The Future of Corporate Philanthropy: 3 CSR Trends to Watch

Guest post by Double the Donation

Now more than ever, businesses are clamoring to align their brands with corporate social responsibility (CSR). After all, publicized CSR practices result in new customers, engaged employees, and a positive reputation in the media. 

For nonprofits, new trends in CSR mean new opportunities to tap into corporate giving. While not all CSR programs involve donations to nonprofits, Double the Donation’s breakdown of trends in corporate philanthropy shows that many businesses looking to upgrade their CSR strategy are ready to partner with organizations like yours.

To help you understand and take advantage of these opportunities, this guide will explore three CSR trends we expect to see grow in the coming years. 

Trend 1) Increased Focus on Sustainability

Carbon neutrality, ethical supply chains, and reduced waste during production are all major talking points when it comes to social responsibility. As such, many businesses are looking to fund environmental-focused nonprofits. 

If this description fits your nonprofit, now is the time to emphasize your commitment to a more sustainable, equitable world. Part of securing corporate support involves framing your nonprofit’s mission in such a way that it aligns with your potential partners’ philanthropic values. Reflect on your mission and how it relates to sustainability causes to receive increased attention from corporations.  

Trend 2) More Action from Small and Medium Businesses 

Large corporations have the funds to make the biggest impacts on nonprofits, but they’re not the only organizations in the for-profit sector interested in CSR. Recent trends point to more small and medium-sized businesses experimenting with philanthropy programs that impact their local communities. 

For nonprofits in their area, these small businesses are much easier to access than massive enterprise corporations, allowing you to negotiate deals and form long-lasting partnerships. To capitalize on this trend, we’ve seen a few winning strategies, which include:

• Build relationships. Businesses want to support nonprofits they know will do good work year after year. This provides a reliable reputation boost and allows them to make a greater impact by investing in specific projects long-term. To court these partnerships, establish a solid relationship first. Start with smaller requests, such as a one-time donation to your annual fund, a corporate volunteer day, or an event sponsorship, before proposing ongoing support. 

• Offer accessible sponsorship packages. Not all businesses can support your nonprofit to the same extent. At the same time, managing unique deals for each business part can quickly become complex. To keep partnerships streamlined, many nonprofits offer sponsorship packages businesses can choose from to determine their level of support. When crafting these packages, consider what benefits adequately correspond to the donation amounts you’re asking and if the businesses you plan to approach have the budget to fulfill your requests.

• Emphasize benefits. Businesses participate in CSR because of how being socially responsible benefits them. When approaching potential sponsors, emphasize how a partnership could help boost employee engagement or connect them with new customers through your support base. 

When researching local businesses, consider their past philanthropic activities, their stated CSR goals, and their potential to give. Focus on organizations with values that align with your mission and available resources to give to increase your chances of forming a relationship.

Trend 3) Renewed Focus on Employee Giving

Increasing employee engagement is a top reason why many businesses launch CSR programs. Employees appreciate employers who give back to their communities, and initiatives like employee giving programs allow workers to have an active hand in making a difference and even choose which causes receive support. 

Nonprofits can leverage this trend by spreading awareness of these programs and encouraging supporters to check their eligibility. 360MatchPro’s employee giving guide provides an overview of the most common types of programs to be aware of:

• Matching gifts. In a matching gift program, when employees donate, they can submit a request to their employer to match their contribution. Encourage employees to check if they’re eligible to receive matching gifts, and consider investing in matching gift software to make the application process easier for donors. 

• Volunteer grants. Some companies will make donations to nonprofits where their employees volunteer. Usually, these donations are based on the number of volunteer hours an employee performs at the nonprofit. 

• Paycheck deductions. Paycheck deductions are automatically taken from employees’ earnings and donated to a nonprofit. Often, the organizations for this type of program are decided by the employer, meaning you’ll likely need to establish partnerships with businesses before accessing this employee giving method. 

• Employee grant stipends. Rather than asking employees to spend their paychecks, some employees provide what are essentially vouchers that employees can use to make donations.

Send emails to donors, create a page on your website about employee giving opportunities, and even add information about employee giving on your donation page to inspire them to take action. This increases the chances that employees will leverage their companies’ CSR programs to help your nonprofit. 

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CSR trends are continually evolving, and these trends are just the start. Consider how your nonprofit can benefit from business partnerships, and look for organizations with values that align with yours, whether they’re related to equity, advocacy, sustainability, or any other cause your nonprofit fights for.

Top 5 Tried-and-True Tips for Rethinking Your Donor Approach

Guest post by eCardWidget

For new nonprofit professionals, fundraising can be uncomfortable. Asking someone to give up their hard-earned money for your cause can feel like asking someone for a big favor. However, it’s essential for you to reach out to donors to retain their support. Learning how to do so effectively will fuel your nonprofit’s mission.

Our favorite fundraising advice is this: Don’t ask your donor to give you their money. Instead, offer them an opportunity to be a part of something important.

To revamp your donor approach, we’ve compiled a list of tried-and-true tips to help you reach donors more effectively and encourage them to lean into their giving spirit. Let’s get started!

1. Empower outreach officers with knowledge about the donor.

Make sure your outreach officers have the knowledge they need to connect with donors on a personal level. Even if they have had personal relationships with certain donors for years, there may still be pertinent information that they are not aware of, such as the donor’s history of charitable giving. 

To provide your stakeholders with the most accurate information, update your donor database regularly. Double the Donation’s guide to donor data recommends collecting and storing a variety of donor information, such as:

• Full and preferred names

• Contact information

• Employer information

• Preferred communication channels

• Donation history and average gift amount

• Wealth indicators

• Other involvement with your nonprofit, such as volunteering

Armed with this information, your outreach officers will feel more prepared to navigate a conversation about soliciting a financial contribution to your nonprofit. They’ll be able to leverage this information to make informed decisions on donors to target and what to discuss in those conversations.

2. Equip outreach officers with the appropriate language.

Being philanthropic makes people feel good—it elicits a chemical response that makes donors feel more at ease and connected to others. As a result, supporters may feel more connected to your cause after making a gift. 

Initiate potential supporters’ connection to your cause by giving your outreach officers talking points and language to fall back on. Remind them that instead of making a request for a financial transaction, they are offering someone the chance to be a part of the great work of your organization.

Phrases like “join us,” for instance, can help put the donor in this mindset. Instead of asking the donor to “give” something, you could ask them to “be” something: be a member of the patron program, be a co-chair of an event, be a leader in a campaign, or be an advocate for important work.

Remind your staff members that the strategies that apply to general nonprofit marketing can be used in donor outreach as well. Include calls to action (CTA) that make it clear what action you would like donors to take. In this case, staff members will likely be encouraging supporters to contribute monetarily, but you can specify this action further by including what their donations will enable you to accomplish.

For example, your CTA may be “Join us in our effort to support children’s literacy.” This CTA uses language that offers donors a chance to help support your mission, rather than focusing on the financial transaction itself. 

3. Keep outreach focused with specific tasks.

Depending on where you are in the donor cultivation process, provide instructions to help guide your staff members in setting up and engaging in a conversation with the donor. Think about the type and level of ask you’d like them to make.

Ask yourself: Will they be soliciting recurring gifts? Event participation? Or campaign gifts? Is there a range that they should be asking for, or do you want them to leave it entirely open? Having set guidelines will help steady them if they get nervous about initiating a conversation about money.

To set your outreach officers up for future success, consider developing scripts or templates for different types of asks. That way, they can personalize their donor outreach to different initiatives without having to do so on the spot. Additionally, you can save your team time so they don’t have to start from scratch each time they make a new ask. 

For example, you may develop ask guidelines and scripts for one-time donations, in-kind donations, recurring donations, major gifts, event registrations, capital campaigns, and crowdfunding campaigns.

4. Thank your donors for their contributions.

If you don’t already practice proper donor appreciation, you’re missing out on an opportunity to build stronger relationships with your donors. Plus, there are many different ways you can show donors how important they are to your organization, so you’re sure to find one that works for your nonprofit.

For example, a traditional donor appreciation method is the handwritten thank you letter. Sending one of these to a donor demonstrates that you value their support. Start with a personalized greeting that addresses the donor by their preferred name. Then, reference their donation amount, and explain what that donation will enable your organization to accomplish. For example, a $100 donation to an animal shelter may allow the shelter to replenish its pet food supply.

To ensure your thank-you letter is engaging, include a story or testimonial that brings the donor’s impact to life. Reach out to your beneficiaries to see if any of them are open to being featured, and request quotations that illustrate how your nonprofit’s support has changed their lives.

