Fundraising is the foundation of your nonprofit’s success. If your nonprofit is a car, fundraising is the fuel allowing you to drive your mission forward (was that one too many car puns?) Effective fundraising allows you to continue funding your projects and programs to ultimately help more people and achieve your goals.
As a nonprofit professional (or an aspiring one), you may be looking to improve your fundraising skills for greater fundraising success in the future. In this guide, we’ll cover what you need to know about fundraising training, including:
Fundraising is a skill that you can practice and ultimately get better at over time. These tips and resources will help guide you in the right direction to achieve greater fundraising success.
Fundraising Training FAQs
Before we dive into a few fundraising training course options and resources, let’s explore some commonly asked questions about fundraising training and how to develop fundraising skills.
What level of education is needed for fundraising?
There are no sector-wide degree requirements for nonprofit fundraising professionals. However, certain degrees lend themselves more naturally to eventual fundraising success.
If you’re looking to go into fundraising after completing your college career, the following bachelor’s degrees lend themselves naturally to fundraising:
Philanthropic studies
Business
Communications
PR
Journalism
English
These degrees tend to focus on developing communication skills, conducting creative problem solving, increasing efficiency within organizations, and building other skills that can eventually help you become a better fundraiser.
Some universities even offer fundraising-related master’s degrees in the following fields:
Philanthropic studies
Nonprofit management
An advanced degree in either of these fields can train you specifically for managing the ins and outs of on-the-ground nonprofit work.
Some degrees may also align with specific nonprofit missions. Having a degree in your nonprofit’s field of research or work can give you an immense amount of credibility when it comes to discussing your organization’s mission and the important role fundraising plays in reaching your goals. The following degrees may be applicable to nonprofit work:
Public health
Education administration
Psychology
Environmental sciences/sustainability
Keep in mind that becoming an effective fundraiser isn’t about having a certain degree. In fact, many organizations don’t have a degree requirement to be able to apply for their fundraising positions. What’s more important than having a specific degree is that you have a variety of soft skills that fit well within the fundraising space and that you are a fast learner who can pick up new skills on the fly.
What are the most important fundraising skills?
Fundraising requires nonprofit professionals to leverage a variety of skills to spread mission awareness, connect with potential supporters, and ultimately convert these prospects into donors. It’s a fast-paced, engaging field that requires a combination of hard and soft skills such as:
Written communication. Sending internal and external emails, drafting reports, publishing social media campaigns, and designing marketing materials are all written communications tasks that might pop up on a fundraiser’s daily task list.
Oral communication. Fundraisers must also be able to deliver their nonprofit’s case for support verbally in front of a variety of audiences. Fundraisers need to be just as engaging when conducting one-on-one donor meetings with major donors as they are when giving presentations at conferences or other large events.
Analytical skills. Effective fundraising also requires analytical skills to track progress, identify areas of strength and weakness, and create new strategies. Fundraising professionals may need to review fundraising metrics and compile the results into written or oral reports.
Technical skills.The future of fundraising lies in innovative technology tools and strategies. Fundraisers need to know how to use a variety of tech tools effectively, including a nonprofit CRM, an online donation platform, and digital marketing platforms.
Depending on the size of the nonprofit, the fundraising team might be made up of several individuals who specialize in one of these skills. However, for many nonprofits, the fundraising team is made of just one or two individuals who must manage each of these activities effectively.
What are the main categories of fundraising?
When it comes to fundraising training, you won’t just be learning how to conduct one type of fundraising. Fundraising involves connecting with multiple individuals and groups — individual donors, corporate sponsors, grant funders, volunteers, and community members — to build relationships.
With that in mind, your fundraising training process should incorporate the following types of fundraising:
Each of these activities requires a different approach and skill set. For instance, earning corporate sponsorships requires meeting with business owners and making your case for support using meetings and written communications. Event planning may require recruiting and managing volunteers, handling logistics, and creating marketing materials.
Depending on the size of your organization and the fundraising team, you might be engaged in all or just a handful of these activities daily.
How can I improve my fundraising skills?
If you’re looking to get better at fundraising and increase your positive response rate, there are a few steps you can take right away to get started:
Set personal goals. Set specific goals for yourself that you can work toward throughout the training process. For example, perhaps you want to improve your public speaking skills, connect better with potential donors during one-on-one meetings, or learn how to use fundraising software more efficiently. Having a clear goal in mind can help guide you as you decide what types of fundraising training to pursue.
Take fundraising training courses or classes. There are a variety of fundraising webinars and courses available online that you can follow at your own pace. Some resources require a fee, but there are also several free options available. We’ll explore a few quality online training courses in the next section.
Work with a fundraising consultant. If you’re looking to improve your nonprofit’s overall fundraising approach and train your full team on best practices, it’s helpful to work with a fundraising consultant. These experts have the experience and know-how needed to boost your fundraising strategy by filling gaps in your planning process, connecting with your unique supporter base, and training your team on how to build donor relationships.
Learn how to pivot the conversation. As a fundraiser, you’ll hear plenty of “no’s” over time. Whether a prospect isn’t in the right place to give or doesn’t feel strongly connected to your mission yet, there are plenty of reasons why potential donors will turn you down. However, it’s your job to make sure you don’t burn any bridges or close any doors unintentionally. As you have conversations with potential donors, start to find ways that you can turn more “no’s” into “maybes” and even “yeses.” For example, figure out how you can engage donors in opportunities that aren’t all about fundraising, or get to know them better to send them fundraising requests that better align with their giving capacity.
Keep an eye on fundraising trends and tech developments. New technologies, from matching gift software to AI for nonprofits, have vastly altered the way fundraising professionals operate. These innovations will continue to have a major impact on the nonprofit sector. Bookmark relevant nonprofit blogs such as Double the Donation, Getting Attention, and of course, NXUnite. These resources will help you stay in the know about the latest nonprofit software and fundraising strategy developments.
Now that you have a roadmap for improving your fundraising skills, let’s take a look at a few of the best fundraising training programs, resources, and workshops available.
8 Fundraising Training Courses & Resources
Best Fundraising Webinars and Panels
Nonprofit webinars and panels help novice fundraisers learn how to improve their skills from the top fundraising professionals in the sector. Attendees can hear from the first-hand experience of other fundraisers to incorporate best practices into their nonprofit’s strategies. Check out the following sources for engaging, informative webinars and panel discussions.
NXUnite
NXUnite has a full calendar of free webinars and panels geared toward nonprofit professionals and others in the social-good space. Topics range from nonprofit IT best practices to how to connect with donors from different generations. The panelists and presenters are long-time industry experts that offer a wide range of insights and personal experiences.
Double the Donation
If you’re looking specifically for information about improving your approach to corporate giving, including acquiring more matching gifts and volunteer grant funds, look no further than Double the Donation’s webinars. Double the Donation is the industry-leading provider of matching gift software for nonprofits, universities, and other fundraising organizations. Their webinars cover matching gift best practices and industry insights, integration updates, and general fundraising advice.
Best Fundraising Workshops
Sometimes, what your organization needs is an intensive deep dive that allows you to set up more efficient and effective fundraising processes. You can find what you’re looking for in the form of a fundraising workshop, such as the programs offered by Aly Sterling Philanthropy.
Aly Sterling Philanthropy
Aly Sterling Philanthropy is a nonprofit consulting firm that offers fundraising services ranging from strategic planning to board preparation and corporate philanthropy management. ASP offers three practical workshops focusing on board efficiency and engagement, board governance, and fundraising preparedness.
Fundraising professionals can also purchase a variety of primers and toolkits from ASP’s Nonprofit Store. The store includes guides for stewarding donors, creating a strong case for support for a capital campaign, and evaluating your board’s and executive director’s effectiveness.
Best Online Fundraising Courses
Fundraising courses allow fundraisers-in-training to work through relevant educational materials on their own time and at their convenience. With online fundraising courses, you can engage in training from anywhere and take things at your own pace. If you’re interested in taking a fundraising course, consider the following options.
AFP Global
The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) empowers fundraising professionals by offering professional development, networking, and research opportunities. The organization’s e-courses cover fundraising fundamentals, CRM management, and more. They also offer resources for Spanish-speaking fundraising professionals.
Also, AFP has teamed up with MindEdge to offer over 100 courses on everything from nonprofit leadership to finance and HR. These courses can apply to a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) certification. This certification designates an individual as an ethical fundraising professional who follows industry best practices and is committed to observing the highest fundraising standards.
Nonprofit.Courses
Nonprofit.Courses offers thousands of online course options, and the vast majority (over 90%!) of them are free. Popular topics include grant-writing, accounting and finance, and starting up a new nonprofit. Nonprofit professionals can use these courses to earn continuing education certifications, such as certificates in web design, sustainable management, and more.
NonprofitReady
NonprofitReady offers free fundraising courses, allowing trainees to earn certificates and further their fundraising knowledge. Topics include online fundraising, email marketing, fundraising events, and more. Courses are designed by learning design professionals and nonprofit professional development experts.
Best Fundraising Professional Training Programs
Coaches aren’t just for sports teams—there are also plenty of coaches available to help you advance in your fundraising skills. Some nonprofit professionals dedicate their time to providing tailored training programs to meet new fundraisers where they are and build up their skills. Let’s take a look at a couple of top fundraising training programs and coaches!
Fundraising Academy
The Fundraising Academy offers CFRE-accredited programs that integrate business best practices with donor relationship-building strategies. Their Cause Selling Education program allows you to learn amongst peers in a cohort environment. The program is targeted at helping you advance in all fundraising categories: major gift cultivation, planned giving, digital fundraising, and more.
The Fundraising Coach
Marc Pittman is a leadership coach, fundraising trainer, and founder of The Fundraising Coach, a training and coaching program aimed at helping nonprofit professionals build a variety of skills. These include time management, leadership, marketing, and fundraising. Marc hosts personalized training sessions with nonprofit leadership groups to help build confidence and competency. Plus, Marc also offers executive coaching designed to help nonprofit leaders reach their full potential.
Getting Started with Fundraising Training
Your fundraising training should be an ongoing process— even if you’re an experienced nonprofit professional with multiple years in the sector under your belt. No matter how experienced you think you are, there’s always more to learn!
If you’re looking to get connected and learn from other nonprofit professionals who have been in your shoes, explore the NXUnite community. We offer a variety of resources for nonprofit professionals, including webinars and resource lists of top industry solutions. Also, check out our list of upcoming nonprofit conferences to add a few more learning and networking opportunities to your calendar.
If you’re ready to jump right into fundraising training, get started by exploring these additional resources:
The Future of Fundraising: AI and Capital Campaigns. The future of fundraising includes multiple innovative technologies that make fundraising easier. Explore the recent trend of using AI in fundraising with this post.
25 Nonprofit Podcasts You Should Listen To In 2022. Podcasts can be a great way to learn from anywhere— while driving your car, walking around your neighborhood, or folding your laundry! Here are 25 podcasts that will further your fundraising training.
3 Steps to Get Started With Fundraising Data Analytics. For many new fundraisers, reviewing analytics can be one of the most intimidating aspects of fundraising. This guide breaks the process down into simple steps and explains how to get started with tracking analytics.
https://nxunite.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Fundraising-training_Feature.png370700developerhttps://nxunite.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/NXUnite-by-nexus-marketing-White-3.svgdeveloper2022-08-03 12:20:582022-10-19 19:06:17Nonprofit Fundraising Training: FAQs and 8 Top Resources
Whether they consciously think about it or not, nonprofits collect data every day. From accepting donations to receiving new email newsletter sign-ups, every time a nonprofit interacts with its supporters, it’s absorbing different data points.
These days, all types of organizations understand that data should guide decision-making because it acts as clear evidence for trends and occurrences within your industry or operations. Nonprofits should be no different. Using data effectively can help your organization optimize its content and spread its mission even further.
The only problem with this data-driven approach is that if your organization has incorrect or incomplete data, then it can be difficult to comfortably rely on that data. That’s where data appends come in.
Data appends fill in the gaps in your data so that you can make well-informed decisions and communicate with a larger breadth of your supporters. If your organization isn’t familiar with data appends, then we’re here to help you learn the basics and how you can get started with the data append process.
Take a look at the questions we’ll answer in this guide:
Here at NXUnite, we connect nonprofits with the tools they need to be successful. We believe that data appends are an essential part of good data hygiene, which all nonprofits should practice in order to improve relationships with supporters and grow their organizations. Learning about what data appends are and how they work is the first step in improving your organization’s data hygiene, so you’ve come to the right place!
Equipped with data appends, your organization will not only improve its data hygiene but will also gain better insights into who your supporters are and how you can best reach out to them. But first, let’s learn what data appends are and how a data append service can help you with the process.
What Is a Data Append?
A data append is a piece of new information added to your nonprofit’s database. During the data appending process, data append services pull data from external sources to correct incorrect data or supplement incomplete data. They use any supporter information that you supply them with, such as contact information, to correctly identify the right individuals across different sources.
Data appends are important because they ensure your database is more complete with the information you need. For example, you could be missing an email address for an important donor. Without their email address, you won’t be able to thank that donor for their contributions or update them about your organization, potentially jeopardizing your relationship with them.
3 Different Approaches to Data Appending
While all data appends refer to adding new information to a database, there are different ways to go about the process and obtain the data you need. These are the three different approaches to data appending:
Forward: Forward appending is what most people think of when discussing data appends. It occurs when an append adds to basic information your organization already has. For example, you may have a donor’s name and mailing address, but a data append could add their phone number as well.
Reverse: As the name implies, reverse appending is the opposite of forward appending. With this approach, your organization uses a singular piece of data to fill in the related basic information. You might have email addresses from your newsletter subscribers, but you could use reverse appending to fill in their names.
Fractional: For a combination of the previous two approaches, use fractional data appending. In this case, you could use a supporter’s name and email address to find their mailing address. Fractional appending puts the best of both approaches together to find the information you need.
To determine which data append approach to take, think about which type of data you’re looking for. As we mentioned, forward appending is most typical and the most beneficial for nonprofits, so it’s never a bad idea to start there.
Data Append Timing
In addition to the different approaches to data appending, there are also two different categories of data appends based on the timing of when you’ll receive them:
Batch: Just as it sounds, batch appending is when organizations send a batch of information to be appended. This approach is best for nonprofits with large databases that have a clear need for organization. For example, you might be missing some of your volunteers’ phone numbers and mailing addresses. To fix this, you can send a file with the data you have to a data append service, and they will add the missing information all at once.
Real-time: For automatic updates to individual records, use real-time appending. Once you send in your information, a server will update it in real-time when needed. An example of a situation where you could use real-time appending is if you want to analyze your newsletter sign-ups and fill in contact information that subscribers left out.
Again, the choice between batch and real-time appending should depend on your organization’s needs. For most types of data appends, batch appending is more beneficial because it allows you to get all the information you need at once. However, real-time appending can be useful for ongoing data append-based solutions.
What Types of Data Appends Are There?
There’s a wide variety of data types you can append to your nonprofit’s database. Depending on your marketing goals and the information you have missing, you can choose the data appends that best fit your organization’s needs.
If you’re not sure which types of data would benefit your nonprofit, we’ll walk through the four different categories to give you a better idea of what your organization might need.
1. Contact Information
A lot of the data we’ve talked about so far falls under the umbrella of contact information, including phone numbers and email addresses. Believe it or not, social media profiles are also a type of data append in this category.
Communication with your supporters is essential to keeping your nonprofit running smoothly. Make sure your contact information is complete, up to date, and accurate with contact information appends. It’s important to review and update this type of data regularly since supporters’ contact information can change frequently for a variety of reasons.
2. Demographic Information
Demographic information allows you to learn a little more about who your supporters are. Types of demographic information you might collect include:
Although the benefits of having supporters’ demographic may not be as clear as those for contact information, knowing more about your supporters can help you reach them more effectively.
For example, date of birth appends allow you to know each supporter’s age so that you can segment them based on how old they are. Younger donors may respond better to text message outreach and social media campaigns while older donors may prefer direct mail. Additionally, knowing your supporters’ dates of birth presents the opportunity to offer birthday gifts or perks.
3. Geographic Data
Using geographic data appends can assist you in creating location-based campaigns. Segmentation based on location can be useful if your organization only operates in a certain area, if there are different localized branches of your nonprofit, or if you’re hosting in-person opportunities in certain areas.
The main geographic data append type is mailing address appends. Having the addresses of your supporters can allow you to send them direct mail and notify them of local opportunities.
4. Donor Wealth Screening
Donors are the primary source of your fundraising, so it can be helpful to know a little more about their assets. That way, you can predict how much and how likely they are to donate. It’s important to focus your marketing efforts on donors who seem to be open to upping or continuing their support at the moment. Doing so can help you prevent wasting time and energy on donors who may not currently be interested in lending their support.
Here are examples of donor wealth data you could append to your donor database.
Net worth
Likeliness to give
Prior donations to other nonprofits
Business and foundation affiliations
Real estate
Stock holdings
Data append services use donation and wealth databases to find this information based on the donor data you supply them with. Once you receive your donor wealth appends, you can customize your outreach to each donor based on their ability and propensity to give.
What Is a Data Append Service?
Since data appending can be rather difficult and time-consuming when done by someone who’s inexperienced, it’s best to turn to the experts. A data append service can help you obtain all different types of data appends. They work to fill in the gaps in your database to help you understand and reach your target audience better.
Data append services are reputable sources for help with your data hygiene. They can append any type of data you need. Additionally, efficient data append service providers will talk to your organization about your current data needs and concerns in order to help you figure out your next steps along your data journey.
You may still not be convinced that partnering with a data append service could be helpful for your organization. If that’s the case, we’ll explain the exact value data append services bring to the table for nonprofits in the next section.
What Value Do Data Append Services Add?
As a nonprofit professional, you must be incredibly careful to budget your funds and resources effectively. Data hygiene is important because it can save your organization time and money by making sure you’re reaching out to the right people.
Basic Benefits of Data Appends
Leveraging data append services is a smart investment for nonprofits because they can help you reach your target audience more efficiently. You’ll be able to make more data-driven decisions and have the right contact information for your supporters.
Now that you know the basic premise of what data append services do, let’s explore the benefits they can provide to your organization:
New information. Data append services provide you with information you didn’t previously have access to. Whether that’s phone numbers, dates of birth, or mailing addresses, the right data append services can find the information you need.
Accurate information. You may be missing information in your database, but you may also have incorrect or outdated information that needs to be updated. Data append services check the data you already have and replace outdated data with the most current information.
Better segmentation. The more you know about your supporters, the better you can group them based on qualities relevant to your campaigns. Segmentation is a great way to customize each supporter’s experience and help them build a deeper connection to your organization.
Time conserved. With access to the right resources, your nonprofit probably could find append data on its own. However, that would be very time-consuming for your team. Leave it to the experts who offer professional data append services, know what they’re doing, and can help save time that you can reallocate to other projects.
Money saved. The investment of working with a data append service is nothing compared to the money you’ll lose on behalf of bad data. Data append services can help correct errors in your database to lower your marketing costs.
Beyond rounding out your supporter database, data appends add value to your organization in several different ways.
Nonprofit-Specific Benefits of Data Appends
While the above benefits apply to any organization, there are specific benefits for nonprofits that data append services provide, such as:
Increased mission awareness. At the heart of your organization is its mission. Once you have the data you need to communicate with your supporters effectively, more people will become aware of your nonprofit’s cause.
More donations. Now that you’re reaching out to the right audience, you’re bound to see more funds flood in for your cause. Especially if you’re able to leverage donor wealth appends, you’ll be able to improve your fundraising efforts tremendously.
Industry-relevantdata. Of course, all organizations could benefit from knowing their supporters’ names and email addresses, but there are certain data points that are especially useful for nonprofits. For example, if you know a donor’s employer, you can discover whether that employer participates in matching gifts and use that knowledge as an incentive for donors to contribute. Data append services geared toward nonprofits like NPOInfo are helpful resources for identifying opportunities to use data more effectively for your nonprofit.
If you’re looking to understand your supporters better, hiring a data append service provider is the right choice. While your organization won’t have to do much besides supplying them with the data you already have, it’s helpful to know how the data append process works so you can ask them any questions you may have.
What Is the Data Append Process?
We’ve talked a lot about the fact that data append services take the information you already have about your supporters and use it to find the data you’re looking for. How exactly does that process work though?
There are several steps that data append services follow in order to deliver data appends to their clients. Here are those steps:
Format the data. Before sending over your supporter data, make sure it’s all in the same format. Data append services typically prefer a comma-separated value (CSV) format for the data.
Upload the data. Next, compile all of the data into one file and send it to your data append service of choice.
Match the data. Once they receive your supporter data, the data append service will compare it to the databases they have in order to identify which information is missing or inaccurate.
Complete the appends. In this step, data append services enhance the data you’ve provided by adding the information they’ve found.
Check the data for accuracy. Before sending the appended information back to you, most data append services will check to make sure the data they’ve found is accurate. They may have manual or automated methods of verifying the data.
Send the data to the client. Lastly, the data append service will send the client the data file for them to download. While data append services like to work with CSV values, they can convert the file into virtually any format that the client prefers before sending it back to them.
The process is easy to follow, and once your organization formats and uploads the data, it’s all up to your data append service to put in the work. Since they’re experts in this area, they typically complete the process fairly quickly, allowing you to leverage your new data right away.
Now that you understand the data append process and how helpful a data append service can be, it’s time to find the data append service you’d like to work with.
How Do I Select a Data Append Service to Work With?
There are so many data append services out there that are ready to help your organization with its data needs. However, it’s important to do thorough research when finding a data append service provider to ensure that they have the qualities you’re looking for.
If you don’t know where to start, we’ve compiled a list of characteristics that we believe all data append services working with nonprofits should have, including:
Employs accuracy checking. It would be a waste of your time and funds to go through the data append process and receive incorrect or outdated data. Look for a data append service that has accuracy checks or scans in place.
Provides multiple kinds of appends. Chances are, you need multiple types of data, or you might in the future. Stick with the same data append service for all your data append needs by finding one that can provide all the information you’re looking for.
Uses reputable information sources. You might not necessarily know where your data append service is getting their information from, but it doesn’t hurt to ask if they have a process of verifying the databases they’re using.
Does a thorough job. Find a data append service that goes above and beyond to satisfy your data needs. In addition to data appends, you might look for a service that can talk you through your current data hygiene or opportunities for using your new data once you’ve received it.
Has a quick turnaround. The faster you receive your data appends, the faster you can start using them to improve your marketing efforts and supporter communications. Ask your data append service how long they typically take to go through the process.
Provides quotes. With a tight budget, your nonprofit will likely want to know how much data append services cost before committing. A reliable provider will give you that information ahead of time based on the information you need.
Specializes in nonprofit data appends. For the best experience, partner with a data append service that regularly works with nonprofits. Of course, you can use a generic data append service, but for nonprofits, it’s best to work with one that is nonprofit-specific. They will understand your needs best and have the expertise you need to propel your organization forward on its data hygiene journey.
Works with a variety of nonprofit organizations. Even if you’re working with a nonprofit-specific service, there’s no guarantee that they’ve worked with your organization type before. Look for a data append service that has worked with a variety of nonprofit organizations such as schools, healthcare organizations, and associations.
With these qualities in mind, NPOInfo is our recommended nonprofit data append service provider. They possess all the qualities we’ve listed above and have extensive experience providing data for nonprofits.
Good data hygiene ensures that your nonprofit can gain important insights into who your supporters are. An essential component of data hygiene is data appends, which add missing information to your database toexpand your supporter profiles. With data appends, you can personalize and even segment your supporter communications to connect with supporters on an individual level.
If you’re ready to move forward with the data append process, the next step is finding a data append service to work with. You can request a quote from NPOInfo, our recommended nonprofit data append service, to learn more.
If you need more information before diving into the data append process, that’s okay. Here are some additional resources about data append types that will help you better determine your organization’s data append needs:
Email Appends: The Complete Q&A Guide for Organizations. These days, nearly every organization has some sort of email newsletter or communications. Ensure your messages are showing up in supporters’ inboxes with email address appends.
Phone Appends: A Nonprofit’s Data Enrichment Guide. If you’re looking to call or text your supporters to inform them about upcoming opportunities, your nonprofit might benefit from phone appends. Check out this article to learn more about them.
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As a nonprofit, fundraising is essential to your success as an organization. It’s not only how you power your programs but also how you can spread the word about your organization and mission to your community.
To optimize the funds they raise, nonprofits are always looking to make their operations more efficient. New technology and apps make this easy so that nonprofits can collect donations without having to put much thought into it. One such tool is Venmo.
Using Venmo for nonprofits allows organizations to leverage a platform many people already useevery day. You might already be familiar with Venmo from your own personal use, but we’ll go more in-depth about what it is and how you can best use it for your nonprofit.
Take a look at the questions we’ll be answering about Venmo fundraising:
At NXUnite, we’re committed to helping nonprofits find the tools they need to maximize their fundraising efforts. Venmo is an app you may already be familiar with, but it has huge fundraising potential for your organization. We’re here to help you learn more about how your nonprofit can use Venmo to boost donations.
Are you ready to learn about how Venmo could be the next best fundraising tool for your nonprofit? Let’s get right into it!
What Is Venmo?
Venmo is a peer-to-peer mobile payment service. That means people can transfer money from their bank accounts to each other directly within the app. The app makes it easy for people to pay each other back without worrying about cash.
Although there are several similar apps out there, Venmo is one of the most popular. According to Venmo, the app currently has over 83 million users, the biggest group of which is 25-34 years old. In 2021 alone, the Paypal-owned platform processed about $230 million in payments.
It’s clear to see why people have turned to Venmo as their preferred way to send and receive money. All you have to do is link your bank account, debit card, or credit card to your account, and you’re good to go. With the click of a button, you can send and request payments from people.
Additionally, you can choose whether to transfer your funds to your bank account immediately or keep them in your account for future transactions. If you want to leverage both options, you can even select how much you would like to transfer out, leaving you with some money still left in the app.
What Are the Benefits of Using Venmo for Nonprofits?
Venmo solves a typical problem: how to pay people back efficiently. The easy-to-use app simplifies the process of splitting a check, paying your portion of your rent, and so much more.
Now that you a little more about how Venmo works, why is it a good platform for nonprofits? Just like they do for other individuals, people can send money to nonprofits, creating another fundraising source. Beyond creating an additional revenue source, some of the benefits Venmo fundraising can provide for your nonprofit are that it’s:
Easy to use. As we’ve mentioned before, people enjoy using Venmo because of how easy it is. If someone already has a Venmo account, it simplifies the process of them donating to your cause. Instead of going through your donation page or form, donors can head to the already-installed Venmo app and transfer money to your organization from their account within seconds.
Affordable. Venmo is a great choice for nonprofits because it’s free to sign up. Additionally, there are no monthly fees and no fees when sending money with a linked bank account or debit card. The only donation-specific fee is 1.9% + $0.10 for receiving funds. There is also a 3% fee when sending money with a linked credit card and a 1% fee for instant transfers to your bank account, but neither of those options is necessary.
Secure. When using a mobile payment service, it’s important that your information is protected. Venmo uses encryption to help protect your account and financial information. Not to mention, the app’s security makes it a secure form of giving for donors.
Encourages donations of any size. Some people may want to contribute to your cause, but they might be intimidated by the donation amounts you suggest on your website. Since people typically use Venmo for smaller payments, they may be more willing to donate to your organization through the platform with the extra funds kept in their accounts.
Includes social proof. Different than other donation methods, Venmo functions like a social media platform in that users can see their friends’ and family members’ payments. Not only can people feel good knowing that their donation is public, but they can also inspire others to donate to your cause.
Facilitates relationships. Donors can send messages with their Venmo donations, allowing them to personalize their support. You can also like and comment on donations, allowing you to thank donors and start a conversation with them.
Taking advantage of Venmo fundraising can not only raise money for your organization but also help you build relationships with your supporters. They will appreciate the ability to use a platform they’re likely already familiar with to contribute to your cause and amplify your organization to family and friends.
How Do I Set Up a Venmo Account for My Nonprofit?
If you think Venmo would be an asset to your fundraising efforts, it’s time to set up your account. At this time, Venmo does not have an option specifically for nonprofits, but they do allow nonprofits to create regular accounts and use them to collect donations.
Setting up your organization’s Venmo account is simple. Just follow these five steps:
Download the Venmo app or visit the Venmo website.
Choose your sign-up method and create your password.
Verify your phone number and email address.
