It's Time for Pause

After more than three years of weekly blogging, as well as more than 225 posts, your fundraising FlashPoints is pausing publication. 

It's time for a break to ensure the posts maintain current value for you and all the great work you do for your favorite nonprofit. 

In the meantime, feel free to browse through the posts through the menu buttons on your right. There is also a search function in the lower center of this blog. Most of these posts and fundraising ideas are geared towards small nonprofits that do not have paid staff people. 

If you have ideas for future blog topics or fundraising focus areas you are not finding elsewhere, please submit those ideas here.  

Until then, you are wished ample inspiration and passion as you continue your fundraising and mission advancement in 2014. Cheers!

Giving Keys: A Focused Nonprofit Story

Today's post shares with you more about an inspiring, focused nonprofit that effectively combined mission work and meaningful merchandise. 

I received my first one of the Giving Keys from a dear and thoughtful friend after going through a challenging time. 

This Los Angeles-based nonprofit employs people looking to transition out of homelessness to make bracelet, necklace, knuckle ring and iPhone case keys. The keys have inspiring messages on them, like "Dream" and "Love." Custom brief words may be chosen, too. All key proceeds support the mission of Giving Keys.

But the inspiration does not stop there.

Once you receive a key, the idea is that you are to give it away at some point to someone in your life who needs the message on the key.  I gave mine ("Strength") to another friend going through her own challenging time. I have also enjoyed giving keys to additional loved ones and hearing about their journeys.

Congratulations, Giving Keys on finding a focused way to move your mission forward, again and again. 

How might your nonprofit become more focused and self-perpetuating in 2014?

Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/richard-g/

Do your fundraising efforts reflect your expectations?

Recently, I learned of an interesting comparison of fundraising efforts and expectations. 

A donor and active volunteer has a general interest in animal nonprofits and an community issues nonprofit. On the whole, she's been more active with the latter.

An animal nonprofit recommended to her by a a friend recently sent a holiday mailing with seven inspiring stories of animal lives saved, each ending with a thanks to her for making the saving possible. There was an incidental mention of a 1:1 matching gift campaign in this holiday communication.  

The community issues nonprofit asked the donor via email to commit to soliciting 30 contacts she hasn't been in regular communication with as part of a large endowment campaign. Apparently a major volunteer commitment doesn't even merit a phone call. This ask came on the heels of another email requesting "dues" from this donor and others like her, implying an obligation to give. Neither email communication contained any information on how gifts would be used.

In summary, this donor felt a huge disparity between fundraising efforts and expectations among the two organizations. She felt appreciated by the first organization and dismissed as not worth any effort but expected to give much by the second organization.

Guess which nonprofit received the donor's year end gift given in lieu of family Christmas present exchange?

As 2014, approaches, take a look back at your fundraising communications. Do your fundraising efforts reflect your expectations?

Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/qisur/

Online Giving: For Your Nonprofit in 2014?

Giving Tuesday was December 3 this year. The results, as tracked and published by Blackbaud offer some possibilities for all nonprofits to consider as they plan their 2014 fundraising. 

• The average 2013 online gift on Giving Tuesday was $142.05, up from $101.60 in 2012. 
• 3,800 US nonprofits saw their 2013 Giving Tuesday donations collectively rise 90% over 2012. 
• $19.2 million in donations were processed by these nonprofits on December 3, 2013 ($10.1 million in 2012) 
• Online giving during the October, November and December is believed to account for 40% of overall totals for this fundraising channel each year. 
• Online giving is producing stronger results than online retail and Black Friday this year. 
• According to the Blackbaud Index, overall charitable giving is up slightly in 2013 over 2012.

How do the results for your nonprofit compare?

If you don't already have one, can you set a goal of offering online giving on your website by the 2014 holiday season?

Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/artisrams/

Have You Written Down the Answers to Your 2014 Fundraising Questions?

Now is a great time to capture in writing the answers to your nonprofit's 2014 fundraising questions. 

Once you have the questions written down, they will provide a great framework for tracking your progress, reporting and discussing throughout 2014. 

