3 Ways to Grow Your Nonprofit Through Effective Bylaws

Guest post by Foundation Group

The classic nonprofit struggle of raising funds with limited resources can complicate an organization’s ability to meet its fundraising goals. As a nonprofit leader, you know this means you’ll need to leverage every opportunity to grow your nonprofit.

But before you strategize new fundraising campaigns or marketing ploys, go back to the basics: your nonprofit’s bylaws. These internal operating rules provide a strong foundation for your nonprofit’s growth, especially when they:

• Establish clear governance expectations.

• Maintain operational consistency.

• Allow for adaptability and flexibility.

Aside from their vital role in obtaining 501(c)(3) status, your bylaws can also guide your board’s decisions. Let’s take a closer look at how your bylaws can set your organization up for success.

1. Establish clear governance expectations.

At the heart of every nonprofit is a charitable purpose and a plan to meet that need. To accomplish these goals, the organization’s governance must align with its mission. After all, a nonprofit’s governing leaders are the decision-makers that drive action.

To keep your nonprofit on the right path, establish clear guidelines for leadership and decision-making processes, such as:

• Board member rules. Consider how many people will be on your nonprofit’s board. How will board members be selected and appointed, and how long will their terms of service last? According to eCardWidget, nonprofit boards are the driving force behind both big decisions and the delegation of day-to-day tasks. Your bylaws should explicitly include guidelines for how your board will be structured and how it should approach and delegate decisions to maximize efficiency.  

• Voting procedures. When decision-making for your nonprofit, how will votes be handled? Your bylaws should address what types of meetings can be held, the number of people needed for a quorum, and how many votes will be required to pass an initiative. 

• Establishment of committees. Effective leadership delegates wisely to maximize the efficiency of their efforts. Although your nonprofit may have started with a small group to serve as your board of directors, your leadership team will inevitably need to grow and specialize as your nonprofit grows. Include a provision in your bylaws for subcommittees, giving power to the board for their creation and dissolution so that these teams can be assembled on an as-needed basis without having to repeatedly amend the bylaws.

Your bylaws should also include control provisions that take into account the balance of authority. For example, instead of granting reserved powers to one stakeholder, you might require supermajority votes. That way, you can be sure no one authority figure has significant influence over the organization.

2. Maintain operational consistency.

There’s validity in the saying that practice makes perfect. Once you’ve determined a formula for success, you can continue on that path to carry out your nonprofit’s strategic plan. Your bylaws should provide a clear sense of direction for how the organization will operate. That way, you’ll stay on course by following standardized procedures, such as:

• Bookkeeping. Not only is bookkeeping essential to your nonprofit’s existence, but it can greatly impact your ability to grow since it can guide certain financial decisions.  Determine how bookkeeping data and records will be managed, from board meeting minutes to important financial records. Your nonprofit’s accounting responsibilities are a huge undertaking and will grow in complexity as your nonprofit grows. Whether you hire a nonprofit bookkeeping expert or manage your records in-house, you’ll have concrete expectations for orderly and complete books. 

• Managing conflicts of interest. Having to address a conflict of interest can be a hindrance to your nonprofit’s growth, especially if it interrupts your daily operations and important projects. To smooth over these obstacles, follow the conflict-of-interest policy established in your bylaws. This might include details about how to define and identify conflicts of interest, as well as consequences for violating the policy. 

• Practicing transparency. How does your nonprofit practice accountability with the public? Transparency can increase nonprofit support since your community will be more likely to engage with a credible organization. Your bylaws should clearly define what information and documents are open to the public, as well as any materials that should remain confidential. You might also establish a process for sharing this information with interested parties. 

With a consistent process for important operations, your nonprofit can carry out its strategic initiatives in an organized and smooth manner. 

For example, your bylaws might include a section about bookkeeping that states your organization will keep a record of all actions taken by board directors and committees. According to Foundation Group’s guide to Form 990 filing, recording this information throughout the fiscal year can help ensure your Form 990 filing goes smoothly at the end of the year since you won’t be scrambling to put these details together.

3. Allow for adaptability and flexibility.

If you want your nonprofit to grow, you have to give it the room to do so! Include provisions for amending your bylaws in the future so that they remain flexible with the ever-changing needs of your growing organization. Answer the following questions:

• Who has the authority to propose changes to the bylaws?

• Who will be responsible for approving the changes?

• What percentage of a vote is needed to pass an amendment?

Be sure to include that all changes should remain consistent with your Articles of Incorporation. Any amendments made to your bylaws should enhance your nonprofit’s operations, not compromise its eligibility for 501(c)(3) status. Small adjustments can help your nonprofit pursue new opportunities in the future that weren’t foreseeable when the bylaws were originally constructed.

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The most important way to ensure your bylaws support your nonprofit’s growth is to simply know what’s included! These internal guidelines are official, legal documents that your nonprofit is bound to follow. Your familiarity with them can help ensure you follow them closely and give you the insight needed to adjust them as necessary.

The preceding post was provided by a guest author unaffiliated with DonationMatch. The views expressed within do not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of DonationMatch.

Member Event Planning: 4 Events Your Members Look Forward To

Guest post by Wild Apricot

For associations and nonprofits with membership programs, your members are at the heart of everything you do. And nothing brings your membership community together quite like events do. They are the perfect opportunity for your members to meet face-to-face, network with other industry professionals, and gain more expertise in their field. 

Whether they are networking nights or annual galas, events are essential for keeping members engaged and raising revenue to ensure your organization’s long-term success. However, different events will appeal to different members. That means you’ll need to determine what types of events will resonate with your members and then plan these experiences for the rest of the year. 

To get your member event planning started, let's explore the four most popular events and how to make them memorable. 

Most Popular Member Event Types

Member events come in all shapes and sizes, from an hour of virtual networking all the way to entire multi-day conferences. The events you schedule will depend on your specific goals, resources, and member preferences. 

Here’s what you need to know about each of the four most popular event types. 

1. Conferences

Conferences bring a large group of people together to explore a specific topic or theme. People attend conferences to learn from industry experts and engage in networking opportunities. 

Typically, conferences can be as little as one day or as long as an entire week.

When planning your conference, keep these tips in mind:

1. Choose the right event management software. Ensure that you select a virtual event solution that fits your needs, such as one that offers attendee registration, highlights sponsors, and tools for promoting your event. 

2. Plan your theme and subtopics. Based on your member’s interests, pick the theme for your conference and its events, such as the topics for panels and roundtable discussions. 

3. Look for event sponsors. Find potential sponsors for your conference who can offer support in exchange for benefits such as exposure to your audience.

4. Determine how you’ll engage attendees. Decide how you’ll keep participants captivated throughout the conference with interactive elements, such as live polls, break-out discussion rooms, and gamification elements.

5. Test-run virtual and hybrid conferences. As hiccups can always happen, conduct a test run of your event to pinpoint and eliminate any issues. 

Let’s take a look at the world’s largest library event, the ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition. This conference unites thousands of librarians, authors, educators, students, and other literary professionals to learn about and discuss the future of the industry. Attendees can enjoy free educational programming, hear from inspiring speakers, and connect with peers. 

Thanks to virtual event technology, hybrid and fully virtual conferences have risen in popularity. Many conferences, like the ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition, offer digital experiences where attendees can virtually attend the event no matter where they are in the world. 

By leveraging technology, organizations can use mobile apps to enhance the conference experience or choose to host a virtual conference. With the right tools, you can set up event registration, create an app for attendees, integrate with a live-streaming platform, and do so much more to streamline your conference. 

2. Networking Activities

Networking events are incredibly valuable for people who are at pivotal moments in their careers. For instance, many college students or recent graduates use networking events to find internships or their first job. Furthermore, people who are more established in their field can use these opportunities to grow their business connections or find new professional roles. 

Here are some ideas for creating engaging networking activities: 

• Set up mentorship groups. Match your experienced members with people who are starting their careers so they can develop their skill set. 

• Host happy hours. Let your members enjoy refreshments at a local brewery or restaurant as they get to know each other.

• Organize speed networking. This twist on speed dating has your members quickly meeting with each other to efficiently make many professional connections. 

• Schedule workshops or classes. Help your members continue their career development by organizing workshops or classes led by industry experts. 

• Create virtual events. Allow your members to connect with people across your network at virtual events such as conference breakout rooms or online trivia games. 

Consider your members’ schedules while planning your networking events. For instance, if your association or nonprofit is local, then you may want to host an event at a nearby restaurant to facilitate face-to-face meetings. Conversely, virtual events are a great option for organizations with members in different locations. 

3. Fundraising Events

Fundraising events are an opportunity for your members to gather together and raise funds to support your organization. These events give members the chance to operate as a team or have some friendly peer-to-peer fundraising competition with each other. 

