Soapbox Engage Blog

Issue 43

Greetings Fundraising Weekly community! I hope you had an excellent weekend and an even better start to your week. Personally, I had the chance to spend some time in Kansas with family over the weekend. A change of pace and scenery is always nice, especially when it means seeing loved ones!

You’re in for a treat with this week’s newsletter. We’ve got lots covered, from volunteer appreciation, to mission statements, to cyber security. We’re also excited to highlight some think pieces relating to community building, donor love, and the spiritual component of fundraising. Enjoy!

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Great Fundraising Posts

Volunteer Appreciation Ideas to Boost Volunteer Retention

Tim Forbes (Soapbox Engage)

Volunteers make the nonprofit work go round. More than 40% of public charities rely on volunteers to accomplish day-to-day tasks. It’s critical to show your appreciation and gratitude for each of your volunteers. Now is a great time to evaluate your current volunteer appreciation strategies and invest in a few upgrades or changes to make sure you keep your volunteers engaged and connected with your mission. This blog will help you do just that!

12 Principles of Donor Love From David Love

Greg Warner (MarketSmart)

Do you ever wonder if you’re expressing your gratitude and appreciation for your donors enough? Or are you looking for some ways to freshen up your donor care strategies? This guest post offers an overview of the 12 principles of “donor love” from fundraising guru, David Love. Head over to this blog to get some great ideas and tips for your summer donor care goals!

Creating an Effective Mission Statement

Guest Author (Get Fully Funded)

No matter how big or small your nonprofit is, you need a mission statement. It serves as the heart of your cause and the foundation of your fundraising strategy. A mission statement that summarizes your nonprofit and positions you to appeal to donors can be quite a process. But have no fear, this blog will help you write a mission statement that appeals to readers who are on the fence about becoming a donor.

Digital Annual Reports as Marketing Tools: 4 Best Practices

Julia Claire Campbell (Marketing for the Modern Nonprofit)

Donors want to know your organization is stewarding each dollar well. Your annual report can be a great tool to accomplish this. It can provide more context for supporters and tell the story of what your organization accomplished throughout the year. This blog can help you implement some strategies to leverage your annual report as a tool to capture, retain, and inform your donors.

4 Cybersecurity Best Practices for Community Nonprofits

Ann Green (Ann Green)

Cybersecurity matters for nonprofits in an increasingly digital world. It’s critical for organizations to keep sensitive information safe and ensure donors, volunteers, and employees have all the right tools to operate safely online. Make sure you’re doing all the right cybersecurity things to keep your nonprofit safe with these four best practices that all nonprofits should implement.

How Board Members Can Help Increase Donations by 39%

Gail Perry (Fired-Up Fundraising)

Do you ask your board members to help fundraise? Or are you a board member who is often asked to help reach fundraising goals? If you or your board members are feeling a bit nervous about asking for donations, that’s completely understandable. There’s another role you might consider taking--the “thanking” role! When board members offer personal gratitude to donors, it can make a big difference! Keep reading to learn why this is such an impactful strategy.

Study Shows a Big Shift in Donor Behavior Online

Jeff Brooks (Future Fundraising Now)

Studies showed a huge jump in online giving during the pandemic, especially to organizations that fight hunger and poverty and participated in COVID relief. This proves that when the need is great, people respond with generosity! What does this mean for fundraising going forward? Jeff Brooks offers some tips and insights about how you can continue to take advantage of this increased online giving during the COVID-19 pandemic.

There’s Something Spiritual About Fundraising

Richard Perry and Jeff Schreifels (Veritus Group)

Money has a strange power--to do both good and evil. It can make people do things they might not otherwise do! The process of helping donors invest their charitable giving can give you a unique insight into this phenomenon. Learning the power of money in people’s lives can help you become a better fundraiser and empower you to kep money in the right place in your own life, too!

How to Build a Culture of Philanthropy at Your Non-Profit

Joe Garecht (Joe Garecht Fundraising)

Have you ever noticed that some nonprofits seem to conquer their fundraising goals with ease, while others constantly feel bogged down by fundraising? One piece of the puzzle is that organizations with a strong culture of philanthropy tend to be more successful in a variety of categories--donor retention, fundraising, avoiding staff burnout, and more. And the great news is that you can cultivate a culture of philanthropy in your organization! Joe shares the details in this blog.