Those questions include:

• What is your mission?
• How are you going to communicate that message?
• What is your 2014 fundraising goal?
• What tactics do you plan to use? They may include:
• Direct mail 
• Special events, like a community meal or a walk-a-thon
• Regular, personal visits that include asks to key contacts and established supporters
• Online giving 
• Grants

• How will you use the funds you raise?
• How will you communicate your results to your supporters? 

Once you have these answers written down, get to work on making your goals happen.

What questions would you add to the list above?

Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/clarkstonscamp/

What options are there to test drive your nonprofit?

Recently, we've been going through a painstaking process of car buying. It's time to update our oldest vehicle. Our vehicle purchase planning steps have included lots of online research, conversations with friends about vehicles and dealerships, and of course, a few test drives.

For us, test driving has literally become where the rubber meets the road in terms of narrowing down the vehicles of interest. After test drives of just a few miles, we've both eliminated vehicles from consideration and added possibilities to the list as we looked at similar cars since we were on the lot anyway. 

The experience got me to thinking: could your nonprofit offer more opportunities to test drive involvement with your mission?

It feels like there are never enough human resources to move your mission forward. Those who are already involved, like you, can be at risk for burnout. Large scale commitments like serving on your board of directors or chairing your special event can feel overwhelming to those not already intimately familiar with the good work you do. 

As you look towards 2014 for your nonprofit, consider: 

• What aspects of the work you do are the most inspirational? 
• How might you invite others to experience these inspirational aspects in easy, low time commitment, "test drive" style ways? 
• Who are three people you will invite to test drive your nonprofit in 2014?

Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/inhabitat/

DonorPath: Another Resource Route for Your Nonprofit

Is your nonprofit ready to tackle a new project, fundraising campaign, or just take things to the next level? 

DonorPath offers service matchmaking based on the specific needs surrounding wherever your nonprofit is at and where you want to go. 

The collective fundraising experts and team members at DonorPath have raised more than $1 billion for nonprofits and helped engage 17 million people with worthwhile organizations. Does that sound like a network you might like to leverage?

You may watch a brief YouTube video about another nonprofit, Rock for Kids, who took fundraising to the next level with DonorPath here:
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CllSEVDj10

You may schedule a demo or setup a trial account to start to explore the DonorPath services available to you here: https://app.donorpath.org/enroll

Another blog with regular fundraising topics available from DonorPath may be found here: http://blog.donorpath.org/. 


Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewdevalle/

Is Anything Slipping Through the Cracks for Your Nonprofit?

Recently, I heard a firsthand account of a wonderful opportunity slipping through the cracks at a very volunteer-driven nonprofit.

Someone who's been regularly connected to this nonprofit approached one of its representatives at an event. This person explained to the nonprofit representative that she would like to connect soon regarding a gift she and her husband would like to make, with a significant corporate match opportunity that was only available for a limited time. 

The nonprofit representative assured this person someone else would be in contact soon. As of this writing, three weeks have passed. Neither the nonprofit representative spoken with nor the person mentioned in the conversation has yet to contact her. With the match, this represents a lost gift of $1,000!

Volunteer driven nonprofits face massive challenges and limitations. Volunteers at these nonprofits deserve to be celebrated even more than they are. 

However, it's important to keep an eye on what might be slipping through the cracks in the midst of those challenges and limitations. 

As the year starts to wrap up, it might be valuable to have a critical conversation among your fellow nonprofit team members. Is there anything you have let slip through the cracks in 2013? 

How can follow through, or whatever the slipped through the cracks, work better in 2014?

Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/redfernstudio/

What's your nonprofit's service experience?

Recently, I had a stunning service experience. In short, Lauren Wiser and the team at Left Bank Books in St. Louis Missouri are incredibly helpful and customer focused. They were prompt, offered several options for me to connect and beautifully met a deep personal interest of mine. I highly recommend working with them! If you'd like to learn more about what these thoughtful folks have to say, you may visit their blog here. 