Add and verify your bank account.
Change your username and add a profile picture to reflect your organization.
It’s that easy! If you have a personal Venmo account, you’ve already been through the same process. For more information about creating your account, you can refer to Venmo’s website.
How Can My Nonprofit Guide Donors to Our Venmo Account?
Of course, any organization can say they’ve created a Venmo account and leave it at that. However, you’ll need to go a bit further if you want your supporters to be able to find your account and engage with it. Here are some suggestions for how to promote your Venmo for nonprofits account:
Give a tutorial on how donors can use Venmo to contribute.
Start by teaching donors how Venmo for nonprofits works. You can create a step-by-step video that shows donors how they can give donations to your organization on Venmo.
Let donors know how easy the process is and why it’s a great platform for nonprofits.
Add your Venmo account to your donation page.
You’ll want donors to know that contributing through Venmo is a new donation option, so it’s important that your donation page reflects that.
Include your Venmo username on emails and social media.
Make it easy for donors to find your Venmo account. You probably already promote your social media accounts in your emails, so just add Venmo to the list.
On your nonprofit’s social media pages, link your Venmo account in your bio for easy access.
Share your Venmo QR code with your supporters.
Sometimes, it can be difficult to find Venmo accounts if you don’t know the exact usernames you’re looking for. Eliminate that obstacle by promoting your nonprofit’s Venmo QR code. That way, you’ll know donors are contributing to the right account.
Make sure to share your Venmo QR code with your supporters through various methods such as email newsletters,social media,your website,and at events.
Once donors know how to donate to your organization through Venmo, it’s important to make sure they’re having a good experience using the app.
How Can Venmo for Nonprofits Foster Connections with Donors?
If you use Venmo fundraising correctly, you can make it a fun, interactive, and rewarding donation experience. By prioritizing the giving experience, you’ll ultimately foster better connections with your donors. Let’s walk through a few steps you can take to give your donors a great user experience on Venmo:
Cater to your audience.
Remember that most Venmo users are on the younger side. When commenting on their donations, don’t be afraid to use emojis and have fun with your interactions.
You can also take advantage of the social proof we mentioned before. Younger donors love to be recognized for their efforts, so consider shouting out a Venmo donor of the week on your social media.
Encourage donations of any size.
Again, most people use Venmo for small payments. Lean into that by asking donors for small donations. It will all add up and ultimately acquire new donors who could have been intimidated by the prospect of donating before.
Host a fundraising competition.
Split your supporters up into teams and have them compete for who can raise the most money or make the most donations. The teams can be based on age, location, or another factor of your choosing.
Provide an incentive to the winning team such as social media shoutouts, gift cards, or matched donations. Knowing they could earn a prize, people might be more willing to participate.
Interact with as many donors as possible.
Since Venmo functions like a social media platform, use it like one. Comment on as many donations as you can. You can send an emoji, sticker, or GIF to make it fun. Most importantly, remember to thank donors for their contributions.
Using Venmo for nonprofits opens up new opportunities for building donor relationships like never before.
Conclusion & Additional Resources
With so many new payment apps out there, it’s difficult to decide which is best for your organization. For nonprofits, Venmo is the ultimate choice. With low fees, security features, and opportunities to interact with your donors, Venmo provides an easy and reliable way to raise money and build relationships with your supporters.
Now that you know how beneficial Venmo fundraising can be, you might be wondering what other fundraising tools and nonprofit resources are out there. Check out these articles to help out your nonprofit:
Nonprofit Conferences That You Won’t Want to Miss in 2022. Looking for the latest nonprofit trends and opportunities to network with other nonprofit professionals? Attend a nonprofit conference to learn from others in your field.
https://nxunite.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Venmo-for-Nonprofits_Feature.png370700developerhttps://nxunite.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/NXUnite-by-nexus-marketing-White-3.svgdeveloper2022-08-02 10:00:002022-11-30 18:29:35Venmo for Nonprofits: A Useful Tool to Boost Donations
Consider the following: you want to host a fundraising event, but you don’t have enough funds to do so. That’s where corporate sponsorships can really help. Partnerships between nonprofits and businesses can help nonprofits increase revenue and get funding for goals and events. Plus, establishing varying sponsorship levels can help you maximize your fundraising.
What are sponsorship levels?
A corporate sponsorship is a type of partnership between a nonprofit and a business, specifically where the nonprofit receives support from the business to continue serving its mission. While this partnership may seem more beneficial for nonprofits, corporations can gain increased name recognition and tax breaks. Furthermore, social responsibility brings businesses positive marketing benefits and improves their reputation among potential customers.
Sponsorship levels are different tiers of corporate sponsorship. These tiers have varying levels of benefits and prices for the corporation.
How to determine sponsorship levels
Setting specific sponsorship levels requires a lot of thought and planning to maximize success. Here are some things you should do while determining sponsorship levels:
Set a goal
What do you want to get out of your sponsorship? Are you looking for sponsorship for a specific fundraising event, such as a hybrid auction or a fun run? Perhaps you’re looking for more funds to reach a specific goal or project. Or maybe, you would like sponsorship for your nonprofit as a whole, to help cover the day-to-day costs and administrative expenses.
Depending on what your goal is, you will want to set different sponsorship levels. A partnership for a fundraising event will probably have fewer benefits and cost less than a longer-term partnership.
Identify potential corporate sponsors
Once you decide what your goal is, you might be tempted to go straight to brainstorming what your sponsorship levels will cost and what the benefits will be. However, researching potential corporate sponsors can help you determine those things.
Consider the following when identifying potential corporate sponsors:
Relevance. Ask yourself: does your nonprofit’s mission have anything to do with what the corporation is trying to achieve? For example, if you run a soup kitchen that feeds families in need, you may want to consider restaurants as potential sponsors, as they also work in the food industry.
Company size. The size of the business often has an impact on the amount of money they can offer for sponsorship. A smaller local company won’t be able to afford the sponsorships a major global company will be able to. If you plan on reaching out to local companies, consider offering some cheaper sponsorship options.
Nonprofit interest. If a corporation has shown interest in social responsibility beforehand, it may be easier to secure a sponsorship from them. Take a look at whether they offer matching gifts or volunteer programs—if they do, it’s a sign that they may be interested in working with nonprofits.
Event type. If you’re specifically looking to sponsor an event, consider what types of corporations would be interested in that type of event. For example, a local bakery might sponsor a bake sale, and a water bottle company might be interested in sponsoring a fun run.
Doing this research will give you a list of corporations you can directly reach out to. Having a clear idea of the corporations you’re marketing to will help you get a better sense of what benefits to offer. You will also be able to make your sponsorships more targeted and be able to appeal specifically to those corporations.
Offer sponsorship incentives
Although corporate sponsorships are mutually beneficial, you’ll still want to incentivize corporations to sponsor you. That means you must appeal to what corporations want and offer them appropriate benefits. Here are some benefits you can offer:
Video promo/ad. If your event is in-person, you can show this ad during a lull in the event. You can also place a video ad on your event website.
Logo on print materials and virtual. Having the business’s logo on your website, banners, and tickets will create more positive brand awareness.
QR codes/links to their page. Strategically placing QR codes leading to your corporate partner’s website will help drive more traffic to them and may result in increased sales.
Acknowledgement. This can be in a press release or a part of a speech in person, where you thank your sponsor and acknowledge that the event would not be possible without them.
VIP event/reception. Offer your corporate sponsors an opportunity to connect with some of your major donors at VIP receptions to help your sponsors with their lead generation.
Evaluate the potential benefits you could offer and which of them would appeal most to the corporations you’re planning on reaching out to. Include those in your sponsorship levels, and include more high-value benefits in your more expensive packages.
Choose sponsorship level names and prices
After you’ve given thought to your goal, your potential corporate sponsors, and what incentives you’ll be offering, decide what your sponsorship levels should be called and what they should cost. You can get creative with your level names and even tie them into what your nonprofit does. For example, if you work for a zoo, you could name your sponsorship levels after animals. The top tier could be “Lion,” the bottom tier could be “Meerkat,” and so on.
Your prices should reflect the thought you’ve put into what corporations you’re targeting. If you are planning on mostly selling to small local corporations, your prices should be lower. Bigger companies will have more money, so you can make your levels more expensive. Reflect on your organization and how much you think your cause is worth to corporations—don’t downsell or upsell.
When done correctly, sponsorship levels can help your nonprofit accomplish objectives that you normally wouldn’t have the funds for. Take the time to do the research and brainstorming to increase your chances of a successful sponsorship.
If you’re interested in other forms of corporate giving, take a look at the resources down below.
Additional Resources
Nonprofit Catalog – Read up on more nonprofit essentials by exploring our Nonprofit Catalog.
Legacy giving is a unique fundraising opportunity that can be ongoing like other development work, such as seeking major gifts or grants, and can also access an untapped source of donations. This type of gift is important to your donors who want to leave a lasting legacy and positive impact on your mission as it allows them to give larger donations at a future date.
Before you plan how to incorporate legacy giving into your fundraising strategy, let’s review the basics:
What is legacy giving?
Legacy giving, or planned giving, is a donation that has been incorporated into the donor’s financial or estate plan, usually to be given after they pass away.
This is typically a large donation that can provide significant funds to a nonprofit and tax benefits to the donor or the donor’s family. Legacy gifts or planned gifts are often unrestricted, although donors can specify particular programs or projects that their gifts will need to go towards.
Types of legacy gifts
Legacy gifts are unique in that they’re non-cash. In other words, they’re given out of assets or overall estates rather than day-to-day income. Donors can often give larger planned gifts than they’d be able to purely out of pocket. There are numerous ways to plan a gift to a nonprofit, so there are options to accommodate each situation. Consider these key types of legacy gifts:
Bequests: A legacy gift where the donor includes a nonprofit in their will, leaving a portion of their estate to it. Retirement plans and life insurance: A legacy gift where the donor leaves their unused retirement assets to a nonprofit or names the nonprofit as the beneficiary of their life insurance policy. Charitable gift annuities: A legacy gift where the donor gives a large donation in exchange for a fixed income payment. Retained life estates: A legacy gift where the donor transfers ownership of their property to a nonprofit but retains the right to use it until the set term is up.
Only a donor can decide which type of legacy gift works best for their situation, goals, and plans. Make sure your supporters understand their options so they can choose and customize their gifts accordingly once you start a conversation with them about planned giving.
Legacy giving FAQ
Who is eligible to give a legacy gift?
Anyone is eligible to give a legacy gift, but people who have a will, life insurance policy, property, or other significant assets are more likely to give. Because there are so many types of these gifts, the parameters are wide, but these donors at least have to have something to give. Donors with proven wealth make ideal first prospects, but even lifelong savers who might not otherwise be on your radar as top prospects can make significant legacy contributions if you put in the work of developing your relationships with them and explaining the impact they could have.
To narrow down this donor pool, you might research a prospect’s involvement with your cause, such as past giving or volunteering. You can also survey your supporters to learn more about their interest in legacy gifts and your organization. Some of your supporters might have already included your nonprofit in their will.
What is the most common type of legacy gift?
Bequests are the most popular type of legacy gift. They’re typically easier to arrange than other gifts, since wills are easy to update. Providing easy-to-use estate planning tools to your bequest prospects can help you secure more planned gifts.
Many people may choose to give via bequest but won’t tell your nonprofit about their gift. This is why a survey can be helpful to identify existing donors or people who might be interested in planned giving.
Why are legacy gifts important to the nonprofit?
Nonprofits benefit from legacy gifts financially. These donations can be considered long-term income for a nonprofit because they promise future funding that can be projected and planned on to support future growth. They can also be invested in some cases to return even more funding.
It’s a gift that will support the nonprofit for years without requiring extra expenses from the nonprofit, making planned giving among the highest-ROI fundraising activities. Rather than hosting a gala, for example, nonprofits might secure legacy gifts by simply making their supporters aware of planned giving as an option and reaching out to prospects to discuss it. It’s a promise of future funding that can come from nearly any supporter at little or no cost to your organization.
How does a legacy gift benefit the donor?
Depending on the type of legacy gift, donors might not feel the financial effects of giving in their lifetime. Because they don’t interrupt daily cash flow, they provide an opportunity to give a large gift to a cause the donor is passionate about. Leaving such a gift can make the donor feel like they’ve left an impactful legacy.
The reduced day-to-day burden is helpful, but there are also financial incentives to legacy giving. Some gift types, like bequests and charitable remainder trusts, offer significant tax benefits for donors and/or their heirs. The donor is given the flexibility to develop a planned gift that best suits their financial situations and desired outcomes.
Legacy giving gives control to the donor in more ways than one. Not only can the donor choose which type of gift they’d prefer to give, but they can also decide what’s done with that gift. For example, in a bequest, the donor might allocate their money to a specific cause or project.
How can nonprofits start promoting legacy gifts?
Even if you have a clear understanding of legacy gifts and the potential impact they would have for your organization, your supporters might not. The best way to promote legacy gifts is to make donors aware of their options.
You might find opportunities to bring up legacy giving in conversations with top prospects, or you might send out communications to your supporter base specifically about these types of gifts. No matter what, make it as easy as possible for your supporters to explore their options and plan their gift. Offer easy to use tools for creating bequests, like Freewill. Over time, you can develop a dedicated planned giving program that sources, cultivates, and stewards new legacy gifts for your nonprofit.
Additional Resources
Nonprofit Catalog – Read up on more nonprofit essentials by exploring our Nonprofit Catalog.
Nonprofit Marketing – Learn more about the basics of nonprofit marketing and how to structure your marketing strategy.
As a nonprofit, sometimes you need to refresh your campaign strategy to acquire donations from new communities. In that case, crowdfunding is a unique type of fundraising you should try.
What is crowdfunding?
Crowdfunding is a fundraising format in which large amounts of people each donate a small amount of money to fund a project or venture. It typically occurs via the internet, and because of this, it allows companies to reach a wider audience that they normally wouldn’t have connected with. Whether you are a family trying to raise money after a hurricane or a nonprofit trying to reach a goal, crowdfunding can be a nifty way to raise the funds you need.
Crowdfunding FAQs
What types of crowdfunding are there?
There are several main types of crowdfunding:
Donation-based. When people donate and receive nothing in return, that is donation-based crowdfunding. This type of crowdfunding campaign is usually successful because individuals connect strongly with your mission or goal and want to support you.
