Nonprofit Hub

3 Basic Budget Tips for Starting a Nonprofit

Hub Staff — Thu, 23 May 2013 19:03:07 +0000

Nonprofit entrepreneurs tend to have big plans to change the world. They have a burning passion to do good. Sadly, they often lack the basic financial knowledge necessary for starting a nonprofit.

But don’t let money stop you. You’re too motivated to let that bump in the road pop your tires. Here are the three things your nonprofit team should be ready to tackle when starting a nonprofit: P&L statements, the difference between income versus revenue, and being pennywise, pound foolish.

Check out the article linked below to learn the inside scoop on these three things that will make a dramatic difference in your nonprofit budgeting efforts.

Dollars and Sense: NonProfit Budget Basics [Inspiring Generosity]

Learning from the Best: 3 Key Fundraising Strategies of the HRC

Hub Staff — Thu, 23 May 2013 17:36:53 +0000

Regardless of your politics, it’s undeniable that the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is a fundraising phenomenon. Their annual income has grown by 57% in the past 10 years—from $29 million in 2002 to $46 million in 2012. (Now is when you get out your pen and paper and start scribbling down tactics to use for your nonprofit.)

So, how do they do it? Three ways in particular, and here’s tactic #1: they fundraise for a movement (not an organization). They are deeply passionate about their cause that drives their work—they raise money to fund a movement, not an organization.

Check out the article below to learn about the two other strategies the HRC employs to achieve fundraising greatness.

You Can’t Efficiency Your Way to Greatness and Other Stuff I Learned This Week From Some Killer Fundraisers [Marketing for Nonprofits]

The 3 Ways to Win Mobile Marketing for Nonprofits in 2013

Marc Koenig — Thu, 23 May 2013 12:30:19 +0000

If you’re like over 50% of adults in the United States, you have a tiny computer on your hip at all hours of the day (and it probably rests within arms-reach while you sleep).

Chatting with my father-in-law the other night, he entertained me with stories of the computers he used during his undergrad engineering program. They stretched from wall-to-wall and somehow ran on punch cards. (Don’t ask a millennial like myself how this worked.)

The times have changed.

The mobile revolution busts up old assumptions about reaching audiences. With just one mention of a nonprofit’s name, I can go to their website and form a first impression about their trustworthiness in seconds.

Mobile means we receive email seconds after they’re sent. Text messages interrupt even the most important of meetings. Digital screens are anywhere from thumb-size … to table-size.

And unlike an annoying email list, your organization can’t “unsubscribe” from the mobile reality. As marketer Katya Andresen says, people are already visiting your website “from their mobile device… The train has sort of left the station.”

With our limited resources, nonprofits can’t afford to be careless about how we invest in mobile. Mobile marketing for nonprofits can be divided into three categories:

The Must-Do: Get a Nonprofit Mobile Website
The Should-Do: Send Mobile-Friendly Fundraising Emails
The Wish-You-Could-Do: Launch A Mobile Fundraising Campaign
Bonus: The-Shouldn’t-Do

1. Must-Do: A Nonprofit Mobile Website

Once you accept that hundreds of folks are already trying to find you on their tablets and smartphones, the logical next step is making their mobile experience as good as possible.

We recommend nonprofits upgrade to a mobile-responsive web design. Responsive designs adapt to the platform visitors are using, whether it’s a desktop, iPad or smartphone:

An example of responsive design Source: NTEN

If your website is responsively designed, you only need to update and monitor one website. Just update your site as per usual and it will automatically adapt to make all visitor experiences awesome.

(We think awesome user experience should be an inalienable right.)

There are two viable alternatives to a responsive design:

You could make your existing website mobile friendly. This is just a normal site whose design elements try to avoid significant problems on mobile (e.g., making your call to action buttons larger and easier to click, spacing out your links, etc.)
Create a mobile-optimized website. This site loads when accessed via a mobile device. These sites are designed for a mobile, touch-responsive experience and exist in addition to your standard-variety website.

This is a mobile-specific web design! So clickable & intuitive. Source: Nonprofit Tech 2.0

A nonprofit mobile website is vital because mobile browsers command 20% of all mobile app usage:

Image source: Flurry

What’s that you say? Facebook represents about 18 percent of all mobile usage, too? You’re incredibly observant—and correct! If your nonprofit prioritizes capturing mobile audiences, the best Facebook page will be regularly updated and highly visual. Facebook optimizes your nonprofit page for mobile automatically–thought you’ll still need to be mobile-optimized if visitors use Facebook as a browser to find your site.