The experience got me thinking: what is the current nonprofit service experience?Although answers to that question will vary wildly across specific nonprofits. What follows are some ideas and thoughts for small nonprofits to raise their service bar:

• Who are your most electronically connected board members or Who is attached to their smart phone? If they're not already, would these team members be willing to promptly respond to emails that come in through your website, Facebook page or other online presence points?
• How many options do you offer people to connect with you? Since not everyone is or likes to be online, at what phone number can someone reach your organization for more information?
• How are your follow through skills? If those interested in your organization pose questions, do you get back to them with confirmed answers?

Prompt response, options for connection and and follow through skills are the key elements to me of any worthwhile service experience, be it nonprofit or any other format. 

Worthwhile service is a key building block for effective fundraising. Great service recipients are potential future donors.

What is the service experience of those looking to connect with your nonprofit? How could it be event better?

Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/foundanimalsfoundation/

Obligation or free choice?

Currently, the book I am learning from is The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz. It's a straightforward and worthwhile read that offers relevant examples from a number of industries to challenge current thinking, or at least my thinking that time management needs to be at the center of what I do. 

In the book, the authors quote Viktor E. Frankl, a psychologist who survived Nazi concentration camps and wrote Man's Search for Meaning, which was first published in 1959. Frankl's writings include the idea, "What man actually needs is not a tension-less state, but rather the striving and struggling for a worthwhile goal, a freely chosen task." 

This point got me to thinking about which volunteer and donation experience have given me the greatest joy. They are not the experiences my parents or anyone else wanted me to have, or the experiences where I have had incidental involvement due to a sense of obligation. They are the experiences I have freely chosen! 

Sure, some of those experience have including striving and struggling. But in the end, free choice has given me great joy. 

I intend to carry the message through of free choice to future fundraising and volunteer efforts.

If the options are obligation or free choice to invest in your nonprofit's mission, what option do you choose? What option to you want to experience?

Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/koonisutra/

For Further Reading: Power Questions

Andrew Sobel and one of my favorite fundraising authors, Jerold Panas, offer an outstanding book for anyone in full time or volunteer fundraising: Power Questions: Build Relationships, Win New Business and Influence Others.

Building relationships for your business start with thought-provoking, deep questions that keep the focus on those you are meeting with. These questions help you dive deep and ensure a mutually respectful and appreciative relationship in both directions.

In this book the authors quote a seasoned executive who says, "I can always tell how experienced and insightful a prospective consultant, banker or lawyers is by the quality of their questions and how intently they listen. That's how simple it is."

Simple? Perhaps.

Common? Not yet.

This book goes on to offer hundreds of examples of excellent, open ended questions that help you deepen any of the key relationships in your life.

Have you picked up the book yet?

Have you started reading?

What do you think?

Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/easygiving/

Death, Taxes and 990 Filings

In a 1789 letter to Jean-Baptiste Leroy, Benjamin Franklin wrote, "..In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." 

Today, I would add another element to that centuries old quote: 990 filings. 

Is your nonprofit a Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-recognized 501 (c) (3) organization? Being a registered nonprofit in your state is not the same thing as being an official tax exempt nonprofit at the federal level. 

Assuming your nonprofit is IRS-recognized, are you filing your 990 forms each year? Doing so is as absolute a requirement as filing your own income taxes each year. It is not optional. There is no grace period. This simply must be done. 

Since so many nonprofits are run entirely by volunteers, is this hard to remember? Sure. However, the nature of your nonprofit (all volunteer versus paid staff) does not change the requirement that the proper paperwork be filed each year to maintain your status.

Recently, one very well meaning treasurer of an all volunteer nonprofit received a postcard in the mail reminding him of the availability of electronic filing of his organization's 990. He thought this mailing would come annually to remind him to get the filing done. The mailing was one time to announce the IRS transition to simpler filings for smaller organizations. Because the annual 990 filings were not done, this organization may have to go through an extensive and complicated process to re-apply for nonprofit status. 

