Soapbox Engage Blog

Issue 010

As I whisked by the blur of colors that was the autumn leaves in New England last week, it was another indicator that we're heading right into the thick of fundraising season. This holiday season will be unlike any other we've seen recently, and it's been great to read stories from our community of fundraisers becoming more inventive and creative than ever before.

I'm collecting stories from development teams that are thinking on their toes, and also looking for advice and guidance from others like them. If you're tackling some fundraising challenges, or you've seen unique success stories during the pandemic, just hit the reply button and let me know. Your fellow community members could learn from your questions and ideas!

As you're thinking about that, take a look at some of the great posts and ideas we've already collected from the community in this edition of Fundraising Weekly!

You can receive the Fundraising Weekly newsletter each Tuesday by subscribing today!

Great Fundraising Posts

Building Fundraising Campaign Themes That Increase Donations

Tim Forbes (Soapbox Engage)

Almost every fundraising campaign needs a theme. Without a great theme, your fundraising campaign will be difficult to understand and potential donors will probably struggle to connect and feel compelled to give. This blog explains why themes are essential to fundraising campaigns and the key ingredients to an effective theme. Be sure to read this blog before launching your year-end giving campaign!

Treating So-Called Small Donors Like Rockstars

Mary Cahalane (Hands On Fundraising)

It’s tempting to celebrate the “major donors” who give substantial gifts but in 2020 the overall number of donors increased by 7.2%, with the greatest increase in donations of less than $250. Though these donors might make small contributions, they are often your greatest, most faithful supporters. This blog post has some excellent insight into why and how nonprofits should be treating their smaller donors as rockstars!

11 Year-End Fundraising Tips for Nonprofits Already Behind Schedule

Chris Yuhasz (NonProfitPRO)

Many nonprofits begin planning their year-end giving campaigns in the early summer months. Most fundraising experts say organizations should be kicking into high gear no later than September 1. But, if you suddenly realized you’re way behind schedule, have no fear! This blog post has some great tips about how you can ruthlessly prioritize your tasks to get back on track and still have a successful year-end giving campaign.

How to Achieve Brand Consistency For Your Nonprofit

Howard Adam Levy (PhilanTopic)

If we’re really honest, many nonprofits struggle to create and maintain a unified visual identity and messaging. Communications and marketing staff within nonprofits are often stretched to the limit, increasing the likelihood that non-marketing people will resort to creating the needed marketing materials. But, inconsistent branding and marketing can actually be very detrimental. This blog will explain why and how to achieve brand consistency for your organization.

How to Give Your Donors A More Personal Online Thank You Experience

Ann Green (Ann Green’s Nonprofit Blog)

Online donations are easy, accessible, and usually available just about anywhere. But how do you appropriately and sufficiently thank people who give electronically? How can your organization create an excellent thank you experience for each donor? That’s what this blog is about. It includes details about why thanking online donors is so critical and a few creative ways to do it!

Ideas for Thanking Major Donors

Sandy Rees (Get Fully Funded)

Showing gratitude and thanking your donors is essential. But sometimes a standard thank-you note just doesn’t quite feel like enough, especially for our major donors. It’s important to communicate just how much you value your major donors and this blog has some creative ideas to do just that!

How You Can Use the 80/20 Rule To Raise More Money

Steven Screen (The Better Fundraising Co.)

Have you heard of the 80/20 principle? Most nonprofits find that about 80% of their donor revenue comes from just 20% of their donors. Organizations can use this principle to help them prioritize their fundraising time and hone their fundraising strategies. This blog has some practical ways fundraisers can apply the 80/20 principle to fundraising strategies.

Bad Decisions That Will Destroy Your MGO

Richard Perry (Veritus Group)

Many nonprofits hire or recruit major gift officers (MGO), then ask them to do unproductive--or just plain illogical things! If you are working with a major gift officer (or hope to in the near future), you should definitely read this blog to make sure you’re not making these three common mistakes!

Step Up Your Ask With These Proven Strategies

Gail Perry (Fired Up Fundraising)

Year-end fundraising is almost upon us and most development professionals have one main thing on their minds--how to get more (or bigger) donations. This blog gets straight to the point to help you craft better donation requests. It also provides some specific examples of phrases and requests you should avoid. You should definitely read this blog post before writing your next appeal!

10 Tips To Inspire In-Memoriam and Honorarium Giving

Robin Cabral (NonProfitPRO)

Research is indicating that the typical in-memoriam giving information might not be resonating effectively with either Baby Boomers or younger donors. Pair that with the pandemic and it’s no surprise that many organizations are seeing their in-memoriam gifts decline. This blog includes ten specific steps you can take to attract more in-memoriam gifts for your organization!