American Heart Association

(Press release, Feb. 24, 2015) — Peer-to-peer fundraising programs are growing quickly among groups that lead events that fall outside of the traditional run, walk and ride event model. But a number of longstanding, high-profile programs are continuing to see declines, according to the peer-to-peer fundraising industry's annual roundup.

Learn to shape fundraising strategies, operational infrastructure, and day-to-day activities to create a smarter, faster organization.

Recent tweets on nonprofit technology (#nptech).

Here is a mobile and social fundraising success checklist excerpted from "Mobile for Good: A How-To Fundraising Guide for Nonprofits" by Heather Mansfield, founder and principal blogger at Nonprofit Tech for Good. By reading the book and implementing the steps necessary to launch a comprehensive mobile and social fundraixsing plan — and checking off the must-do items as you go along — your nonprofit will have in place mobile and social fundraising plan flexible enough to adjust to rapid changes in fundraising and communication technology that will occur over the next decade.

Creating an online community to mobilize your supporters and further your nonprofit's mission might seem like a big task. What to do? Where to start? A simple way is to look at what your peers are doing. Below are five examples of what some innovative nonprofits are doing with their online communities. Think online communities are just a general space on your website? Think again. Each of these are purpose-driven online communities designed to achieve specific results for the organization.

Eight-figure revenue contractions by three major programs led the country’s top 30  peer-to-peer fundraising programs to an overall 2.6 percent decline in 2014, according to the industry’s annual fundraising roundup. Seventeen of the top 30 programs reported increased or unchanged revenue, but that could not overcome contractions of $27.5 million by the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, $20 million by Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s Race for the Cure Series and $15.5 million for the Komen 3-Day walks.

FundRaising Success is blessed and proud to work with some of the brightest stars in the fundraising firmament. Meet our latest 2014 Editorial Advisory Board members.

It’s imperative that you take online fundraising seriously. Take a look at the 15 most effective donor-acquisition and online-fundraising techniques used by top nonprofits.

1. Go Mobile, Now!
2. Grab People’s Attention
3. Make Sure It’s Branded
4. Use Compelling Imagery
5. Simplify, Simplify, Simplify
6. Reduce, Reduce, Reduce
7. Use Giving Levels
8. Encourage People to Give Monthly
9. Give People a Way to Stay in Touch
10. Add Social Proof
11. Put Security First
12. Be Transparent
13. Give Donors Something Nice
14. Take Advantage of the Moment
15. Don’t Forget About New Donors!

The ease and convenience of using mobile technology — combined with the extraordinary communications and networking potential of social media — will enable nonprofits to engage potential donors and grow their revenues at a pace never before experienced.

Independent Sector and eight other groups asked a powerful congressional committee Tuesday to preserve discount postage rates for nonprofits as it drafts legislation to change how the U.S. Postal Service works.

The Postal Reform Act of 2011 had proposed eliminating the nonprofit discount, which cost the postal service about $1.3-billion in 2011. The provision was removed last year during congressional negotiations, but the comprehensive postal bill died. It is expected to be considered again this year by the new Congress.