This does not have to be your nonprofit's story. Simply set a remind to make sure your form 990 is properly filed by the 15th of the 5th month following the end of your fiscal year.  For example, if your fiscal year ends with your calendar year, your 2013 990 is due by May 15, 2014.

If your annual gross receipts are under $50,000 per year, you may find more information filing your Form 990 electronically here. For other organizations, visit www.irs.gov and search on the term 990 in the upper right hand search box.  

What works well for your annual filings for the small nonprofits you are associated with? 
 
Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/numberstumper/

Improving Listening: Baseline for Better Fundraising

Successful fundraising is interconnected with effective listening. The most successful major gift fundraisers have hundreds of stories of how they listened the gift. 

Listening is hard. The difference between typically speaking speed and our brains' capacity to understand creates the first gap. Distractions only add to the complexity. 


How do you develop listening skills to be more effective in your fundraising, and, by extension, in moving your mission forward? A few online resources for your consideration:

1. A Developing Listening Skills video from Cambridge University Press ELT. 


2. A blog post from Gaily Perry: A Fundraiser's #1 Skill: The Lost Art of Listening. 


3. A blog post from Vanessa Chase: Why Listening Trumps All Else in Fundraising. 


4. Tips for Active Listening are available on the Mind Tools website. 


5. Rick Goodfriend offers practicing better listening thoughts on this YouTube video. 


What are your favorite listening tips?


How has applying listening skills moved your mission forward?

Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/baejaar/

Ideas for Your Nonprofit's Online Content

Last week's post explored the importance of video and and ideas for a basic online presence to move your nonprofit forward, using the backdrop of a recent Google study. Once you apply those ideas, how do you avoid "low content," or having nothing to share?

Content topics for your nonprofit's online presence may include:  

• A story from a beneficiary of your nonprofit about how the impact of the received support
• A story from a volunteer for your nonprofit about they he or she gives of available time to your mission
• A story from a donor about why he or she feels supporting your organization is a worthwhile investment
• Your mission statement 
• A summary of your recently completed projects
• Information on your upcoming projects, to give donors a sense of what a gift would help do if they made one today  
• Your Form 990 filed annually with the IRS. Instead of making someone researching your organization go to other publicly available sources for this information, why not make it easy in the interest of transparency? 
• Any opportunities for involvement: what are the three most valuable things someone interested in your organization could do today to help you move your mission forward?
• Your meeting minutes and other reports or updates. Transparency breeds trust

What content additions do you have to this list?

What nonprofit content do you recall from your time online this week?
Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/smemon/with/4855136300/

Online Donor Patterns: Is Your Nonprofit Prepared?

Google recently released a study to its nonprofit clients of online donor behavior. The study findings include results of a survey completed by 982 people, as well as analysis of online behavior of more than 2 million people who agreed to the tracking. 

The findings indicate some general patterns, including:

• Video plays a tremendous role in capturing online attention. 
• 75% of donors start research of charities they consider gifts to online. 
• 40% of survey respondents conducted nonprofit research on their mobile phones.

Given the wide proliferation of nonprofits online, how does your nonprofit start such a presence without budget or significant available time among volunteers? Some ideas to consider include:
1. Setup a free blog on www.blogger.com or another platform. Post updates on your activities. Try setting a goal of one post per month as you get started.
2. Consider creating a channel for your organization on www.youtube.com. Post links to your videos on your other online locations. 
3. Create a Facebook page for your organization and invite your friends to join it.For more information on the steps involved in creating a page, click here. 
4. If this isn't the right time to add online donations to your mix, consider adding a Contact Us portion to each of your posts where a live person would provide prompt information on how your organization might receive donations (mail, in person pickup, etc.) 

What online patterns are you seeing?
What tools are you using to respond to those online patterns? Share your ideas in the comments section below.

Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/z428/

Have you scheduled your nonprofit's 2014 retreat?

We all need to find our ways to effectively retreat from the day to day demands of the world, recharge and refocus. 

For my husband, one way he retreats is to take his motorcycle for long rides. One way I retreat is to explore drawing projects, something I have not done often enough. Our retreats are taken away from our regular work and family demands. Our retreats allow us to reflect and try to be more effective in our lives and careers in the future.

