Get the Biggest Bang for Your Buck – Recruit More Volunteers!

With a tight economy and more tasks to do than time to do it, volunteers can be the key to a non-profit’s sustainability. When donors volunteer they become more invested in your organization, they tell their friends about your charity, and you get more work done without adding another person to the payroll. It can be a win, win situation.

There are a few tips to use volunteers effectively. First of all, have a clean and organized space for them to work at to make a great first impression. Secondly, prepare the task to be performed before the volunteer arrives so they can get to work right away. The longer they have to wait, the more disgruntled they will become because you’ll be wasting their time… enable them to be productive for you. Thirdly, give your employees a little briefing on respect, appreciation and staying on task while volunteers are around. Your volunteers will be watching how your office or business functions – and they will tell others!

I’ve also noticed that bigger corporations support volunteer days when their employees can take a weekday and choose to work at a particular non-profit. Not only is this a great time to paint a building or send out bulk mailers, but it’s the best time to recruit future donors. When else are these people going to see firsthand the importance of your mission, the passion of your staff and the results of those you’ve helped?

It is also helpful to note what skills your volunteers are bringing to your charity. If you have someone who is great with computers, don’t waste this opportunity having them put stamps on envelopes. Those volunteers may best help your online fundraising efforts in social media, search engines, and email. However, you also don’t want to overwhelm them and take advantage of their servitude. You also don’t want someone who hates talking on the phone to make donor calls. If possible, create a questionnaire so that you can match your volunteers’ talents to the tasks you need to have completed. Your volunteers will be more likely to have an enjoyable time and return if they do what they like.

Volunteers can be a huge connection from your organization to countless supports, especially when it comes to helping you raise money. If you give them a great experience, they’ll be sure to tell their friends (and with social media outlets, that could be hundreds!) Use their time and skills wisely, show your appreciation and put your best foot forward. Who knows the rewards you’ll reap?

When it comes to volunteer led fundraising, Fundly is leading the way for many non-profit organizations, schools, political campaigns, groups, and teams big and small. Support and recognize the good work of your volunteers and you can bet they’ll go to bat for your organization and ask their friends to support you as well… and by using popular social networking channels like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google Plus these ‘volunteers’ can be your most valuable fundraisers.

Building Donor Trust For Your Non-Profit Organization

Donors won’t give if they don’t completely trust your organization. They have to emotionally invest in your cause before they financially invest, and the bridge between the two is built on trust, accessibility and accountability. How do you build that bridge?

Tiffany Bentley, writer for The Express Times, wrote an article to help donors know whether the non-profit they wish to donate to is legitimate.  There is some good information in this article to help charities create a platform to cater to their donors and to show their integrity and success.

The first step is to allow donors into certain records. Bentley explains, “Dolores Laputka, law partner at Norris, McLaughlin & Marcus in Allentown, specializes in business and estate law with a sub-specialty working with non-profit organizations. She says the best way to dig into an organization is to check out their 990 form — which all non-profits are required to file with the IRS — that shows a breakdown of expenditures, including salaries of top executives running the company. The website, guidestar.org offers this information free of cost.

“’You can immediately see if they are legitimate and see what kind of organization they are,’ she says. She says that many non-profits have even begun using their 990 as a marketing tool to show how their dollars are used, in comparison to other charities.”

Secondly, it’s important to focus on logic and emotions. Yes, a lot of time the heart strings are attached to the purse strings, but if the funds aren’t specifically allocated and facts don’t back up figures, that sends up a big red flag. Your present decisions impact your future campaigns.

Time is one of the biggest factors towards building trust. Sometimes, it can take a while to see results, develop a strong reputation and gain the trust of future donors. It also takes time to polish your website and create a social media presence, while promoting and growing your online fundraising campaigns. All of these aspects are priceless and are worth the wait.

Craigslist Founder Releases Results of Study Involving Non-Profits and Social Media Success

Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist and CraigConnects, published some interesting statistics pertaining to how non-profits use social media to further their goals. In this study, Newmark focused on which non-profits are using Facebook the most and who is using social media most effectively. It is also interesting to see if there is a correlation between the highest earning charities and their activity on these web related resources.
Here are some interesting findings from this study posted on Marketwatch.com:

• 92 percent of the top 50 nonprofits have at least one social media presence on their website homepage.
• PBS is the nonprofit organization with the most followers on Twitter – 840,653.
• The nonprofit following the most people on Twitter is the American Cancer Society – 200,522.
• The American Red Cross was the first organization on the list to create a Twitter account.
• Food for the Poor is the most talkative nonprofit on the list on Facebook, and has posted 220 posts over the course of two months.
• The organization with the highest net income, the YMCA, only posted 19 times to Facebook in two months, but has over 24,000 fans.

