Soapbox Engage Blog

Issue 31

As the calendar turns to March, it's hard to not say, "wait, you again?" A year ago today feels so distant, as we all just went about our days maskless. Now just watching a movie scene that includes a crowd makes me cringe.

We seem to be turning a corner in the fight against COVID-19, and it just might be time to think about a post-pandemic future. Fundraising in-person. Galas. Dinners...inside!

Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let's keep our eyes focused on the road ahead, and soak in some great fundraising community knowledge.

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Great Fundraising Posts

55 Silent Auction Items to Take Your Charity Auction to New Heights

Tim Forbes (Soapbox Engage)

Silent auctions can be really powerful fundraising events for nonprofits. People really enjoy the thrill of the bid and the excitement of buying something they want and helping a cause or charity at the same time. Offering auction items that are attractive and exciting is a critical piece of the puzzle. Soapbox Engage rounded up 55 excellent auction ideas that are sure to drive top-dollar bids for your next charity silent auction!

How to Double the Amount You Raise at Your Next Fundraising Event

Joe Geracht (Joe Geracht Fundraising)

Joe Geracht asserts that most nonprofits he’s engaged with over the past 20 years spend far too much time and energy on each fundraising event and get far too little in return. This webinar will help you increase the amount of money you raise at your next fundraising events and get the most out of your efforts.

This Little Fact Is Going To Help You Fundraise Better

Mazarine (Wild Woman Fundraising)

They say not to judge a book by its cover. In this case, don’t judge a blog by its length. Despite being just a few paragraphs long, this blog packs a powerful punch about multiethnicity and fundraising. In short, if you want to continue the great work of your nonprofit, it’s critical to learn how to engage and attract new donors from different cultures and communities.

Don’t Re-Engage Past Donors

Richard Perry and Jeff Schreifels (Veritus Group)

It’s tempting to spend time trying to re-engage donors who gave 5 to 10 years ago, but fundraising experts, Richard and Jeff, say you should ignore them. A more valuable thing to do is learn the reason why the donors left! Head over to this blog to keep reading Richard and Jeff’s advice about why re-engaging past donors isn’t the best use of your time.

Five Ideas That Will Make Asking Much Easier and More Successful

Gail Perry (Fired Up Fundraising)

Major gift fundraising can feel really hard! In many ways, it all comes down to the moment when you actually ask a donor to make a gift. It doesn’t need to be stressful, nerve wracking, or overwhelming. Fundraising guru, Gail Perry offers five ways you can enter these conversations feeling confident and calm so you can cultivate authentic, powerful relationships with your major donors.

Busyness Versus Effectiveness

Larry C. Johnson (NonProfit PRO)

These days everyone feels busy, and we’re even tempted to measure ourselves by our busyness. But, as Larry C. Johnson points out in this blog, “busy” does not necessarily equal “effective.” He says activity is easier to measure than outcome. That’s why we’re tempted to measure ourselves by perceived activity, not how effective our activity is. Keep reading to learn how this relates to fundraising and becoming an effective development professional!

4 Places to Share Information That Won’t Hurt Your Fundraising Appeals

Megan Carder (Heroic Fundraising)

Sometimes it can be challenging to discern what information you should share with donors that will be impactful and helpful. Your organization is doing so much and this can lead to trying to squeeze details or information into places it doesn’t quite fit. This leads to fundraising deterrent instead of information sharing. In this blog, Megan shares four methods for information sharing that will guard against information overload that deters donors.

Three Reasons to Invest in Monthly Giving in 2021

Lindsay Thibault (Good Works)

Monthly giving programs are one of the best ways to promote sustainable growth and financial stability in your nonprofit. And, it’s a great time of year to start building or strengthening your monthly giving programs. This blog has three powerful reasons why you should especially emphasize monthly giving programs in 2021.

Ethical Storytelling + Nonprofit Fundraising

Dathan Montes (Greater Giving)

Emotionally compelling success stories are powerful tools for appeals and fundraising efforts. They’re inspiring and they grab at donors’ hearts. But asking the person in the vulnerable situation to share their deeply personal and sensitive stories can be very hard and emotionally costly. This can (and probably should) create an ethical dilemma. How do nonprofits help people share their stories in ways that empower them and inspire donors without exploiting their painful experiences. Dathan Montes digs into this question to offer a few strategies for ethical storytelling.