Making time for a retreat is equally important for your nonprofit. 

Your retreat will be most effective if you find a quiet location away from the regular demands of your mission to truly 

How will you effectively move forward with the great work you do in 2014 if you don't set goals and define what progress looks like?

Here are some resource ideas for making your retreat for 2014 planning great: 

• William Moran of the Moran Company offers an excellent Nonprofit Board Retreat Agenda in his Resource Library here. 
• You may replay a Chronicle of Philanthropy discussion on How to Hold a Great Board retreat here. 
• The Canoe Group offers six suggestions to stimulate value at your next board retreat here.

An equally important success factor in your 2014 retreat is incorporating reports on your progress at each 2014 board meeting.

Have you scheduled your retreat yet?

Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stella12/. At Applewood Estate in Flint, Michigan, on retreat with the AAHC Board.

IRS Tools to Apply for Nonprofit Status and Stay Exempt

Are you thinking of applying for federal recognition of nonprofit status for your group? 

The Internal Revenue Service  (IRS) recently released a review version of its interactive Form 1023. the standard used to apply for federal nonprofit recognition, which falls under Section 501 (c) (3) of the tax code.  The review version is available through September 20, 2013. 

When the full version is released, it will start the process of electronic submission. Anyone who has printed the small book required of the current paper submissions knows this is a nice step forward. 

If you will be submitting a 501 (c) (3) application on Form 1023 soon, be aware for your planning purposes that the IRS is currently reviewing applications submitted over one year ago, so it will be some time before you hear on the status of your application. 

The IRS also recently released a 37 minute video overview course about applying for Section 501 (c) (3). This video will help you prepare for the application steps and the ongoing requirements of federal nonprofit status.

A third tool offered by the IRS is of benefit to current and prospective 501 (c) (3) organizations. Titled Life Cycle of an Exempt Organization, this website section provides many links and details about the intersection points between your nonprofit and the IRS.

Nonprofit IRS setup and ongoing compliance is a critical first step towards effective fundraising efforts for your organization.

Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/afagen/

Are You on Autopilot With Your Supporters?

Recently, I heard a first hand account of a story that gave me pause to watch for an unintended risk in nonprofit work.

A friend was contacted by a political campaign who just opened up operations for a long-out campaign, consistent with the trend that running for office is starting earlier and earlier. 

The new staff member who contacted her was polite and positive. This person asked for an easy entry and involvement point, which she declined, citing personal circumstances. Overall, the interaction was positive. 

Despite these positives, she left with a sense of disappointing "auto pilot" mode. The assumption was made in the call that she must again be supportive of the candidate. There was no confirmation of her continued support or request for her input on the call. Her support was assumed as being on auto pilot, despite the years that have passed since the last campaign.

This approach is a good fit for a large volume of activity demanded by political campaigns. However,

Is the nonprofit community on auto pilot with established supporters? 

Is your nonprofit on auto pilot when it comes to conversations with your established supporters?

When was the last time you communicated with an established supporter, just to check in and not ask for anything?

Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/curveto/

Donor Testing: How Would Your Organization Score?

In July 2013, two Midwest donors (a married couple) chose a nonprofit topic/mission close to their hearts to send "test" donations as they considered increasing their philanthropic investments. 

They combined their own online research and the recommendations of trusted friends who are active volunteers in this area and chose four nonprofits doing work in their area of interest. The selected organizations were three all-volunteer groups and one organization with paid staff.

They mailed test donations of $50 to each organization. All gifts were unsolicited.  Included with the mailed donations was an email address to offer a lower cost communications option.

In one month's time:

1. One organization (an all-volunteer group) sent a letter that replicated the donors' contact information as submitted, expressing gratitude and explaining said use of funds within one week.

2. One organization (the staffed group) sent an equally prompt postcard with pictures and cute copy that used the donors' names incorrectly, and made no mention of intended use of funds.

3. One organization promptly cashed the check but did not acknowledge the donation in any way. 



4. One organization did not cash the check, but did receive it upon follow up. 

In her excellent book Donor Centered Fundraising, Penelope Burk shares observations from extensive donor survey work.  She and the Cygnus team discovered donors want:

• Prompt, personalized gift acknowledgement.
• Confirmation gifts have been set to work as intended.
• Measurable results on gifts at work prior to being asked for another contribution. 

Although the jury is still out on the long-term impact of this test, so far, the first, all-volunteer organization mentioned is the only one to make a strong, positive impression with their new donors and pave the way for future gifts.

If your nonprofit received a test gift, how you score?

Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonathancharles/

Learning by Giving: A Foundation Worth of Your Review

The Learning by Giving Foundation was created by a team of the nation's leading philanthropists, including the Buffet family, to encourage individual giving and the wonderful learning process that comes with it.

The mission of this worthwhile, unique niche philanthropic organization organization is a worthwhile read. 

The Foundation recently hosted an online class called Giving With Purpose that united thousands of students of all ages and backgrounds to discuss the value in focusing and analyzing one's individual giving. The course included insightful video interviews with Doris Buffet and Warren Buffet, Cal Ripken, Jr. and Soledad O'Brien who discussed their personal philanthropic goals and motivations. News coverage about this course may be found here.

You may sign up for their next free online course here.

The Learning by Giving Foundation also has a presence on YouTube.

If connecting on Facebook is your preferred method, you may connect with the Learning by Giving Foundation here.


Other ways to connect with the Learning by Giving Foundation include:

• Twitter
• LinkedIn 
• Google Plus 

How are you learning by giving? 

Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cpjobling/

The Magic of Capital Campaigns: An Online Resource

Is your nonprofit considering a capital campaign?  


Capital campaigns come in all shapes and sizes. Sure, some campaigns are for new buildings. A more accurate description of a capital campaign is a time-limited efforts to secure funding for a specific project. 


Take Margaret, for example. Margaret needed to connect with the right donors to secure $15,000 in funding for the performance of her original composition in New York. You can read more about her story and campaign approach here. 

Capital campaigns can feel daunting. They demand significant attention and effort. They are also an outstanding opportunity to showcase the good work you are doing to those who share passion for your mission.

Building on last week's post, Andrea Kihlstedt and Gail Perry have joined forces to create a new online resource: Capital Campaign Magic: Revealing the Secrets of Success. 

You can learn more about Gail here, and about Andrea (the author of another book recommended in last week's post) here.  

On their site, you will also find more information on two additional wonderful books available from the site's authors on capital campaigns, as well as tapping into the power of your board of directors.
 
Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sodaniechea/

Follow the Process: A Resource for Your Next Campaign

When I was growing up, my neighbor did a lot of work on model ships like the one pictured above. He sometimes even put them in jars.I remember being in awe of their detail and beauty as I surveyed his hard work in his basement office area. 

When I asked him about his work, I remember him saying, "It's all about following the process, and having patience to see it through, no matter how long it takes."

I found myself reflecting on that important lesson recently when I finished the book, How to Raise $1 Million (or More!) in 10 Bite Size Steps: A Fail Proof Guide for Board Members, Volunteers and Staff by Andrea Kihlsteadt.

You may obtain your own copy of Andrea's book here. 

Andrea's energy and charm also come through in her recently launched website and blog, which you may find here.


In her book, Andrea outlines ten clear steps to follow in order for any campaign your nonprofit might be considering. She breaks down what can seem like an overwhelming process into manageable chunks, or bite-sized steps, as her title implies. 

At just over 100 pages, it's an easy length to read in the midst of the many things on your plate. Her straightforward style makes it seem like she is in your living room with you. The cost of her book is one of the best investments you can make in your campaign.

If you've ever struggled with how to begin or how to respond to ideas like, "Let's get 1,000 people to give $250 each," then this book is for you. 

Much like my neighbor's model ship building process, a successful fundraising campaign happens when the process steps are followed in order and the perspicacity is applied to see things through, no matter how long it takes. 