2. Should-Do: Mobile-Friendly Fundraising Emails

According to the 2013 eNonprofits Benchmarks Study, online fundraising increased by 21 percent in 2012, and a third of all online giving came from email fundraising.

Because mobile screen size is smaller than a desktop or laptop, text is harder to read. Links are more difficult to click on. Too much going on makes it hard to figure out where to focus your attention. The call to action (a.k.a., the thing that leads people to your website to donate) gets lost in the muddle.

The most important thing to remember: Mobile friendly emails are all about readability and clickability. In other words, the easier you make it to read your emails and click on the important parts, the better your email is.

One recommendation from Mike Snusz of Blackbaud: “Shrinking your email even from 600px to 500px width can make text easier to read.”

500px vs. 600px Image source: npENGAGE

But there are many great ways to make email easier to read and click:

Keep font sizes large, san-serif and non stylized. No Comic Sans, please.
Short sentences, phrases and subject lines. Keep it snappy.
Don’t do too much. Think of your email like a landing page. Get them to click to your website–that’s where the fine details happen.
Only use single-column formats for best readability.

If you want more great tips, check out this infographic on the perfect, mobile-friendly email.

3. Wish-You-Could-Do: A Mobile Fundraising Campaign

Some of the most interesting work in the nonprofit fundraising space is being done via mobile channels–especially SMS-integrated campaigns.

Whether mobile fundraising brings the greatest impact in the fundraising space is questionable, however. Because mobile fundraising is basically in its infancy, it’s hard to measure the return on investment effectively.

If you’re the Red Cross responding to the Haiti earthquake disaster in 2010, you can quickly net millions of dollars in aid donations. But you’re probably not the Red Cross, so your resources look a lot different.

DoSomething.org’s Phone Baby Mobile Campaign. Source: Mobile Commons

Nonprofits could do really cool things with a mobile-specific fundraising campaign–and more orgs will be doing them in the future–but for now, they’re a significant resource investment and unproven.

The cons:

Huge time and money investment (for now) for uncertain rewards.
You’ll have a lot of unsubscribers – SMS campaigns have an unusually high unsubscribe rate, probably because of rules requiring your unsubscribe option to be stated clearly in nearly every text message.
Limited fundraising options – services typically only allow $5 or $10 dollar donations via SMS.
Texting’s limitations as a medium – text messages cost money to send and to receive, and you have limited characters for your pitch (and some of those characters go to listing the unsubscribe options).

The pros:

With greater risk also comes greater rewards – early adopters have a strong advantage when a technology goes mainstream, and those with successful mobile campaigns stand to reap huge rewards.
The barrier to doing remarkable work is much lower. Because there are fewer competitors in the space, you will stand out. A mobile campaign might get you press that leads to traditional donations.
SMS strengthens your multichannel fundraising, deepening existing relationships.
Texts reach people directly, when it matters (like during a disaster or important event).
If you want to take the plunge, here are some examples of interesting mobile fundraising campaigns that nonprofits have executed.

**Bonus: What Most Nonprofits Shouldn’t Do**

Here’s a friendly suggestion: It’s dangerous to spend a bunch of money developing a nonprofit app.

Let’s be candid: Making an app is the sexy option, but it simply doesn’t pay off for a small-to-medium sized nonprofit.

Apps are awesome, but demanding. Source: American Red Cross

87% of people still prefer to visit website via browser instead of org-specific apps. Furthermore, apps are a huge investment of resources, need to be updated constantly to adapt to shifting mobile platforms and requirements (thus, will require a dedicated team of workers) and will only be used by a tiny amount of your most loyal constituents.

You probably have better things to do than app-building–especially if you haven’t invested in any of the suggestions above.

What ways have you used mobile marketing for nonprofits? What has worked for your organization? What hasn’t? Comment below!

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Image sources:

Refine Your Donation Page to Satisfy Impatience

Hub Staff — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:13:55 +0000

“Everything is amazing and nobody’s happy. [...]

This is what people are like now, they’ve got their phone, and they’re like, ‘uhhhh, it won’t–’

GIVE IT A SECOND! It’s going to space. Can you give it a second to get back from space? Is the speed of light too slow for you?” —Louis C.K.

People are impatient. We’ve been spoiled by technology. But rather than try to combat this reality, we have to learn to get around it. Nonprofit websites need to be as user friendly as possible—particularly your donation page.

