After a surge in giving in 2020 at the onset of the pandemic, charitable giving began to drop slightly in 2021. And then in early 2022, economic uncertainty and inflation caused challenges.

After all was said and done, online giving and email giving in 2022 both declined an average of 4% since 2021, according to the 2022 M+R Benchmarks Study. And for many nonprofits, the landscape hasn’t changed much in 2023.

But if there’s any silver lining to this, it’s that these changes are forcing us to work harder and smarter to engage and inspire donors.

And as we turn our attention to the 2023 end-of-year (EOY) fundraising season, we have another chance to balance the tried and true best practices with some novel and new approaches to better inspire your supporters and donors once more.

1. Review your donor data.

Before you map out your EOY strategy, take a look at your email program data, making note of any specific tactics, messaging, or creative–and any downward trends in engagement–in your highest-performing appeals from your last EOY campaign.

What donor insights can you gain from your last year’s EOY data? Did you employ a different tactic or signer in your best-performing message? Did you notice a drop in click-through rate or a higher-than-normal unsubscribe rate? If so, what can these metrics tell you about what to repeat or adjust for this year’s campaign?

2. Segment your audiences and personalize your email content.

Email segmentation and personalization are hugely beneficial for targeting donors and crafting tailored messages during the most critical time of year. Here are a few things you should consider for your EOY campaign:

• Reference their status as a donor, or the amount of their last gift (or last year’s EOY gift).
• Segment among your donors and supporters to further tailor the message they receive:
  • Customize a few appeals for your monthly donors to thank them for the impact of their sustained support and ask them for a one-time special gift.
  • Recapture lapsed donors with a series of messages that reference the date and amount of their last gift while emphasizing the ongoing need for support.
  • You can also target potential donors with customized content that asks them to make their first gift today.

The options are seemingly endless–and your fundraising software’s data can help you see which segments of your audience might be the ripest for engaging with personalized content.

3. Make your strongest case for giving.

The data on 2022 EOY giving suggests that donors might have been less inspired to give–which makes an authentic, well-crafted case for giving more important than ever.

What motivates your donors to give–and how can you weave that into your messaging? Consider, for example, the specific challenge or problem your nonprofit is working to solve:

• How can you clearly and concisely convey why it’s so urgent to meet your fundraising goal?
• Who or what will suffer if you don’t meet your fundraising goal?
• What can your organization achieve if you do?

Once you’ve drilled down on those details, weave them into your messaging, framing donors’ gifts as the impact they have on executing your programs and serving your beneficiaries.

4. Use every channel at your disposal. 

Multichannel fundraising lets you stay top of mind among your donors and supporters, meeting them where they are–and driving conversions and retention.

Investing in digital ads, in particular, as another channel in your digital program has a measurable impact on fundraising results, particularly during the end of the year. If your nonprofit doesn’t already have a dedicated ads budget, now is the time to make the pitch.

Regardless of the channels you’ll be using, make sure that your donor journey is consistent and seamless across all of them. Your website (including the homepage, lightbox, and donation page) should reflect the theme, messaging, imagery, and match deadlines–and those elements should all be mirrored in all of your channels.

You can also use different digital channels to target specific segments of your donors. From following up on a direct mail drop with a fundraising email or targeting lapsed donors in your EOY campaign’s digital ads, providing donors with another “touchpoint” will help drive giving when it matters most.

5. Be flexible and adapt as needed. 

You might be tempted to “set it and forget it” after months of tireless work to develop and implement your EOY campaign’s goal, strategy, content, and creative. Unfortunately, the data on online giving in 2022–especially during year-end–makes it clear that we need to keep our fingers on the pulse and adapt when necessary.

M+R’s 2022 benchmarks on GivingTuesday indicate an average 18% drop in online revenue on a day we once could count on to generate giving. And it wasn’t just a slow start–many nonprofits saw their EOY campaign end with more of a fizzle than a bang, with online revenue down 22% year-over-year on Dec. 31.

Boosting email volume and frequency last year helped to mitigate those losses for many nonprofits. And while we don’t yet know how EOY giving will play out this year, you should plan to be nimble and adapt when the moment demands it. Keep your eyes peeled for any opportunities–including resends, match increases, and graphical emails–to boost urgency and effectiveness for your donors.

