Soapbox Engage Blog

Issue 38

I've got lots of great content for you in this edition of the Fundraising Weekly! Today, I'm featuring tips to make your messaging stand out, ways to improve your newsletters and donor relations, and a look into the hybrid fundraising event model. And that’s only about half the content. I'm also highlighting an article that asks us to challenge the urgency in our communications and work style. It may seem unusual with so much emphasis placed on motivation, work ethic, deliverability, and deadlines. But slowing down is important, not just for peace of mind but also for quality of work.

Speaking of urgency and slowing down, today is as good a day as ever to take a moment to cherish the little moments. Call a family member or friend to check in. Appreciate the changing of the seasons (I’m noticing all kinds of flowers in DC!). Spend a little quiet time with yourself. Or slow down in whatever way is best for you!

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

The burning question that is always on a development professional's mind is, "How do I get more donations?" Especially when the economy is looking a little suspect or your current donations take a bit of a dip.

It's more challenging to attract new donors because people are busier, and there's more "noise" to cut through to grab their attention. But don't get discouraged! Many nonprofits are using a mix of old and new strategies to keep the donations coming in.

We rounded up some of the best, proven ways you can connect with current and potential supporters and get people to donate to your cause.

Issue 37

Even as a long-time nerd, I don’t think I ever expected to see an analogy between nonprofit fundraising and The Avengers! But that’s the beauty of this community, right? There is always so much information circulating about fundraising— be it strategies and tips, case studies, trend predictions, you name it. Some fundraising content may be hyper specific to a type of organization or the community they serve. Some content or principles might be broad enough to apply to an org of any size or mission. Some strategies may seem ancient and enduring, some cutting edge.

But no matter the material, there are always new (often fun!) ways of looking at things. On a personal note, I have found in my life that shifting perspective, especially when confronting a question or issue, is always valuable and often is what yields a solution. It’s fun to shift perspective for the sake of practice or curiosity, as well as necessity. This week’s newsletter content has reminded me of just that!

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

It can be hard to keep up with everything in the news, but here’s a key announcement: GoFundMe Charity will be merging with GoFundMe.com. That means charity fundraising and individual crowdfunding campaigns will all be mixed together.

The premise of this change is to help donors and fundraisers find each other more easily across the globe. Unfortunately, this move will also leave many nonprofits without a donation page, and recurring donations and fundraising campaigns will close down.

Perhaps even more concerning, the end of GoFundMe Charity will also mean losing critical integrations with Eventbrite, Salesforce, and MailChimp (among others), which could damage some nonprofit’s fundraising strategies.

But we’re not here to just be the bearer of bad news. At Soapbox Engage, we pride ourselves on being problem-solvers! So, we wanted to take a moment to outline how you can take back control of your fundraising and actually get more out of your hard work!

Issue 36

As more people across the world gain access to Covid-19 vaccines, there’s a glimmer of hope that we will be able to return to in-person fundraising events. But keep in mind that virtual fundraising will always be a relevant and useful skill for any nonprofit! This week on the Fundraising Weekly, we have blog posts covering all kinds of skills— from building donation pages, to writing fundraising letters, to leveraging social media, and more!

And, if I may share, we have some very exciting news over at Soapbox Engage! Our Donations app is now the first tool of its kind to integrate with Microsoft Fundraising and Engagement, Microsoft’s free, open source fundraising application built for nonprofits. The Soapbox Engage Donations app can send data to Fundraising & Engagement in real-time so donor and transaction information is instantly available with no manual entry. We’re just a little bit stoked!

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

Some people may say that business plans are a thing of the past--outdated, unnecessary, and a waste of time. Other nonprofits consider business plans something to create just for the sake of donors who demand it.

These opinions could not be further from the truth! Even for the modern nonprofit, a business plan can be an invaluable tool to help you maintain a strong purpose statement and clear messaging. Nonprofits who don't have a purpose statement often have a hard time getting loans, grants, or even corporate donors. Business plans can also help you attract quality board members.

Needless to say, business plans are definitely not a thing of the past and shouldn't be glossed over. Still, it can feel daunting or be challenging to know exactly how to write an effective nonprofit business plan. Have no fear! This blog will walk you through the basic steps to creating your own helpful business plan for your nonprofit.

A good event description is critical to attracting people to your fundraisers and other events. Let's face it, most of us are a pretty tough sell when it comes to saying, "That event looks fun! We should go!" We want to know it will be worth giving up a little of our spare time to attend an event--even if it's for a great cause!

Writing an event description that sells is both a science and an art (but it doesn't need to involve the dark arts). With a bit of understanding of your ideal audience and what details to highlight, you'll be able to write an event description that has people lined up out the doors for your next fundraiser!

Issue 3

Hello Soapbox Engage partners!

Welcome to spring in the northern hemisphere! I hope you’ve had a chance to breathe some fresh air, take a walk (or run / bike / roll), and maybe enjoy some sunshine. Over here at Soapbox Engage, it was a busy month. We’ve been working on all sorts of new things, like some sweet integrations and filters. Keep reading to see what’s the latest and greatest in Soapbox Engage land.

SEO, analytics, advertisements, email campaigns, direct mailers, social media, blogs, TikTok... oh my! There are a lot of marketing options and avenues available to promote your fundraising events. Perhaps you're feeling a bit overwhelmed?

A marketing tool is only as good as how you use it. The key to using it effectively is to have a plan.