If the page won’t load quickly enough, that potential donor will leave. If it requires registration or simply the filling out of an unnecessary amount of fields, you guessed it, they’re as good as gone. Minimize the effort and time they have to put into your donation page, and they’ll be more likely to give.

Learn more on refining your donation page in the article linked below.

Don’t Let Your Donation Page Suffer from Abandonment Issues [Nonprofit About.com]

Photo Via: Slate

Eliminate the Headache—3 Grant Funding Sources to Help Your Org Succeed

Lyndsey Hrabik — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:32:54 +0000

With a little help we can achieve our greatest goals. At our nonprofit organizations we need a solid board of directors, enthusiastic volunteers and generous funders to help us achieve our missions.

But sometimes even the most generous funders aren’t enough to propel us forward. Speaking for organizations everywhere—thank goodness for grants (when we can get them, that is).

With the proper tools and the right grant funding sources for nonprofits, you can find even more funding to help reach your overall mission. You may not believe us yet when we say that finding grants doesn’t have to be a headache. Have faith and read on. We’ve combined the most affordable and helpful resources all in one place so you can find the grants that best suit your organization.

Grants.gov: Federal Grants with Easy Searchability

Would your organization like access to over $500 billion in grants? Rejoice, nonprofit grant seekers, because you can have access to these grants for free. Grants.gov has information about over 1,000 grant programs.

The great features of grants.gov include:

Flexible functionality—the opportunity to search online for grants through specific agencies, specific criteria like investment types or different categories of organizations. Or, applicants can browse by the agency that offers the grant.
This site eliminates the guesswork. You can spend the extra time you may have spent looking for grants on actually writing the grants.

If your organization matches the website’s eligibility requirements, you will be able to apply to receive a federal grant. (Don’t worry, most 501(c)3s are eligible.)

Foundation Directory Online: A Personalized Plan for You

You’ve got a budget, and the Foundation Directory Online understands. That’s why the site was designed to provide help for nonprofits at all stages. Whether you’re just starting out or are an established nonprofit with hundreds of thousands of volunteers and donors, there’s a plan for you.

An awesome features with FDO include:

The site is updated weekly, meaning you won’t miss any important grants.
FDO has a great reputation with over 108,000 U.S. foundations and corporate owners registered and over 3 million recent grants awarded.
You can tailor the right plan to meet your needs. Check out the FDO’s terms to find the right plan. At the most basic level, a user can sign up for $19.95/month, and the most expensive plan tops out at $179.95/month. However, there are different rates for organizations that invest in an annual or two-year subscription with more users.

The Grantsmanship Training Program: Intense Training

Tradition rings true for the Grantsmanship Training Program that dates back to 1972. And as the times have evolved, so has the program.

Benefits of the GTP include:

It’s run as an intensive 5-day workshop that covers how to approach the grant writing process, but also gives you access to the program’s grant funding databases.
Plus, the program is offered in various locations so you can find the workshop nearest to you.

However, this program may not be realistic for all organizations since it costs $875 per person.

Remember to evaluate your nonprofit’s budget to find the most affordable option that meets the needs of your organization. Applying for grants isn’t easy (and can be a headache), but it’s worth the effort. And these three grant resources will help you dive right it.

What other grant funding sources has your nonprofit found useful?

You May Be Recognizing Your Generous Donors, But How About Your Most Loyal Customers?

Hub Staff — Wed, 22 May 2013 15:01:58 +0000

It’s easy for coaches to overlook the benchwarmers and focus their encouragement and attention on the all-stars. But at the end of the game everyone gets a snack, Gatorade and a pat on the back. Because let’s face it, there really aren’t any “all-stars” in pee wee football—the most impressive ones were the kids running to the correct side of the field.

Take a lesson from these pee wees: don’t solely spotlight your biggest donors. Obviously, give them their proper respect and recognition, but consider the other key players to your nonprofit’s success that you might be ignoring: your most loyal customers.

The definition of “most loyal customer” depends on your nonprofit. But in our eyes this could include anything from people consistently sharing your news on Facebook (helping your spread the word, free of charge) to those constantly commenting on your blog (giving top notch feedback on your thoughts). Are these loyal folks being overlooked by your nonprofit?

Read on to learn how you should reward these lovely loyal people.

What Do You Reserve For Your Most Loyal Fans? [Community Organizer 2.0]

Take a Cue from Nike: Just Do It (And Other Ways Nonprofits Can Make Better Decisions)

Hub Staff — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:57:31 +0000

Paper or plastic? White or wheat? Work out or sleep in?

