Soapbox Engage Blog

Issue 007

In an effort to do my part to keep social distancing maximized, I've made my way to a strip of land flung into the Atlantic Ocean. Ah yes, changing seasons, beautiful sunsets, fast Internet, and all the Dunkin' Donuts coffee I can possibly consume. Thank you, Massachusetts!

While I try to determine some quick ways to dress appropriately for the unexpectedly quick change to fall weather making its way through the region (I packed wishfully thinking summer would never end), here's another week of hand-curated community knowledge goodness!

Don't forget, you can have the goodness of the Fundraising Weekly delivered into your inbox each Tuesday by subscribing to the Fundraising Weekly today!

Great Articles from the Fundraising Community

1. 8 Tips for Hosting A Virtual Fundraising Event
   Tim Forbes (Soapbox Engage)

   With most in-person gatherings still strongly discouraged due to COVID-19, nonprofits are still having to rely on creative online events to fundraise and stay in touch with their donors. This blog has 8 great proven tricks from top businesses and nonprofits to help you host great online events.

2. Hidden Treasures for Fundraising
   Pamela Barden (NonProfit PRO)

   Do you ever feel like you’re writing basically the same thing in your newsletters, thank-you notes, and other fundraising content? Monotonous copy is a sure way to cause donors to lose interest and drift off. It really doesn’t take much to add some variety and spice to your fundraising messaging, even when there doesn’t seem to be anything new to say. This blog post has some excellent tips on how to add variety and depth to your content.

3. 3 Reasons Optimists Raise More Money, Especially During A Pandemic
   Amy Eisenstein (Amy Eisenstein Consulting)

   Are you a “glass half empty” or a “glass half full” kind of person? There’s a lot to be concerned about these days (pandemics, economic unrest, etc.). There are plenty of obstacles to overcome, but development professionals can choose to be optimistic or pessimistic about the task of fundraising. This blog has some specific reasons optimists tend to raise more money and just might help you edge toward becoming a “glass half full” kind of fundraiser.

4. Great Managers = Major Gift Success
   Richard Perry (Veritus Group)

   Great coaches make all the difference in a sports team. The same is true for having great managers in fundraising (even though many non-profit leaders don’t seem to value quality management). An excellent manager loves to develop and inspire their fundraisers to succeed in their job and do great work. This blog has some great insights into why nonprofits should make sure they have great managers--and how that will improve major fundraising!

5. Poor Name, Great Lesson
   Steven Screen (The Better Fundraising Co.)

   Have you ever heard of the “toxic parent problem” in fundraising storytelling? This blog has some great case studies for how nonprofits changed the way they tell stories and got better results--because it clarified their cause and eliminated the “toxic parent problem” in their stories. (Hint: tell the story in a way that the “toxic parent” never overshadows the child in need.” And, don’t let the analogy fool you, this storytelling strategy applies to every nonprofit, whether you work with kids and parents or not!

6. You’re Not Really Out Of Toilet Paper
   Mary Cahalane (Hands On Fundraising)

   Do you operate in a scarcity mentality? Many nonprofits constantly operate with a mentality that there’s not enough--not enough money, time, energy, volunteers, etc. But, if you can move away from a scarcity mentality, you’ll probably feel better and get more important work done! This blog has some great insights into what’s going on behind the scarcity mentality and how it can negatively impact your fundraising efforts.

7. Why You’re A Better Writer Than Stephen King
   Willis Turner (NonProfit PRO)

   People buy Stephen King’s books to be entertained. He delights and terrifies people with his tales. On the other hand, your carefully chosen words warm people’s hearts, move them to tears, and fill them with righteous anger at the horror and injustices in the world. You move people to action with your writing. For these reasons, it’s worth the time and energy of every fundraiser to hone your writing skills and improve your storytelling.

8. 10 Ways To Do Smart Fundraising In A Pandemic
   Jeff Brooks (Future Fundraising Now)

   You’ve probably heard the old adage, “work smarter, not harder.” This applies to fundraising, too! This blog has ten ways development professionals should be working smarter. Of course, these are things fundraisers should be doing all the time, but especially in today’s fundraising climate!

9. Is It Time To Hire A Grant Writer For Your Nonprofit?
   Sandy Rees (Get Fully Funded)

   Applying for grants is not quite as easy as some people think. It’s more than just filling out an application. This blog post is really more of a guide to help nonprofits get ready to apply for grants and determine whether it would be better to do it in-house or hire a grant writer. It’s packed with useful insights from fundraising professionals who really know what they’re talking about!

10. Building Your First Fundraising Toolkit
    Robert Kain (Re:Charity)

    These days, almost every nonprofit and business is leaning more heavily than ever on their technology for working remotely and creative fundraising strategies. Do you have the right tools in your “toolbox” of online fundraising? This blog post will help you strategically build (or assess) your fundraising toolkit to ensure you’ve got all the resources for virtual fundraising success.

Great Fundraising Community Events

1. How to Plan, Create, and Evaluate A Year-End Digital Fundraising Campaign
   Farra Trompeter (Big Duck)

   This three-part virtual event will be packed with loads of great tools to help you create a powerful and effective digital year-end fundraising campaign, including how to get the most out of #GivingTuesday. Topics include setting campaign goals and determining target audiences, creating campaign themes, mapping out campaign timelines, and much more! Space is limited, so act fast!