Debt-based. People give with the expectation that this money is being borrowed and will be returned at a later date.
Reward-based. Commonly found on platforms like Kickstarter, donors of reward-based crowdfunding campaigns expect to receive something in return for their donations. For example, if supporters donate a certain amount, you could send them a mug branded to your nonprofit.
Investment-based. Also known as equity-based crowdfunding, this type of campaign allows businesses to sell a part of their business in exchange for funds. People who fund this campaign personally invest, becoming shareholders in the campaign. This type of campaign usually cannot be used by nonprofits because there’s no private ownership allowed.
As a nonprofit interested in crowdfunding, you will probably be creating a donation-based or reward-based campaign. When a nonprofit has a compelling mission and a clear goal, a donation-based campaign can work very well. However, there’s nothing wrong with a reward-based campaign where you give supporters some form of branded merchandise, such as a mug or a t-shirt, in exchange for their support.
What are the benefits of crowdfunding?
Here are some of the benefits of crowdfunding:
Greater outreach. Since crowdfunding campaigns tend to take place on the internet, they allow you to reach a wider audience of supporters than you normally would have.
Efficiency. For the duration of your campaign, all donors will be funneled towards your fundraising page. This helps you streamline donations and makes your process more efficient.
Access to new ideas and feedback. Often, crowdfunding pages will have sections where supporters can write comments and questions. This will give you access to your supporters’ ideas and immediate feedback, which you can use in the future for more effective fundraising.
Supporter-driven marketing. Most crowdfunding platforms make it easy to share pages to social media. When your supporters share your page, they are marketing your campaign for free, since they are taking the initiative to spread the word. When they do this, they are both promoting your campaign and endorsing your organization.
Proof of interest. Having a successful campaign means that a large amount of people are supporting you and believe in your cause. You can use this proof to convince corporations to partner with you through matching gift programs or volunteer drives.
Naturally, crowdfunding has its downsides as well. The biggest drawback is that there is no guarantee that people will donate to your campaign, which makes crowdfunding more suitable for nonprofits that already have a large base of supporters. However, by staying organized and marketing your campaign appropriately, you can mitigate a lot of the risk.
What features should you look for in a crowdfunding site?
Picking a suitable crowdfunding site is crucial to the success of your campaign. When choosing a crowdfunding platform, keep the following features in mind:
Easy page setup
Customization options
Online payment processor
Social media integration
Commonly hosts similar campaigns
Platform fee
When it comes to crowdfunding sites, GoFundMe and Kickstarter are the most popular options.. However, just because it’s popular doesn’t mean that it’s the best fit for your nonprofit. Make sure to check out other great crowdfunding alternatives.
Tips for a successful crowdfunding campaign
Here are some things to keep in mind for a successful crowdfunding campaign:
Prepare thoroughly for your campaign. Remember that the inherent risk of crowdfunding is that people might not want to donate. Ensure that you do thorough research on your audience to learn how best to conduct your campaign.
Clearly communicate your campaign’s purpose and goals. Make sure that donors know what their money is going to be used for. For example, if you are an animal shelter, you could say that you’re raising money to help cover the costs of caring for a recent influx of puppies.
Share compelling and relevant marketing materials. Whether it is videos of volunteers or anecdotes from people you’ve previously helped, make sure you show potential donors why your mission is important. Include emotional appeals in your marketing materials, such as an image of a puppy that you’re helping and his/her story.
Spread the word through social media. Your crowdfunding campaign should be cross-linked with your website and your other social media platforms for ease of access. You can also post on social media about your campaign every couple of days to maximize exposure.
Thank your donors. After a successful crowdfunding campaign, remember to show your gratitude to your donors, such as by sending them a donor thank you letter. Express your genuine appreciation for their help, as without it, your campaign would not have succeeded.
Although the prospect of creating a crowdfunding campaign may seem intimidating, it can be very helpful for generating large amounts of funds for your nonprofit. The key aspects to remember are that you must pick an appropriate crowdfunding site, prepare thoroughly for your campaign, and create compelling content that makes potential donors want to support your cause.
If you’d like to learn more about nonprofit fundraising and marketing, take a look at the resources below!
Additional Resources
Nonprofit Catalog – Read up on more nonprofit essentials by exploring our Nonprofit Catalog.
Best Fundraising Ideas – If you’re looking for fundraising ideas, this website is a great resource to help you brainstorm.
Charitable foundations are key entities in the nonprofit world. With various types and classifications determined by the IRS, it’s important to understand the distinctions. For instance, how do private foundations differ from public charities?
Acquiring basic knowledge of how nonprofits interact with charitable foundations will allow you to develop better relationships and improve your grant application processes in the future.
What is a charitable foundation?
A foundation is a fairly loose term in the nonprofit sector that can apply to a range of 501(c)(3) organizations. They primarily focus on supporting charitable activities and programming related to areas like education, health, religion, and culture by issuing grants, or packages of funding designated for specific uses by the nonprofits that receive them.
Contributions to organizations designated by the IRS as 501(c)(3) are usually tax-deductible, since they’re made in support of charitable purposes. Although some foundations may have their own charitable programs and most conduct fundraising activities of their own, most employ their assets by awarding grants.
What are the different types of charitable organizations?
Two key categories of 501(c)(3) charitable organizations are private foundations and public charities.
Public charities are exempt from state and federal income taxes as long as they meet the requirements defined in the IRS’s Compliance Guide. However, private foundations may not be tax-exempt nor able to deduct charitable contributions unless their governing instruments contain additional special provisions.
Another difference lies in these foundations’ primary sources of financial support. While private foundations tend to be self-funded by an individual, family, or corporation, public charities often receive financial support from donations and grants.
Primary types of organizations within these two categories of charitable foundations include:
Private Foundations
Independent Foundations are usually self-funded by an individual or a group of individuals.
Family Foundations are usually funded by a family’s endowment and governed by members of that family.
Corporate Foundations, also known as company-sponsored foundations, are created and funded by a corporation. Their grants usually relate to the corporation’s activities. The Google Ad Grants program, for instance, is part of Google’s corporate philanthropy arm.
Public Charities
Public Foundations make up one of the largest groups of public charities. These foundations are a significant source of grants, primarily allocating their budget towards providing financial support to communities and other organizations.
Nonprofits, rather than issue grants, prioritize performing charitable activities to further their social causes. For these organizations, it’s crucial to conduct and share impact measurements to assure donors of the results that their funds help to achieve. This type of public charity can include schools, churches, and nonprofit hospitals.
Community Foundations largely focus on providing funds to support charitable projects in a specific community or geographical area. By examining local areas of need, they help finance initiatives such as human services, healthcare, or educational programs.
Supporting Organizations, such as the philanthropic branch of a hospital or university, support and associate themselves with another specific organization.
Generally, most foundations that fall within these categories offer grants to other nonprofits. Understanding their individual distinctions will help you navigate your interactions with them and determine the best ways to make a case for support and communicate your impact.
What do charitable foundations do?
Like other nonprofits, foundations have their own missions. Most drive impact by providing financial support to other organizations whose goals align with their own. Nonprofits with powerful impact stories are especially likely to gain support from these grantmakers, along with other potential contributors.
Depending on the type of foundation and its goals, it might also conduct research or educational services. Charitable branches of healthcare institutions and universities can be essential sources of funding for nonprofit organizations.
Additionally, public foundations tend to conduct their own fundraising initiatives and activities. Just like other nonprofits, it’s important for all foundations to remain compliant with the appropriate standards of conduct, though the outlined requirements may differ slightly depending on their classifications.
How do nonprofits interact with charitable foundations?
501(c)(3) charitable nonprofits usually interact with foundations through the grant seeking process. Whether you’re composing an annual appeal to donors or applying for a grant, be sure to emphasize your nonprofit’s story and impact when asking for support.
In order to fulfill their own missions to drive impact, foundations devote much consideration towards responsibly stewarding their assets and allocating them in ways that will result in the most measurable impact. Because of this, the grant seeking process for nonprofits can be competitive and challenging.
To ensure success, prioritize understanding a foundation’s priorities, mission, and guidelines as you attempt to capture their attention with a proposal. Nonprofits with well-aligned missions and proposals tailored to the foundation’s requirements and priorities will have the best shot at getting approved for a grant.
Another significant interaction between nonprofits and charitable organizations lies in the grant management and reporting process. For foundations and donors alike, it’s important to know where their contributions are adding up and what kind of impact they’re having. SureImpact’s guide to nonprofit impact measurement provides concrete steps for sharing impact results and strengthening relationships with financial supporters.
Cultivating trusting relationships with foundations can lead to more successful grant proposals in the future, so take the time to communicate thoughtfully according to the funder’s guidelines!
Additional Resources
Nonprofit Catalog – Read up on more nonprofit essentials by exploring our Nonprofit Catalog.
Nonprofit Bookkeeping – Nonprofit Catalog – As a 501(c)(3) organization, your nonprofit must abide by some guidelines and regulations set forth by the IRS. Learn more about the essentials in this introduction to bookkeeping.
Corporate Philanthropy – Nonprofit Catalog – In addition to grants, corporations can offer matching donations and in-kind donations. Take a look at the various types of corporate philanthropy and their benefits.
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Donations are the foundation of the nonprofit industry. Without them, nonprofit organizations wouldn’t be able to reach their goals and create positive social impact. That’s why it’s crucial to have compelling donation requests.
What is a donation request?
A donation request is fairly straightforward—it’s a letter, email, or other type of message asking for a donation. When you receive a call asking you to donate to help fund animal shelters, or when you receive an email detailing how your money would help build houses for families in need, there is a donation request being made of you.
How do you make a donation request?
Making a donation request can be a daunting task. Convincing people to part with their hard-earned money can be challenging. However, doing some research ahead of time to develop a clear outreach plan can greatly improve your chances. One of the first things you should look into is who you can request donations from.
Who to request donations from
Here are the most common groups that nonprofits request donations from:
Individuals. Reaching out to as many interested individuals as possible is important for a successful fundraising campaign. Donations from individuals can vary in size, but you should make sure to show your gratitude regardless.
Corporations. Corporate giving and corporate social responsibility are on the rise, so reach out to corporations for donations. Companies can offer workplace giving programs such as matching gifts or volunteer grants to incentivize donations from their employees.
Foundations. In 2021, foundations donated a total of $90.88 billion. A critical source of nonprofit funding, foundations often require applications to consider giving to a nonprofit. When you research foundations, look for those whose missions align with yours.
Each of these overarching groups is made of individuals with unique motivations and interests. For example, foundations will tend to give grants to different types of organizations based on their unique charitable mission and goals. Some corporations will be more likely to offer a matching gift program than others. Make sure that your research is robust and you have a sufficient understanding of each prospective donor group.
When to make donation requests
There are no hard and fast rules about when donation requests can be made—in fact, you can ask whenever you want. However, there are certain times during the year when donors are prepared to make larger gifts. Take the opportunity to make your request during these times:
Events. Make the most of your fundraising events by including a clear donation request. Ensure that your attendees know how to make a gift to your organization, whether that’s through an online page or a physical collections box.
Year end.It’s estimated that 30% of annual giving occurs in December, with 10% occurring in the last three days of the year. If you have a yearly goal, consider reminding donors about it sometime at the end of the year. Or, follow FundraisingIP’s suggestion and host a year-end fundraising event!
Giving Tuesday. This annual event is a global day of giving centered around positively transforming communities and the world. This day celebrates generosity and all donations. Take this opportunity to request monetary or in-kind donations, such as asking for supplies for your volunteer program!
Cause months. Every month has specific social good causes tied to them. For example, October is famously the breast cancer awareness month. If your cause has a month associated with it, ensure that you promote your nonprofit during that month and request donations.
After crises or urgent challenges. For example, if your nonprofit helps find loving homes for shelter animals, you could ask for donations after receiving a surprise influx of 100 new animals. Supporters will be motivated to donate to help mitigate your organization’s most pressing challenges.
Keep in mind that you don’t have to limit your donation requests to just special days like Giving Tuesday or other major event days. You can ask for donations all year round to help fund your nonprofit’s ongoing projects and programs. You know your donors the best, so make sure that you pick times when they are more likely to make gifts.
Ways to make donation requests
There are numerous ways to make donation requests. Here are a few:
In person. Making an ask in person is especially effective at fundraising events. Remind attendees that they can make a donation, and guide them through how your donation system works. You may also make in-person donation requests during one-on-one meetings with major donors. Since you’re asking for significant contributions from these individuals, setting up a one-on-one meeting shows that you’ve put time and thought into your request.
Email. Email donation requests are very simple to set up, and you can even personalize them to include the recipient’s full name. Include eye-catching graphics and information about tangible goals that the donors’ gifts will go towards.
Phone calls. A tried-and-true method for donation requests, phone calls are a great way to contact donors who value human connection. Consider using them to connect with demographics that might not use technological devices often, such as older adults.
Social media. Making a donation request through social media can help you reach a wider audience. People from all over the country (or even the globe) can easily access information about your campaign. Make sure to post on popular platforms like Facebook and Instagram, and ensure that your online donation system is easy to use and accessible.
Letters. A handwritten letter speaks to the effort a nonprofit is making to connect with its donors. Some donation request letter best practices include having an emotional appeal and incorporating information on how to donate.
Ensure that you are communicating with your donors outside of donor requests. If donors perceive your nonprofit as only reaching out when you want donations, they will feel that your efforts aren’t genuine, and will be less likely to make gifts. Keep your communication with donors thoughtful and focus on strengthening your connections.
Donation request best practices
Now you know the who, when, and how of donation requests. But before you make your request, make sure you keep these best practices in mind:
Research your donors. Not all donors are interested in the same thing. Make sure that your donation requests match the donor to increase your chances of getting a gift. Consider creating a donor segmentation cheat sheet to make sure your communications are appropriate for each donor.
Be genuine and transparent. Donors want to know that you’re earnest about your cause and they want to make sure that their money is being used for good. In your request, let them know how you plan to use their donations, then follow up later with updates that show you’re using their gifts how you said you would.
Accept rejection gracefully. Not everyone has the means or desire to donate to your organization. Make sure to accept rejection politely and thank them for their time.
Show your gratitude. When donors do make a gift, show them your appreciation and gratitude. Consider sending a handwritten thank you letter. Make sure that your writing is personable, specific, and grateful.
Make sure that you have robust fundraising software that fulfills your fundraising needs. The right fundraising software will make donation requests a breeze by allowing you to automatically input donors’ names and ask amounts into your requests. Plus, it can even help you attract more donations by offering a user-friendly, mobile-optimized donation process.
Additional Resources
Nonprofit Catalog – Read up on more nonprofit essentials by exploring our Nonprofit Catalog.
Writing Fundraising Letters – Interested in writing a fundraising letter? Check out Fundraising IP’s templates that you can use for inspiration.
Nonprofit Marketing – Marketing for nonprofits extends beyond simply making donation requests. Learn more from this beginner’s guide to nonprofit marketing.
Through membership programs, loyal supporters and nonprofits develop a mutually beneficial relationship. Members get perks that regular donors don’t, and nonprofits get a consistent stream of revenue. In this article, we’ll go over what exactly membership benefits are, and how they fit into nonprofit membership programs. Let’s dive in!
What are membership benefits?
In general, membership benefits are perks, services, and access that people receive when they participate in a membership program. You can easily find examples of these benefits when you look at aquarium or zoo memberships, which commonly offer free tickets in exchange for paying a membership fee.
Membership programs can serve many purposes, but above all, they are a way to increase supporter involvement within nonprofits and associations. These organizations offer specific member benefits in exchange for membership fees. Membership programs often have different goals, including:
Raising money for an organization.
Building a stronger network around a cause.
Receiving ideas and feedback from members.
The membership benefits you choose to offer are heavily influenced by your program’s goal. If you wish to give your members a larger voice, you may send them annual polls asking for their ideas for fundraising campaigns and events. Make sure that your members feel heard by implementing these suggestions into your fundraising initiatives.
Why have a membership program?
There are many benefits to having a membership program. Above all, these programs are mutually beneficial relationships—in exchange for a membership fee, members are recognized as dedicated supporters and given perks and special engagement opportunities. This member-organization relationship ensures a sustainable method of revenue generation for the organization and strengthens supporters’ trust and involvement.
If you’re planning on implementing a membership program for your organization, make sure your software for donor management is robust. You’ll want to be able to categorize your donors, ensuring you know who is part of your membership program.
Common membership benefits
Here are some benefits that are frequently offered in membership programs:
Members-only newsletters. Send your members exclusive newsletters with behind-the-scenes information not available to others. You can even give sneak peaks of future events. For instance, a botanical garden could tease images of their evening lights display.
Event perks. These perks can be early access to ticket purchases or early event registration. You can also offer event-specific perks, like free raffle tickets or extended bidding time for an auction. Make sure your ticketing and registration system is powerful, organized, and allows you to offer early and regular registration.
Community. Aside from offering event perks, you can also host member-exclusive events or meetings. For example, an art museum could host an event showing highly-anticipated artwork that the general public won’t be able to see.
Discounts. Organizations like aquariums that require ticket purchases often offer their members free or highly discounted tickets. Your organization could also offer a discount on merchandise, event tickets, or other services.
Membership cards. Giving your members a physical or digital membership card can help foster a sense of community and inclusivity. Make sure the graphic on the card is designed well so that members will feel proud displaying it.
Whether you are a cultural organization or a nonprofit, a membership program can be a great way to generate revenue and involvement. Offering participants member benefits makes the relationship mutually beneficial, making it much more likely that people will want to take part in your program. Make sure you have a powerful membership management software to guarantee success!
Additional Resources
Nonprofit Catalog – Read up on more nonprofit essentials by exploring our Nonprofit Catalog.
Donor Segmentation – Donors interact with your organization in different ways. Learn more about how to appeal to your different donor segments.
Nonprofit Marketing – Looking for other ways to promote your organization? Check out this guide.
Maintaining a strong employee base is critical to keeping your business or nonprofit strong. Your business’s hard-working, dedicated employees are your greatest assets, and ideally, you want them to stay with your company for a long time. After all, the hiring and training processes are expensive and time-consuming, so high employee retention is essential.
What is employee retention?
Employee retention is the ability of an organization, such as a business or nonprofit, to keep its employees year after year. Maintaining high levels of employee retention means that your organization is doing an effective job of appealing to employees’ needs and interests.
In order to calculate your employee retention rate, subtract the total number of employees who left your organization from your total number of employees. Then, divide by your total number of employees and multiply by 100.
Benefits of a strong employee retention rate
You may be thinking: what’s the point of having a high employee retention rate? After all, you could simply fill those vacant roles again. However, a high employee retention rate has many benefits for your organization, including the following:
Reduced costs for your organization. Hiring new employees is expensive, and so is training them. While a new employee is in training, they will take time to become familiar with your systems and procedures, making your organization temporarily less efficient. By retaining your employees, you won’t have to spend as much time and money on the hiring and training process.
Stronger employee skillset and greater organizational efficiency. Having been trained in your organization’s systems and after fulfilling their job duties for years, your employees will be more experienced in their roles. They will have spent their time practicing the skills they need to succeed at their job. Retaining these employees will make your organization as a whole more effective and efficient.
Greater employee morale. No employees want to work at an organization where their coworkers leave on a regular basis. Knowing that your company has a high employee retention rate will lower your employees’ stress, increase their morale, and reduce instability at your workplace.
Having a strong employee retention rate may even set your organization apart from others. This means that if you do have to hire new employees, more people will be happy to work for you and your applicant pool will be much larger.
How to strengthen your employee retention rate
Improving your employee retention rate starts with creating a better experience for employees and investing in their long-term growth. Consider using these employee retention strategies at your organization:
Appreciation software like a digital greeting card creator
Feedback surveys that allow employees to share their thoughts about the company, workflow, or anything else
Training programs or coaching courses that help employees grow their professional skills
These tools will make it easier to connect employees with the engagement opportunities that appeal to them. In addition, you can track employee engagement using these software solutions to determine which employees are taking advantage of your engagement opportunities and which opportunities are most popular among your staff.
2. Help employees set professional goals.
Professional goals for an employee might look like achieving a promotion or advancing their skills. When you help employees set meaningful goals, it gives them something to strive for and look forward to. Make sure that the goals are aligned with your organization’s overarching objectives. Also, schedule follow-up meetings to check progress, offer additional guidance when needed, and let the employee weigh in on the process.
3. Offer ongoing opportunities for training and professional development.
When employees stagnate or don’t feel like they’re growing, they may seek employment elsewhere to help facilitate that growth. According to NXUnite, offering ongoing opportunities for training and professional development helps employees avoid burnout and advance in their career path. These opportunities could be in the form of online training modules, professional coaching, or mentorship.
For example, let’s say you’re looking to offer more professional development opportunities for your nonprofit’s employees. You can consider hosting seminars or a lunch-and-learn program to help employees brush up on their fundraising-related skills.
4. Allow employees to attend relevant conferences.
Conferences can be an excellent opportunity to learn more about industry trends, pick up new skills, and make connections with fellow industry professionals. Relevant nonprofit conferences can be found easily through web searches or on social media platforms like LinkedIn. If you’re worried about travel costs, you can search for virtual or hybrid conferences.
5. Offer workplace giving opportunities.
Corporate social responsibility has become increasingly important, and workplace giving is integral to that. In fact, 71% of surveyed employees say it is imperative or very important to them to work at a place where the culture is supportive of giving and volunteering. That’s why you should have programs in place that allow your employees to give back, such as:
Matching gifts: A matching gift program shows employees that you care about the causes they care about. Invest in their philanthropic endeavors by starting a matching gift program in which your company will match employees’ donations at a 1:1 or 2:1 ratio.
Volunteer grants: Some employees may donate their time and efforts to a nonprofit, and your company should support that, too! Establish volunteer grants through which your organization donates a set amount to a nonprofit when an employee reaches a certain threshold of hours volunteered.
You can even decide which programs to implement based on your employees’ preferences. If you want to learn more about your employees’ charitable giving habits (or anything else), you can always ask them directly through feedback surveys.
6. Ask for and incorporate employee feedback.
Employees want to feel like their voices are heard and that their opinions matter. Listening to them will help you improve their experience and may give you insight into issues you didn’t realize existed. Send out regular employee surveys and make a plan to incorporate their input.
7. Recognize your employees’ hard work.
Did you know that 80% of employees would work harder if they felt more appreciated? That’s the power of positive workplace morale! By recognizing your employees’ hard work, you indicate that you care about their contributions and are happy that they’re succeeding, which can lead to improved retention and satisfaction rates.
A few ways you can recognize your employees’ hard work include:
Personalized thank-you notes
Public praise
Employee wall of fame
Employee appreciation day
Another great strategy is to send your employees a token of your appreciation. This method is so popular that there are companies dedicated to helping your organization send gifts to your staff members. A gift such as a branded mug, flowers, or even an eCard gives your employees a tangible reminder that you see the work that they’re doing. This appreciation will encourage your employees to remain at your organization.
8. Encourage a healthy work/life balance
Work-life balance means that employees can strike a healthy equilibrium between time spent at the office and time spent outside of work activities that bring joy and fulfillment.
If your organization operates with a hybrid or fully remote model, finding the right work-life balance can be more challenging for employees. Encourage them to step away from their computers and silence their notifications at the end of each workday to provide clear boundaries between work and home life.
According to Double the Donation’s employee engagement guide, “a culture of work-life balance should be cultivated from the top down.” That means your company’s leaders and managers should emulate good work-life balance habits by avoiding contacting employees outside of their regular working hours, encouraging employees to take paid time off, and taking time off themselves to recharge.
9. Promote inclusivity in the workplace
An inclusive workplace is one where all employees feel accepted, welcomed, and celebrated for who they are.
Inclusivity doesn’t just support employee engagement and retention — it can lead to tangible benefits for your organization. Studies have shown that organizations with high levels of diversity financially outperform organizations without high diversity.
Foster inclusion and diversity by adopting a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policy that includes:
A clear declaration of your organization’s DEI commitment
Inclusive hiring guidelines
Training resources
Mechanisms for addressing policy violations
Share your policy with employees to gather feedback and workshop the document until it fully encapsulates your DEI commitment.
Additional Resources
Nonprofit Catalog – Read up on more nonprofit essentials by exploring our Nonprofit Catalog.
A Spotlight on Top Impact Investors Driving Social Change – Engaged employees are just one part of growing your company’s impact. Learn about impact investing and how the right investor can help mission-driven businesses accomplish more.
Nonprofit Fundraising Training: FAQs and 8 Top Resources
Fundraising is the foundation of your nonprofit’s success. If your nonprofit is a car, fundraising is the fuel allowing you to drive your mission forward (was that one too many car puns?) Effective fundraising allows you to continue funding your projects and programs to ultimately help more people and achieve your goals.
As a nonprofit professional (or an aspiring one), you may be looking to improve your fundraising skills for greater fundraising success in the future. In this guide, we’ll cover what you need to know about fundraising training, including:
Fundraising is a skill that you can practice and ultimately get better at over time. These tips and resources will help guide you in the right direction to achieve greater fundraising success.
Fundraising Training FAQs
Before we dive into a few fundraising training course options and resources, let’s explore some commonly asked questions about fundraising training and how to develop fundraising skills.
What level of education is needed for fundraising?
There are no sector-wide degree requirements for nonprofit fundraising professionals. However, certain degrees lend themselves more naturally to eventual fundraising success.
If you’re looking to go into fundraising after completing your college career, the following bachelor’s degrees lend themselves naturally to fundraising:
These degrees tend to focus on developing communication skills, conducting creative problem solving, increasing efficiency within organizations, and building other skills that can eventually help you become a better fundraiser.
Some universities even offer fundraising-related master’s degrees in the following fields:
An advanced degree in either of these fields can train you specifically for managing the ins and outs of on-the-ground nonprofit work.
Some degrees may also align with specific nonprofit missions. Having a degree in your nonprofit’s field of research or work can give you an immense amount of credibility when it comes to discussing your organization’s mission and the important role fundraising plays in reaching your goals. The following degrees may be applicable to nonprofit work:
Keep in mind that becoming an effective fundraiser isn’t about having a certain degree. In fact, many organizations don’t have a degree requirement to be able to apply for their fundraising positions. What’s more important than having a specific degree is that you have a variety of soft skills that fit well within the fundraising space and that you are a fast learner who can pick up new skills on the fly.
What are the most important fundraising skills?
Fundraising requires nonprofit professionals to leverage a variety of skills to spread mission awareness, connect with potential supporters, and ultimately convert these prospects into donors. It’s a fast-paced, engaging field that requires a combination of hard and soft skills such as:
Depending on the size of the nonprofit, the fundraising team might be made up of several individuals who specialize in one of these skills. However, for many nonprofits, the fundraising team is made of just one or two individuals who must manage each of these activities effectively.
What are the main categories of fundraising?
When it comes to fundraising training, you won’t just be learning how to conduct one type of fundraising. Fundraising involves connecting with multiple individuals and groups — individual donors, corporate sponsors, grant funders, volunteers, and community members — to build relationships.
With that in mind, your fundraising training process should incorporate the following types of fundraising:
Each of these activities requires a different approach and skill set. For instance, earning corporate sponsorships requires meeting with business owners and making your case for support using meetings and written communications. Event planning may require recruiting and managing volunteers, handling logistics, and creating marketing materials.
Depending on the size of your organization and the fundraising team, you might be engaged in all or just a handful of these activities daily.
How can I improve my fundraising skills?
If you’re looking to get better at fundraising and increase your positive response rate, there are a few steps you can take right away to get started:
Now that you have a roadmap for improving your fundraising skills, let’s take a look at a few of the best fundraising training programs, resources, and workshops available.
8 Fundraising Training Courses & Resources
Best Fundraising Webinars and Panels
Nonprofit webinars and panels help novice fundraisers learn how to improve their skills from the top fundraising professionals in the sector. Attendees can hear from the first-hand experience of other fundraisers to incorporate best practices into their nonprofit’s strategies. Check out the following sources for engaging, informative webinars and panel discussions.
NXUnite
NXUnite has a full calendar of free webinars and panels geared toward nonprofit professionals and others in the social-good space. Topics range from nonprofit IT best practices to how to connect with donors from different generations. The panelists and presenters are long-time industry experts that offer a wide range of insights and personal experiences.
Double the Donation
If you’re looking specifically for information about improving your approach to corporate giving, including acquiring more matching gifts and volunteer grant funds, look no further than Double the Donation’s webinars. Double the Donation is the industry-leading provider of matching gift software for nonprofits, universities, and other fundraising organizations. Their webinars cover matching gift best practices and industry insights, integration updates, and general fundraising advice.
