Soapbox Engage Blog

Issue 202

Happy Tuesday, Fundraisers!

Okay, I know we have a week and some change until the official start of summer, but I think the spirit of the season is already here! In this slower season, it’s a good idea to evaluate your fundraising strategies ahead of the big year-end campaign push. Online fundraising is a critical component of any development strategy!

Online fundraising has many facets and dynamics. Effective online fundraising can be broken down into three components: storytelling, relationships, and optimization. This Definitive Guide to Online Fundraising has all the tips, insights, and strategies you need to incorporate each of these components into your online fundraising strategy. Bookmark it for regular reference and make sure it stays handy year-round.

Scroll on down for the latest fundraising ideas and strategies relating to SEO, board members, and P2P donors!

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Great Fundraising Posts

Planning for Growth: 4 Nonprofit Financial Considerations

Soapbox Engage (Soapbox Engage)

Expansion is a major undertaking for any nonprofit. From launching new programs to bringing on additional team members, there are a lot of moving parts to manage as your organization grows. However, the most important aspect of nonprofit growth is ensuring a solid financial foundation. This guide shares four areas of financial consideration that your nonprofit should take into account when planning for growth.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO): A Guide for Nonprofits

Murad Bushnaq (NonProfitPro)

Nearly one-third of donors are inspired to give via nonprofit websites, which makes this channel a powerful marketing tool that can grow your audience — when built strategically. Implementing a search engine optimization (SEO) strategy is necessary to enhance your online visibility. This post explores the basics of SEO and how your nonprofit can build a great website by optimizing its online presence.

3 Ways to Raise Funds, Even When Starting from Scratch

Erica Myers-Davis (Moceanic)

Every nonprofit organization starts small. How do you get from start-up to a sustainable fundraising program with a database full of donors you can count on to give, upgrade, and include you in their wills? It’s not easy, but this blog post shares activities that can help you raise the funding you need now to accomplish your mission and set the stage for future growth.

The Heavy Lifts of Fundraising

Jim Langley (Market Smart)

Sometimes, people hire fundraising consultants thinking it will relieve them of hard work. But the truth is, fundraising involves many heavy lifts. In this blog post, Jim shares the heavy lifts of fundraising that leaders and organizations need to accept and embrace for success.

How to Solicit Your Board Members for a Capital Campaign

Soapbox Engage (Soapbox Engage)

Your board members are not only expected to govern your organization’s operations, they’re also expected to donate to large-scale fundraising efforts like capital campaigns. Securing those donations can be easier said than done, however. To gather foundational gifts for your campaign and engage your members in your efforts, you’ll need a strategic and thoughtful approach. Check out this blog post to help you create that.

Leaders, How Strong Is Your Mistake-Owning Muscle?

Karen Kendrick (Veritus Group)

Being a good leader doesn’t mean you have to be perfect. On the contrary, the one top tested behavior when it comes to positively impacting your team’s job satisfaction is your ability to admit when you are wrong. But being able to admit mistakes isn’t necessarily an easy thing to do. In this blog post, Karen offers tips to help you own your mistakes.

How I Launched a Capital Campaign with a Porch Party

Gail Perry (Gail Perry Group)

Donor cultivation events are an important part of fundraising. But they don’t always have to be grand affairs—small social gatherings also have a lot of benefits. This blog post shares how you can plan a smaller event, like a porch party, to launch your capital campaign.

P2P Donors Are Not Strangers: Convert Them into Real Supporters

The ENGAGE Blog (The ENGAGE Blog)

A peer-to-peer fundraising campaign can be a great way to reach a fundraising goal. But the work doesn’t stop there. It’s important that you work to convert the donors who keep via a peer-to-peer campaign into consistent supporters! This blog post offers tips to help you do that successfully.

7 Creative Ways to Show Your Supporters They’re Valued

Pamela Grow (Pamela Grow)

Trends for 2024 indicate a rise in AI for donor communications. However, these same trends also indicate that these AI-written messages, if poorly implemented, may alienate donors. This means that 2024 is the year to stand out from the crowd by getting creative with your donor recognition strategy. This guide features seven unique, memorable, and meaningful ways you can appreciate your donors.