Newmark reflects that income of an organization does not necessarily make it more visible or cause more interactions on a social media site. Also, “some of the most social media savvy organizations are in the bottom quarter bracket in terms of income, yet they are clearly active on social media” explains the study.
“The deal is, it’s not about money, it’s about getting people to talk with each other to make people’s lives better,” said Newmark.

Basically, when non-profits and social media networks work hand in hand, the outcome is a positive one. Whether that translates into dollars raised via fundraising online or just getting the word out to more supporters, social media is an effective way to promote your cause.

Are the Lines of Government Involvement with Non-Profits Becoming Blurred?

I currently read an article that states that Gov. Jerry Brown just signed a bill that would allow non-profits to run state parks rather than letting those parks close. I understand the desperation of the economic crisis that is plaguing our treasury, but I can’t help but wonder the impact this will have in other areas.

On the LosGatosPatch.com, editor Sheila Sanchez reports that, “Assemblyman Jared Huffman’s Assembly Bill 42 authorizes the California Department of Parks and Recreation to enter into agreements with the nonprofits… Seventy state parks are scheduled to close next summer because of the state budget deficit.”
“Particularly in these tough economic times, creative public/private partnerships are an essential tool in providing ongoing protection of, and continued access to, these treasured public assets. As we struggle to address California’s state budget deficit, I will continue to work to protect funding for state parks,” commented Huffman.

If the government is willing to release control of recreational parks into the public sector, does this mean that other areas will follow such as county hospitals, food stamps, public transportation and foster care? Would that be so bad? The good thing about non-profits is how frugal they are with their spending; that may be a step up from government controlled agencies. However, how would the government allocate taxpayer money to these agencies and would government based projects get more privileges? Also, how would the government decide which charities would be able to take over certain government run agencies? With separation of church and state, would specific groups be left out of the pool?

So, I’m probably putting the cart before the horse with all of those questions, but I think that this is a curious topic that we haven’t seen the end of. Economists are conflicted about what part of the bell curve this recession is on, so who knows how many more non-profits will be impacted by government decisions and their “creative public/private partnerships?”

Build support, accept donations online, and promote and grow any number of non-profit fundraising campaigns with Fundly, and experience why so many causes are more successful in their fundraising efforts that are using Fundly to fundraise online.

Implementing a Social Media Policy

I’d be hard pressed to create a list of ten people who didn’t have a Facebook, Twitter or e-mail account. This method of communication has become so commonplace and vital to social networking. However, many companies and organizations are neglecting to create parameters of professionalism for this newer media. Benjamin Franklin stated that “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Here are some guidelines that you may want to adopt as you create your social media policy.

First of all, what is the mission of your organization and how is social media going to aid in the advancement of your goals? Every word typed, every comment posted, each tweet sent into the cyber world is a reflection of your non-profit. Whether it be on behalf of your cause or during personal time, your employees are a reflection of your company.

Several months ago there was a story in the media pertaining to nursing students who took pictures of their lab work (which involved human specimens) and they posted their pictures on Facebook… bad move.

There was a controversy on whether or not these students should be expelled from their nursing program. I think the lesson learned is that with social media the lines are blurred between private life, public life and professionalism. Be sure your sins will find you out… especially if you post them for the world to see; use discretion.

I think another issue to consider is that what is said in conversation may not be appropriate for social media networks. It’s easy to say that someone misunderstood what you said, but with technology you’ve just created tangible evidence. Choose your words carefully.

The next topic is to give credit where credit is due. Consider copyright laws and common courtesy.
Most of these seem obvious, but all are worth consideration. Sharlyn Lauby has a great article on this topic on mashable.com if you’d like more information on creating a social media policy for your organization. It’s worth the time and energy to make sure everyone is on the same page.

Implement your policy and create and promote a rewarding social media fundraising today using Fundly and raise money online quick and easy for your cause.

Top Seven Ways to Make Sure Your Non-Profit Succeeds

Of course you want your non-profit organization to thrive and expand. The more money that comes in, the more ways you can help and the closer you are to achieving your mission. So why do so many charities struggle with their very existence hanging in the balance?

I found an interesting article on MeasuredOutcomes.net entitled “Top Seven Reasons Why Non-Profits Fail – and How to Avoid Them.” If you are a new non-profit, once you know what pitfalls can trip you up, you’ll know how to avoid them.

1)     Poor Management – Many small beginner charities see the cause but don’t really comprehend how they are going to get from Point A to Point B. The leadership lacks business acumen, management experience or accounting skills. You also need to be able to read people as you assemble a group of savvy, underpaid workers who have the same passion and dedication as you do.