Best Fundraising Workshops
Sometimes, what your organization needs is an intensive deep dive that allows you to set up more efficient and effective fundraising processes. You can find what you’re looking for in the form of a fundraising workshop, such as the programs offered by Aly Sterling Philanthropy.
Aly Sterling Philanthropy
Aly Sterling Philanthropy is a nonprofit consulting firm that offers fundraising services ranging from strategic planning to board preparation and corporate philanthropy management. ASP offers three practical workshops focusing on board efficiency and engagement, board governance, and fundraising preparedness.
Fundraising professionals can also purchase a variety of primers and toolkits from ASP’s Nonprofit Store. The store includes guides for stewarding donors, creating a strong case for support for a capital campaign, and evaluating your board’s and executive director’s effectiveness.
Best Online Fundraising Courses
Fundraising courses allow fundraisers-in-training to work through relevant educational materials on their own time and at their convenience. With online fundraising courses, you can engage in training from anywhere and take things at your own pace. If you’re interested in taking a fundraising course, consider the following options.
AFP Global
The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) empowers fundraising professionals by offering professional development, networking, and research opportunities. The organization’s e-courses cover fundraising fundamentals, CRM management, and more. They also offer resources for Spanish-speaking fundraising professionals.
Also, AFP has teamed up with MindEdge to offer over 100 courses on everything from nonprofit leadership to finance and HR. These courses can apply to a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) certification. This certification designates an individual as an ethical fundraising professional who follows industry best practices and is committed to observing the highest fundraising standards.
Nonprofit.Courses
Nonprofit.Courses offers thousands of online course options, and the vast majority (over 90%!) of them are free. Popular topics include grant-writing, accounting and finance, and starting up a new nonprofit. Nonprofit professionals can use these courses to earn continuing education certifications, such as certificates in web design, sustainable management, and more.
NonprofitReady
NonprofitReady offers free fundraising courses, allowing trainees to earn certificates and further their fundraising knowledge. Topics include online fundraising, email marketing, fundraising events, and more. Courses are designed by learning design professionals and nonprofit professional development experts.
Best Fundraising Professional Training Programs
Coaches aren’t just for sports teams—there are also plenty of coaches available to help you advance in your fundraising skills. Some nonprofit professionals dedicate their time to providing tailored training programs to meet new fundraisers where they are and build up their skills. Let’s take a look at a couple of top fundraising training programs and coaches!
Fundraising Academy
The Fundraising Academy offers CFRE-accredited programs that integrate business best practices with donor relationship-building strategies. Their Cause Selling Education program allows you to learn amongst peers in a cohort environment. The program is targeted at helping you advance in all fundraising categories: major gift cultivation, planned giving, digital fundraising, and more.
The Fundraising Coach
Marc Pittman is a leadership coach, fundraising trainer, and founder of The Fundraising Coach, a training and coaching program aimed at helping nonprofit professionals build a variety of skills. These include time management, leadership, marketing, and fundraising. Marc hosts personalized training sessions with nonprofit leadership groups to help build confidence and competency. Plus, Marc also offers executive coaching designed to help nonprofit leaders reach their full potential.
Getting Started with Fundraising Training
Your fundraising training should be an ongoing process— even if you’re an experienced nonprofit professional with multiple years in the sector under your belt. No matter how experienced you think you are, there’s always more to learn!
If you’re looking to get connected and learn from other nonprofit professionals who have been in your shoes, explore the NXUnite community. We offer a variety of resources for nonprofit professionals, including webinars and resource lists of top industry solutions. Also, check out our list of upcoming nonprofit conferences to add a few more learning and networking opportunities to your calendar.
If you’re ready to jump right into fundraising training, get started by exploring these additional resources:
The Data Append Guide for Nonprofits Working on Data Hygiene
Whether they consciously think about it or not, nonprofits collect data every day. From accepting donations to receiving new email newsletter sign-ups, every time a nonprofit interacts with its supporters, it’s absorbing different data points.
These days, all types of organizations understand that data should guide decision-making because it acts as clear evidence for trends and occurrences within your industry or operations. Nonprofits should be no different. Using data effectively can help your organization optimize its content and spread its mission even further.
The only problem with this data-driven approach is that if your organization has incorrect or incomplete data, then it can be difficult to comfortably rely on that data. That’s where data appends come in.
Data appends fill in the gaps in your data so that you can make well-informed decisions and communicate with a larger breadth of your supporters. If your organization isn’t familiar with data appends, then we’re here to help you learn the basics and how you can get started with the data append process.
Take a look at the questions we’ll answer in this guide:
Here at NXUnite, we connect nonprofits with the tools they need to be successful. We believe that data appends are an essential part of good data hygiene, which all nonprofits should practice in order to improve relationships with supporters and grow their organizations. Learning about what data appends are and how they work is the first step in improving your organization’s data hygiene, so you’ve come to the right place!
Equipped with data appends, your organization will not only improve its data hygiene but will also gain better insights into who your supporters are and how you can best reach out to them. But first, let’s learn what data appends are and how a data append service can help you with the process.
What Is a Data Append?
A data append is a piece of new information added to your nonprofit’s database. During the data appending process, data append services pull data from external sources to correct incorrect data or supplement incomplete data. They use any supporter information that you supply them with, such as contact information, to correctly identify the right individuals across different sources.
Data appends are important because they ensure your database is more complete with the information you need. For example, you could be missing an email address for an important donor. Without their email address, you won’t be able to thank that donor for their contributions or update them about your organization, potentially jeopardizing your relationship with them.
3 Different Approaches to Data Appending
While all data appends refer to adding new information to a database, there are different ways to go about the process and obtain the data you need. These are the three different approaches to data appending:
To determine which data append approach to take, think about which type of data you’re looking for. As we mentioned, forward appending is most typical and the most beneficial for nonprofits, so it’s never a bad idea to start there.
Data Append Timing
In addition to the different approaches to data appending, there are also two different categories of data appends based on the timing of when you’ll receive them:
Again, the choice between batch and real-time appending should depend on your organization’s needs. For most types of data appends, batch appending is more beneficial because it allows you to get all the information you need at once. However, real-time appending can be useful for ongoing data append-based solutions.
What Types of Data Appends Are There?
There’s a wide variety of data types you can append to your nonprofit’s database. Depending on your marketing goals and the information you have missing, you can choose the data appends that best fit your organization’s needs.
If you’re not sure which types of data would benefit your nonprofit, we’ll walk through the four different categories to give you a better idea of what your organization might need.
1. Contact Information
A lot of the data we’ve talked about so far falls under the umbrella of contact information, including phone numbers and email addresses. Believe it or not, social media profiles are also a type of data append in this category.
Communication with your supporters is essential to keeping your nonprofit running smoothly. Make sure your contact information is complete, up to date, and accurate with contact information appends. It’s important to review and update this type of data regularly since supporters’ contact information can change frequently for a variety of reasons.
2. Demographic Information
Demographic information allows you to learn a little more about who your supporters are. Types of demographic information you might collect include:
Although the benefits of having supporters’ demographic may not be as clear as those for contact information, knowing more about your supporters can help you reach them more effectively.
For example, date of birth appends allow you to know each supporter’s age so that you can segment them based on how old they are. Younger donors may respond better to text message outreach and social media campaigns while older donors may prefer direct mail. Additionally, knowing your supporters’ dates of birth presents the opportunity to offer birthday gifts or perks.
3. Geographic Data
Using geographic data appends can assist you in creating location-based campaigns. Segmentation based on location can be useful if your organization only operates in a certain area, if there are different localized branches of your nonprofit, or if you’re hosting in-person opportunities in certain areas.
The main geographic data append type is mailing address appends. Having the addresses of your supporters can allow you to send them direct mail and notify them of local opportunities.
4. Donor Wealth Screening
Donors are the primary source of your fundraising, so it can be helpful to know a little more about their assets. That way, you can predict how much and how likely they are to donate. It’s important to focus your marketing efforts on donors who seem to be open to upping or continuing their support at the moment. Doing so can help you prevent wasting time and energy on donors who may not currently be interested in lending their support.
Here are examples of donor wealth data you could append to your donor database.
Data append services use donation and wealth databases to find this information based on the donor data you supply them with. Once you receive your donor wealth appends, you can customize your outreach to each donor based on their ability and propensity to give.
What Is a Data Append Service?
Since data appending can be rather difficult and time-consuming when done by someone who’s inexperienced, it’s best to turn to the experts. A data append service can help you obtain all different types of data appends. They work to fill in the gaps in your database to help you understand and reach your target audience better.
Data append services are reputable sources for help with your data hygiene. They can append any type of data you need. Additionally, efficient data append service providers will talk to your organization about your current data needs and concerns in order to help you figure out your next steps along your data journey.
You may still not be convinced that partnering with a data append service could be helpful for your organization. If that’s the case, we’ll explain the exact value data append services bring to the table for nonprofits in the next section.
What Value Do Data Append Services Add?
As a nonprofit professional, you must be incredibly careful to budget your funds and resources effectively. Data hygiene is important because it can save your organization time and money by making sure you’re reaching out to the right people.
Basic Benefits of Data Appends
Leveraging data append services is a smart investment for nonprofits because they can help you reach your target audience more efficiently. You’ll be able to make more data-driven decisions and have the right contact information for your supporters.
Now that you know the basic premise of what data append services do, let’s explore the benefits they can provide to your organization:
Beyond rounding out your supporter database, data appends add value to your organization in several different ways.
Nonprofit-Specific Benefits of Data Appends
While the above benefits apply to any organization, there are specific benefits for nonprofits that data append services provide, such as:
If you’re looking to understand your supporters better, hiring a data append service provider is the right choice. While your organization won’t have to do much besides supplying them with the data you already have, it’s helpful to know how the data append process works so you can ask them any questions you may have.
What Is the Data Append Process?
We’ve talked a lot about the fact that data append services take the information you already have about your supporters and use it to find the data you’re looking for. How exactly does that process work though?
There are several steps that data append services follow in order to deliver data appends to their clients. Here are those steps:
The process is easy to follow, and once your organization formats and uploads the data, it’s all up to your data append service to put in the work. Since they’re experts in this area, they typically complete the process fairly quickly, allowing you to leverage your new data right away.
Now that you understand the data append process and how helpful a data append service can be, it’s time to find the data append service you’d like to work with.
How Do I Select a Data Append Service to Work With?
There are so many data append services out there that are ready to help your organization with its data needs. However, it’s important to do thorough research when finding a data append service provider to ensure that they have the qualities you’re looking for.
If you don’t know where to start, we’ve compiled a list of characteristics that we believe all data append services working with nonprofits should have, including:
With these qualities in mind, NPOInfo is our recommended nonprofit data append service provider. They possess all the qualities we’ve listed above and have extensive experience providing data for nonprofits.
Conclusion & Additional Resources
Good data hygiene ensures that your nonprofit can gain important insights into who your supporters are. An essential component of data hygiene is data appends, which add missing information to your database to expand your supporter profiles. With data appends, you can personalize and even segment your supporter communications to connect with supporters on an individual level.
If you’re ready to move forward with the data append process, the next step is finding a data append service to work with. You can request a quote from NPOInfo, our recommended nonprofit data append service, to learn more.
If you need more information before diving into the data append process, that’s okay. Here are some additional resources about data append types that will help you better determine your organization’s data append needs:
Venmo for Nonprofits: A Useful Tool to Boost Donations
As a nonprofit, fundraising is essential to your success as an organization. It’s not only how you power your programs but also how you can spread the word about your organization and mission to your community.
To optimize the funds they raise, nonprofits are always looking to make their operations more efficient. New technology and apps make this easy so that nonprofits can collect donations without having to put much thought into it. One such tool is Venmo.
Using Venmo for nonprofits allows organizations to leverage a platform many people already use every day. You might already be familiar with Venmo from your own personal use, but we’ll go more in-depth about what it is and how you can best use it for your nonprofit.
Take a look at the questions we’ll be answering about Venmo fundraising:
At NXUnite, we’re committed to helping nonprofits find the tools they need to maximize their fundraising efforts. Venmo is an app you may already be familiar with, but it has huge fundraising potential for your organization. We’re here to help you learn more about how your nonprofit can use Venmo to boost donations.
Are you ready to learn about how Venmo could be the next best fundraising tool for your nonprofit? Let’s get right into it!
What Is Venmo?
Venmo is a peer-to-peer mobile payment service. That means people can transfer money from their bank accounts to each other directly within the app. The app makes it easy for people to pay each other back without worrying about cash.
Although there are several similar apps out there, Venmo is one of the most popular. According to Venmo, the app currently has over 83 million users, the biggest group of which is 25-34 years old. In 2021 alone, the Paypal-owned platform processed about $230 million in payments.
It’s clear to see why people have turned to Venmo as their preferred way to send and receive money. All you have to do is link your bank account, debit card, or credit card to your account, and you’re good to go. With the click of a button, you can send and request payments from people.
Additionally, you can choose whether to transfer your funds to your bank account immediately or keep them in your account for future transactions. If you want to leverage both options, you can even select how much you would like to transfer out, leaving you with some money still left in the app.
What Are the Benefits of Using Venmo for Nonprofits?
Venmo solves a typical problem: how to pay people back efficiently. The easy-to-use app simplifies the process of splitting a check, paying your portion of your rent, and so much more.
Now that you a little more about how Venmo works, why is it a good platform for nonprofits? Just like they do for other individuals, people can send money to nonprofits, creating another fundraising source. Beyond creating an additional revenue source, some of the benefits Venmo fundraising can provide for your nonprofit are that it’s:
Taking advantage of Venmo fundraising can not only raise money for your organization but also help you build relationships with your supporters. They will appreciate the ability to use a platform they’re likely already familiar with to contribute to your cause and amplify your organization to family and friends.
How Do I Set Up a Venmo Account for My Nonprofit?
If you think Venmo would be an asset to your fundraising efforts, it’s time to set up your account. At this time, Venmo does not have an option specifically for nonprofits, but they do allow nonprofits to create regular accounts and use them to collect donations.
Setting up your organization’s Venmo account is simple. Just follow these five steps:
It’s that easy! If you have a personal Venmo account, you’ve already been through the same process. For more information about creating your account, you can refer to Venmo’s website.
