Non-Profit Fundraising Tips

As a foundation board member, non-profit leader, donor, volunteer, mentor, and marketing consultant, I’ve had the honor of working with many amazing non-profit organizations. Each organization is unique, but the struggles are similar.

Here are my top fundraising tips for non-profits, I hope they will be helpful as you plan for 2021.

1.     Segment Your Email List
It’s surprising how many organizations send the same emails to everyone. If I’ve been volunteering for years, or a consistent donor, I don’t want to receive an email that sounds like we don’t know each other. Honor your relationship with your donors and volunteers by customizing your messages. This approach takes more time, but it pays off.

2.     Contact Donors 
Call or meet with donors to provide updates, thank them, and invite/re-energize them to be part of the work. These conversations are a great source of feedback and encouragement, and are essential to meeting your fundraising goals. Some donors will increase their gifts, others may volunteer or introduce you to people in their network who might be interested in the organization. Track communications in your CRM systems or in a spreadsheet. Start with your top donors and schedule some of these calls each month.

3.     Tell Stories
Help potential donors understand the need you are addressing with your programs, and the impact you’re having. Use stories and statistics to help illustrate why your work matters, and how it’s changing things.

4.     Revisit Measurements
What you measure is a reflection of what you value and should align with your goals. Think about all the priorities on your list for 2021 and consider how you’ll track progress and report on your successes throughout the year. Measurements become impact statements that support your budget and strategies.

5.     Spread Out Communications
Revisit the targeting and sequence of communication, and the linkage between your email system and donor system. For example, if I give after the first email in a series, do you take me off the list for subsequent emails? Consider scheduling communications and donor appeals throughout the year. There’s a lot of competition in December and it’s hard to break through the clutter at year end. 

6.     Equip Volunteers
A good volunteer experience creates advocates and donors. Often organizations struggle to place volunteers in meaningful roles. Create one “try-it” activity for volunteers, perhaps a monthly volunteer orientation to gauge their interest and share vision and possible next steps. Create job descriptions for each volunteer role and follow-up regularly to check-in with volunteers. 

7.     Define Board Roles
Are board members expected to raise funds, or volunteer? Clarify the board member job descriptions, accountability, and term limits. Don’t rush someone into a board position, give them a project or volunteer role first. If board members are not fulfilling their role, help them move on, thank them for their service, and be strategic with their replacement.

8.     Connect With Similar Organizations
Connect with other organizations who are doing similar work and figure out how you can collaborate and/or share resources. Donors and foundations are looking for organizations with a good grasp of the ecosystem, who are not duplicating services. 

Which one of these do you most need to address?  Tackle it first by defining the next steps and schedule a free consultation here.