Soapbox Engage Blog

Issue 270

Happy Tuesday, fundraisers!

This week we’re bringing you a mix of lessons learned and practical tools to help your nonprofit grow. From insights out of NPSP Day Minneapolis to guidance on handling multi-year grants and securing major gifts, there’s something here for every fundraising leader. Hope you have a wonderful week!

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Great Fundraising Posts

NPSP Day Minneapolis 2025: Lessons Learned & Tools for Success

Soapbox Engage (Soapbox Engage)

On September 11, NPSP Day landed in Minneapolis at the historic Grain Exchange, where local nonprofits, schools, and Salesforce pros came together for a day of learning, problem-solving, and connection. The conversations from the day the conversations captured the spirit of what makes NPSP Days special: collaboration, curiosity, and a whole lot of ah-ha moments. Check out this blog post for a recap with key takeaways from the breakout sessions!

Fundraising Boss vs. Advancement Leader

Jim Langley (MarketSmart)

When it comes to leading your development team at your nonprofit organization, are you a “fundraising boss?” Or an “advancement leader?” Do you know the difference? Which one is better? In this blog post, Jim identifies the differences between the two so you can improve your leadership to ultimately raise more money.

How to Handle Multi-Year Grants: Guide for Nonprofits

fundraisingIP (fundraisingIP)

Securing grant funding is not easy. There are lots of steps to successfully receive a grant… and even then it’s not over! You must manage this funding properly to uphold grant requirements and funder stipulations. This process can also be quite complicated, especially for multi-year grants. This blog post breaks down the steps to follow so you can handle multi-year grants efficiently and effectively.

Major Donor Fundraising: 18 Tips for Securing Large Gifts

The ENGAGE Blog (The ENGAGE Blog)

Major gift fundraising is the backbone of nonprofit funding. Studies show that large organizations receive 95% of individual donations from the top 20% of donors, and small organizations receive 84% of contributions from the top 20% of donors. The value of a major giving program is clear, but it requires intentional, data-driven strategies to identify the right donors, build relationships, and secure donations. This blog post features 18 tips to guide you through that process.

How to Build Nonprofit Fundraising Event Longevity and Community Impact

Chellee Siewert (NonProfitPro)

Nonprofit fundraising event longevity is often more important than the initial launch of a philanthropic event. A strong first event may spark momentum, but building on that success is what creates real, lasting community impact. This blog post offers six strategies to help nonprofits strengthen event longevity, consistency and donor engagement over time.

How Best to Start an Appeal?

Kevin Schulman (The Agitator)

As long as there have been humans, there has been storytelling. Stories have always been a key part of a well functioning society. In this blog post, Kevin talks about the keys of strong storytelling and how you can use that when starting an appeal.

How Web Engagement Data Can Improve Your Nonprofit

Julia Claire Campbell (Marketing for the Modern Nonprofit)

Most of us use the internet for basically everything nowadays—and that includes supporters of your nonprofit organization! Your nonprofit’s website is a key channel for connecting with supporters, receiving donations, and raising awareness for your mission. It’s crucial to track data to boost engagement and understand how you can improve results and achieve your organization’s goals. In this blog post, Julia focuses on two key engagement metrics to share how you can improve your site’s performance.

The Secret to Powerful Storytelling for Fundraising

Jeff Brooks (Moceanic)

Stories are important for fundraising. They can make the difference between success and failure. But they aren’t the only thing going on in an effective fundraising message. A story is just an ingredient for fundraising. In this blog post, Jeff provides an example of using a powerful story in a fundraising appeal, and making sure it was used effectively without being the main focus of the email.

Mastering Portfolio Management: How to Focus on Donors Who Will Actually Give

Gail Perry Group (Gail Perry Group)

Major gift fundraisers everywhere are facing the same dilemma: too many prospects, not enough time. This means donors don’t get the attention they deserve. Top donors are lost in the shuffle. And major gift revenue suffers. That’s why portfolio management matters. This blog post offers advice to help you manage your portfolio so you can spend time on donors who will actually give.