How Can My Nonprofit Guide Donors to Our Venmo Account?
Of course, any organization can say they’ve created a Venmo account and leave it at that. However, you’ll need to go a bit further if you want your supporters to be able to find your account and engage with it. Here are some suggestions for how to promote your Venmo for nonprofits account:
Give a tutorial on how donors can use Venmo to contribute.
Start by teaching donors how Venmo for nonprofits works. You can create a step-by-step video that shows donors how they can give donations to your organization on Venmo.
Let donors know how easy the process is and why it’s a great platform for nonprofits.
Add your Venmo account to your donation page.
You’ll want donors to know that contributing through Venmo is a new donation option, so it’s important that your donation page reflects that.
Include your Venmo username on emails and social media.
Make it easy for donors to find your Venmo account. You probably already promote your social media accounts in your emails, so just add Venmo to the list.
On your nonprofit’s social media pages, link your Venmo account in your bio for easy access.
Share your Venmo QR code with your supporters.
Sometimes, it can be difficult to find Venmo accounts if you don’t know the exact usernames you’re looking for. Eliminate that obstacle by promoting your nonprofit’s Venmo QR code. That way, you’ll know donors are contributing to the right account.
Make sure to share your Venmo QR code with your supporters through various methods such as email newsletters, social media, your website, and at events.
Once donors know how to donate to your organization through Venmo, it’s important to make sure they’re having a good experience using the app.
How Can Venmo for Nonprofits Foster Connections with Donors?
If you use Venmo fundraising correctly, you can make it a fun, interactive, and rewarding donation experience. By prioritizing the giving experience, you’ll ultimately foster better connections with your donors. Let’s walk through a few steps you can take to give your donors a great user experience on Venmo:
Cater to your audience.
Remember that most Venmo users are on the younger side. When commenting on their donations, don’t be afraid to use emojis and have fun with your interactions.
You can also take advantage of the social proof we mentioned before. Younger donors love to be recognized for their efforts, so consider shouting out a Venmo donor of the week on your social media.
Encourage donations of any size.
Again, most people use Venmo for small payments. Lean into that by asking donors for small donations. It will all add up and ultimately acquire new donors who could have been intimidated by the prospect of donating before.
Host a fundraising competition.
Split your supporters up into teams and have them compete for who can raise the most money or make the most donations. The teams can be based on age, location, or another factor of your choosing.
Provide an incentive to the winning team such as social media shoutouts, gift cards, or matched donations. Knowing they could earn a prize, people might be more willing to participate.
Interact with as many donors as possible.
Since Venmo functions like a social media platform, use it like one. Comment on as many donations as you can. You can send an emoji, sticker, or GIF to make it fun. Most importantly, remember to thank donors for their contributions.
Using Venmo for nonprofits opens up new opportunities for building donor relationships like never before.
Conclusion & Additional Resources
With so many new payment apps out there, it’s difficult to decide which is best for your organization. For nonprofits, Venmo is the ultimate choice. With low fees, security features, and opportunities to interact with your donors, Venmo provides an easy and reliable way to raise money and build relationships with your supporters.
Now that you know how beneficial Venmo fundraising can be, you might be wondering what other fundraising tools and nonprofit resources are out there. Check out these articles to help out your nonprofit:
Sponsorship Levels – Nonprofit Catalog
Consider the following: you want to host a fundraising event, but you don’t have enough funds to do so. That’s where corporate sponsorships can really help. Partnerships between nonprofits and businesses can help nonprofits increase revenue and get funding for goals and events. Plus, establishing varying sponsorship levels can help you maximize your fundraising.
What are sponsorship levels?
A corporate sponsorship is a type of partnership between a nonprofit and a business, specifically where the nonprofit receives support from the business to continue serving its mission. While this partnership may seem more beneficial for nonprofits, corporations can gain increased name recognition and tax breaks. Furthermore, social responsibility brings businesses positive marketing benefits and improves their reputation among potential customers.
Sponsorship levels are different tiers of corporate sponsorship. These tiers have varying levels of benefits and prices for the corporation.
How to determine sponsorship levels
Setting specific sponsorship levels requires a lot of thought and planning to maximize success. Here are some things you should do while determining sponsorship levels:
Set a goal
What do you want to get out of your sponsorship? Are you looking for sponsorship for a specific fundraising event, such as a hybrid auction or a fun run? Perhaps you’re looking for more funds to reach a specific goal or project. Or maybe, you would like sponsorship for your nonprofit as a whole, to help cover the day-to-day costs and administrative expenses.
Depending on what your goal is, you will want to set different sponsorship levels. A partnership for a fundraising event will probably have fewer benefits and cost less than a longer-term partnership.
Identify potential corporate sponsors
Once you decide what your goal is, you might be tempted to go straight to brainstorming what your sponsorship levels will cost and what the benefits will be. However, researching potential corporate sponsors can help you determine those things.
Consider the following when identifying potential corporate sponsors:
Doing this research will give you a list of corporations you can directly reach out to. Having a clear idea of the corporations you’re marketing to will help you get a better sense of what benefits to offer. You will also be able to make your sponsorships more targeted and be able to appeal specifically to those corporations.
Offer sponsorship incentives
Although corporate sponsorships are mutually beneficial, you’ll still want to incentivize corporations to sponsor you. That means you must appeal to what corporations want and offer them appropriate benefits. Here are some benefits you can offer:
Evaluate the potential benefits you could offer and which of them would appeal most to the corporations you’re planning on reaching out to. Include those in your sponsorship levels, and include more high-value benefits in your more expensive packages.
Choose sponsorship level names and prices
After you’ve given thought to your goal, your potential corporate sponsors, and what incentives you’ll be offering, decide what your sponsorship levels should be called and what they should cost. You can get creative with your level names and even tie them into what your nonprofit does. For example, if you work for a zoo, you could name your sponsorship levels after animals. The top tier could be “Lion,” the bottom tier could be “Meerkat,” and so on.
Your prices should reflect the thought you’ve put into what corporations you’re targeting. If you are planning on mostly selling to small local corporations, your prices should be lower. Bigger companies will have more money, so you can make your levels more expensive. Reflect on your organization and how much you think your cause is worth to corporations—don’t downsell or upsell.
When done correctly, sponsorship levels can help your nonprofit accomplish objectives that you normally wouldn’t have the funds for. Take the time to do the research and brainstorming to increase your chances of a successful sponsorship.
If you’re interested in other forms of corporate giving, take a look at the resources down below.
Additional Resources
Nonprofit Catalog – Read up on more nonprofit essentials by exploring our Nonprofit Catalog.
Corporate Giving Programs: The Ultimate Fundraising Guide – Interested in corporate giving programs? This guide covers all of the basics.
Corporate Gift Matching Software Can Be A Game Changer For Your CRM – Informing your donors of gift matching opportunities is crucial for fundraising, making gift matching integrations essential for your CRM.
Legacy Giving – Nonprofit Catalog
Legacy giving is a unique fundraising opportunity that can be ongoing like other development work, such as seeking major gifts or grants, and can also access an untapped source of donations. This type of gift is important to your donors who want to leave a lasting legacy and positive impact on your mission as it allows them to give larger donations at a future date.
Before you plan how to incorporate legacy giving into your fundraising strategy, let’s review the basics:
What is legacy giving?
Legacy giving, or planned giving, is a donation that has been incorporated into the donor’s financial or estate plan, usually to be given after they pass away.
This is typically a large donation that can provide significant funds to a nonprofit and tax benefits to the donor or the donor’s family. Legacy gifts or planned gifts are often unrestricted, although donors can specify particular programs or projects that their gifts will need to go towards.
Types of legacy gifts
Legacy gifts are unique in that they’re non-cash. In other words, they’re given out of assets or overall estates rather than day-to-day income. Donors can often give larger planned gifts than they’d be able to purely out of pocket. There are numerous ways to plan a gift to a nonprofit, so there are options to accommodate each situation. Consider these key types of legacy gifts:
Bequests: A legacy gift where the donor includes a nonprofit in their will, leaving a portion of their estate to it.
Retirement plans and life insurance: A legacy gift where the donor leaves their unused retirement assets to a nonprofit or names the nonprofit as the beneficiary of their life insurance policy.
Charitable gift annuities: A legacy gift where the donor gives a large donation in exchange for a fixed income payment.
Retained life estates: A legacy gift where the donor transfers ownership of their property to a nonprofit but retains the right to use it until the set term is up.
Only a donor can decide which type of legacy gift works best for their situation, goals, and plans. Make sure your supporters understand their options so they can choose and customize their gifts accordingly once you start a conversation with them about planned giving.
Legacy giving FAQ
Who is eligible to give a legacy gift?
Anyone is eligible to give a legacy gift, but people who have a will, life insurance policy, property, or other significant assets are more likely to give. Because there are so many types of these gifts, the parameters are wide, but these donors at least have to have something to give. Donors with proven wealth make ideal first prospects, but even lifelong savers who might not otherwise be on your radar as top prospects can make significant legacy contributions if you put in the work of developing your relationships with them and explaining the impact they could have.
To narrow down this donor pool, you might research a prospect’s involvement with your cause, such as past giving or volunteering. You can also survey your supporters to learn more about their interest in legacy gifts and your organization. Some of your supporters might have already included your nonprofit in their will.
What is the most common type of legacy gift?
Bequests are the most popular type of legacy gift. They’re typically easier to arrange than other gifts, since wills are easy to update. Providing easy-to-use estate planning tools to your bequest prospects can help you secure more planned gifts.
Many people may choose to give via bequest but won’t tell your nonprofit about their gift. This is why a survey can be helpful to identify existing donors or people who might be interested in planned giving.
Why are legacy gifts important to the nonprofit?
Nonprofits benefit from legacy gifts financially. These donations can be considered long-term income for a nonprofit because they promise future funding that can be projected and planned on to support future growth. They can also be invested in some cases to return even more funding.
It’s a gift that will support the nonprofit for years without requiring extra expenses from the nonprofit, making planned giving among the highest-ROI fundraising activities. Rather than hosting a gala, for example, nonprofits might secure legacy gifts by simply making their supporters aware of planned giving as an option and reaching out to prospects to discuss it. It’s a promise of future funding that can come from nearly any supporter at little or no cost to your organization.
How does a legacy gift benefit the donor?
Depending on the type of legacy gift, donors might not feel the financial effects of giving in their lifetime. Because they don’t interrupt daily cash flow, they provide an opportunity to give a large gift to a cause the donor is passionate about. Leaving such a gift can make the donor feel like they’ve left an impactful legacy.
The reduced day-to-day burden is helpful, but there are also financial incentives to legacy giving. Some gift types, like bequests and charitable remainder trusts, offer significant tax benefits for donors and/or their heirs. The donor is given the flexibility to develop a planned gift that best suits their financial situations and desired outcomes.
Legacy giving gives control to the donor in more ways than one. Not only can the donor choose which type of gift they’d prefer to give, but they can also decide what’s done with that gift. For example, in a bequest, the donor might allocate their money to a specific cause or project.
How can nonprofits start promoting legacy gifts?
Even if you have a clear understanding of legacy gifts and the potential impact they would have for your organization, your supporters might not. The best way to promote legacy gifts is to make donors aware of their options.
You might find opportunities to bring up legacy giving in conversations with top prospects, or you might send out communications to your supporter base specifically about these types of gifts. No matter what, make it as easy as possible for your supporters to explore their options and plan their gift. Offer easy to use tools for creating bequests, like Freewill. Over time, you can develop a dedicated planned giving program that sources, cultivates, and stewards new legacy gifts for your nonprofit.
Additional Resources
Nonprofit Catalog – Read up on more nonprofit essentials by exploring our Nonprofit Catalog.
Nonprofit Marketing – Learn more about the basics of nonprofit marketing and how to structure your marketing strategy.
A Guide to Planned Giving – Take a deeper dive into planned giving and how to get started.
Crowdfunding – Nonprofit Catalog
As a nonprofit, sometimes you need to refresh your campaign strategy to acquire donations from new communities. In that case, crowdfunding is a unique type of fundraising you should try.
What is crowdfunding?
Crowdfunding is a fundraising format in which large amounts of people each donate a small amount of money to fund a project or venture. It typically occurs via the internet, and because of this, it allows companies to reach a wider audience that they normally wouldn’t have connected with. Whether you are a family trying to raise money after a hurricane or a nonprofit trying to reach a goal, crowdfunding can be a nifty way to raise the funds you need.
Crowdfunding FAQs
What types of crowdfunding are there?
There are several main types of crowdfunding:
As a nonprofit interested in crowdfunding, you will probably be creating a donation-based or reward-based campaign. When a nonprofit has a compelling mission and a clear goal, a donation-based campaign can work very well. However, there’s nothing wrong with a reward-based campaign where you give supporters some form of branded merchandise, such as a mug or a t-shirt, in exchange for their support.
What are the benefits of crowdfunding?
Here are some of the benefits of crowdfunding:
Naturally, crowdfunding has its downsides as well. The biggest drawback is that there is no guarantee that people will donate to your campaign, which makes crowdfunding more suitable for nonprofits that already have a large base of supporters. However, by staying organized and marketing your campaign appropriately, you can mitigate a lot of the risk.
What features should you look for in a crowdfunding site?
Picking a suitable crowdfunding site is crucial to the success of your campaign. When choosing a crowdfunding platform, keep the following features in mind:
When it comes to crowdfunding sites, GoFundMe and Kickstarter are the most popular options.. However, just because it’s popular doesn’t mean that it’s the best fit for your nonprofit. Make sure to check out other great crowdfunding alternatives.
Tips for a successful crowdfunding campaign
Here are some things to keep in mind for a successful crowdfunding campaign:
Although the prospect of creating a crowdfunding campaign may seem intimidating, it can be very helpful for generating large amounts of funds for your nonprofit. The key aspects to remember are that you must pick an appropriate crowdfunding site, prepare thoroughly for your campaign, and create compelling content that makes potential donors want to support your cause.
If you’d like to learn more about nonprofit fundraising and marketing, take a look at the resources below!
Additional Resources
Nonprofit Catalog – Read up on more nonprofit essentials by exploring our Nonprofit Catalog.
Best Fundraising Ideas – If you’re looking for fundraising ideas, this website is a great resource to help you brainstorm.