Get ahead of your end-of-year campaign planning—download Network for Good’s Comprehensive Year-End Fundraising Plan today!

Looking for a strategic partner to take your end-of-year fundraising campaign to the next level? The team at Fresh Eyes Digital has worked for decades with nonprofit organizations to acquire and inspire digital audiences and convert them into loyal donors and activists. Reach out to set up a call to discuss how you might work together!

Published: August 15, 2023

The post 5 tactics to engage and inspire nonprofit donors this end-of-year fundraising season appeared first on Network for Good.

In this blog, we will outline a step-by-step guide on how to develop an effective social media strategy for GivingTuesday and year-end campaigns, along with suggestions for various types of posts to inspire and mobilize supporters across different social platforms.

Why does year-end differ from any other social strategy?

GivingTuesday is a global movement focused on charitable giving, and year-end is a key time for nonprofit fundraising with 30% of charitable giving taking place in December and 10% occurring in the last three days of the year. . Unlike your regular social media strategy that may cover a broader range of topics and initiatives, GivingTuesday and year-end center exclusively on inspiring generosity and encouraging people to support your cause. 

Because year-end only occurs for a limited time, it is important to do extra planning to ensure that your nonprofit can maximize its impact within that time frame. Another thing to consider is urgency and how people respond to it. If you were to see a sale that lasted for two months you might not be encouraged to purchase right then and there. But If you see the sale ends in one or two days, you might be encouraged to make a purchase sooner. This goes for donations, too! If supporters see that there is only a limited time to hit a donation goal, and see it over and over on social media, then they may be more likely to donate. 

Embracing GivingTuesday and year-end campaigns through social media can ignite giving spirits, make a significant impact, and drive positive change.

Step 1: Set clear goals and objectives.

The first step in developing a successful social media strategy is setting clear and measurable goals. Determine what you want to achieve through your GivingTuesday and year-end fundraising campaigns. Whether it’s increasing the number of donors, meeting a specific fundraising target, or boosting brand awareness, having well-defined goals will guide your entire social media approach. 

Try using the SMART goal table to define and specify your measurable goals! 

Step 2: Know your audience.

Understanding your target audience is essential to tailoring your message and content. Analyze your current supporter base and identify potential demographics that resonate with your cause. Different social media platforms attract diverse audiences, so consider where your target audience is most active and create content accordingly. Below is a general breakdown of the audiences on different social media platforms. There are two main generational demographics when it comes to giving: traditional donors (Gen X and Baby Boomers), and next-gen donors (Gen Z and Millennials). 

• TikTok audience: On TikTok, 69% of users are next-gen donors and 31% are traditional donors. There are 80 million daily active users in the United States and of those 49% said TikTok has helped them make purchase decisions. 
• Twitter audience: On Twitter, 61% of users are next-gen donors, and the remaining 29% are traditional donors.
• Facebook audience: Facebook hits a fairly equal amount of donors from both next-gen and traditional. 49% are next-gen donors and 51% are traditional donors.
• Instagram audience: With the second highest percentage of next-gen donors, Instagram’s audience is majorly next-gen donors with 64% being between the ages of 18 and 39.
• LinkedIn audience: LinkedIn, similar to Facebook, has 49% of the audience between the ages of 18 and 39 or next-gen with the other 51% being traditional donors. (source)

This is a great starting point to determine which platforms make the most sense for your organization. Now, consider who your current supporters are. It is ideal that you have similar data on your audience so you can decide which platforms you should start using or need to double down on for year-end. By using fundraising technology, you can easily track donor demographic information so you can pull this information quickly.

Step 3: Craft compelling content.

Engaging and persuasive content is the heart of any social media strategy, which is why developing a content plan that aligns with your campaign objectives and resonates with your audience is crucial. Some content ideas for GivingTuesday and year-end fundraising include:

Impact stories: Share real-life success stories that highlight the positive impact of your organization’s work. Stories can evoke emotions and inspire action. TikTok and Instagram reels are a great place to showcase impact stories. You can easily craft a video without any fancy equipment and show the real impact behind the scenes of your organization. 

In this video, Natik Esperanza shares the story of their program participant, Bernabe, who was able to participate in training to gain skills needed to lead a growing community of beekeepers in his community.