We are faced with hundreds of decisions every day. In fact, according to the United States Department of Labor drivers make approximately 200 decisions per mile when commuting to work. Yikes. What a nightmare for the indecisive.

But decisions have to be made. And while it’s tempting to let your organization go back and forth for days on its logistical steps before taking action (launching a new fundraising campaign, rebranding your Facebook page, getting a Twitter, etc.), our advice is to do it.

Organizations miss out on valuable opportunities because they’re hesitant to make big decisions. While it’s important to identify the key reasons nonprofits make poor decisions, there has to be a limit on the amount of research, the number of stats and the countless hours put into each decision you make. Action trumps everything.

Learn more about this helpful reminder in the article below.

Don’t Let Endless Meetings Derail Decision-Making [Frogloop]

5 Tips for Creating a Nonprofit Video that Beautifully Captures Your Story

Hub Staff — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:05:46 +0000

If a picture’s worth a thousand words then a video must be worth at least one gazillion. (Don’t check the math on that, please.)

We understand that video creation is a bit more complex than posting a photo, but it’s well worth the extra effort–and yes, your nonprofit can add video to its marketing plan. Impactful videos can be an extremely effective fundraising tool. Your nonprofit’s importance can be beautifully captured and conveyed in a short video that tells a good story.

However, there are a few guidelines you should be ready to follow before jumping into the director’s seat. First, as much as we wish we could tell you that quality doesn’t count and that you could use your smartphone to capture this video, we can’t. Quality is an indicator of your professionalism. Take this video as seriously as you would any other marketing component—or you’ll detract from your nonprofit’s value and respectability.

Read on for four additional tips on creating and producing nonprofit videos:

Videos Help Non-Profits Convey Emotion When Raising Money [Inside Philanthropy]

15 Tips for Cleaning Up Your Nonprofit Website’s Home Page

Hub Staff — Tue, 21 May 2013 13:37:18 +0000

Your nonprofit website is the portal to your organization. It’s the heart of your online marketing campaign and the place you hope to drive traffic. If we want to captivate and engage donors with our nonprofit websites, we need to put our best foot forward and strut our stuff, right off the bat.

Designing a homepage that catches a user’s eye is essential to gaining interest. A minimal, sleek design, for example, will provide an attractive design with short, precise content.

Making our homepage our declaration also a must. We need to showcase exactly what we do and how donors can help. Providing the problem that donors can help solve is hugely effective in gaining new donors.

But remember, don’t be afraid to show some personality. Whether it’s through the page design or mission statement, we should give our donors some insight to who we are.

For more homepage design tips, follow the link below.

15 Ways to Improve Your Home Page [Bad Language]

3 Major Donor Fundraising Tips to Get that 2nd or 3rd Donation [VIDEO]

Matt Spitsen — Mon, 20 May 2013 19:11:06 +0000

When you’ve been courting a major donor for weeks, months or even a year, it’s a great feeling to get that big commitment. You’ll probably want to shut down the office for the day and take your staff out to celebrate–and you should!

But major donor fundraising (and really, all fundraising) doesn’t stop after the first donation.

We’ve found nonprofits who put the donor first, instead of their bottom line, experience dramatic improvements in donor retention and satisfaction. Here are three ways to develop a major donor relationship, instead of leaving things as a one-time transaction.

Watch to Learn 3 Major Donor Fundraising Tips:

Transcript:

You’ve met with a major donor, gotten to understand their needs and why they’re passionate about your nonprofit’s cause, and now they’ve decided take the plunge and donate.

Awesome. Congratulations!

But your work doesn’t end there. 7/10 new donors only donate once. As any couple in their golden years can tell you, the courtship doesn’t end after you put a ring on it.

Here’s three ways to keep donors coming back, and keep the fire alive.

Number 1. Always, always thank them! But don’t just send them a boilerplate thank you or a receipt for their tax records.You’ve spent weeks or even months getting to know your donor–use that to thank them! Tell them exactly how their gift will make a difference in the terms that matter most to them. And remember: never ask for more money in a thank you.

Number 2. Ping them.

Pinging is just a way of staying on your donor’s radar–it could be an email, dropping into their office or even a text. The point of pinging is to stay at the top of your donor’s mind–but also to offer them value. A great way to do this is an email newsletter or a brief phone call from a board member.

Finally, Number 3. Don’t wait too long to ask them again. What’s the biggest reason donors give money again? Because they’re asked. Remind them that the continued support of loyal donors is what changes the world.

Thanks for watching!