2)     Insufficient Capital – For some reaso, many people tend to underestimate their costs and overestimate the donations when first starting a non-profit. They can’t comprehend that everyone doesn’t feel as generous and compassionate about their cause. Even in a small for profit business, it is said that it will take four to sixth months to start making money.

3)     Diversification of Funding – “it is vitally important to have a diversified portfolio of funding in order to weather market downturns. Many nonprofits establish establish relationships with a limited number of funder, or funders in a particular sector of the economy.

“This can be disastrous when, for example, the bank that has been a major funder of your organization is acquired by another institution and decides that you are no longer a priority area. Just like in the stock market, it’s important to have a well balanced funder portfolio that touches many different areas of the broader economy.”

4)     Location, location, location – Here are some factors to consider: where are your clients located? Are there other agencies with a similar cause nearby? Is there ample parking and is it easy to find? Is the building in good shape or does it look like a lost cause? There are a ton of factors to consider before signing your name on the dotted line.

5)     Lack of Planning – This can be tied into the first point. A good manager plans ahead and counts the cost. How many employees will you need? How will you market your organization? Who is the competition and how great is the need?

6)     Overexpansion – I can’t help but think of Starbucks a few years ago. All of a sudden it seemed like the black and green circular logo popped up on every city block. Overexpansion put a limp in their company, but it could be the silver bullet in a smaller sized one.
“A leading cause of nonprofit failure, overexpansion often happens when managers confuse program success with how fast they can expand their services. A focus on slow and steady growth is optimum. Many a bankruptcy has been caused by rapidly expanding organizations that drift into areas that are outside their core mission.”

7)     No Website – The internet is one of the fastest and most cost effective ways to spread the word about your agency, keep donors updated, and increase your funding. Also, online giving is one of the fastest, easiest ways to increase your bank account.

Being a leader of a non-profit organization means that you are probably the hardest working, most underpaid professional that you know of. However, you are probably one of the most fulfilled and excited people, too. Through keeping these tips in mind, you can stay on the path to success to truly make a difference.

At Fundly, we understand that you would prefer to do the things you love doing the most and that fundraising does not need to be difficult. This is reason why we have developed and continually innovate on our easy to use online fundraising tools that will help your non-profit raise the funds you need for operations and projects. Learn more at Fundly today.

Non-Profit Groups Unite to Have Greater Influence

I mentioned in a post earlier this week that there are a lot of similarities between non-profit and for profit organizations. Marketing goals, increasing funds, and having a loyal following are just a few examples. However, non-profits have a strong pull at helping the greater good and uniting with groups who have a similar interest can create a greater impact.

There is a press release on PRWeb that shows when groups with a common mission unite, more people are able to be helped and their effectiveness is more widespread. “Since 2006, the nonprofit Sarcoma Alliance has maintained a directory of U.S. and international sarcoma organizations, including their mission statements, accomplishments and contact information.

“The directory helps nonprofits cooperate and collaborate. Sarcoma patients and their families and friends also can use it to find organizations that serve their needs. People may find one nonprofit that does everything they want. Others will seek different things from different groups.”

Sarcoma is a rare form of cancer that touches the lives of about 15,000 people per year. “A peer-to-peer network, live chat room, blog, Facebook page, YouTube channel and discussion board to let people support one another and share information.”

Non-profit groups tend to be well versed in collaborating with one another. I’ve noticed that if one organization has a surplus of supplies, they tend to know who can help distribute the goods to those in need. Other benefit to cooperating with a larger group of non-profits is idea sharing, comparing fundraising strategies and discussing where to find the best vendors or resources.

Social Media is one of the easiest ways to stay touch with others of like interests. From Facebook to LinkedIn, you can communicate and update your colleagues and donors alike. This is also a great place to encourage online giving and test the potential of your website.

During this time when many charities are trying to increase (or even maintain) their donations, uniting as a group can be one of your greatest assets.

If your non-profit fundraising   campaign is looking for creative ways to reach and engage a larger audience, gain new donors, and scale your organization, you should check out Fundly’s online fundraising tools for social fundraising   today.

10 Tips on Using Facebook to Your Non-Profits Advantage

Facebook is a force to be reckoned with. Here are some incredible statistics: there are more than 800 million active users. More than 50% of these users log on to their accounts every day. The average user has 130 friends. With these mind-blowing numbers, it would be ludicrous not to tap into Facebook to reach more donors with your cause.

Fortunately, Facebook has posted “10 Tips for Non-Profits on Facebook  ” to help organizations use their resource effectively. For those who are new to the social media world or if you want to make sure you are using this tool effectively, take note!

