Strategic Planning

Have a Volunteer Engagement Strategy
September 6, 2017 at 12:45 pm

Does your organization have a volunteer engagement strategy? Engaging volunteers takes an investment of time and also yields incredible benefits. It’s the time, treasure and talents: Research shows that people who volunteer donate five times more than those who do not volunteer. People give greater gifts to where they volunteer...

#NPPTrendingNow Ep. 15: Here's Why You Need to Take Advantage of Google Ad Grants
September 1, 2017 at 10:27 am

Welcome back to #NPPTrendingNow, a weekly video series where NonProfit PRO Editor-in-Chief Nhu Te breaks down the top three coveted stories of the week. Here's what we've got going on for you this week: Kayla Matthews shows you how to use Google Ad Grants, Gary Wohlfeill dives into social fundraising and Jason Lewis discusses employee vs. employee job expectations...

How to Use Crowdsourcing to Work Smarter in Your Nonprofit
August 31, 2017 at 12:26 pm

So much of what a nonprofit does revolves around reaching out to people for money or volunteering. However, there are other ways to leverage the crowds out there who are looking to do their part in helping others. That's exactly how the movement known as crowdsourcing really took off. Although crowdfunding falls into the category…

Could Everyone Be Getting Social Fundraising Wrong?
August 29, 2017 at 10:19 am

We often hear it called “peer-to-peer,” “crowdfunding” and a few other things. Social fundraising is definitely being talked about in both the nonprofit and direct giving space a lot these days. But as I read through post after post, a thought occurred to me: What if everyone is sort of “missing it” with social fundraising? There seems to be something larger here that nobody is really talking about...

Going Solo Spells Disaster
August 28, 2017 at 10:59 am

You’ve heard of the term, “solo player.” It refers most often in a sales environment to someone who does everything alone and won’t include others in the work. In most cases they are not very successful. In fact, we see a tremendous amount of burnout from this type of MGO...

It’s Not Too Late: Get Ready for Monthly Donor Month
August 28, 2017 at 10:49 am

There’s never a bad time to convert your constituents to give monthly, but there are two months a year that typically fit better in your overall communication plan: January and September. “Why September?” you may ask. Because, it’s typically slower with events. Donors are back home, back to school, back to work and in their “routine.” It’s not yet busy with Thanksgiving and holiday preparations…

What to Think About Before You Take that Job …
August 24, 2017 at 9:52 am

Lest we assign blame to organizational leaders, we must understand that fundraisers are often quick to sign on with new employers who reveal all the signs of unreasonable expectations. Most fundraising professionals I know want to be admired for their abilities to turn things around and make things happen...

Align Your Organization’s Values With Your Donor’s Values
August 23, 2017 at 12:25 pm

This week’s solar eclipse was heavily anticipated and highly celebrated. About 16 percent of the U.S. was able to experience a total eclipse, including Nashville. Here in Nashville, hotels were sold out as visitors came to view the eclipse, and there were plenty of viewing parties and events as everyone geared up for the magical experience...

The New Era of Opportunities and Challenges in Giving Days
August 21, 2017 at 10:31 am

Giving days have become quintessential moments in time for nonprofit organizations. They act as added events throughout the regular fundraising year to mobilize everyone internally at the organization to achieve optimize fundraising success, as well as opportunities to rally high-intent, passionate communities around a more specific, perhaps more urgent, conversation related to your cause...

Escaping the Grip of Callousness
August 21, 2017 at 10:08 am

I want to talk about how callousness reduces us to mere cogs in a fundraising machine vs. the caring individuals we want and need to be. And then I want to share with you how to deal with this very common dynamic in the life of a MGO...