Soapbox Engage Blog

Issue 105

Happy Tuesday, Fundraisers! What are your goals for August? Hopefully they include lounging out in the sun and soaking up some heat while the summer still feels like it won’t ever end!

I wanted to share a free resource that we spent a lot of time crafting here at Soapbox Engage. This guide to online fundraising will walk you through the basics of virtual fundraising, the three key components of making a campaign, how to optimize your giving results, and some steps to make a strategic fundraising plan! A lot of this material is available here on this webpage, and if you find that useful, you can download a 30-page guide for free here. Take a look and tell me what you find most helpful!

Scroll on down for even more great fundraising content. It’s always a pleasure to share knowledge with this community.

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Great Fundraising Posts

How to Leverage Social Media for Fundraising

Tim Forbes (Soapbox Engage)

72% of the American public on social media, making it an essential tool of nonprofit marketing. It also is a powerful avenue for fundraising. In this blog post, Tim shares why you should be using social media for your organization, and five ways to leverage your social media for fundraising.

Use Special Days to Your Advantage

Erica Waasdorp (NonProfitPro)

There are special days we all know about, like Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. But, our calendar holds many special days you might not even think about, like International Friendship Day, which just passed on July 30th. In this blog post, Erica offers ideas on how to creatively use special days to engage with your donors.

How Are You Sharing Stories With Your Donors?

Ann Green (Ann Green’s Nonprofit Blog)

Storytelling is one of the most powerful ways to connect with people. If you are solely focusing on facts and statistics with your donors, you are missing out on an opportunity. This blog post offers ways to help you put together your best story, and tell your stories effectively.

6 Ways to Thank Donors Virtually and Really Stand Out

Amy Eisenstein (Amy Eisenstein)

Stewardship, the fourth and final phase of fundraising after a donor has made their gift, is incredibly important. It’s crucial that a donor feels thanked, and also feels they made a difference. In this blog post, Amy offers 6 unique virtual ways to thank your donors.

7 Fundraising Mistakes and How to Overcome Them

- (Fundraising & Philanthropy)

A successful fundraising strategy requires consistent updating and refining as you discover what is most effective for your organization and community. As you find what works best, you’re bound to make some mistakes along the way. But being prepared can cut down on that. This blog post shares seven common fundraising mistakes, and valuable guidance to help you overcome them.

How to Craft a Compelling, Powerful Vision Statement

- (Gail Perry Group)

Your organization’s Vision Statement is a marketing document that describes your organization’s vision for change in the world. An essential piece of your fundraising plan, a Vision Statement is your chance to sell others on your big ideas for expanding your work. This blog post offers a breakdown on how to write a compelling vision statement, including common things you shouldn’t do.

Want to Raise More Money for Your Nonprofit? How to Win Donors’ Hearts and Minds

Vanessa Chase Lockshin (The Storytelling Non-profit)

As we continue to deal with increasing competition for donor dollars, it can feel hard to reach your audience and win them over. Sometimes it seems as though donor behavior shifts right when you settle on a working strategy. In this blog post, Vanessa explores how to structure a fundraising appeal that will raise more money and win donors’ hearts and minds.

You Are Not Your Donor

Mary Cahalane (Hands on Fundraising)

Working in the nonprofit sector could potentially make you feel cynical, particularly in times when you’re looking at fundraising appeals from other organizations. You may be thinking “I know that’s not a real signature,” or analyzing why they ask for things in a certain way. This can take some of the magic away. But, it’s important to remember your donor thinks differently. This blog post reminds us of the different mindsets we have, and encourages us to shift our perspective so we can see how our appeals impact our donors.

When Your Fundraising Story is Not a Story at All

Jeff Brooks (Future Fundraising Now)

We know storytelling is essential to our fundraising. However, in the pursuit of making sure our donors understand, we might risk explaining rather than telling a story. That is not very effective. In this blog post, Jeff breaks down an example of a “story” that missed the mark, and shares tips for how to write an effective story for your fundraising.