To plan a memorable and successful fundraising event, associations and nonprofits should follow these essential steps:

• Find a charitable partner. If your organization decides to partner with a charitable partner, you may want to consider finding a local nonprofit, school, or other charitable cause that aligns with your mission. For example, a professional association for educators could partner with a local school. To help find your right partner, consider asking members for suggestions for those that may be open to  mutually beneficial partnerships.

• Determine your fundraising goal. Your fundraising goal should be aligned with the outcome you want to achieve. A journalism nonprofit, for instance, might need to collect $5,000 in fundraising for grants they award to outstanding journalism students every year. 

• Decide on the event type and location. Your members’ preferences and location will influence the type of fundraising event you’ll hold and where it will be. For example, an international organization could hold a virtual event that invites all members or plan multiple smaller in-person events in major cities. 

• Promote your upcoming fundraising event. Share your fundraiser on social media, email, and your website to drum up excitement and inspire involvement. Consider creating a kit with information about the fundraiser that your members can share with others. 

Be sure to thank your members for all their work after the fundraiser. Also, share the amount raised and where the funds will be allocated. This lets your community see their impact and feel proud about what they’ve accomplished.

4. Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteering is a wonderful way for members to expand their networks and improve important skills such as leadership, communication, and teamwork. With volunteer opportunities, your members can give back to the community in a way that aligns with your organization’s mission.

Let’s say that you manage a professional association for working artists. You can engage your members in artistic volunteer experiences like creating a mural for a local elementary school or leading a painting class for senior citizens. This allows members to put their skills to good use while providing a valuable service to the community.

According to a VolunteerMatch survey report, 71% of volunteers prefer to commit their time regularly to an organization. With the right volunteer program, you can give your members the experience they’re looking for while helping them forge stronger bonds within the group. 

Just like other events we covered, virtual volunteer events have risen in popularity. Virtual volunteer opportunities allow participants to participate from the comfort of their homes while still making a major contribution to causes they care about. 

Popular in-person and virtual volunteer options include:

• Setting up and cleaning up at events 

• Redesigning your website or specific web pages

• Reaching out to donors via email or phone

• Transcribing or subtitling videos

Keep in mind that the more flexible your volunteer events are, the more members you’ll be able to get involved. 

Bonus Member Event Planning Tips

No matter the type of event you’ll host, it needs careful preparation to become a success that will keep members engaged for years to come. 

Follow these three practices when kicking off your event planning:

1. Send out pre-event member surveys to guide your planning. Send your members several survey questions to help shape the event you’ll host. For example, you can ask your community about the industry topics they’re interested in, what they’re hoping to experience at your events, and what you can improve upon from your previous events. Collecting this information lets you create events members will be eager to attend. 

2. Create a marketing plan. Every type of event needs a marketing plan so members can learn about the event, see how to register, and know what to expect, especially if you’re hosting a virtual or hybrid event. Your marketing plan should include how you’ll spread the word across your communication platforms such as social media pages, email newsletters, websites, and direct mail messages. 

3. Track engagement metrics and gather member feedback after the event. Once your event ends, collecting feedback is essential. With a post-event survey, you can learn what members enjoyed and where you can improve. Be sure to also review your event’s metrics like attendance rate vs. RSVPs and live poll engagement. 

By following these tips, you can offer members a well-run experience that will motivate them to stay involved in your organization and attend future events. 

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Your members are looking to you to provide a variety of opportunities that will help them succeed personally and professionally. By implementing membership events, your members can network with fellow industry professionals, discuss the latest trends, and propel their development. 
For the most accurate data, be sure to lean into your membership software. This allows you to confidently review metrics and determine improvements moving forward for creating events that will exceed members’ expectations.

The preceding post was provided by a guest author unaffiliated with DonationMatch. The views expressed within do not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of DonationMatch.

Nonprofit HR: A Beginner’s Guide to The Basics

Guest post by Astron Solutions

Whether you’re new to the nonprofit world and just getting ready to hire your first staff members, or yours is a well-established organization with a large team of employees, you know that your internal team is what powers your mission. 

And while you wear a number of different hats as a nonprofit leader, one of the most important is being an employer. This is because effectively managing your human resources (HR) is imperative for providing a great employee experience and, consequently, having a well-run organization that is able to meet your beneficiaries’ needs and further your cause. 

In this beginner’s guide, we’ll walk you through the basics of nonprofit HR and help you prepare to level up your nonprofit’s HR strategy. Let’s begin! 

Do Nonprofits Even Need HR? 

Yes, nonprofits do need to have HR practices and policies in place. Even though the setup and tax landscape for your organization looks different from that of a for-profit company, and you raise money for a specific cause instead of selling goods or services to customers, you have one big thing in common: just like a company, your nonprofit is an organization with employees. 

According to Astron Solutions, this means your nonprofit must comply with any applicable employment regulations or policies, which makes having a strong HR strategy in place critical. In addition to complying with the law, an HR strategy also empowers you to keep your employees’ needs top-of-mind, which can positively impact your recruitment and retention efforts. 

There are a number of unique challenges that your nonprofit will face as an employer, including: 

• The mission-driven nature of your organization. In a for-profit organization, the focus is on pulling in revenue, and HR helps to support the organization’s efficiency and profitability. But for nonprofits, your mission is at the heart of everything you do, and it can be much more challenging to tie all of your HR efforts to that mission. 

• Limited resources for HR work and compensation and benefits. Many nonprofits find it difficult to make time for HR responsibilities and to have enough in the budget to put toward employee compensation and benefits. This makes it hard to compete with for-profit organizations for talent. A popular approach to tackle this challenge is to emphasize total rewards in your compensation strategy, where you focus on both direct and indirect forms of compensation. 

• Complex staffing needs. Many nonprofits turn to grants to help fund specific programs or projects. These sometimes leave nonprofit organizations more limited in how they schedule and staff different initiatives as they meet the requirements of funders and work on tighter budgets and stricter timelines. 

In addition to considering your employees’ needs and the challenges your organization is faced with as an employer, think about how a strong HR strategy can empower you to do more for your mission. When you have the policies and practices in place to optimize the employee experience, your employees will be satisfied in their jobs, and your team will be in a position to do more for your beneficiaries.

HR Responsibilities for Nonprofits 

If your nonprofit doesn’t currently have the resources to support an entire HR department or hire an HR professional, consider planning ahead to hire an expert in the near future. For the time being, you could outsource your HR needs or work with a consultant. 

Regardless of what HR looks like at your organization, here are the responsibilities that your HR professional will need to take on:

• Talent management. From writing eye-catching job descriptions to hiring the right candidates to onboarding and engaging employees, there’s a lot that goes into the employee lifecycle. Your HR team will develop the strategies your organization needs to find great employees and retain them. 

• Compensation strategy. Compensation will greatly affect your organization’s ability to attract, hire, and retain top talent. Take a total rewards approach to make the most of limited resources, and ensure that you have a strong communication strategy in place to ensure that your employees understand how performance impacts pay and how they can advance their careers at your nonprofit. 

• Compliance, documentation, payroll, and tax reporting. One of the most important things your HR team will help your organization manage is avoiding risk and documenting and maintaining compliance with all employment regulations, such as employee classification. Your HR team also may be in charge of payroll or be involved in submitting your 990 form to the IRS, though these responsibilities often fall to financial professionals. 

• Culture building. Internal culture plays a big role in how satisfied employees are with their jobs, and your HR team will take on the task of developing a positive, collaborative culture within your organization. For example, your HR team may implement an employee recognition program, lead trainings in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), or promote a healthy work-life balance. 

• Volunteer management. While larger nonprofits usually have a dedicated volunteer coordinator or program manager, your nonprofit may be in the position where your HR team manages your volunteers, helping to recruit and retain individuals for your program and ensure they have a positive experience working with you. 

While your HR team will be primarily responsible for managing all of these different tasks, remember that it will take a concerted effort by everyone at your organization to make your nonprofit a great place to work and to keep it that way!

3 Best Practices for Stronger HR Management at Your Nonprofit

Whether you’re getting started with HR responsibilities for the first time or you’re fine-tuning your current strategy, there are three best practices you can leverage to take your efforts to the next level: 

1. Partner with an HR consultant. Whether or not your organization has a full HR department, a nonprofit HR consultant can be a valuable partner for improving your HR strategy. These experts can take a critical look at your existing HR structures and policies and give you tailored recommendations for how to improve, whether you need assistance with your compensation strategy, employee communication efforts, or another aspect of HR. 

2. Prioritize employee engagement and health. Double the Donation suggests providing opportunities for continued learning and career development, giving employees meaningful and challenging work, and celebrating milestones and special occasions. You also can champion mental and emotional well-being by doing things like encouraging employees to use their PTO, holding seminars on the importance of self-care, or leading weekly meditation sessions. 