1. Create a Facebook Page – “First off, Pages allow you to publish directly into the news stream where you can engage your fans with a variety of different media, such as videos, polls and status updates. Secondly, Pages allow you to analyze how fans are interacting with your page via the Insights Dashboard, giving you instant feedback to help you adjust your method. You can also do things like buy advertising on Facebook for your Page to increase your number of fans.”
2. Use “Causes” – “Anyone can create a user-created advocacy group on Causes and administrators of those groups post announcements and communicate with members of that cause through email and Facebook notifications, foster discussions, share information, sign petitions and fundraise.”
3. Be Unique – You can do a simple link to your website, but a lot of people won’t take the time to click on it. Make you message timely, concise and specific to your cause.
4. Be Active – Let your donors know what happens on a daily basis. Ask for their opinions on news events or on polls that pertain to your subject matter. Interact with your Facebook following and allow them to share their stories and passion for why they choose to support your organization.
5. Reply – You don’t have to comment on every post, but it helps your donors feel more connected and invested if they know a real person is behind the text.
6. Create an App, Game or Quiz – Find new ways to engage your donors and give them reasons to come back to your page frequently.
7. Add a Store or Donation Box – Put these boxes on your front page for easy access. “There are all types of features you can add to your Page that allow your fans to feel ownership of your organization, like a fan badge or a sign petition box for their profile pages. The added bonus of this type of promotion is that, whether it’s published to your fan’s wall or their profile page, it also gets lots of new eyeballs to notice you.”
8. Consider Your Feedback – What is working and what isn’t? What is getting you a lot of traffic?
9. Segue into Other Media – Use texting, e-mail, Twitter and phone networks to fully get your message across. People use a variety of media so hit all your bases.
10. Try a Facebook Ad – “Facebook ads — displayed on the right-hand side of a user’s Page — are an easy, economical and effective way to increase your fan base or visits to your page. The self-serve advertising system allows you to place orders for people (or profiles) that match whatever demographic requirements you may have, mothers of children with a certain illness for example, and you’re only charged for performance.”

So obviously I summarized a lot of these points. I encourage you to check out their website
(http://www.insidefacebook.com/2010/02/12/10-tips-for-non-profits-on-facebook/  ) to read the full descriptions and to see the many examples. Facebook is virtually free and the audience it reaches is incomparable to other advertising avenues. It’s so important to keep up with the times, and this is one of the easiest ways to keep your organization at the forefront of technology.

If you need to raise money   for your cause, Fundly provides the leading Facebook fundraising   tools to help you fundraise with ease, not only on Facebook, but enbles you to reach new donors via Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, and many other social channels too.

Learn more about Fundly’s social fundraising tools today!

The Edelman Health Barometer: What Does it Say About our World?

David Armano, EVP for Global Innovation and Integration at Edelman Digital had an interesting presentation at the Mashable Social Good Summit held in New York this afternoon. He discussed the digital innovations that are available to aid in the greatest health challenges people face globally and how social media can impact behavior.



Armano stated that the Edelman Health Barometer 2011 was created by interviewing 15,000 individuals from around the globe to discover the extent of how people use the internet and how their choices on healthy living are determined. First of all, the term “health” has now become relative as the old idea of “absence of disease” is no longer the deciding factor. Functioning body, mental and emotional health and a balanced and nutritious diet all are contributing attributes. Armano explained that there is “not one global definition of what health is anymore.”

The second point of Edelman Digital’s survey was to determine how social media impacts health choices. They first acknowledged that there are different levels of internet involvement: 7% are “traditionalists” and are net active, 14% are “followers” and aren’t producing content but are consuming information, 23% are “offliners” and are not connected, 35% are “participants” and are engaged and comment on blogs, and 21% are “actionists” and actually are able to influence others to change their behavior.
Once these groups were established, the Edelman Barometer discovered that in developed markets 71% of participants tried to change their negative health habits with 46% of those returning to their former ways. In emerging markets, 45% tried to change their unhealthy ways and 61% of those relapsed.

So with all of this information, how does this influence the non-profit industry?

First of all, it is interesting to note the high percentage of people who use the internet and are active users. Secondly, many people try to change for the better only to go back to their bad habits. (Can anyone say “New Year’s resolutions?) Finally, Armano suggests that by making tools more accessible to those who need them, accountability and a sustainable change can be made. For example, he used an app he found for runners. By relying on one another for motivation, supporting positive behaviors and creating a support group, accountability is established and creates an environment for success. Who knows what we can achieve both with our health and with helping others through the use of the internet?

To read the complete findings discussed in this article, please go to: http://bit.ly/rllS0q
If your organization needs to raise money, set up and promote your non-profit fundraising campaign today using Fundly, the leader in online social fundraising.