Behind-the-scenes: Offer a glimpse into your nonprofit’s daily operations, showcase an employee teambuilding event, or introduce your team members. Humanizing your organization fosters trust and connection.

This video works well because it humanizes the organization by showcasing the El Futuro staff learning and experiencing team building together.

Visual content: Utilize eye-catching images, infographics, and videos to convey your message effectively. Visuals often attract more attention on social media.

In this post, Mutts with a Mission utilized an impactful image to showcase their service dogs’ aircraft training.

Countdown campaigns: Build anticipation by creating countdown posts as the campaign launch approaches, or use countdown posts as a way to drive urgency to donate during the final days of the campaign. 

In this post, Go For Yours creates urgency for donors to contribute to their Dream Experience fundraising campaign before it ends. They also create a clear CTA in the caption and use appropriate hashtags.

Calls-to-action: Clearly communicate what you want your audience to do, whether it’s donating, volunteering, or sharing your content. You can include clear CTA’s at the end of posts to get people to complete the action you want them to do. This could be “click the link in our bio” or even “follow us on Instagram to learn more”

In this post, Go For Yours shares an update on their current campaign and urges donors to contribute to help them reach their goal.

GivingTuesday offers this canva folder with many different templates you can use to post on social media before and on GivingTuesday!

Step 4: Create a posting schedule.

Now, let’s talk about consistency. It’s the key to keeping your audience engaged on social media. Develop a solid posting schedule that mixes regular content like inspiring impact stories and campaign updates with timely posts related to GivingTuesday and year-end fundraising events. To make things easier, take advantage of scheduling tools. They’ll help you manage your posts efficiently, saving you time and keeping your social media game strong.

You can try using this template to begin planning your content for year-end 2023!

Step 5: Leverage hashtags and trends.

Time to stay on top of the game! It is important to stay updated with trending topics and hashtags that relate to GivingTuesday and year-end fundraising. There are over 1 billion views just on TikTok including #yearend and #GivingTuesday. 

Using popular hashtags can do wonders for your visibility and help you connect with a broader audience interested in charitable causes. So, don’t shy away from riding the hashtag wave–it’s a great way to spread your message far and wide.

Step 6: Engage with your community

Remember, social media is all about building connections. It’s a two-way street. So, don’t just post and forget about it! Engage with your followers, respond to their comments, and give a shout-out to your donors publicly. Building a strong and responsive community will foster loyalty and encourage more people to support your amazing campaign. Plus, it’ll show your audience that you genuinely care about their involvement.

Congrats! You’ve now got a high-impact social media strategy to make your GivingTuesday and year-end fundraising campaign shine. By setting clear objectives, knowing your audience inside out, creating compelling content, and strategically using various social media platforms, your nonprofit is bound to drum up support, engage donors, and make a lasting impact. 

But don’t forget, social media is a dynamic landscape, always changing. So, stay flexible and open to adapting your strategy based on real-time insights and feedback from your audience. With a well-executed social media plan, your nonprofit can create a meaningful and successful GivingTuesday and year-end fundraising campaign that will leave a positive mark on the world.

Interested in learning more about how to make the most of GivingTuesday and year-end fundraising? Download Network for Good’s Ultimate Giving Tuesday Checklist and Comprehensive Year-End Fundraising Plan to get started on your campaign planning today!

About the author:

Community Boost is the premier full-service nonprofit digital marketing agency dedicated to mission-focused organizations of all sizes and sectors. 

Published: August 10, 2023

The post 6 steps to creating a nonprofit year-end and GivingTuesday social media strategy appeared first on Network for Good.

Enter: Your Year-End Dream Team! Digital strategist Caroline Griffin, email specialist Katelyn Baughan, and social media expert Brynne Krispin are joining forces this year to share their top tips and resources for a cohesive, emotive, effective year-end season.

In this webinar, the Dream Team will share specific pointers and examples across:

• Campaign strategy
• Website experience
• Emails that get results
• Social media tactics

This is the perfect time to tune in before finalizing (or starting!) your year-end campaign plans.

The post Year-End Dream Team: Tips to Rock Your Campaign on Every Channel appeared first on Network for Good.

During this time, many foundations and corporations are releasing RFPs and announcing grant opportunities at a seemingly rapid pace. Nonprofits need to start early and plan strategically to increase their chances of securing funding.

