Funding Change Logo
Keep the Change...
a monthly shot in the arm for your fundraising
March 2010
Greetings!

I'm going to do something a little different this month...
 
Many of you have emailed me with questions or suggested topics that you'd like to see addressed in this e-newsletter.  Well, since Keep the Change is only a monthly publication, you'd be waiting forever for me to get to your suggestion. 
 
So, in this issue, I'm going to touch briefly on a few of the most common questions that have come up over the last few months.
 
Buckle up for a crash course on:
  • Social media as a fundraising tool
  • Strategies for reaching younger donors
  • A creative idea for an event to replace your gala
In the meantime, keep the ideas coming.  I'm listening...
 
Happy almost spring!

Logo
Tina Cincotti
Founder & Principal Consultant

P.S.  Don't miss my free webinar on how to create a fundraising plan -- April 14th at 1pm.

P.P.S.  As a subscriber, you are eligible to participate in FREE webinars every Wednesday on a wide range of topics relevant to nonprofits.  Click here and enter your email address to sign up for my "Free Trainings" list.  Don't miss out!
Facebook, Young Donors & Galas... Oh my!

Question:  How can we maximize our fundraising using Facebook, Twitter, and other social media?
 
Everyone seems to be talking about social media these days.  And Facebook and Twitter do seem to be more popular all the time.  But, most organizations are still not raising significant amounts of money via social media. 
 
If you tweet or have a Facebook page, use it as a way to connect with donors and stay in touch.  The more ways you have to communicate with the friends of your organization, the better. 

Social media provides all kinds of new and interesting ways to be in contact with your supporters.  And, the more involved they feel with your organization, the more money you will raise.  But expect the majority of your income to continue to come from direct mail, calls, personal visits, and, increasingly, email/online.  

And, please -- make sure you have a strong website and an optimal online giving process before you start dallying in social media.  I know it's not as sexy, but it's far more important. 
 
With all the money raised via text messaging for disaster relief and rebuilding in Haiti, this strategy has also started to get a lot of attention.  For a reality check before you leap into this, read what the always insightful Jeff Brooks has to say... 
 
 
Question:  Do you have strategies for how we can reach younger donors?
 
Donors increasingly want more from the groups they support.  And, this is especially true of younger donors.  According to research, Generation X and Generation Y want to be engaged with the organizations that they give to.  They want to be thanked, updated, and invited to get involved in different ways. 
 
They really only want what all donors should have been getting all along.  But because it's a new way of operating for most organizations, it can require some change to implement. 
 
With younger donors, the priority should be on getting them in the door. 

There is often not a lot of disposable income... yet.  So, forget about the gift level. 
  • Create a giving club that specifically targets certain generations or age brackets.  Market to them specifically and make the "cost" to join really low.  
  • Plan events with a strong social component and a low ticket price.
  • Give them opportunities to have their friends and family donate to you in lieu of giving them birthday presents or holidays gifts.
Just get your young donors in the door and then excel at donor relations.  Be sure to involve them as more than simply people who write checks.  Make sure they can see, hear, feel, and touch the work you're doing. 
 
And take a long view of what's possible down the road.  Your focus must be on their lifetime value, not on what they can do for you now.
 
 
Question:  People are tired of galas.  What ideas do you have for other kinds of events?
 
My favorite type of event is called a "non-event."  Perhaps it's because I'm not a fan of event planning...
 
A non-event offers less planning, lower costs and more net revenue for your cause.  Here's how it works -- people receive invitations to a non-event and are asked to make a donation to the non-profit for the privilege of not attending the "event" and in exchange for a quiet night at home. 
 
Confused?  Look at this example of a non-event from an organization called Home Front, courtesy of SOFII... 
 
Non-events have huge benefits for both the organization and the "guests."
 
The benefits to the organization include:
  • A major reduction in expenses (food, drinks, entertainment, etc.) so more revenue goes to the cause
  • Less planning time required
  • Zero concerns about event cancellation

The benefits to the "attendees" include:
  • One less event on their calendars
  • No need to pay for babysitters, tuxedo rentals, etc
  • Almost all of their donation will go to the cause

Another group that I donate to organized a non-event and it was a tea party.  They included a tea bag with the invitation.  The trick to a successful no-show event is creativity.
 
If this strategy proves to be a huge success for you, you can turn it into an annual "non-event."
 
One word of caution -- If your supporters really look forward to a chance to get together, this may not be the right fit for your organization.

FREE Webinar - Creating a Fundraising Plan
Give me one hour and you'll learn the 10 steps to creating a fundraising plan...

Wed, April 14th
1pm EDT / 10am PDT

Click here for more info or to register.

This training is offered as part of Wednesday Webinars, a new series of one-hour educational offerings by experts in the nonprofit field.

Click here for the full schedule.
Share the Wealth
Forward to a Friend


Did you receive this as a forward? 
Do you want your very own copy delivered to you?


Join Our Mailing List


Upcoming Training
How to Create a Fundraising Plan: Save Time and Money by Planning Ahead!

Tues, March 30th
8:30-12:00pm

at the Center for Nonprofit Management at Stonehill College

Click here for more info or to register
Last month's e-news got rave reviews. 
It's not too late if you missed it...
February's issue of Keep the Change was about how to involve your board in fundraising.

Click here if you missed it.

Follow me on Twitter
Tweet it
It's easy to follow me... just click on the cute little birdie.
About Us
Funding Change Training & Consulting helps grassroots nonprofits raise more money from individual donors -- your most reliable and sustainable source of funding.

Our approach focuses on building relationships and communicating with supporters -- not simply soliciting.

Logo