The 10 Best Social Fundraising Presentations on slideshare.net

One of the most fascinating tools which exists today is slideshare.net. It’s a site which allows you to share and discover great presentations. It’s easy to spend hours browsing presentations on slideshare. Seeing the best ideas and designs that other people have is inspiring to me, and, unlike blogs, the learning is pictoral.
Here are the 10 best social media and fundraising presentations on slidshare.net:

50 Social Media Tactics to Help Nonprofits Meet their Mission


Gamification: Future or Fail?

Tips and Tricks to Change the World

Nonprofit Social Media Fundraising

The Science of Timing

Social Media Seminar for Nonprofits

Brandraising Through Social Media

Why Stories Are Vital for Branding

Social Media in the Nonprofit Sector Survey

101 Awesome Marketing Quotes

How to Integrate Social Fundraising with E-Mail Marketing for 10x Impact

The recent NTEN Benchmark study highlights that Non-Profits still have a much larger e-mail marketing list than they have Facebook followers. In other words: only one out of ten supporters are actually “liking” their Facebook page.

This is why it is foolish to decouple your Facebook or other fundraising effort from your existing donor database and your existing e-mail list. Why would you launch a whole new (social fundraising) effort targeted at only 10% of your potential base (and other than perhaps to learn about this important new medium).

However, social media can become truly strategic if you can integrate both traditional fundraising and new media techniques: for example – ask every supporter when they give an online donation (on your website) to also e-mail their friends about the cause. You could even ask them to post a Facebook message: the issue is not that these people are not on Facebook because they are. They issue is that they are not on YOUR Facebook Fan Page, but rather interact via their Wall with their friends.  Bringing your message to their Facebook wall, brings the message to their friends.

What Non Profits can Learn from the 2010 Election Season

We are at the pinnacle of the 2010 political season and the fundraising records are piling up. Why do Americans have this great love for the sport of politics, and are willing to part with their hard earned dollars to get someone elected, but they won’t donate $100 to help the poor/save the environment/improve education/put your favorite cause here?

Besides the fact that democracy and supporting the candidates who best represent our views is how our system works, why has political fundraising become such a huge part of our fundraising landscape?

Keep your old poli-sci books on your shelf. I won’t dive into the pros & cons of the McCain Feingold Campaign Reform Act and the rise of the political fundraising machine. What political campaigns have over the rest of the world is a built in SENSE OF URGENCY.


You MUST create a sense of urgency

The great thing about political campaigns is that they have a federally mandated finish line, a final moment on that first Tuesday in November. If I want my candidate to win, I have to step up and give him/her my wooden nickel so they can buy yet another TV ad or drive one more elderly voter to the polling station. If I don’t help the candidate early enough, they can’t spend my money so it makes a difference. Even in politics, donors don’t get off the giving stick until election day is within sight.

How does this relate to my non-profit?

If I am a supporter of your non-profit, what difference does it make if I give you a donation today or next week, or maybe in December… if I get my bonus… if I remember after all that glögg? You MUST give the donor a reason to “act now!” (think late-night infomercial). You are competing with thousands of good causes, and millions of distractions. Without a deadline, your donor probably has something else they should be doing right now that is more fun than parting with money.

Get creative and fabricate a finish line. Let me get you started.

Offer “exclusive” stuff:

- First 50 donors get a copy of my signed book (once I pick a topic and get it written).

- Anyone who gives over $500 gets a team jacket (I walked into this one when my college pulled it on me).

Offer Access (popular among the political types):

- If we get your gift today, you get a photo-op with me.

- The first two $10K donors get lunch and an afternoon skiing with me.

- Go collect a couple million dollars from your friends in $2,400 increments and I will let you be ambassador to France.

Schedule Events:

- Tickets to Reunion/Winter Formal/Dancing in the Park.

- ___-a-thons, Road Races, Tournaments

I think you get the idea. Go create a sense of urgency that best fits your organization and the dollars will come.

5 Biggest Challenges for Non-Profits This Year

The New Year always seems to be a great time for reorganizing, reanalyzing and reprioritizing. It also seems like the best time for reflection to determine what worked, what needs tweaking and what completely flopped last year. With the ebb and flow of the trends in the philanthropic world, it’s also of great importance to determine what trends are impacting fundraising and to thoughtfully predict what challenges may lay ahead.

In an article written in the Chronicle of Philanthropy, Suzanne Perry, Caroline Preston, and Nicole Wallace have written an article predicting what challenges non-profits will face in 2012. When you know what battles are in front of you, you can be better equipped.

1)     Economic inequality raises tricky issues for donors – Many have complained that charitable tax deductions primarily benefit high-income donors. With an increasing gap between the rich and poor, the high end donors are being encouraged to give towards causes that help the impoverished rather than erecting buildings at their alma maters. “This year, the question of how to broaden opportunities for all Americans is likely to occupy much of the philanthropic agenda,” suggests Perry, Preston and Wallace.

