each donor
generation, 146; identify specific event-
based fundraising, 118–119; KPIs (key
performance indicators) as metrics to
track progress toward, 66–67, 68–69,
70–71, 74; meet with each board member
to identify what support is needed to
achieve, 30–31; reporting back to donors
on reaching your campaign, 114; review
prospect list to ensure realistic, 11; setting
a clear grassroots fundraising, 80–81. See
also Objectives
Good Scout, 246, 248
Good to Great (Collins), 33
Good Works (Hessekiel and Waters), 256
Goodwill Industries, 62
Google Alerts: on Foundation news, 214; to
gather information on donors and
prospects, 51; gathering information on
crowdfunding efforts of others, 184
Google Analytics, 161
Google Grant, 122
Google’s ThinkMobile report, 156
Government grant tracking/reporting: critical
skills and competencies of, 236–240;
do’s and don’ts of, 240–241; importance
of, 235–236; logic models used for, 238;
schedule SWOT analysis quarterly for,
237–238, 240
I n d e x 3 2 7
J
Javist Wagner O’Day (JWOD) Act, 280
Jefferson, Thomas, 221
Job candidates: conduct interviews of, 16–18;
create a job description for, 15; dons and
don’ts for hiring, 21; make an offer, 18;
onboard over time, 18; select the right,
15–16
Job description, 15
Job interviews: final job candidate, 17–18; first
job candidate, 17; phone interviews of
job candidates, 16–17. See also Expert
interviews
Jones, Van, 125–128
K
KaBOOM!, 257
Kanter, Beth: Beth’s Blog: How Nonprofits Can
Use Social Media by, 186; on critical
skills and competencies of crowdfunding,
176–184; Measuring the Networked
Nonprofit by, 176, 186; professional
background of, 186; The Networked
Nonprofit by, 176, 186
Kawasaki, Guy, 189
Kennedy, Chris, 182
Kennedy, John F., 90
Key performance indicators (KPIs): asking your
staff, board, and departments to identify
the most helpful, 70–71; charity: water
case study on measuring impact using,
71–73; develop a plan to measure progress
using the, 68–69; identify industry
benchmarks through aggregate industry
research using, 70; outputs versus
outcomes, 67–68; securing stories and
identifying your, 66–67
King, Martin Luther, Jr., 79
KISSMetrics, 198
Kiva.org, 287, 288, 290
Klein, Kim: on critical skills and competencies
for grassroots fundraising, 80–84;
Fundraising for Social Change by, 85; as
Grassroots Fundraising Journal co-founder,
80, 85; professional background of, 85;
Reliable Fundraising in Unreliable Times
by, 85
Klout, 191
Kony2012 video, 176
Kosolcharoen, Tracy: on critical skills and
competences for event-based fundraising,
118–128; professional background of, 129
Grow Dat case study, 282–283
Guevara, Che, 291
H
Habitat for Humanity, 257
Hashtagify.me, 184
Hashtag.org, 123
Haydon, John: on critical skills and competencies
of crowdfunding, 176–184; Facebook
Marketing All-In-One by, 186; Facebook
Marketing for Dummies by, 176, 186;
professional background of, 186
Helen Brown Group, 48
Hessekiel, David: Good Works co-authored by,
256; professional background of, 261;
on skills and competencies for cause
marketing partnerships, 256–260
Heyman, Darian Rodriguez, 249, 291–294
High Impact Philanthropy (Grace), 96
Hiring practices: conduct interviews, 16–18;
create a job description, 15; develop your
team, 18–19; do’s and don’ts for, 21; know
yourself & your needs, 14–15; make an
offer, 18; onboard over time, 18; select the
right candidates, 15–16
Hoffman Lisa: professional background of, 34; on
skills and competencies for engaging your
board, 26–33
Holmes, Oliver Wendell, Jr., 117
How to Get Sponsorships and Endorsements (Tam),
43
How to Write Successful Fundraising Appeals
(Warwick), 104
I
iContact, 170
Impact: brainstorming to come up with
impact examples for donation amounts
on websites, 159; charity: water case
study of measuring, 71–73; creating
an impact summary for sponsors, 251;
grassroots fundraising by expressing
gratitude and showing, 84. See also
Measuring impact
Instagram crowdfunding, 192
Internal Revenue Service (IRS): IRS Forms
990-PF, 213; requirements for nonprofit
expenses by the, 5
Interviews: informational interviews with
foundations, 208–209; job, 15–18, 21.