Click here to order your copy today!

Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/edbierman/

Two Internet Studies for Your Nonprofit Planning

Two recently released Internet studies are worthy of your time and review for your nonprofit planning:

1. For the first time in the Pew Internet Research study's history, a majority of American adults have now adopted smart phones for their everyday use. You may review the full details of the study here. Smart phone usage is most predominant among those in the 20's and 30's age groups. How mobile friendly is your online presence?

2. The 2013 KPCB Internet Trends report can be found in a 117 slide report on Slideshare here. Among the many interesting insights in this report:

• More than 500 million photos are now being shared online everyday via applications like Flickr, Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook. 
• 100 hours of video are now being uploaded to YouTube every minute. 
• 11 hours of sound are being uploaded online every minute, an emerging trend.
• 15% of Americans are sharing "everything" or "most things" online. 
• There is a growth in application use where you help me, I help you, and we help others. How might you connect with this positive trend to move your mission forward? 

After your own review, what do you think of these two studies? What lessons will you be taking back to your own planning? 

What other studies do you use for your nonprofit planning?



Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/scubasteveo/

 

One to Watch For: An Upcoming Nonprofit Tool

Could your nonprofit benefit from great access to pro bono resources? Is the list of projects you want to move forward long, but limited by available funding and resources? If so, you might want to keep your eye out for a new online tool being developed.

Last month, the Taproot Foundation announced a collaborative effort with Hewlett-Packard  (HP) and LinkedIn to advance the online pro bono marketplace.

Utilizing a grant from HP, once developed, Taproot will provide one common application integrated with LinkedIn APIs to help nonprofits discover mission critical pro bono resources, as well as help business professionals bring their expertise to nonprofits they care about. 

As of this blog writing, the Taproot Foundation had delivered more than $118 million in pro bono services to nonprofits. You may explore 119 common pro bono projects on their homepage here. 

Next to the nonprofit section of the home page, you may also learn more about how your unique skills and talents might be applied to nonprofits who need you. The home page also has a 3 minute, 23 seconds video outlining the Taproot Foundation mission.


Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/photogaby/

IRS Notes

 

The Internal Revenue Service has been in the news lately with regards to allegations about review of conservative organizations and more aspects of the management of this government organization.  

The IRS recently released frequently asked question and answer information regarding their nonprofit process. You may access that information here: http://www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/Questions-and-Answers-on-501%28c%29-Organizations

A question I am frequently asked is once a nonprofit organization is approved by the IRS, what is the required wording for receipts provided to donors . According to IRS publication 1771, that requirement may be met with the following wording:

Thank you for your cash contribution of $X that (organization's name) received on (date). No goods or services were provided in exchange for your contribution.

The most important note in this week's update:  Don't let IRS notes become any sort of overriding focal point for your critical work. Keep your focus where it should be: on keeping your donors fully engaged with meaningful information on the impact of your gift. Your heartfelt, prompt feedback and ongoing updates on their support has far more value for your donors and for your mission than any IRS requirement. 

Absolutely honor all requirements of being an IRS-recognized nonprofit, including the above recommended receipt wording.  Honoring these requirements is as critical as a grocery store visit to having food in your home. However, remember where the true value is: it's in having loved ones in your family, as well as donors and service recipients in your nonprofit to share the fruits with of your efforts to save and change lives.

Thanks for all you do!

Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/horiavarlan/

Growing Your Team: Brainstorming Fits for Fundraising Involvement

Would you like to grow the team focused on executing your fundraising and development plan?  It starts with taking steps to communicate the task of fundraising as everyone's business.

What are some common characteristics of good fundraising volunteers? They include:

• Those who you know feel connected to your cause (a good starting point for any involvement)
• Your current donors
• Anyone who you consider to be a good listener, who likes to experience the stories of others
• Those who love people 
• Those who are connected in your community, who know a wide range of people
• Diligent record keepers
• Good writers 
• Those willing to make an investment in your nonprofit's mission to solidify credibility before others are asked

Once you've identified people with the skill sets above, consider forming a development committee to assemble your fundraising plan, execute it and make regular progress reports to your board of directors. Remember your development committee's central mission is to demonstrate the meaningful work of your mission and connect that work with your donors.

