Soapbox Engage Blog

Most nonprofits use fundraising events to raise large portions of their annual budget. Everything from charity golf tournaments and galas to 5Ks and bake sales fund organizations large and small.

Events are excellent ways to bring supporters and like-minded people together around a common cause. The right fundraising event can generate a lot of revenue for your nonprofit. Still, big events can require more time to plan and advertise, and they usually have a higher overhead cost. It's critical to choose fundraising events that match your nonprofit's budget and execution capacities.

We gathered a list of some of the top fundraising event ideas and some practical insights about their ease of execution and potential return on investment. Our goal is to help guide your decisions about which events might best fit your nonprofit.

Issue 65

Good afternoon and happy Tuesday! In exactly 5 weeks, Giving Tuesday will be here— so the countdown begins! (I’m sure the countdown actually began a while ago for many of you). What tips or resources have you found to be the most helpful in your year-end fundraising strategy this year? I’ll be sure to share them, as there is still time to spread the knowledge. Feel free to respond directly to this email!

Speaking of year-end fundraising, are you wondering how to leverage matching gifts this year? Trying to come up with creative and meaningful ways to thank your donors? Curious about how to leverage stories to increase your appeal? All of that is covered in this week’s newsletter! Dig in!

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

As you know, the year-end fundraising season is critical for many nonprofits to bring in a large portion of their annual budget and fund projects and programs throughout the following year. Many fundraising experts agree that one of the most effective strategies for year-end fundraising is the matching gift.

We aren't talking about matching gifts that generous companies often provide their employees for their financial donations. We're talking about the kinds of matching gifts that come from foundations or major donors to match the contributions made to a particular fundraising campaign. These types of major gifts are often called "challenge grants," and they're designed to kickstart or fuel a fundraising campaign.

We rounded up some practical tips and insights to help you use "challenge grants" to fuel your year-end fundraising campaigns.

We get it. Development professionals are expected to somehow accomplish spectacular fundraising feats, plan unique events on a shoestring budget, create heartfelt, compelling content, and find time to stay up to date on the industry trends and best practices. It's a Herculean task, even for the best, most experienced fundraisers.

We might not be able to take anything off your to-do list, but we can help you work more efficiently and effectively and perhaps streamline some of the tasks.

At Soapbox Engage we have a great ecosystem of consultants that share our non-profit values and have expertise in Soapbox Engage solutions. OpenTent is one of those amazing consultants whose work we have long admired!

We recently caught up with Kayleigh Collins at OpenTent to learn more about what they offer, what kinds of organizations they work with, and what makes them unique. Get to know them better below!

Issue 64

Happy Fundraising Tuesday! Recently, my team created a new Slack channel for sharing the music that we listen to throughout the work day. It’s really been keeping me going lately! What kinds of music or artists do you like to listen to while you work? Or if you’re like me and sometimes find music distracting, you may want to check out myNoise. This site (another recommendation from one of my awesome coworkers) has seemingly endless ambient noise tracks.

But enough of my tangent! We’ve got some great stuff for you in this week’s newsletter, particularly when it comes to donor relations. Read on to learn about donor renewals, secrets to keeping your donors, and those things your donors wish you would do more of. Enjoy!

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

Online directory software really can make or break your online directory, and not all directory apps are created equal. Many online directory apps and software need some finagling and retrofitting to work with other platforms or meet the needs of modern nonprofits.

Finding the right directory app can save you time, money, and a lot of frustration, but it can be tough to know what to look for. We've got you covered with all the essential information you need to choose the right software for your organization!

Thanksgiving is the unofficial start to the holiday season and year-end giving rush. About 50% of nonprofits receive most of their annual donations during the last three months of the year. In fact, 31% of all annual giving occurs during that year-end giving window!

It's critical to have a solid year-end fundraising plan, and what better time to kick that campaign off than with Thanksgiving. But who wants to host the same old fundraising events year after year! We rounded up some great Thanksgiving-centered fundraising ideas you can incorporate into your year-end giving campaign and some practical strategies to boost your overall fundraising efforts.

Issue 63

Mid October is here and I am sure you are already deep in the whirlwind that is year-end fundraising. Take a deep breath. You’re going to make it. I don’t usually point to resources that aren’t free to the nonprofit community…but I can’t in good conscience pass up the opportunity to tell you about one of our affordable solutions that can help lighten your workload through this busy season. :)

The Soapbox Engage Donations app allows you to build an unlimited number of beautiful, mobile-friendly donation forms to accept online gifts. Real-time donation form integration with your database also greatly cuts down on overhead, and stores critical donor data for easy relationships down the road. If this sounds like just the kind of tool you need, learn more here or start a free trial.

If it’s not in your budget? No fear! I’ll keep sending weekly fundraising content that will help you optimize your time and maximize your results! Happy fundraising!