You may also include other ways for your donors to get involved with your organization. Avoid asking for additional donations, but mention upcoming events or volunteer opportunities your donors may be interested in.

For major donors, go above and beyond with your donor appreciation by sending gifts. Branded merchandise, such as t-shirts, hats, and mugs, is a great way to show your gratitude. Plus, major donors who wear their merchandise act as ambassadors for your cause and may bring in additional support.

5. Show stakeholder appreciation.

Just as your outreach officers thank your donors for their contributions, make sure you thank your outreach officers for their hard work. Doing so will empower them to continue their donor outreach and all their other efforts that support your cause.

For board members, volunteers, and other outreach staff, eCardWidget recommends using gifts to show your appreciation. Examples include gift certificates, office accessories, and awards. These physical reminders of your appreciation will show your outreach officers that you recognize their commitment to your nonprofit.

Another way to thank these individuals is by hosting an appreciation event. Bring all your outreach officers together to celebrate their achievements. Invite their families to join, and provide food, music, and activities to liven up the event.

Lastly, you can create a thank-you video to show your outreach officers how much you care about them. Demonstrate how certain teams or roles impact your organization, and make it clear that you wouldn’t be able to further your mission without them. As opposed to a simple email, videos are an engaging way to review how stakeholders have contributed to your nonprofit in the past year and properly thank them for their hard work.

When stakeholders feel appreciated, they’ll be more motivated to continue working with your organization to help your beneficiaries.

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When organizations struggle with soliciting gifts, it’s likely due to the fact that they don’t have a donor outreach plan, or they need to transform their current plan in order to be effective. While it can be difficult to ask donors for their support, there are ways to build genuine relationships with donors while also making it easier for stakeholders to request donations. Plus, having a more robust strategy for donor relationships can lead to increased retention, securing your nonprofit’s future and ultimately earning more for your cause.

Understanding IRS NTEE Codes: What They Are & Why They Matter

If you’ve delved into the world of nonprofit organizations, you may have come across IRS NTEE codes. These codes are a vital part of how nonprofits are categorized and understood in the United States. But what exactly are NTEE codes, why do they exist, how are they assigned, and how do they benefit donors and grantors? Let’s dive in.

What Are IRS NTEE Codes?

NTEE stands for the National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities. This system was developed by the National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS) and is used by the IRS to classify nonprofit organizations. The primary purpose of these codes is to provide a standardized way to categorize the various activities and purposes of nonprofit organizations.

NTEE codes are structured into three main levels:

1. Major Groups (Letters A through Z): Broad categories such as Arts, Education, Health, and Human Services.

2. Intermediate Groups (Three-digit codes): More specific activities within the major groups.

3. Detailed Codes (Four-digit codes): Very specific subcategories that provide a precise description of the organization’s purpose and activities.

Why Do NTEE Codes Exist?

The NTEE system was created to address several needs within the nonprofit sector:

1. Standardization: With a million nonprofits operating in diverse fields, there needed to be a standardized way to categorize and compare them. NTEE codes provide a common language for describing nonprofit activities.

2. Data Collection and Analysis: For researchers, policymakers, and analysts, having a consistent classification system allows for more effective data collection and analysis. This can help identify trends, gaps, and areas of need within the nonprofit sector.

3. Transparency and Accountability: By requiring nonprofits to categorize themselves using NTEE codes, the IRS helps ensure that organizations are transparent about their missions and activities. This aids in regulatory oversight and public trust.

How Are NTEE Codes Assigned?

When a nonprofit applies for tax-exempt status, it must describe its mission and activities in its application. Based on this description, the IRS assigns an appropriate NTEE code. This assignment is crucial because it impacts how the organization is perceived by the public, donors, and grantmakers.

How Are NTEE Codes Used by Donors and Grantors?

NTEE codes serve several important functions:

• Finding Relevant Organizations: Donors and grantors often use NTEE codes to find organizations that align with their philanthropic goals. For example, a donor interested in supporting environmental causes can search for nonprofits with NTEE codes related to environmental conservation.

• Evaluating Organizations: By examining the NTEE code, donors and grantors can quickly understand the primary focus of an organization. This helps in making informed decisions about which organizations to support.

• Grant Application Processes: Many grantmakers require applicants to provide their NTEE code as part of the application process. This helps grantmakers categorize applications and ensure they are funding organizations that align with their mission.

• Reporting and Impact Analysis: Funders use NTEE codes to analyze the distribution of their grants across different sectors. This helps them understand the impact of their giving and identify areas where they might want to increase or adjust their support.

How TO FIND a Nonprofit’s NTEE Code

Here are some methods to locate it:

• IRS Determination Letter: When a nonprofit is granted tax-exempt status, the IRS sends a determination letter that may include the assigned NTEE code.

• National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS): The NCCS maintains a database of nonprofit organizations, which includes NTEE codes. You can search for your organization in the IRS 990 Business Master File on their website here.

• Organization’s Records: Internal records and documentation related to the nonprofit’s registration and correspondence with the IRS often contain the NTEE code.

• Public Records Searches: Various databases such as Candid (GuideStar) and ProPublica consolidate nonprofit information and make data such as NTEE codes easier to find.

How an Organization Can Change its NTEE Code

If your nonprofit's activities or mission have changed, it may need to update its NTEE code. To do this, the organization must submit a written request to the IRS, including its name, EIN, and a detailed explanation of the new activities or mission changes. Supporting documents like updated mission statements or program descriptions can be helpful. The request should be sent to the IRS Exempt Organizations Determinations Office. For more information on the submission process, visit the IRS website.

IRS NTEE codes play a critical role in the nonprofit sector by providing a standardized system for classifying organizations. They help ensure transparency, facilitate data analysis, and aid donors and grantors in making informed decisions. By understanding these codes, nonprofits can better communicate their missions and attract the support they need to thrive. Whether you’re a nonprofit professional, donor, or grantmaker, familiarity with NTEE codes is essential for navigating the complex and rewarding world of charitable giving.

How to Involve Stakeholders in Strategic Planning: A Guide

Guest post by Averill Solutions

Sustaining your nonprofit and furthering its mission is a communal effort. Plenty of people are involved in your nonprofit’s day-to-day activities, from staff members to beneficiaries to your top supporters. Because so many stakeholders matter to your organization, it’s crucial to include their voices in your strategic planning process.

Strategic planning is creating a detailed plan for your nonprofit’s future, which includes specific goals and steps you’ll take to further your mission in the next few years. It’s a highly beneficial process that will give your organization direction and align everyone on its top priorities.

Without the input of key stakeholders, however, you risk choosing unrealistic goals or missing impactful opportunities for growth. In this short guide, we’ll discuss exactly how to involve your most important stakeholders in strategic planning and several ways they can help.

1. Determine which stakeholders need to be involved in strategic planning.

First, think about who plays a major role in your organization and which groups should be involved in its strategic planning. Aside from leadership, who has valuable input into your nonprofit’s operations, program delivery, and development? Which groups are pivotal to successfully carrying out your mission?

According to Averill Solutions, your nonprofit should include the following key stakeholders in strategic planning:

• Board members: Your board of directors makes all your nonprofit’s major decisions and has unique insight into your budget and long-term goals, making board members’ perspectives essential to strategic planning.

• Staff members: Nonprofit staff teams are familiar with different aspects of your organization’s day-to-day operations, meaning they can offer details about how certain activities and initiatives are going and which might need more attention.

• Major givers: Those who give major gifts to your nonprofit have a unique stake in your organization’s success since they provide much of your funding. Make sure you honor their opinions about your nonprofit’s future and assure them that their voices are heard.

• Key community partners: Influential members of the community who interact with your nonprofit can offer broader perspectives on how your work impacts the community. These might include politicians, business owners, and other local leaders.

• Your fundraising consultant: If your organization works with a professional consultant, it’s crucial to involve them in your strategic planning process from the beginning. They’ll bring years of industry expertise to the table and advice.

Depending on your needs and goals, you may also include stakeholders like your beneficiaries, corporate partners, sponsors, and long-time volunteers. Make determinations based on each group’s influence in your organization and the value of their diverse perspectives. For example, you might include an influential business leader along with a few beneficiaries your nonprofit has served for years.

2. Choose representatives from each group.

While it might be nice if every single one of your important stakeholders could be involved in strategic planning, it’s just not feasible. Instead, select a few people from each stakeholder segment to be present during in-depth planning discussions and represent the opinions of their groups.

Use your nonprofit’s CRM or supporter database to find prospects for your strategic planning team. Invite these individuals to be personally and actively involved in the strategic planning from start to finish. In your invitation, explain why you’re asking them to provide their opinion, why their voice is valuable, and what their role in the planning process would be.

Be sure to invite people with diverse perspectives to ensure your strategic planning team is truly representative of your stakeholder groups. For example, a staff member from your development team might provide input into your organization’s technology needs, while a leader in your local community can provide an outsider’s perspective and give suggestions for how your nonprofit can increase its community impact and reputation. Any groups that will be directly affected by your mission should be represented.

3. Provide additional engagement activities for stakeholders.

Other individual stakeholders who don’t have the time to be as intimately involved in the strategic planning process can (and should!) give their input as well—but in easier ways. 

To encourage feedback, provide these individuals with several engagement optionsto participate in their own time. This way, anyone from your core groups of stakeholders can make their voices heard and feel involved in the process, potentially inspiring them to take a more active role in furthering your nonprofit’s long-term goals.

Plan several engagement opportunities that any stakeholder can participate in, such as:

• Open-ended surveys 

• Individual interviews

• Focus groups

In these surveys and discussions, ask stakeholders to chime in about your organization’s strengths, challenges, opportunities, and vulnerabilities. For instance, you might include a question like “How can we improve our fundraising activities to better engage our supporters and community partners?”

4. Incorporate stakeholder input into your strategic plan.

Once you’ve gathered plenty of stakeholder input, it’s time to take it into consideration and implement the suggestions that align with your mission and goals.

For example, say that several board members and a few highly involved major givers shared that they think your organization needs to build up its annual fundraising efforts to provide more sustainable funding. Based on this input, you might set a goal in your strategic plan to grow your annual fund by 15% in the next three years.

Or, maybe your staff members indicated that they could better support your nonprofit’s development and mission if they felt more engaged at work. In this case, you might explore resources like eCardWidget’s employee engagement guide to source ideas for boosting staff engagement and reducing burnout. After evaluating options, choose the ones that seem most impactful and include them as action steps in your strategic plan.

No matter what, be sure to keep your stakeholders in the loop. Let individual stakeholders know when you implement their ideas, and send periodic updates to all the stakeholders involved in the process on how strategic planning is going.

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Involving stakeholders in strategic planning can feel overwhelming or even unnecessary, but rest assured that the efforts you take to solicit stakeholders’ input will pay off in the long run. By getting well-rounded opinions that represent the entirety of your organization’s sphere of influence, you’ll end up with a more informed, actionable strategic plan that can help your organization achieve its goals and desired impact.

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.

3 Ways to Craft Your Nonprofit’s Compelling Case for Support

Guest post by GivingDNA

When hosting a fundraising campaign, your nonprofit needs to do more than just ask donors to give. You’ll need to present compelling reasons why your nonprofit is worthy of this support and how donations will impact your cause. This is where your case for support comes into play.

A case for support is a printed or digital document that contains the core messaging of your campaign, including its purpose, fundraising goal, and connection to your mission as a whole. This resource can inspire generosity among your donors and ensure your team is on the same page about how to communicate your objectives to prospects. 

In this guide, we’ll cover three ways to craft an effective case for support that can maximize donations and strengthen supporter relationships. Let’s begin by breaking down the building blocks of a strong case for support. 

What are the essential elements of a case for support? 

Putting together a case for support is simple when you know what to include. NXUnite’s guide to building a case for support recommends: 

• The campaign’s purpose: Think about why you’re hosting this campaign and how it ties back to your overall cause. For example, a breast cancer research organization hosting a walk-a-thon might explain how all funds raised will go toward its mission to find a cure. Highlight the gravity of the issue to create an emotional response. You might share visuals that demonstrate the problem’s severity—think about a disaster relief organization including a photo of a destroyed home in the wake of a hurricane. 

• Your solution and plan: Address how your nonprofit will use the funds from your campaign or event to address this problem. Continuing with our disaster relief example, the organization could explain that they’re hoping to raise $50,000 to provide shelter and food to families affected by the hurricane. Make your plan as concrete as possible so supporters have a complete understanding of how their donations will lead to positive change. 

• Urgency: Consider why now is the time for your plan and proposed solution. Even in situations where the need for urgency might seem obvious, it’s important to clearly articulate the context of your campaign. For instance, let’s say you’re an animal welfare organization planning a capital campaign to build a new shelter location. In your case for support, you should bring attention to the need for a new shelter, such as inhospitable conditions in your current location or the ability to house twice as many animals in a larger space.

• Your unique position: There are likely other organizations in your space competing for donors’ contributions, so reflect on why your nonprofit is the right one for the task. Build your credibility by highlighting the impact you’ve already made in your sector. You should also speak to your strategic plan and the value of your approach to solving the problem. 

• Costs and goals: Provide more context behind how you came up with your fundraising goal and how this will address the costs of a proposed project. Explain the different ways you’ll raise money, such as by connecting with donors, earning grants, and receiving corporate sponsorships. For instance, you might already have a corporate sponsor who is willing to match gifts up to $15,000. Mention this in your case for support to demonstrate credibility and trust while showing how donors can increase their impact and play a more fulfilling role in your organization. 

• How donors can help: Consider the different ways donors can drive impact for your campaign. While donating will be a top priority, you can also ask supporters to help volunteer, participate in peer-to-peer fundraisers, sign petitions as part of an advocacy campaign, or repost your content on social media. 

Now that you understand the fundamental elements of a case for support, let’s take a closer look at the best practices for creating this document. 

What are some tips for developing a case for support?

Reference your data.

Creating a compelling narrative is integral to your case for support, and you can’t do so without concrete data. Referencing data can increase the effectiveness of your case for support in the following ways:

• Strengthening your nonprofit’s credibility. Use statistics to show why your organization deserves donors’ ongoing support. For example, you could include metrics like the number of individuals served or impacted by your organization's programs. 

• Bringing attention to the gravity of the issue at hand. Statistics can show why the problem you’re hoping to solve is so urgent. An environmental conservation organization might highlight deforestation rates and the resulting permanent decline in wildlife populations if nothing is done immediately. 

• Sharing your fundraising goal. GivingDNA’s guide to data analytics explains that you can use predictive analytics to forecast outcomes and come up with an ambitious, yet reasonable, fundraising goal. This ensures your campaign goal is doable and within reach. 

• Identifying major donor prospects. Major donors are pivotal to your nonprofit’s success, especially when hosting a capital campaign. Using a fundraising analytics and wealth screening tool, you can identify prospects with the capacity and willingness to give to your cause. With this information, you can then organize meetings with qualified prospects to discuss your case for support and persuade them to give. 

A donor is much more likely to be persuaded by strong claims backed by data as opposed to vague statements about the problems the community is facing. Threading data throughout your case for support will make this communication and marketing asset much more convincing and actionable. 

Use storytelling. 

Emotional stories that appeal to your donors’ passions and interests can help push them closer to giving. Let’s take a look at a storytelling example an animal welfare organization might use for its capital campaign case for support:

“Meet Bella, a stray cat rescued from the streets that our shelter found emaciated and injured. With your support, she received care and love, blossoming into a happy, healthy cat with a forever home. Now, we need your help to renovate our shelter, ensuring more animals like Bella find safety and care. Join us in giving our animals a brighter future.”

Make sure to provide images that bring your stories to life. In this instance, the organization might provide before and after pictures of Bella the cat to show exactly how donations are used to spark change. 

Design your case for support. 

Once you have the written content down, it’s time to focus on the visual design of your case for support. A strong visual design will help grab your audience’s attention and encourage them to engage with your content. Keep these tips in mind when designing your case for support: 

• Incorporate your branding: Ensure that your case for support reflects your nonprofit's brand identity by including your colors, logo, and fonts. Consistent branding reinforces brand recognition and trust among donors.

• Create an engaging layout: Design a visually appealing layout that is easy to read and navigate. Use ample white space to break up sections, include headings, and divide longer content sections into smaller paragraphs to guide the reader's eye.

• Use graphics to illustrate data: Incorporate infographics, charts, and graphs to visually communicate the data you referenced in the first step. This will make complex information more accessible and engaging for donors.

You can also use your case for support to create more marketing collateral, like brochures, one-pagers, and other resources. These can be shared via direct mail, your website, and social media to inform the public about your fundraising efforts, rally their support, and boost giving. 

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Your case for support is the key to unlocking fundraising success. By creating a compelling narrative around your fundraising needs, you can effectively convert casual supporters into donors and bring your goals to life. Remember to share your case for support with your entire staff and volunteer base to ensure consistency across your donor communications and marketing.

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.

4 Top Stress Relief Strategies for Your Nonprofit Staff

Guest post by MassageBook

As nonprofits often have limited budgets, staff members may need to wear many hats and fulfill various responsibilities, from human resources to donor management to event planning. However, juggling multiple roles can be extremely stressful for staff members, potentially leading to disengagement, burnout, and turnover.

Staff members are the silent heroes of your organization—much like you need donors to fund your mission, you need staff members to help you acquire those donors and allocate resources to further your cause. That’s why it’s crucial to help your staff members manage their stress levels.

In this guide, we’ll outline four top stress relief strategies you can use to create a better working environment, increase employee engagement, and ultimately see greater success for your nonprofit. Let’s get started!

1. Encourage mindfulness.

The word “mindfulness” usually conjures up images of yoga, but it actually refers to the practice of self-awareness, or remaining in tune with what you’re sensing and feeling physically, mentally, and spiritually. The first step to reducing stress is recognizing that it exists, and mindfulness provides a way to do that.

Although it’s easy to get engrossed in work, encourage staff members to check in with themselves every hour or so. At this point, they should stop working and assess how they feel. You might also take a leaf from the books of doctors and massage therapists and advise team members to take notes on their stress symptoms. That way, they’ll be able to identify patterns for when they feel most stressed and work toward mitigating those circumstances.

For example, a team member may experience a pounding headache every single day during work. This constant pain may lead them to form a negative opinion of their job and even dread going to work. With mindful check-ins, the team member might realize that they frequently feel thirsty, helping them recognize that the source of their headache is dehydration rather than stress. They can then resolve this issue by drinking more water, which results in them feeling much better and increasing their productivity.

2. Allow flexibility.

Another way you can help nonprofit staff members relieve stress is to give them more flexibility in their work. Here are a few ways to add flexibility for team members:

• Breaks. Allow your nonprofit’s staff members to take short breaks to help them stay fresh with their work—after all, employees who take short breaks are about 9% more productive than those who do not. For example, you might allow them to go for a 10-minute walk every few hours.

• Sick leave. Many organizations only offer paid time off (PTO), which employees use up if they want to go on vacation or if they’re sick. Instead, offer dedicated sick time. That way, team members won’t feel stressed about using up their PTO when they’re ill, allowing them to rest, recover, and come back feeling ready to work.

• Flexible start. Instead of requiring employees to start work at a specific time every day, allow them to begin work at a time that best suits their schedule. For instance, you might require that all employees work 8 hours, starting between 6 AM and 9 AM.

• Remote or hybrid work. For nonprofits willing to make a more drastic change to improve employee morale, consider allowing remote or hybrid work. These work models increase flexibility by allowing employees to save time on their commutes by working at home or another location of their choosing.

With greater flexibility, your nonprofit’s team members will be able to achieve a better work-life balance, which will greatly reduce the stress they feel and increase their satisfaction with their role.

3. Use software to reduce workload.

With 39% of workers citing workload as the cause of their workplace stress, relieving staff members’ stress may require you to reduce their workload. However, as a nonprofit, your budget may not be able to accommodate hiring new employees to reduce the workload on current team members. So what can you do?

Just as massage businesses might purchase appointment management software to streamline their operations, your nonprofit can also purchase software that will make your employees’ lives easier. Here are a few tech tools to consider:

• Nonprofit CRM. A constituent relationship management system (CRM) stores information about your nonprofit’s donors in one centralized database. It will also help you identify giving trends and leverage insights to increase the likelihood of receiving future donations.

• Fundraising platforms. With a fundraising platform, you can create customizable donation forms, accept recurring donations, organize crowdfunding and peer-to-peer campaigns, and more. Through these solutions, you’ll empower team members to fundraise more efficiently and effectively without increasing their workload.

• Marketing and communications tools. According to MassageBook, the right marketing tool will streamline your communications and help you acquire new constituents. Look for a robust solution that automates your outreach efforts, including thank-you messages, weekly newsletters, social media posts, and more. You should be able to segment supporters into groups to send more targeted messages.

• Volunteer management software. If your nonprofit relies on volunteers to help out, consider investing in a tool that allows you to streamline managing your volunteers. The right solution will empower you to recruit, onboard, train, schedule, and evaluate your volunteers to ensure that you get the help you need.

As you look into software solutions, be sure to follow all the steps for investing in software laid out by your organization. Be thorough with your research—create lists of tools that would best aid your processes, read reviews from existing clients, and book demos with providers. During your demo meeting, ask any questions you have about the software.

Although it may require a lot of effort to find a tool that works for you, the benefits you reap from reducing your employees’ workflow will be well worth it.

4. Foster a positive workplace culture.

Our final stress relief strategy for nonprofit staff members is to foster a positive workplace culture. You can do this in various ways, but the two main ways are to ensure that employees feel supported in their roles and to recognize the great work that they do.

To provide team members with the support they need, make sure that they know they always have resources to turn to if they have any questions. For instance, you can encourage managers to schedule weekly meetings with their direct reports. This allows them to check in on the employee’s work regularly and allows the employee to bring up questions or concerns they may have. When employees feel supported, they’ll feel less stressed about mistakes and their workload.

In terms of employee recognition, Double the Donation recommends establishing a recognition program. With a formal process, you’ll ensure that all employees are properly commended for their hard work and contributions, fostering a positive work environment where team members are motivated to do their best. You may also pair your recognition with little gifts, such as branded merchandise, gift cards, tickets to special events, and more.

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Less stressed, more engaged, and happier nonprofit staff members are more motivated to work hard to further your nonprofit’s mission. Regardless of whether they work in fundraising, marketing, or volunteer management, your team members deserve a great work environment that keeps them excited to come back, day after day.

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.

3 School Fundraising Ideas to Save Money and Boost Your ROI

Guest post from OneCause

Your school needs a reliable flow of revenue to enrich your students’ academic and extracurricular experiences at your institution. By tapping into fundraising, you can expand your bottom line, empowering your school to invest in new facilities, enhance educational programs, fund field trips, and meet other existing needs. 

But, like most schools and school-related organizations, you’re likely working with a tight budget and don’t have a lot to spend on lavish fundraising events. This might leave you wondering: what fundraising ideas are the most effective for both saving money and increasing profit? 

In this guide, we’ll cover the top three school fundraising ideas to cut costs and maximize earnings. As you read through this list, consider your school’s community and which type of fundraiser would make them the most excited to give. 

1. Auctions

Auctions are one of the most flexible fundraising ideas and can be shaped to fit your school’s exact needs and budget. When executed with careful planning, these events have the power to produce a massive ROI. If you’re thinking of adding an auction to your school’s fundraising agenda, follow these important planning steps: 

Choose the type of auction you’ll host

When you think of an auction, your mind might immediately jump to an image of an auctioneer announcing bids and participants raising paddles. This is a live auction, which can take place either online or in-person, and creates a dynamic and high-energy environment that is sure to enthrall your audience. 

Your school can also choose to host a silent auction, which involves setting up tables of items and packages for guests to bid on using paper bids or their smartphones with the help of mobile bidding software. If an in-person event isn’t feasible, your auction can be done completely online to reduce overhead costs, or you might even host a hybrid auction (taking bids online during an in-person event) for the opportunity to engage two audiences at the same time, bringing in more bids! 

Invest in comprehensive technology

Auctions have plenty of moving parts, and without the right tools, it can quickly become overwhelming for any fundraising team to handle. The OneCause guide to silent auction software recommends investing in a solution with these key features:

• Event management: Leverage your platform to seamlessly sell tickets, manage registrations and RSVPs, provide contactless check-in and check-out, and create a well-designed event site in just a few moments. 

• Mobile bidding: Whether you’re hosting a live or silent auction, mobile bidding makes getting in on the bidding action simpler and more rewarding. 

• Item and package management: The right auction software will equip you to easily track the status of your item procurement efforts and customize starting bids and minimum raises. 

• Gamification: Infuse healthy competition into the bidding process by adding a fundraising thermometer to your event microsite and displaying scoreboards with the top bidders.

The best fundraising software won’t just make it easy to host live or silent auctions; it’ll empower your school to host all kinds of events—from peer-to-peer walk-a-thons and galas to text fundraisers. As you research options, prioritize investing in an all-in-one solution so you can maximize your ROI. 

Market your auction 

Your school’s community can’t attend your event if they don’t know it’s happening! Take a multichannel marketing approach to increase touchpoints with as many supporters as possible and keep your auction top of mind. 

For example, you might use the following channels to promote your auction event site and boost registrations: 

• Social media 

• Your website’s blog

• Your school’s ambassadors

• Email newsletters

Keep in mind that your school’s students can also support your marketing efforts! Send them home with well-designed flyers that explain the purpose of your auction and how the funds will be used to enhance your students’ academic experiences. This way, you can easily broadcast your event to your students’ parents or guardians. 

2. Peer-to-peer walkathon

If you’re looking for a school fundraising idea that will get your students involved in the action and will appeal to all age groups, look no further than a peer-to-peer walkathon! Walkathons are easily adaptable events that can fit all budget types, and by adding a peer-to-peer element, you can accelerate giving while encouraging students to play a rewarding role in your fundraiser. 

To make your peer-to-peer walkathon a success and keep costs down, use these tips: 

Organize a walking route on your school’s campus

One of the best parts of planning a walkathon is it can take place anywhere! Some ideal locations where you can host a walkathon right on your school’s campus include:

• The track

• Sports fields

• Indoor gymnasium

• Around the perimeter of your school

Hosting your walkathon at school takes away the hassle of having to reserve an area of your local park or other venue and any additional costs associated with this. Keep in mind that you can also take your walkathon online and encourage students to meet their walking goals on their own or with friends or family. 

Train students on peer-to-peer fundraising best practices

To raise as much money as possible from your peer-to-peer walkathon, you’ll want all hands on deck. Prepare your students to step into their fundraising roles with confidence by: 

• Explaining how to create a personal fundraising page with the help of your peer-to-peer fundraising software.

• Encouraging students to set a personal or class-wide fundraising goal that is ambitious yet reasonable.

• Covering best practices to meet these goals, such as asking neighbors, friends, and family members to make a pledge or donate.

This is not just a great opportunity to raise more money for your school; it also teaches your students invaluable leadership skills that will benefit them down the line! 

Generate a creative theme

To incentivize all of your students to take part in your walkathon, you need a compelling theme that will set the tone for your event and create excitement. 

For example, if you’re hosting a year-end walkathon, you might challenge your participants to dress up like their favorite holiday movie character. Or, add your walkathon to a pajama day fundraiser where students donate a small amount to wear PJ’s all day long!

Then, use cost-effective strategies to integrate your theme seamlessly into your event. For instance, you might have students or staff create decorations using art supplies you already have. 

3. Text-to-give

Your school’s community members lead busy lives, and chances are, they might not always have a few minutes to sit down at the nearest computer and donate to your institution. Simplify the fundraising process by making mobile giving a possibility! 

According to 360MatchPro’s fundraising statistics, mobile users made up 33% of online donation transactions last year. By incorporating text-to-give into your school’s fundraising strategy, you can make donating more convenient and rewarding, resulting in greater earnings.

Use these best practices to get started with text-to-give:

• Work with the right text-to-give software so you can easily send communications and donation appeals to your school’s community year-round in advance of fundraising deadlines. Your supporters should be able to click on a mobile-friendly version of your donation page and give a gift in just moments. 

• Create a clear call to action to give in your texts and include the reason you’re asking for gifts and how they’ll make an impact. For example, you might write “Donate by midnight tonight to help fund the purchase of new computers! With your support, our students will gain access to cutting-edge technology in the classroom, helping them to advance academically.” 

• Couple text-to-give with your fundraising events to maximize funding. For instance, if you’re hosting a silent auction, you might ask parents and community members to donate ahead of the event so you can make early headway on your fundraising goal. Plus, text-to-give is a great alternative for donors who can’t attend your auction or aren’t interested in bidding. 

Regularly check in on metrics, like conversion rate, so you can assess the effectiveness of your text-to-give appeals and make changes as needed to your strategy. You can also survey your supporters directly to learn more about their communication preferences and what they want to hear from your school. 

Wrapping Up

There are many fundraising ideas available to your school, but not all of them are the most efficient use of your funds. Use one or a combination of these cost-saving ideas to increase your fundraising potential, engage your school’s community, and enhance your institution for students and staff alike. Then, make sure to acknowledge your donors and thank them for their contributions! 

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.

4 Expert Tips for Securing More Major Gifts This Year

Guest post by Donorly

It’s hard to overstate the importance of major gifts for nonprofits. These gifts are not only the largest contributions your organization receives, but they’re also opportunities to develop lasting, positive relationships with your most impactful supporters. 

Because of their size and importance, however, cultivating major donor relationships and ultimately securing their gifts requires patience, planning, and time. To improve your major gift fundraising efforts and earn more for your organization this year, follow these best practices:

1. Leverage prospect research to get to know potential donors.

2. Design individualized cultivation plans.

3. Hire the right major gifts officer.

4. Partner with a fundraising consultant. 

Remember that major gift fundraising isn’t just about solicitation—it’s about engaging influential community members effectively enough that they become lifelong ambassadors for your cause. Approach your plans with this goal in mind, and these strategies will enable you to build relationships that support your organization for years to come.

1. Leverage prospect research to get to know potential donors.

Before approaching a prospective major donor, gain a deeper understanding of their values and potential for giving by conducting prospect research. Prospect research is the process of identifying potential major donors who are likely to stick with your cause long-term.
According to Donorly’s prospect research guide, the process involves leveraging your donor database and external sources to look for three types of markers:

• Capacity: Wealth indicators such as stock ownership, real estate holdings, or a C-suite position within a major corporation indicate that an individual likely has the capacity to contribute a larger amount to your cause.

• Affinity: Warmth, or affinity, indicators demonstrate that an individual is more inclined to connect with your cause on a personal level. These markers include a history of supporting your nonprofit or similar organizations, contributions to political campaigns, and connections with existing major donors or board members.

• Propensity: Propensity markers indicate that a prospect has an established habit of donating to nonprofits and a high likelihood that they’ll continue giving. Look for their donations to other nonprofits, fundraising event attendance, and any board service.

Start by looking for these markers within your nonprofit’s CRM, then explore public resources like SEC and FEC filings, real estate records, and other nonprofit annual reports to supplement your data. If you don’t have the time or resources to conduct thorough donor research on your own, expert prospect research consultants are also available to guide you through the process.

This information will not only help you narrow down your list of prospects and zero in on those most likely to give a major gift, but it will also help you tune in to donors’ motivations and interests. With this insight, you can strategically communicate and connect them with opportunities that resonate with them. 

2. Design individualized cultivation plans.

Prospective major donors are much more likely to give to your cause if you dedicate time and energy to building relationships with them. It’s your organization’s job to introduce prospects to your mission, demonstrate the good work you do in your community or cause area, and explain how donations allow you to continue that work. 

To build goodwill and trust between your organization and each prospect, develop personalized cultivation plans designed to engage them. For instance, a cultivation plan for a mid-level donor with a history of giving to your animal welfare campaigns might look like this:

1. Send a heartfelt thank-you letter to acknowledge their past donations and remind them of the positive, tangible impacts they’ve made to your cause.

2. Give them a call to thank them again and invite them to lunch with your major gifts officer to discuss upcoming animal welfare campaigns.

3. At the lunch, provide them with more information about your organization’s work helping animals, your current initiatives, and how they can get more involved.

4. Invite them to attend your upcoming Save the Turtles Gala and join your VIP table to speak with other major donors about their experiences.

5. Give them a behind-the-scenes tour of the turtle sanctuary your organization is in the process of building and emphasize how it will improve the welfare of local wildlife.

Getting Attention’s donor engagement guide emphasizes the importance of using powerful storytelling throughout this process. Genuine, inspiring stories of major donors’ impact will help prospects understand how their gifts will be used and visualize the lasting impact they can make to your cause.

3. Hire the right major gifts officer.

Hiring an in-house expert to lead the prospect research and major gift solicitation process can give your fundraising efforts a major boost. This team member will lead the charge in all major giving initiatives, allowing you to take a more focused, dedicated approach to major gift solicitation. Before you hire a dedicated major gifts officer, however, ensure you understand their responsibilities and the best qualities to look for.

The main objective of a major gifts officer is to move prospective donors through the major gift fundraising process from start to finish. They’ll take on tasks like:

• Updating major donor prospect information.

• Coordinating with your marketing team to create effective promotional materials.

• Meeting with potential donors and sharing educational materials. 

• Presenting the major gift ask to prospective donors.

• Following up with donors to foster stronger relationships. 

Because of the importance of major gifts and the delicate process of soliciting these contributions, your major gifts officer needs to be comfortable with reaching out to prospects, requesting large donations, and soliciting feedback. They should possess excellent communication and problem-solving skills and have experience with nonprofit fundraising.

When looking for a candidate who exhibits these characteristics and can handle the responsibilities of the role, don’t forget to evaluate their fit with your organization’s culture, as well. This ensures that they’ll be able to transition onto your team seamlessly and hit the ground running right away.

4. Partner with a fundraising consultant. 

If you’re looking to scale up your fundraising efforts but don’t have the time or resources to bring on new full-time team members, partnering with an expert consultant might be the right solution for your organization. These professionals offer the expertise and background knowledge growing organizations need to advance their fundraising capabilities. 

In addition to services like campaign strategizing, staff training, and development team support, certain fundraising consultants offer specialized prospect research and major gift fundraising support. These consultants have access to the best donor research tools and know the ins and outs of building successful major donor relationships. They can help you identify the best prospects, design cultivation strategies, and even factor major donors into your capital campaign plans.

By hiring a fundraising consultant with experience in prospect research and other aspects of major gift solicitation, you can access a wealth of experience and tried-and-true strategies to expand your fundraising long-term.

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Securing major gifts requires time and effort, but the payoff can be extremely influential for your organization. Keep these strategies in mind and find partners who mesh well with your organization, and you’ll be on the right track to securing the major gifts your nonprofit needs to thrive.

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.

Top Concurrent Fundraising Ideas to Maximize Revenue

Guest post by SchoolAuction.net

When it comes to raising money for your group, why settle for just one fundraiser when you can run several at the same time? By planning multiple events at once, you can welcome a larger fundraising impact and make the most of your donor engagement.

Combining different fundraising ideas allows you to tap into the power of giving people more options to support your cause, which not only helps raise more money but also engages several donor interests at once. In this quick guide, we’ll explore concurrent fundraising ideas that can save your organization time and money while maximizing your donor engagement opportunities. Let’s get started!

Live Auction and Raffle

Live auctions and raffles are a winning fundraising combination because live auctions cater to the thrill of bidding while raffles still appeal to those who’d like to win without the high risk. At a live auction, participants are kept on the edge of their seats by an auctioneer’s quick pace of selling prized items. Some supporters thrive in a live auction environment, while others might be intimidated or prefer to watch.

On the other hand, raffles are popular because they’re accessible to everyone. Unlike auctions, where the highest bidder wins, raffles give everyone who buys a ticket an equal chance to win, regardless of how much they can afford to spend. When deciding which item to raffle off, choose an auction item you’d normally sell at a silent auction and see if you can use a raffle to exceed the item’s fair market value.

Here are a few types of raffles organizations can run:

• Standard raffle: Participants buy low-cost tickets for a chance to win a prize, with winners chosen at random from the pool of entries. 

• Golden ticket: This type of raffle offers a limited number of higher-priced tickets for a chance to win a high-value prize, typically the choice of any live auction item.  

• Tricky tray: Also known as a basket raffle, this involves participants buying tickets to place bids on baskets of items or services that are displayed on trays or tables. Each basket has its own mini raffle, with participants placing their tickets in containers next to the baskets they want to win.

Combining live auctions with raffles creates a dynamic fundraising duo that caters to a broad audience, blending the excitement of live bidding wars with the accessible, low-risk appeal of raffles. 

Live Auction and Online Auction

Sometimes a live auction will leave you with more items than you originally planned. That’s okay, in this case, you can use it to your advantage by running an online auction afterward. SchoolAuction.net explains how this works—combine live and online auctions to maximize revenue. First, host an engaging live auction gala. Then once the event is over, host an online auction for the remaining items that were not bid on.

Here are the benefits of combining these two:

• Maximized revenue: Combining the two auction types expands your bidder pool, allowing participants from different locations to bid. More bidders equals more revenue. 

• Less item waste: Items that didn’t sell at your in-person auction now get another chance to be sold during your online auction. Since online auctions allow for a broader audience to view and bid on items, this increases the likelihood of each item being sold.  

• Re-engaging donors: Combining a live auction with an online auction offers a dynamic and flexible participation experience, accommodating those who cannot attend in person but wish to contribute online. This can renew interest among previous donors by providing them with a convenient way to engage.

• No need to plan a separate event: An organization can maximize fundraising efforts with this combination since it removes the need to plan and execute separate events, which reduces both logistical complexities and costs.    

Combining live and online auctions is a strategic and efficient approach to enhance your fundraising. By leveraging both formats, you can capitalize on unsold items and expand the reach to a wider audience, in turn maximizing revenue.    

Silent Auction and Entertainment Night

Planning an entertainment night alongside your silent auction is a great way to keep attendees engaged while they browse items. Silent auctions pair well with planned entertainment to boost funds and liven up the quieter atmosphere. Main entertainment ideas include music, a talent showcase, or a cause-related speaker or presentation.

However, you aren’t limited to solely relying on raising money through the silent auction. With the right software, you can also execute the following:

• Online merchandise stores offer an additional revenue stream by giving supporters an option to purchase branded merchandise at their convenience. Merchandise from online stores also increases your organization’s visibility.

• Text-to-Give allows supporters to contribute instantly with just a few taps on their cell phones. 

• Crowdfunding enables your organization to tap into the power of community fundraising and social sharing, reaching beyond your auction attendees to a wider audience.

By diversifying how funds are raised, nonprofits can capitalize on the enthusiasm of a live event to drive donations, while also capturing additional revenue opportunities from supporters at home. 

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising and Matching Gifts

For nonprofits especially, matching gifts provide a game-changing opportunity to double the impact of donations. You can take advantage of them by partnering with a corporate sponsor or other philanthropic entity to run a matching gift donation challenge. 

Then, you can launch your matching gift challenge with peer-to-peer fundraising to effectively combine the power of a community-driven platform with the financial leverage provided by corporate matching. 360MatchPro explains how you can get started in four steps:

1. Identify potential donors. Start by locating a generous corporate sponsor who will back your cause in exchange for public recognition. Look for a partner with a robust CSR program that shares the same values as your nonprofit.

2. Define the challenge’s terms and match ratio. Set the match ratio to define how much the corporate sponsor will give for every dollar individual donors contribute. For example, a 1:1 match ratio means the sponsor will match donations dollar for dollar, doubling every gift. Then, list out your challenge’s total fundraising goal and time frame.

3. Promote the challenge to your network using a dedicated website landing page. Use SMS messaging, email marketing, and social media outreach to link to your matching gift landing page. By using a multichannel marketing strategy, you’ll reach more donors and get your donations matched more quickly.

4. Track progress toward your fundraising goal. Update your supporters as more matches roll in to encourage them to reach your fundraising goal before the time runs out. You can do this with dedicated tracking tools to monitor real-time progress. 

After your donation challenge comes to a close, don’t forget to follow up with the results and acknowledge the supporters who made it happen. Craft thoughtful emails, hand-written thank you cards, or social media shoutouts to recognize your donors’ generosity. 

Running concurrent fundraisers significantly amplifies a nonprofit’s ability to engage different segments of its audience and maximize revenue. Be sure to assess your audience's preferences beforehand to tailor your fundraising strategy effectively.

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.

How Hybrid Work Models Are Impacting Nonprofit Organizations

Guest post by Jill Krumholz, Managing Partner at RealHR

In the rapidly evolving work landscape, hybrid work has become an increasingly popular option for companies seeking to retain elements of the traditional workplace while incorporating the flexibility and adaptability of remote work that many workers and employers have come to expect over the past several years. 

The hybrid model requires any business to rethink everything from floor plans to budgets to management styles, but hybrid work offers mission-driven organizations particularly unique opportunities and challenges. 

The Shift to Hybrid Work 

Like many organizations, nonprofits have undergone a transformative shift in organizing their workplaces and workforces. Technological developments had begun to drive an increase in remote work even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, over the last several years, necessity has accelerated that shift and forced employers to embrace creative, often personalized solutions to the issues of where and when people get their work done. 

This was a bumpy road for many, but as systems were developed and technologies improved, employers and employees realized that workplaces could be designed to allow for greater flexibility and accommodate employee needs without compromising productivity. 

In light of the easing pandemic restrictions, many nonprofits are contemplating a “new normal.” Many seek to revert to the traditional on-site setup while still embracing the advantages of remote work, benefiting both employees and employers. The hybrid work model aims to blend on-site and remote workdays, offering flexibility while nurturing teamwork and structure found in shared physical workspaces. This new model brings benefits, opportunities, and challenges to nonprofit organizations.

Positive Impacts of Hybrid Work on Nonprofits 

Employee Satisfaction and Retention 

Offering flexibility in work arrangements positively impacts employee satisfaction and retention rates, which in turn affect a nonprofit’s ability to deliver its mission. Hybrid work can allow nonprofit employees to better balance their professional and personal lives and resolve conflicts between work and other priorities. At the same time, requiring a degree of in-office time can help resolve issues of disengagement, burnout, and isolation that some fully remote workers grapple with. Hybrid work also allows nonprofits to prioritize the well-being of their staff to create a more loyal and engaged workforce; in addition, it’s a lower-cost benefit that budget-limited organizations can use to attract new talent.

Access to a Broader Talent Pool

Geographic constraints are diminished in a hybrid work environment, enabling nonprofits to tap into a more diverse talent pool and reach passionate potential team members across a wider geographic area. 

While fully remote jobs offer the greatest flexibility in this respect, hybrid jobs that only require employees to commute once or twice a week can appeal to candidates who live outside a daily commuting distance. This increased access to skilled individuals can enhance the organization's capabilities and effectiveness.

Cost Savings and Resource Allocation 

The hybrid model brings about cost efficiencies for nonprofits by reducing office space and facility expenses. 

Perhaps your organization only requires employees to come in for weekly meetings or collaborative working sessions; in that case, permanent individual offices or cubicles can be replaced with meeting spaces or open-plan work areas. 

These savings can be redirected toward supporting the organization's core mission and programs. Additionally, the flexibility of hybrid work as a lower-cost, high-impact benefit is an asset to budget-conscious nonprofits who prioritize employees through thoughtful, effective compensation and benefits.

Challenges for Nonprofits in the Hybrid Work Model 

Maintaining Organizational Culture

Nonprofits often thrive on a strong sense of community and shared values. Maintaining this culture becomes challenging in a remote or hybrid work setting with limited physical interactions. While some roles readily lend themselves to remote work, others inherently require a physical presence, such as those involving direct community engagement or constituent services. 

This may result in closer relationships within particular groups of employees, and care should be taken to prevent an us-and-them mentality from developing. Team building is an ongoing process for organizations with these kinds of splits. Time spent on-site should be used for bonding and working to keep staff on the same page, invested in each other and the organization. Maintaining culture is a large and important task with which managers, and even leadership, may need guidance.

Furthermore, the dichotomy between on-site, remote, or hybrid jobs amplifies the need for nuanced policies and practices tailored to different positions within an organization. An experienced HR consulting firm can assist in creating successful hybrid work strategies and supporting their implementation.

Communication and Collaboration Challenges

Effective communication becomes more crucial than ever in a hybrid work model—for the creation of a strong culture but also for doing the work of the organization itself. 

Nonprofits must find innovative ways to foster collaboration and ensure that team members remain connected and engaged. This exciting challenge can drive organizational growth, but it also requires real effort and adaptability on the part of leadership and management. Striking a balance between enough communication and excessive meetings, messages, and touchpoints will take ongoing attention from management and a collaborative spirit throughout the organization.

Technology Gaps and Security Concerns

Nonprofits need to invest in robust technology infrastructure to support remote work. While remote-collaborative technology has grown by leaps and bounds in the past several years, work styles must still be adapted to these new platforms, and the learning curves and support needs of employees adopting new systems will vary. 

Additionally, cybersecurity becomes a critical consideration to protect sensitive donor data and maintain the integrity of operations. IT departments must step up as critical partners to other teams across their organization, not only in developing and implementing nonprofits’ technology strategies but in providing timely, appropriate assistance to employees in and out of the office.

4 Strategies for Optimizing Hybrid Work in Nonprofits 

To make the most of the hybrid work model, nonprofits can focus on the following strategies:

1. Implementing effective communication models. Utilize a combination of virtual communication tools to facilitate seamless collaboration and maintain open lines of communication.

2. Investing in technology and training. Prioritize technology investments and provide training to ensure that employees are equipped with the skills needed for successful remote work.

3. Prioritizing mental health and well-being. Incorporate initiatives that prioritize mental health, such as virtual wellness programs and flexible schedules, to support the overall well-being of nonprofit staff.

4. Balancing remote and in-person collaboration. Strive for a balance between remote work and in-person collaboration, recognizing the importance of face-to-face interactions for team cohesion.

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The impact of hybrid work on nonprofit organizations is multifaceted, bringing both opportunities and challenges. 

Successfully adopting a hybrid work model at your nonprofit may unearth areas for improvement or gaps in knowledge or strategy, posing challenges and opportunities for growth and innovation. By continuously evaluating and refining their approaches, nonprofit organizations can harness the benefits of hybrid work to further their missions and create lasting social impact.

Jill Krumholz, Managing Partner

Jill brings to RealHR Solutions experience as a business owner, executive search consultant and corporate HR professional. Throughout her career, she has had the ability to build strong relationships, identify client needs and help company’s find solutions. As a search professional she used these strengths to source and identify talent. Before joining RealHR, Jill was a Principal at Charleston Partners, a global executive search and talent advisory firm for Fortune 500 companies. She was also a Partner at Hayden Resource and previously founded her own search firm. Her prior HR experience includes retail and healthcare industry HR and operations. management positions. Jill holds a Masters in Industrial Social Work from Fordham University and a B.A. from CUNY City College. She is currently an active member of The Society of Human Resources Management nationally and locally. 

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.

4 Survey Strategies for Soliciting Donors’ Feedback

Guest post by Mogli

Donating to a nonprofit or school is a highly personal experience. It’s not just about giving some money and walking away. Donors want to make an impact with their funding, but they also want to be a part of your community. By donating, they’re saying “I want to take an active part in furthering your cause.” But if you don’t invest in finding out how they want to take part, you risk losing their involvement and future donations.

That’s why asking donors for feedback is so important. Whether you want to engage parents in school fundraising or learn more about your nonprofit’s new donors, sending out a survey is the perfect answer. We’ll cover four strategies you can use to craft effective, engaging surveys for your donors:

1. Write questions based on your goals

2. Use a variety of survey formats

3. Leverage automation tools

4. Segment donors to ensure surveys are relevant

As we explore these strategies, we’ll also discuss technologies like your donor database and SMS marketing apps that can help you make the most of them. Let’s get started!

1. Write questions based on your goals

The first step in creating surveys that resonate with donors and provide actionable feedback is to set clear goals. Before you start designing a survey, think about what you want it to accomplish for your organization. Common survey goals include:

• Boosting donor retention. Double the Donation’s donor retention guide explains that asking donors for feedback shows that you value their opinions and helps you build lasting relationships. If your goal is to retain donors, ask them if they enjoyed recent fundraising events, how you could better meet their needs, or what types of programs or campaigns they’d like to see in the future.

• Learning donor preferences. Surveys are an easy and efficient way to collect data about your supporters’ personal interests and preferences. Ask how they’d prefer to be contacted, what their charitable interests are, and why they joined your community in the first place. This information helps you segment donors and tailor your fundraising appeals to their interests.

• Improving your fundraisers or programs. If you want to host better fundraisers or launch more impactful programs, who better to gather ideas from than the donors who participate? To improve your school fundraisers, for example, you might ask what type of event parents want to attend or if they’d prefer selling products (like cookie dough) with their children to raise money. Or, ask recurring donors for feedback on your monthly giving program to improve its appeal.

These goals aren’t mutually exclusive—you may be able to accomplish all three with one great survey. However, determining your top priority upfront will help you narrow down your questions and ensure you get the answers that are most important to your goals.

2. Use a variety of survey formats

Remember when you used to fill out surveys on paper? Now, you can send donors virtual surveys via email, social media, and even text message. Different survey formats have distinct benefits and drawbacks, so it’s best to use a variety to make the most of all of them. Plus, this will differentiate your surveys enough to keep donors engaged even if they complete multiple surveys within a short period of time.

For instance, throughout the year you might use a mix of:

• Text surveys: According to Mogli’s text marketing guide, text surveys engage recipients while providing immediate feedback for your organization or school. With the right tools, you can create interactive surveys that take place entirely within donors’ messaging apps. These surveys are quick and easy for donors to complete.

• Email surveys: Your donors are likely used to filling out surveys from businesses via email, so receiving a survey from your organization in their inbox will feel natural. You can use free online tools like SurveyMonkey or Google Forms to create basic surveys and distribute them to donors’ emails. 

• In-person interviews: Surveying individual donors in person takes more time and effort, but it’s one of the best ways to get authentic feedback and strengthen your organization’s relationships. While conducting interviews, be sure to record video or audio or take extensive notes on the donor’s responses. 

Along with varying the format of your surveys, it’s also crucial to vary the type of questions you ask. Include a mix of open-ended, multiple-choice, and short-answer questions so that donors stay engaged throughout the survey and have the opportunity to share more extensive thoughts.

3. Leverage automation tools

There are plenty of technologies out there that you can use to streamline survey creation and management, but one of the most impactful features is automation. Automation tools can save your team time, seamlessly collect and organize answers, and simplify the process for donors. 

You can leverage standalone survey automation tools or automation features within comprehensive text or email marketing software. For example, if you use text marketing software with automated survey capabilities, you can:

• Create simple and complex surveys. With the right tools, you can design surveys that branch off in different directions based on donors’ answers. For example, after asking if a donor enjoyed participating in your school’s latest fundraiser, you could set up different lines of questions for those who say yes and those who say no. This type of automation enhances your surveys’ personalization and can inspire better responses. 

• Automatically send data to your CRM. If you use a text marketing app that integrates with your CRM (such as a Salesforce-native app if you use Salesforce for Nonprofits), donors’ survey responses will automatically flow into the correct profiles in your database. From here, you can easily use this data to guide future communication strategies and fundraising appeals.

• Add surveys to other automated journeys. Say that you set up a string of automated thank-you messages that gets triggered when a supporter donates. With the right tools, a survey can fit seamlessly into that cadence! For example, you might send an initial thank-you text immediately, then a survey about the donation experience the next day.

As you explore your options for survey automation tools, pay attention to features like branched logic surveys and CRM integrations. Look for a tool with an intuitive survey builder that easily allows you to design complex surveys without needing to be a tech expert.

4. Segment donors to ensure surveys are relevant

Finally, all of the strategies we discussed so far can be improved just by segmenting your donors. You know how important it is to send relevant, personalized donor communications to show donors you value them as individuals. 

The same is true for surveys. If a survey is relevant and appealing to the donor who receives it, they’re likely to ignore the request for feedback, or worse—opt out of future messages completely. 

To avoid this, create a variety of donor segments to send different surveys to. This might include sending a survey about volunteer opportunities to all donors who have volunteered in the past, or sending first-time donors a welcome survey designed to learn more about their interests. Use any existing segments in your donor database as a starting point, then don’t be afraid to create new groups as needed.

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These strategies can make a big impact on your relationships with donors, but sending the survey is just the beginning. After receiving responses, make sure to thank every donor who took the survey and act on the feedback you receive. If one donor gave you a particularly good idea for your next fundraiser, let them know with a personal thank-you email. Show donors that you take their feedback seriously, and they’re bound to feel closer to your organization.

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 Risk Management: 5 Frequently Asked Questions

Guest post by Jitasa

For nonprofit leaders, it’s crucial to understand what steps to take when unexpected negative situations arise, which is why risk management is a key part of successful strategic planning. While taking some risks is necessary for your organization to grow, even the risks you take on voluntarily can become harmful without careful management.

Especially when everything is going well for your nonprofit, it can be hard to know where to start with risk management. Fortunately, this guide will help you develop an actionable strategy for your organization by answering these frequently asked questions:

• What is nonprofit risk management?

• What effects can risky situations have on my nonprofit?

• What are the most common types of nonprofit risk?

• How do I conduct a risk assessment for my organization?

• How can my nonprofit mitigate and prevent risks?

Keep in mind that the most effective risk management plans are proactive rather than reactive. Instead of waiting until a risky situation comes up, start while your nonprofit is in a good position, and include preventative measures in your plan as well as mitigation strategies. Let’s dive in with an overview of what risk management is in a nonprofit context.

What is nonprofit risk management?

Jitasa’s nonprofit risk management guide defines risk as “the probability that something bad might occur. This might be due to internal circumstances at the organization itself or external factors that pose a greater social risk.”

Based on that explanation, risk management is the process of identifying, assessing, and mitigating internal and external circumstances that could result in something negative happening to your nonprofit.

What effects can risky situations have on my nonprofit?

Not all risks will affect your nonprofit to the same degree or impact the same areas of your operations. However, risky situations that go unchecked can bring about a variety of negative outcomes, including:

• Financial loss. Whether this takes the form of broken contracts, declining investments, or revenue shortfalls, unmanaged risks can have significant effects on your nonprofit’s budget.

• Legal consequences. These can range from lawsuits against your organization to the loss of your 501(c)(3) status.

• Reduced ability to fulfill your mission. Risks can inhibit your organization’s daily activities in many ways, from lowering fundraising efficiency to directly impacting the services you deliver.

• Reputation damage. According to NXUnite, negative publicity and controversy surrounding your nonprofit can break supporters’ trust and cause them to stop contributing to your work.

Not only do these impacts highlight the general need for nonprofits to have risk management plans, but they also show how important it is for each organization to understand what types of risk are most likely to affect them so they can be prepared.

What are the most common types of nonprofit risk?

Just as every nonprofit is different, so are the risks that will have the greatest consequences for each organization. However, the most common nonprofit risks to be on the lookout for include:

• Cybersecurity violations that can expose sensitive information about your organization, its staff, and its supporters.

• Fraud, particularly financial fraud and fraud by impersonation (in which a scammer sets up a fake online donation page, collects “contributions” under your nonprofit’s name, and keeps the money for themselves).

• Theft of money or technology, which is often (unfortunately) perpetrated by someone close to the organization.

• Non-compliance with federal and state regulations, especially because nonprofits are subject to some rules that for-profit organizations aren’t.

Several of these risks—especially financial fraud and incidents of non-compliance—can happen either intentionally or unintentionally. Be aware of this as you identify potential risks for your nonprofit to ensure you don’t overlook issues that could occur by accident.

How do I conduct a risk assessment for my organization?

Risk assessments allow you to determine what risks could affect your nonprofit and how you should go about mitigating them. There are three basic steps to a risk assessment:

1. Identify the various types of risky situations that could impact your organization.

2. Evaluate how likely each risk is to occur and what its most probable consequences are.

3. Prioritize all of your nonprofit’s risks based on both likelihood and impact.

You can either conduct your risk assessment internally using one of the many checklists available online or ask a third-party nonprofit risk management professional to provide an external perspective on your organization’s situation. Both options have advantages and drawbacks—consider your nonprofit’s timeline, budget, and bandwidth as you make your decision.

How can my nonprofit mitigate and prevent risks?

After you assess your nonprofit’s situation and come up with a prioritized list of risks, it’s time to develop your management plan. Start at the top of your list and brainstorm ways to alleviate each risk if it were to occur—or better yet, prevent it from becoming an issue in the first place.

Here are some common risk mitigation strategies your nonprofit might try:

• Tightening data security measures. Consider implementing two-factor authentication on all of your organization’s essential accounts, encrypting your databases, and investing in a PCI-compliant payment processor to keep donors’ information safe. Additionally, practice good nonprofit data hygiene to ensure important information isn’t accidentally misplaced and left vulnerable.

• Reviewing your fiscal policies. Make sure your organization has procedures in place for requesting, accepting, and tracking various types of gifts, reimbursing expenditures on behalf of your mission, and handling conflicts of interest. This protects against all sorts of fraud and compliance issues, in addition to being essential for sound day-to-day operational and financial management.

• Establishing internal controls. In addition to your major fiscal policies, internal controls are procedures specifically designed to prevent risks. For example, many nonprofits require two signatures on checks over certain amounts to reduce the risk of financial fraud.

• Improving communications. Make sure all of your organization’s essential information is properly recorded and reported, from donations made to project updates. Risks can arise when nonprofit leadership, staff members, and volunteers let communication fall by the wayside, so work to prioritize communication among your team.

Once you’ve decided which strategies to incorporate into your risk management plan, share the plan with your board of directors so they can sign off on it and provide oversight as you implement your ideas. Then, hold training sessions for staff members to establish a risk-prevention mindset at your nonprofit and ensure that everyone knows how to mitigate any risks that may arise as they go about their daily activities.

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Nonprofit risk management is an ongoing process. After implementation, monitor how it’s going for six months to a year to ensure your strategies are working. Then, revisit your plan at least once a year to re-evaluate your risk management priorities and develop mitigation strategies for any new risks that have come up since your last review to ensure your organization remains protected long term.

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.