Soapbox Engage Blog

Issue 26

Most folks don't know about the little blue line. It appears once every four years, stringing together the US Capitol and the White House, and provides the path of the new President to their new residence.

It also happens to go right by my office building.

This year, that meant me, a US secret service officer from Texas, and a building security guard watched from inside glass doors as the President slowly drove past the office, right before making a left to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. The officer put it best, "I've been doing this for 24 years, and I've never seen anything like this."

As we're all launching into 2021 with a sense of disequilibrium, it helps to know that there's a path pointing you home. Here's another fantastic batch helpful guidance from fellow non-profiteers. Consider this your own little blue line, taking you right to the knowledge you need to keep bringing success home to your organization.

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Great Fundraising Posts

10 TED Talks Every Nonprofit Leader Should Watch

Tim Forbes (Soapbox Engage)

Working in the nonprofit world is inspiring, invigorating, and sometimes exhausting and overwhelming. Sometimes you need a little injection of inspiration yourself. It’s also helpful to get fresh perspectives on old problems. Soapbox Engage rounded up ten TED Talks to help fundraisers and nonprofit workers boost motivation, refine leadership skills, and improve fundraising tactics.

Managing your Major Gift Portfolio Can Be This Easy

Gail Perry (Fired-Up Fundraising)

One of the secrets to successful “mega-fundraising” is identifying the wisest places to invest your time and attention. Most major gift portfolios are so full of prospects that it feels overwhelming and impossible to dedicate quality time and attention to each of them. So, developing a system to help you and your team direct time and attention to the right places will increase the impact of your fundraising. Head over to this blog to learn how to create such a system.

Do These 2 Things If You Want to Keep Your Donors

Steven Screen (The Better Fundraising Company)

It’s always worth a reminder that thanking donors and reporting back to them about the impact of their generosity is an important part of donor care. In fact, doing these two things well can give you the best chance of keeping your donors for a long time. This blog offers some excellent wisdom about how to make each of your donors feel valued and understand just how much of a difference they’re making with their financial partnership.

Why It’s So Hard to Fundraise: Neoliberalism

Otis Fulton and Katrina VanHuss (NonProfit PRO)

Have you bought into the philosophy that people only do things that benefit them personally or support causes they’ve been personally impacted by? This blog is a bit of venture into philosophy and psychology, but it’s helpful to understand some of these philosophies and ways of thinking (or viewing the world) that impact our fundraising--and our donors.

Reimagining Fundraising in a COVID-19 Landscape: Lessons for Success in 2021

Maddy Scott (CCS Fundraising)

You’re probably tired of reading and thinking about fundraising in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, but 2020 brought major changes to the philanthropic sector. An important question still remains: how can nonprofit leaders set themselves and their organizations up for fundraising success amid so much uncertainty in 2021 and beyond. Head over to this blog to read some wisdom and insights from nonprofit fundraising experts so your nonprofit can continue to grow and make an impact throughout 2021.

How to Report Impact During A Pandemic

Richard Perry and Jeff Schreifels (Veritus Group)

Here’s a pressing question that many fundraising experts are fielding: how, in the midst of a pandemic and social distancing (where face-to-face meetings aren’t generally safe or advised) do you communicate to a donor the impact that their gift made? Even in a pandemic, your supporters still want to know how the work is going and how they’re making a difference via their generosity--perhaps even more so! Richard and Jeff share the wisdom they’ve been giving their nonprofit clients about how to report impact in the midst of a pandemic.

How to Write A Great Donor Thank You Letter

Joe Garecht (Joe Garecht Fundraising)

The starting place for stewarding and building relationships with your donors is writing thank you letters. It may seem like a small and inconsequential act, but these little notes go a long way, so don’t let it become an after-thought in your nonprofit. This blog will help you write great donor thank you letters so you can steward those relationships well and raise more money!

How To Fundraise In Rural Communities

Sandy Rees (Get Fully Funded)

Fundraising in rural communities has some unique dynamics. Still, just like anywhere else, it’s all about building relationships. It’s critical for nonprofits fundraising in smaller communities to take into account the smaller pool of local donors and the characteristics of the small town itself. In this blog, Sandy explains some of the challenges of fundraising in rural areas and offers some wisdom, insights, tips, and tricks for fundraising success in that context!

How to Use Awe to Raise More Money

Mary Cahalane (Hands-On Fundraising)

Think of a time when you were deeply moved by something big, beautiful, and meaningful--something too big to grasp. That feeling of awe can have a huge impact in fundraising! Studies have shown that feeling a sense of awe creates an increased interest in the collective good (and reduces your sense of self). Head over to this blog to get some ideas and tips on how to use “awe” to increase the impact of your fundraising efforts.

Improve Your Fundraising by Improving the Story You Tell Yourself

Jeff Brooks (Future Fundraising Now)

We all have stories we tell ourselves to interpret what happens to us and around us. Some people--and organizations--tell better stories than others. The reality is that the story your organization tells can mean the difference between success and failure. This blog offers some great starting points for stories your organization can adopt and tell itself that breeds life, hope, and success.