Soapbox Engage Blog

Issue 23

My friends, we made it! I really expected to look at my watch on New Year's Day and see it read "December 32". Luckily, it said 2021, and I was able to breathe that same relief I heard across DC.

As we transition into fundraising rest mode (even just for a moment), it's great to take a moment to reflect on the success of 2020. While our Soapbox Engage community reported pretty hard hits on event registrations, we saw our organizations solidly grow their online fundraising during one of the toughest fundraising years in a long time.

Nice work, fundraisers!

Wherever you find yourself today, I hope you get a moment to reflect and enjoy a bit of peace. You deserve it!

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Great Fundraising Posts

How to Add a Donate Button on Facebook and Grow Your Fundraising

Tim Forbes (Soapbox Engage)

With all the buzz and traffic on Facebook (and the continued success of social media fundraising campaigns), we dug up all the dirt on the new Facebook Donate Now button. This blog is packed with the pros and cons of this fundraising feature and even a step-by-step guide on how to install the button on your organization’s Facebook page!

Year-End Reflections: Celebrating Resilience

Rob Acker (Salesforce)

The world fundamentally changed in 2020 and the pandemic created new challenges for communities while shining a light on existing systemic issues. In the nonprofit world especially, we took stock of what really mattered and inequities in new or different ways. This blog is an honest but hopeful look back at 2020 and what we can take into 2021.

Toss Out Your Money-Related Title

Richard Perry (Veritus Group)

Fundraising done well is never about the money. So why are positional titles within nonprofits so focused on the money? Titles like “major gift officer” and “director of individual giving” are organization and money-centered. This blog post is an argument for ditching these old titles (at least externally) and adopting some new fundraising titles.

In Defense of Giving Tuesday

Mary Cahalane (Hands-On Fundraising)

In a previous blog, Mary argued that GivingTuesday should be treated as a day of fundraising, not a full fundraising strategy. Well, in this blog, Mary welcomes a “respectful disagreement” of her perspective on GivingTuesday! After all, there’s no one “right” perspective on fundraising. So, keep reading for a different perspective on GivingTuesday (no it’s not too early!).

6 Common Mistakes that Can Wreck Your Fundraising Plan

Jeff Brooks (Future Fundraising Now)

The first few weeks of the year is a perfect time to review the previous year’s fundraising efforts and consider your plans for 2021. This blog post includes some of the common ways that nonprofits unintentionally undermine their own fundraising plans. So, be sure to give this a read before you put your fundraising plan into action (or writing your plan if you haven’t already done that).

7 Things Nonprofit Major Gifts Programs Need to Succeed

Claire Axelrad (Clairification)

Every nonprofit needs a major gifts program. Many organizations have major donor opportunities hiding in plain sight (or just beneath the surface). This blog includes seven great secrets that will help major gifts programs of any size succeed in the coming year.

You’re Amazing! 8 Reasons to Thank A Fundraiser in 2020

Jolene Miklas (Heroic Fundraising)

2020 really was a year unlike any other. Your programs and fundraising probably looked very different--and your events were probably canceled or moved to virtual formats. All over the world fundraising professionals worked through staff or pay reductions, long hours, and the emotional strain of living through a pandemic. This blog is a virtual pat on the back for all you development professionals who pulled off an incredible year!

A Simple 2x2 for Choices

Seth Godin (Seth’s Blog)

In fundraising, success doesn’t always equal raising more money--success means you accomplished what you set out to do! This blog has a really handy 2x2 grid that will help you avoid some of the success pitfalls and traps as you schedule projects and fundraising activities this year!

The Structure of an Effective Fundraising Organization

Jeff Schreifels (Veritus Group)

Fundraising gurus, Richard and Jeff explain that many nonprofits aren’t organized to help the major gifts function succeed or the organization leaders don’t have a clear understanding of the various fundraising jobs. (Hint: the major gifts department’s job is not JUST to raise more money.) Keep reading to learn why the deeper purpose of major gifts fundraisers (and all fundraising really) is to fulfill donor passions and interests!