As with any volunteer team, develop ways to demonstrate appropriate appreciation for their gift of time, talent and treasure. 

What works well for you and your fundraising volunteers?


Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/oakleyoriginals/

Why People Give: A Key Truth

There's one key truth worth remembering in every step you take fundraising for your nonprofit. 

If you remember nothing else from your studies, collaborations, or reading of this blog (just celebrated our 200th post), remember this:

Nonprofit organizations do not need money. You read right.

Nonprofit organizations need friends who are willing to learn more and potentially invest in saving and changing lives. 

People don't give because organizations need money. People give because living beings need help, organizations have solutions. Donor investments are the link between those in need and solutions. 

Take this key truth. Incorporate into every fundraising action you take: board meeting discussions, thank you's, fundraising campaigns, committee meetings and more. Make sure this key truth is the framework for all of your efforts to move your fundraising forward. 

What has your experience been with this key truth? What would you like it to be moving forward? 




Best wishes connecting your solutions with donor investments to save and change lives!
 
Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/crazyneighborlady/

Careful, Relevant Donor Communictions: Lessons From Trip Advisor.com

Like many of you reading this blog, it's sometimes hard to keep up on the number of business and organizations who regularly send me email. 

What stands out in my experience? What lessons from that stand out might be applied to more effective fundraising? 

I utilize www.TripAdvisor.com frequently when traveling to gain insight on local restaurants and more. I try to give back to the insight I gain from the sight by sharing my own experiences. By a wide margin, they stand out as sending me careful, relevant donor communications.Why? 
 
1. TripAdvisor.com let me know that I am among the top 5% of their contributors. This makes me feel like I have achieved my goal of giving back to other users.  
What can you communicate to make your donors feel special and valued? Maybe let them know how many people your organization has served during the time they've been contributing to your organization? Let them know when they pass a giving milestone, or how close they might be to one?

2.  TripAdvisor.com promptly thanks me for each review I contribute. They immediately acknowledge my submission and let me know when it's posted.  
How about a quick call to let your donor know you received their donation, followed by a prompt, personal, hand-written thank-you note?

3. TripAdvisor.com sent positive, thank you filled emails that helped motivate me to make enough contributions to get to their highest contributor level. 
What message could you bring to your current donors, appreciating them while encourage them to stretch to the next level of giving?

4. TripAdvisor.com regularly communicates with me based around my contributions, with occasional supporting messages like the Top 5% mentioned above. I've lost track of how many unsubscribes I've submitted for weekly or more frequent messages from other organizations.
How can you strike a balance between staying in regular contact with your donors without being perceived as a pest? What do your donors have to say about this?

What do you think? What communication stands out to you?

Photo link above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sierragoddess/

Numbers: A Donor Connection Opportunity

Recently, I received a thank you letter for a donation I made via regular mail that stood out from the crowd. It was from Caring Bridge, a highly-rated national nonprofit that provides free update and support sites for those facing a health crisis.

The reasons this letter stood out from the crowd included its general promptness, as well as its warm and friendly tone. Most significantly, this donor thank you stood out because of the unique way it used numbers to forge a connection opportunity with me and every donor who got the same message. 

The letter let me know that on the day my gift arrived at Caring Bridge offices, 229 people created a Caring Bridge site. I feel close to six people who have used Caring Bridge extensively to keep loved ones up to date on their progress. Those six people helped inspire my gift. Thirty eight times the people I know well who have used the site needed to create one in just one day!

This number-driven donor connection communicated several key points:
1. There is a significant and ongoing need for Caring Bridge sites. A lot of people are going through a lot medically.
2. Caring Bridge has dedicated thoughtful time and effort to making a meaningful connection with their donors through use of this stat. 

What numbers could your favorite nonprofit use to make a meaningful connection with your donors?

Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/woodlouse/