Google

Being a small organization does not mean you have to settle for small technology. It does require some deliberate decisions on where you spend money on technology though. Even a $5 per month subscription matters. Resources, expertise and time are real limitations with small organizations that depend on a limited staff to do everything.

However, small nonprofits have huge opportunity to leverage opportunities in ways large organizations simply can't. Seriously, stop and think about it.

The world of nonprofit data is full of buzzwords and jargon that gets tossed around a lot, often indiscriminately. Some of those words have specific definitions that are subtly — and sometimes completely — different from how they’re being used, while others are vague to the extent that they become almost meaningless.

What do we mean when we talk about measuring “impact” or using “big data”? Both those words have clear definitions but are often used ambiguously.

The main thing a nonprofit organization should do online is learn how to listen. Did you ever say to yourself, “I wish I knew what my donors were thinking,” or, “It would be great if clients just told us what they need. I can’t read minds”? Online, people tell you what they think, feel, want, and desire. Online, you can read minds. But only if you talk less and listen more.

You know your donors and prospects are active on social media, and you know you should track donor data in this ever-evolving media. But how do you know what to look for and analyze when it comes to social-media data? On June 10, we'll host the Engage Virtual Workshop: Driving Donations With Data to help attendees come to better understand and work with their data gathering and usage.

Here are 19 ways to improve donation pages: Ditch the PayPal button. Write a powerful headline. Use less words. Limit paragraphs to two-three sentences. Use pictures. Use white space to direct the eye. Remove sidebars and navigation menu. Reduce steps to donate. Only ask for what's required. Write copy in the second person. Pick one call to action. Repeat the CTA three times. Use bullet points and numbered items. Use big fonts. Use big buttons. Keep it above the fold. Make it mobile. Optimize for search engines. Create a seamless donor experience across all channels.

Last month, the Nonprofit Finance Fund released its annual State of the Nonprofit Sector Survey. The survey — featuring a user-friendly interactive analyzer and results outreach kit, among other helpful components — explored the primary challenges facing the nonprofit sector, as well as the renewed need for targeted investment in America’s social infrastructure.

The results are bittersweet. While economic recovery is on a roll, not everyone can keep pace.

Here are seven ways nonprofit CEOs and executives can easily integrate matching gifts and volunteer grants into a development strategy to help boost the organization’s fundraising: 1. Use annual fundraising appeals and website donation pages. 2. Include information in acknowledgment letters. 3. Talk to your volunteers. 4. Enroll in an online matching-gift platform. 5. Hire a matching-gift coordinator. 6. Promote (and keep promoting) via social media. 7. Beef up your email signatures.

As nonprofits develop their interactive strategies and budgets, they have the right idea: ensure the basics work and then make them work hard for you with effective engagement.

Raising money from events is the hardest money you’ll ever raise. Love them or hate them, fundraising events are here to stay. They are part of the scene for many nonprofits. And there’s tons of internal political support to keep them, whether they are really making money or not.

Since you and your organization are committed to an event, let’s make sure it is the best event ever.

Innovation, and in particular Web technology, is fueling improvements in fundraising. New technologies are helping nonprofits reach new donors in new places, tell stories more vividly, make giving easier, maintain more frequent and relevant communication, and lower costs and apply more money directly to causes. 

We reached out to top consultants, solution providers, software developers and nonprofits to get their take on the following question: How can nonprofits leverage technology to improve fundraising?