As year-end fundraising approaches, just doing it the way you’ve always done it – or imitating the way others do it – may not be enough to set you apart from the crowd. So… our theme this week is to think outside the box – just a little. Teach yourself a few new tricks, and get outside — literally! — to invigorate your fundraising. So… let’s start with a post of almost the same name!
Details
Just a few links this week, since I know you’re winding down after Halloween revelries and may be in a sugar-induced coma. Grab a cup of coffee and check these out. They’ll get November off to a good start!
Planned Giving
Click-It: Year-End Planned Giving Ideas to Include in Tips to Donors. Today is Dia de los Muertos — a time for honoring departed souls. What better day to
Details
This week’s links include some thought-provoking stuff. And a reminder of what you need to do to prepare for Halloween!
Email Frequency
Click-It: How Many Fundraising Emails Should You Send a Year?
Details
This week’s links, some free stuff, plus last chance for two great learning opportunities that will help you right now.. Check ‘em out!
Details
This week’s links are a real potpourri of pretty darn interesting stuff. Check ‘em out!
Events
Click-It: The Secret of the Five Top. Simply brilliant advice from Seth Godin. I dare you to try it at your next fundraising event. And if you’ve done it, let us all know how it worked!
Mobile
Click-It: Top 5 Reasons to Use Mobile. This post has all the data you need to
Details
Wondering about the future of fundraising? Check out this week’s links!
Social and Mobile
Click-It: Nine reasons why social and mobile are the future of fundraising. I bring this to you because there’s been debate going on, instigated by our provocative friends at The Agitator. Tom Belford wrote a post — Crafting vs. Producing… Writing Songs vs. Jingles — somewhat dissing email appeals in favor of traditional mail appeals. Why? Supposedly a more rewarding, bonding emotional experience to ‘open’ rather than ‘click.’ I don’t buy it. I’ve seen plenty of moving email appeals. They’ve inspired me to give; I’ve seen others inspired to give. Sure there are too many that are dry as dust. But there are dull, flat snail mail appeals as well. Good email appeals work. Heck, there’s no one right channel for all people anymore. Far from it.
As fundraising professionals it’s up to us
Details
Planning your year-end fundraising? Check out this week’s links!
Year-end Planning
Click-It: 5 Things to do now for year-end fundraising success. From Network for Good comes this checklist of all the stuff you should be thinking about. Now! Here’s my favorite: Now is the time to put yourself in your donor’s shoes and thoroughly test your donation process, website, emails, and any other donor-facing elements. Identify any pain points and fix them now while you have some time. None of the above steps will matter if your supporters get hung up on your donation page, are stymied by your website, or can’t reach a real person when they attempt to contact you.
Online Donations
Details
Such great links this week. Let’s get started!
Corporate Partnerships
Click-It: Safeway Foundation: 6 Tips on How to “Partner” with a Corporation Thanks to the folks at Third Sector and guest blogger Christy Duncan Anderson, E.D. of The Safeway Foundation for this great insider perspective on the sometimes mysterious business of securing business sponsors.
Details
Free Webinar alert below… Now, on to this week’s great links…
Giving Trends
Click-it: ‘Strategic Philanthropy’ Shifts Too Much Power to Donors. This is a provocative Chronicle of Philanthropy article about the way foundations give today. Did you know that 60% of them don’t accept unsolicited proposals? The trend is towards a Madisonian approach where foundations determine which issues are meritorious vs. a more Jeffersonian approach in which nonprofits, community groups and their constituents determine where resources are most needed. On which side of the debate do you fall?
Click-it: How America Gives. This is a super-awesome interactive guide
Details
First, some words:
Now… on to this week’s great links…
Details