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8 Ways to Keep Volunteers
8 Wonderful Ways to Keep Your Volunteers Coming Back 1. Thank your volunteers and thank them again. Show appreciation in varied ways and always mention those who make your organizational successful. 2. Rewards. People react to many motivations. Making connections, being seen at your events, and becoming more immersed in the experiences of your staff and constituents are all perks with appeal. Remember that some individuals get involved to have [...]
3 Reasons You Need to Stop Rolling Your Eyes When You Hear: “Millennial”
I know there has been a lot of talk about “Millennials” over the past couple of years. So much so, in fact, that I’ve noticed a bit of “push back” from folks when they hear the word uttered. It’s almost like that hit song that first went viral, then got overplayed, then got parodied by everyone in animated holiday videos and finally got to the point where people just [...]
Tools to Make Your Nonprofit More Efficient
Nonprofits have inefficient processes like any other operation, but typically less time to get to the bottom of them. The majority of a nonprofit’s focus is on their mission, and their resources are better used towards the end goal rather than resolving internal issues. The groundwork to make an effective nonprofit is somewhat straightforward, but making it more efficient requires some minor tweaking. Luckily there are a variety of free [...]
Need Last Minute Plans for End of Year Fundraising?
If you recently looked at the calendar and felt a shock of panic, you are not alone. "A lot organizations find themselves in a place where October comes along and it suddenly becomes obvious and important to get their Giving Tuesday and End of Year campaigns together," James Brobyn, CEO and Co-Founder of CauseEngine, a firm that provides "on-demand talent" for nonprofits. And, he adds, "the development person or staff has [...]
Tools to Make Your Nonprofit More Efficient (part 1)
Nonprofits have inefficient processes like any other operation, but typically less time to get to the bottom of them. The majority of a nonprofit’s focus is on their mission, and their resources are better used towards the end goal rather than resolving internal issues. The groundwork to make an effective nonprofit is somewhat straightforward, but making it more efficient requires some minor tweaking. Luckily there are a variety of free [...]
Why Should Nonprofits Invest in a Modern Marketing Engine?
Why should nonprofits invest in a modern marketing engine? Jamey Heinze, Chief Marketing Officer at CDS Global, recently spoke at the 2014 Bridge to Integrated Marketing & Fundraising Conference on the topic of how nonprofits can utilize certain marketing techniques more effectively than for-profits can. The full discussion can be found in a brand new white paper: “The Nonprofit vs. For-Profit Marketing Approach: Ten Techniques Your Organization Should Consider.” In [...]
Social Media Tips: How to be Political Without Being Too Political
Here comes the 2016 presidential election. Arguably one of the most divided, emotional, angry, and intense elections of modern times, not a day goes by without a crazy sound bite, a scandal, a retraction, or a questionable campaign ad. Every day on my newsfeed, I see something else that’s cringe-worthy. Lots of “unfriend” and “unfollow” actions that keep me wondering how I’d missed these signs before. Politics can bring [...]
Shape Reputation by Managing Perception
When you were in high school, reputation was everything. How your classmates perceived you, i.e. your way of dressing, what you did for fun, determined whether you had a cool reputation or not. When starting a nonprofit, the way to be cool with the staff, the donors, the board of directors, and the general public involves carefully crafting their perceptions of your organization. Much of this perception building happens as [...]
4 Tips for Managing Your Nonprofit Board
Congratulations, you are now the new executive director of a non-profit organization. One of the most challenging things you will have to do is to effectively “manage up” and work well with your board of directors. As an executive director, it is critically important to set the right tone from the outset and strike a balance that will allow you to do your work and productively collaborate with your board [...]
9 Key Fundraising Performance Indicators Every Nonprofit Should Be Tracking
When it comes to determining how efficiently your nonprofit raises money, there’s nothing quite as helpful as a large pool of accurate, relevant fundraising performance indicators that can objectively show you exactly how well you’re doing. But sometimes, it can be tough to figure out exactly what measures your organization needs to identify where your fundraising performance may be lacking. That said, most nonprofit organizations will always be able to make [...]
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