During this one-hour session, Sheleia Phillips will show attendees how to develop time-saving strategies to prepare for the end-of-year grant season, including identifying the right funders, refreshing your grant language, and tips and tricks that only the pros know.

Get ready to learn how to navigate multiple deadlines and communicate with your team with less stress. Sign up today!

Speaker: Sheleia Phillips, Founder and Principal Consultant at SMP Nonprofit Consulting

The post Preparing for the End-of-Year Grant Season appeared first on Network for Good.

1. Create compelling content.

Develop a content marketing strategy that focuses on delivering valuable and engaging content. Use Canva to create compelling visuals (don’t miss out on the nonprofit discount!). Consider writing blog posts, creating informative videos, or producing podcasts that educate, inspire, and evoke emotions. Optimize your content for search engines to increase organic traffic and showcase your expertise in the field.

2. Engage with local communities.

Engage with local businesses, other nonprofits, or community groups by participating in relevant events and initiatives. Set up booths or sponsor events that align with your organization’s purpose. Actively engage with attendees, distribute promotional materials, and exchange contact information.

3. Offer multiple ways to contribute.

Provide various ways for supporters to contribute, such as volunteering or donating. Cater calls to action to attract different levels of commitment and engagement. Make sure that the instructions for how to get involved are very clearly outlined on your website and other promotional materials!

Network for Good’s fundraising pages allow you to set suggested donation amounts, customize donation receipts, and share fundraising updates with donors so you can optimize the giving experience for donors.

4. Host virtual information sessions to cultivate relationships.

Organize virtual information sessions to introduce your organization. Use Zoom to connect with potential supporters in an interactive and informative manner. Ask questions, use polls, and even facilitate breakout sessions to get your community chatting and exchanging new ideas.

5. Collaborate with influencers and bloggers.

Partner with social media influencers and bloggers who align with your organization’s purpose. Engage them in creating content that promotes your cause and encourages their followers to support your organization. Influencers can amplify your message, attract new audiences, and inspire action. Don’t be afraid to message some influencers online to see if they are interested in promoting your cause!

6. Seek local media coverage.

Reach out to local media outlets such as newspapers, radio stations, or television networks to share your nonprofit’s story and impact. Earned media coverage boosts your organization’s reputation and credibility, which can help attract new supporters.

7. Leverage email marketing.

You should have a consistent email marketing strategy year-round, but you can use this time before end-of-year to ramp up your communications and reach potential supporters directly. Develop targeted email lists and segment your audience based on their interests and engagement level. Personalize your messages, tell impactful stories, and clearly outline how individuals can contribute.

8. Run digital advertising campaigns.

Allocate a portion of your budget to run targeted digital advertising campaigns. Platforms like Google Ad Grants, Facebook Ads, or LinkedIn Ads can help you reach specific demographics, geographies, or interest groups. Develop captivating ads that drive traffic to your website or landing pages, focusing on the value of supporting your organization. Don’t have the budget for paid promotions? You can still reach your people with organic digital content! Use relevant hashtags, engage with your audience, and encourage them to share your posts to amplify your reach.

9. Organize webinars or online workshops.

Offer webinars or online workshops related to your organization’s cause or expertise. Share valuable insights, tips, or educational content that attracts individuals who are passionate about the same issues. Provide opportunities for engagement, Q&A sessions, and offer follow-up resources to cultivate relationships with participants.

10. Provide transparency and accountability.

Clearly communicate how donations are utilized and the impact they have on your nonprofit’s work in order to build trust with future supporters. Share annual reports, financial statements, and success stories to demonstrate accountability and transparency.

Acquiring new supporters is crucial for the success of your nonprofit’s year-end fundraising campaign. By implementing these ten powerful tactics, you can expand your network and engage individuals passionate about your cause. Remember to tailor your strategies to suit your organization’s unique goals and maintain a consistent and personalized approach to foster lasting relationships with your new supporters.

Interested in additional tips as you prep for your year-end campaign? Download our Comprehensive year-end fundraising plan featuring everything you need for a successful year-end!

Looking for additional support for your nonprofit’s fundraising operations? Reach out to Devine & Parker Consulting to learn more about how we can help you succeed.

