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Donor-Advised Funds: A Secret Source of Fundraising Revenue
If you’ve overlooked donor-advised funds as a means of revenue in the past, consider this: This very second, over $70.7 billion in donor-advised funds are currently available in 240,000 donor accounts. Your nonprofit should take full advantage of that source of funds! What is a Donor-Advised Fund? A donor-advised fund is a philanthropic giving vehicle administered by a charitable sponsor. A charitable sponsor is a 501(c) (3) organization that has [...]
6 Tips to Spice Up Your Nonprofit Newsletter
When I’m working with clients, I frequently get questions about how to make their nonprofit newsletters track better. Low open and engagement rates that aren’t even worth tracking can make your newsletter seem worthless. But I assure you, if it’s done correctly, it’s NOT worthless. A newsletter is your way to stay in touch with your audience. They’ve opted in to receive it, so you should most certainly give them [...]
3 Constituent Personas That Nonprofit Content Marketers Should Target
According to Content Marketing Institute’s 2015 “State of Nonprofit Content Marketing” - 61% of marketers are using content marketing, only 35% say they are using it effectively, and only 23% report having a written content strategy. These numbers tell me two things. First, there’s a lot of really bad content out there. And secondly, there is a TON of room for improvement for nonprofits looking to find success with [...]
5 Fatal Volunteer Management Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them!)
In order to maximize your volunteer program’s effectiveness and provide a positive volunteer experience, you’ll need to devise a concrete management strategy that prioritizes your volunteers’ needs. Because there are so many moving parts involved in volunteer management, many nonprofits get a little lost along the way (and some don’t even know where to start). If that sounds like your organization, never fear! In this article, we’ll talk through 5 [...]
Your Reputation: Damaged. Now What?
My freelance roles give me a whole new perspective to many different companies and industries. And the beauty of being the freelancer is that I technically don’t have to deal with the nuances. But, of course, I still have to be on my best behavior, or else I could drastically damage my reputation and put my career in jeopardy. I’ll be honest when I say that I’ve left [...]
Where to Find a Top Nonprofit Degree Program
The growth in nonprofit management degree programs on the nonprofit sector supports the need for the United States’ nonprofit growth sector, up 11.3% over the decade from 2003 to 2013, according to the National Center for Charitable Statistics. So Top Nonprofits’ list of Top 100+ Nonprofit Degree Program by State is a great resource when considering an undergraduate or graduate degree program for bachelor’s or master’s credentials. While [...]
9 Awesome Blogging Tools
Blogging can be a fun and effective way to engage with your donors, volunteers, and community while bolstering your social media presence. The content you create helps further your message and raise awareness of your efforts online and in the real world. But is content creation, alone, enough? To truly take advantage of blogging's potential, analyze what content really works for you. Social Media Examiner compiled a list of nine [...]
Incentivizing Marketing Behavior in Your Staff
As a nonprofit leader, you should always be attempting to optimize your staff's behavior so that you can maximize your impact while keeping your costs low. However, doing so is not always easy. Although your staff is likely emotionally attached to your cause, it’s easy for them to get into the groove of their roles. If left unchecked, this can eventually alter behavior, making the person reluctant to do anything [...]
5 Big Reasons Donors Leave (That You Can Fix)
This post was originally published to John Haydon's blog and is being shared here, with his permission. For most nonprofits, December is the biggest month of the year for the number of new donors acquired, and the amount of total funds raised. Kudos to you if you hit your revenue goals and your acquisition goals. After all, attracting new donors is not easy during a time when hundreds of other [...]
How to Rebuild Your Nonprofit’s Website: A Mini Guide
Rebuilding a website is a huge decision for any organization, especially a nonprofit. Whether you're completely rebranding or trying to expand your website's outreach, you'll have to pick the right website solution for your organization's specific needs. While there isn’t a one size fits all approach, there are a few essential best practices any nonprofit can use to revamp its website. We’ll look at the basics of a website overhaul, [...]
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