3. Solicit employee feedback. HR is all about focusing on the people who make your nonprofit’s work possible. So, if you’re wondering how your employees feel about a certain policy or initiative, don’t hesitate to ask them. Collect feedback in meetings with employees or through anonymous surveys. Then, ensure you’re acting on that feedback to make your HR strategy even more effective. 

Another general best practice is to be open and transparent with your employees and to encourage two-way communication. This will help employees develop trust in and loyalty to your organization, which will lead to better retention rates and better outcomes for your cause. 

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Just like their for-profit counterparts, nonprofit organizations need HR policies and practices in place to ensure they’re being the best employers they can be. Use the tips in this beginner’s guide to kickstart or strengthen your HR strategy, and remember that you can always turn to an expert consultant for assistance. 

The preceding post was provided by a guest author unaffiliated with DonationMatch. The views expressed within do not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of DonationMatch.

Raising More with Less: Fundraising Efficiency Essentials

Guest post by Kristin Fehrenbach, Senior Consultant at Graham-Pelton

Does your nonprofit fundraise efficiently? At the end of a campaign, do you come away feeling that you generated the most possible revenue for the resources and time that you put into it?

You might not have a confident answer one way or the other. Few organizations do. It’s always possible to find new and more efficient ways to generate revenue by streamlining processes and better prioritizing the allocation of resources. 

We see the concept of efficiency crop up time and again in the nonprofit overhead debate. A blind focus on reducing overhead costs, and therefore operating more efficiently on paper, can bring negative outcomes for nonprofits, their partners, and the sector as a whole. 

But there’s a big difference between cutting costs to the point of harming your mission and adapting your strategic plans to raise more with the resources already available to you. Making the most of your opportunities simply makes you a better steward of your organization’s mission and good work. 

What are the foundational strategies and practices that organizations (of all sizes) should adopt in order to maximize their fundraising returns on investment? Let’s take a look.

Robust Development Strategies

Nonprofit development consists of all fundraising activities, but it often refers specifically to forms of revenue generation that involve strategic relationship-building, like major gift fundraising and grant seeking. 

This area of development is an important place to focus your efforts because it can be particularly efficient—the work of one team member to secure a major gift can result in more revenue than you might raise from a short organization-wide campaign. It’s labor intensive but often results in bigger returns than broad campaigns that target larger segments of donors. 

Even if your nonprofit doesn’t have a dedicated development department or major gift officers, understanding and adapting development fundamentals will help you raise more, and more efficiently. Here are the essential concepts to keep in mind:

• Segmentation. The process of grouping your donors into discrete segments based on shared characteristics (e.g., average donation amount, length of relationship, age, location, etc.) allows you to easily focus your outreach to particular audiences. This then leads to reduced costs and an increased likelihood of success, as you’ll only be targeting those who are most likely to respond to your ask. Segmentation also gives you a valuable framework for learning more and continually improving. By measuring success among particular segments, you can better understand your performance and refine your strategies over time.

• Qualification. Prospect qualification involves frequently reexamining what you know about major gift prospects to ensure they’re still top candidates for outreach. This helps you avoid wasting both their time and yours, and it ultimately leads to better experiences. You’ll need to determine the criteria for qualification or disqualification, like active engagement over the past X months or an explicit “no, thanks.” Then, set up a process for regularly requalifying your prospects to keep your outreach lists effective.

• Stewardship. You already express appreciation for all your donors, but stewardship goes a step further. By intentionally fostering and growing your relationships with your most impactful donors, you can drive increased engagement and retention. Securing gifts from retained donors is much easier than depending on constant outreach and acquisition, making stewardship an important part of fundraising efficiently. A portfolio-based prospect management system can help keep the stewardship process as organized as possible.

Development comes in all shapes and sizes. You might have a large team dedicated solely to finding and building relationships with high-impact donors, or you could be a small shop that finds the time to stay in touch with its biggest supporters. 

Either way, infusing your efforts with these fundamentals (and backing it all up with proper data collection and hygiene) will help you secure larger, higher-ROI gifts.

Forging and Strengthening Partnerships

Nonprofits rely on all kinds of external partners, including corporate sponsors, foundations, peer organizations, government offices, and major donors, to engage the community and make progress toward achieving their missions.

If you’re looking for ways to fundraise more efficiently, remember that you don’t have to go it alone. 

Partnerships can unlock new ways to generate revenue while sharing the work or lowering the costs of rolling them out. Your community is probably full of individuals and other organizations that want you to succeed or that would benefit from collaborating on a program or campaign. Here are a few common examples of revenue-generating partnerships:

• Corporate sponsorships, either as structured ongoing agreements or one-time campaign or event arrangements

• In-kind gifts of supplies, equipment, services, food, entertainment, and event space

• Fundraising match challenges in which a sponsor or major donor matches all gifts made to a campaign within a particular timeframe

• Co-hosted events with partner organizations, lowering upfront costs

• Workplace giving programs, like ongoing matching gift programs or special campaigns

• Cause marketing or commercial co-ventures with businesses

Take stock of your nonprofit’s current partnership roster. How are you sourcing potential partners? Can you go further or be more intentional about identifying and stewarding your relationships with partners? Even a small amount of extra work to build your partnership program can result in beneficial connections that help you raise more and reach larger audiences.

On a related note, remember to look to your internal partners, as well! Your staff members keep your organization running and growing. Retaining them and developing their skills over time can significantly reduce what can be a major drag on nonprofits’ growth—employee churn and training costs.

Diversified Revenue Sources

Generating revenue from a variety of diverse sources is always important for nonprofits. This is especially true amid today’s turbulent economy and as the philanthropic landscape recalibrates from the drastic impacts of the pandemic.

Specifically, nonprofits should stay on the lookout for new revenue streams or forms of fundraising that can deliver high ROI. The benefits or returns of these activities should outweigh the new inputs they require, at least once you get your new strategies established and running smoothly.

Major gift fundraising is an excellent example, but what else? Consider these examples:

• Peer-to-peer fundraising. Although they still require careful management and input, well-targeted P2P campaigns can help you reach much broader audiences organically. Do-it-yourself peer-to-peer fundraising, in which supporters can launch their own giving pages at any time, can also become a reliable passive revenue stream when effectively promoted.

• Planned giving. Bequests and other forms of planned gifts are often larger than cash donations that donors would otherwise consider. They usually require individualized attention and cultivation, but they bring the benefit of being accessible to more of your donors because planned gifts are given from assets rather than cash on hand. Once established, a planned giving pipeline can provide stable, predictable future income.

• Grant seeking. Grants often make up a sizable portion of nonprofits’ revenue. If your nonprofit hasn’t devoted much time or strategy to grant seeking, this should be an area to examine. Putting in the work to identify ideal opportunities, prioritize them, build relationships with funders, and hone your proposal skills can result in steady future support that becomes more efficient over time.

• Online merchandise sales, particularly through platforms that facilitate the process for you. For instance, platforms that allow you to design merchandise that is then printed and shipped as needed (and that charge you a percentage of the sale) can create a helpful revenue stream without requiring you to cover upfront costs, keep an inventory, or invest in eCommerce capabilities.

Of course, all new revenue-generating activities require some amount of upfront and continued investment. But practice and dedication (even if only a couple of hours a week) can go a long way to set your nonprofit up for success with grant seeking and planned gifts, for instance.

If you want to diversify your revenue streams, start exploring your options! Understand the gaps in your current strategies and what the necessary investments will be, then use those insights to determine your best opportunities.

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Remember, operating efficiently and generating healthy returns don’t always mean cutting expenses. 

The most sustainable way to strengthen your nonprofit’s bottom line will actually be to start fundraising in smarter ways with a focus on the long term. Implement development best practices, ensure your data collection processes are up to par, rely on your partners, and look for new, high-ROI fundraising opportunities.

What to Know If You Want to Start a Nonprofit: A Quick Guide

Guest post by Donorly

Creating your own nonprofit organization holds a lot of appeal. When you operate a nonprofit, you can make a measurable difference toward a cause that’s close to your heart, engage your community in meaningful ways, and inspire positive action from supporters. 

However, starting a nonprofit is a major commitment. There are many important considerations to keep in mind, and you may not be aware of all the legal steps it takes to found a nonprofit. In this quick guide, we’ll cover four things you should know before making your decision:

1. Your Nonprofit’s Feasibility

2. A Clear Mission

3. Initial Sources of Funding

4. The Role of Your Board

5. Legal Requirements

Taking time to think through your decision and make preparations now can save you from stress and confusion later. Let’s dive into these considerations to make sure you’re ready to start a nonprofit.