2)     Shrinking government aid – With decreasing government funding, many charities are going to have to look elsewhere to keep their doors open. Perry, Preston and Wallace share this surprising statistic: “A new study found that households in the hardest-hit states would have to increase their giving by 60 percent in the 2012 fiscal year just to help nonprofits make up for projected cuts in state spending on social services, Medicaid, and education—an unprecedented (and unlikely) jump.”

3)     The generation gap – With an ailing economy, there are fewer jobs for graduates and Baby Boomers are less likely to retire due to dwindling savings, stocks, and mortgages. Not only are these donors able to give less, but Perry, Preston and Wallace suggest that these two groups are having friction in the workplace.

4)     Measuring results – The cost of administrative overhead versus the amount of dollars a charity brings in has long been the standard for success and donations wisely spent. Without a tool to truly evaluate a word as vague as “success,” non-profits will still have to show proof of their effectiveness as best they can.

5)     Social purpose versus profits – One of the biggest trends right now in the philanthropic world is applying a business model to charity organizations. “Several states, including California, created new corporate structures that allow companies to incorporate social purpose into their businesses and put social goals ahead of profits… Will hybrids give nonprofit groups a bold, new way to pursue their missions—or will the new entities siphon off financial support that had previously gone to traditional charities?” questions Perry, Preston and Wallace.

While there are always mountains and valleys for non-profits, the good thing is that more organizations are joining together to share their methods for success. It’s important to use the resources available to you to jump over these hurdles and not to get distracted from your mission statement. Social media is one way to bridge the generation gap, enlarge your donor base and keep in contact with your volunteers.
Let Fundly be one resource to aid in your fundraising success for the New Year.

Is a Mobile App Right for Your Non-Profit?

As mobile phones are getting more popular and user friendly, it seems like more apps are being created to include everything from music streaming to e-mail access to complex game playing. Cell phones are no longer just used as a form of verbal communication or a handy little answering machine, but now these miniature computers are continually making the world a smaller place. As technology advances, many non-profits are refusing to be left behind and are creating mobile apps to their organization’s advantage.

Jacob Payne and James Brown have explained some great tips for creating apps for charities in The Guardian.  In the UK, these two entrepreneurs help charities create apps for their donors to use based on the fact that, “Smartphones now make up 30% of the three billion mobile devices worldwide, and users spend over half the time on their phone apps.” With such a large audience attached to their phones, it would be a shame to neglect this tool that is rapidly gaining popularity.

Here are the five mistakes that non-profits make according to Payne and Brown when creating apps for their organization:

1)     Forgetting your website – Non-profits need to optimize their website for mobile users. “Information-provision and awareness are often top charity goals, and unless you hit PR gold with a truly exceptional app, then your main website is still the best place to reach supporters,” comments Payne and Brown.

2)     Missing out on exclusive features – “Is your app location-aware? Are you considering the touch interface? What can it do offline, or in the background while it’s sitting quietly in a pocket? Can you make use of the device’s orientation?”

3)     Ignoring your users – Talk to people who are using your app to see if it works well and suits what information they are looking for. “Your users can help you sense-check ideas, decide on the little details, test at every stage, and share the message after launch. If you involve them closely, and listen carefully, then they can become your biggest advocates.”

4)     Hiring the wrong people – You’ll need an iPhone developer and a web master to collaborate to make sure everything syncs together.

5)     Taking a short-term view – “Just over a quarter of all apps are only used once, so it’s important to think about ways your app can encourage repeat use. Just as with your other services and marketing campaigns, this ought to be a long-term exercise that fits in with your broader strategic goals. Regularly examine your analytics, app store reviews and user feedback.”

Now, I’m not saying that every non-profit needs to jump on the app bandwagon, I just wanted to share with you yet another piece of technology that is becoming available to non-profits in the realm of fundraising. Of course what method you use depends on the demographics of the majority of your donor base, but with technology the possibilities for donor connection seems endless. The staff at Fundly would love to partner with you to see how technology can help you reach your fundraising potential.

Promoting your cause in the Social Media Age

AYT M Market Research just released an infographic about branding in the Social Media Age. Though non-profits rarely use the terms “branding” and “consumers,” much of the research can and should inform non-profits’ approach to promoting their causes and bringing in donors.