About the author:

Devine & Parker Consulting empowers nonprofit organizations to build sustainable and scalable fundraising operations so that they can maximize their impact and fulfill their missions.

Published: July 25, 2023

The post 10 powerful tactics for nonprofits to acquire new supporters before year-end fundraising campaigns appeared first on Network for Good.

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As a small nonprofit, do you feel like your messages and appeals are drowned out and ignored during year-end? Do you feel that you can’t compete with other nonprofits with bigger budgets and more staff?

In this webinar, you’ll learn the power in being small and how to use that to develop deeper and fruitful relationships with your donors. You’ll learn 3 things you can do now to ensure that your donors will say yes to your nonprofit so that you can reach your year-end goals.

You’ll walk away with:

• The key mindshifts you can make now for success
• The tasks that you can do now that will pay off in the end
• An action plan for what to do next

Speaker: Tiffany Allen, Boss on a Budget

The post How Small Nonprofits Can Stand Out with Year-End Fundraising appeared first on Network for Good.

Nonprofit donor stewardship is key to retaining new donors from your year-end campaign, continuing to engage with recurring donors, and even reengaging lapsed donors. But how do you get started with donor stewardship and ensure your strategy leads to success? Keep reading for three tips you can implement for a winning donor stewardship strategy.  

1. Get Started. 

First and foremost, you have to start somewhere. Donor stewardship can often be very overwhelming, but having a simple strategy in place is better than nothing. Start by sending thank-you emails or making thank-you phone calls to donors who contributed to your year-end campaign. Set a goal of sending a certain number of emails or making a certain number of phone calls per day each week. Even an hour of stewardship work can make a huge impact.  

When you’re ready, utilize your Network for Good software to segment your donors, sending personalized messages to recurring donors and lapsed donors. You can even send video and text messages through the platform.  

2. Consider the Donor Stewardship Lifecycle. 

In our webinar, Donor Stewardship Strategies to Start the New Year Strong, Network for Good Personal Fundraising Coach Cherian Koshy reviews the donor stewardship lifecycle. For every 1,000 prospects, a nonprofit only acquires about 20 new donors. Of those 20, about nine renew and 11 lapse. Of the nine who renew, only about one donor upgrades and of the 11 who lapse, only about one donor donates again. This is why donor stewardship is so important. The more you work to engage with and thank your donors, the more likely you are to retain these new donors for the long term.  

3. Follow the Eight Phases of Donor Engagement. 

Donor engagement typically follows eight phases, each of which creates a stronger bond with donors.

• The first two phases, Identify and Initiate, are the donor’s responsibility. Donors start their philanthropic journey by identifying causes they care about and organizations that support those causes. Then the donor takes action by making a donation or volunteering their time to an organization. Nonprofits can play a part in these phases by hosting events where prospects can learn more about their organization and by maintaining an active presence on social media and within the community.  

• The next phase is where the nonprofit can start to make an impact. In the Insist and Impel phases, donors have made a donation, are experiencing feelings of dissonance, and need reassurance. By taking the step to thank these donors, send a post-donation welcome, and share more information about your organization’s purpose, you will reassure the donor’s decision to support your organization and make them feel welcome.  

• The next phase, Instill, is one of the most important steps to making your donors feel welcome. At this point, take the time to send more personalized messages, invite donors to exclusive experiences like facility tours, and make sure they see their individual impact. Utilize Network for Good’s communication tools to send personalized messages to certain donor segments or even individual donors.  

• Next, in the Impact phase, donors need to know what kind of impact their support is making. Show them that their support is valuable with an impact report on the change your organization has made and where you’re going in the future.  

• Finally, in the Include and Invite phases, your donors have begun to feel like part of your organization. They feel included and use insider language to describe their relationship with the organization. They promote the organization to their network and serve as an enthusiastic advocate for your work.  

Donor stewardship can be tricky, but it is key to growing your organization and making lasting impact. Investing in a strong donor stewardship strategy now will lead to a more successful year. Interested in learning more about important steps you can take during each phase of donor stewardship to reach this goal? Watch our on-demand webinar, Donor Stewardship Strategies to Start the New Year Strong.  

Published: January 10, 2023

The post Retain New Donors from Your Year-End Campaign with These Tips appeared first on Network for Good.