Your Nonprofit’s Feasibility

According to Donorly’s guide to starting a nonprofit, the first thing you need to address is whether or not your idea is feasible and needed. Do research to make sure there’s an established need in your community for your proposed nonprofit. Check that there isn’t another organization that already exists that serves the same need. If there is, it may not be worthwhile to move forward—you may need to find some other way to give back to the community.

If there is a clear need for your nonprofit, the next step is to determine if it’s feasible. Do you have enough resources, support, and time to make your nonprofit a reality?

For example, consider the costs you’ll need to cover before you can even begin fundraising, such as:

• Incorporating your organization: The total costs of incorporating and registering your nonprofit across various states could add up to hundreds or thousands of dollars.

• Leasing a space: Consider the costs of a lease for office space, along with utilities, office furniture, and supplies. Even if you work remotely, there may be a need for software, tools, association memberships, technology, and other operational tools.

• Hiring staff: Even if you start with a small team, you’ll eventually need substantial room in your budget to cover your staff’s pay, payroll and accounting services, and benefits. 

• Initial marketing: In order to get the word out about your new nonprofit, you’ll likely need to spend some time and funds on spreading the word early on, which may also include attending events and networking expenses

Along with the funds to cover costs, you’ll need to have enough people to establish an initial support base. This includes people willing to serve as board members, volunteers, and your first donors. Plus, you need to personally have enough time to commit to starting and running the organization, which could be a full-time job.

A Clear Mission

While you may have a general idea of the cause you want to support or the issue in your community you’d like to solve, you should take time to clarify exactly what your mission would be before moving any further. 

To establish a clear mission statement, ask yourself questions like:

• Why do you want to start a nonprofit?

• What specific issue do you want to raise awareness of and help solve?

• Who exactly will your nonprofit serve?

• What action will your organization take to help this community?

Using your answers as a guide, develop a single sentence that describes who you serve, why, and how you aim to help. Ensure that your mission statement is actionable, relevant, and straightforward. 

Initial Sources of Funding

Starting and running a brand new nonprofit takes money, so it’s worthwhile to think ahead and determine how you can secure a few initial sources of funding to get your nonprofit off the ground. Most often, this takes the form of:

• Fiscal sponsorships: While you can’t accept tax-deductible donations until your nonprofit is registered as a 501(c)(3), you can recruit the help of a fiscal sponsor. This is another organization that fundraises on your behalf and essentially offers the funds to you as a supervised grant.

• Help from your personal network: Look to friends, family, and existing personal supporters who may be willing to help your organization get started. 

Once your nonprofit is fully established and legally allowed to request donations, you’ll have many more fundraising opportunities available. This doesn’t mean that it’ll be easy, though! Be sure to develop audience-informed fundraising strategies to effectively raise the money your organization needs.

The Role of Your Board

As mentioned earlier, you’ll need a few people willing to support your nonprofit by serving as board members. The board of directors you recruit will serve as your nonprofit’s leadership and governing body, so it’s hard to understate their importance.

eCardWidget’s board member appreciation guide explains that a nonprofit’s board handles everything from managing the strategic plan to supervising budgets and programs to ensuring ethical and legal integrity. Because these responsibilities are so important to your organization’s success, you should choose board members carefully.

As you recruit people to serve on your new nonprofit’s board, consider their:

• Commitment to your mission: Every board member should feel personally aligned with your nonprofit’s mission. When deciding who should serve on your board, ask them why they’re interested in the position and if they have any experience supporting similar causes. 

• Diversity: Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is a major priority in the nonprofit sector, especially in terms of nonprofit boards. Make sure that your board is diverse and reflective of the community you aim to serve. This will help eliminate bias, ensure your beneficiaries and supporters feel well-represented, and lead to more ethical decisions.

• Skills and experience: The board has a variety of responsibilities that require different skill sets. Try to create a balance of members with experience in financial management, marketing, and fundraising. Look for anyone with skills that might differentiate them and bring something new and valuable to the table. 

After choosing enough people to fill all necessary roles on your board, provide training that covers nonprofit basics like fundraising strategies and budgeting. Your board will be fundamental in your nonprofit’s foundation and first campaigns, so make sure they all feel prepared to handle their responsibilities.

Legal Requirements 

Finally, you’ll need a solid grasp of the legal requirements, procedures, and tax regulations involved in starting and operating a nonprofit. Legally establishing your organization is a lengthy process that includes:

1. Filing articles of incorporation in your home state to officially register your organization.

2. Applying for a federal EIN number that the IRS will use to identify your nonprofit.

3. Filing for federal tax-exempt status as a 501(c)(3) organization using Form 1023. 

4. Filling out charitable solicitations registration in every state you intend to fundraise in/accept funds from.

Along with these initial legal procedures, be prepared to abide by all the nonprofit legal requirements and federal reporting guidelines going forward. For instance, you’ll need to file an annual IRS Form 990 that details where all of your organization’s funding came from and how you spent it the previous year. 

Filing the right forms and maintaining proper compliance can be complicated. To take work off your plate and ensure you’re not missing anything, consider reaching out to a nonprofit consultant who’s well-versed in all the requirements. 

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If your thinking aligns with all of these points and you feel prepared to get started, congratulations! You’re well on your way to starting a nonprofit. If you’re not fully sure yet, don’t be afraid to take more time to get familiar with nonprofit operations before moving forward. Volunteer with local organizations, and ask plenty of questions. Even if you don’t end up starting your own nonprofit, you may find an organization that you love working with!

5 Tips to Build Community Around Your Monthly Giving Program

Guest post from Bloomerang

Some nonprofits that offer monthly giving programs take a “set it and forget it” mindset to monthly donor engagement. The idea is that monthly donors are already engaged in ongoing giving, so they may require less hands-on stewardship than donors who give with less regularity. 

But imagine how much more connected donors will feel to your nonprofit when you foster a sense of community around your monthly giving program. Instead of just observing your nonprofit’s activities, donors will be actively engaged in your work and see up close how their monthly gifts make a difference in your mission. 

With that in mind, let’s review five top tips for fostering community among monthly donors to improve your retention rate:  

1. Brand your program

2. Create a monthly donor newsletter.

3. Offer exclusive opportunities to monthly donors

4. Ask for donors’ input

5. Create personal connections through your appreciation efforts 

Throughout this post, we’ll pull tips and examples of successful programs from Bloomerang’s roundup of monthly giving best practices. Let’s start by reviewing top strategies for branding your monthly giving program to promote community. 

1. Brand your program

Creating a brand for your nonprofit’s monthly giving program helps donors feel like members of an exclusive group. Take the following steps to develop a cohesive brand for supporters to rally around: 

• Name your program. Giving your program an easily recognizable name helps foster brand awareness. For example, charity: water is a nonprofit focused on improving access to clean water for communities in need. The organization’s monthly donation program is called The Spring. This name is related to the organization’s mission and is short and snappy enough to be easily remembered. 

• Name your monthly donor group. Instead of giving your monthly giving program a name, you can also name your monthly donors themselves. For example, Doctors Without Borders’ monthly donors are called Field Partners, while CARE refers to its recurring supporters as Partners for Change. 

• Brand the program uniformly. Your online donation page and monthly giving program marketing materials should incorporate uniform brand elements. NXUnite recommends creating a branding strategy guide with information about how to use your logo, color scheme, typography, and tagline to ensure cohesion

Brand consistency gives your monthly giving program greater legitimacy and authority. Donors will feel like members of a close-knit community united by a common cause. 

2. Create a monthly donor newsletter 

One of the most important aspects of building a strong monthly donor community is maintaining consistent communication. Most donors appreciate ongoing updates about your nonprofit’s progress and goals. A monthly email newsletter is an effective way to keep monthly donors in the loop. 

To speed up the process of crafting your newsletter each month, you can create a newsletter template that includes spots for the following types of content: 

• Updates on what donors’ gifts have allowed your nonprofit to accomplish. Include progress photos or written updates on how you use recurring donations to grow your programs or advance your projects. 

• Donor spotlights. Highlight long-time or particularly engaged donors using thank-you messages or donor interviews. 

• Upcoming events. Include information about upcoming donor appreciation events, fundraising campaigns or volunteer opportunities. 

Use your email marketing platform to track email metrics and determine which types of messages are most engaging for your audience. For example, you can track metrics such as your open rate and click-through rate. Taking a data-driven approach will allow you to tailor your outreach to meet donors’ needs, improving your engagement rates. 

3. Offer exclusive opportunities to monthly donors

In addition to highlighting your nonprofit’s general activities using your monthly newsletter, you can also invite monthly donors to engage in exclusive opportunities designed just for them. 

Use marketing platforms like email, text and social media to highlight opportunities like: 

• Exclusive events, such as networking opportunities or appreciation galas

• Early access to registration for your organization’s major events, such as your annual music festival or charity run

• Specialized volunteer opportunities where monthly donors can interact with one another and complete hands-on work to support your mission

Not only will donors feel special for getting invites to these exclusive opportunities, but they’ll also be able to meet and interact with their fellow monthly supporters. This can help foster camaraderie within your monthly giving program

4. Ask for donors’ input

Requesting feedback from donors is a central tenet of a powerful donor management strategy. Asking for donors’ input shows them that you consider them equal partners in working toward your nonprofit’s goals.

Monthly donors can be especially helpful when it comes to offering advice because they are typically among your most engaged and committed supporters. Send monthly donors occasional surveys that request feedback on things such as: 

• Suggestions to improve your upcoming fundraising drives and campaigns

• Feedback about your communication frequency or the content of your email newsletters

• Input about how you can improve your appreciation strategy 

Follow up with donors after compiling all responses to thank them for their input and highlight your plans to implement their feedback. 

5. Create personal connections through your appreciation efforts

Monthly donor appreciation should be an ongoing process rather than a one-time task. You can use your appreciation efforts to build personal relationships with donors that encourage them to continue giving for the long term.

Here are a few ideas to send more meaningful thank-you messages: 

• Personalize thank-you notes to each donor. Use the data stored in your donor management system to personalize thank-you messages with monthly donors’ names and giving amounts. 

• Send handwritten thank-you notes. Handwritten appreciation messages stand out and show donors you’ve taken the extra time to write something from the heart. Consider asking volunteers, board members or beneficiaries to write a few thank-you notes to make these messages even more meaningful. 

• Create appreciation videos. Ask a volunteer to film a quick thank-you video to send to monthly donors. Videos can be an impactful way to introduce donors to someone that they’ve supported through their gifts. 

• Offer gifts or prizes for long-time donors. Consider sending long-term monthly donors gifts like free merchandise or gift cards to local businesses or restaurants. Unexpected gifts can provide a special touch for donors who have been loyal to your organization for many months or years. 

Use your donor database to note the types of appreciation messages each donor responds best to, whether a gift, handwritten note, video, or another type of communication. You can then continue thanking each donor using their preferred method, further building a positive connection.

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These efforts will help make your monthly donors feel like true partners in your quest to achieve your organization’s mission. By building closer ties to your organization and their fellow supporters, monthly donors will be much more likely to stay involved in your program for the long haul.

Utilizing Google Ad Grants: 5 Tips Nonprofits Need to Know

Guest post from Getting Attention

It can be quite a process to apply for the Google Ad Grant program. There are many requirements you have to fulfill in order to receive the $10,000 a month in ad credits from Google.

Once you’re part of the program, you’ll want to make sure all your hard work doesn’t go to waste. Making a strategic plan and dedicating some time to Google Ad Grant best practices will ensure that you’re getting the most out of your grant.

To maximize the impact of your Google Ad Grant, here are five tips we recommend:

1. Prioritize good content.

2. Use conversion tracking.

3. Make sure you know your audience.

4. Combine your grant with other marketing tactics.

5. Don’t feel pressured to use the entire grant each month.

The Google Ad Grant is a valuable tool, but to boost your online presence even more, it’s worth it to optimize your account. Let’s get started with five tips that will help you use your Google Ad Grant account successfully.

1. Prioritize good content.

While directing more traffic to your site is a benefit of the Google Ad Grant program, it means little if that traffic isn’t producing conversions. What makes the difference is good content.

If your website has valuable content, users will be more likely to stick around and engage with your organization. In order to maximize conversions, think about adding these elements to your content:

• Popular topics. It’s important to create high-quality content, but you’ll also want to make sure you’re writing about topics people are actually searching for. Choosing a topic with a high search volume will help navigate people toward your site.

• Singular focus. Pages with too many sidebars will confuse readers and turn them away. Additionally, most people only search for one topic at a time. Structuring your pages around a singular focus will make your content more digestible.

• Comprehensiveness. Make sure you offer enough information on each page to make it substantial. That way, you can answer users’ questions and signal to Google that your page has value. 

• Calls to action. To increase conversions, you’ll want to be upfront about what action you want your supporters to take. For example, if you’re looking to increase volunteer sign-ups, create a button that will direct users to your volunteer registration page.

• Mobile friendliness. When your content is mobile friendly, more people can engage with it. Also, Google takes note of mobile friendliness when it ranks pages, so optimization in this area can boost the visibility of your website.

With high-quality content, your organization can improve its website’s ranking online and provide a better user experience. 

2. Use conversion tracking.

These days, more and more decisions are being made based on data. Why should your Google Ad Grant account be any different?

With the help of Google Analytics, you can gain valuable insights about your campaigns. Then, you can use this data to help you make informed decisions about your account.

Within Google Analytics, you’ll want to set up conversion tracking. To do so, you’ll have to decide which conversions you’d like to increase and set up the corresponding goals. Types of conversions you may track include:

• Donations (whether monetary or in-kind) 

• Email list sign-ups

• Volunteer registrations

• Event ticket purchases

• Petition signatures

Once you add your goals to your campaigns, switch on conversion tracking for each one. That way, you’ll be able to stay on top of campaign performance and adjust your ads as needed.

3. Make sure you know your audience.

To allow you to reach the right audience, Google permits you to limit who your ads are shown to. In order to do so, you’ll first want to define each campaign’s intended audience and keywords. As a result, you can make sure you’re creating focused campaigns that reach people.

Starting with keyword research is a great way to get to know your audience. Find out what your intended audience is searching for so you know which keywords to incorporate into your own content. That way, you can start to show up in search results for those topics.

Knowing what your audience isn’t searching for can be just as helpful. Google allows you to use negative keywords that prevent your content from showing up in related searches. You can also use negative keywords to block unrelated audiences from perusing your content.

Over time, Google Analytics will build up a list of search queries of people who visit your site. You can then investigate which audiences result in conversions and add negative keywords for the ones that don’t.

4. Combine your grant with other marketing tactics.

The Google Ad Grant can add a ton of value to your marketing strategy. However, that doesn’t mean you should neglect the other marketing tools at your disposal.

Make sure to continue your usual marketing activities. For example, if your organization typically hosts events to gather new support, the Google Ad Grant won’t replace that type of in-person engagement. 

Instead, use the Google Ad Grant in conjunction with more traditional methods. Since Google allows you to collect an extensive amount of data about your campaigns, you can use that data to inform your other marketing methods.

If you’re looking to spice up your marketing efforts, there are so many different ways to do so. Getting Attention provides several nonprofit marketing ideas that you can use for inspiration, such as: 

• Creating video content

• Partnering with a local business

• Encouraging peer-to-peer fundraising

• Starting a brand ambassador program

Also, the Google for Nonprofits program that presides over the Google Ad Grant program has additional marketing tools you can take advantage of. For example, the YouTube Nonprofit Program helps you fundraise by providing tips for effective campaign videos and adding a donate button to your account. 

5. Don’t feel pressured to use the entire grant each month.

While it may be tempting to use up your $10,000 each month, most nonprofits don’t actually use the entire grant. Some nonprofits don’t have the time or resources to keep up with multiple campaigns. Others might not have high-quality content that’s driving traffic and therefore good results.

Even if you’re not experiencing these issues, don’t feel obligated to use all of the funds each month. There are situations in which you can only use a portion of your grant and still have successful Google Ad Grant results. For example, if you’re targeting a niche subject area, you might not need to track as many keywords. Therefore, you likely won’t use the whole grant, but you can still drive positive outcomes.

Your goal as a participant in the program should be to create conversions, not use up all the money provided by Google. If you’re having trouble allocating your grant effectively, you can work with a Google Grants manager for help. ReCharity recommends choosing a Google Grants agency that offers comprehensive services such as helping you choose the right keywords to target and run recurring reports to track your ROI.

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When it comes to the Google Ad Grant program, there’s so much to learn, and there are always ways to improve upon your results. While a lot might come from trial and error, these five tips will help get you on the right track. In time, you will become more comfortable with the program and what works for your organization.

Demystifying Form 990: Everything Nonprofits Need to Know

Demystifying Form 990: Everything Nonprofits Need to Know

Guest post by File 990

Your nonprofit’s federal tax-exempt status is a critical factor in achieving your program goals. But, actually acquiring your status can be challenging. Fortunately, with the proper preparation and data maintenance, your nonprofit can conquer your tax preparation. 

Let’s start your nonprofit tax preparation by introducing you to the most important document in the process: Form 990. Ready to learn more?

FAQs about Form 990

Let’s begin by answering some frequently asked questions about Form 990.

What is Form 990?

