Soapbox Engage Blog

Issue 119

Happy Tuesday, Fundraisers! The Giving Tuesday countdown has begun, and we are exactly three weeks away from the big day.

While you’re preparing for the big donation ask, take a moment to reference this free 15-page Guide to Asking for Donations. The words you use matter even more than you’d think! Watch support for your nonprofit grow by improving your wording when asking for donations.

Scroll on down for more great fundraising content relating to year-end fundraising, community engagement, best kept revenue secrets, and more. Enjoy!

You can receive the Fundraising Weekly newsletter each Tuesday by subscribing today!

On October 21st, we were able to gather in person once again for the return of NPSP Days! We kicked off our first event (since 2019!) with our friends in Seattle. I was thrilled to facilitate NPSP Day Seattle alongside Katie McFadden and Natali Terreri from Common Voyage.

NPSP Days are a chance to come together for a full day of collaboration to benefit the nonprofit and education sectors' use of the Salesforce Nonprofit Success Pack. These events have happened across the globe and have yielded some incredible solutions, workarounds, and ideas. And this event was no different!

Issue 118

Happy Tuesday, Fundraisers! Hopefully you’re coming back from a festive and spooky fall weekend feeling refreshed. Here we are at the start of November, just weeks away from the busiest part of the fundraising year. Take a deep breath, you got this!

To keep yourself on track, you can check out these top 10 tips for holiday fundraising success. And remember, we have a free resource to help you make the most of online fundraising year-round, not just during the “giving season.” You can download the Definitive Guide to Online Fundraising at any time.

Scroll on down for more great fundraising content relating to hybrid galas, major donor meetings, the nonprofit SEO checklist, and more. Enjoy!

You can receive the Fundraising Weekly newsletter each Tuesday by subscribing today!

For most nonprofits, a large percentage of total funding comes from a small group of donors who make large or major donations to your organization. These donors are known as major donors. Major donor qualifications vary depending on the size and fundraising goals of each nonprofit. But no matter how you decide who qualifies as a major donor, you know that they’re a critical component of your organization’s overall success.

That’s why it’s essential to host engaging and inspirational one-on-one meetings with prospective major donors. Donor meetings give you the chance to get to know donors on a deeper level, understand their passions and motivations, and propose giving opportunities that appeal to their interests.

Issue 117

With Giving Tuesday just over a month away, it’s time to make sure your campaign is ready to go. You can consider using matching gifts to make your donations go further. But whatever approach you take, remember to communicate authentically with your supporters— giving is inherently a very personal act!

Scroll on down for more great fundraising content relating to Google Ad Grants, multichannel fundraising campaigns, and improved donor relations. Enjoy!

You can receive the Fundraising Weekly newsletter each Tuesday by subscribing today!

We no longer live in times when direct mail advertising and word of mouth is enough to inform people about your organization. We’re in a digital era, meaning there are many other channels of communication that we need to master. According to websiterating.com, people are 4 times more likely to click ads on Google than on other advertising networks.

However, spending a lot of money on ads might not be feasible for your budget. Luckily, Google Ad Grants is a virtually free advertising program that can help your nonprofit acquire website users while furthering your organization’s impact. Unlike most grants, Google Ad Grants also has a very simple application process.

According to fundraising statistics from Double the Donation, 30% of all charitable giving happens in the month of December, with about 10% of all annual donations coming in the final three days of the year. That means if your team has yet to reach your year-end fundraising goals, you still have time to do so!

We recommend ramping up your strategy with the following tried-and-true best practices.

Issue 116

Happy Tuesday, Fundraisers! Have you taken some time to enjoy October? Over the weekend I had the chance to volunteer at a local community garden and prep some beds for end-of-the-season garlic planting. I even got to take a few green peppers home and make a soup to share with friends. However you choose to spend your autumn days, I hope you are able to slow down and be with loved ones!

Keeping up with the theme of Giving Tuesday prep, I wanted to share this helpful blog we wrote last year about Donor Retention After Giving Tuesday. Yes, that’s right— when planning your Giving Tuesday campaign, you should include the steps you want to engage your donors once the day has passed. It’s a lot to consider, but we break it down into some simple steps here!

Scroll on down for more great fundraising content relating to email marketing, text to give, and donor acquisition. Enjoy!

You can receive the Fundraising Weekly newsletter each Tuesday by subscribing today!

Issue 115

Happy Tuesday, Fundraisers! I hope this quarter has been off to a good start. I’m looking forward to watching you crush your year-end fundraising goals!

Here’s a pro-tip for the week. As you prepare for Giving Tuesday, consider creating a dedicated Giving Tuesday donation page. This allows you to adjust the wording/design to best appeal to online donors. It also simplifies tracking the results of your Giving Tuesday campaign, since the majority of your donations will flow through that page. Learn more about affordable fundraising tools for building donation pages.

Scroll on down for more great fundraising content relating to nonprofit boards, donor segmenting, and year-end campaigns. Cheering for you!

You can receive the Fundraising Weekly newsletter each Tuesday by subscribing today!

One of the most important first steps to starting a nonprofit is the creation of a board of directors. A nonprofit board of directors is the governing body of an organization. It is made up of a group of people that meet regularly to discuss and make decisions for the organization that they serve. In a nonprofit’s case, these people are typically unpaid volunteers.

Nonprofit boards and nonprofit board member engagement are an important part of the overall success of an organization. In addition, most states require you to have a board established before you apply for incorporation, and register with the IRS. Therefore, it is one of the first things you must do when building your nonprofit.

Issue 114

Happy Tuesday, Fundraisers! Don’t get me wrong, I love the fall season, but could we really already be in *checks calendar* October of 2022? Meaning Giving Tuesday is happening next month?? Whew! Luckily, we share some Giving Tuesday tips in this newsletter, with some templates to help you craft your social media game.

Speaking of social media, it seems like nearly all nonprofit fundraising is digital these days, but don’t forget that a physical letter can make all the difference when you’re making a fundraising appeal this holiday season. Here’s how direct mail appeal letters can develop your donor relationship in ways that social media falls short.

Scroll on down for more excellent fundraising content relating to holiday fundraising, Giving Tuesday, nonprofit websites, and more!

You can receive the Fundraising Weekly newsletter each Tuesday by subscribing today!

“Marketing” may not always be on the top of your mind, as a nonprofit professional. We focus on fundraising, networking, and reaching our financial goals. But whether you’re aware of it or not, many of the strategies you use in these fundraising steps, especially around year-end giving campaigns, are actually marketing strategies!

We've got some practical steps to help you develop a successful strategy for your 2022 year-end fundraising campaign. With a little advanced preparation, you can conquer your holiday fundraising goals!

Issue 113

Happy Tuesday, fundraisers! Well, we’ve officially passed the autumn equinox, so the days will be getting shorter for those of us in the northern hemisphere. Call in the apple cider, hot chocolate, and just about any warm beverage you can name! It’s time to get cozy as we settle into year-end fundraising season.

As you hone in on your fundraising strategies for the remainder of the year, it might be worth considering a corporate matching gifts program. These programs are some of the most popular forms of corporate philanthropy (or nonprofit partnership) developed by companies of all shapes and sizes across the globe. To learn more, you can download this guide to corporate matching gifts for free.

Scroll on down for more great fundraising content related to nonprofit e-commerce, development plans, impact reporting, and more!

You can receive the Fundraising Weekly newsletter each Tuesday by subscribing today!

Issue 112

Happy Tuesday, fundraisers! I am writing to you from the west coast because I’m here for Dreamforce, the world’s largest software conference. And I’m ready to take a three-day deep dive into the world of nonprofit tech, Salesforce nonprofit offerings, and top fundraising tools.

Speaking of, I recently stumbled across this blog post about top affordable and free fundraising tools for nonprofits. We wrote it a couple years back to help nonprofits navigate the beginning of Covid-19, but it’s never a bad time to improve your online fundraising tools and processes. I hope you find it useful!

Scroll on down for more great fundraising content. And let me know if you have any San Francisco food recommendations— I’ll be here until Thursday!

You can receive the Fundraising Weekly newsletter each Tuesday by subscribing today!

Have you added, or are you interested in adding an e-commerce store as an innovative source of funding? You’re not alone! An online store for people to shop can be a steady source of year-round revenue for your organization, which can be ideal for nonprofit oranigzations.

There are many platforms that can support your e-commerce store. For example, the Soapbox Engage Shop app allows you to create a customizable shopping experience to sell subscriptions, merchandise, or memberships while storing important customer/donor data in your CRM. Here are top things to consider when choosing an e-commerce platform.

After you’ve chosen an e-commerce platform, it’s time to focus on making whatever you’re selling as enticing as possible. That means you need to write compelling product descriptions that will boost your nonprofit merchandise sales.

Issue 111

Happy Tuesday, fundraisers! How are you holding up? I noticed there are a few articles in this week’s newsletter that reference the honesty and heart that are often required to plan succcessful campaigns, and it reminded me of just how personal fundraising can be. When you’re really putting yourself into your work, it is even more important to take breaks and care for yourself. I hope you take the time to do that this week!

In other news, last week we released a brand new downloadable guide! This one is all about tools and strategies for optimizing online donations. You can download the Complete Guide to Online Donations for free here. Let me know what you think of it!

Scroll on down for more quality fundraising content, and have an excellent week!

You can receive the Fundraising Weekly newsletter each Tuesday by subscribing today!

If your organization is just starting out, you’re probably trying to find ways to spread the word about your mission. Having a well-designed website is key to raising awareness, engaging with supporters, and getting the most out of your fundraising efforts.

For many potential supporters, your website will be the first point of contact they have with your nonprofit. It’ll likely be a source of information for supporters who find out about your organization as well as if they want to learn more. So, over time, your website will become the center of your nonprofit’s marketing strategy.

In this guide, we’ll explore five tips to get started with designing your organization’s website:

It's a competitive fundraising world out there! As various sources for funding seem to be decreasing, many nonprofits are getting creative to diversify their fundraising streams. Grants and individual giving trends are shifting which leaves room for innovative funding solutions.

Having a variety of funding sources lays the groundwork for healthy, viable long-term success for many nonprofits. This creativity can include opening an online store for your nonprofit!

When trying to start a new program or venture, raising money is one of the biggest hurdles. You can and should apply for grants, or reach out to people who can make large donations. But a valuable method of fundraising that you should definitely think about is crowdfunding. When crowdfunding, you can get support from a group of individuals who believe in your idea and want to bring it to reality. It is a great way to build community while you’re fundraising.

According to Fundly’s latest report, crowdfunding sites have allowed entrepreneurs around the world to fundraise for their businesses and causes, adding $65 billion in revenue to the global economy in 2020.

Issue 110

Happy Tuesday, and welcome to the first September 2022 edition of the Fundraising Weekly! That’s right, year-end fundraising prep is upon us and you can expect the rest of the year to be a blur from here. But take a deep breath! This community has your back.

First up in this week’s newsletter is a complete guide to preparing for Giving Tuesday! This day is probably the most anticipated day of the year for fundraisers. If you’re looking to get your tech ready, plan out your campaign calendar, or boost your donor engagement, read on!

You can receive the Fundraising Weekly newsletter each Tuesday by subscribing today!