Soapbox Engage Blog

Issue 008

I've been catching up on sunset watching this weekend, which felt right considering the increase in anxiety and concern we're seeing here in the US. Peaceful, yet powerful. Full of beauty.

As the world seems to spin faster these days, it's continued to be helpful to have a moment of peace and tranquility. For many of us, there's even higher levels of urgency to dig deeper into the work we do every day. If you're one of those folks, I hope you have an opportunity for a moment of calm to recharge. Even if for a moment.

Then, fire up those engines, because the world needs your passion now more than ever. Here's another round of fundraising knowledge to help keep you prepared for the future!

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Great Articles from the Fundraising Community

1. 8 Website Updates to Boost Your Giving Tuesday Campaign
   Tim Forbes (Soapbox Engage)

   #GivingTuesday is already nearly upon us and it’s time to start prepping your website for the flurry of fundraising activity! Don’t wait until the week before to prepare, this blog has eight simple steps you can take to ensure your website is as user-friendly and effective as possible for your #Giving Tuesday campaign.

2. Staying Afloat: Adjusting Your Crisis Fundraising Strategy
   Mary Cahalane (Hands On Fundraising)

   The initial flurry of activity of canceling fundraising events and moving to online activities is dying down for many nonprofits. Some revenue streams have slowed dramatically or dried up while the demand for many services and resources from nonprofits is at an all-time high. But it would be a mistake to wait until this crisis ends before updating your fundraising plan. You might miss out on valuable growth opportunities! Keep reading to learn more about how to update and reinforce your fundraising strategy!

3. A Whole Lot of Great Ways to Thank Your Donors
   Jeff Brooks (Future Fundraising Now)

   Taking time to thank your donors is one of the best and easiest ways to cultivate a strong relationship with your supporters and improve donor retention. But, it can get a little challenging to come up with new ways to show your appreciation! This blog is short and sweet, with a power-list of some creative ways that other nonprofits have expressed their gratitude and love for their valuable donors.

4. Early Gifts--Year-End Worry
   Richard Perry (Veritus Group)

   Many nonprofits are noticing that donors are eager to make donations early in the year to help with the effects of the pandemic and related crises, but organizations are beginning to worry about how this might impact year-end gifts. In this blog, fundraising experts, Jeff and Richard, offer their insights and suggestions about how to prepare for and respond to this phenomenon.

5. The Primary Purpose of the Story in Your Appeal
   Steven Screen (The Better Fundraising Co.)

   Do you know the most important elements of a story you tell your supporters? Do you know how to prioritize those elements? This blog has some excellent tools to help you refine your fundraising storytelling skills--including some examples that might help you workshop your own year-end stories!

6. 3 Major Reasons To Host A Peer-to-Peer Fundraiser
   Lomesh Shah (Nonprofit Hub)

   Peer-to-Peer fundraising (P2P) can be an efficient and effective way to raise money for your nonprofit. It’s an excellent way to mobilize and empower your supporters to fundraise on your behalf! This blog outlines three powerful reasons your nonprofit should consider launching a P2P fundraising campaign… especially during the campaign when most of us are social distancing.

7. How Will We Cultivate Donors This Fall?
   Gail Perry (Fired Up Fundraising)

   Are you feeling at a loss about how to nurture your donor’s philanthropic interest in your organization’s impact in the world? In this blog post, fundraising guru, Gail Perry provides some excellent insights into how you can develop a clear objective for cultivating your donors. The great news is that all this can be done in the virtual environment, so no need to wait until after the pandemic is over!

8. How To Grow Your Nonprofit When You’re A Team of One
   Sandy Rees (Get Fully Funded)

   When you’re starting your nonprofit, the to-do list can feel overwhelmingly long. But there are two things that should be top priorities to master that will set your nonprofit up for success--systems and work habits! These are the backbone of your organization and will help with fundraising, volunteer organization, and everything else! Even if you’re a seasoned nonprofit, this blog has some excellent tips on how to improve your systems and help you work more efficiently.

9. The Hectic Fall Season--Pandemic Style
   Phil Downs (Good Works)

   As most of us already anticipated, this fall season of fundraising will probably be unlike anything we’ve ever navigated before. COVID-19 will probably continue to impact nearly every aspect of our lives. For most nonprofits, September through December are the most important months for direct-mail fundraising. This blog is packed with practical things you should consider this year, in light of the pandemic’s secondary impacts (like slower mail).

10. 10 Tips To Ensuring Your Year-End Fundraising Appeal Inspires Giving
    Robin Cabral (NonProfit PRO)

    More than any other year, in 2020 your fundraising message must be clear and on point. This blog has some helpful recommendations about how to create powerful fundraising messages to boost your results, including how to talk about the ways COVID-19 is impacting your organization in an honest manner.