Form 990 is an annual form nonprofits have to fill out to retain their tax-exempt status with the IRS. The primary purpose of Form 990 is to inform the IRS of your nonprofit’s financial practices so they know that you’re following its tax-exemption guidelines. 

According to File 990, there are a few variations of Form 990. The most common forms are: 

• Form 990-N, for nonprofits with gross receipts totaling less than $50,000

• Form 990-EZ, for nonprofits with gross receipts totaling less than $200,000 but more than $50,000

• Form 990-PF, for private foundations

Usually, nonprofits file the standard Form 990 if they aren’t eligible for Forms 990-N or -EZ, as the standard form is extensive. However, since the forms are available publicly, your nonprofit can file Form 990 even if you’re eligible for an abridged version if you want more transparency into your finances. 

What information is included in Form 990?

The required information depends on the type of form your nonprofit is filing. That being said, this basic information is required for all types of Form 990:

• Employer Identification Number (EIN), also known as a Taxpayer Identification Number

• Organization name and mailing address

• Contact information for the principal officer

• Website address, if the nonprofit has one

• Confirmation of the nonprofit’s annual gross receipts 

• If applicable, a statement that confirms that the nonprofit has terminated services

For the longer forms, your nonprofit will have to provide more information, such as revenue, expenses, board of trustee and staff contact information, and details about your initiatives. 

Why is Form 990 important?

Your nonprofit should prioritize accurately filling out Form 990 to:

• Comply with IRS regulations. Form 990 is necessary to retain your federal tax-exempt privileges and maximize your fundraising revenue. 

• Ensure transparency: Once your Form 990 has been processed, it will become publicly visible. Then, your donors can see that your nonprofit is financially responsible and will handle their donated funds properly. Also, this can prevent fraudulent activity from your staff or board members.

• Establish credibility: Your nonprofit can use Form 990 as an opportunity to provide additional financial context for your accomplishments.   

• Win grants: Foundations and other grantmaking organizations use your nonprofit’s Form 990 to help make funding decisions based on your financial health.

Essentially, Form 990 enables you to show everyone that your nonprofit is a reputable and accomplished organization.

Tips for Filing Form 990

Once your nonprofit knows which version of Form 990 to file, it’s almost time to get started! However, you should keep the following tips in mind before filing your Form 990:

1. Prioritize data hygiene

Your team requires lots of financial and organizational information to accurately and efficiently file your Form 990. According to NPOInfo, the best way to mitigate any human errors while filing is to adopt data hygiene best practices, including:

• Opting for digital solutions rather than paper documents

• Standardizing data entry and maintenance procedures

• Using a CRM and financial database with built-in data-cleaning features

• Regularly auditing, backing up, and removing duplicates from your data

• Training your staff on how to properly use databases

Properly practicing data hygiene streamlines your filing process and allows you to better monitor your financial health, even outside of tax season.

2. Try e-filing software

Not only is filing your taxes online more convenient than via mail but it’s also required for Form 990. But, it can still be confusing to navigate the IRS’ e-filing tool. Fortunately, you can expedite and simplify your filing process by using an e-filing software solution. Using an e-filing platform allows you to avoid expensive accountant fees, save time, ensure accuracy, and preserve your nonprofit’s data security. 

There are many e-filing solutions on the market, so your nonprofit should set your sites on one that's tailored to nonprofit needs. Ensure that your chosen solution has the ability to file the correct type of Form 990 so you can save time and money on the filing process.

3. Account for in-kind gifts

Did you know that the IRS considers non-monetary assets as tax-deductible? In particular, your nonprofit should claim in-kind gifts on your Form 990 to stay in good standing with the IRS.

It can be difficult to determine the exact value of in-kind gifts without a price tag. You can calculate the in-kind donation’s value for your Form 990 by following these simple steps:

• Ask donors to declare the values of items at the time of donation

• Keep track of your in-kind donations in a database throughout the year so you can easily reference your records

• Determine if you’re required to report in-kind gifts

• Calculate the in-kind donation’s fair market value using comps found online or standardized values of common items based on condition, which may be provided by the IRS

• Add this value to your donation total

By accounting for in-kind gifts on Form 990, you can give the IRS a fuller picture of your financial situation and demonstrate your commitment to transparency and accountability. 

Next Steps

Now that you have all of the necessary resources, it’s time to start filing Form 990! By adhering to nonprofit data collection and hygiene standards, categorizing expenses, and working with a qualified Form 990 e-filing software to facilitate the filing process, you can make your tax season stress-free while enjoying the benefits of tax exemption for years to come.

3 Major Benefits of Strategic Planning for Your Nonprofit

Guest post by Aly Sterling, Aly Sterling Philanthropy

As a nonprofit professional, you understand the value of a plan. Whether you’re running a fundraising campaign or starting up a new volunteering initiative, a clear roadmap for how you’ll achieve your objectives will help set your nonprofit up for success. Your organization might make project plans throughout the year, but do you also have an overarching plan to guide your nonprofit’s operations? 

A nonprofit strategic plan aligns your nonprofit’s goals with its values to create a performance map for future endeavors. Instead of making major decisions on the fly and working on tasks that might not support your priorities, a nonprofit strategic plan gives your organization the clarity it needs to make its mission a reality. 

While creating a strategic plan requires ample time and effort, your organization will be able to work more productively and effectively throughout the year, allowing you to reap the rewards over the long-term. In this article, we’ll explore these major benefits of strategic planning:

• Improved time management

• Better staff and board organization

• Ability to assess results

Creating a strategic plan for your nonprofit requires all hands on deck. By collecting a variety of insights and opinions from your stakeholders and working with your team to set firm goals, your team will be in great shape to grow its revenue, expand its donor base and achieve its major goals. 

Before we jump into the benefits of strategic planning, let’s go over what exactly a nonprofit strategic plan is.

What is a nonprofit strategic plan?

A nonprofit strategic plan is a document that outlines your goals, priorities and projects so you can clearly define how you’ll make strides towards growing your organization. By assessing your nonprofit’s current situation, consulting with stakeholders and formalizing your findings into a plan, you’ll be able to create a dynamic roadmap that gives your nonprofit the clarity it needs to advance its mission. 

With this in mind, let’s take a closer look at the benefits of nonprofit strategic planning. 

Improved time management

Between running campaigns and leading donor stewardship activities, your nonprofit is likely often strapped for time. This is especially true if you’re a small or medium-sized nonprofit that often feels like you have more tasks than staff or volunteers on hand. 

If this sounds like your organization, a nonprofit strategic plan can help your organization manage its time and resources more effectively. According to Aly Sterling Philanthropy’s guide to nonprofit strategic planning, a plan allows your organization to establish priorities and figure out which projects are most pressing to complete. With these insights, you can shape your daily operations around tasks that will push your goals forward and say no to the activities that don’t align with your priorities.

Creating a strategic plan also enables your nonprofit to rework staff responsibilities that conflict with your organization’s priorities. For example, let’s say your nonprofit has experienced low engagement numbers online and struggles with fundraising. Focusing your marketing staff’s efforts on developing a user-friendly website and donation page would then take precedence over spending hours each day trying to hone your direct mail strategy. 

Better staff and board organization

Your nonprofit might have broad goals for the year, but does each team member have a clearly-defined role for how they’ll bring that goal to fruition? By developing a nonprofit strategic plan, you can clearly delegate roles and responsibilities among your staff, board members and upper-level volunteers, making sure everyone is on the same page.

Specifically, a nonprofit strategic plan gives your nonprofit the opportunity to pinpoint specific actions associated with each of your priorities, the point person in charge of each action and other key details. Let’s take a closer look at these elements: 

• Action steps: Based on the priorities your team has laid out, what tasks or projects will help you to meet your goals? Outline the specific steps that need to be taken in as much detail as possible. 

• Timeline/milestones: Map out the associated timeline with each project or task to create accountability. You can also list out milestones that you’d like to hit along the way, as this will help your nonprofit’s team measure progress. 

• Leaders: Who will be responsible for carrying out each project or task? Assign the point people to each action step so your staff and board members understand their role in contributing to your nonprofit’s success. 

• Necessary resources: What resources will your organization need to complete these action steps? This can include people, databases and technology solutions that will streamline your approach and help you improve your organization. For example, if your organization is experiencing low fundraising numbers, you might consider embedding a matching gift database into your donation page. According to 360MatchPro, a matching gift platform allows donors to easily check if they’re eligible through their employers for matching gifts. This way, they can easily double or triple their impact! 

• Future/ongoing actions: Once your staff and board members begin their projects, it’s important to set up a check-in process to assess progress and resolve any issues that might pop up. For example, you could create a weekly meeting where the relevant team members get together and discuss what they’re working on and what they’ve achieved. 

As you lay out these details, maintain them in a document that can be accessed at any time. This way, your staff and board members can reference their roles and ensure they’re each meeting their responsibilities. 

Ability to assess results

Another significant benefit of strategic planning is the opportunity to measure your progress and determine whether you’re meeting your goals. This is made possible through the SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound) goal setting process, where you’ll clearly outline how you’ll track progress in a quantifiable way. 

For example, let’s say that after collecting insights from your stakeholders, you’ve determined that you need to bolster your major gift fundraising strategy. Your quantifiable goal could be to increase your total major gift income by 15%. To do this, you might reach out to existing major donors to increase their gift amount as well as prompt mid-level donors with the capacity to become major donors to give a gift at or above that threshold. 

Remember to consistently track your results and check in on whether you’re on the way to meeting your goals. For example, if you’re at the halfway point of your determined timeline for improving your email communication strategy, but less than halfway towards meeting your goal, you’ll likely need to adjust your strategy. Work with your organization’s leaders and stakeholders to optimize your approach or reframe your goals so they’re more realistic.

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Strategic planning gives your nonprofit the foundation it needs to advance its mission. With a clear roadmap for the future, you’ll be well-prepared to push your priorities forward and rally your team around your guiding principles for better efficiency. Work with an expert nonprofit consultant to craft a plan of action that makes sense for your organization and will accelerate your growth.

4 Ways Mobile Bidding Can Expand Your Nonprofit’s Audience

Guest post by ClickBid

It’s no mystery that audience expansion is important to your nonprofit. To accomplish its goals, your nonprofit needs a growing supporter base. Supporter expansion leads to increased donations and volunteer involvement, which helps your nonprofit make a meaningful impact.

Auctions are a highly engaging fundraising idea that likely excites your existing supporters. But how can you leverage auction tools to reach a larger audience? In this guide, we’ll look at four ways mobile bidding can help you reach more potential supporters:

1. Increased accessibility

2. Donor engagement

3. Data tracking

4. Streamlined event management

For an auction to be successful, you’ll need to collect auction items, track your in-kind donations, plan event logistics, and promote your fundraiser. All of this leaves little time to focus on audience expansion, which is why you should leverage mobile bidding software’s outreach tools. Let’s get started!

1. Increased accessibility

Remote bidding allows participants to bid on auction items from their mobile devices, meaning they can take part in your auction virtually. This incentivizes supporters to participate even if they’re:

• Sick at home

• Out of town

• Committed to a prior engagement

Not only does mobile bidding make your auction doable for busy supporters, but it also attracts participants who aren’t involved in your organization. For example, people who have never donated or volunteered with your organization might learn about an enticing auction item through your online item catalog and register for the event in hopes of winning it. Other elements of mobile bidding that increase accessibility include:

• Push notifications: Mobile bidding software keeps participants in the loop, so they’ll be just as involved in the event from their phones as they would be if they attended in person.

• Self-check-in and payment processing: Participants can join the auction and pay for the items they won directly from mobile bidding software. 

The increased auction accessibility offered by mobile bidding capabilities broadens your potential audience to just about anyone. Not only is this a solution for your busy supporters, but it can also entice outsiders to become involved if you promote this in your auction marketing efforts.

2. Donor engagement

You might promote mobile bidding as you market your event, but the mobile bidding software itself can also be used as an outreach tool. ClickBid’s guide to silent auction software recommends using the platform to create an event landing page for your auction and providing the landing page’s link on all your other communication channels. You can also engage donors with targeted communications, through capabilities such as:

• Mass messaging: Send messages to all participants or specific groups of them. This makes widespread messages easier to send and organize, especially if you’re sending different messages to different groups of supporters. For example, you might send a specific thank-you message to only the winning bidders at the end of your auction, encouraging them to enjoy the item they won.

• Volunteer tools: Don’t just think of your donors as bidders in your auction—volunteers are also donating their time to make sure your event runs smoothly. Use volunteer tools included in your software to send important messages or fun event updates, keeping your volunteers engaged throughout the event.

• Outbid alerts: Keep bidders invested in the outcome of your auction by leveraging the outbid alerts feature of your software.

Outreach tools can help your nonprofit engage its audience, giving them a positive experience to share with their family members, friends, colleagues, and others when these supporters advocate for your organization. 

Your nonprofit won’t only reach out to auction participants—you might use your software to share an auction catalog with potential item donors to contribute to your event. By engaging the community through item procurement, your nonprofit will entice more auction participants, who can ultimately be converted into long-time supporters.

3. Data tracking

Whether you’re raising money for a school, church, or charitable organization, the importance of data-driven fundraising strategies applies to everyone. The same technique is important for auction management, and data can also influence the responsiveness of your audience. 

The right mobile bidding software can help your nonprofit track donor and fundraising data related to your event, such as: 

• Average bid amounts. Your auction will raise various monetary donations since auction items will vary in price, but you can still track metrics such as the average amount of bid increments to determine the success of your event. Use this data to adjust future item pricing strategies so that you can appeal to the budgets of more bidders.

• Bidder behavior. Evaluate how many people bid on each item and how many times they were willing to raise the price. This may reveal your auction’s most popular items, which can influence item procurement for your next auction. You’ll appeal to a larger audience of bidders when you collect a variety of coveted auction items.

• Participation history. Track participants’ histories with your organization—is this their first auction or are they regular attendees? When you understand their participation habits, you’ll know how to craft compelling appeals for support in future outreach efforts.

Use donor profiles or custom analytics reports from your mobile bidding software to adjust your fundraising strategy when approaching your next fundraising initiative. AlumniFinder’s donor data guide suggests collecting data in a constituent relationship management (CRM) system, which can be integrated with your mobile bidding software. Managing this data in one, comprehensive platform makes it easier to identify patterns or areas for improvement.

4. Streamlined event management

Unlike crowdfunding campaigns or peer-to-peer fundraisers, many resources are required to host and manage an auction. Mobile bidding software can streamline event management, decreasing the resources your nonprofit spends on administrative needs. For example, your auction will require:

• Item procurement and pricing. Mobile bidding software organizes items in a catalog as you collect them, along with information about each item.

• Day-of volunteer management. Volunteer tools will streamline communications and volunteer roles so that your volunteers won’t need to be closely supervised during the event. If your volunteers do need assistance on the day of your auction, choose an event management software provider that offers event advisors to guide your auction.

• Item display cards. Depending on how you host your auction, you might need to display additional context about each item for your attendees. When item information is input into your mobile bidding software, you can automatically print item display cards instead of manually designing the cards and adding item information to each one.

With all of these capabilities, mobile bidding software simplifies event management and allows nonprofit leaders to focus on supporter engagement. With all of the time and resources saved, you can instead focus on audience expansion through prospect research, targeted communications, and creative marketing campaigns.

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Whether this is your nonprofit’s first auction or its hundredth, mobile bidding software can turn your fundraiser into an outreach strategy that will expand your audience and grow your supporter base. Research software options and determine which platform meets the needs of your organization and event.

School Fundraising Ideas to Engage Parents: A Mini Guide

Getting parents involved in any school fundraiser can be a challenge. That’s why staying on the ball with fresh, exciting fundraising ideas throughout the year is a surefire way to engage parents. In this mini-guide, we’ll explore how to pick the right idea for your school and share a few of our favorites:

• Tips for Selecting School Fundraising Ideas Parents Will Love

• School Fundraising Idea 1: School Auction

• School Fundraising Idea 2: Read-a-thon

• School Fundraising Idea 3: Talent Show

Parental involvement is essential, especially for elementary school fundraisers. Parents can motivate their kids to participate by helping them choose a costume for a costume fundraiser or by encouraging them to participate in their school’s fun run. 

When planning school fundraisers, the key is to think like a parent. Let’s explore what that looks like in more detail in the next section. 

Tips for Selecting School Fundraising Ideas Parents Will Love

Aim for family-friendliness when weighing your fundraising options. Think about which ideas will generate the most parental involvement, and finalize your fundraising idea list by asking the following questions: 

• Is it relevant? To generate maximum excitement and participation, your school fundraising idea should be relevant to both parents’ and your school’s interests and values. This could mean selecting an idea to further a cause that resonates with the community, like partnering with a local food bank to host a canned food drive.  

• Is it accessible? Parents have busy schedules. If your fundraiser relies on their involvement, make sure they can access pertinent information quickly. This could mean including your fundraiser’s program details, dates, and ways to participate on your school’s website. Additionally, add an email or phone number for a member of your school’s staff who parents can contact if they have any questions. 

• Is it inclusive? School fundraisers should be inclusive to every family, regardless of background or financial situation. To ensure inclusivity, offer multiple ways for families to participate through volunteer opportunities, including methods for participating online.

The final step to predicting your fundraiser’s success is to compare it with previous events. How have families responded to previous fundraising campaigns? What sort of events or causes do they feel passionate about? 