See also Expert interviews
3 2 8 I N D E X
Networking and Web 2.0 for Charities
contributing author, 74; professional
background of, 74
MacLean, Sarah, 245
McManus, Andrea: professional background of,
11; on skills and competencies for creating
a fundraising plan, 4–10
MailChimp, 170
Major donors: asking for annual unrestricted
donations for all, 92–93; assign values
to prospective, 89; critical skills and
competencies of managing, 88–95; as
critical to your success, 87; as donor
investors, 95; do’s and don’ts of managing,
95–96; stewardship as the key to securing
gifts from, 88, 90; transformational donor
stewardship loop model of, 90; value and
show appreciation for each, 93–95
Major donors management skills/competencies: 1:
prospect constantly, 88–89; 2: realize your
organization is a means to an end, 90; 3:
prepare your people, 91; 4: master the ask,
91–93; 5: value every donor, 93–95
Major gifts: asking for annual unrestricted
donations, 92–93; avoid securing and then
circling back in a couple of months for
more, 93; mastering the ask for, 91–93;
Triple A framework for requesting, 91
Making job offer, 18
Mansfield, Heather: on critical skills and
competencies for mobile fundraising,
196–201; Mobile for Good by, 196, 202;
professional background of, 203; Social
Media for Social Good by, 202–203
Maraboli, Steve, 235
Marketing Land, 169, 195
Measuring impact: charity: water case study of,
71–73; critical skills and competencies for,
66–73; do’s and don’ts of, 74; as way to
show nonprofit impact, 65–66. See also
Dashboards; Impact
Measuring impact skills/competencies: 1: identify
KPIs and secure stories, 66–68; 2: develop
a plan to measure progress, 68–69; 3:
integrate your evaluation and strategic
plans, 69; 4: tear down the walls, 69; 5:
look to the past to see the future, 70;
6: benchmark yourself, 70; 7: rock the
dashboard, 70–71
Measuring the Networked Nonprofit (Kanter), 176,
186
L
Language: cause marketing partnership proposal
uses of, 259; LOI (letter of interest)
effective and easy to use, 230–231. See
also Communication
Lapsed donors, 41
Letters of inquiry. See LOI (letter of interest)
Levi Strauss Foundation, 130
LexisNexis, 52
Lilly Family School of Philanthropy (Indiana
University), 96
Lincoln, Abraham, 195
LinkedIn: crowdfunding through, 191–192;
getting information about Foundations
from, 214; used to fill in black donor
database information, 60
Listening: before the Ask, 92; as fundraising across
generations skill and competency, 146.
See also Communication
Logic models (grant tracking roadmap), 238
LOI (letter of interest): critical skills and
competencies for writing, 228–231;
description of, 228; do’s and don’ts for
writing, 232
LOI (letter of interest) skills/competencies:
1: communicate clearly and follow
directions, 228–229; 2: do your
homework, 229; 3: show vision, 229–230;
4: verify facts and math, 230; 5: establish
credibility, 230; 6: make it easy to read,
230–231; 7: be persistent, 231
LUMI, 125
Lurie, Daniel: on critical skills and competences
for event-based fundraising, 118–128;
professional background of, 130; as taking
the fundraising ask spokesperson role, 124
M
M+R, 70, 113, 155, 160, 167, 171
M+R’s Online Fundraising Benchmark Study
(2015), 155, 160, 167
McKee, Alia: on critical skills and competencies of
fundraising across generations, 145–148;
as Next Generation of American Giving
Report (2015) research partner, 144, 147,
149; professional background of, 144, 149
MacLaughlin, Steve: on critical skills and
competencies for measuring impact, 66–
71; as Internet Management for Nonprofits:
Strategies, Tools and Trade Secrets editor,
74; as People to People Fundraising: Social
I n d e x 3 2 9
Mobile for Good (Mansfield), 196, 203
Mobile fundraising: critical skills and
competencies for, 196–201; do’s and
don’ts on, 202; Planning for Success: The
Mobile Matrix, 199fig; text-to-give for,
200
Mobile fundraising skills/competencies: 1:
optimize your website and email,
196–198; 2: optimize your donate page,
198; 3: tell your story effectively, 198;
4: mobilize your events, 199–200; 5: get
social, 200–201; 6: consider building an
app, 201; 7: stay current, 201
Mobile Matrix, 199fig
Monnet, Jean, 79
N
National Public Radio, 261
NetSuite, 59, 62
Network for Good: Caryn Stein’s vice president
position at, 156, 162; Digital Giving
Index of, 108
The Networked Nonprofit (Kanter), 176, 186
New England Development Research Association
(NEDRA), 54
Next Generation of American Giving Report (2015),
144, 147, 149
Nielsen (research firm), 255
Nonprofit Communications Trends Report
(NonprofitMarketingGuide.com), 176
Nonprofit Marketing Blog, 156, 162
Nonprofit organizations (NGOs): competitive
advantage of your, 279–280; corporate
sponsorships of, 245–252; Craigslist
Foundation’s Nonprofit Boot Camp
and Social Media for Nonprofits, 245;
creating and using dashboard for the,
70–71; dispelling the overhead myth
of, 5–6; earned income strategies for,
275–284; event sponsorship of, 120–121;
IRS requirements on expenses of, 5;
measuring impact of, 65–74; media
sponsorship of, 247, 265–271; number
of government grants awarded (2014) to,
221; opportunities opened up by social
media for, 175–176. See also Fundraising;
Vision; Websites
Nonprofit Tech for Good, 196, 203
Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN), 74,
108, 115, 271
NonprofitMarketingGuide.com, 166, 172, 176
Media sponsors: identify your prospective, 267–
268; offer corporate sponsors inclusion
in ads provided by, 247; preparing
and making your pitch to prospective,
268–269; treat them well and invest in
relationship with, 269–270
Media sponsorship skills/competencies: 1: clarify
your needs, 266–267; 2: identify your
prospects, 267–268; 3: prepare your
pitches and materials, 268–269; 4: make
your pitch, 269; 5: treat them like royalty,
269; 6: invest in the relationship, 270
Media sponsorships: critical skills and
competencies for securing, 266–270;
description and advantages of, 265–266;
do’s and don’ts for, 271. See also
Promoting
Membership campaigns: critical skills and
competencies for successful, 108–114;
do’s and don’ts for, 114–115; as great way
to connection with donors and potential
donors, 107–108; identifying membership
pricing and benefits, 109–110
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), 260
Mercy House case study, 159–160
Millennial Impact Project, 144, 148
Millennials (born 1981-1995): critical skills and
competencies for fundraising to, 145–148;
do’s and don’ts of fundraising to, 149;
FOMO (fear of missing out) used to
sell event tickets to, 123; giving younger
donors and prospects meaningful things to
do besides donating, 147, 167; preference
for attending events over just making
donations, 117; what fundraisers need to
know about, 144
Miller, Kivi Leroux: Content Marketing for
Nonprofits: A Communications Map for
Engaging Your Community, Becoming a
Favorite Cause, and Raising More Money
by, 172; on critical skills and competencies
of fundraising with email, 166–171;
professional background of, 172; The
Nonprofit Marketing Guide: High-Impact,
Low-Cost Ways to Build Support for Your
Good Cause by, 172
Millich, Kyra, 138–139
Mimi and Peter Haas Fund, 130
Mobile Commons, 200
Mobile devices: fundraising through, 195–202;
remember that most emails are opened on,
169, 195
3 3 0 I N D E X
Portis, Carrie, 280
Potential donors: staff management of volunteers
and, 38; treat your volunteers as you do,
42–43. See also Donors
The Power of Us, 59
The Price Scholarship Program, 219
Private foundations, 209
Promoting: creating event-based fundraising
toolkits for social media, 119–120; event
page for, 121–122; fundraising campaign
communication through social media,
112–113; reporting back to donors on
campaign donation goals via social media
as part of, 114; tips for event, 122–123.
See also Media sponsorships
Prospect Research for Fundraisers: The Essential
Handbook (Brown), 48, 54
Prospects. See Donor prospects
Pulitzer, Joseph, 289
Q
Q2Q event program timeline, 123–124
Quinn, Pat, 182–183
R
RE-volv Crowdfunding case study, 193–194
Red Cross, 289
Reliable Fundraising in Unreliable Times (Klein),
85
ResearchPoint, 52
Resources: committed and dedicated for
launching your social media strategy, 177;
for creating your sponsor deck, 248–249;
identifying your fundraising, 7; recruit
expertise for tracking grant progress and
report, 238–239
Restricted grants, 212
Revolution in the Mailbox (Warwick), 104
Rides. See Runs, walks, and rides fundraising
Roberts, Nora, 37
Robin Hood Foundation, 130
Rosso, Henry A. (“Hank”), 87, 91
Rubicon Bakery, 280
Rubicon Programs, 276, 284
Running USA, 133
Runs, walks, and rides events: Case Study: Kyra
Millich, Volunteer Fundraiser, 138–139;
description and advantages of, 133–134;
skills and competencies for, 134–138
Runs, walks, and rides events skills/competencies:
1: prioritize and focus, 134; 2: specify
your audience, 134–135; 3: ask away,
Northern California Community Loan Fund, 223
NOZA, 52
npENGAGE, 197
O
Objectives: ABC 2016-2018 Fundraising Plan
example of, 8–9; establishing grant
tracking and reporting back SMART,
235–237, 240; identify your fundraising,
7. See also Goals
Onboarding: board development committee to
oversee recruitment and, 28; of employees
over time, 18
One Degree, 201
O’Neal Consulting, 219
O’Neal-McElrath, Tori: critical skills and
competencies for securing foundation
funds, 208–217; professional background
of, 219; Winning Grants Step by Step by,
208, 219
Online fundraising: best suited to small grassroots
organizations, 100; critical skills and
competencies for, 156–159; do’s and
don’ts of, 161; increasing importance of,
155–156; Mercy House case study on,
159–160
Online Fundraising Benchmark Study (2015), 155,
160, 167
Online fundraising skills/competencies: 1: stay on
message, 156; 2: keep it simple, 156–157;
3: make it easy to donate, 157; 4: suggest
gift amounts, 157–158; 5: optimize your
presence, 158–159
Open Table, 129
Oregon environment Council, 41
Outcomes: outputs versus, 67–68; tracking grant
progress and, 238
P
“Pasta test,” 215
PayPal, 195, 196, 203, 290
Peer to Peer Professional Forum, 252, 261
Pew Research, 155, 183
Pinterest crowdfunding, 192
Pitches: corporate sponsorship, 250; media
sponsorship, 268–269; “pasta test” your
foundation grant, 215. See also The Ask
Pitts, Jen: on critical skills and competences
for event-based fundraising, 118–128;
professional background of, 130
Plenty, 134, 140
Portella, Chris, 291
I n d e x 3 3 1
Social media: 50/50 rule on posting to, 181;
fundraising campaign communication
through, 112–113; impact on how we
interact with one another and with our
causes, 175; LinkedIn, 60, 191–192,
214; opportunities for nonprofits opened
up by, 175–176; P.O.S.T. to Social
Media for successful crowdfunding and,
178–180; presenting an opportunity
to turn your donors into fundraisers,
176; promoting your event through,
119–122; reporting back to donors
on campaign donation goals via, 114.
See also Communication channels;
Crowdfunding; Facebook; Technological
tools; Twitter
Social Media For Nonprofits, 181, 191
Social Media for Social Good (Mansfield), 203
SocialNomics, 195
Spam (unsolicited email), 168
Sparrow: Mobile for Common Good, 196
Sponsorships: corporate, 245–252; event,
120–121; media, 247, 265–271
Staff: assigning the right ones the donor prospect
research tasks, 48; brainstorming to come
up with impact examples for donation
amounts on websites, 159; community-
based runs, walks, and rides events
debriefing of, 137; as critical factor in
your success, 13–14; debrief your event,
128; dedicated to securing corporate
sponsorships, 246–247; don’t make
assumptions about the payroll costs for,
11; do’s and don’ts of hiring and training,
21; ensuring 100 percent participation in
grassroots fundraising by, 81–82; include
them in the fundraising process, 11;
measuring impact collaboration between
programs and evaluation, 69; potential
donors and volunteer management by
designated, 38; prepare them to ask for
major gifts, 91; skills and competencies
in hiring and developing, 14–19; solidify
leadership for earned income strategies,
278–279; training key personnel on how
to use CRM for donor database, 60; treat
your volunteers as you do potential donors
and, 42–43
Staff hiring/development skills and competencies:
1: know yourself & your needs, 14–15;
2: create a job description, 15; 3: select
the right candidates, 15–16; 4: conduct
interviews, 16–18; 5: make an offer, 18;
135–136; 4: separate logistics and
fundraising, 136; 5: 5: provide good
service, 136–137; 6: capture everything,
137; 7: use technology, 137–138
S
Saint-Exupery, Antoine de, 3
Salesforce Foundation, 59, 62
The San Diego Foundation, 219
Schedules: campaign appeals and updates, 110–
112; create event Q2Q timelines, 123–
124; creating and sticking to a direct mail,
103; event-based fundraising calendar
and, 119; planning for fundraising
through email communications calendar
and, 166; “realistic time horizon” for
earned income strategies, 277–278; for
SWOT analysis quarterly for tracking
grant progress, 237–238, 240. See also
Editorial calendars
Sea Change Strategies, 144, 149
Selfish Giving, 256
Seniors (born 1945 and earlier): critical skills and
competencies for fundraising to, 145–148;
desire to hear from someone of high
authority in the nonprofit organization,
147; do’s and don’ts of fundraising to,
149; what fundraisers need to know
about, 145
Shah, Premal: on accomplishing change and doing
good through fundraising, 287–290;
professional background of, 290
Sharma, Ritu, 181
Shaw, George Bernard, 291
Sherburne, Missy: professional background of, 21;
on skills and competencies for hiring and
developing staff, 14–19
Shore, Billy, 255
Shuck, Jeff: professional background of, 140; on
skills and competencies of community-
based fundraising, 134–139
Single Stop USA, 128, 130
Slaughter, Lance, 182
#SM4NP (Social Media for Nonprofits), 191
SMART goals: description of, 236; for tracking
grant progress and reporting back,
236–237, 240
Social capital funds, 280–281
Social enterprise: do’s and don’ts for, 283–284;
Grow Dat case study on, 282–283;
skills and competencies for earned
income strategies for, 276–282. See also
Entrepreneurship
3 3 2 I N D E X
by using today’s, 170. See also CRM
(constituent relationship management);
Social media
TechSoup Global, 266, 271
Testimonials: fundraising through emails and use
of stories and beneficiary, 167; RE-volv
crowdfunding case study on recruiting
celebrity, 194
Text-to-give, 200
Thank you’s communication: follow up
and debrief event donors with, 128;
importance to Millennials donors,
147; with major donors several times
a year, 93–95; media sponsorship,
270; optimizing the size of viral thank
you’s for mobile fundraising, 200–201;
personalized gift acknowledgements to all
donors, 83–84; stage an annual thank-a-
thon for major donors, 94–95. See also
Communication
The AAA Way to Fund Raising Success (Grace), 91
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, 176, 182–184
The Ask: for annual unrestricted donations by all
major donors, 92–93; for community-
based runs, walks, and rides, 135–136;
focusing your direct mail, 102–103; listen
before, 92; mastering the four steps of,
91–93; maximizing your event approach
to, 124–125; preparing your staff, board,
and volunteers for making, 91; Triple A
framework for making, 91; Van Jones’
Live Ask Recipe for, 125–128. See also
Communication; Donor requests; Pitches
The Chronicle of Philanthropy, 19, 81, 149
The Development Group, 4
The Foundation Center’s Guide to Proposal Writing
(Fox), 228
The Matrix (film), 38
“The mutant manger,” 278
The Networked Nonprofit (Kanter), 176, 185
The Nonprofit Marketing Guide: High-Impact,
Low-Cost Ways to Build Support for Your
Good Cause (Miller), 172
The Nonprofit Times, 19
The overhead myth, 5–6
The PayPal Official Insider Guide to Online
Fundraising, 203
The Wall Street Journal, 261
ThinkMobile report (Google), 156
Thurman, Harold, 287
TIME magazine’s Best Twitter Feeds of 2013, 203
Tipping Point Community, 118, 120, 124, 130
6: onboard over time, 18; 7: develop your
team, 18–19
Stanford Social Entrepreneurship course, 279
Stanford University, 276, 284
Statue of Liberty crowdfunding, 289
StayClassy, 41
Stein, Caryn: on critical skills and competencies of
online fundraising, 156–159; professional
background of, 162
Steinem, Gloria, 107
Stern, Andy, 25
Stewardship: as key to securing major gifts, 88;
traditional stewardship model of, 90;
transformational donor stewardship loop
model of, 90
Stories: board meetings and the sharing
fundraising success, 32; charity:water’s
approach to communicating their,
72–73; “fundraiser in the pit,” 292–293;
fundraising through emails and use of
testimonials and, 167; gathering photos
and videos to bring them to life, 73; Kyra
Millich on reaching donors through, 139;
measuring impact by identifying your
KPIs and security your, 66–67; mobile
fundraising through effective, 198
Summative evaluation, 239–240
SurveyMonkey, 128
SWOT analysis: description of, 237; schedule
quarterly to track grant progress,
237–238, 240
T
Tactics: ABC 2016-2018 Fundraising Plan
example of, 8–9; identifying your
fundraising, 7; make monthly reviews of
the fundraising plan, 11; shift them as
needed, 10
Tam, Simon: How to Get Sponsorships and
Endorsements by, 43; professional
background of, 43; on skills and
competencies for volunteer fundraising,
37–42
Team development: create a professional
development budget for employee, 18–19;
as ongoing process, 18
TechImpact, 200
Technological tools: event management and
peer-to-peer fundraising platforms,
137–138; event registration platforms,
137; fundraising through emails success
I n d e x 3 3 3
Volunteer engagement skills/competencies: 1:
dedicate staff, 38; 2: define clear roles,
38; 3: create a toolkit, 38–39; 4: track
everything, 39; 5: think small but dream
big, 39; 6: communicate regularly,
39–40; 7: never say goodbye, 40; 8: invite
financial support, 40
Volunteer fundraising engagement: APANO
(Asian Pacific American Network of
Oregon) case study on, 41–42; critical
skills and competencies for engaging,
38–40; do’s and don’ts of engaging, 43;
examples of volunteer activities for, 40–41;
research findings on percentage of, 37
Volunteers: brainstorming to come up with
impact examples for donation amounts on
websites, 159; communicating regularly
with your, 39–40; community-based
runs, walks, and rides events debriefing
of, 137; as critical factor in your success,
13–14; critical skills and competencies for
developing, 14–21; CRM (constituent
relationship management) for tracking
information on, 39; debrief your event,
128; defining clear roles for, 38; engaging
them in event-based fundraising, 119–
120; facilitating strategic contributions
by, 39; include them in the fundraising
process, 11; prepare them to ask for major
gifts, 91; staff management of potential
donors and, 38; treat them in the same
way as you do staff and potential donors,
42–43
W
Waldron, Rob, 279
Walks. See Runs, walks, and rides fundraising
Warwick, Mal: on critical skills and competencies
for direct mail, 100–103; How to
Write Successful Fundraising Appeals by,
104; professional background of, 104;
Revolution in the Mailbox by, 104
Washington, Booker T., 99
Waters, Joe: Cause Marketing for Dummies by,
256; Fundraising with Businesses by,
256; Good Works co-authored by, 256;
professional background of, 256; on skills
and competencies of cause marketing
partnerships, 256–260
Websites: event pages on your, 121–122; as
first step in crowdfunding, 176; Google
Analytics to analyze website donate
Training: board development committee to
oversee recruitment and, 28; board
development committee to oversee
recruitment and onboarding, 28;
onboarding employees over time, 18; your
staff, board, and volunteers to ask for
major gifts, 91
Transformational donor stewardship loop model,
90, 103, 159
Transforming Philanthropy, 96
Triple A framework for the Ask, 91
Trompeter, Farra: critical skills and competencies
for fundraising campaigns, 108–114;
professional background of, 115
Tulane University, 276, 284
Twitter: #SM4NP (Social Media for Nonprofits),
191; campaign appeals using, 113;
crowdfunding through, 176–177, 182–
183, 190–191; as effective way to recruit
event attendees, 122; getting information
about Foundations from, 214; optimizing
the size of viral thank you’s for mobile
fundraising on, 200–201. See also Social
media
Twubs, 123
U
Unified, 200
Unrestricted grants, 212
Urschel, Tanya: on critical skills and competencies
for mobile fundraising, 196–201;
professional background of, 203; as The
PayPal Official Insider Guide to Online
Fundraising lead content writer, 203
U.S. State Department, 225
V
Van Jones’ Live Ask Recipe, 125–128
Vertical Response, 170
VIP receptions, 248
Vision: “B to the Y,” 292; funders’ investment
in your, 240; fundraising grounded in
love and passion of, 291–294; writing an
effective LOI (letter of interest) that shows
your, 229–230; your programs should
connect action to, 230. See also Nonprofit
organizations (NGOs)
Volunteer activities: American Cancer Society
(ACS) approach to, 40–41; APANO case
study on, 41–42; Oregon Environment
Council’s approach to, 41
3 3 4 I N D E X
button results, 161; make sure that yours
is mobile-compatible or “responsive,”
196–198; maximizing donations made on
your, 155–161; optimizing donate button
on your, 158; simplify your URL, 194.