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

When you spend time and energy writing an excellent fundraising email, don't overlook the power of a great email subject line. Subject lines set the tone for your email and can impact whether your readers open it and donate.

Most of us receive dozens or hundreds of emails each day. One study revealed that about 35% of email recipients choose which emails to open based on the email subject lines. That means it's more important than ever to write appeal email subject lines that stand out and draw readers in, especially during the busy year-end fundraising season.

Issue 62

Happy October to all you fundraising superstars! I know this final quarter of the calendar year tends to be the most packed and stressful, but I hope you’re able to slow down enough to enjoy the changing seasons, personal transitions, or whatever you may be experiencing in your life right now! I do love this time of year, and I am grateful to live in a geographic location that gets so colorful around this time— it certainly helps with the shorter and shorter days!

I’m excited for you to dive into this week’s newsletter. We’ve got loads of great content ready for you. Learn how to improve email deliverability, how to raise more money with less donors, or how to live a more balanced life in this high-stimulation, digital world. I hope you find something that aligns with your needs and interests. Have a wonderful week (and month)!

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

The e-commerce industry is worth about $2.3 trillion and growing. Many nonprofits are adding e-commerce stores as a secondary source of income and a strategy to reach more people in their network.

Selling products or services online that your followers and supporters want can help build your popularity, strengthen relationships, and even cultivate a sense of community around your cause while bringing in much-needed funding.

Issue 61

Greetings wonderful Fundraising Weekly subscribers! I hope you have eased into your work week and are perhaps enjoying some nice weather wherever you are located. It has finally started to cool off in Washington, DC!

When curating this newsletter each week, I try to select a wide range of content to appeal to fundraisers of all levels and needs. This week, we have everything from fundraising 101 to more focused content like building donor relationships through volunteering. But my question for you is: What content do you find most helpful? Are there subjects that you wish you’d see more of? Let’s make this the best newsletter for you!

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

According to CrowdCrux, in 2020, nonprofit crowdfunding and peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns raised an average of $9,237, and the average donation was $66.

Understanding the difference between crowdfunding and peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns can be confusing. There tends to be a lot of overlap and similarities, but they are not one and the same. Have no fear! We'll unpack it for you and help you understand which one is right for you.

Issue 60

Happy Tuesday! Today happens to be one of my favorite days of the year, all because of an Earth, Wind & Fire song that goes, “Do you remember, 21st night of September?” I recommend giving “September” a listen to add a little groove to your day!

This week’s newsletter has loads of excellent content. Check out some creative ideas for your next gala fundraiser, learn how to make your fundraising appeal stand out, or organize a virtual scavenger hunt to raise funds or awareness for your cause.

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

Are you filling out your fall fundraising calendar and looking for something different to generate new excitement and enthusiasm from your supporters and donors? Or have you been tasked with growing your fundraising calendar by adding an autumn activity?

The fall is a great time for fundraising events, but it is essential to offer distinctive experiences to stand out from other fall activities and get onto your participant's calendars during such a busy season.

Whether you are looking to produce large events or to manage simpler, turnkey opportunities, you can switch up your fall fundraising with these unconventional ideas.

Nonprofits and organizations have been hosting fundraising galas for many generations. This classic fundraiser is typically geared toward corporate sponsors, major donors, board members, community leaders, and other "high-value" supporters.

Just because galas are a more traditional fundraising strategy doesn't mean they need to be archaic or outdated! You certainly can spice things up, get creative, and take your next fundraising gala to new heights. We've rounded up some clever ideas, tips, and insights to help you do just that!

At Soapbox Engage we have a great ecosystem of consultants that share our non-profit values and have expertise in Soapbox Engage solutions. Dryad Consulting is one of those amazing consultants that we’ve partnered with for over 3 years!

We recently caught up with Alexander Lapa at Dryad Consulting to learn more about what they offer, what kinds of organizations they work with, and what makes them unique. Get to know them better below!

Issue 59

One of my favorite things about the fundraising community is your endless creativity and commitment. Would I ever have personally used fishing as an allegory for fundraising? Nope! But does it make so much sense now that I’ve read Claire’s blog post? Absolutely!

I guess it makes sense. To be a good fundraiser, you need to understand how to keep campaigns fresh and engaging. And you probably have a good grasp of how giving is an essential part of human relationships— and relates to just about everything (not just nonprofits and year-end fundraising campaigns). All that to say, thank you for your continued inspiration! I hope you enjoy this week’s newsletter.

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

Giving Tuesday is a huge day for nonprofit fundraisers all over the board. You’re leveraging the holiday spirit and kicking off your year-end fundraising. Donors are excited to participate in this worldwide day of giving and make an impact on a cause they care about.

If you’re looking for ways to maximize your Giving Tuesday success this year, matching gifts might be just the solution you need. That’s why we’ve written this handy guide to help your nonprofit team prepare as Giving Tuesday approaches! In order to drive matching gift revenue, consider the following best practices: