With 4.76 billion social media users across the globe, each spending over 2.5 hours on the platforms every day, it’s clear that nonprofits must incorporate social media into their fundraising and donor communication strategies.
Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can empower your organization to spread the word about its cause, cultivate enduring relationships around the world, and raise significant funds to further its mission.
For nonprofits interested in leveling up their social media fundraising strategy, we’ll walk through five impactful tips to generate more revenue from social platforms:
Leverage social media fundraising tools.
Share impact frequently.
Cultivate one-on-one relationships with supporters.
Evaluate your fundraising results.
Express gratitude to donors.
It’s no secret that the key to successful fundraising and donor engagement lies in meeting your supporters where they are. Today, you’ll find many of them eager to interact with and contribute to your nonprofit on social media. Let’s jump right into the best ways to inspire their support.
1. Leverage social media fundraising tools.
Social media is a powerful tool for uniting people around the world under common interests, values, or causes. With this in mind, many platforms have developed features that make it easy for nonprofits to gather support and raise funds. For instance, since Meta’s fundraising tools first became available, organizations and their supporters have raised over $7 billion on Facebook and Instagram.
Therefore, making use of the social media fundraising tools at your nonprofit’s disposal can boost your results. For example, according to GoodUnited, Facebook offers a wide array of useful fundraising tools, including:
Birthday fundraisers. Around their birthdays or other occasions, Facebook allows users to take the lead in fundraising for your nonprofit. About two weeks in advance, users will typically receive a notification prompting them to create a birthday fundraiser to celebrate their special day. When they select your nonprofit, their fundraiser will auto-populate with your Facebook cover photo and mission statement, ready to be shared with their personal networks to collect contributions on your behalf.
Facebook Challenges. Your nonprofit can engage existing supporters and attract new ones by hosting a Facebook Challenge. To start one, you’ll need to choose a Challenge activity, preferably related to your cause, such as completing 50 jumping jacks each day for a whole month. Then, gather participants in a Facebook group to build a supportive community throughout the Challenge and raise funds in this peer-to-peer event.
Donate buttons. Make it convenient for donors to give directly on the platform by adding Facebook’s Donate button to your nonprofit’s page and posts. Since this button appears on reshared posts as well, this is an excellent way to reach a wider audience and secure additional support.
While it’s important to establish a social media presence on several different platforms to reach supporters of varying demographics and preferences, be sure to identify the most relevant ones to your organization’s goals and target audience. This allows you to better focus your efforts and maximize your results.
2. Share impact frequently on social media.
To achieve optimal results with social media fundraising tools, however, your nonprofit will have to inspire supporters to get and stay involved. It’s essential to share impact on a regular basis so existing and prospective donors understand exactly how you’re effecting positive change with your work.
Compelling visuals and impact videos tend to be particularly successful in catching a user’s eye, so lean into the power of graphic design as you communicate your organization’s impact. Ensure that the images, colors, and symbols in your posts all cohesively convey your mission and branding.
One of eCardWidget’s donor retention strategies centers on sharing detailed and specific impact stories to keep supporters motivated. For example, after a Facebook Challenge, a health-related nonprofit can share that the funds raised enabled it to launch and run a new prevention program in the community. This helps donors feel proud of their contributions and enthusiastic to continue giving.
3. Cultivate one-on-one relationships with social media supporters.
Social media users can generate massive support for your nonprofit organization if you engage with them effectively. Facebook fundraisers, for instance, leverage the power of your supporters’ individual networks to boost awareness and raise funds for your nonprofit.
However, the end of a Facebook fundraiser doesn’t have to be the end of your relationship with the supporter who created it or with those who donated. By properly stewarding them, you can create social media connections that stand the test of time.
To accomplish this, engage in conversational messaging with supporters. Facebook Messenger makes the process easy. Let’s say a user creates a birthday fundraiser on Facebook and encourages their friends and family to donate to your nonprofit in lieu of birthday gifts. Your nonprofit can use conversational messaging to provide them with a personalized experience by sending them encouragement, sharing tips for success, and expressing gratitude.
4. Evaluate your social media fundraising results.
Collecting data is crucial for any nonprofit fundraising initiative because it can generate productive insights that you can apply to future efforts. When it comes to social media fundraising, your nonprofit should keep track of:
Fundraisers created by supporters on your behalf
Transaction reports
Average size of gifts made to fundraisers
Average number of donations made to each fundraiser
Number of new donors who gave
Peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns can travel far on social media, spreading from network to network and boosting awareness for your nonprofit. Make the most of this fundraising method by constantly seeking ways to optimize your strategy for greater results.
5. Express gratitude to social media donors.
No fundraising strategy is complete without having a plan in place to recognize donors and express appreciation for their support. When it comes to social media fundraising, the first step is identifying everyone who has made a gift to your organization. Facebook’s donation reports list basic donor information, such as the individual’s first and last name, and potentially an email address.
When reaching out to these donors, be sure to:
Personalize your thank-you. Rather than sending a generic, blanket thank-you message to your donors on social media, strive to incorporate each individual’s preferred name and specific gift amount to show that your nonprofit values them personally.
Suggest additional opportunities to contribute. Based on how each donor interacts with your organization, provide other ways they may be interested in supporting your mission, from volunteering to attending a fundraising event.
Encourage continued connection, such as through conversational messaging. Apart from thanking supporters, you can ask questions or send surveys to gather information on what compels them to give to your nonprofit.
Thanking donors on Facebook and other social media platforms will not only boost your nonprofit’s donor retention rate, but will also build a reputation of gratitude and sincerity around your organization online. Furthermore, by spotlighting individual contributions, you can inspire others to join in through social proof.
Social media platforms have become popular hubs for nonprofits to acquire, engage, and steward supporters around the world. This means that there is plenty for your organization to do to maximize your social media fundraising results.
To reduce the time and effort it takes to nurture strong connections and raise revenue on social media, consider working with a company that can manage the process for you. After all, your nonprofit’s ultimate focus is on making a lasting difference in the community while continuing to generate the funds to do so.
https://nxunite.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GoodUnited_NXUnite_Inspiring-Social-Support-5-Social-Media-Fundraising-Tips_Feature.jpg365690jenny.russhttps://nxunite.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/NXUnite-by-nexus-marketing-White-3.svgjenny.russ2023-06-12 16:51:552023-06-12 16:51:58Inspiring Social Support: 5 Social Media Fundraising Tips
Did you know that every patient generates millions of detailed records in real-time? That’s a lot of data to collect, store, and make comprehensible. Not to mention, healthcare organizations must take special care to adhere to regulatory requirements across several different data types.
That’s where healthcare data cleansing comes in. This necessary process keeps healthcare data sets from becoming unusable which can have severe consequences. In this guide, we’ll explore data cleansing in depth by answering the following questions:
What is healthcare data cleansing?
What causes dirty data?
What are the benefits of healthcare data cleansing?
How can healthcare organizations maintain proper data hygiene?
Keep in mind that healthcare data cleansing requires a robust data platform that can either be built in-house by a team of analysts and data scientists or bought through a vendor. Whichever solution your team chooses, it will need to be scalable to keep up with an increase in data over time. With this in mind, let’s explore data cleansing in greater detail.
What is healthcare data cleansing?
Healthcare data cleansing, also called healthcare data scrubbing or cleaning, is an essential part of data hygiene and refers to the process of identifying and rectifying errors within a healthcare data set. This data set is integrated from a variety of sources such as EHRs, claims systems, lab systems, and administrative databases stored within a centralized healthcare data warehouse.
How often your organization cleans its data set is dependent on several factors, including:
The size of your organization
The volume of data collected
The speed at which data is collected
The associated regulatory and compliance requirements
The desired outcomes of your collected data
Healthcare organizations must regularly clean their data to maintain quality standards. The frequency of data cleansing will be determined by the data quality controls put in place within your existing workflows.
What causes dirty healthcare data?
Dirty healthcare data is caused by a variety of factors that can quickly add up and cause severe system roadblocks. These factors include:
Duplicate data: Because data is inputted from several sources, it can be easy to incur data duplications. This slows down your data reporting and analysis processes and makes it difficult to draw meaningful insights.
Inaccurate data: Data reporting errors from patients or providers can invalidate your data set and cause lasting issues that may take significant time to resolve.
Incomplete data: Omissions, forgotten updates, and missing data all prevent a full patient picture which could lead to workplace inefficiencies at best and inaccurate patient diagnoses and treatments at worst.
In a system as large as healthcare, data collection errors are bound to happen. To prevent them ahead of time, create standardized rules for accurate data entry and task team members to audit your database on a regular basis to locate errors.
What are the benefits of healthcare data cleansing?
A clean data set can work wonders for your organization. In fact, the benefits of healthcare data cleansing can be tracked across several key measures:
Operational and cost efficiency: A clean data set saves both operational time and money. This means that your team will spend less time sifting through incomplete data while maximizing your resources.
Data storage efficiency: Most data is stored within a healthcare data warehouse and must undergo substantial cleaning efforts to transform from raw data to usable data. Quality measures ensure that your organization has access to a structured, organized healthcare data warehouse.
Data analytics accuracy: Analytics tools help your organization visualize health outcomes which include risk adjustment analysis, population health management, and patient engagement among others. Clean data keeps these analytic reports accurate and up to date.
Improved patient outcomes: Because each data point represents an individual patient, a clean data set provides the chance to improve patient outcomes at a quicker rate. Which means providers can access the right information and the right time.
Enhanced billing processes: Correct data streamlines the payor and patient billing process and prevents unnecessary costs. In turn, your organization can better approach financial reporting.
The bottom line: A clean healthcare data set is essential for data-backed decision-making. With comprehensive data quality measures in place, your organization can see measurable growth across major stakeholders.
How can healthcare organizations maintain proper data hygiene?
On the ground level, healthcare data cleansing can be understood as a series of steps or ordered processes. These steps include:
Validation: Your data must be validated for accuracy, completeness, and consistency during this initial data cleansing phase. Data analysts identify and remove discrepancies and duplications to ensure data accuracy.
Standardization: Once data discrepancies are eliminated or appropriately evaluated, data analysts must standardize data formats so that they match. For instance, an analyst must ensure that a patient with a recently changed last name is accurately represented.
Error Correction: Data professionals must detect and correct any remaining inconsistencies. This process may include outlier detection, data profiling, and other methods to resolve inaccuracies.
Completeness verification: Incomplete data is assessed and missing values are accounted for and properly documented using appropriate methods.
Integration: Data is thenconsolidated or integrated from several sources into one data set (while adhering to privacy laws) also known as a healthcare data warehouse. Then, the usable data can be extracted for meaningful analysis.
Review and monitoring: Data is reviewed and monitored on a regular basis to ensure quality and accuracy measures are sufficiently met. Data audits, quality assurance checks, and external data validation are all a part of this process.
Because this process can be involved, many organizations turn to healthcare data professionals to outsource their data collection, cleaning, and analysis. Often, data scientists and analysts are forced to write elaborate queries for unstable and untrustworthy databases, but data platforms like Arcadia Foundry can simplify several data collection and analysis processes.
These platforms are built for analysts by analysts and are consistently enriched with clean, quality data, so organizations don’t have to rely on their own cleansing and standardization processes to extract meaningful insights.
Maintaining an accurate, usable healthcare data set requires consistent data cleansing. If your organization decides to perform its own data cleansing be sure to follow the outlined best practices for quality assurance. If your organization decides to outsource its data cleansing to a vendor, make sure they offer comprehensive and reliable services.
About the Author: Nick Stepro
Nick Stepro is the Chief Product Officer at Arcadia, where he leads the design of the next wave of advanced healthcare analytics applications — including Arcadia Analytics, which has been praised as having one of the best user interfaces in the industry. He has worked with large health systems and payers to design and execute on innovative clinical integration and business intelligence strategies to drive improved health outcomes and reduced system costs. Nick believes in good design and data visualization. When combined with focused expertise in analytics, healthcare and business process, the results are intuitive data-driven applications that empower users to dramatically improve the way they run their businesses. His data visualization work has been covered on NPR, U.S. News and World Report, Medical Ethics Advisor, and elsewhere. Becker’s Health IT and CIO Review recently named him one of “31 Health IT and Revenue Cycle Whiz Kids” to watch. He has spoken at Medcity CONVERGE, AMIA, and HIMSS and has been a guest lecturer on data visualization at Georgia Tech. In December 2016, he was the closing speaker at the CCO Oregon Cost of Care conference.
https://nxunite.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Arcadia_NXUnite_Healthcare-Data-Cleansing-Frequently-Asked-Questions.jpg8001800wpenginehttps://nxunite.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/NXUnite-by-nexus-marketing-White-3.svgwpengine2023-06-05 16:19:062024-04-03 09:07:37Healthcare Data Cleansing: Frequently Asked Questions
Part of running your nonprofit is learning how to develop a thriving base of supporters. That means you need to learn how to source donors and volunteers. As a volunteer manager, you’re tasked with motivating volunteers to stick around. That means you need to know the ins and outs of volunteer appreciation.
While they don’t expect anything in return, volunteers deserve an occasional “thank you” at the very least. However, you’ll really foster connections with them by singing their praises and going above and beyond by recognizing volunteers on a deeper level.
From learning the basics of retention to sourcing new ideas, we’ll provide you with everything you need to establish (or revitalize) your volunteer appreciation strategies. That way, you can confidently inspire your volunteers to stick around. Here’s what you can expect to learn throughout this guide:
Your volunteers are your nonprofit’s unsung heroes. They serve your organization day in and day out, all because of their passion for your mission. Make sure they’re just as passionate on day 100 as they are on day 1 by following the tips we share in this guide. Let’s dive in!
What Is Volunteer Appreciation?
Volunteer appreciation refers to the act of recognizing and expressing gratitude for the generosity of those who freely offer their time, skills, and resources to support an organization. It involves acknowledging the selfless service and impact volunteers make, showing gratitude for their commitment, and ensuring they feel like a valued part of your cause.
Volunteer appreciation can take different forms, such as verbal expressions of gratitude, written thank-you notes, special events, and personalized gestures. By showing you value volunteers, your nonprofit can honor their contributions and cultivate a supportive volunteer culture that encourages ongoing relationships.
Why Volunteer Appreciation Matters
You work hard to source new volunteers and want them to stick around. That’s why you need to express your gratitude to them regularly and authentically.
These individuals selflessly dedicate their time and skills to support your cause, and it can be easy to take that for granted. Luckily, saying “thanks” can go a long way!
Expressing genuine gratitude means you can:
Acknowledge the invaluable role they play, strengthening their connection to your organization.
Foster a sense of belonging, motivation, and satisfaction among volunteers, leading to increased engagement and supporter retention.
Establish a supportive and inclusive environment, inspiring others to get involved and contribute their time and talents.
Overall, recognizing and valuing volunteers means you can inspire continued support and build a strong foundation for ongoing collaboration in achieving your mission.
How Frequently You Should Express Appreciation
The short answer is there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to volunteer appreciation. Rather, the frequency of volunteer appreciation varies across nonprofits. It all depends on your organization’s size, resources, and volunteer involvement.
Generally speaking, we recommend expressing appreciation regularly to ensure volunteers feel valued for their contributions. When establishing your volunteer appreciation cadence, here’s the frequency we recommend for different tactics:
Ongoing through verbal expressions of gratitude and thank-you notes after volunteer events
Monthly or quarterly via volunteer spotlights and public recognition to highlight standout volunteers
Annually alongside annual nonprofit events or milestones (like National Volunteer Week or your organization’s anniversary) to showcase supporters’ collective impact
Ultimately, the key is to make volunteer appreciation a continual practice rather than a one-time occurrence, reinforcing volunteers’ vital role in your nonprofit’s mission.
Our Favorite Volunteer Appreciation Gifts
With a solid understanding of volunteer appreciation, you’re now ready to venture into brainstorming ideas for expressing gratitude. We took some time to procure some of our favorite volunteer appreciation gifts and ideas that your supporters are sure to love!
Remember to pick the ones that will resonate with your unique base of supporters. You may even want to segment your supporters within your volunteer management system based on the types of appreciation they prefer. For example, do they prefer personal, one-on-one appreciation or a public shout-out? Either way, we’ll provide plenty of ideas that will fit anyone’s preferences.
Thank You eCards
This volunteer appreciation strategy stands the test of time. People have used greeting cards to express gratitude for years, whether they wanted to show appreciation for a gift or say thanks for lending a helping hand. Now, your nonprofit can take this strategy to the digital space thanks to eCards!
Online greeting cards have countless uses, especially for nonprofits. They’re perfect for raising money, inviting supporters to events, spreading cause awareness, and strengthening supporter relationships. Here’s how eCards work as volunteer appreciation gifts:
Design a collection of thank-you eCards branded to your nonprofit.
Embed your eCards into a page on your website.
Your staff, beneficiaries, or other volunteers can choose their favorite designs, customize a message, and send them to standout volunteers.
The eCard is delivered to the volunteer’s inbox.
To power this volunteer appreciation idea, choose a user-friendly eCard platform. We recommend our friends at eCardWidget.
The platform comes equipped with user-friendly design tools that make it easy to design thank-you eCards with any fonts, colors, and graphics you want. It even has templates to kickstart the design process. Once you’re ready to go, you can embed the convenient widget into your website and direct people to your site to send eCards to impactful volunteers!
Gift Cards
From shopping to eating, there’s a gift card out there for everyone. Chat with your corporate sponsors and ask if they’re willing to spare some free gift cards. Chances are, socially-responsible companies would be more than happy to lend a hand.
A few great places to check include:
Local restaurants
Nearby coffee shops
Grocery stores or other businesses
Wellness businesses like spas and yoga studios
Bonus points if you can find a company that correlates with your mission! For example, if you work at an environmental organization, you might partner with a local plant nursery.
The amount you load onto each card should align with how much time someone’s given to your nonprofit. In other words, don’t give a brand-new volunteer a $200 gift card to a fancy restaurant.
Volunteer Appreciation Dinner
Bring your volunteers together for some delicious food and meaningful conversations by hosting a volunteer appreciation dinner. Invite volunteers to enjoy a meal and socialize with organizational leaders, staff members, and fellow volunteers. Doing so offers the opportunity to recognize the volunteers’ hard work and impact on your mission, while also allowing them to interact with others who are just as passionate.
Add some speeches or a presentation to the agenda, providing plenty of time to acknowledge individuals, highlight their achievements, and communicate heartfelt appreciation.
By establishing a warm atmosphere during the evening, you’ll foster a sense of community and ensure volunteers feel celebrated for their selfless service.
Branded Apparel
Your nonprofit can offer t-shirts and other apparel as a creative way to thank your volunteers. Not to mention, this doubles as a nonprofit marketing strategy. Each time they wear your nonprofit’s t-shirt or use your tote bag, they’ll amplify your mission to other community members.
Here are a few volunteer-specific apparel ideas to get the ball rolling:
Branded Volunteer Apparel: Distribute t-shirts, hats, tote bags, or other apparel branded with your organization’s logo and colors alongside a special volunteer appreciation message. Volunteers can then wear their custom shirts proudly any chance they get.
Volunteer Uniforms: If your organization has an ongoing volunteer program, provide volunteers with designated branded apparel they can wear when lending a hand. Providing them with free volunteer t-shirts and hats will create a sense of belonging and foster team spirit!
Achievement Badges: Encourage volunteers to strive for greatness by offering special badges or patches that recognize their accomplishments. For example, offer badges for milestones like hours served or years of volunteering. They can attach their patches to apparel, so they can wear their badges with honor. Not to mention, the patches may even spark conversations, allowing volunteers to share their inspirational experiences.
Even if you have some leftovers from your recent t-shirt fundraiser, giving the spares to committed volunteers can go a long way.
Show your appreciation, boost morale, and offer a visual representation of your dedicated community with this volunteer appreciation gift! After all, who wouldn’t want to show off their passion for your cause?
Custom Awards Ceremony
Craft awards that recognize exceptional volunteers in categories like leadership, impact, and commitment. Then, honor the winners and publicly acknowledge their admirable contributions by holding an awards ceremony. You can create custom awards like:
Rising Star Volunteer
Volunteer Team of The Year
Most Hours Served
Transform it into a celebratory event by featuring speeches, music, and other interactive elements. There’s no better way to engage and appreciate volunteers than by hosting a full-blown event in their honor!
Local Event Tickets
Connect volunteers with the community they work so hard to serve by giving them tickets to local events. Chances are, they’d love to stroll through a local festival or have a night out to the movies.
Take a look at your community’s event calendar and find events your volunteers will enjoy, such as:
Local concerts or music festivals
Sporting events
Performing arts shows
Arts exhibitions and museums
Community festivals or street fairs
Historical or cultural tours
Entertainment events like movie showings
This is a great opportunity to immerse volunteers in your community’s culture. Just remember to tailor this volunteer appreciation gift to the individual.
Wellness Packages
Show you care about your volunteers’ well-being by sending custom self-care packages. This volunteer appreciation gift can include various items that encourage relaxation and overall wellness.
Here are some theme ideas for crafting the ultimate wellness packages:
Bath and body products such as scented candles and bath bombs to create a soothing environment
Mindfulness resources like a journal and a meditation app subscription
Healthy snacks and herbal teas to boost nutrition
Fitness items like a yoga mat, foam roller, and water bottles to encourage healthy lifestyles
Pricing for these volunteer gifts can quickly add up, so be sure to send these only to your most committed volunteers. By sending a custom self-care package, your nonprofit can show it recognizes the importance of self-care.
Social Events
Encourage your social butterfly volunteers to hang out at a social event. There are plenty of ways you can bring your volunteer community together to say thanks, whether you want to party on a budget or splurge. You might host one of these fun events:
Potluck dinner or picnic: Host a casual dinner or a picnic at an outdoor venue where volunteers can enjoy a fun-filled time with their families and fellow volunteers.
Field day: Encourage some healthy competition by arranging a field day with all sorts of games. Volunteers can sign up in teams or opt to be paired up with other stragglers.
Movie night: Host a movie night where volunteers can relax, enjoy a film, and chat with one another. You might even choose a film related to your mission or let them vote on the movie beforehand.
Group hiking or nature walk: Organize a day out in nature at a local park or scenic area. Volunteers can come together to enjoy the outdoors and one another’s company.
Local attractions or cultural events: Arrange outings to local museums or cultural fairs where volunteers can enjoy shared experiences and explore their community together.
Social outings are perfect for helping volunteers enjoy the community and bond over their shared experiences. These events are also great for getting some face-to-face time with staff.
Social Media Spotlights
Social media plays an instrumental part in many people’s lives. Liven up your followers’ feeds by shining the spotlight on outstanding volunteers.
From Instagram to Facebook, your nonprofit can provide a volunteer appreciation gift that honorees can share with their networks.
Volunteer of the Week/Month: Create a dedicated post highlighting a standout volunteer each week or month. Conduct a short interview, so you can showcase their story, accomplishments, motivations, and impact they’ve made on your community and cause.
User-Generated Volunteer Testimonials: Ask volunteers to share their volunteer experiences. Encourage them to post on their personal social media accounts and tag your organization. Then, repost these testimonials on your organization’s social media pages to showcase the positive impact of volunteering.
Volunteer Achievements: Celebrate significant milestones your volunteers reach. You might call out individuals who achieve a certain number of volunteer hours or help push a major initiative forward.
When featuring your volunteers on social media, obtain their consent first. Some volunteers might prefer a different volunteer appreciation gift, so respect their privacy preferences!
Donation in Their Name
Your volunteers offer their time and skills to further your mission. That doesn’t mean they don’t want to donate too!
Donate in a volunteer’s name as a way to express gratitude and recognize their hard work. By making this gesture, you can deepen the volunteer’s connection to your organization and establish a sense of pride in knowing their work is making a difference.
Not to mention, donating in a volunteer’s name can serve as a form of public volunteer recognition, showcasing their commitment to your cause. Whether you donate to your cause or another one they support, this will go a long way in communicating that you appreciate the volunteer’s dedication.
Bonus tip:Volunteer grants are an easy way to further a volunteer’s impact. Through this type of program, their employer will donate to a nonprofit where they regularly volunteer.
Best Practices for Effectively Recognizing Volunteers
Now, you’re armed with some incredible volunteer appreciation gifts your supporters will love. Not so fast, though! You need to know how to choose the best ones for your unique group of supporters.
When selecting your favorites, create the ultimate plan to recognize volunteers with these tips:
Personalize your gifts when you can. Reference their exact contributions when you can. That’s what makes nonprofit eCards and volunteer awards so great. For example, you can incorporate a volunteer’s name and a custom message into your personalized eCards. Or, you can choose a unique award for each volunteer.
Match volunteers’ preferences. Not everyone loves public recognition. Chat with volunteers to see which volunteer appreciation gifts they’d enjoy.
Be creative. Give gifts that people will remember, and infuse your nonprofit’s voice when possible. Something as simple as personalizing an eCard can elevate a traditional thank-you email.
Promptly thank volunteers. Time is of the essence! Recognize volunteers as soon as possible. While digital gifts can be sent instantly, physical gifts and experiences will take longer than others to deliver.
Incorporate your nonprofit’s branding. Your volunteers love your cause, so make sure any gift you send relates to your cause. Infusing your nonprofit branding can be as simple as using your logo, colors, and fonts on a t-shirt or eCard.
Implementing these tips will empower you to communicate your genuine appreciation. You’ll boost volunteer engagement and retention in no time!
Wrapping Up: The Impact of Volunteer Appreciation
An incredible 63 million Americans (AKA 25% of the adult population) volunteer their time and talents to make a difference according to Nonprofits Source’s online giving statistics page. However, the industry volunteer retention rate hovers around 65%. That means 1 in 3 volunteers will quit serving your nonprofit sooner than expected.
Make sure your volunteers’ selfless efforts don’t go unrecognized! Otherwise, you risk losing them to another cause. While their acts of service are selfless, everyone loves an occasional thank you. By proactively recognizing your volunteers, you’ll communicate that you want them to stick around.
If you’re looking for more best practices, we’ve pulled together some resources for you. Explore these to continue learning about effective volunteer management:
Member engagement is a driving force in growing your association. Fonteva’s guide to member engagement defines this term as “the ongoing outreach and interactions between associations and their members to keep constituents informed, educated, and motivated to continue their memberships.” With an engaged membership base, your organization will see increased retention, a stronger community, and even increased non-dues revenue.
When planning for your association’s future, it’s crucial to consider how you will keep current members engaged while attracting new ones. Improving member engagement will require you to explore your association’s strengths and weaknesses as well as your members’ needs and preferences. To get started, you’ll need to employ the following strategies:
In this guide, we’ll break down each of these tactics and how they will put you on the path toward deeper virtual engagement. Let’s get started!
1. Set goals and choose engagement metrics.
Outlining the goals you’d like to achieve must be the first step you take toward increased engagement. The goals your organization chooses will dictate which initiatives you focus on, how resources are allocated, and which metrics you’ll need to track in order to measure success.
To get started, look at your association’s past performance. You might reference member surveys to understand what areas could use improvement, developing goals meant to target those weaknesses. The goals you create should be structured as “SMART” goals, or goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
Let’s say you want to boost your association’s social media presence. One of your goals could be to increase your LinkedIn follower count from 500 to 1,000 within the next year. Because this goal uses a specific number and timeframe, is realistic, and is relevant to your objective, it qualifies as a SMART goal.
Once you’ve settled on a few engagement goals for your association, it’s important to start tracking metrics related to those goals so you can accurately measure your progress. Here are some common key performance indicators (KPIs) that can help you track improvements in virtual member engagement:
Social media metrics: Social media provides a treasure trove of useful data about users and how they interact with your page. You can track your follower count, likes, comments, shares, click-through rates, and more (depending on your goals). To narrow down which metrics you’ll track, remind yourself of your goals and develop KPIs that directly apply to those goals.
Virtual event KPIs: If your association holds virtual or hybrid events, make sure to measure the engagement of virtual attendees (just like you would for in-person attendees). You can measure factors like registrations, actual attendance, returning and new attendees, and participation time.
Email marketing engagement: Emails likely play a big role in how your association attracts new members and connects with existing ones to keep them in the loop. You can track how engaged members are in your announcements, newsletters, fundraising prompts, or other campaigns by measuring metrics like open rates, click-throughs, conversions, and unsubscribes.
Many of these metrics can be tracked using an association management tool to create custom reports to visualize your organization’s performance. These reports provide a much more accurate, easy-to-understand way to analyze association data.
2. Understand and appeal to members.
After deciding on your association’s core engagement goals and identifying how you’ll measure progress, you’ll need to start implementing strategies that improve engagement opportunities for members.
If your organization is seeing low engagement rates across the board, your current offerings may not align with what members are looking for. To make the switch to discussing topics and holding events your members will be excited about, you’ll need to learn more about their interests.
Here are some of the strategies you can use to understand your members and adjust association activities to meet their needs:
Send out surveys. Surveys are a great way to see inside your members’ minds and hear directly from them what they expect from your organization. There are many kinds of surveys you can send, depending on what you want to learn from members. You might send more general surveys asking about their interests, or narrow the subject by asking how your virtual engagement strategies could be better. Another popular way to get member feedback is by sending post-event surveys (ideally, there should be separate surveys for in-person and virtual attendees).
Segment members. Create groups of members based on shared characteristics like their interests, tendencies, or preferences. For example, you might create a subset of members who take advantage of almost all of your continued learning opportunities and further segment these members by their communication preferences. Then, you can direct communications about the opportunities and subjects they are interested in to those segments as appropriate.
Set up a variety of engagement opportunities. Because your members each have different preferences and goals, make sure to offer various engagement opportunities to address their unique needs. Options for virtual engagement can include virtual events, meetings, learning opportunities, and discussion forums, all providing a different way to connect and build a community. For instance, members who want to expand their network and form relationships outside of association events and meetings may use your membership directory most often.
Taking an approach that focuses primarily on meeting individuals’ needs rather than creating a blanket solution will make all members feel included and catered to. Over time, this careful consideration will help build more positive member experiences.
3. Prioritize community building.
Additional engagement opportunities like fun events or fundraisers can help add value to the membership. These activities strengthen the bonds between members in your community, leading to increased renewals and member retention rates. While you may think of these events as being limited to in-person annual dinners, there are virtual and hybrid options you can extend to remote members as well (like a quarterly virtual happy hour).
Fundraisers are a great way to unite your members for a common cause, whether you are fundraising for your association or on behalf of a charitable organization. To get members more engaged in the fundraising process, you can put together a member-led fundraising committee. Give this committee specific responsibilities like developing fundraising ideas, planning fundraisers, and executing fundraising events.
After your event or fundraiser wraps up, always remember to thank those who attended or donated. These thank yous will keep members coming back to your events or donating in the future. Keep in mind that the time period following a successful event or fundraiser can be a good opportunity to send renewal reminders, if applicable.
Virtual member engagement goes beyond encouraging connections between individual members and your association. It also motivates members to connect with one another, building a web of professional relationships that they can leverage to advance their careers, further their education, and secure exciting new opportunities. To achieve this level of engagement and give members the experiences they are looking for, be sure to select a membership management platform that will make implementing new strategies and measuring your progress simple.
https://nxunite.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Fonteva_NXUnite_Virtual-Member-Engagement-The-Definitive-Guide_feature.jpg365690HannahThttps://nxunite.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/NXUnite-by-nexus-marketing-White-3.svgHannahT2023-05-08 17:12:062023-05-08 17:12:09Boosting Virtual Member Engagement: The Definitive Guide
The Google Ad Grant gives nonprofits access to Google Ads, allowing them to enhance their digital marketing plan. Nonprofits who receive this grant will receive $10,000 every month to spend on Google Ads, which appear at the top of Google’s search results pages.
However, there are parts of the Google Ad Grant that are complex and may require knowledge that your nonprofit staff lack. In that case, you may want to work with a professional in the field, such as a Google Ad Grant agency.
This article will give you the rundown on Google Ad Grant agencies and what your nonprofit should know about working with one. Here’s what we’ll cover:
A Google Ad Grants agency can lend your nonprofit the experience and knowledge necessary to apply for and use the Google Ad Grant strategically. This allows your nonprofit to efficiently grow its online presence and reach a larger audience, resulting in more supporters, volunteers, and donors. These individuals help your nonprofit drive the impact that you desire, allowing you to work more efficiently towards your goals. So let’s dive into what a Google Ad Grant agency is!
What is a Google Ad Grant Agency?
A Google Ad Grant agency is a professional organization that can help your nonprofit optimize your Google Ad Grant strategy. While some of these agencies focus wholly on Google Ad Grants, other agencies offer Google Ad Grant services as one of many other digital marketing services.
These agencies are designed to take the pressure off your nonprofit’s staff to create and manage your Google Ad Grant account. With their professional touch, they’ll be able to launch campaigns that help you achieve your desired results.
How Can a Google Ad Grant Agency Help Your Nonprofit?
Much like other types of marketing consultants for nonprofits, Google Ad Grant agencies can help your nonprofit in multiple ways. Some common features that these agencies offer as part of their Google Ad Grant services include:
Google Ad Grant application: Unlike other grant applications, the Google Ad Grant application requires more of a back-and-forth with Google. A professional agency will handle the account creation and application tasks for you.
Account management: A Google Ad Grant agency will monitor your account, ensure that it complies with the Google Ad Grant’s complicated guidelines, and reactivate it if necessary.
Keyword research: A successful Google Ad strategy relies on the thoughtful use of keywords. An agency will have the experience and tools necessary to choose keywords that will help you reach your desired audience.
Landing page optimization: Your Google Ad will direct traffic to landing pages. To encourage further engagement with your nonprofit’s website, a Google Ad Grant agency will help optimize your landing pages.
Create and optimize onsite content: Having an appealing landing page isn’t enough to engage potential supporters, you’ll also need helpful and interesting onsite content. Not only will Google Ad Grant agencies optimize already existing content, but some will also create new content for you.
Campaign management: In order to make the most of your Google Ad Grant, you’ll want multiple ad campaigns running for different keywords. Tracking these campaigns can get complicated, which is why Google Ad Grant agencies will help you by managing your campaigns for you.
Essentially, Google Ad Grant agencies can take over all the work associated with your Google Ad Grant account. This can be immensely helpful for nonprofits that don’t have the capacity to maintain their account consistently, yet need the traffic the ads drive to help them recruit new supporters.
What Are the Benefits of Working with a Google Ad Grant Agency?
One of the major benefits of working with a Google Ad Grant agency is the comprehensive list of services they provide. However, there are other benefits that nonprofits can reap from a partnership, such as:
Time saved: Nonprofit employees are often spread thin, so outsourcing the work of managing your Google Ad Grants will result in more time for your staff to allocate to other tasks and reduced stress.
Professional experience: Even if your nonprofit’s staff members have the capacity to work on your Google Ad Grant account, the program can be a learning curve for those just getting started. A Google Ad Grant agency will have the professional knowledge and experience to efficiently and strategically handle all tasks that arise from your Google Ad Grant account.
Consistent upkeep and maintenance: To keep up with Google search trends, your Google Ad Grant agency will consistently check on your account, evaluate how well your campaigns are performing, and make any necessary adjustments to your strategy. Your nonprofit will benefit from the regularity of these improvements.
Clear reporting: Google Ad Grant agencies will be able to clearly demonstrate the impact of your Google Ads by generating easy-to-understand reports that you can use in meetings with your nonprofit leaders and board members.
If you have the budget for outsourcing the work associated with Google Ad Grants to an agency, these benefits will outweigh the costs simply through the visibility you will gain with professional help. However, part of a successful partnership is choosing the right Google Ad Grant agency to work with.
7 Tips for Choosing a Google Ad Grant Agency
Now that you know how a Google Ad Grant agency can help you with your nonprofit’s digital marketing strategy and what benefits such a partnership brings, let’s dive into what your nonprofit should consider when choosing a Google Ad Grant agency. While researching your different options, take into account the following:
What you want: Ask yourself, what do you want out of a partnership with a Google Ad Grant agency? Reflect on what conversions are most important to you—if you’re looking to recruit donors and make donation requests of interested individuals, your strategy will look different than if you’re just trying to raise awareness of your cause.
Price: Different Google Ad Grant agencies will have different prices and service packages available. You’ll want to select an agency that fits your needs and your budget.
Approach to Google Ad Grants: Since some digital marketing agencies provide Google Ad Grants services as well as other offerings, you’ll want to consider whether you’d be happy with these types of agencies or if you’d prefer to work with an agency that deals specifically with Google Ad Grants.
Certified by Google: While not completely necessary, a Google certification means that Google has vetted the agency’s work and recognized that they have in-depth knowledge of Google Ad Grants.
Reviews: Read reviews of the Google Ad Grant agency and see what other nonprofits have to say about their services. Pay particular attention to if they’ve previously worked with nonprofits similar to yours or working in a similar vertical.
Case studies: To get a more in-depth look at how your potential Google Ad Grant operates, check to see if they have created any case studies of successful partnerships. You can use these to evaluate the agency’s effectiveness.
Free consultations: After you’ve narrowed down your choices to a couple of options, consider requesting a free consultation from these agencies. Having the opportunity to see how different agencies would handle your nonprofit’s specific Google Ad Grant strategy will allow you to better assess if you would be happy partnering with them.
While your Google Ad Grant is just a part of your nonprofit’s overall digital marketing strategy, it can still create significant results for your organization, such as greatly increasing awareness of your cause and helping you to recruit passionate new supporters. Work with a Google Ad Grant agency that understands your nonprofit’s unique needs and that is able to assist you as you need.
5 Top Google Ad Grant Agencies
To help jumpstart your research for a great Google Ad Grant agency to work with, here are five agencies to consider.
1. Getting Attention
Getting Attention is an agency dedicated specifically to Google Ad Grants. It boasts a diverse, global team of seasoned experts with years of experience that will help you set up and maintain your Google Ad Grant account. They will take the time to get to know your mission and your beneficiaries, then apply that information toward creating personalized Google Ad campaigns that help your nonprofit stand out on the search engine results page.
Their services include:
Google Ad Grant applications: If your nonprofit doesn’t already have a Google Ad Grant account, Getting Attention will guide you through the application process and help you get started with the program.
Account hygiene: It’s important to have up-to-date data on how your ad campaigns are doing in order to improve them. Getting Attention’s team is dedicated to removing outdated and unnecessary data to make sure your nonprofit doesn’t get bogged down.
Keyword research: This Google Ad Grant agency is committed to constantly improving your nonprofit’s messaging through thorough keyword research, which will help drive traffic to your website.
Getting Attention offers free consultations to interested nonprofits and has an affordable plan with a monthly fee for their services.
2. Platypus Digital
A digital marketing agency that specifically focuses on nonprofits, Platypus Digital is determined to connect charities to the people they need, such as donors and fundraisers. Based in the UK, they have a focus on cultivating a strong relationship and mutual understanding with their clients and have helped over 180 charities with their digital marketing services.
Some of the services they offer include:
Google Ad Grants management: As one of Google Ad Grant’s Certified Professional Agencies, Platypus Digital has extensive knowledge and experience to apply to your nonprofit’s Google Ad Grant strategy.
Google Analytics: Aside from Google Ad Grants, Platypus Digital also performs audits and health checks on your Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager to help you reach your desired results.
Meta Ads: Social media is a great digital marketing opportunity for nonprofits. Platypus Digital can help you make the most of this opportunity through Meta Ads, increasing visibility through Instagram and Facebook.
To help you gain greater insight into Platypus Digital’s work, the agency provides case studies of its specific offerings. These include their SEO, data review, and conversion rate optimization services.
3. Digital Ninjas
This agency works with organizations large and small to achieve their digital marketing goals. They pride themselves on being flexible partners, offering expert and impartial advice with data-led planning and execution. Some of the features they offer include:
A/B testing and optimization: By comparing the results of similar keywords, Digital Ninjas will be able to optimize your ad campaigns.
Web experience improvements: To keep website visitors interested and engaged, this digital marketing agency will help you revamp your existing website or even build you a new one.
Personalized QR codes: Digital Ninjas uses QR codes to seamlessly connect the offline and digital world, taking direct mail to the next level. With personalized QR codes, you’ll be able to redirect supporters to your donation portal with all available details pre-populated.
Digital Ninjas has previously helped organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and Pink Elephants. They offer flexible pricing and packages and employ dedicated Customer Happiness Ninjas to ensure that you’re getting the most out of your partnership.
4. Luminate Marketing
An agency that specializes in working with mission-driven organizations, particularly in the religious vertical, Luminate Marketing adjusts its services to meet your budget and help bring your mission to light. Their offerings include:
Vision workshops: If your nonprofit isn’t sure about where to start with digital marketing, these vision workshops are designed to help you hone in on your messages and create a marketing plan that works for you.
Branding and design: Luminate Marketing can help you develop logos and brand guides and can help you create digital and print designs for your promotional purposes.
Strategy and messaging: If you need an expert’s opinion, by partnering with Luminate Marketing you’ll have ongoing access to their team of professionals who can work with you to refine your approach and content.
Luminate Marketing’s offerings come at a range of different price points. Aside from their paid services, they also provide a list of free resources for organizations that don’t have the capacity to partner with them at the moment.
5. TrueSense Marketing
TrueSense Marketing is a full-service, strategic, direct-response fundraising agency. With over 50 years of history and over 400 team members, they are dedicated to listening to your donors and helping your nonprofit grow. Their services emphasize:
Recruiting new donors.
Retaining existing donors.
Reactivating lapsed donors.
Increasing your donors’ gifts.
Engaging your donors meaningfully.
Their previous clients include food banks, animal care, veterans services, and many other types of nonprofits seeking to get the word out about their cause.
Working with a Google Ad Grant Agency: Next Steps
With this guide, you can make an informed decision about whether working with a Google Ad Grant agency is the best step for your nonprofit, and if it is, which agencies would be best suited for you. Consider how Google Ads will fit into your nonprofit’s overall marketing plan, and partner with an agency that will help you create the impact you desire.
If you’re interested in learning more about Google Ad Grants, take a look at these resources:
https://nxunite.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Google-Ad-Grant-Agency_Feature.png6001400Connie Zhanghttps://nxunite.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/NXUnite-by-nexus-marketing-White-3.svgConnie Zhang2023-05-01 12:16:352023-05-01 15:06:48The Complete Guide to Google Ad Grant Agencies: 5 Options
Put yourself in a donor’s shoes. After perusing a nonprofit’s website, you take the plunge and make a sizeable donation of $100. You receive an email with your tax receipt but don’t hear another word.
You were so inspired by their mission, but you didn’t receive so much as a thank-you email in return for your financial support. In turn, you feel slightly unappreciated and decide to look into other organizations pursuing similar causes. That’s why donor recognition is vital!
If that organization had reached out with a personalized thank-you letter, you’d be much more likely to give again. And while this example might sound a bit dramatic, it happens all the time. Nonprofits don’t always recognize those who give to their causes, and that can reflect poorly, especially when major contributions aren’t acknowledged.
If your nonprofit’s donor recognition strategies are lacking, you’ve come to the right place! To help, we’ll highlight the importance of thanking your donors and explore creative ways you can show your appreciation. Here’s what you can expect:
At NXUnite, we’ve worked with several of the industry’s leading professionals. These thought leaders regularly share their expertise on how nonprofits can thrive in an ever-changing landscape. One of the timeless strategies we’ve noticed is that acknowledging donors is a must for establishing a reliable base of support.
With a few creative donor recognition ideas in your back pocket, your donors will know just how much their contributions are valued. In no time, you’ll inspire them to stick around for the long haul.
What Is Donor Recognition?
Donor recognition is the process of thanking supporters for their contributions to your organization. While the term is typically associated with individual contributions, nonprofits can express appreciation for anyone that’s donated money, goods, or services to their cause. That includes businesses and other organizations.
Acknowledgment can occur either privately—such as by personal letter or phone call—or publicly—like with a donor wall or other display. Depending on your supporters’ preferences, acknowledging their contributions can take many forms, from a simple thank-you letter to more elaborate awards, plaques, or public displays of appreciation.
Organizations often separate donor recognition into tiers based on the type of gift and the total amount given. The higher the amount, the greater the level of recognition. For example, a major donor might receive a lasting thank-you on a donor wall, while a donor who gave $30 might receive a personalized eCard.
Reasons Why You Should Recognize Your Donors
Recognizing your donors is the number one way to nurture positive relationships with them. You want them to feel valued and speak positively about your organization. By taking the time to express your gratitude, you can positively impact your work in several ways. For example, you’ll be able to:
Increase your donor retention rate. When donors feel appreciated, they’ll stick around for the long haul. Even small, recurring donations can add up. So, no matter the size of their gift, expressing gratitude can go a long way.
Motivate existing donors to give more. Donors continue supporting charities when they feel like they’re making a difference. By recognizing their contributions and giving insight into their impact, you can make them feel like their support is essential to your success. In turn, they may donate more in the future.
Acquire new donors. When you thank those who support your cause, others will take notice. Whether you do so publicly or privately, the word will get around to new prospects. Existing donors will brag about your team. When others see that your nonprofit clearly appreciates its donors, they’ll want to give too.
Properly thanking supporters for their committed support can transform your nonprofit’s abilities. After all, your donors are the lifeblood of your organization, so you want to take steps to attract and retain them every chance you get.
14 Donor Recognition Ideas
Creative recognition ideas will empower you to connect with donors and retain their support. While a simple “thank you” can go a long way, you’ll want to get creative to make a lasting impression on donors.
If your current strategies aren’t making the cut, we’ve curated a list of our top donor recognition ideas we think you’ll love.
Personalized eCards
What is the best gift for donor recognition? A personalized thank-you eCard, of course!
Take the traditional thank-you email up a notch and offer a visually-engaging token of appreciation.eCardWidget’s guide to charity eCards explains that eCards work for several reasons. For example, they offer benefits like:
Convenience and affordability. Forgo mail processing time and postage costs. Within seconds, you can submit a personalized thank-you card, and it’ll appear in your donor’s inbox. By skipping snail mail, you’ll provide instant gratification.
Interactiveness. You can include interactive elements that simulate the feeling of opening a physical greeting card. For example, recipients can click an image of an envelope to reveal the card.
Customization. Digital cards are extremely customizable, making it easy to match them to your nonprofit’s mission. You can even include videos and other animations, unlike traditional greeting cards.
Create personalized thank-you eCards that reflect your nonprofit’s unique voice and brand. Then, send them to your generous donors. They’re an incredibly cost-effective and personalized way to express appreciation. Your donors will love receiving online greeting cards that communicate your appreciation for them, like this example from Youth For Understanding:
Send charity eCards post-donation or during key times of the year, like on recipients’ birthdays or during the holiday season. This is a great way to let donors know you’re thinking about them. By sending a personalized eCard, you’ll create a lasting memory for givers.
Thank You Letters
Personalized notes that show gratitude for a donor’s support are a classic way to express appreciation. A well-crafted email or a handwritten letter that expresses genuine appreciation for the donor’s support is a simple and effective way to say “thank you.”
Your letter doesn’t have to be long. It can be as simple as crafting a couple of paragraphs, customized to speak to their specific relationship with your organization.
To personalize your letter, include information such as:
Overall, a heartfelt note of gratitude can make a donor feel appreciated and valued for their contributions. In turn, this can help cultivate a lasting relationship, and recipients will recognize the effort that went into crafting a personalized letter.
Donor Recognition Walls
Creating a wall or display with the names of your donors is a visual way to acknowledge contributions. It allows you to take donor appreciation public by recognizing donors for their generous contributions in a place where all the world can see.
Donor walls can come in many forms, such as physical plaques or virtual displays. While traditionally built in the physical world, nonprofits with limited budgets can create virtual donor walls on their websites. Not only is this more budget-friendly, but you can update the wall in real time.
Either way, donor walls can feature donor names, photos, or messages of appreciation. You can also add special touches such as a donor of the month or yearly donor awards.
Whatever you decide, a donor wall is a great way to show your donors that their support is valued and appreciated. It’s also a great way to inspire others to give.
Donor Appreciation Events
If you want to go all out, host a donor appreciation event. Hosting an event specifically for your donors can make them feel special and can help your team show your gratitude for their support.
Plan exclusive events for your major donors. These events could be a private dinner, a VIP tour of your facility, or a special performance.
Virtual gatherings work well too, especially when supporters are scattered in different locations. Try hosting a casual virtual get-together or happy hour where everyone can come together on Zoom.
Social Media Recognition
While great for promoting your work, social media is also a great place for donor recognition. From Facebook to Instagram, recognize your donors on social media by:
Tagging them in posts and stories about events they attend.
Sharing personal impact stories from donors.
Posting photos about projects their donations have made possible.
Sharing videos and written testimonials from your beneficiaries.
Social media enables you to reach a wide audience, allowing you to showcase how much you love your donors. When you craft meaningful messages, your donors will feel compelled to share them with their networks. In turn, you can connect with new prospects, too.
Public donor recognition can be powerful. As our volunteer appreciation guide suggests, just make sure your supporters are fine with you publishing their pictures and names online first.
Donor Recognition Phone Calls
A personal phone call from a staff member or volunteer can make a donor feel valued and appreciated. You can have a personal conversation with your donor, showing them that you’re genuinely grateful for their support.
When speaking to your donors, use the opportunity to provide updates on your organization’s progress. Depending on time constraints, you might also use this as an opportunity to solicit feedback or other ideas for improving your work.
While an excellent way to express appreciation, this donor recognition idea can be time-consuming. Try to limit phone calls to individuals who give a certain amount and prefer this form of recognition.
Thank-You Videos
A personalized video message from your nonprofit’s staff is a creative and heartfelt way to show donor appreciation.
For major donations or big projects, interview a beneficiary to show just how much your donors’ gifts impact your mission. Sharing stories about how donor contributions have made a difference in the lives of those you serve is a powerful way to show gratitude and inspire continued support.
In turn, you’ll appeal to your donors’ emotions and leave a lasting impact on them.
When published online, well-produced videos can increase visibility for your cause, too! Others can see just how impactful donations are, prompting them to donate as well.
Branded Merchandise
Sending donors some merchandise connected to your mission can be an excellent token of appreciation.
Not to mention, it’s a fantastic way to tap into social proof. For example, let’s say you send some apparel to a committed donor. They might sport a trendy hat or t-shirt around town. This can prompt meaningful conversations about your mission. Even if people don’t ask them about it, others will see your organization’s name on it, prompting them to search for it online.
When it comes to merchandise, consider creating and sending the following as a way to recognize donors:
Every time they put on their t-shirt or see your keychain when they unlock their front door, they’ll think of your nonprofit. Plus, they can wear or use these items proudly and spread the word about your nonprofit like we mentioned.
Exclusive Content
Providing exclusive content to your donors can make them feel like insiders. For example, if they designated their donation to a certain program, be sure to give them exclusive updates on the program’s progress.
As you brainstorm ideas for what content you’ll offer, consider these common donor recognition rewards:
Digital content such as eBooks, videos, podcasts, and webinars
Behind-the-scenes updates or sneak peeks
Special reports
Access to exclusive merchandise
Not only does offering exclusive content serve as a form of donor recognition, but it also provides an incentive for donors to continue giving. When you spend time creating valuable rewards, they’ll want to continue accessing the exclusive content.
Discounts at Local Businesses
Partner with local businesses like restaurants and stores to offer discounts to donors. Not only is this a great way to express appreciation, but it also allows you to tap into corporate social responsibility and promote local businesses.
Once you have discounts lined up, mail or email the coupon to your donors along with a note of your appreciation. You can say something simple like:
“Please enjoy 15% off your next purchase at [store] as a token of our appreciation for your continued support.”
Discounts For Your Events
Your nonprofit likely hosts events regularly. From family-friendly 5Ks to lavish galas, events are a powerful way to bring people together in support of your cause. Chances are, entry into these events isn’t free.
As a way to recognize your donors, offer discounts to your nonprofit’s events and conferences. To limit the number of people who receive discounted access, only promise these discounts to those who donate to specific campaigns or above certain amounts.
Handmade Donor Recognition Gifts
Creating handmade gifts, such as paintings, pottery, or crafts, is a creative way to show gratitude and acknowledge the donor’s support. The recipient will know you took the time to create something special just for them.
It can be as simple as a thank you card or as elaborate as a hand-painted portrait. The goal is to show them that their support is valued in a unique and personal way.
Maybe your organization aspires to provide vital resources to at-risk youth. You might have them craft something for mid-tier and major donors, making this donor recognition idea much more meaningful.
Donor Newsletter
Chances are, your nonprofit already sends a regular newsletter to its entire email subscription list. You use it as a way to communicate big updates, highlight upcoming events, and share volunteer opportunities. Intertwine this communication technique with your donor recognition strategy by sending an exclusive donor newsletter.
Send a personalized newsletter to your donors with updates on your nonprofit’s work, impact, and future plans. Include photos and stories to make it engaging and meaningful.
Alternatively, create a section in your regular newsletter that spotlights a different major donor each time. This is an excellent way to publicly recognize major gifts throughout the year.
Annual Gratitude Report
Your annual report provides a look back on your nonprofit’s year. It’s one of the most important documents you create all year. One easy way to thank your donors is by listing them in this highly-distributed document.
You have a couple of options with this donor recognition idea:
List donors alphabetically
Group donors based on donation ranges
If you want to kick things up a notch, consider creating a separate “gratitude report” exclusively for showcasing donors’ impact. While annual reports generally focus on hard stats from the past year, a gratitude report looks specifically at the wins for the year, communicates appreciation, and lays the groundwork for the upcoming year.
A few different organizations leverage this donor recognition strategy as a way to highlight those who make their work possible. Take the Pride Foundation’s Gratitude Report for example.
As a way to express donor appreciation, they crafted a virtual report that speaks directly to donors. In it, you’ll find highlights of the grants and scholarships the foundation was able to award alongside testimonials from those influenced by donations. This approach is a fantastic way to communicate your donors’ impact.
Donor Appreciation Best Practices
Beyond picking the right ideas, there’s an art to expressing your appreciation for donors. No matter your cause, make sure you craft a donor recognition strategy that adheres to these tried-and-true best practices:
Do get creative with your donor recognition ideas. Anyone can send a generic thank-you email. Get creative with your ideas to stand out. Being creative can be as simple as creating custom eCards connected to your cause.
Don’t wait to say thank you. The quicker you express appreciation, the better! If you wait too long, donors may think you’ve forgotten about them.
Do develop a donor recognition plan. Developing a plan will help you define levels of donor recognition, the types of recognition your team will give, and who should be recognized.
Don’t ignore donors’ recognition preferences. Saying “thank you” should be as personalized as possible. That means adhering to individuals’ preferences. If they prefer a private phone call, ring them up. If they want a public shoutout, draft a social media post!
Do use donor-centric messaging. Focus on the donor and how their contribution will make a difference. Making your donor the center of the call allows you to emphasize gratitude and show that the organization values their contributions.
Don’t overlook small donations. Acknowledge every donation you receive, no matter how big or small. Each contribution matters, so make sure you recognize each and every one of your donors.
Sticking to these tips will enable you to recognize donors in meaningful ways that inspire them to stick around. Pay attention to how your donors respond and adjust accordingly.
Final Thoughts on Donor Recognition
If your nonprofit wants to build a reliable base of support, donor recognition isn’t an option! Thoughtful donor recognition helps build loyalty and encourages repeat giving from the same individuals. Public recognition can be especially impactful since others will see how much you value your supporters.
Ultimately, donor recognition is a powerful tool for any organization that wants to ensure the success of its fundraising efforts.
The donor recognition ideas we shared should give you everything you need to get started, but don’t stop there! To continue learning, check out some of these additional resources:
How to Start a Fundraiser: The Nonprofit’s Ultimate Guide. Donor recognition is an important step for any fundraiser. But what about the steps that come before that? Explore everything you need to know about launching a fundraising campaign.
https://nxunite.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Donor-Recognition_Feature.jpg370700Erin Tolandhttps://nxunite.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/NXUnite-by-nexus-marketing-White-3.svgErin Toland2023-04-14 12:05:342023-05-30 09:14:06Donor Recognition: A Strategic Guide To Showing Appreciation
Your nonprofit website’s About page (or menu) gives visitors more information about your mission, how you work toward it, and other crucial details about your nonprofit’s background. That may sound straightforward, but it doesn’t mean this page should be an afterthought in the web design process.
On the contrary, your website’s About page is an opportunity to tell your story in an engaging way, promote accountability and transparency, and ultimately recruit more supporters to your cause. It’s one of the first resources many potential new supporters will review to get a sense of what you’re all about, making it a critical part of the donor journey.
As we work through each tip, we’ll also highlight examples of effective nonprofit About pages from Kanopi’s roundup of the best nonprofit websites. Check out that resource for even more examples and consider how you can adapt each best practice to meet your organization’s unique needs. Let’s get started!
1. Offer a clear mission and vision statement.
The first thing you should explain on your About page or within your About menu is why your organization exists. Give visitors a clear understanding of what your organization does and why by highlighting your mission and vision statements.
Your mission statement should describe your organization’s foundational purpose and how you work toward that goal in one or two sentences. For example, if your organization works to end child hunger in the United States, your mission statement might be something like “We work to end child hunger nationwide by partnering with local communities to develop free food banks for families in need.”
A vision statement illustrates what the world would be like if your organization was able to achieve its mission. So, using the same example, your vision statement could say “We fight for the day when food insecurity has been eliminated in the United States.”
Our mission: Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope.
Our vision: A world where everyone has a decent place to live.
If you already have a mission and vision statement for your nonprofit, feature them in a prominent spot on your About page. If you don’t (or if you’re looking to update those statements), this is the perfect opportunity to meet with your team and brainstorm new ideas that better summarize your organization’s work.
2. Describe your strategic plan.
After drawing in visitors with your compelling mission and vision statements, they’ll be curious about exactly how your organization brings those ambitions to life. Make sure your About page includes details about your organization’s strategic plan, including your primary projects and programs.
Each section also includes a call to action (CTA) button letting visitors learn more about each initiative.
3. Introduce your leaders.
One of the most essential functions of your nonprofit’s About page is to foster trust between website visitors and your organization. When audience members see who is in charge of your nonprofit and their impressive credentials, you’ll show them that your organization is in good hands.
Here are some of the individuals you might highlight on your leadership page:
Board of directors
Senior managers
Regional managers/directors
Subject matter experts
It’s also helpful to include a short bio for each individual to give visitors a sense of their background and experience. For instance, the CARE leadership page lets visitors click on each name and review short profiles for each board member or global management team member.
4. Recap your organization’s history.
Show prospective supporters the positive impact your organization has made over time by recapping your history on your About page.
Highlight key dates and significant milestones such as:
Your organization’s founding date
The tenures of notable leaders
Significant or very successful projects
Major policy changes your organization influenced
To make your story more engaging, create an interactive or visual timeline with key dates of your journey. Take a look at the World Wildlife Fund’s History page as an example. This page includes a timeline grouped by decade with pictures to illustrate each step of the story.
This is also a great opportunity to link to your digital donor wall, highlighting the individuals that made your organization’s progress possible!
If your organization uses a top content management system like Drupal or WordPress, you can search for a design widget or module to build your timeline. It might also be helpful to work with a web designer who specializes in nonprofit projects to bring your vision to life and ensure your timeline is as engaging and visually appealing as possible.
5. Provide financial details.
Another essential aspect of building trust with website visitors is promoting accountability through financial transparency. Be clear about how you use your funding and where your organization stands financially. This will go a long way toward convincing potential donors that your nonprofit is worthy of their gifts.
Include the following details on your About page:
Annual reports
Details about how you use funding
Charity ratings
Values and fundraising code of ethics
For example, Doctors Without Borders’ robust financial accountability page highlights the organization’s financial, annual, and activity reports, fundraising ethics, and more. The website even includes a fixed footer that breaks down exactly how donors’ gifts are used, reassuring supporters that their donations are being handled responsibly.
6. Spotlight recent news updates or research.
Show website visitors that your nonprofit is actively involved in a number of initiatives by highlighting news updates and research on your About page. Be sure to spotlight the following:
News articles about recent projects. Your nonprofit might be in the news from time to time for different projects or events. Make the most of this publicity by sharing recent news articles or clips on your website.
Press releases about internal updates from your nonprofit. You might publish press releases to announce changes at your organization, such as when you hire a new CEO or reach a milestone goal.
Recent research and reports you’ve published. One of your organization’s public services might be conducting research in your cause area. Make this information easily accessible for interested website visitors. For example, the research page on the Girls Who Code website highlights recent reports about women and girls in tech.
Keeping relevant news and research updates front and center offers another opportunity for supporters to get a sense of what your mission looks like in action. Visitors will be able to see what your current priorities are and even identify new ways they can get personally involved.
Once you’ve perfected your About page using these tips, you’re ready to unveil it to the world! Promote it across your digital marketing channels by sharing a link on social media or including the link in your paid search ads.
Remember, if you’re looking for expert advice and tips on how to craft top-quality About pages, don’t hesitate to reach out to a nonprofit web designer. These professionals can leverage their expertise to help you design content that speaks to your unique audience.
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Pulling off a successful event involves a lot of moving parts. You have to plan logistics, assess your staff’s capabilities, and get the word out to your supporters. Whether you’re hosting an annual auction or trying out a brand new bike-a-thon fundraiser, there are plenty of ways you can improve your event and generate more funds for your nonprofit.
In this article, we’ll walk you through four methods using the example of a hybrid silent auction. As we get into more detail, keep your specific needs and goals in mind, and tailor these tips to your own event.
1. Create a plan centered on your audience.
When you create a fundraising plan for your event, make sure you make decisions based on your specific audience. Put yourself in your supporters’ shoes, and plan your event around their interests. You might choose a new location based on previous donor feedback or schedule the event later in the year to capitalize on your donors’ end-of-year giving habits.
Be sure to include all of these essentials in your fundraising plan:
Timeline. Plan out deadlines around sponsorships, auction item procurement, and when invitations need to go out. Consider how much time you’ll need for marketing the event to your supporters, as well.
Division of staff responsibilities. Build teams and committees around your areas of need. For our auction example, you should have an item procurement committee to request items and arrange for pickup or delivery.
Key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure your success. Will you measure your success by the amount of money raised? By attendance? By overall auction performance? Set specific metrics so you know how well you are doing.
Make sure everyone on your team understands their responsibilities for the fundraiser to ensure it runs smoothly and generates as much revenue as possible.
Gather information from past events to discover what worked and what didn’t. If you don’t have data or feedback from past events, don’t hesitate to survey your donors now to gauge their interests.
2. Add an online component.
Adding an online option to any event will create a more engaging, accessible experience for your attendees. When your guests are fully engaged, they’re more likely to donate! Depending on the type of event you’re hosting, you may need to research the ways you can successfully incorporate these elements. Let’s go back to our example of a silent auction to see what an online component could look like in action.
In an auction, you will reach more supporters if you make your auction accessible to remote users with quality auction software. Imagine if you are hosting an auction to benefit your school. Offering the option to participate remotely will encourage support from family members of students who live near and far.
Tools like mobile bidding also simplify and speed up the bidding process for in-person guests–leading to more excitement and more funds!
3. Market your event using multiple channels.
Marketing can feel scary, but it doesn’t have to be. If you know your supporters well, as we talked about earlier, you will know where they are hanging out online. Take stock of all your marketing channels, then expand your efforts based on where your communication will be the most effective. If your supporters are mostly on LinkedIn, for example, promoting on Snapchat might not be the most efficient use of your time and resources.
Promote your event on the social media channels you know your supporters spend the most time on. Target your audience in every communication.
Connect your marketing channels to drive more traffic. If you post event flyers at a local restaurant, add a QR code that leads to a social media post or even your event website with more information.
Consider automating some of your donor outreach using your CRM to free up more staff time for other event planning needs.
The wider you can spread the word about your event, the more you’ll boost attendance and revenue.
4. Maximize fundraising opportunities.
Build elements from other fundraising campaigns into your event to add variety to how your guests and supporters can give.
In our example of a silent auction, this could look like promoting an ongoing text-to-give campaign on your auction website. When you send announcements out to guests about mobile bidding during the auction, provide your text-to-give information in case attendees want to make additional donations along with their bids.
Almost any fundraising campaign can be added to your event to maximize revenue, such as:
Promoting matching gift opportunities. This strategy has worked for nonprofits for decades. Donors become much more engaged when they know their money will go farther, and matching gifts are a great way to do this.
Selling branded merchandise. Everyone loves to take home SWAG! Have t-shirts, mugs, or reusable bags printed up with your nonprofit’s logo, and sell them at your event.
Announcing an upcoming peer-to-peer fundraiser. Recruit your supporters to become involved at a personal level, using the power of their spheres of influence to raise money.
Placing a donation box at the event. Some events will ask guests to bring canned goods, jackets, or shoes to the event, providing an opportunity to have tangible, fast results that advance your mission.
Think about your fundraising strategy for the year and look for opportunities to support another fundraiser at your event. Your decor could even include information about future events!
Whether you decide to use a hybrid silent auction as your primary fundraising model or modify these tips so that they are more cohesive with another method, nonprofits everywhere can benefit from this combination of strategies.
When the event ends and your fundraiser has come to a close, review your metrics. Use this information to make any necessary adjustments for future events, and in turn, you’ll experience more successful events that drive more funds and move the needle for your organization.
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As nonprofit professionals, we’re tasked to come up with creative ways to engage supporters and sponsors. Especially in the competitive and fast-paced online space, it’s challenging to grab and retain people’s attention. If you’re searching for the ultimate attention-grabbing fundraising strategy, give charity eCards a try!
There’s no better way to bring an interactive element to your online presence than with charity eCards. Everyone loves receiving personalized cards. Connect each one to a charitable cause, and that makes receiving one even more meaningful.
From holiday eCards to cause awareness day cards, your nonprofit’s possibilities are endless. Before you start designing, you’ll need to know the basics about offering cards.
What Are Charity eCards?
Charity eCards are digital cards that supporters can send to friends and family to show their support for a particular cause or nonprofit. By using eCard software, organizations can create designs for different occasions. Common themes organizations stick to include:
Holiday cards
Tribute donation cards
Thank-you cards
Cause awareness cards
Nonprofits typically offer these cards in exchange for a donation or for a specific price. While primarily sent via email, supporters might be able to send your charity’s eCards through other platforms like text or Facebook. It all depends on your eCard software.
This creative fundraiser works for several reasons. For one, it incentivizes donors to give. They’ll receive an instant give-back with every gift. By enabling people to personalize messages alongside their chosen eCards, you can tap into peer referrals, too. Supporters will get to shout about the causes they love, effectively inspiring their friends and family to look into your cause.
Particularly when compared to direct mail, nonprofit eCards are cost-effectiveandeco-friendly, eliminating the need for postage and printing.
Donation eCards Ideas to Spark Inspiration
Nonprofit eCards come in all shapes and sizes. From simple and straightforward messages to more creative and thoughtful designs, you can create designs for every occasion. Whether you’re connecting them to a specific campaign or offering them year-round, you can create anywhere from one charity eCard to a full collection with dozens of options.
To get your creativity flowing, let’s walk through some examples from real charities. And remember to incorporate your branding into every design. Something as simple as including your nonprofit logo in the corner will go a long way in promoting brand awareness.
Holiday Charity eCards
Holidays happen year-round, making them a great opportunity to support your work. Create ones for people to send to love ones to celebrate any holiday, like:
New Year’s Day
Valentine’s Day
The Fourth of July
Halloween
Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and other year-end holidays
If you want to get creative in expressing appreciation, your team can actually send holiday eCards to committed supporters and sponsors. Let them know you’re thinking about them during holidays, particularly during the year-end holiday season.
After all, this is the most charitable time of year, and you can reconnect with them when they’re feeling the most generous. In fact, December alone accounts for 30% of annual giving, according to Nonprofits Source’s online giving statistics.
For this example, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium created a collection of Valentine’s Day cards. They featured some of their animal residents, tying each card back to their mission. Mimicking the traditional Valentine’s Day card style, each card features a witty pun and plenty of hearts.
Cause Awareness eCards
If there’s a cause awareness day or week associated with your cause, that’s the perfect time to create a fundraising card to spread the word. One option is to offer the cards for free and simply have supporters share their favorite designs with friends and family. Alternatively, connect them to a fundraiser. Have your supporters donate to your cause, then send an eCard to boost awareness.
In this example, Project Sleep created a small collection of charity eCards for World Narcolepsy Day. The day correlates with their mission to raise awareness about sleep health and sleep conditions. Supporters could send the nonprofit eCards for free, helping to increase public knowledge about the 3 million individuals living with narcolepsy across the globe.
Birthday eCards
Birthday cards are a tradition that stands the test of time. Help your supporters celebrate by crafting birthday eCards with your nonprofit’s branding.
We recommend offering birthday eCards in exchange for donations. As explained in Fundraising Letters’ donation eCards guide, this is a creative way to eliminate any pressure to buy a gift. The donor can give in honor of their loved one and send a birthday eCard letting them know. Giving to a cause the recipient cares about is a meaningful way to wish happy birthday.
For this example, we’ve pulled a more generic example that any nonprofit can emulate. Simply add your logo to the corner of the charity eCard you design. Then, customize the message that will be sent alongside it to let the recipient know the proceeds of the card purchase went to support your organization.
Thank You eCards
Offer thank-you cards as a way for supporters to thank someone who’s impacted them in some way.
The best part about nonprofit eCards is that you don’t have to sell them or require donations from supporters. You can actually offer them for free and use them internally! Really get creative by having your team send them out to sponsors, donors, and volunteers to express appreciation.
This is such a great way to help supporters thank their loved ones and empower your team to thank sponsors and committed supporters. As a bonus, you can also use eCards as a form of employee appreciation.
We’ve picked a unique charity eCard for this example. As part of its 70th-anniversary celebration, Youth for Understanding (YFU) offered digital cards branded with the organization’s colors and logo to its beneficiaries. Those impacted by the program could send the digital cards to their friends, host families, teachers, and volunteers as a unique way to reconnect and express gratitude.
How to Offer Fundraising eCards to Supporters
Using our preferred charity eCard software eCardWidget, you’ll have a few options for offering digital cards to your supporters, such as:
During the donation process: This is one of our favorite ways to raise money with cards and is what’s pictured below. Offer eCards in exchange for donations. A donor will choose their preferred eCard, select a donation amount, and fill out other required information. The donation will go to the nonprofit, while the donor’s loved one will instantly receive the card.
Post-donation: Using this strategy, donors can donate and then choose an eCard to send. To use this approach, simply embed the widget into your donation confirmation page. That way, supporters will fill out the recipient’s contact details, add a personalized message, and click send.
Attached to your fundraising eStore: This approach is perfect if your nonprofit sells fundraising products! eCardWidget allows you to attach eCards to your virtual store. Someone will buy a card as a product from your store. After making their purchase, the widget will appear on the order confirmation page, where they can fill out the details.
Best of all, eCardWidget integrates with some of the most popular fundraising tools, making it easy to integrate it into your existing fundraising processes. It even comes with a convenient WordPress plugin and Shopify integration to make the process of offering nonprofit eCards even smoother. Remember, you can also use them internally and offer them for free!
Additional Resources
Nonprofit Catalog – Read up on more nonprofit essentials by exploring our Nonprofit Catalog.
Nonprofit Graphic Design – Nonprofit Catalog – Charity eCards rely on effective graphic design. Make sure you know the basics of nonprofit design to create compelling cards that excite supporters.
Inspiring Social Support: 5 Social Media Fundraising Tips
With 4.76 billion social media users across the globe, each spending over 2.5 hours on the platforms every day, it’s clear that nonprofits must incorporate social media into their fundraising and donor communication strategies.
Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can empower your organization to spread the word about its cause, cultivate enduring relationships around the world, and raise significant funds to further its mission.
For nonprofits interested in leveling up their social media fundraising strategy, we’ll walk through five impactful tips to generate more revenue from social platforms:
It’s no secret that the key to successful fundraising and donor engagement lies in meeting your supporters where they are. Today, you’ll find many of them eager to interact with and contribute to your nonprofit on social media. Let’s jump right into the best ways to inspire their support.
1. Leverage social media fundraising tools.
Social media is a powerful tool for uniting people around the world under common interests, values, or causes. With this in mind, many platforms have developed features that make it easy for nonprofits to gather support and raise funds. For instance, since Meta’s fundraising tools first became available, organizations and their supporters have raised over $7 billion on Facebook and Instagram.
Therefore, making use of the social media fundraising tools at your nonprofit’s disposal can boost your results. For example, according to GoodUnited, Facebook offers a wide array of useful fundraising tools, including:
While it’s important to establish a social media presence on several different platforms to reach supporters of varying demographics and preferences, be sure to identify the most relevant ones to your organization’s goals and target audience. This allows you to better focus your efforts and maximize your results.
2. Share impact frequently on social media.
To achieve optimal results with social media fundraising tools, however, your nonprofit will have to inspire supporters to get and stay involved. It’s essential to share impact on a regular basis so existing and prospective donors understand exactly how you’re effecting positive change with your work.
Compelling visuals and impact videos tend to be particularly successful in catching a user’s eye, so lean into the power of graphic design as you communicate your organization’s impact. Ensure that the images, colors, and symbols in your posts all cohesively convey your mission and branding.
One of eCardWidget’s donor retention strategies centers on sharing detailed and specific impact stories to keep supporters motivated. For example, after a Facebook Challenge, a health-related nonprofit can share that the funds raised enabled it to launch and run a new prevention program in the community. This helps donors feel proud of their contributions and enthusiastic to continue giving.
3. Cultivate one-on-one relationships with social media supporters.
Social media users can generate massive support for your nonprofit organization if you engage with them effectively. Facebook fundraisers, for instance, leverage the power of your supporters’ individual networks to boost awareness and raise funds for your nonprofit.
However, the end of a Facebook fundraiser doesn’t have to be the end of your relationship with the supporter who created it or with those who donated. By properly stewarding them, you can create social media connections that stand the test of time.
To accomplish this, engage in conversational messaging with supporters. Facebook Messenger makes the process easy. Let’s say a user creates a birthday fundraiser on Facebook and encourages their friends and family to donate to your nonprofit in lieu of birthday gifts. Your nonprofit can use conversational messaging to provide them with a personalized experience by sending them encouragement, sharing tips for success, and expressing gratitude.
4. Evaluate your social media fundraising results.
Collecting data is crucial for any nonprofit fundraising initiative because it can generate productive insights that you can apply to future efforts. When it comes to social media fundraising, your nonprofit should keep track of:
Peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns can travel far on social media, spreading from network to network and boosting awareness for your nonprofit. Make the most of this fundraising method by constantly seeking ways to optimize your strategy for greater results.
5. Express gratitude to social media donors.
No fundraising strategy is complete without having a plan in place to recognize donors and express appreciation for their support. When it comes to social media fundraising, the first step is identifying everyone who has made a gift to your organization. Facebook’s donation reports list basic donor information, such as the individual’s first and last name, and potentially an email address.
When reaching out to these donors, be sure to:
Thanking donors on Facebook and other social media platforms will not only boost your nonprofit’s donor retention rate, but will also build a reputation of gratitude and sincerity around your organization online. Furthermore, by spotlighting individual contributions, you can inspire others to join in through social proof.
Social media platforms have become popular hubs for nonprofits to acquire, engage, and steward supporters around the world. This means that there is plenty for your organization to do to maximize your social media fundraising results.
To reduce the time and effort it takes to nurture strong connections and raise revenue on social media, consider working with a company that can manage the process for you. After all, your nonprofit’s ultimate focus is on making a lasting difference in the community while continuing to generate the funds to do so.
Healthcare Data Cleansing: Frequently Asked Questions
Did you know that every patient generates millions of detailed records in real-time? That’s a lot of data to collect, store, and make comprehensible. Not to mention, healthcare organizations must take special care to adhere to regulatory requirements across several different data types.
That’s where healthcare data cleansing comes in. This necessary process keeps healthcare data sets from becoming unusable which can have severe consequences. In this guide, we’ll explore data cleansing in depth by answering the following questions:
Keep in mind that healthcare data cleansing requires a robust data platform that can either be built in-house by a team of analysts and data scientists or bought through a vendor. Whichever solution your team chooses, it will need to be scalable to keep up with an increase in data over time. With this in mind, let’s explore data cleansing in greater detail.
What is healthcare data cleansing?
Healthcare data cleansing, also called healthcare data scrubbing or cleaning, is an essential part of data hygiene and refers to the process of identifying and rectifying errors within a healthcare data set. This data set is integrated from a variety of sources such as EHRs, claims systems, lab systems, and administrative databases stored within a centralized healthcare data warehouse.
How often your organization cleans its data set is dependent on several factors, including:
Healthcare organizations must regularly clean their data to maintain quality standards. The frequency of data cleansing will be determined by the data quality controls put in place within your existing workflows.
What causes dirty healthcare data?
Dirty healthcare data is caused by a variety of factors that can quickly add up and cause severe system roadblocks. These factors include:
In a system as large as healthcare, data collection errors are bound to happen. To prevent them ahead of time, create standardized rules for accurate data entry and task team members to audit your database on a regular basis to locate errors.
What are the benefits of healthcare data cleansing?
A clean data set can work wonders for your organization. In fact, the benefits of healthcare data cleansing can be tracked across several key measures:
The bottom line: A clean healthcare data set is essential for data-backed decision-making. With comprehensive data quality measures in place, your organization can see measurable growth across major stakeholders.
How can healthcare organizations maintain proper data hygiene?
On the ground level, healthcare data cleansing can be understood as a series of steps or ordered processes. These steps include:
Because this process can be involved, many organizations turn to healthcare data professionals to outsource their data collection, cleaning, and analysis. Often, data scientists and analysts are forced to write elaborate queries for unstable and untrustworthy databases, but data platforms like Arcadia Foundry can simplify several data collection and analysis processes.
These platforms are built for analysts by analysts and are consistently enriched with clean, quality data, so organizations don’t have to rely on their own cleansing and standardization processes to extract meaningful insights.
Maintaining an accurate, usable healthcare data set requires consistent data cleansing. If your organization decides to perform its own data cleansing be sure to follow the outlined best practices for quality assurance. If your organization decides to outsource its data cleansing to a vendor, make sure they offer comprehensive and reliable services.
About the Author: Nick Stepro
Nick Stepro is the Chief Product Officer at Arcadia, where he leads the design of the next wave of advanced healthcare analytics applications — including Arcadia Analytics, which has been praised as having one of the best user interfaces in the industry. He has worked with large health systems and payers to design and execute on innovative clinical integration and business intelligence strategies to drive improved health outcomes and reduced system costs.
Nick believes in good design and data visualization. When combined with focused expertise in analytics, healthcare and business process, the results are intuitive data-driven applications that empower users to dramatically improve the way they run their businesses. His data visualization work has been covered on NPR, U.S. News and World Report, Medical Ethics Advisor, and elsewhere. Becker’s Health IT and CIO Review recently named him one of “31 Health IT and Revenue Cycle Whiz Kids” to watch. He has spoken at Medcity CONVERGE, AMIA, and HIMSS and has been a guest lecturer on data visualization at Georgia Tech. In December 2016, he was the closing speaker at the CCO Oregon Cost of Care conference.
Volunteer Appreciation: How to Recognize Unsung Heroes
Part of running your nonprofit is learning how to develop a thriving base of supporters. That means you need to learn how to source donors and volunteers. As a volunteer manager, you’re tasked with motivating volunteers to stick around. That means you need to know the ins and outs of volunteer appreciation.
While they don’t expect anything in return, volunteers deserve an occasional “thank you” at the very least. However, you’ll really foster connections with them by singing their praises and going above and beyond by recognizing volunteers on a deeper level.
From learning the basics of retention to sourcing new ideas, we’ll provide you with everything you need to establish (or revitalize) your volunteer appreciation strategies. That way, you can confidently inspire your volunteers to stick around. Here’s what you can expect to learn throughout this guide:
Your volunteers are your nonprofit’s unsung heroes. They serve your organization day in and day out, all because of their passion for your mission. Make sure they’re just as passionate on day 100 as they are on day 1 by following the tips we share in this guide. Let’s dive in!
What Is Volunteer Appreciation?
Volunteer appreciation refers to the act of recognizing and expressing gratitude for the generosity of those who freely offer their time, skills, and resources to support an organization. It involves acknowledging the selfless service and impact volunteers make, showing gratitude for their commitment, and ensuring they feel like a valued part of your cause.
Volunteer appreciation can take different forms, such as verbal expressions of gratitude, written thank-you notes, special events, and personalized gestures. By showing you value volunteers, your nonprofit can honor their contributions and cultivate a supportive volunteer culture that encourages ongoing relationships.
Why Volunteer Appreciation Matters
You work hard to source new volunteers and want them to stick around. That’s why you need to express your gratitude to them regularly and authentically.
These individuals selflessly dedicate their time and skills to support your cause, and it can be easy to take that for granted. Luckily, saying “thanks” can go a long way!
Expressing genuine gratitude means you can:
Overall, recognizing and valuing volunteers means you can inspire continued support and build a strong foundation for ongoing collaboration in achieving your mission.
How Frequently You Should Express Appreciation
The short answer is there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to volunteer appreciation. Rather, the frequency of volunteer appreciation varies across nonprofits. It all depends on your organization’s size, resources, and volunteer involvement.
Generally speaking, we recommend expressing appreciation regularly to ensure volunteers feel valued for their contributions. When establishing your volunteer appreciation cadence, here’s the frequency we recommend for different tactics:
Ultimately, the key is to make volunteer appreciation a continual practice rather than a one-time occurrence, reinforcing volunteers’ vital role in your nonprofit’s mission.
Our Favorite Volunteer Appreciation Gifts
With a solid understanding of volunteer appreciation, you’re now ready to venture into brainstorming ideas for expressing gratitude. We took some time to procure some of our favorite volunteer appreciation gifts and ideas that your supporters are sure to love!
Remember to pick the ones that will resonate with your unique base of supporters. You may even want to segment your supporters within your volunteer management system based on the types of appreciation they prefer. For example, do they prefer personal, one-on-one appreciation or a public shout-out? Either way, we’ll provide plenty of ideas that will fit anyone’s preferences.
Thank You eCards
This volunteer appreciation strategy stands the test of time. People have used greeting cards to express gratitude for years, whether they wanted to show appreciation for a gift or say thanks for lending a helping hand. Now, your nonprofit can take this strategy to the digital space thanks to eCards!
Online greeting cards have countless uses, especially for nonprofits. They’re perfect for raising money, inviting supporters to events, spreading cause awareness, and strengthening supporter relationships. Here’s how eCards work as volunteer appreciation gifts:
To power this volunteer appreciation idea, choose a user-friendly eCard platform. We recommend our friends at eCardWidget.
The platform comes equipped with user-friendly design tools that make it easy to design thank-you eCards with any fonts, colors, and graphics you want. It even has templates to kickstart the design process. Once you’re ready to go, you can embed the convenient widget into your website and direct people to your site to send eCards to impactful volunteers!
Gift Cards
From shopping to eating, there’s a gift card out there for everyone. Chat with your corporate sponsors and ask if they’re willing to spare some free gift cards. Chances are, socially-responsible companies would be more than happy to lend a hand.
A few great places to check include:
Bonus points if you can find a company that correlates with your mission! For example, if you work at an environmental organization, you might partner with a local plant nursery.
The amount you load onto each card should align with how much time someone’s given to your nonprofit. In other words, don’t give a brand-new volunteer a $200 gift card to a fancy restaurant.
Volunteer Appreciation Dinner
Bring your volunteers together for some delicious food and meaningful conversations by hosting a volunteer appreciation dinner. Invite volunteers to enjoy a meal and socialize with organizational leaders, staff members, and fellow volunteers. Doing so offers the opportunity to recognize the volunteers’ hard work and impact on your mission, while also allowing them to interact with others who are just as passionate.
Add some speeches or a presentation to the agenda, providing plenty of time to acknowledge individuals, highlight their achievements, and communicate heartfelt appreciation.
By establishing a warm atmosphere during the evening, you’ll foster a sense of community and ensure volunteers feel celebrated for their selfless service.
Branded Apparel
Your nonprofit can offer t-shirts and other apparel as a creative way to thank your volunteers. Not to mention, this doubles as a nonprofit marketing strategy. Each time they wear your nonprofit’s t-shirt or use your tote bag, they’ll amplify your mission to other community members.
Here are a few volunteer-specific apparel ideas to get the ball rolling:
Even if you have some leftovers from your recent t-shirt fundraiser, giving the spares to committed volunteers can go a long way.
Show your appreciation, boost morale, and offer a visual representation of your dedicated community with this volunteer appreciation gift! After all, who wouldn’t want to show off their passion for your cause?
Custom Awards Ceremony
Craft awards that recognize exceptional volunteers in categories like leadership, impact, and commitment. Then, honor the winners and publicly acknowledge their admirable contributions by holding an awards ceremony. You can create custom awards like:
Transform it into a celebratory event by featuring speeches, music, and other interactive elements. There’s no better way to engage and appreciate volunteers than by hosting a full-blown event in their honor!
Local Event Tickets
Connect volunteers with the community they work so hard to serve by giving them tickets to local events. Chances are, they’d love to stroll through a local festival or have a night out to the movies.
Take a look at your community’s event calendar and find events your volunteers will enjoy, such as:
This is a great opportunity to immerse volunteers in your community’s culture. Just remember to tailor this volunteer appreciation gift to the individual.
Wellness Packages
Show you care about your volunteers’ well-being by sending custom self-care packages. This volunteer appreciation gift can include various items that encourage relaxation and overall wellness.
Here are some theme ideas for crafting the ultimate wellness packages:
Pricing for these volunteer gifts can quickly add up, so be sure to send these only to your most committed volunteers. By sending a custom self-care package, your nonprofit can show it recognizes the importance of self-care.
Social Events
Encourage your social butterfly volunteers to hang out at a social event. There are plenty of ways you can bring your volunteer community together to say thanks, whether you want to party on a budget or splurge. You might host one of these fun events:
Social outings are perfect for helping volunteers enjoy the community and bond over their shared experiences. These events are also great for getting some face-to-face time with staff.
Social Media Spotlights
Social media plays an instrumental part in many people’s lives. Liven up your followers’ feeds by shining the spotlight on outstanding volunteers.
From Instagram to Facebook, your nonprofit can provide a volunteer appreciation gift that honorees can share with their networks.
When featuring your volunteers on social media, obtain their consent first. Some volunteers might prefer a different volunteer appreciation gift, so respect their privacy preferences!
Donation in Their Name
Your volunteers offer their time and skills to further your mission. That doesn’t mean they don’t want to donate too!
Donate in a volunteer’s name as a way to express gratitude and recognize their hard work. By making this gesture, you can deepen the volunteer’s connection to your organization and establish a sense of pride in knowing their work is making a difference.
Not to mention, donating in a volunteer’s name can serve as a form of public volunteer recognition, showcasing their commitment to your cause. Whether you donate to your cause or another one they support, this will go a long way in communicating that you appreciate the volunteer’s dedication.
Best Practices for Effectively Recognizing Volunteers
Now, you’re armed with some incredible volunteer appreciation gifts your supporters will love. Not so fast, though! You need to know how to choose the best ones for your unique group of supporters.
When selecting your favorites, create the ultimate plan to recognize volunteers with these tips:
Implementing these tips will empower you to communicate your genuine appreciation. You’ll boost volunteer engagement and retention in no time!
Wrapping Up: The Impact of Volunteer Appreciation
An incredible 63 million Americans (AKA 25% of the adult population) volunteer their time and talents to make a difference according to Nonprofits Source’s online giving statistics page. However, the industry volunteer retention rate hovers around 65%. That means 1 in 3 volunteers will quit serving your nonprofit sooner than expected.
Make sure your volunteers’ selfless efforts don’t go unrecognized! Otherwise, you risk losing them to another cause. While their acts of service are selfless, everyone loves an occasional thank you. By proactively recognizing your volunteers, you’ll communicate that you want them to stick around.
If you’re looking for more best practices, we’ve pulled together some resources for you. Explore these to continue learning about effective volunteer management:
Boosting Virtual Member Engagement: The Definitive Guide
Member engagement is a driving force in growing your association. Fonteva’s guide to member engagement defines this term as “the ongoing outreach and interactions between associations and their members to keep constituents informed, educated, and motivated to continue their memberships.” With an engaged membership base, your organization will see increased retention, a stronger community, and even increased non-dues revenue.
When planning for your association’s future, it’s crucial to consider how you will keep current members engaged while attracting new ones. Improving member engagement will require you to explore your association’s strengths and weaknesses as well as your members’ needs and preferences. To get started, you’ll need to employ the following strategies:
In this guide, we’ll break down each of these tactics and how they will put you on the path toward deeper virtual engagement. Let’s get started!
1. Set goals and choose engagement metrics.
Outlining the goals you’d like to achieve must be the first step you take toward increased engagement. The goals your organization chooses will dictate which initiatives you focus on, how resources are allocated, and which metrics you’ll need to track in order to measure success.
To get started, look at your association’s past performance. You might reference member surveys to understand what areas could use improvement, developing goals meant to target those weaknesses. The goals you create should be structured as “SMART” goals, or goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
Let’s say you want to boost your association’s social media presence. One of your goals could be to increase your LinkedIn follower count from 500 to 1,000 within the next year. Because this goal uses a specific number and timeframe, is realistic, and is relevant to your objective, it qualifies as a SMART goal.
Once you’ve settled on a few engagement goals for your association, it’s important to start tracking metrics related to those goals so you can accurately measure your progress. Here are some common key performance indicators (KPIs) that can help you track improvements in virtual member engagement:
Many of these metrics can be tracked using an association management tool to create custom reports to visualize your organization’s performance. These reports provide a much more accurate, easy-to-understand way to analyze association data.
2. Understand and appeal to members.
After deciding on your association’s core engagement goals and identifying how you’ll measure progress, you’ll need to start implementing strategies that improve engagement opportunities for members.
If your organization is seeing low engagement rates across the board, your current offerings may not align with what members are looking for. To make the switch to discussing topics and holding events your members will be excited about, you’ll need to learn more about their interests.
Here are some of the strategies you can use to understand your members and adjust association activities to meet their needs:
Taking an approach that focuses primarily on meeting individuals’ needs rather than creating a blanket solution will make all members feel included and catered to. Over time, this careful consideration will help build more positive member experiences.
3. Prioritize community building.
Additional engagement opportunities like fun events or fundraisers can help add value to the membership. These activities strengthen the bonds between members in your community, leading to increased renewals and member retention rates. While you may think of these events as being limited to in-person annual dinners, there are virtual and hybrid options you can extend to remote members as well (like a quarterly virtual happy hour).
Fundraisers are a great way to unite your members for a common cause, whether you are fundraising for your association or on behalf of a charitable organization. To get members more engaged in the fundraising process, you can put together a member-led fundraising committee. Give this committee specific responsibilities like developing fundraising ideas, planning fundraisers, and executing fundraising events.
After your event or fundraiser wraps up, always remember to thank those who attended or donated. These thank yous will keep members coming back to your events or donating in the future. Keep in mind that the time period following a successful event or fundraiser can be a good opportunity to send renewal reminders, if applicable.
Virtual member engagement goes beyond encouraging connections between individual members and your association. It also motivates members to connect with one another, building a web of professional relationships that they can leverage to advance their careers, further their education, and secure exciting new opportunities. To achieve this level of engagement and give members the experiences they are looking for, be sure to select a membership management platform that will make implementing new strategies and measuring your progress simple.
The Complete Guide to Google Ad Grant Agencies: 5 Options
The Google Ad Grant gives nonprofits access to Google Ads, allowing them to enhance their digital marketing plan. Nonprofits who receive this grant will receive $10,000 every month to spend on Google Ads, which appear at the top of Google’s search results pages.
However, there are parts of the Google Ad Grant that are complex and may require knowledge that your nonprofit staff lack. In that case, you may want to work with a professional in the field, such as a Google Ad Grant agency.
This article will give you the rundown on Google Ad Grant agencies and what your nonprofit should know about working with one. Here’s what we’ll cover:
A Google Ad Grants agency can lend your nonprofit the experience and knowledge necessary to apply for and use the Google Ad Grant strategically. This allows your nonprofit to efficiently grow its online presence and reach a larger audience, resulting in more supporters, volunteers, and donors. These individuals help your nonprofit drive the impact that you desire, allowing you to work more efficiently towards your goals. So let’s dive into what a Google Ad Grant agency is!
What is a Google Ad Grant Agency?
A Google Ad Grant agency is a professional organization that can help your nonprofit optimize your Google Ad Grant strategy. While some of these agencies focus wholly on Google Ad Grants, other agencies offer Google Ad Grant services as one of many other digital marketing services.
These agencies are designed to take the pressure off your nonprofit’s staff to create and manage your Google Ad Grant account. With their professional touch, they’ll be able to launch campaigns that help you achieve your desired results.
How Can a Google Ad Grant Agency Help Your Nonprofit?
Much like other types of marketing consultants for nonprofits, Google Ad Grant agencies can help your nonprofit in multiple ways. Some common features that these agencies offer as part of their Google Ad Grant services include:
Essentially, Google Ad Grant agencies can take over all the work associated with your Google Ad Grant account. This can be immensely helpful for nonprofits that don’t have the capacity to maintain their account consistently, yet need the traffic the ads drive to help them recruit new supporters.
What Are the Benefits of Working with a Google Ad Grant Agency?
One of the major benefits of working with a Google Ad Grant agency is the comprehensive list of services they provide. However, there are other benefits that nonprofits can reap from a partnership, such as:
If you have the budget for outsourcing the work associated with Google Ad Grants to an agency, these benefits will outweigh the costs simply through the visibility you will gain with professional help. However, part of a successful partnership is choosing the right Google Ad Grant agency to work with.
7 Tips for Choosing a Google Ad Grant Agency
Now that you know how a Google Ad Grant agency can help you with your nonprofit’s digital marketing strategy and what benefits such a partnership brings, let’s dive into what your nonprofit should consider when choosing a Google Ad Grant agency. While researching your different options, take into account the following:
While your Google Ad Grant is just a part of your nonprofit’s overall digital marketing strategy, it can still create significant results for your organization, such as greatly increasing awareness of your cause and helping you to recruit passionate new supporters. Work with a Google Ad Grant agency that understands your nonprofit’s unique needs and that is able to assist you as you need.
5 Top Google Ad Grant Agencies
To help jumpstart your research for a great Google Ad Grant agency to work with, here are five agencies to consider.
1. Getting Attention
Getting Attention is an agency dedicated specifically to Google Ad Grants. It boasts a diverse, global team of seasoned experts with years of experience that will help you set up and maintain your Google Ad Grant account. They will take the time to get to know your mission and your beneficiaries, then apply that information toward creating personalized Google Ad campaigns that help your nonprofit stand out on the search engine results page.
Their services include:
Getting Attention offers free consultations to interested nonprofits and has an affordable plan with a monthly fee for their services.
2. Platypus Digital
A digital marketing agency that specifically focuses on nonprofits, Platypus Digital is determined to connect charities to the people they need, such as donors and fundraisers. Based in the UK, they have a focus on cultivating a strong relationship and mutual understanding with their clients and have helped over 180 charities with their digital marketing services.
Some of the services they offer include:
To help you gain greater insight into Platypus Digital’s work, the agency provides case studies of its specific offerings. These include their SEO, data review, and conversion rate optimization services.
3. Digital Ninjas
This agency works with organizations large and small to achieve their digital marketing goals. They pride themselves on being flexible partners, offering expert and impartial advice with data-led planning and execution. Some of the features they offer include:
Digital Ninjas has previously helped organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and Pink Elephants. They offer flexible pricing and packages and employ dedicated Customer Happiness Ninjas to ensure that you’re getting the most out of your partnership.
4. Luminate Marketing
An agency that specializes in working with mission-driven organizations, particularly in the religious vertical, Luminate Marketing adjusts its services to meet your budget and help bring your mission to light. Their offerings include:
Luminate Marketing’s offerings come at a range of different price points. Aside from their paid services, they also provide a list of free resources for organizations that don’t have the capacity to partner with them at the moment.
5. TrueSense Marketing
TrueSense Marketing is a full-service, strategic, direct-response fundraising agency. With over 50 years of history and over 400 team members, they are dedicated to listening to your donors and helping your nonprofit grow. Their services emphasize:
Their previous clients include food banks, animal care, veterans services, and many other types of nonprofits seeking to get the word out about their cause.
Working with a Google Ad Grant Agency: Next Steps
With this guide, you can make an informed decision about whether working with a Google Ad Grant agency is the best step for your nonprofit, and if it is, which agencies would be best suited for you. Consider how Google Ads will fit into your nonprofit’s overall marketing plan, and partner with an agency that will help you create the impact you desire.
If you’re interested in learning more about Google Ad Grants, take a look at these resources:
Donor Recognition: A Strategic Guide To Showing Appreciation
Put yourself in a donor’s shoes. After perusing a nonprofit’s website, you take the plunge and make a sizeable donation of $100. You receive an email with your tax receipt but don’t hear another word.
You were so inspired by their mission, but you didn’t receive so much as a thank-you email in return for your financial support. In turn, you feel slightly unappreciated and decide to look into other organizations pursuing similar causes. That’s why donor recognition is vital!
If that organization had reached out with a personalized thank-you letter, you’d be much more likely to give again. And while this example might sound a bit dramatic, it happens all the time. Nonprofits don’t always recognize those who give to their causes, and that can reflect poorly, especially when major contributions aren’t acknowledged.
If your nonprofit’s donor recognition strategies are lacking, you’ve come to the right place! To help, we’ll highlight the importance of thanking your donors and explore creative ways you can show your appreciation. Here’s what you can expect:
At NXUnite, we’ve worked with several of the industry’s leading professionals. These thought leaders regularly share their expertise on how nonprofits can thrive in an ever-changing landscape. One of the timeless strategies we’ve noticed is that acknowledging donors is a must for establishing a reliable base of support.
With a few creative donor recognition ideas in your back pocket, your donors will know just how much their contributions are valued. In no time, you’ll inspire them to stick around for the long haul.
What Is Donor Recognition?
Donor recognition is the process of thanking supporters for their contributions to your organization. While the term is typically associated with individual contributions, nonprofits can express appreciation for anyone that’s donated money, goods, or services to their cause. That includes businesses and other organizations.
Acknowledgment can occur either privately—such as by personal letter or phone call—or publicly—like with a donor wall or other display. Depending on your supporters’ preferences, acknowledging their contributions can take many forms, from a simple thank-you letter to more elaborate awards, plaques, or public displays of appreciation.
Organizations often separate donor recognition into tiers based on the type of gift and the total amount given. The higher the amount, the greater the level of recognition. For example, a major donor might receive a lasting thank-you on a donor wall, while a donor who gave $30 might receive a personalized eCard.
Reasons Why You Should Recognize Your Donors
Recognizing your donors is the number one way to nurture positive relationships with them. You want them to feel valued and speak positively about your organization. By taking the time to express your gratitude, you can positively impact your work in several ways. For example, you’ll be able to:
Properly thanking supporters for their committed support can transform your nonprofit’s abilities. After all, your donors are the lifeblood of your organization, so you want to take steps to attract and retain them every chance you get.
14 Donor Recognition Ideas
Creative recognition ideas will empower you to connect with donors and retain their support. While a simple “thank you” can go a long way, you’ll want to get creative to make a lasting impression on donors.
If your current strategies aren’t making the cut, we’ve curated a list of our top donor recognition ideas we think you’ll love.
Personalized eCards
What is the best gift for donor recognition? A personalized thank-you eCard, of course!
Take the traditional thank-you email up a notch and offer a visually-engaging token of appreciation. eCardWidget’s guide to charity eCards explains that eCards work for several reasons. For example, they offer benefits like:
Create personalized thank-you eCards that reflect your nonprofit’s unique voice and brand. Then, send them to your generous donors. They’re an incredibly cost-effective and personalized way to express appreciation. Your donors will love receiving online greeting cards that communicate your appreciation for them, like this example from Youth For Understanding:
Send charity eCards post-donation or during key times of the year, like on recipients’ birthdays or during the holiday season. This is a great way to let donors know you’re thinking about them. By sending a personalized eCard, you’ll create a lasting memory for givers.
Thank You Letters
Personalized notes that show gratitude for a donor’s support are a classic way to express appreciation. A well-crafted email or a handwritten letter that expresses genuine appreciation for the donor’s support is a simple and effective way to say “thank you.”
Your letter doesn’t have to be long. It can be as simple as crafting a couple of paragraphs, customized to speak to their specific relationship with your organization.
To personalize your letter, include information such as:
Overall, a heartfelt note of gratitude can make a donor feel appreciated and valued for their contributions. In turn, this can help cultivate a lasting relationship, and recipients will recognize the effort that went into crafting a personalized letter.
Donor Recognition Walls
Creating a wall or display with the names of your donors is a visual way to acknowledge contributions. It allows you to take donor appreciation public by recognizing donors for their generous contributions in a place where all the world can see.
Donor walls can come in many forms, such as physical plaques or virtual displays. While traditionally built in the physical world, nonprofits with limited budgets can create virtual donor walls on their websites. Not only is this more budget-friendly, but you can update the wall in real time.
Either way, donor walls can feature donor names, photos, or messages of appreciation. You can also add special touches such as a donor of the month or yearly donor awards.
Whatever you decide, a donor wall is a great way to show your donors that their support is valued and appreciated. It’s also a great way to inspire others to give.
Donor Appreciation Events
If you want to go all out, host a donor appreciation event. Hosting an event specifically for your donors can make them feel special and can help your team show your gratitude for their support.
Plan exclusive events for your major donors. These events could be a private dinner, a VIP tour of your facility, or a special performance.
Virtual gatherings work well too, especially when supporters are scattered in different locations. Try hosting a casual virtual get-together or happy hour where everyone can come together on Zoom.
Social Media Recognition
While great for promoting your work, social media is also a great place for donor recognition. From Facebook to Instagram, recognize your donors on social media by:
Social media enables you to reach a wide audience, allowing you to showcase how much you love your donors. When you craft meaningful messages, your donors will feel compelled to share them with their networks. In turn, you can connect with new prospects, too.
Public donor recognition can be powerful. As our volunteer appreciation guide suggests, just make sure your supporters are fine with you publishing their pictures and names online first.
Donor Recognition Phone Calls
A personal phone call from a staff member or volunteer can make a donor feel valued and appreciated. You can have a personal conversation with your donor, showing them that you’re genuinely grateful for their support.
When speaking to your donors, use the opportunity to provide updates on your organization’s progress. Depending on time constraints, you might also use this as an opportunity to solicit feedback or other ideas for improving your work.
While an excellent way to express appreciation, this donor recognition idea can be time-consuming. Try to limit phone calls to individuals who give a certain amount and prefer this form of recognition.
Thank-You Videos
A personalized video message from your nonprofit’s staff is a creative and heartfelt way to show donor appreciation.
For major donations or big projects, interview a beneficiary to show just how much your donors’ gifts impact your mission. Sharing stories about how donor contributions have made a difference in the lives of those you serve is a powerful way to show gratitude and inspire continued support.
Tectonic Video’s nonprofit video storytelling guide explains that you should incorporate a few key elements, such as:
In turn, you’ll appeal to your donors’ emotions and leave a lasting impact on them.
When published online, well-produced videos can increase visibility for your cause, too! Others can see just how impactful donations are, prompting them to donate as well.
Branded Merchandise
Sending donors some merchandise connected to your mission can be an excellent token of appreciation.
Not to mention, it’s a fantastic way to tap into social proof. For example, let’s say you send some apparel to a committed donor. They might sport a trendy hat or t-shirt around town. This can prompt meaningful conversations about your mission. Even if people don’t ask them about it, others will see your organization’s name on it, prompting them to search for it online.
When it comes to merchandise, consider creating and sending the following as a way to recognize donors:
Every time they put on their t-shirt or see your keychain when they unlock their front door, they’ll think of your nonprofit. Plus, they can wear or use these items proudly and spread the word about your nonprofit like we mentioned.
Exclusive Content
Providing exclusive content to your donors can make them feel like insiders. For example, if they designated their donation to a certain program, be sure to give them exclusive updates on the program’s progress.
As you brainstorm ideas for what content you’ll offer, consider these common donor recognition rewards:
Not only does offering exclusive content serve as a form of donor recognition, but it also provides an incentive for donors to continue giving. When you spend time creating valuable rewards, they’ll want to continue accessing the exclusive content.
Discounts at Local Businesses
Partner with local businesses like restaurants and stores to offer discounts to donors. Not only is this a great way to express appreciation, but it also allows you to tap into corporate social responsibility and promote local businesses.
Once you have discounts lined up, mail or email the coupon to your donors along with a note of your appreciation. You can say something simple like:
Discounts For Your Events
Your nonprofit likely hosts events regularly. From family-friendly 5Ks to lavish galas, events are a powerful way to bring people together in support of your cause. Chances are, entry into these events isn’t free.
As a way to recognize your donors, offer discounts to your nonprofit’s events and conferences. To limit the number of people who receive discounted access, only promise these discounts to those who donate to specific campaigns or above certain amounts.
Handmade Donor Recognition Gifts
Creating handmade gifts, such as paintings, pottery, or crafts, is a creative way to show gratitude and acknowledge the donor’s support. The recipient will know you took the time to create something special just for them.
It can be as simple as a thank you card or as elaborate as a hand-painted portrait. The goal is to show them that their support is valued in a unique and personal way.
Maybe your organization aspires to provide vital resources to at-risk youth. You might have them craft something for mid-tier and major donors, making this donor recognition idea much more meaningful.
Donor Newsletter
Chances are, your nonprofit already sends a regular newsletter to its entire email subscription list. You use it as a way to communicate big updates, highlight upcoming events, and share volunteer opportunities. Intertwine this communication technique with your donor recognition strategy by sending an exclusive donor newsletter.
Send a personalized newsletter to your donors with updates on your nonprofit’s work, impact, and future plans. Include photos and stories to make it engaging and meaningful.
Alternatively, create a section in your regular newsletter that spotlights a different major donor each time. This is an excellent way to publicly recognize major gifts throughout the year.
Annual Gratitude Report
Your annual report provides a look back on your nonprofit’s year. It’s one of the most important documents you create all year. One easy way to thank your donors is by listing them in this highly-distributed document.
You have a couple of options with this donor recognition idea:
If you want to kick things up a notch, consider creating a separate “gratitude report” exclusively for showcasing donors’ impact. While annual reports generally focus on hard stats from the past year, a gratitude report looks specifically at the wins for the year, communicates appreciation, and lays the groundwork for the upcoming year.
A few different organizations leverage this donor recognition strategy as a way to highlight those who make their work possible. Take the Pride Foundation’s Gratitude Report for example.
As a way to express donor appreciation, they crafted a virtual report that speaks directly to donors. In it, you’ll find highlights of the grants and scholarships the foundation was able to award alongside testimonials from those influenced by donations. This approach is a fantastic way to communicate your donors’ impact.
Donor Appreciation Best Practices
Beyond picking the right ideas, there’s an art to expressing your appreciation for donors. No matter your cause, make sure you craft a donor recognition strategy that adheres to these tried-and-true best practices:
Sticking to these tips will enable you to recognize donors in meaningful ways that inspire them to stick around. Pay attention to how your donors respond and adjust accordingly.
Final Thoughts on Donor Recognition
If your nonprofit wants to build a reliable base of support, donor recognition isn’t an option! Thoughtful donor recognition helps build loyalty and encourages repeat giving from the same individuals. Public recognition can be especially impactful since others will see how much you value your supporters.
Ultimately, donor recognition is a powerful tool for any organization that wants to ensure the success of its fundraising efforts.
The donor recognition ideas we shared should give you everything you need to get started, but don’t stop there! To continue learning, check out some of these additional resources:
Perfecting Your Nonprofit Website’s ‘About’ Page: 6 Tips
Your nonprofit website’s About page (or menu) gives visitors more information about your mission, how you work toward it, and other crucial details about your nonprofit’s background. That may sound straightforward, but it doesn’t mean this page should be an afterthought in the web design process.
On the contrary, your website’s About page is an opportunity to tell your story in an engaging way, promote accountability and transparency, and ultimately recruit more supporters to your cause. It’s one of the first resources many potential new supporters will review to get a sense of what you’re all about, making it a critical part of the donor journey.
Make your About page work for your nonprofit’s digital marketing efforts by designing it using these tips:
As we work through each tip, we’ll also highlight examples of effective nonprofit About pages from Kanopi’s roundup of the best nonprofit websites. Check out that resource for even more examples and consider how you can adapt each best practice to meet your organization’s unique needs. Let’s get started!
1. Offer a clear mission and vision statement.
The first thing you should explain on your About page or within your About menu is why your organization exists. Give visitors a clear understanding of what your organization does and why by highlighting your mission and vision statements.
Your mission statement should describe your organization’s foundational purpose and how you work toward that goal in one or two sentences. For example, if your organization works to end child hunger in the United States, your mission statement might be something like “We work to end child hunger nationwide by partnering with local communities to develop free food banks for families in need.”
A vision statement illustrates what the world would be like if your organization was able to achieve its mission. So, using the same example, your vision statement could say “We fight for the day when food insecurity has been eliminated in the United States.”
Check out Habitat for Humanity’s mission and vision statement page for a clear example of how to make these statements succinct and impactful. The page reads:
If you already have a mission and vision statement for your nonprofit, feature them in a prominent spot on your About page. If you don’t (or if you’re looking to update those statements), this is the perfect opportunity to meet with your team and brainstorm new ideas that better summarize your organization’s work.
2. Describe your strategic plan.
After drawing in visitors with your compelling mission and vision statements, they’ll be curious about exactly how your organization brings those ambitions to life. Make sure your About page includes details about your organization’s strategic plan, including your primary projects and programs.
For example, The Nature Conservancy’s “How We Work” page includes plenty of details about how the organization carries out its conservation mission, including:
Each section also includes a call to action (CTA) button letting visitors learn more about each initiative.
3. Introduce your leaders.
One of the most essential functions of your nonprofit’s About page is to foster trust between website visitors and your organization. When audience members see who is in charge of your nonprofit and their impressive credentials, you’ll show them that your organization is in good hands.
Here are some of the individuals you might highlight on your leadership page:
It’s also helpful to include a short bio for each individual to give visitors a sense of their background and experience. For instance, the CARE leadership page lets visitors click on each name and review short profiles for each board member or global management team member.
4. Recap your organization’s history.
Show prospective supporters the positive impact your organization has made over time by recapping your history on your About page.
Highlight key dates and significant milestones such as:
To make your story more engaging, create an interactive or visual timeline with key dates of your journey. Take a look at the World Wildlife Fund’s History page as an example. This page includes a timeline grouped by decade with pictures to illustrate each step of the story.
This is also a great opportunity to link to your digital donor wall, highlighting the individuals that made your organization’s progress possible!
If your organization uses a top content management system like Drupal or WordPress, you can search for a design widget or module to build your timeline. It might also be helpful to work with a web designer who specializes in nonprofit projects to bring your vision to life and ensure your timeline is as engaging and visually appealing as possible.
5. Provide financial details.
Another essential aspect of building trust with website visitors is promoting accountability through financial transparency. Be clear about how you use your funding and where your organization stands financially. This will go a long way toward convincing potential donors that your nonprofit is worthy of their gifts.
Include the following details on your About page:
For example, Doctors Without Borders’ robust financial accountability page highlights the organization’s financial, annual, and activity reports, fundraising ethics, and more. The website even includes a fixed footer that breaks down exactly how donors’ gifts are used, reassuring supporters that their donations are being handled responsibly.
6. Spotlight recent news updates or research.
Show website visitors that your nonprofit is actively involved in a number of initiatives by highlighting news updates and research on your About page. Be sure to spotlight the following:
Keeping relevant news and research updates front and center offers another opportunity for supporters to get a sense of what your mission looks like in action. Visitors will be able to see what your current priorities are and even identify new ways they can get personally involved.
Once you’ve perfected your About page using these tips, you’re ready to unveil it to the world! Promote it across your digital marketing channels by sharing a link on social media or including the link in your paid search ads.
Remember, if you’re looking for expert advice and tips on how to craft top-quality About pages, don’t hesitate to reach out to a nonprofit web designer. These professionals can leverage their expertise to help you design content that speaks to your unique audience.
4 Simple Ways to Boost Your Nonprofit’s Event Revenue
Pulling off a successful event involves a lot of moving parts. You have to plan logistics, assess your staff’s capabilities, and get the word out to your supporters. Whether you’re hosting an annual auction or trying out a brand new bike-a-thon fundraiser, there are plenty of ways you can improve your event and generate more funds for your nonprofit.
In this article, we’ll walk you through four methods using the example of a hybrid silent auction. As we get into more detail, keep your specific needs and goals in mind, and tailor these tips to your own event.
1. Create a plan centered on your audience.
When you create a fundraising plan for your event, make sure you make decisions based on your specific audience. Put yourself in your supporters’ shoes, and plan your event around their interests. You might choose a new location based on previous donor feedback or schedule the event later in the year to capitalize on your donors’ end-of-year giving habits.
Be sure to include all of these essentials in your fundraising plan:
Make sure everyone on your team understands their responsibilities for the fundraiser to ensure it runs smoothly and generates as much revenue as possible.
Gather information from past events to discover what worked and what didn’t. If you don’t have data or feedback from past events, don’t hesitate to survey your donors now to gauge their interests.
2. Add an online component.
Adding an online option to any event will create a more engaging, accessible experience for your attendees. When your guests are fully engaged, they’re more likely to donate! Depending on the type of event you’re hosting, you may need to research the ways you can successfully incorporate these elements. Let’s go back to our example of a silent auction to see what an online component could look like in action.
In an auction, you will reach more supporters if you make your auction accessible to remote users with quality auction software. Imagine if you are hosting an auction to benefit your school. Offering the option to participate remotely will encourage support from family members of students who live near and far.
Tools like mobile bidding also simplify and speed up the bidding process for in-person guests–leading to more excitement and more funds!
3. Market your event using multiple channels.
Marketing can feel scary, but it doesn’t have to be. If you know your supporters well, as we talked about earlier, you will know where they are hanging out online. Take stock of all your marketing channels, then expand your efforts based on where your communication will be the most effective. If your supporters are mostly on LinkedIn, for example, promoting on Snapchat might not be the most efficient use of your time and resources.
Use these tips to make the most out of your marketing strategy:
The wider you can spread the word about your event, the more you’ll boost attendance and revenue.
4. Maximize fundraising opportunities.
Build elements from other fundraising campaigns into your event to add variety to how your guests and supporters can give.
In our example of a silent auction, this could look like promoting an ongoing text-to-give campaign on your auction website. When you send announcements out to guests about mobile bidding during the auction, provide your text-to-give information in case attendees want to make additional donations along with their bids.
Almost any fundraising campaign can be added to your event to maximize revenue, such as:
Think about your fundraising strategy for the year and look for opportunities to support another fundraiser at your event. Your decor could even include information about future events!
Whether you decide to use a hybrid silent auction as your primary fundraising model or modify these tips so that they are more cohesive with another method, nonprofits everywhere can benefit from this combination of strategies.
When the event ends and your fundraiser has come to a close, review your metrics. Use this information to make any necessary adjustments for future events, and in turn, you’ll experience more successful events that drive more funds and move the needle for your organization.
Charity eCards – Nonprofit Catalog
As nonprofit professionals, we’re tasked to come up with creative ways to engage supporters and sponsors. Especially in the competitive and fast-paced online space, it’s challenging to grab and retain people’s attention. If you’re searching for the ultimate attention-grabbing fundraising strategy, give charity eCards a try!
There’s no better way to bring an interactive element to your online presence than with charity eCards. Everyone loves receiving personalized cards. Connect each one to a charitable cause, and that makes receiving one even more meaningful.
From holiday eCards to cause awareness day cards, your nonprofit’s possibilities are endless. Before you start designing, you’ll need to know the basics about offering cards.
What Are Charity eCards?
Charity eCards are digital cards that supporters can send to friends and family to show their support for a particular cause or nonprofit. By using eCard software, organizations can create designs for different occasions. Common themes organizations stick to include:
Nonprofits typically offer these cards in exchange for a donation or for a specific price. While primarily sent via email, supporters might be able to send your charity’s eCards through other platforms like text or Facebook. It all depends on your eCard software.
This creative fundraiser works for several reasons. For one, it incentivizes donors to give. They’ll receive an instant give-back with every gift. By enabling people to personalize messages alongside their chosen eCards, you can tap into peer referrals, too. Supporters will get to shout about the causes they love, effectively inspiring their friends and family to look into your cause.
Particularly when compared to direct mail, nonprofit eCards are cost-effective and eco-friendly, eliminating the need for postage and printing.
Donation eCards Ideas to Spark Inspiration
Nonprofit eCards come in all shapes and sizes. From simple and straightforward messages to more creative and thoughtful designs, you can create designs for every occasion. Whether you’re connecting them to a specific campaign or offering them year-round, you can create anywhere from one charity eCard to a full collection with dozens of options.
To get your creativity flowing, let’s walk through some examples from real charities. And remember to incorporate your branding into every design. Something as simple as including your nonprofit logo in the corner will go a long way in promoting brand awareness.
Holiday Charity eCards
Holidays happen year-round, making them a great opportunity to support your work. Create ones for people to send to love ones to celebrate any holiday, like:
If you want to get creative in expressing appreciation, your team can actually send holiday eCards to committed supporters and sponsors. Let them know you’re thinking about them during holidays, particularly during the year-end holiday season.
After all, this is the most charitable time of year, and you can reconnect with them when they’re feeling the most generous. In fact, December alone accounts for 30% of annual giving, according to Nonprofits Source’s online giving statistics.
For this example, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium created a collection of Valentine’s Day cards. They featured some of their animal residents, tying each card back to their mission. Mimicking the traditional Valentine’s Day card style, each card features a witty pun and plenty of hearts.
Cause Awareness eCards
If there’s a cause awareness day or week associated with your cause, that’s the perfect time to create a fundraising card to spread the word. One option is to offer the cards for free and simply have supporters share their favorite designs with friends and family. Alternatively, connect them to a fundraiser. Have your supporters donate to your cause, then send an eCard to boost awareness.
In this example, Project Sleep created a small collection of charity eCards for World Narcolepsy Day. The day correlates with their mission to raise awareness about sleep health and sleep conditions. Supporters could send the nonprofit eCards for free, helping to increase public knowledge about the 3 million individuals living with narcolepsy across the globe.
Birthday eCards
Birthday cards are a tradition that stands the test of time. Help your supporters celebrate by crafting birthday eCards with your nonprofit’s branding.
We recommend offering birthday eCards in exchange for donations. As explained in Fundraising Letters’ donation eCards guide, this is a creative way to eliminate any pressure to buy a gift. The donor can give in honor of their loved one and send a birthday eCard letting them know. Giving to a cause the recipient cares about is a meaningful way to wish happy birthday.
For this example, we’ve pulled a more generic example that any nonprofit can emulate. Simply add your logo to the corner of the charity eCard you design. Then, customize the message that will be sent alongside it to let the recipient know the proceeds of the card purchase went to support your organization.
Thank You eCards
Offer thank-you cards as a way for supporters to thank someone who’s impacted them in some way.
The best part about nonprofit eCards is that you don’t have to sell them or require donations from supporters. You can actually offer them for free and use them internally! Really get creative by having your team send them out to sponsors, donors, and volunteers to express appreciation.
This is such a great way to help supporters thank their loved ones and empower your team to thank sponsors and committed supporters. As a bonus, you can also use eCards as a form of employee appreciation.
We’ve picked a unique charity eCard for this example. As part of its 70th-anniversary celebration, Youth for Understanding (YFU) offered digital cards branded with the organization’s colors and logo to its beneficiaries. Those impacted by the program could send the digital cards to their friends, host families, teachers, and volunteers as a unique way to reconnect and express gratitude.
How to Offer Fundraising eCards to Supporters
Using our preferred charity eCard software eCardWidget, you’ll have a few options for offering digital cards to your supporters, such as:
Best of all, eCardWidget integrates with some of the most popular fundraising tools, making it easy to integrate it into your existing fundraising processes. It even comes with a convenient WordPress plugin and Shopify integration to make the process of offering nonprofit eCards even smoother. Remember, you can also use them internally and offer them for free!
Additional Resources
Nonprofit Catalog – Read up on more nonprofit essentials by exploring our Nonprofit Catalog.
Nonprofit Graphic Design – Nonprofit Catalog – Charity eCards rely on effective graphic design. Make sure you know the basics of nonprofit design to create compelling cards that excite supporters.
Birthday Fundraisers: How to Secure Year-Round Support – Fundraising eCards for birthdays are perfect for raising money. Learn more and explore other birthday fundraising ideas with this guide.