See also Nonprofit organizations (NGOs)
Winning Grants Step by Step (O’Neal-McElrath
and G-Bowley), 208, 219
World Affairs Council’s Global Philanthropy
Forum, 62
Y
Year-end campaigns: critical skills and
competencies for successful, 108–114;
do’s and don’ts for, 114–115; as great way
to connection with donors and potential
donors, 107–108; sample calendar for,
111–112
YouTube crowdfunding, 192
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Nonprofit Fundraising 101
Contents
About the Book
Acknowledgments
Foreword: Discovering What It
Means to Be a Fundraiser
Part I Planning for Success and Preparing Your Team
Chapter 1 Creating a Fundraising Plan
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Understand the Big Picture
2. Know Your Finances
3. Create a Process
4. Document the Plan
5. Gather Your Prospects
6. Keep It Alive
Conclusion
Do’s and Don’ts
About the Expert
Resource Review
Chapter 2 Hiring and Training Development Staff
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Know Yourself and Your Needs
2. Create a Job Description
3. Select the Right Candidates
4. Conduct Interviews
5. Make an Offer
6. Onboard Over Time
7. Develop Your Team
Conclusion
Do’s and Don’ts
About the Expert
Resource Review
Chapter 3 Engaging Your Board
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Know What You’re Looking For
2. Set Expectations
3. Provide Training and Support
4. Engage Each Board Member Individually
5. Let Your Board Lead
6. Maximize Board Meetings
Conclusion
Do’s and Don’ts
About the Expert
Resource Review
Chapter 4 Volunteer Fundraising
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Dedicate Staff
2. Define Clear Roles
3. Create a Toolkit
4. Track Everything
5. Think Small, but Dream Big
6. Communicate Regularly
7. Never Say Goodbye
8. Invite Financial Support
Examples of Volunteer Activities
Conclusion
Do’s and Don’ts
About the Expert
Note
Resource Review
Part II Building Your Toolkit and Tracking Progress
Chapter 5 Prospecting and Donor Research
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Assign the Right Staff
2. Start with Your Inner Circle
3. Support the Ask
4. Keep an Eye on Top Prospects
5. Expand Your Pipeline
6. Stay Informed
Conclusion
Do’s and Don’ts
About the Expert
Resource Review
Chapter 6 Donor Databases and CRM
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Pick the Right Platform
2. Identify an Owner
3. Find and Clean Your Data
4. Invest in Training and Documentation
5. Stay Current
Conclusion
Do’s and Don’ts
About the Experts
Resource Review
Chapter 7 Measuring Impact: Data, Stories, and Organizational Dashboards
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Identify Key Performance Indicators and Secure Stories
2. Develop a Plan to Measure Progress
3. Integrate Your Evaluation and Strategic Plans
4. Tear Down the Walls
5. Look to the Past to See the Future
6. Benchmark Yourself
7. Rock the Dashboard
Conclusion
Do’s and Don’ts
About the Expert
Resource Review
Part III Individual Donors
Chapter 8 Grassroots Fundraising: Building Your Donor Pyramid
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Have a Compelling Plan for Change
2. Set a Clear Goal
3. Ensure 100 Percent Board and Staff Participation
4. Invest in a Donor Database
5. Know Your Donors
6. Ask Regularly
7. Show Impact and Gratitude Often
Conclusion
Do’s and Don’ts
About the Expert
Resource Review
Chapter 9 Major Donors: Building Relationships, Making the Ask, and Stewardship
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Prospect Constantly
2. Realize Your Organization Is a Means to an End
3. Prepare Your People
4. Master the Ask
5. Value Every Donor
Conclusion
Do’s and Don’ts
About the Expert
Resource Review
Chapter 10 Direct Mail: The Ins and Outs
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Know Your Numbers
2. Prepare for the Long Haul
3. Grow Your List
4. Trust the Data, Not Your Gut
5. Know Your Donors
6. Focus, Focus, Focus
7. Create a Schedule . . . and Stick to It
Conclusion
Do’s and Don’ts
About the Expert
Resource Review
Chapter 11 Year-End, Annual Appeals, and Membership Campaigns
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Find Your Passion
2. Understand Your Donors
3. Identify Membership Pricing and Benefits
4. Plan Campaigns Instead of One-Time Appeals
5. Schedule Appeals and Updates
6. Use Your Best Channels
7. Make Data Your Friend
8. Report Back
Conclusion
Do’s and Don’ts
About the Expert
Resource Review
Chapter 12 Event-Based Fundraising
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Identify Specific Goals
2. Create a Calendar and a Budget
3. Recruit Key People
4. Secure Sponsors
5. Build a Strong Event Page
6. Promote Your Event
7. Understand the Ticketing Lifecycle
8. Create an Agenda
9. Maximize Your Ask
10. Follow Up and Debrief
Conclusion