Ok, that was a little obvious. But we're here to let you know that event promotion doesn't require anything complicated, just a little bit of forethought and planning to get the show going. Since the most overwhelming place is always, "where do I start?", we made this guide for you!

Issue 35

Happy Tuesday, everyone! I think Tuesdays are sort of underrated. Monday kicks off the week, Wednesday is hump day, Thursday is Friday lite, and Friday is the fun, final push for the week. But Tuesdays need a bit more love. For me, Tuesdays are for weekly all staff meetings and, of course, the Fundraising Weekly— and those two reasons make them the best.

This week, we have a bit of everything: social media marketing, donor cultivation, campaign planning, social justice engagement, fundraising appeals, and more! Dig in to this wealth of knowledge, then pass the Fundraising Weekly along to a friend!

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

Soapbox Engage has been providing nonprofit organizations with powerful, affordable online engagement solutions for more than 20 years. During this time, we’ve integrated with trusted platforms to amplify the missions of organizations that provide invaluable support, programming, education, resources, advocacy, and more. We’re excited to announce our newest integration with Microsoft Fundraising and Engagement.

The Soapbox Engage Donations app is the first solution of its kind to integrate with the new Microsoft Fundraising & Engagement. The Donations app sends data to Fundraising & Engagement in real-time so donor and transaction information is instantly available in Microsoft Fundraising & Engagement with no manual entry, duct-taped integrations, or laborious imports.

Facebook remains the top social media platform. Its popularity has made it a great place to advertise upcoming events and activities without paying an arm and a leg for marketing.

More than 700 million people use Facebook to market their events each month. At least 35 million people view those public events each day. That’s a lot of traffic and potential visibility! Then again, it’s also easy to get lost in the sheer volume of events on Facebook.

Have no fear! You can do a few things to stand out and make your event more visible and attractive on Facebook. Just like Google, Facebook has an algorithm that you can use to your advantage. We rounded up some Facebook event marketing tips and tricks to help you get greater visibility for your next fundraising event!

Issue 34

Well, we’re officially on the other side of the Spring Equinox. That along with the continued rollout of vaccines to communities around the world has me feeling pretty optimistic for the coming months. I don’t think I’m alone in that feeling either.

Studies have shown that hope and positive moods can increase helping behaviors, like volunteering, assisting coworkers, and donating! Ride this positivity into your next fundraising campaign! Take some free knowledge from your community of fundraising professionals, and dive headfirst into the week with me.

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

Christmas is nine months away (at the time of publication), and now is the perfect time to plan your holiday fundraising events. You're probably thinking, "but I just did that!" And, that's a fair argument--but, hear us out: it's always a great time to start planning early.

When most development professionals think of winter fundraising, their minds go directly to year-end giving drives and holiday-themed fundraising events. While those are significant parts of fundraising during that time of year, there are many other opportunities to fundraise successfully throughout the winter season, not just during the holidays.

In fact, the months after the holidays can be quieter (as far as events and distractions go), leaving more space for your nonprofit's events to garner attention from current and potential donors.

We know the challenge of fundraising during winter. Before the holidays, your team is deep into year-end giving campaigns. After the holidays, you're ready to take a break. Here are some fun and easy fundraising events that will help you build on your year-end giving momentum and make the cold winter months a hot fundraising season for your nonprofit.

Issue 33

Wandering into Joshua Tree National Park, deep in the deserts of California, you feel like you've walked right into a Dr Seuss book. I decided to explore with an experimental bag of "Trader Joe's Grainless Cassava & Coconut Tortilla Chips" (which yes, are actually amazing, and no, I don't know how they make them), and saw all sorts of new sights.

It's easy to get turned around, confused, and within inches of pain for something that you swear looked like a harmless, cotton-like bush (that's a cactus, Ryan). That seems to hit a bit close to home for the accidental techies in our fundraising world. One moment, "wow, look at that amazing new fundraising tool features", next moment, "so, you're saying I accidentally deleted what again?".

For those of you wandering the magical online fundraising world alongside me, here's another great week of tips and ideas to help you navigate without bouncing into a prickly plant.

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

Fall is such a wonderful time of year. The crisp autumn air, beautiful turning leaves, snuggly blankets and sweaters, and of course pumpkin spice and apple cider! Whether it’s gathering your donors around a football tailgate party or bringing families together for a pumpkin carving party, this time of year is filled with opportunities to gather, make memories, and celebrate. As a development professional, you can capitalize on how much people love the autumn season for your fundraising efforts!

Even though you and your team might be distracted by the ramp-up to year-end fundraising, don’t overlook the potential of fall fundraising events and opportunities leading into the holidays. If you’re a bit stumped on some unique and effective fall fundraising ideas, have no fear! We’ve rounded up some tried and tested ideas for you!

As a nonprofit professional, you’ve seen how organizations rely on the benevolence of their donors for most of their funding. After all, fundraising is how you’re able to pay your staff and drive your mission forward.

Nonprofit fundraising campaigns are more than just raising cash for your cause. They’re also about helping your organization form relationships with donors, secure recurring support, and recognize the generous members of your community. This increased visibility can lend itself to even greater fundraising opportunities as time goes on.

Issue 32

Happy Tuesday! We’re just about a year into various states of lockdown and I hope you’re all hanging in there. We were blessed with some sunshine in Washington DC today and a little it of vitamin D will turn the day around!

We have a lot of awesome content for you this week in the Fundraising Weekly. If you have any spring fundraisers coming up, get ready to draw some inspiration!

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