Soapbox Engage Blog

Issue 002

As our fundraiser community finds itself moving towards virtual everything these days, it can be a bit hard to adjust. There's so many new technologies, not to mention the actual changing of our work to organize events in a virtual space.

This week's Fundraising Weekly curates articles highlighting the things our organizations need to keep in mind as we move to virtual events. Sure, many of us are working from home these days, but how does that translate to the virtual gala and online fundraising events that keep our communities engage?

Let's dive into that and other topics in this week's Fundraising Weekly.

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Great Articles from the Fundraising Community

1. How To Organize A Virtual Bike Fundraiser
   Tim Forbes (Soapbox Engage)

   Development professionals all over the world had to change course and move events online due to COVID-19. Thanks to this impromptu experiment, we’re learning that some events might actually be more successful as a virtual event! Bicycling events just might be one of those kinds of fundraisers that benefit from having a virtual option. Learn how to organize your own virtual bike fundraiser.

2. The 4 P’s of Fundraising Success
   F. Duke Haddad (NonProft Pro)

   The truth is, nonprofit organizations and for-profit businesses aren’t quite as different as we think. Organizations have proven over and over that fundraisers that follow marketing best practices have the greatest success in fundraising. This blog will help fundraisers apply the “Four P’s” of marketing to their fundraising efforts.

3. 4 Steps To Replace Special Event Fundraising With Virtual Giving
   Amy Einstein (Empowering Your Nonprofit--And You)

   Before the pandemic, fundraisers had a love-hate relationship with special event fundraising. These major events require so much time and energy, but they’ve been a fixture of major fundraising for so long that it almost seems sacrilegious to ditch them! The pandemic might just be the perfect opportunity to replace some of those major in-person events and try some new things. This blog has some great tips on how to make virtual donation asks.

4. Small Organizations: Where Do You Find Major Donors?
   Richard Perry (Veritus Group)

   Every development professional wishes it was easy to find major donors. But, there are no shortcuts, and finding them is hard work, especially for smaller nonprofits. Richard and Jeff, two fundraising experts, share how they would go about identifying and connecting with major donors if they were new development directors for small nonprofit organizations.

5. 5 Easy Ways Board Members Can Help During This Crisis
   Joan Garry (The Chronicle of Philanthropy)

   Most development professionals probably feel overwhelmed by the enormity of the pandemic crisis and the task of fundraising in this economy. This blog offers five easy, low-cost ways that board members can pitch in and help without committing loads of extra time, energy, and resources. Here’s one to get you started: provide each board member with the names of two or three major donors to call and share a positive recent story. Not only will this encourage your board members, but it’s also great donor care… and everyone loves telling a success story!

6. The Anatomy of an Effective Fundraiser Letter
   Clay Boggess (Nonprofit Hub)

   Social media has become a primary platform for fundraising in recent years. But, direct mail is still a powerful tool to reach what analysts call “mature donors” born before 1964. So, don’t kick direct mail to the curb just yet! Take your fundraising to the next level by learning how to write an excellent fundraiser letter.

7. Your Donors Want To Hear From You
   Ann Green (Ann Green’s Nonprofit Blog)

   Summertime is often a bit quieter for nonprofits. This summer, with everything going on in the world, you might be holding back a bit from communicating with your donors. But, you should actually be communicating with your donors at least once a month (preferably more). Fundraising expert, Ann Green, shares her tips and wisdom about how you can connect with your donors this summer and throughout the year to develop strong, healthy relationships. These communication tips are relevant, whether there’s a global pandemic or not, so implementing some of these practices will benefit your organization for years to come.

8. Get Results When You Put Yourself In Your Donors’ Shoes
   Michael Johnston (sgENGAGE)

   Have you ever taken the time to walk in your donors’ shoes? Mapping and understanding your “constituent experience journey” can help highlight things that need improvement in your donor care and fundraising processes. This blog includes a great case study about one nonprofit that went through this process.

9. Venmo & PayPal Alternatives for Nonprofits: 7 Top Providers
   Tim Forbes (Soapbox Engage)

   Sometimes one of the biggest keys to greater fundraising success is finding the right tools. Organizations of all sizes need to be able to accept online donations and host virtual fundraising events. This quick guide offers some excellent alternatives to PayPal and other familiar online payment processing tools. It also walks you through everything you need to know before choosing the right tool for your organization.

10. Two Questions To Get the Gift Conversation Rolling
    Gail Perry (Fired Up Fundraising)

    Sometimes, conversations with donors wander off track or get stuck. It’s challenging for development professionals to take control and bring the discussion to a potential donation. This blog offers two easy questions fundraisers can ask to pivot the conversation in a smooth and organic way to the topic of making a gift.