Do’s and Don’ts
About the Experts
Resource Review
Chapter 13 Runs, Walks, and Rides: Community-Based Fundraising
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Prioritize and Focus
2. Specify Your Audience
3. Ask Away
4. Separate Logistics and Fundraising
5. Provide Good Service
6. Capture Everything
7. Use Technology
Conclusion
Do’s and Don’ts
About the Expert
Resource Review
Chapter 14 Fundraising Across the Generations: Millennials, Baby Boomers, and More
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Track the Age of Your Donors
2. Listen
3. Identify Goals for Each Generation
4. Diversify Your Giving Channels
5. Know What Your Donors Want
6. Recognize the Power of Peers
7. Create a Ladder of Engagement
Conclusion
Do’s and Don’ts
About the Experts
Resource Review
Part IV Online Fundraising
Chapter 15 Maximizing Website Donations
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Stay on Message
2. Keep It Simple
3. Make It Easy to Donate
4. Suggest Gift Amounts
5. Optimize Your Presence
Conclusion
Do’s and Don’ts
About the Expert
Resource Review
Chapter 16 Fundraising with Email
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Plan Ahead
2. Build Campaigns
3. Build Your List
4. Craft Killer Emails
5. Leverage Data with A/B Tests
6. Use Today’s Technology
7. Pay Attention to the Numbers
Conclusion
Do’s and Don’ts
About the Expert
Resource Review
Chapter 17 Social Media and Crowdfunding for Your Cause
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Start with the Basics
2. Pick the Right Crowdfunding Platform
3. Become a Content Curator
4. Master Frequency and Timing
5. Test and Learn
6. Survey the Landscape
Conclusion
Do’s and Don’ts
About the Experts
Resource Review
Appendix: Practical Tips for Key Social Media Platforms and Crowdfunding Case Study
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
YouTube
Instagram
Pinterest
Chapter 18 Mobile Fundraising
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Optimize Your Website and Email
2. Optimize Your Donate Page
3. Tell Your Story Effectively
4. Mobilize Your Events
5. Get Social
6. Consider Building an App
7. Stay Current
Conclusion
Do’s and Don’ts
About the Experts
Resource Review
Part V Foundations
Chapter 19 Research, Getting in the Door, and Securing an Invitation to Apply
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Secure Informational Interviews
2. Get Your House in Order
3. Prepare Your Pitch
4. Narrow Your Sights
5. Get in the Door
6. Maximize Your Meeting
7. Stay in Touch
Conclusion
Do’s and Don’ts
About the Experts
Resource Review
Chapter 20 Government Grants
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Get Help
2. Don’t Apply Cold
3. Plan for Long Nights
4. Be Patient and Prepared
5. Stay in the Loop
Conclusion
Do’s and Don’ts
About the Expert
Resource Review
Chapter 21 Writing a Winning LOI and Proposal
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Communicate Clearly and Follow Directions
2. Do Your Homework
3. Show Vision
4. Verify Facts and Math
5. Establish Credibility
6. Make It Easy to Read
7. Be Persistent
Conclusion
Do’s and Don’ts
About the Experts
Resource Review
Chapter 22 Tracking Progress and Reporting Back
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Get SMART
2. Have an Evaluation Plan
3. Be Diligent
4. Recruit Expertise
5. Share Bad News Quickly
Conclusion
Do’s and Don’ts
About the Expert
Resource Review
Part VI Corporate Support
Chapter 23 Sponsorships
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Dedicate Personnel
2. Price Yourself Right
3. Create a Killer Deck
4. Fill the Pipeline
5. Be Flexible
6. Have a Conversation
7. Keep Your Sponsors Happy
Conclusion
Do’s and Don’ts
About the Expert
Resource Review
Chapter 24 Cause Marketing Partnerships
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Think It Through
2. Do Your Homework
3. Get in the Door
4. Listen Up and Speak Their Language
5. Close the Deal
6. Keep Them Happy
Conclusion
Do’s and Don’ts
About the Experts
Resource Review
Chapter 25 In-Kind Fundraising and Media Sponsorship
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Clarify Your Needs
2. Identify Your Prospects
3. Prepare Your Pitches and Materials
4. Make Your Pitch
5. Treat Them Like Royalty
6. Invest in the Relationship
Conclusion
Do’s and Don’ts
About the Expert
Resource Review
Part VII Unlocking Social Enterprise
Chapter 26 Earned Income Strategies
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
1. Define the Terms
2. Ensure Support
3. Solidify Leadership
4. Understand Your Competitive Advantage
5. Secure Capital
6. Find Your Angel
Conclusion
Do’s and Don’ts
About the Guest Contributor
Resource Review
Afterword: Finding Your Path
Closing Thoughts
Book Partners
Book Sponsors
Publication Partner
Book Partners
About the Authors
Index
EULA
