In an op ed published by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Richard J. Reddick, an associate professor and associate dean for equity, community engagement and outreach for the College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin, says the intersecting evils of racism, economic disparity and inadequate health care are costing lives during Covid-19.
Category: Opinion
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This is the wake-up call for nonprofits and foundations to get political
Nonprofit AF’s Vu Le with another thought-provoking blog post during Covid-19.
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These are crazy times when hand sanitizer is nonprofit news!
According to NBC Fort Worth, Blackland Distillery is producing serious quantities of hand sanitizers to sell to the public. They preceded the sale of the now-essential-commodity with donations to several Fort Worth nonprofits and DFW first-responders.
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10 archaic and harmful funding practices we can no longer put up with
Nonprofit leader, activist, author and all-around rockstar Vu Le with Nonprofit AF shares some thoughts on covid-inspired funding improvements.
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Meaningful Donor-Centered Relationships in the Midst of Covid-19
Nonprofit employees are continuing to learn how to navigate the unprecedented choppy waters that have swirled around us for the past few weeks. Everything from setting up home offices to hosting virtual board meetings and even fulfilling essential programs and services while maintaining the appropriate social distance.
One of the questions I have been most asked since the Covid-19 calamity began is how can nonprofits maintain meaningful donor-centered relationships with those closest to the hearts of their missions – donors and volunteers? What can nonprofits do to stay in front of their donors and volunteers when virtually all in-person donor cultivation, solicitation and stewardship activities have been put on pause?
Most of our donors are stressed out and anxious about so many things – their health, the health of their loved ones, the health of the place of employment/business, the health of their retirement plans, etc. Couple that with the fact donors are more reachable and receptive to conversations than they have ever been simply because they are home. This combination creates the perfect opportunity for nonprofits to reach out and simply let them know you are thinking about them. What does this look like? Below are several simple ways to maintain donor-centered relationships and remind your donors how much you appreciate them and why they love your organization at the same time:
- Call them on the phone, let them know you thought about them and ask how they are doing?
- Write a simple note – something like: This little greeting is being sent your way with warmest wishes to brighten your day.
- Schedule a facetime or video call and spend some time catching up. This is a great time to let them know how your organization is responding to the current crisis.
- Schedule a virtual lunch meeting and arrange for lunch from a local restaurant to be delivered.
- Deliver a balloon or floral bouquet, ring the bell and wave at them from the sidewalk.
One thing is certain, donors have more time on their hands and are interested in our community returning to normal with little to no collateral damage. Additionally, they are interested in formalizing their affairs. While they may not want to discuss a planned gift, their interest in how to create a will is at an all time high. Recent news reports state that online searches for how to create a will has double or even tripled in the past month.
So, back to our original question: how do we maintaining meaningful donor-centered relationships in the midst of Covid-19? The answer is simple – be human, thoughtful and kind – and do it now.
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Nonprofit Employees – the unsung heroes on the front lines of Covid-19
Over the last week a lot has changed. But one thing hasn’t…YOU – the social workers, the child care specialists, the shelter workers, the substance abuse counselors, the case managers, the maintenance techs, the fundraisers!
Before this crisis, nonprofit employees were already the unsung heroes of our community. And now, many of you are working even harder under circumstances that make the need for you greater, your jobs more difficult and going to work more dangerous.
You are still working. You are still fighting the good fight. So on behalf of myself and the team here at DFW501c.com, WE SEE YOU! And, WE THANK YOU!
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Texas Center for Arts + Academics Announces CEO Resignation
The Fort Worth Business Press reports that the Board of Directors of Texas Center for Arts + Academics, located in Fort Worth, has announced the resignation of President and CEO Clint Riley. Mr. Riley had served as president & CEO since 2012. His last day was July 16 and he is planning to pursue other professional opportunities.
The Board of Directors has formed a search committee to locate an interim president & CEO and will conduct a national search for a permanent replacement.
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Engaging more Millennials
3 Actionable Tips
Millennials—the generation rapidly changing the way we eat, work, exercise, shop, and now, the way we give. Characterized as the generation born between 1980 and 2000, millennials today range from the ages 18 to 38. With millennials now making up the largest portion of the population, it is imperative that nonprofits begin engaging and securing them as donors. But despite making up more than a quarter of the population, millennials account for only 11% of charitable giving.
According to Blackbaud’s Next Generation of American Giving study, only 25% of millennials believe that monetary giving is the best way to make a difference with charitable organizations. That’s because millennials gain more of a sense of purpose when they directly participate with a cause or organization. Instead of seeing this as a roadblock to millennials becoming meaningful donors, use it to your advantage and look at it as a stepping stone. Use participation and involvement to build valuable relationships. The more invested millennials feel in your organization, the more willing they will be to give their time and money—both now and down the road.
By creating ways for millennials to directly interact with your organization, you help them cultivate passion for your cause. And good news! Many millennials are at a point in their lives where they are searching for causes to latch onto and mold a part of their identity around.
Here’s 3 ways to cultivate that type of involvement:
- Start a campus chapter program. Campus chapters are a great way to get college students centered around your cause and bought into your organization at an early age. They also serve as (essentially) free promoters of and fundraisers for your organization. Starting a campus chapter program doesn’t have to be difficult either:
- Put someone in your organization in charge of overseeing campus chapters (this will look different depending on the size of your organization and how widespread your chapters are).
- Create a “Campus Chapter Toolkit”. Take a look at Habitat for Humanity’s tool kit.
- Encourage students who contact you for internships and volunteer opportunities to start a chapter on their campus.
- Host educational workshops. Educating prospective donors is critical into priming them to donate. Take a Saturday morning or a weeknight to host members of your community and educate them on the problem your organization is addressing. Provide snacks and refreshments. Don’t make it about how they can help—make it about who or what needs help. Only spend a few minutes at the end of your workshop or session on a call to action. Participants want to feel educated, not solicited.
- Create volunteer opportunities. This almost goes without saying. Volunteer opportunities are a gold mine for millennials, many of whom are seeking a direct experience and connection with the cause your organization supports. Both campus chapters and educational workshops are great lead in to have people sign up for volunteer opportunities.
**Extra Tip: Reach out to professors or teachers in the area and ask them to offer extra credit for their students who attend your workshop.
Want to learn more actionable tips to engage and acquire millennials as donors for your organization? Check out Turning Millennials Into Donors: The Definitive Guide.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Laura Soundy is a Lead Associate at Flourish Technologies.
Flourish Change is a micro-donation and donor analytics platform that helps nonprofits maximize their fundraising. Our app allows users to round up their electronic spare change from their debit and credit card transactions and give it to the nonprofit that they choose. Users also have the ability to give daily donations as small as $0.30. Nonprofits that partner with Flourish can put forward specific projects for their donors to support and can keep them up to date through a current news feed. The platform also offers donor analytics and relationship tools for nonprofits to directly communicate with their micro-donors.
- Start a campus chapter program. Campus chapters are a great way to get college students centered around your cause and bought into your organization at an early age. They also serve as (essentially) free promoters of and fundraisers for your organization. Starting a campus chapter program doesn’t have to be difficult either:
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Trinity Habitat for Humanity raises $1 million at annual luncheon
Trinity Habitat for Humanity announced that its 2018 BuildStrong Lunch held in late October set records for both attendance and money raised – raising $1 million. ” With over 750 in attendance, this was our biggest and most successful BuildStrong yet!”