Nonprofit Management & Operational Advice
New Data Helps Nonprofits Develop Better Donor Relationships
The vast majority of nonprofits use relationship management software to create donor profiles, record information and track giving history. Relying on traditional technology for administrative support is a regular and essential practice across the industry. But as competition for charitable dollars … Read More...
Employing a Social Media Strategy to Supplement Volunteer Recruitment
With the expectation of immediacy in the digital age, it’s no surprise over 75% of American adults use social media. As millions connect daily, social media has become cross-generational and a part of everyday life; those same millions using it to gather daily news and connect with social causes. I … Read More...
Crowdfunding: The Do’s and Don’ts
Crowdfunding is exploding in popularity in both the for-profit and non-profit space. According to a Massolution report, the crowdfunding industry is doubling, or more, every year and will far surpass the yearly average of $30 billion raised from venture capital by the end of 2016. Currently, the … Read More...
Writing a Mission Statement That Stands Out
The importance of a mission statement for a nonprofit simply can’t be understated. It is a public proclamation of your organization’s reason to be and why, quite honestly, the reason people should care about it. But writing an excellent one is difficult and must be well thought out. The best mission … Read More...
4 Ways to Get Corporate Sponsors and Donations for your Next Fundraising Event
Let’s face it. Fundraising events are tough to pull off. Even if you have a comprehensive plan in place, a strong team of staff members and volunteers, and a great speaker lineup, things can always go wrong. This isn’t meant to discourage you from hosting fundraising events. On the contrary, it’s … Read More...
Dos and Don’ts of Charity Auctions
Charity auctions, run properly, are a tremendous fundraising opportunity with the right items and organization. We consider auctions part of the evening’s entertainment … So make sure they are engaging and fun! Auctions can make upwards of $1 million (this involved auctioning a Ferrari), but on ave … Read More...
Nonprofit News & Opinions
Draw on the Crowd: How Not-for-Profits Can Take Advantage of Crowdfunding
Not-for-profit organizations face new opportunities for receiving support from their community, and one of the fastest growing resources comes from crowdfunding platforms. Crowdfunding, the practice of using a broad base of contributors through established online platforms, promises to surpass … Read More ...
Four Key Questions for Writing an Effective Mission Statement
Several years ago, while working with the leaders of a family-owned business to set their strategies for the next year, I asked to see a copy of their mission statement. Looking confused and more than a little annoyed, the father said he thought it was somewhere around there in a framed picture, and … Read More ...
Social Media Strategies in Times of Crisis
The variety of social media channels are great for engaging and building a network of supporters. These same channels can also prove challenging in times of crisis. In developing effective strategies of communications on social media, one overarching question is: does this communication truthfully … Read More ...
Volunteers as Customers: New Take on Age Old Ideas for Volunteer Management
Customer service isn’t a new concept in the for-profit industry. It’s commonplace for businesses with paying customers to have a robust customer service management process in place, and they should, considering their customers keep their doors open. Through the use of customer service management so … Read More ...
Responding Before and After a Crisis Is as Important as When It Happens
The last time I checked, nonprofits were still businesses. People are served by a nonprofit’s actions. A nonprofit has staff that addresses those people’s needs. Planning is involved to ensure the business mission is carried out. There is money exchanging hands. So tell me why a non … Read More ...
Five Misconceptions about Fundraising
Fundraising and nonprofits go hand-in-hand like a horse and carriage, with one powering the change for the other. In this comparison, fundraising provides the means that allows nonprofits to carry out their goals with speed and efficiency. However, with more than 10 years of fundraising and … Read More ...