To get you started, we’ve provided a brief list of fundraising ideas to try out.

School Fundraising Idea 1: School Auction

Live and silent auctions are flexible fundraising events that are known for generating revenue and building excitement. As a school, you have several options for hosting an auction. You can host your auction live, online, or through hybrid means. 

Auctions may seem to be complicated, involved fundraisers - and they can be! But you don’t have to start with a big event. If you’ve never done an auction fundraiser before, SchoolAuction.net suggests starting with an online silent auction your first year. These are easy to bring together, especially if you select a software platform designed for schools.  When looking, however, realize that you’ll want to grow your event over time - so select an online auction platform that can grow with you as your auction gets bigger and more successful.

Why Parents Love Them

School auctions are a parent favorite for several reasons. Firstly, they are typically planned with parental preferences in mind as the procured auction items are selected with your school’s community in consideration. Additionally, Double the Donation recommends that your school pairs a live auction with a parent dinner which can be promoted as a fun, date-night event complete with a decorated venue and booked entertainment. 

School Fundraising Idea 2: Read-a-thon

Read-a-thons kill two birds with one stone: promoting student learning and fundraising. They are simple fundraisers where students collect pledges from family and friends based on the number of books or pages they read. 

Students can collect flat donations or pledges based on how many books or pages they read during the read-a-thon. Then, designate a period of time, usually over the span of several days, and encourage students to read as much as possible. Have students log their total books or pages read, then gather pledged donations.  To encourage participation, you can set prizes for students who read or raise the most. 

Why Parents Love Them

Read-a-thons provide the perfect motivation for students to hit the books and cultivate a love of reading. Read-a-thons are also easy to plan, requiring only plenty of books, a few hours to set aside during the school day, and pledge forms students can take home to collect donations.

School Fundraising Idea 3: Talent Show

Hosting a school talent show is a great way for students to show off their skills while also encouraging parent participation. It only contains a couple of necessary steps—securing a venue, selecting a date, and holding auditions. From there, you can promote your talent show and sell tickets to raise funds.

Why Parents Love Them

Talent shows provide parents with a unique opportunity to watch their students perform on the big stage. Unlike regular sports seasons, talent shows let students express themselves in artistic, comical, and unexpected ways, creating a memorable experience for both students and their families

Regardless of which school fundraising idea you choose, be sure to select one that’s relevant, accessible, and inclusive to all families. Consider sending out a survey to parents ahead of time to gauge interest or decide between two competing ideas. To your school fundraising success!

3 Stellar Strategies to Re-Engage Silent Auction Guests

Picture this: You’re hosting a fundraising event, and have everything in place. The venue is stellar, you’re serving a carefully curated menu, and you even have a signature cocktail. The silent auction is all set up with a well-procured array of exclusive packages like vintage wine, boutique getaways, and signed sports memorabilia…but no one is bidding on the items.

When trying to meet your fundraising goals, a signature cocktail and live music are fun and exciting. Still, none of it matters if you’re not raising money, and one of the most effective ways to raise money at an event is to have an engaging silent auction.

A successful silent auction will not only help you to meet your fundraising goals, but it make your event a more enjoyable experience for attendees. This will also encourage your guests to come back to your events, year after year.

This guide will talk about how you can incorporate strategies to re-engage your audience with a silent auction event.

1. Incorporate mobile bidding into your auction.

Maybe your guests are really into their signature cocktails and catching up with old friends, which means they’re engaged in your event, but it prevents them from perusing your silent auction. An easy fix to this conundrum is to use mobile bidding software. Mobile bidding provides fewer interruptions than bidding on paper sheets because your guests don’t have to leave meaningful interactions to go check on their auction items. They hold all the information for the auction in their hand, on their phone!

When looking for mobile bidding solutions, seek out features that will allow your supporters to engage with the auction in tandem with your other event activities. Important features include:

• Push notifications: Find software with a mobile app that will alert bidders when they’ve been outbid

• Easy navigation of the auction item catalog: You want software that will allow bidders to peruse by category, no bid items, etc.

• Easy check-out process: A huge component of a successful auction is an easy pay and pick up system. You don’t want your guests waiting in long lines to pay for and pick up their won items at the end of the evening.

A solid, user-friendly mobile bidding platform can skyrocket your engagement, participation in your auction, and ultimately raise more funds for your cause.

2. Gamify event activities to motivate attendees.

In this day and age, people need entertainment in short, energetic spurts. There are several ways to “gamify” activities to entertain your crowd, and we’ll explore some of them here. But before we dive into those activities, consider the following to make sure you’re setting those activities up for success.

• Consider your seating arrangement

Strategically seat your guests so they’ll have similarities to your other auction guests around them. Are there multiple guests who work in the same industry? Seat them together. Is there an alumnus of your organization who could sit with a new donor and talk about the services or benefits of your nonprofit? For these reasons and more, it’s important to look at the big picture of your guest list and determine which groups are a good fit for one another. This is more of an art than a science, but it will help you facilitate engaging conversations among supporters.

• Help start the conversation

Place cards with ice breaker questions or conversation starters on the table, or invite guests to discuss questions posed by the speaker among themselves

• Give live updates during the event

Providing progress updates and telling attendees how they can help you meet your goals is a great way to engage them in your activities. This is where push notifications and texts through your mobile bidding software can come in handy! Having this feature is also especially important if you are hosting a virtual or hybrid event because it allows you to reach them directly on the platform where they’re engaging in your auction.

Once you’ve set the stage with these considerations, you can start incorporating other gamification strategies to engage your audience members in your fundraising activities. Some of these strategies include fundraising thermometers, leaderboards, and bidding wars.

Fundraising Thermometers

Tell supporters about your fundraising goal and create a thermometer or interactive visual to measure your progress. Donors are motivated by goals and seeing where their dollars will go to work. Plus, they can see a physical representation of the difference their donation makes when they give!

Leaderboards

Bidder and donor leaderboards show which supporters are making the greatest impact for your organization. This will also create some friendly competition among your guests! Showing these boards will make other attendees want to be ranked among the leaders.

Bidding Wars

Encourage bidding wars by announcing key auction items to your attendees and encouraging new people to bid on those items. Utilize your event Emcee to make announcements and name the bidders who are going head-to-head, if appropriate. Alternatively, you can showcase items without bids. Many supporters want to see every auction item sold, so you will also get those “sympathy bids,” and maybe even create a little competition.

3. Align event activities with attendee interests.

Different styles of events have different activities that your organization can lean on to engage your attendees. During the planning process for your event, you’ll need to carefully consider the options for these activities and how your audience is likely to respond to them. Carefully align the activities you offer with your audience’s interests while still connecting them to your cause.

Engaging event activities will also help promote your event because you can highlight the exciting opportunities you’ll offer as a part of your marketing materials.

Some of the event activities you might consider are your auction (of course), keynote speakers, and live musicians. Even just having background music near your silent auction that’s on theme with your event can boost entertainment and engagement.

Auction Items

Consider which auction items will be most appealing to your audience members. For example, if you’re hosting a school auction, you might auction off student artwork or kid-friendly trips. Young adult audiences would be likely to bid on EDM concert tickets while older audiences may prefer a classical performance.

Keynote Speakers

Your speakers should be experts on topics related to your mission, but also be well-positioned to motivate and relate to your audience. Make sure your speakers will make a connection to your cause, first and foremost. Then check that they have both the experience and presentation skills (effective slides, calls to action, and genuine approach) that will engage your specific audience members. For example, a local CEO might be perfectly positioned to inspire young professionals.

Concert Musicians

If you host a concert, carefully consider who will be most appreciated by your specific audience. If your audience is elderly, they are not likely to appreciate a concert of metal music. Meanwhile, young adults might find classical harps sleep-inducing rather than energizing. You might also consider what’s appropriate if your auction is a part of a larger event like a gala — calming background music might be better suited for this environment.

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At the end of the day, you must have a carefully thought-out strategy for engaging your silent auction guests. The tips above can help you draw attention to auction items, get the crowd excited about the event, and increase bidding. Best of luck with your auctions!

About the Author: Jeff Porter, Founder & CEO of Handbid

Jeff has spent 18 years in the nonprofit industry. In 2004 he founded the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association of Colorado where he still resides as board chair. Jeff learned early on that nonprofits desperately needed better and more affordable fundraising solutions. Leveraging his software background, he built most of the tools his charities used, and in 2011 he launched Handbid at his own fundraising event. The goal was to improve the guest experience, reduce administration and increase revenue. Handbid accomplished all of those goals, effectively doubling revenue in its debut. Nine years later, Handbid's suite of tools has delighted over a half-million guests, generated millions of bids, and helped thousands of charities raise well over $100 million.