40+ Marketing Ideas for Nonprofits to Spread Your Mission – Bringing awareness to your mission is crucial for nonprofits, and the best way to do so is through marketing and promotion.
Charitable Foundation – Nonprofit Catalog
Charitable foundations are key entities in the nonprofit world. With various types and classifications determined by the IRS, it’s important to understand the distinctions. For instance, how do private foundations differ from public charities?
Acquiring basic knowledge of how nonprofits interact with charitable foundations will allow you to develop better relationships and improve your grant application processes in the future.
What is a charitable foundation?
A foundation is a fairly loose term in the nonprofit sector that can apply to a range of 501(c)(3) organizations. They primarily focus on supporting charitable activities and programming related to areas like education, health, religion, and culture by issuing grants, or packages of funding designated for specific uses by the nonprofits that receive them.
Contributions to organizations designated by the IRS as 501(c)(3) are usually tax-deductible, since they’re made in support of charitable purposes. Although some foundations may have their own charitable programs and most conduct fundraising activities of their own, most employ their assets by awarding grants.
What are the different types of charitable organizations?
Two key categories of 501(c)(3) charitable organizations are private foundations and public charities.
Public charities are exempt from state and federal income taxes as long as they meet the requirements defined in the IRS’s Compliance Guide. However, private foundations may not be tax-exempt nor able to deduct charitable contributions unless their governing instruments contain additional special provisions.
Another difference lies in these foundations’ primary sources of financial support. While private foundations tend to be self-funded by an individual, family, or corporation, public charities often receive financial support from donations and grants.
Primary types of organizations within these two categories of charitable foundations include:
Generally, most foundations that fall within these categories offer grants to other nonprofits. Understanding their individual distinctions will help you navigate your interactions with them and determine the best ways to make a case for support and communicate your impact.
What do charitable foundations do?
Like other nonprofits, foundations have their own missions. Most drive impact by providing financial support to other organizations whose goals align with their own. Nonprofits with powerful impact stories are especially likely to gain support from these grantmakers, along with other potential contributors.
Depending on the type of foundation and its goals, it might also conduct research or educational services. Charitable branches of healthcare institutions and universities can be essential sources of funding for nonprofit organizations.
Additionally, public foundations tend to conduct their own fundraising initiatives and activities. Just like other nonprofits, it’s important for all foundations to remain compliant with the appropriate standards of conduct, though the outlined requirements may differ slightly depending on their classifications.
How do nonprofits interact with charitable foundations?
501(c)(3) charitable nonprofits usually interact with foundations through the grant seeking process. Whether you’re composing an annual appeal to donors or applying for a grant, be sure to emphasize your nonprofit’s story and impact when asking for support.
In order to fulfill their own missions to drive impact, foundations devote much consideration towards responsibly stewarding their assets and allocating them in ways that will result in the most measurable impact. Because of this, the grant seeking process for nonprofits can be competitive and challenging.
To ensure success, prioritize understanding a foundation’s priorities, mission, and guidelines as you attempt to capture their attention with a proposal. Nonprofits with well-aligned missions and proposals tailored to the foundation’s requirements and priorities will have the best shot at getting approved for a grant.
Another significant interaction between nonprofits and charitable organizations lies in the grant management and reporting process. For foundations and donors alike, it’s important to know where their contributions are adding up and what kind of impact they’re having. SureImpact’s guide to nonprofit impact measurement provides concrete steps for sharing impact results and strengthening relationships with financial supporters.
Cultivating trusting relationships with foundations can lead to more successful grant proposals in the future, so take the time to communicate thoughtfully according to the funder’s guidelines!
Additional Resources
Nonprofit Catalog – Read up on more nonprofit essentials by exploring our Nonprofit Catalog.
Nonprofit Bookkeeping – Nonprofit Catalog – As a 501(c)(3) organization, your nonprofit must abide by some guidelines and regulations set forth by the IRS. Learn more about the essentials in this introduction to bookkeeping.
Corporate Philanthropy – Nonprofit Catalog – In addition to grants, corporations can offer matching donations and in-kind donations. Take a look at the various types of corporate philanthropy and their benefits.
Donation Request – Nonprofit Catalog
Donations are the foundation of the nonprofit industry. Without them, nonprofit organizations wouldn’t be able to reach their goals and create positive social impact. That’s why it’s crucial to have compelling donation requests.
What is a donation request?
A donation request is fairly straightforward—it’s a letter, email, or other type of message asking for a donation. When you receive a call asking you to donate to help fund animal shelters, or when you receive an email detailing how your money would help build houses for families in need, there is a donation request being made of you.
How do you make a donation request?
Making a donation request can be a daunting task. Convincing people to part with their hard-earned money can be challenging. However, doing some research ahead of time to develop a clear outreach plan can greatly improve your chances. One of the first things you should look into is who you can request donations from.
Who to request donations from
Here are the most common groups that nonprofits request donations from:
Each of these overarching groups is made of individuals with unique motivations and interests. For example, foundations will tend to give grants to different types of organizations based on their unique charitable mission and goals. Some corporations will be more likely to offer a matching gift program than others. Make sure that your research is robust and you have a sufficient understanding of each prospective donor group.
When to make donation requests
There are no hard and fast rules about when donation requests can be made—in fact, you can ask whenever you want. However, there are certain times during the year when donors are prepared to make larger gifts. Take the opportunity to make your request during these times:
Keep in mind that you don’t have to limit your donation requests to just special days like Giving Tuesday or other major event days. You can ask for donations all year round to help fund your nonprofit’s ongoing projects and programs. You know your donors the best, so make sure that you pick times when they are more likely to make gifts.
Ways to make donation requests
There are numerous ways to make donation requests. Here are a few:
Ensure that you are communicating with your donors outside of donor requests. If donors perceive your nonprofit as only reaching out when you want donations, they will feel that your efforts aren’t genuine, and will be less likely to make gifts. Keep your communication with donors thoughtful and focus on strengthening your connections.
Donation request best practices
Now you know the who, when, and how of donation requests. But before you make your request, make sure you keep these best practices in mind:
Make sure that you have robust fundraising software that fulfills your fundraising needs. The right fundraising software will make donation requests a breeze by allowing you to automatically input donors’ names and ask amounts into your requests. Plus, it can even help you attract more donations by offering a user-friendly, mobile-optimized donation process.
Additional Resources
Nonprofit Catalog – Read up on more nonprofit essentials by exploring our Nonprofit Catalog.
Writing Fundraising Letters – Interested in writing a fundraising letter? Check out Fundraising IP’s templates that you can use for inspiration.
Nonprofit Marketing – Marketing for nonprofits extends beyond simply making donation requests. Learn more from this beginner’s guide to nonprofit marketing.
Membership Benefits – Nonprofit Catalog
Through membership programs, loyal supporters and nonprofits develop a mutually beneficial relationship. Members get perks that regular donors don’t, and nonprofits get a consistent stream of revenue. In this article, we’ll go over what exactly membership benefits are, and how they fit into nonprofit membership programs. Let’s dive in!
What are membership benefits?
In general, membership benefits are perks, services, and access that people receive when they participate in a membership program. You can easily find examples of these benefits when you look at aquarium or zoo memberships, which commonly offer free tickets in exchange for paying a membership fee.
Memberships commonly involve making recurring payments to an organization. If you’re thinking of implementing a membership program, make sure you’re up to date on recurring payment rules.
Membership program FAQs
What is a membership program?
Membership programs can serve many purposes, but above all, they are a way to increase supporter involvement within nonprofits and associations. These organizations offer specific member benefits in exchange for membership fees. Membership programs often have different goals, including:
The membership benefits you choose to offer are heavily influenced by your program’s goal. If you wish to give your members a larger voice, you may send them annual polls asking for their ideas for fundraising campaigns and events. Make sure that your members feel heard by implementing these suggestions into your fundraising initiatives.
Why have a membership program?
There are many benefits to having a membership program. Above all, these programs are mutually beneficial relationships—in exchange for a membership fee, members are recognized as dedicated supporters and given perks and special engagement opportunities. This member-organization relationship ensures a sustainable method of revenue generation for the organization and strengthens supporters’ trust and involvement.
If you’re planning on implementing a membership program for your organization, make sure your software for donor management is robust. You’ll want to be able to categorize your donors, ensuring you know who is part of your membership program.
Common membership benefits
Here are some benefits that are frequently offered in membership programs:
Whether you are a cultural organization or a nonprofit, a membership program can be a great way to generate revenue and involvement. Offering participants member benefits makes the relationship mutually beneficial, making it much more likely that people will want to take part in your program. Make sure you have a powerful membership management software to guarantee success!
Additional Resources
Nonprofit Catalog – Read up on more nonprofit essentials by exploring our Nonprofit Catalog.
Donor Segmentation – Donors interact with your organization in different ways. Learn more about how to appeal to your different donor segments.
Nonprofit Marketing – Looking for other ways to promote your organization? Check out this guide.
Employee Retention – Nonprofit Catalog
Maintaining a strong employee base is critical to keeping your business or nonprofit strong. Your business’s hard-working, dedicated employees are your greatest assets, and ideally, you want them to stay with your company for a long time. After all, the hiring and training processes are expensive and time-consuming, so high employee retention is essential.
What is employee retention?
Employee retention is the ability of an organization, such as a business or nonprofit, to keep its employees year after year. Maintaining high levels of employee retention means that your organization is doing an effective job of appealing to employees’ needs and interests.
In order to calculate your employee retention rate, subtract the total number of employees who left your organization from your total number of employees. Then, divide by your total number of employees and multiply by 100.
Benefits of a strong employee retention rate
You may be thinking: what’s the point of having a high employee retention rate? After all, you could simply fill those vacant roles again. However, a high employee retention rate has many benefits for your organization, including the following:
Having a strong employee retention rate may even set your organization apart from others. This means that if you do have to hire new employees, more people will be happy to work for you and your applicant pool will be much larger.
How to strengthen your employee retention rate
Improving your employee retention rate starts with creating a better experience for employees and investing in their long-term growth. Consider using these employee retention strategies at your organization:
1. Invest in employee engagement
To inspire employees to stick around, you need to create a positive work environment. Invest in the right tools to engage your staff members, such as:
These tools will make it easier to connect employees with the engagement opportunities that appeal to them. In addition, you can track employee engagement using these software solutions to determine which employees are taking advantage of your engagement opportunities and which opportunities are most popular among your staff.
2. Help employees set professional goals.
Professional goals for an employee might look like achieving a promotion or advancing their skills. When you help employees set meaningful goals, it gives them something to strive for and look forward to. Make sure that the goals are aligned with your organization’s overarching objectives. Also, schedule follow-up meetings to check progress, offer additional guidance when needed, and let the employee weigh in on the process.
3. Offer ongoing opportunities for training and professional development.
When employees stagnate or don’t feel like they’re growing, they may seek employment elsewhere to help facilitate that growth. According to NXUnite, offering ongoing opportunities for training and professional development helps employees avoid burnout and advance in their career path. These opportunities could be in the form of online training modules, professional coaching, or mentorship.
For example, let’s say you’re looking to offer more professional development opportunities for your nonprofit’s employees. You can consider hosting seminars or a lunch-and-learn program to help employees brush up on their fundraising-related skills.
4. Allow employees to attend relevant conferences.
Conferences can be an excellent opportunity to learn more about industry trends, pick up new skills, and make connections with fellow industry professionals. Relevant nonprofit conferences can be found easily through web searches or on social media platforms like LinkedIn. If you’re worried about travel costs, you can search for virtual or hybrid conferences.
5. Offer workplace giving opportunities.
Corporate social responsibility has become increasingly important, and workplace giving is integral to that. In fact, 71% of surveyed employees say it is imperative or very important to them to work at a place where the culture is supportive of giving and volunteering. That’s why you should have programs in place that allow your employees to give back, such as:
You can even decide which programs to implement based on your employees’ preferences. If you want to learn more about your employees’ charitable giving habits (or anything else), you can always ask them directly through feedback surveys.
6. Ask for and incorporate employee feedback.
Employees want to feel like their voices are heard and that their opinions matter. Listening to them will help you improve their experience and may give you insight into issues you didn’t realize existed. Send out regular employee surveys and make a plan to incorporate their input.
7. Recognize your employees’ hard work.
Did you know that 80% of employees would work harder if they felt more appreciated? That’s the power of positive workplace morale! By recognizing your employees’ hard work, you indicate that you care about their contributions and are happy that they’re succeeding, which can lead to improved retention and satisfaction rates.
A few ways you can recognize your employees’ hard work include:
Another great strategy is to send your employees a token of your appreciation. This method is so popular that there are companies dedicated to helping your organization send gifts to your staff members. A gift such as a branded mug, flowers, or even an eCard gives your employees a tangible reminder that you see the work that they’re doing. This appreciation will encourage your employees to remain at your organization.
8. Encourage a healthy work/life balance
Work-life balance means that employees can strike a healthy equilibrium between time spent at the office and time spent outside of work activities that bring joy and fulfillment.
If your organization operates with a hybrid or fully remote model, finding the right work-life balance can be more challenging for employees. Encourage them to step away from their computers and silence their notifications at the end of each workday to provide clear boundaries between work and home life.
According to Double the Donation’s employee engagement guide, “a culture of work-life balance should be cultivated from the top down.” That means your company’s leaders and managers should emulate good work-life balance habits by avoiding contacting employees outside of their regular working hours, encouraging employees to take paid time off, and taking time off themselves to recharge.
9. Promote inclusivity in the workplace
An inclusive workplace is one where all employees feel accepted, welcomed, and celebrated for who they are.
Inclusivity doesn’t just support employee engagement and retention — it can lead to tangible benefits for your organization. Studies have shown that organizations with high levels of diversity financially outperform organizations without high diversity.
Foster inclusion and diversity by adopting a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policy that includes:
Share your policy with employees to gather feedback and workshop the document until it fully encapsulates your DEI commitment.
Additional Resources
Nonprofit Catalog – Read up on more nonprofit essentials by exploring our Nonprofit Catalog.
The Top 5 Benefits of Workplace Giving for Companies – Learn more about workplace giving and how it can help you retain employees.
Fundraising Professional Development: Top Tips & Resources – Not sure where to start with professional development? Read this article for more advice.
A Spotlight on Top Impact Investors Driving Social Change – Engaged employees are just one part of growing your company’s impact. Learn about impact investing and how the right investor can help mission-driven businesses accomplish more.