Employee giving programs are workplace-based initiatives that allow employees to make charitable donations through payroll deductions or other means. These programs are an important tool for companies to support the causes that their employees care about and to foster a culture of philanthropy within the workplace.
In addition to benefiting charitable organizations, employee giving programs can provide numerous benefits for both employees and the companies that implement them. Some of the key advantages of such programs include increased employee engagement and morale, enhanced corporate social responsibility, and tax savings for both the company and its employees.
In this post, we will discuss the benefits of employee giving programs and provide examples of companies that have successfully implemented such programs. By the end of this post, you will have a better understanding of why companies should have employee giving programs and how they can get started.
Employee engagement and morale:
One of the key benefits of employee giving programs is that they can increase employee engagement and morale. Employees who are able to support causes that they care about through their workplace are more likely to be engaged and motivated in their jobs.
Studies have shown that employees who are engaged in their work are more productive, have higher job satisfaction, and are less likely to leave their jobs. In addition, employees who have the opportunity to give back to their communities through their workplace are more likely to have a positive attitude and feel a sense of purpose in their work.
For example, a study by the Charities Aid Foundation found that 78% of employees who participated in workplace giving programs felt more positive about their company as a result, and 75% felt more committed to their job. Another study by the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy found that companies with strong employee giving programs had higher levels of employee engagement and job satisfaction compared to those without such programs.
In addition to the direct benefits for employees, companies that have employee giving programs are more likely to attract and retain top talent. Many job seekers today are looking for companies that align with their values and support charitable causes, and having an employee giving program can be a key differentiator in the job market.
Corporate social responsibility:
Employee giving programs can also help companies meet their corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals and enhance their reputation. By providing a way for employees to support charitable causes, companies can demonstrate their commitment to making a positive impact in the communities where they operate.
In addition to making financial contributions, employee giving programs can also provide opportunities for employees to volunteer their time and skills to support charitable organizations. This can help companies engage their employees in CSR activities and build stronger relationships with their local communities.
For example, many companies have employee giving programs that include matching donations or volunteer grants, where the company matches the donations or volunteer hours of its employees. This not only increases the impact of the employees’ contributions, but also shows that the company is committed to supporting the causes that its employees care about.
Having an employee giving program can also enhance a company’s reputation and help it stand out in the marketplace. Consumers and investors increasingly value companies that prioritize CSR, and having an employee giving program can demonstrate a company’s commitment to making a positive impact in the world. This can help companies attract and retain customers, investors, and talent.
Top Forms of Corporate Giving Programs:
Matching gift programs: Matching gift programs provide matching donations for eligible charitable contributions made by employees. These programs can help increase the impact of employees’ charitable giving and provide additional benefits for both the company and its employees.
Volunteer grant programs: Volunteer grant programs provide grants to nonprofit organizations for every hour that employees volunteer. These programs can encourage employees to volunteer their time and skills to support charitable causes and provide additional benefits for both the company and its employees.
Corporate foundations: Corporate foundations are charitable organizations that are established and funded by companies. These foundations can support a wide range of causes and provide additional opportunities for companies to engage in philanthropy and CSR activities.
Cause-related marketing: Cause-related marketing is a type of corporate giving program that involves companies promoting charitable causes and donating a portion of the proceeds from sales to those causes. This can help companies raise awareness and support for charitable causes, as well as enhance their reputation as
In-kind donations: In-kind donations involve companies providing goods or services to nonprofit organizations instead of financial contributions. This can include donating products, providing services such as consulting or design, or offering discounts or special deals to nonprofit organizations.
Sponsorships: Sponsorships involve companies providing financial or in-kind support to events, programs, or initiatives organized by nonprofit organizations. This can help companies support charitable causes and enhance their reputation as socially responsible organizations.
Employee engagement programs: Employee engagement programs involve companies providing employees with opportunities to get involved in philanthropy and CSR activities. This can include organizing company-wide giving campaigns, hosting charity events or fundraisers, or offering employees paid time off to volunteer.
Impact investments: Impact investments involve companies investing in for-profit or nonprofit organizations that have a positive social or environmental impact. This can help companies support socially responsible initiatives and generate a financial return at the same time.
Why companies should offer employee matching gift programs as part of their employee giving program:
In addition to providing payroll deductions and other giving options, companies can also consider offering employee matching gift programs as part of their employee giving programs. These programs provide matching donations for eligible charitable contributions made by employees, which can help increase the impact of employees’ contributions and provide additional benefits for both the company and its employees.
Some of the key advantages of employee matching gift programs include:
Increased impact: By providing matching donations for eligible charitable contributions made by employees, companies can help employees increase the impact of their giving. This can make it more rewarding for employees to participate in the employee giving program and encourage them to support more causes.
Enhanced reputation: Employee matching gift programs can also enhance a company’s reputation and demonstrate its commitment to philanthropy and CSR. By matching employees’ charitable contributions, companies can show that they are not only supporting their employees’ charitable causes, but also making a positive impact in the communities where they operate.
Tax savings: Employee matching gift programs can provide tax savings for both the company and its employees. For the company, matching donations can be tax-deductible expenses, which can help reduce its tax liability. For employees, matching donations can increase the amount of their eligible charitable contributions, which can provide additional tax savings on their tax returns.
Examples of companies with matching gift programs:
Microsoft: Microsoft’s employee giving program, known as the Microsoft Employee Giving Program, offers matching donations for eligible charitable contributions made by employees. The program matches employees’ donations dollar-for-dollar up to a certain amount per employee per year.
Salesforce: Salesforce’s employee giving program, known as the 1-1-1 model, offers matching donations for eligible charitable contributions made by employees. The program matches employees’ donations dollar-for-dollar up to a certain amount per employee per year.
Google: Google’s employee giving program, known as Google.org, offers matching donations for eligible charitable contributions made by employees. The program matches employees’ donations dollar-for-dollar up to a certain amount per employee per year.
Overall, employee matching gift programs can provide numerous benefits for companies and their employees. By offering such a program as part of their employee giving programs, companies can increase the impact of their employees’ charitable giving and enhance their reputation as socially responsible organizations.
Tax benefits:
Employee giving programs can provide tax benefits for both the company and its employees. For the company, implementing such a program can be a tax-deductible expense, which can help reduce its tax liability. In addition, many companies offer matching donations or volunteer grants as part of their employee giving programs, and these contributions can also be tax-deductible.
For employees, participating in an employee giving program can provide tax savings as well. Many charitable donations are tax-deductible, and employees who make charitable contributions through payroll deductions can claim these deductions on their tax returns. This can help employees save money on their taxes while also supporting the causes that they care about.
In addition to the direct tax savings, employee giving programs can also provide other financial benefits for employees. For example, some companies offer matching donations or volunteer grants as part of their employee giving programs, which can help employees increase the impact of their charitable contributions. This can make it more rewarding for employees to participate in the program and encourage them to support more causes.
Overall, the tax benefits of employee giving programs can provide significant value for both companies and their employees. Companies can save money on taxes and enhance their reputation, while employees can save money on their taxes and support the causes they care about.
Case studies:
Here are a few examples of companies that have seen positive results from their employee giving programs:
Google: Google’s employee giving program, known as Google.org, allows employees to make charitable donations through payroll deductions and provides matching donations for eligible charities. The program has been successful in engaging Google’s employees in charitable activities and has raised millions of dollars for a wide range of causes.
Microsoft: Microsoft’s employee giving program, known as the Microsoft Employee Giving Program, provides matching donations for eligible charities and offers employees the opportunity to volunteer their time and skills to support nonprofit organizations. The program has been successful in engaging Microsoft’s employees in charitable activities and has raised millions of dollars for a wide range of causes.