The team asked 2,000 Internet users about their online behaviors and interactions with brands.
Here’s some of what the research found:

• More people (85%) use Facebook than Twitter (49%)
•  
• 74% engage daily with Facebook, 35% with Twitter
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• Facebook users (57% with 100+ friends) have the larger networks than Twitter users (25% with 100+ followers).
•  
• People are talking about brands online, and most discussion is positive.
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• 58% of Facebook users have liked a brand, 42% have mentioned a brand in a status.
• 39% of Twitter users have tweeted about a brand.
•  
• Users prefer to get updates from the favorite brands via social media over anything else (e-mail, commercials, flyers, etc.)
•  

This research should only be giving non-profits more resolve to beef up their social media game. With huge networks at your finger tips, it’s important to play your cards well. Be an active social media user, and if you keep them in the loop and make them feel important, they just might mention you in a status update or tweet.

To further tap the power of these thriving social networks, consider “going social” with your fundraising.
Fundly’s super-easy fundraising platform allows donors to share support for their favorite causes with their friends. Organizations using this platform are rapidly finding new donors every day, and the benefits of social fundraising are exponential.

Create a Fundly account for your organization in 2012 and kick off the new year with an increase in fundraising success.

The Purpose of the Philanthropic Leader

I came across this quote from George Bernard Shaw from his book, Man and Superman; a Comedy and a Philosophy, over the past weekend and it has haunted me ever since. It seems quite apropos for non-profit leaders and the start of a New Year.

“This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of Nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.”

Every time I read it

, I can’t help but chuckle over the poignancy and boldness of such a brash statement. It also makes me feel extremely proud to be working with exceptional people in the non-profit and political worlds which are working towards a “mighty” purpose and who are such amazing “force[s] of Nature.”

As the New Year begins and resolutions are being made, I am also humbled by the caliber of people who I am able to partner with to aid in their selfless work to help those in need. While many are creating self-focused goals based on pipe dreams of exercise and diet, those in the philanthropic world are focusing outside of themselves to create goals of improving the quality of life for the less fortunate, creating laws and policies for a stronger America and building bright futures for our children.

The world of philanthropy is based on unique individuals whose goal is not fame and fortune but a life well spent making the world a better place. With this sense of pride and optimism, I gladly enter into the year 2012. On behalf of myself and the staff at Fundly, we would love to come alongside your organization to help make your philanthropy and fundraising goals for the New Year a reality. The best is yet to come!

Secret Santas Motivated to Give Anonymously

As a leader or employee of a non-profit organization, marketing, fundraising, and accumulating donors is at the apex of importance. You constantly strive to think of new and unique ways to reach people with the message of your cause, you ponder how to motivate donors to give and you spend hours creating campaigns scouring each word to devise the most impactful statements. However, the message of philanthropy and individual needs is spreading and anonymous donors are making a difference in many lives.

I’ve been reading a lot of articles lately about why people give and the answers are not surprising: tax refunds, setting an example for their children, and moral obligations are all on the list, but the biggest factor is just plain human decency — it’s the right thing to do and it warms the heart.

There is an article on the Yahoo! Finance page in which reporter Margery A. Beck conveys a story that is both heartfelt and pleasantly surprising. “At Kmart stores across the country, Santa seems to be getting some help: Anonymous donors are paying off strangers’ layaway accounts, buying the Christmas gifts other families couldn’t afford, especially toys and children’s clothes set aside by impoverished parents,” writes Beck. And this isn’t just a onetime occurrence; Nebraska, Michigan, Iowa, Indiana and Montana have also seen several of these instances.

Beck also comments that, “Kmart representatives say they did nothing to instigate the secret Santas or spread word of the generosity. But it’s happening as the company struggles to compete with chains such as Wal-Mart and Target.

“Kmart may be the focus of layaway generosity, Salima Yala, Kmart’s division vice president for layaway said, because it is one of the few large discount stores that has offered layaway year-round for about four decades. Under the program, customers can make purchases but let the store hold onto their merchandise as they pay it off slowly over several weeks.”

Fancy campaigns. No catch phrases. No expensive marketing executives analyzing the psyches of their donors and the triggers for giving. Just plain, old fashioned helping-your-brother-in-need grassroots movement. Kind of warms your heart, doesn’t it?

2011 Mashable nominees for awards in social media: Seven non-profits get the nod

It’s almost time to roll out the red carpet. Mashable has announced its 2011 nominees for awards in social media. Voting closes Dec. 16, and winners will be announced on Dec. 19 before the Jan. 11 MashBash in Las Vegas.

Of greatest interest to Fundly are the nominees for Must-Follow Non-Profits. The list was determined by Mashable readers who identified these non-profits as most worthy of being followed on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Tumblr, or other popular social networking sites.  Here’s who made it:

(1)   The Trevor Project which provides crisis and suicide prevention services to LGBTGQ youth.

(2)   Teach for America which connects top college grads with low-income students deserving of a top-notch education.

(3)   The Human Rights Campaign which works to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender equality.

(4)   GLAAD which builds support for equality by amplifying the voice of the LGBT community and holding the media accountable.

(5)   The Joyful Heart Foundation which works to heal, educate, and empower survivors.

(6)   The One Campaign which works to fight poverty and preventable disease around the world.

(7)   Fuck Cancer which works to promote awareness of the importance of early detection of all cancers.

In addition to Must-Follow Non-Profit on Social Media, there are nominees in eight categories: Best Social Network, Up-and-Coming Social Media Service, Must-Follow Actor or Actress on Social Media, Must-Follow Musician or Band on Social Media, Must-Follow Athlete on Social Media, Must-Follow Media Personality on Social Media, Must Follow-Business Personality on Social Media, and the Must-Follow Politician on Social Media.

What other non-profits below on this list? Let @Fundly know today.

Using Twitter as a Tool for Non-Profits

Running a non-profit can seem overwhelming. As CEO of your organization the hats you wear are many: business person, spokesperson, Human Resources Manager, magician making funds appear out of thin air, motivational speaker… the list goes on and on. Now with social media no longer an option for reaching out to donors, becoming a writer and social media manager have now been added to the list of your duties.

Undoubtedly you have heard of Twitter and maybe you are an avid user. Maybe you’ve been meaning to look into it (when the days are extended from 24 to 30 hours per day.)Maybe you’ve been hoping that Twitter is just a fad that you won’t have to spend the time learning and it will all just go away. Well, it looks like Twitter is here to stay and if used properly it can be an important (and inexpensive) tool in your fundraising arsenal.

Marc A. Pitman writes on his site FundraisingCoach.com some very informative tips to using Twitter to your non-profit’s advantage. Pitman explains that the greatest advantage to Twitter is that it easily helps to maintain donor relationships. Here are some other benefits Pitman mentions:

1)     You get to meet people all over the world that might be interested in your cause.

2)     You get to hear what people are really thinking about a wide variety of issues.

3)     You can follow other fundraisers and get great real-time advice.

4)     You can even promote traffic to your website or those of your friends.

Just like the stages of grief, Twitter also has emotional stages that the user will experience as listed by Pitman: confusion followed by fun as your friends get involved,  then intrigue as people you don’t know become followers and finally being overwhelmed at the messages you see coming in.

The bottom line is that fundraising is based on relationships. There is no way that you can speak to all of your donors or potential donors on a daily or even weekly basis. Twitter allows a large group of people to see what you and your organization are doing and it gives them a chance to comment and be involved. The key to Twitter is to speak but also to carry on a conversation and listen to what your fellow Tweeters have to say.

Finally, this is a great way to share the needs of your charity and direct donors to your website. Social media continues to be the most efficient and cost effective way to fundraising!

Are Government Grants Always Beneficial?

As a non-profit, sometimes it seems like any money that comes in is a good thing. (Heck, as a human it seems like any money that comes in is a good thing.) However, some non-profits have learned that that theory doesn’t always hold true. Government grants can decrease funding from foundations and also decrease overall fundraising efforts.

Joshua Benton writes in the Neiman Journalism Lab about a study conducted concerning charities, where their funding comes from, and how it effects giving in other areas. This study found some surprising results that I did not expect.

Benton reports that, “For every $1,000 given through a government grant, nonprofits reduced their investment in other forms of fundraising by an average of $137. That, in turn, meant an average drop of $772 in gifts from private donors. In other words, that $1,000 check from the government netted only $410, on average, because grant recipients reduced how much they tried to raise money through other means.”

On an interesting note, when the government deems a charity worthy of grant money individual donors find that the organization is trustworthy and are more willing to part with their dollars. On the flip side, foundations tend to overlook charities with government assistance deciding that their money would be better used in a charity that is not getting help elsewhere. The authors of the study, UCSD’s Jim Andreoni and McMaster’s Abigail Payne, ascertain that “Unlike private donors, these institutional donors are likely to be quite well informed about the quality and finances of charities. But as with private donors, there are costs of attracting institutional gifts, such as making applications and accounting for expenses. In contrast to private donors, government grants are less likely to provide any signaling value to institutional donors, and more likely to make the donor institution feel their marginal impact has been reduced, leading to lower giving and more crowding out.”

Ironically, obtaining government grants does not seem to change an organizations bank account. This study found that as charities garnered government funds, their efforts elsewhere decreased therefore causing no change in the budget. Benton deduces that “Each $1,000 in grants reduces revenue from other sources by about $1,000. But most of that reduced revenue — 77 percent — is due to reduced fundraising effort by the nonprofit, not the result of changed behavior by individual or foundation donors.

So what’s to be learned from this in depth study? Push on and fight hard whether you get government moneys or not. Provide equal effort in your grant writing as well as investing in individual donors. Use social media as part of your time management strategy and touch as many people as you can with your message.