Soapbox Engage Blog

Issue 005

Things don't seem to change faster than afternoon weather in high desert of New Mexico. One moment, the bluest skies you've ever seen. The next moment...well, something like this.

I've been lucky to escape the humidity Washington DC for the past month, and set up a temporary home in the American southwest. It's pretty incredible to see life flourish in a place where drastic change can seem to arrive at any moment.

That feels pretty similar to our fundraising world these days, doesn't it? As this newsletter continues to grow (welcome new Salesforce community friends!), my hope is that we can keep finding those nuggets of knowledge you need to stay strong through approaching monsoons. We're going to get through this fundraising season together, as a community. I've got your back.

So, without further ado, let's dive into this week's fundraising community contributions and gear up!

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

Great Articles from the Fundraising Community

1. Virtual Fitness Fundraising Ideas for Any Nonprofit
   Tim Forbes (Soapbox Engage)

   Fall is an excellent time to host virtual fitness fundraisers. Many people are eager to get back to health and fitness routines after a summer off. Take advantage of that trend to do some much-needed fundraising! This blog has some tried-and-true virtual fundraising ideas and a few best practices to follow.

2. Beyond Virtual Facilitation: How To Maximize Engagement and Tackle Wicked Problems In Your Virtual Meetings
   Calliope Glaros (Charity How-To)

   Nobody likes attending boring virtual meetings… but you can take yours to the next level! Learn the virtual facilitation tools, tips, and tricks you need to build trust and foster collaboration in your virtual meetings. These resources are applicable to all kinds of meetings, from team check-ins to online fundraising events.

3. Why You Need A Case Statement for Fundraising
   Sandy Rees (Get Fully Funded)

   Most people think of Case Statements in connection to capital campaigns, but this blog makes the case for why EVERY nonprofit needs a Case Statement! A case statement is a really useful tool for gathering your thoughts around why people should give to your nonprofit. It’s also a fantastic resource to help define your message and your mission to keep you focused.

4. 6 Principles for Authentic Fundraising
   Dan Sonners (NonprofitPRO)

   Authenticity is fundamental to good fundraising. These days, people want to interact with organizations and brands that cultivate more meaningful relationships with their clients, donors, and customers. This blog offers six principles that will help you determine if your nonprofit is on the right track in communicating authentically with your donors.

5. December 31 is 133 Days Away: Planning Your Year-End Direct Mail Appeal
   Holly Paulin (Good Works)

   Did you know that in every one of your direct mail appeals you should be asking your donors to solve a fixable problem? But it takes time to clearly write the problem, the solution, and the particular action you want your donors to take. This blog offers some great insight into how to write a great year-end appeal letter.

6. 6 Video Marketing Tips for Nonprofits
   Katherine Rundell (Nonprofit Hub)

   Video marketing is one of the most impactful ways to engage people! And, it’s only gaining importance as the millennial audience tends to value video marketing more than older generations. But, the idea of creating videos can be overwhelming--it’s not quite as simple as it sounds. This blog has six great tips on how your nonprofit can create excellent fundraising videos.

7. Why Being Direct Makes Your Fundraising Work
   Jeff Brooks (Future Fundraising Now)

   Very direct communication in fundraising might make some development professionals uncomfortable. After all, most “normal” conversations start with general, indirect questions. But, in fundraising, it’s critical to get to the point because you only have a few moments to communicate with the potential donor. This very brief blog post gives the why and how of direct communication in fundraising.

8. Are You Creating “Bulletproof” Stories For Your Nonprofit?
   Pamela Grow (Pamela Grow Consulting)

   Statistics rarely connect with people, and they’re not nearly as powerful as stories. Do you have a system to gather and write stories? Great storytelling should be at the heart of your fundraising. In this blog post, Pamela Grow gives some great questions to help you reflect on your storytelling and use them effectively (including resources to improve your storytelling skills).

9. How COVID Times Provide Unique Opportunities for Fundraising
   Gail Perry (Fired Up Fundraising)

   Of course the pandemic has brought much uncertainty, damage, and hardship, but it’s also given a unique fundraising opportunity. With all the activities, gatherings, and “extras” stripped away, development professionals are learning that donors actually give more when their gift is based on authentic conversations instead of 5K runs and galas. Fundraising guru, Gail Perry, shares three major ways COVID is offering unique opportunities for major gift fundraising.

10. What’s Wrong With Trashing Donor-Centeredness?
    Richard Perry (Veritus Group)

    If you’re in the fundraising world long enough, you realize that fads and “things” come and go. “Donor-centered fundraising” is one of those fads that should not be tossed aside! Fundraising powerhouses, Richard and Jeff, explain why nonprofits should definitely NOT get rid of donor-centeredness (and the five things that will help you incorporate it healthily).

11. How To Plan A Fundraiser For Your Small Nonprofit
    Sandy Rees (Get Fully Funded)

    No matter what kind of fundraiser your planning (in person or online), it can feel daunting to plan and execute a fundraising event. Even if you’ve planned hundreds of fundraising events, it’s always good to assess your planning process to make sure it’s as effective as possible. This blog post offers six easy steps to keep you on track while planning a fundraiser, then it will help you identify what worked afterward.