Salesforce: Salesforce’s employee giving program, known as the 1-1-1 model, provides matching donations for eligible charities and encourages employees to volunteer their time and skills to support nonprofit organizations. The program has been successful in engaging Salesforce’s employees in charitable activities and has raised millions of dollars for a wide range of causes.
Starbucks: Starbucks’ employee giving program, known as the Starbucks Foundation, provides matching donations for eligible charities and offers employees the opportunity to volunteer their time and skills to support nonprofit organizations. The program has been successful in engaging Starbucks’ employees in charitable activities and has raised millions of dollars for a wide range of causes.
Bank of America: Bank of America’s employee giving program, known as the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, provides matching donations for eligible charities and offers employees the opportunity to volunteer their time and skills to support nonprofit organizations. The program has been successful in engaging Bank of America’s employees in charitable activities and has raised millions of dollars for a wide range of causes.
Goldman Sachs: Goldman Sachs’ employee giving program, known as the Goldman Sachs Gives program, provides matching donations for eligible charities and offers employees the opportunity to volunteer their time and skills to support nonprofit organizations. The program has been successful in engaging Goldman Sachs’ employees in charitable activities and has raised millions of dollars for a wide range of causes.
These examples demonstrate the potential benefits of employee giving programs for companies, including increased employee engagement and morale, enhanced reputation, and tax savings. By implementing such a program, companies can support the causes that their employees care about and make a positive impact in their communities.
How companies can implement such programs:
If you are a company considering implementing an employee giving program, here are some steps you can take to design and implement an effective program:
Identify the causes that are most important to your employees: Before implementing an employee giving program, it can be helpful to conduct a survey or hold focus groups to find out what causes are most important to your employees. This can help you design a program that aligns with your employees’ values and interests, which can increase engagement and participation.
Offer a range of giving options: To make your employee giving program accessible and inclusive, it can be helpful to offer a range of giving options. This can include payroll deductions, matching donations, and volunteer grants, as well as one-time donations and participation in company-sponsored fundraising events.
Provide clear and concise information: To ensure that your employees understand your employee giving program and how to participate, it is important to provide clear and concise information. This can include guidelines on eligible charities, how to make donations, and how to claim tax deductions, as well as resources and tools to help employees learn more about the causes that they can support.
Promote the program to your employees: To increase awareness and participation in your employee giving program, it can be helpful to promote the program to your employees. This can include sending regular updates and reminders, sharing stories and testimonials from employees who have participated in the program, and recognizing employees who have made significant contributions to the program.
By following these steps, you can design and implement an employee giving program that engages your employees and supports the causes that they care about. This can help your company make a positive impact in your community and enhance your reputation as a socially responsible organization.
Conclusion:
Employee giving programs can provide numerous benefits for both employees and the companies that implement them. These programs can increase employee engagement and morale, help companies meet their CSR goals and enhance their reputation, and provide tax savings for both the company and its employees.
If you are a company considering implementing an employee giving program, there are many resources available to help you get started. You can learn more about the benefits of such programs and find out how to design and implement a successful program that meets the needs of your company and its employees.
By implementing an employee giving program, you can support the causes that your employees care about and make a positive impact in your community. This can help your company stand out in the marketplace and attract and retain top talent, customers, and investors.
Additional resources:
Giving USA: Giving USA is an organization that provides research and data on charitable giving in the United States. Their website includes a section on workplace giving, which provides information on the latest trends and statistics in this area.
Charities Aid Foundation: The Charities Aid Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports charitable giving and philanthropy. Their website includes a section on workplace giving, which provides information and resources on how companies can implement employee giving programs.
Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy: The Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy is a membership organization that brings together CEOs and senior executives to share best practices in corporate philanthropy. Their website includes a section on employee giving, which provides information and resources on how companies can implement successful employee giving programs.
Giving Compass: Giving Compass is a nonprofit organization that provides resources and information on philanthropy and charitable giving. Their website includes a section on employee giving, which provides information on the latest trends and research in this area, as well as resources for companies looking to implement employee giving programs.
Nonprofit Bookkeeping – Nonprofit Catalog
Your nonprofit works hard to raise money effectively and efficiently, so your fundraising team is often knee-deep in the process of finding new revenue streams. But what happens after those monies are acquired? How do you keep track of it all? Financial management is an essential part of your ability to fund your nonprofit’s mission, and it all starts with bookkeeping.
What Is Nonprofit Accounting?
Nonprofit bookkeeping is the process of inputting and organizing your nonprofit’s financial data. When your nonprofit makes money through fundraising, investing, or other strategies, your bookkeeper is the one to input the information about that money into your accounting system and ensure it’s labeled and allocated correctly.
When your nonprofit registered to be a 501(c)(3) organization, you received tax-exempt status. But you also agreed as a part of that registration that you would ensure a high level of transparency regarding your finances in order to maintain that status with the IRS. Therefore, it’s critical to ensure your funding is recorded properly—a task that falls directly on your bookkeeper.
At many smaller organizations, the job of bookkeeping falls largely on executive directors or high-level staff members. This creates another hat for those professionals to wear in their work at the organization. Meanwhile, large organizations with more transactions to keep track of might hire a full-time bookkeeper to manage their day-to-day finances, although hiring can be expensive. The best in-between option for nonprofits is to outsource your bookkeeping and accounting needs to an experienced, nonprofit-specific firm.
You might be asking, “Bookkeeping and accounting? Why do we need both? Aren’t they basically the same thing?” In short, no. Let’s take a closer look at the differences between these commonly confused roles.
How are Bookkeeping and Accounting Different?
While often lumped together in one category, nonprofit bookkeeping and accounting are two distinct roles. Here are the main differences between the two:
Nonprofit Bookkeeping
Nonprofit bookkeepers manage the day-to-day operational needs of an organization. This includes tasks like data entry, writing checks, and allocating expenses. Because it tends to be fairly administrative in nature, nonprofit bookkeepers don’t usually require specialized degrees or CPA certifications. However, this doesn’t mean the job is easy! Bookkeeping requires strong organizational skills to keep everything straight.
Nonprofit Accounting
Nonprofit accounting is like the big brother to bookkeeping. Accountants analyze your nonprofit’s financial data to determine the next steps that will help your organization reach its goals. This role requires a four-year degree and most people who occupy this position are CPA-certified. Accountants also reconcile your bank accounts, prepare your books for audits, compile and submit tax forms, and create your annual budget.
Both of these roles are essential for your nonprofit to have effective financial management practices, but they’re often completed by two different people. This way, you’ll create stronger internal controls that help prevent fraud at your nonprofit.
What Does a Nonprofit Bookkeeper Do?
Your nonprofit bookkeeper’s duties are varied, but they may include tasks such as:
As you can see, your nonprofit bookkeeper is primarily responsible for keeping all of your nonprofit’s financial information organized and ready to be acted upon. If your organization’s bookkeeping duties currently fall on your executive members of the team, consider if it’s worth it to designate a dedicated staff member or outsourced bookkeeper to help manage the responsibilities.
Additional Resources
Nonprofit Catalog – Read up on more nonprofit essentials by exploring our Nonprofit Catalog
Bookkeeping and Accounting Services for Nonprofits – Some organizations outsource their bookkeeping and accounting needs to organizations like Jitasa. Learn more about how this works and why it can benefit your nonprofit.
Year-End Giving – Your organization raises a lot of money at the end of the year. This guide will help you prepare to raise that funding and record it properly.
What is a Labor Union? – Nonprofit Catalog
A labor union is a nonprofit coalition of workers in the same trade or industry. They are similar to associations, but unions are formed to protect workers’ rights and ensure that favorable conditions are maintained in the workplace. This happens through collective bargaining between the union representative and the employer. Union representatives often negotiate factors such as wages, benefits, schedules, safety, and job security on behalf of the workers.
Unions are membership-based organizations. Usually, unions charge a small monthly membership fee that gets automatically deducted from their members’ paychecks. Members have a direct say and can vote on the issues that make it to the collective bargaining stage. Thus, workers who are represented by unions aren’t necessarily members of the union.
Who’s involved with labor unions?
There are three important parties involved in labor unions. They are:
These players work together to establish the atmosphere at work and address the concerns of the workers.
What industries have labor union representation?
Numerous industries have union representation. Industries with a significant union presence include:
While these industries have more union representation on average, there are many other industries that are represented by unions.
How are unions structured?
There are numerous sizes and scales of unions. Most national unions are part of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). The AFL-CIO also represents smaller unions at the state and local levels. That being said, many smaller unions aren’t part of the AFL-CIO.
The AFL-CIO acts as an advocate for unions in the legislative process so unions are allowed to exist and achieve their goals across the country. Also, members of the AFL-CIO meet every four years, introducing them to other union delegates. This allows AFL-CIO members to learn from like-minded union members and adjust their collective bargaining approach.
Whether they’re part of the AFL-CIO or are independent, nearly every national union has local members on a state- or city-wide scale. These representatives resolve grievances and issues within unionized work environments.
Is union membership mandatory?
It depends on the state. 28 states are right-to-work states, meaning that union membership isn’t mandatory. The other 22 states do require union membership if the workplace is represented by one.
Additional resources
Nonprofit Basics – Learn more about nonprofit management essentials by exploring other expert resources.
Tips for Recruiting the Next Generation of Union Workers – Are you a union manager looking for new, younger members? Learn how to recruit this valuable demographic in this guide.
6 Tips: How to Manage and Retain Union Membership – Retaining your union’s membership is crucial for achieving your goals. Make your members want to stay by using this guide.
Why Companies Should have Employee Giving Programs
Employee giving programs are workplace-based initiatives that allow employees to make charitable donations through payroll deductions or other means. These programs are an important tool for companies to support the causes that their employees care about and to foster a culture of philanthropy within the workplace.
In addition to benefiting charitable organizations, employee giving programs can provide numerous benefits for both employees and the companies that implement them. Some of the key advantages of such programs include increased employee engagement and morale, enhanced corporate social responsibility, and tax savings for both the company and its employees.
In this post, we will discuss the benefits of employee giving programs and provide examples of companies that have successfully implemented such programs. By the end of this post, you will have a better understanding of why companies should have employee giving programs and how they can get started.
Employee engagement and morale:
One of the key benefits of employee giving programs is that they can increase employee engagement and morale. Employees who are able to support causes that they care about through their workplace are more likely to be engaged and motivated in their jobs.
Studies have shown that employees who are engaged in their work are more productive, have higher job satisfaction, and are less likely to leave their jobs. In addition, employees who have the opportunity to give back to their communities through their workplace are more likely to have a positive attitude and feel a sense of purpose in their work.
For example, a study by the Charities Aid Foundation found that 78% of employees who participated in workplace giving programs felt more positive about their company as a result, and 75% felt more committed to their job. Another study by the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy found that companies with strong employee giving programs had higher levels of employee engagement and job satisfaction compared to those without such programs.
In addition to the direct benefits for employees, companies that have employee giving programs are more likely to attract and retain top talent. Many job seekers today are looking for companies that align with their values and support charitable causes, and having an employee giving program can be a key differentiator in the job market.
Corporate social responsibility:
Employee giving programs can also help companies meet their corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals and enhance their reputation. By providing a way for employees to support charitable causes, companies can demonstrate their commitment to making a positive impact in the communities where they operate.
In addition to making financial contributions, employee giving programs can also provide opportunities for employees to volunteer their time and skills to support charitable organizations. This can help companies engage their employees in CSR activities and build stronger relationships with their local communities.
For example, many companies have employee giving programs that include matching donations or volunteer grants, where the company matches the donations or volunteer hours of its employees. This not only increases the impact of the employees’ contributions, but also shows that the company is committed to supporting the causes that its employees care about.
Having an employee giving program can also enhance a company’s reputation and help it stand out in the marketplace. Consumers and investors increasingly value companies that prioritize CSR, and having an employee giving program can demonstrate a company’s commitment to making a positive impact in the world. This can help companies attract and retain customers, investors, and talent.
Top Forms of Corporate Giving Programs:
Matching gift programs: Matching gift programs provide matching donations for eligible charitable contributions made by employees. These programs can help increase the impact of employees’ charitable giving and provide additional benefits for both the company and its employees.
Volunteer grant programs: Volunteer grant programs provide grants to nonprofit organizations for every hour that employees volunteer. These programs can encourage employees to volunteer their time and skills to support charitable causes and provide additional benefits for both the company and its employees.
Corporate foundations: Corporate foundations are charitable organizations that are established and funded by companies. These foundations can support a wide range of causes and provide additional opportunities for companies to engage in philanthropy and CSR activities.
Cause-related marketing: Cause-related marketing is a type of corporate giving program that involves companies promoting charitable causes and donating a portion of the proceeds from sales to those causes. This can help companies raise awareness and support for charitable causes, as well as enhance their reputation as
In-kind donations: In-kind donations involve companies providing goods or services to nonprofit organizations instead of financial contributions. This can include donating products, providing services such as consulting or design, or offering discounts or special deals to nonprofit organizations.
Sponsorships: Sponsorships involve companies providing financial or in-kind support to events, programs, or initiatives organized by nonprofit organizations. This can help companies support charitable causes and enhance their reputation as socially responsible organizations.
Employee engagement programs: Employee engagement programs involve companies providing employees with opportunities to get involved in philanthropy and CSR activities. This can include organizing company-wide giving campaigns, hosting charity events or fundraisers, or offering employees paid time off to volunteer.
Impact investments: Impact investments involve companies investing in for-profit or nonprofit organizations that have a positive social or environmental impact. This can help companies support socially responsible initiatives and generate a financial return at the same time.
Why companies should offer employee matching gift programs as part of their employee giving program:
In addition to providing payroll deductions and other giving options, companies can also consider offering employee matching gift programs as part of their employee giving programs. These programs provide matching donations for eligible charitable contributions made by employees, which can help increase the impact of employees’ contributions and provide additional benefits for both the company and its employees.
Some of the key advantages of employee matching gift programs include:
Increased impact: By providing matching donations for eligible charitable contributions made by employees, companies can help employees increase the impact of their giving. This can make it more rewarding for employees to participate in the employee giving program and encourage them to support more causes.
Enhanced reputation: Employee matching gift programs can also enhance a company’s reputation and demonstrate its commitment to philanthropy and CSR. By matching employees’ charitable contributions, companies can show that they are not only supporting their employees’ charitable causes, but also making a positive impact in the communities where they operate.
Tax savings: Employee matching gift programs can provide tax savings for both the company and its employees. For the company, matching donations can be tax-deductible expenses, which can help reduce its tax liability. For employees, matching donations can increase the amount of their eligible charitable contributions, which can provide additional tax savings on their tax returns.
Examples of companies with matching gift programs:
Microsoft: Microsoft’s employee giving program, known as the Microsoft Employee Giving Program, offers matching donations for eligible charitable contributions made by employees. The program matches employees’ donations dollar-for-dollar up to a certain amount per employee per year.
Salesforce: Salesforce’s employee giving program, known as the 1-1-1 model, offers matching donations for eligible charitable contributions made by employees. The program matches employees’ donations dollar-for-dollar up to a certain amount per employee per year.
Google: Google’s employee giving program, known as Google.org, offers matching donations for eligible charitable contributions made by employees. The program matches employees’ donations dollar-for-dollar up to a certain amount per employee per year.
Overall, employee matching gift programs can provide numerous benefits for companies and their employees. By offering such a program as part of their employee giving programs, companies can increase the impact of their employees’ charitable giving and enhance their reputation as socially responsible organizations.
Tax benefits:
Employee giving programs can provide tax benefits for both the company and its employees. For the company, implementing such a program can be a tax-deductible expense, which can help reduce its tax liability. In addition, many companies offer matching donations or volunteer grants as part of their employee giving programs, and these contributions can also be tax-deductible.
For employees, participating in an employee giving program can provide tax savings as well. Many charitable donations are tax-deductible, and employees who make charitable contributions through payroll deductions can claim these deductions on their tax returns. This can help employees save money on their taxes while also supporting the causes that they care about.
In addition to the direct tax savings, employee giving programs can also provide other financial benefits for employees. For example, some companies offer matching donations or volunteer grants as part of their employee giving programs, which can help employees increase the impact of their charitable contributions. This can make it more rewarding for employees to participate in the program and encourage them to support more causes.
Overall, the tax benefits of employee giving programs can provide significant value for both companies and their employees. Companies can save money on taxes and enhance their reputation, while employees can save money on their taxes and support the causes they care about.
Case studies:
Here are a few examples of companies that have seen positive results from their employee giving programs:
Google: Google’s employee giving program, known as Google.org, allows employees to make charitable donations through payroll deductions and provides matching donations for eligible charities. The program has been successful in engaging Google’s employees in charitable activities and has raised millions of dollars for a wide range of causes.
Microsoft: Microsoft’s employee giving program, known as the Microsoft Employee Giving Program, provides matching donations for eligible charities and offers employees the opportunity to volunteer their time and skills to support nonprofit organizations. The program has been successful in engaging Microsoft’s employees in charitable activities and has raised millions of dollars for a wide range of causes.
Salesforce: Salesforce’s employee giving program, known as the 1-1-1 model, provides matching donations for eligible charities and encourages employees to volunteer their time and skills to support nonprofit organizations. The program has been successful in engaging Salesforce’s employees in charitable activities and has raised millions of dollars for a wide range of causes.
Starbucks: Starbucks’ employee giving program, known as the Starbucks Foundation, provides matching donations for eligible charities and offers employees the opportunity to volunteer their time and skills to support nonprofit organizations. The program has been successful in engaging Starbucks’ employees in charitable activities and has raised millions of dollars for a wide range of causes.
Bank of America: Bank of America’s employee giving program, known as the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, provides matching donations for eligible charities and offers employees the opportunity to volunteer their time and skills to support nonprofit organizations. The program has been successful in engaging Bank of America’s employees in charitable activities and has raised millions of dollars for a wide range of causes.
Goldman Sachs: Goldman Sachs’ employee giving program, known as the Goldman Sachs Gives program, provides matching donations for eligible charities and offers employees the opportunity to volunteer their time and skills to support nonprofit organizations. The program has been successful in engaging Goldman Sachs’ employees in charitable activities and has raised millions of dollars for a wide range of causes.
These examples demonstrate the potential benefits of employee giving programs for companies, including increased employee engagement and morale, enhanced reputation, and tax savings. By implementing such a program, companies can support the causes that their employees care about and make a positive impact in their communities.
How companies can implement such programs:
If you are a company considering implementing an employee giving program, here are some steps you can take to design and implement an effective program:
Identify the causes that are most important to your employees: Before implementing an employee giving program, it can be helpful to conduct a survey or hold focus groups to find out what causes are most important to your employees. This can help you design a program that aligns with your employees’ values and interests, which can increase engagement and participation.
Offer a range of giving options: To make your employee giving program accessible and inclusive, it can be helpful to offer a range of giving options. This can include payroll deductions, matching donations, and volunteer grants, as well as one-time donations and participation in company-sponsored fundraising events.
Provide clear and concise information: To ensure that your employees understand your employee giving program and how to participate, it is important to provide clear and concise information. This can include guidelines on eligible charities, how to make donations, and how to claim tax deductions, as well as resources and tools to help employees learn more about the causes that they can support.
Promote the program to your employees: To increase awareness and participation in your employee giving program, it can be helpful to promote the program to your employees. This can include sending regular updates and reminders, sharing stories and testimonials from employees who have participated in the program, and recognizing employees who have made significant contributions to the program.
By following these steps, you can design and implement an employee giving program that engages your employees and supports the causes that they care about. This can help your company make a positive impact in your community and enhance your reputation as a socially responsible organization.
Conclusion:
Employee giving programs can provide numerous benefits for both employees and the companies that implement them. These programs can increase employee engagement and morale, help companies meet their CSR goals and enhance their reputation, and provide tax savings for both the company and its employees.
If you are a company considering implementing an employee giving program, there are many resources available to help you get started. You can learn more about the benefits of such programs and find out how to design and implement a successful program that meets the needs of your company and its employees.
By implementing an employee giving program, you can support the causes that your employees care about and make a positive impact in your community. This can help your company stand out in the marketplace and attract and retain top talent, customers, and investors.
Additional resources:
Giving USA: Giving USA is an organization that provides research and data on charitable giving in the United States. Their website includes a section on workplace giving, which provides information on the latest trends and statistics in this area.
Charities Aid Foundation: The Charities Aid Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports charitable giving and philanthropy. Their website includes a section on workplace giving, which provides information and resources on how companies can implement employee giving programs.
Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy: The Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy is a membership organization that brings together CEOs and senior executives to share best practices in corporate philanthropy. Their website includes a section on employee giving, which provides information and resources on how companies can implement successful employee giving programs.
Giving Compass: Giving Compass is a nonprofit organization that provides resources and information on philanthropy and charitable giving. Their website includes a section on employee giving, which provides information on the latest trends and research in this area, as well as resources for companies looking to implement employee giving programs.
An Overview of Donor Relations – Nonprofit Catalog
Donors power your nonprofit’s work. Without them, you could never deliver your mission to your beneficiaries. And yet some nonprofits make the mistake of viewing their donors as blank checks instead of people. This can be detrimental to your nonprofit’s efforts to fundraise and grow its community.
That’s why focusing on donor relations is so critical for nonprofits—strengthened donor relationships empower you to accomplish your goals and connect with other people who are passionate about your cause and can offer sustained support for your work.
What Is Donor Relations?
Donor relations consists of all the efforts that a nonprofit organization puts into building relationships with its donors and making them feel seen and valued as people.
Your efforts to cultivate lasting relationships with your donors should begin when you first connect with them, whether through prospecting or the donors’ own moves to get involved with your organization. Then, you can continue to build those relationships so that they last.
Donor Relations vs. Donor Stewardship
Often when talking about donor relations, you’ll hear the term “donor stewardship” come up. This makes sense since the two go hand in hand. But there are important differences to note:
In other words, donor relations focuses on donors themselves, while its subset, donor stewardship, focuses on donors’ gifts. Both are a critical part of a sustainable and successful fundraising strategy.
Why Should Nonprofits Focus on Donor Relations?
Focusing on donor relations requires an investment of your nonprofit’s time and resources. But doing so can pay dividends as you experience the following benefits:
In addition to these benefits, focusing on donor relations just makes logical and financial sense. Some nonprofits are misguided in thinking that skipping crucial opportunities to boost donor relations is the easy way out. In reality, constantly having to acquire new donors and supporters can be more costly and difficult than investing in your relationships with those who are already contributing to your cause.
6 Tips for Strengthening Donor Relationships
Now that you know the basics of donor relations, you’re likely ready to start strengthening the relationships you have with your donors. Here are six tips for doing so:
Donor relations is a critical focus area for nonprofits who want to pursue sustained success and future growth. Run with these tips to strengthen your relationships with your donors!
Additional Resources
Nonprofit Catalog – Read up on more nonprofit essentials by exploring our Nonprofit Catalog.
Creating a Capital Campaign Plan: Complete Guide & Template – Donor relations gets a little more complicated with large-scale capital campaigns. Learn how to set yourself up for success by exploring this guide.
Peer-to-Peer Fundraising: Your Nonprofit’s Guide — Peer-to-peer fundraising gives donors the unique opportunity to fundraise on your behalf. Check out how it works!
Fundraising Campaign Websites – Nonprofit Catalog
Once your nonprofit has put in all the effort to plan a fundraising campaign, you should spread the word to generate support. A fundraising campaign website is one of the most effective tools in your marketing strategy for catching supporters’ interest and empowering them to give. Let’s explore the basics of campaign websites!
What Is A Fundraising Campaign Website?
A fundraising campaign website hosts all the information your supporters need to get involved with your nonprofit’s campaigns. This website will help you promote your campaign, spread awareness about your cause, and get your supporters involved, whether they’re donating, volunteering, or sharing your organization’s message.
Campaign web pages can be created on your main website, or you can create a separate microsite for each large campaign. Microsites are separate from the main website, with a different URL, so they allow you to really feature the campaign and its related details. Depending on the size of your organization and its campaigns, as well as what you know about your supporters and how they engage with your cause online, this could be a great option for you.
What Are The Elements of a Campaign Website?
For your website to be an effective tool, it will need to include certain elements that create a positive user experience for your supporters. Here are some essentials to include:
These elements can all work together to make your campaign website a powerful marketing asset. Depending on the nature of your campaign, you may want to include other features like an event registration form, an advocacy campaign explainer, or an online merchandise store.
4 Fundraising Website Design Best Practices
Including the elements discussed above in your fundraising website will allow you to set up a site that pulls your supporters in. Here are some design best practices to implement to take your site to new heights:
A well-designed fundraising campaign website that contains all the right elements and information can help your nonprofit succeed in its next fundraising endeavor. Use these tips to get started building your fundraising website today!
Additional Resources
Nonprofit Catalog – Read up on more nonprofit essentials by exploring our Nonprofit Catalog.
Nonprofit Website Builders: The 11+ Best Providers – To make an amazing campaign website, you’ll need the help of a robust website builder. Here are some recommendations.
SEO for Nonprofits: A Complete Guide [+ Optimization Tips] – Search engine optimization (SEO) can help people find your website and campaign pages. Learn how to tap into the power of SEO by reading this guide!
5 Association Web Design Tips to Boost Member Acquisition
Did you know that it takes just 50 milliseconds for online users to form an opinion about your website, which ultimately determines whether or not they like it and if they’ll stick around? In half the time it takes most websites to even load, your online visitors have already made snap judgments about the value of your website and – by extension – your association or member organization.
Every one of those curious scrollers who winces and clicks away is a potential new member, you’ve just lost to something as easily-solvable as simple web design changes.
So, how do you start tackling poor association website design and determining which design elements will turn casual visitors into happy new members? If you’re at a loss for where to start, never fear—we’ve prepared these tried-and-true association website best practices to boost your online member acquisition:
With digital engagement on the rise, it’s more important than ever to use your website as an attractive, interactive hub to enhance the member experience and entice visitors to hit the registration button.
Optimize accessibility for any user, on any device.
First things first: your top priority is making sure that your website actually works when users click through it.
This sounds easy enough—if every site visitor were a digital native with a fiber optic internet connection and a desktop computer. Unfortunately, the reality is a lot messier, and many potential and current members aren’t going to fit that mold.
To ensure that every site visitor has the same smooth, seamless online experience no matter when, where, or how in the world they’re navigating your site, take a look at these UX best practices:
There are many small but important steps you can take to open up your website to a vast new audience of online users. However, there’s a limit to how much you’ll be able to tweak your website without some serious technical experience.
For best results, consider investing in a dedicated association website builder. A user-friendly CMS allows even the most technically-challenged association professionals to make effective changes to your website. Use drag-and-drop features, customizable templates, and member-specific design toolkits to make an association website that will blow users away—and encourage them to head straight to your membership registration page.
Use visual storytelling to capture the member experience.
Once users have successfully loaded your site, you’ll want to make the most of that precious half of a second where they’ll be judging whether to explore further or run away screaming.
This is where visual storytelling becomes your best friend. To immediately capture visitors’ attention and draw them into the narrative of your association, incorporate vibrant, professional images across your major web pages.
From Pulitzer-worthy candids of your event guest speakers in action to Instagramable snapshots of members, these snackable images instantly convey what your association stands for (and what you can offer users if they join).
Of course, pictures aren’t the only visual element to pay attention to. Don’t forget to build your membership website with:
When you bring all of these pleasing elements together, you’ll have created an irresistible feast for the eyes that not only wows new site users but also engages current members.
Tease users with sample content, previews, and perks.
Now that you’ve survived that roller coaster of the first minute visitors spend on your website, you have to continue feeding their interest to successfully attract new members.
Remember that actions speak louder than words. So, rather than writing some long-winded appeal for users to give your association a chance, give them a taste of what they’re missing out on!
Take a page from the MemberClicks guide to building a membership website and strategically organize your association website for the public (including prospective members) so that they can access and sample enticing content. In particular, you’ll want to allow anyone to view your:
You could even offer tastes of event content, downloadable resources, educational materials and other small samples of everything your association has to offer. If users want more, all they need to do is sign up.
Leverage the promotional power of your member directory.
The online member directory is probably one of the most underrated marketing tools in your association toolkit.
At first glance, your directory may just seem like a glorified list. But in reality, it can be a critical tool for member networking, digital engagement and (you guessed it!) public promotion.
Think of it as an online pamphlet that prospective members can flip through to see just how many passionate members have taken the dive to join your association. And for a small price, they, too, can access the full high-powered network of fellow professionals.
Be sure to invest in an association management system that can integrate seamlessly with your website. This will allow you to upload your directory directly into your CMS and automatically update member information as new members join and existing members tweak their profiles.
For inspiration on how to create and customize your own online member directory, check out Wild Apricot’s member directory templates.
Test, test, and test again.
When in doubt, test, test, and test again.
There’s no such thing as a perfect association website, and there will always be room for you to improve, adjust, and revamp elements of your site to maximize engagement and push individuals toward your registration page.
Use regular A/B testing to see how different versions and elements of your website perform and what steps you can take to constantly improve the online user experience.
This is especially important as web technologies continue to evolve and user expectations get higher and higher for what they want to see from your association web platform.
There are many moving parts to consider to build out a truly awe-inspiring, member-acquiring association website. To guarantee that you end up with a beautiful, functional web platform rather than Frankenstein’s monster, use these key tips and tools to guide you through the creative and technical process.
From investing in the right website builder and AMS solution to mindfully organizing your site’s visual elements, these insights should give you the confidence and power to create a membership website for the ages.
The Microsoft Ad Grant: An Essential Nonprofit Tool
If you’ve been in the fundraising world for a while, you might be familiar with the Google Ad Grant program. Google provides eligible nonprofits with $10,000 per month in ad spending to help boost their organizations’ reach online.
However, you may not know much about Microsoft’s new program, Ads for Social Impact, which functions similarly to the Google Ad Grant program. As of June 2022, Microsoft offers nonprofits $3,000 per month in ad spending for platforms such as Bing, Yahoo, AOL, Outlook, MSN, and Microsoft Edge.
Although the grant amounts differ between the two programs, both can help you spread awareness of your organization’s mission and raise money for your cause.
Our mission at NXUnite is to provide nonprofits with tools and resources that will set them up for success. We believe that the Microsoft Ad Grant is one such tool that will help organizations spread their missions and reach their fundraising goals. We’re happy to offer this guide so nonprofits can learn more about the program and how to enroll. Here are the topics we’ll cover:
We have a lot to review, so let’s get started!
Microsoft Ad Grant Basics
Microsoft’s Ads for Social Impact program serves to help eligible nonprofits drive traffic to their websites and reach their fundraising and marketing goals at no cost to these organizations. The Microsoft Ad Grant covers $3,000 per month in ad spending for ads on multiple Microsoft-owned websites.
Since Microsoft Ad Grants cover so many different platforms, it can be difficult to picture what an ad created by a participating organization would look like. We’ll walk you through an example on Yahoo so you can visualize how a Microsoft Ad for your particular organization might look.
Let’s say that someone in your community is passionate about protecting wildlife. While checking their Yahoo email, this person might do a quick search for “save the turtles.” Yahoo will return a results page with the phrase “Ads related to: save the turtles” at the top. Underneath, there will be links to websites dedicated to protecting wildlife. These organizations are using Microsoft Ads to boost their reach and spread their mission online.
Nonprofits enrolled in the Microsoft Ad Grant program receive unique benefits that distinguish Microsoft’s program from Google’s. Your organization might already leverage paid search opportunities with Google or Microsoft. For nonprofits that use Google Ads, they must create a separate account for the Google Ad Grant program. In contrast, organizations that already use Microsoft Ads can apply their Microsoft Ad Grant directly to their existing account, allowing them to keep all of their campaigns in the same place.
Another difference between the two programs is the required account restrictions. Since Google Ad Grant accounts are separate from typical Google Ad accounts, there are more restrictions put on Google Ad Grant accounts, including minimum click-through rates, minimum quality scores, and maximum cost-per-click. In Microsoft’s program, all of your Microsoft Ads are under one account with none of these restrictions. That way, you can use the grant just as you would use funds for a regular paid search campaign.
Now that we’ve covered the basics, it’s time to move on to the benefits of enrolling in Microsoft’s Ads for Social Impact program.
Benefits of Microsoft Ad Grants
Besides expanding visibility for your website, there are many benefits of leveraging Microsoft Ad Grants. Take a look at some of the main advantages of participating in the program:
More site engagement.
While creating engaging content is a great way to improve your organization’s website, your content won’t fulfill its purpose if people can’t find your website in the first place.
By producing Microsoft Ads that highlight different pages on your site, you’ll encourage people to check out the resources they’re interested in. Someone looking to volunteer for a nonprofit will search differently than someone looking to donate, and by using your Microsoft Ad Grant appropriately, you can make sure both individuals find the information they need on your website.
More conversions.
Once you get more people to engage with your site, you’re likely to see more conversions. Just as businesses and other for-profit organizations track conversions to sales, nonprofits can track different types of conversions to measure the impact of their campaigns. Some online conversions your organization might track include:
By using the Microsoft Ad Grant to show prospective supporters the pages they’re interested in, you can increase the likelihood that people will perform the intended actions associated with those pages rather than aimlessly skimming your website.
Additional communication with your supporters.
As a nonprofit, you likely already use a mix of communication tools such as email, direct mail, phone calls, text messages, and social media. Microsoft Ad Grants provide an additional opportunity to reach out to your supporters in a more understated way.
While it’s important to engage with your supporters in a variety of different ways, it’s also important not to overwhelm them with too much information and too frequent communication. With Microsoft Ad Grants, you allow current and prospective supporters to learn about your organization on their own time and at their own discretion.
Better understanding of your supporters.
When a supporter interacts with your website, their actions provide several types of data for your organization. By keeping track of this data, you can figure out how to improve your campaigns and get the most out of your Microsoft Ad Grant.
To help you analyze your website activity, Microsoft provides tools such as event tracking, campaign analytics, and traffic insights. That way, you can leverage this information and use it to your organization’s advantage to make sure your website and content are serving your supporters as they should.
Set amount of funds each month.
Once you’re enrolled in the Microsoft Ad Grant program, you can be sure that you’ll receive $3,000 in your Microsoft Ad account each month. While this may seem like a given, many traditional grant programs allocate limited grant funds to qualifying organizations based on their needs.
Knowing exactly how much money in ad spending you’ll receive from Microsoft each month, you can better plan how your organization will use the grant without wasting time wondering how much money you’ll be allotted.
Ways to Use Microsoft Ad Grants
Just as it’s important to outline your goals for a fundraiser or social media campaign, it’s good practice to determine what you want to achieve by using your Microsoft Ad Grant. Setting goals for your campaigns will ensure that you’re using your grant money efficiently.
If you’re not sure what goals you’d like to accomplish during your time in the Microsoft Ad Grant program, take a look at some of our suggestions:
With your goals in mind, you’ll create campaigns with better focus and get the most out of your Microsoft Ad Grant.
Eligibility Requirements
If you’re interested in applying for the Ads for Social Impact program, you’ll need to make sure you’re eligible for the program. Microsoft has three main eligibility requirements. The first is status as a legally recognized nonprofit or non-governmental organization in your country. For United States-based organizations, that includes registering with the IRS as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization.
The next requirement is operating on a not-for-profit basis and serving a specific mission. Microsoft gives mission examples such as helping the poor, preserving the environment, and protecting human rights.
Microsoft’s final requirement is that all participating organizations are inclusive of others. They prohibit any organizations with discriminatory policies or missions from joining the program.
In addition the Microsoft’s three eligibility requirements, they also list ineligible organization types, such as:
For a full list of eligibility requirements, check out Microsoft’s program eligibility page here.
Microsoft Ad Grant Application
After determining your organization is eligible for the program, the next step is to fill out an application. There are two main parts of the application.
First, you’ll apply to Microsoft for Nonprofits, Microsoft’s overarching program dedicated to nonprofit tools and resources. This part of the application has four steps.
The second part of the application process is applying for the Microsoft Ad Grant itself. You’ll provide additional information about your nonprofit and point of contact, and Microsoft will get back to you within 10 business days.
Microsoft Ad Grant Best Practices
Once Microsoft accepts your Microsoft Ad Grant application, you’ll likely want to jump right in and start setting up campaigns. To enure your campaigns are effective, we recommend following a few best practices that other nonprofits have found helpful in the past. Here are some guidelines for running your Microsoft Ad Grant account effectively:
Structure your account appropriately.
Organization is key when it comes to Microsoft Ad Grant campaigns because it allows you to ensure that each campaign has its own specific purpose. The goal of each campaign should be the conversion you’re looking to boost.
For example, let’s say your overall goals for your participation in the program are expanding your email subscriber base, recruiting more volunteers, and informing your supporters about matching gifts. Establish your campaigns’ priorities right away by setting up three separate campaigns, one for each goal. That way, you can track the metrics for each goal separately. Additionally, you can create straightforward campaigns that each focus on one aspect of your mission, making it clear to supporters what you’re asking them to do.
Write clear ad copy.
When it comes to Microsoft Ad copy, the simpler, the better. People will only spend a few seconds looking at your ad, so you want to make sure your message is very clear. Short sentences are usually best. It’s also good practice to avoid uncommon acronyms or abbreviations that may confuse people.
Choose keywords carefully.
To make sure you’re choosing effective keywords, you’ll want to think backward. What are your supporters likely searching for? Those are the words and phrases you’ll want to choose as your keywords.
It’s best to choose specific keywords. People searching for “animals” aren’t necessarily looking for an animal shelter, but those searching for “volunteering with animals” or “adopting a pet” might be.
Keep track of your campaign metrics.
Luckily, Microsoft has built-in analytics options that allow you to easily track the success of your campaigns. Analyzing this data and implementing the insights you glean from it will allow you to shape your campaigns and content to your supporters’ needs.
For example, if you see that people are going straight from your volunteer registration page to your contact information page, it might be useful to add a section with contact information on the volunteer registration page itself for easy access.
Use automatic bidding.
In order to show up in searches for certain keywords, you’ll bid for them along with other organizations. You can submit bids manually, but Microsoft has automatic bidding options that will save your team time and energy.
These bidding strategies include ones for enhancing your cost-per-click, maximizing your clicks, maximizing your conversions, and achieving your target cost per acquisition and return on ad spend.
Following these best practices will ensure that you’re managing your campaigns efficiently and effectively.
Using Microsoft Ad Grants with Other Fundraising Tools
At NXUnite, we’re passionate about connecting nonprofits with the tools and resources that will launch them toward success. While Microsoft Ad Grants are one such tool, leveraging a variety of tools and strategies will help your organization spread awareness and raise money for its cause. Take a look at how your organization can use Microsoft Ad Grants in conjunction with other valuable fundraising tools:
Knowing which nonprofit tools are available for you to use is important, but knowing how to use them in conjunction with each other is even more powerful.
Working with a Microsoft Ad Grant Agency
While we hope this guide will help you manage your Microsoft Ad Grant effectively, we also understand that many nonprofits have constrained time and energy to devote to new projects. That’s where digital marketing agencies come in.
There are organizations out there that are specifically dedicated to helping nonprofits manage ad grants. They know the ins and outs of different ad grant programs and how to optimize your account. These types of agencies can help with any stage of the grant management process, such as:
Reaching out to a digital marketing agency can take the burden of managing your ad grant off your team. You can feel at ease knowing that experts are taking care of your account.
More Fundraising Tools
By now, you should understand what the Microsoft Ad Grant is and how powerful of a fundraising tool it truly is. By enrolling in the Microsoft Ad Grant program, you’ll be able to work toward your organization’s fundraising goals and raise awareness for your cause.
As we mentioned, there are many other great fundraising tools out there. These articles will allow you to learn more about some of the ones we recommend:
Back to School Events – Nonprofit Catalog
As summer draws to a close and the curtains open on the school year, both students and staff are eager to reconnect with one another. Hosting a back to school event creates an ideal opportunity to gather everyone together and raise school funds to support another productive year.
Back to school events can come in many forms, so there is plenty of flexibility to choose the most suitable event for your goals and budget. When it comes to planning one, prioritize offering an enjoyable experience for attendees and maximizing fundraising efforts for your school.
What are back to school events?
Back to school events are social functions usually held at the beginning of a school year to celebrate students’ return from the summer break. These can be tailored to the student population, exclusive to school staff, or even open to the local community. To have everything ready by the time students start their classes, back to school events require prior planning and preparation.
There is a wide range of exciting events suitable for schools of all sizes and students of all ages. By taking the time to align your planning committee on your objectives and budget, you can narrow down the list to find a back to school fundraiser idea that works for your school.
How do I organize a back to school event?
Since back to school events tend to be larger scale and involve attendees from diverse backgrounds and interests, it’s important to think ahead to ensure you plan an engaging and successful event. By agreeing on a concrete plan, you can kick off the new school year on a positive and productive note.
Use these following steps as a guide for hosting a successful back to school event:
Hosting a successful back to school event can be beneficial for both your school and event attendees alike. All it takes is some thoughtful planning to get started.
What are popular event fundraising ideas?
With so many possibilities, it can get a little time-consuming to look into all the event ideas your school could consider. Learning more about popular back to school fundraising events can provide a helpful jumping-off point.
Offer students and parents some fun and enjoyable ways to show their school spirit with these following ideas:
You can even incentivize attendance and participation from invited guests by organizing games and prizes at your event.
A memorable back to school event can provide an added boost of enthusiasm for students as they begin their fall semester. Ensure a positive and productive start to the school year for both your school and your students with one of these engaging ideas.
Additional Resources
Nonprofit Catalog – Read up on more nonprofit essentials by exploring our Nonprofit Catalog.
Why is Read Across America Important? – Read Across America Week is another ideal time for raising money for students’ education and encouraging them to learn. This article will help you get started with hosting a Read-a-Thon.
Nonprofit Event Planning – Thoughtful planning is essential for providing a solid foundation for any event. Learn more about effective event planning in this guide.
Panelist Tech FAQs
Fundraising Professional Development: Top Tips & Resources
If you work in the fundraising space, you know how fast-paced, challenging, and exciting it can be. On any given day, your to-do list might include reaching out to donors, planning engaging events, and promoting your organization online. Whether you work for a nonprofit, university, or other organization, you’ve likely experienced a few fundraising successes and failures and learned important lessons along the way.
Now, you might be looking for some structured resources and tips to help you approach fundraising professional development strategically. That’s probably what brought you here today!
In this guide, we’ll cover a few frequently asked questions about fundraising professional development and provide you with effective formal and informal resources you can use to grow as a fundraiser. We’ll answer the following questions:
Taking the time to improve your fundraising skills and grow your fundraising network can help you plan better fundraising campaigns and events for your organization, ultimately helping you raise more. It’s a win-win for you and the cause you’re working for!
Why is nonprofit fundraising professional development important?
Professional development has benefits both for you as a fundraiser and for your organization as a whole. Here are some specific benefits of fundraising professional development:
To approach fundraising professional development productively, set personal goals. For example, you might identify a certification you’d like to pursue or plan to set aside a specific amount of time each week to pursue professional development. Having a specific goal in mind will help you measure your progress and make tangible strides toward becoming a better fundraiser.
Where can you find fundraising professional development resources?
It can be challenging to parse through the hundreds of websites and resources online that offer fundraising development support. To help narrow down your search, here are a few common sources of fundraising professional development resources and courses:
Read on for a more in-depth look at our top options for fundraising professional development resources!
What are the best fundraising resources for professional development?
You have a range of options to consider for different ways you can build your fundraising skills. These options include everything from taking an online course to attending conferences.
Specifically, here’s a closer look at some of our favorite professional development resources for fundraisers:
Webinars
A webinar is an online discussion or seminar where industry experts share their insights and opinions about specific topics. Nonprofit webinars bring together fundraising experts with individuals looking to expand their fundraising efforts or skill set to provide more value to their organizations.
Webinars are helpful if you don’t have a lot of free time on your hands to devote to fundraising professional development. Most are an hour or less, so you may even be able to join on your lunch break.
Take a look at our top two sources for nonprofit webinars:
NXUnite
NXUnite delivers a wide range of nonprofit webinars and panels with well-known nonprofit experts and influencers. Topics go beyond the fundraising basics to get to the heart of the challenges and opportunities that fundraisers currently face. Plus, these webinars offer insights for the entire mission-driven sector as a whole. That means there’s something for everyone, from nonprofit professionals to professionals working with associations, faith organizations, schools, and more.
Interested in participating in or presenting at an NXUnite panel? Sign up to join the NXUnite community.
Double the Donation
Double the Donation is the leading industry expert on matching gift fundraising. Their webinars can help you understand how to maximize your fundraising revenue from this important but often overlooked source. But their webinars cover more than matching gifts—topics also include volunteer grants, workplace giving, integration deep dives, and general fundraising best practices. Visit the Double the Donation website for more information on live and on-demand webinars.
Online courses
Online learning has exploded in popularity in recent years, giving fundraisers a way to continue their education while working full-time jobs. If you’re looking for more in-depth fundraising training, taking an online course can be an effective way to develop your skills while working at your own pace. Plus, many online fundraising courses are completely free.
Let’s review some of our favorite online fundraising courses:
Nonprofit.Courses
Nonprofit.Courses offers thousands of online courses for nonprofit staff and board members and volunteers. Course topics include grantwriting, fundraising, start-up for small nonprofits, and more. They also offer courses to help earn a variety of certificates like a nonprofit management certification. You can also check out the free content offered by Nonprofit.Courses, which includes podcasts, videos, and documents.
NonprofitReady
NonprofitReady provides free online training courses for fundraising professionals. These courses cover common fundraising tasks and challenges, including accounting and finance, marketing and communications, and much more. They also empower fundraisers to earn free certificates in areas such as fundraising essentials and financial management essentials.
Udemy
Udemy offers a broad range of courses, not only for nonprofit professionals but also for business professionals. Their nonprofit courses run the gamut from graphic design for nonprofits to how to start a nonprofit with limited resources. Udemy also offers a nonprofit plan for 501(c)(3) organizations, granting them special pricing and access to thousands of on-demand courses.
Associations and accrediting organizations
As mentioned, associations can be a great resource for getting connected to fundraising professional development opportunities. Associations bring nonprofit professionals together to learn, make connections, and grow in their profession. Joining an association can help you find free resources and new opportunities that you might otherwise not have access to.
In addition, there are multiple accrediting organizations that set fundraising standards and offer certifications for nonprofit professionals to earn that prove their fundraising capabilities. Earning these certifications shows current and potential employers that you’ve committed to the highest standards of professionalism in the fundraising space.
Here’s a closer look at a few fundraising associations and accrediting organizations you may be interested in joining:
AFP
The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) brings together individual fundraisers and nonprofit organizations to promote ethical fundraising and train professionals on fundraising best practices. AFP facilitates both in-person professional development and online learning. Check out the event calendar to learn more about and sign up for in-person engagement opportunities.
Their online learning opportunities include webinars, e-courses, and intensive workshops.
Your state’s nonprofit association or membership organization
Joining a local association within your region or state can be highly beneficial for networking with other professionals that understand the unique fundraising environment of your local area.
You can either find your local chapter of a larger association such as AFP or look for other organizations that specifically focus on your area. For example, you might join the Georgia Center for Nonprofits, the Ohio Association of Nonprofit Organizations, or CalNonprofits. A regional or local organization will host events and webinars that bring together other fundraising professionals in your area who are dealing with similar issues.
CFRE
CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive) International is an independent nonprofit with a mission to set standards for the philanthropic space and facilitate accreditations for fundraising professionals. To become a CFRE, nonprofit professionals must first earn continuing education points in a variety of topic areas. After reaching the point requirement, professionals can fill out an application and complete a written examination.
Receiving the CFRE certification shows employers that you have a broad knowledge base of fundraising and nonprofit management topics, that you’re invested in growing and developing as a fundraiser, and that you adhere to the highest standards of ethical fundraising. Learn more about the certification and requirements on the CFRE website.
Public speaking and presentation training
Fundraising professionals are often surprised when they realize how much of the success of their role depends on their public speaking skills. As a fundraiser, you probably engage with a variety of internal and external audiences on a regular basis, from your fellow staff members to volunteers, donors, corporate partners, and more. Communicating effectively with these different groups is critical to garnering support for your nonprofit’s fundraising efforts.
Let’s take a look at our favorite public speaking resource:
Be Brilliant Presentation Group
Be Brilliant Presentation Group is a public speaking organization that helps working professionals grow in their presentation skills and become more impactful, inspiring speakers. Individuals looking for tailored public speaking coaching can gain access to a tried-and-true presentation framework, one-on-one coaching, and interactive workshops.
Taking your unique presentation style into account, your speaking coach will work with you to help you develop your skills and create an approach that works best for you. Your coach can also help you specifically with preparations for a conference speech or presentation and even provide day-of assistance. Speak with a coach today to find out more.
Conferences
Nothing brings nonprofit professionals together quite like a conference. A conference allows fundraising professionals to discuss trends, challenges, and opportunities within the fundraising space. These experiences are invaluable for the connections that they foster and strategic partnerships they can help forge between organizations and individuals.
If you’re interested in attending a conference to brush up on the latest fundraising trends and best practices, here are a few to consider adding to your calendar:
Double the Donation’s Matching Gift Summit
Double the Donation’s Matching Gift Summit offers a chance for nonprofit professionals to come together to join in roundtable discussions and hear presentations about matching gifts. This conference will provide you with a more developed strategy for raising more funding for your organization through matching gifts.
You’ll also hear insight about how to use Double the Donation’s tools to their full potential to streamline the matching gift process as much as possible. The easier you can make the matching gift process for donors, the more funding you can earn from this source.
The exact date for this year’s matching gift summit hasn’t been announced yet, but you can check NXUnite’s nonprofit conference page for updates!
AFP ICON
Considered the world’s largest fundraising conference, AFP’s International Conference (also known as AFP Icon) is a multi-day conference that brings together nonprofit professionals from a wide array of backgrounds and organizations. The 2022 conference schedule included sessions on leveraging digital ads for fundraising success, inclusion and equity issues in fundraising, and how to advance in your fundraising career.
AFP ICON 2023 is scheduled for April 16-18 in New Orleans. Keep an eye on the website for updates.
Cause Camp
Labeled a “must-attend” nonprofit conference by Forbes, Cause Camp brings together leaders, influencers, and other movers and shakers in the fundraising world. Along with presentations and panels, Cause Camp offers breakout sessions that are geared toward facilitating training, not just discussions. Plus, attendees can earn up to five CFRE credits for attending.
Cause Camp 2023 will be held in Greater Sandusky, Ohio on September 14 and 15.
Nonprofit Technology Conference
The Nonprofit Technology Conference (otherwise known as the NTC) is an annual gathering focused on how technology works within the nonprofit sector. The conference is hosted by NTEN, an organization dedicated to bringing together nonprofit professionals to use technology for good. The NTC offers breakout sessions, networking opportunities, and other educational experiences to advance the field of nonprofit technology and use.
The next NTC will be held April 12-14, 2023, in Denver, Colorado.
Check out NXUnite’s roundup of the best nonprofit conferences to explore additional opportunities.
What are some informal ways to pursue fundraising professional development?
Attending a conference or earning a certificate aren’t the only ways to grow as a fundraiser. You can pursue fundraising professional development in more casual settings as well. For instance, you can:
Any opportunities you have to surround yourself with fundraising knowledge and insight is another step toward developing as a fundraising professional.
Wrapping Up
Fundraising professional development should be an ongoing goal. The fundraising landscape is constantly changing, with new technologies, strategies, and best practices being introduced. Keeping up with this shifting world will allow you to advance in your career and bring more value to your organization.
For more information on fundraising professional development, check out these additional resources: