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A Nonprofit Doing Donor Communication Right

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My wife and I have been proud of supporting MassCOSH for many years because they keep workers safe on the job. Now, I am proud of them because they’ve sent me two shining examples of how to do donor communication the right way.

Inform first, ask later. Share on X

The Nonprofit, in the News

MassCOSH has a great program called Teens Lead @ Work. If an adult tells a state legislator that a workplace is unsafe, sometimes the legislator wonders if that adult has a hidden agenda.

Teens are straightforward and believable. When they speak up, their voices carry a lot of weight. Especially when they combine research with personal experience and make a passionate presentation, they can be the best advocates for a cause.

MassCOSH mailed me an article showing how fifteen-year-old Josh Ramirez and his fellow Teens Lead advocates are spreading the word at their schools and preventing teens from being killed at work. Attached to the article was a sticky note, saying simply, “We wanted to share this with you!”

No request for donations. Not even a reply envelope. This time, they’re giving something to me.

The Summer Intern, in the Story

Abigail Barton came to MassCOSH as an intern at the beginning of the summer. I know because she wrote and told me so.

Throughout the summer, I heard from Abigail in the mail: about the skills she was learning and about the values that working at the organization was solidifying within her.

I am so excited to see what the future holds, but I also know that I have a responsibility to fight for a future that’s fair and just. I don’t take that responsibility lightly.

Again, no “ask.” No appeal letter. But when MassCOSH sends its year-end appeal, I will remember Abigail. Wouldn’t you?

In fact, if the organization doesn’t mention her in its appeal letter, I’ll be very much surprised!

Donor Communication Done Right

Before you ask your donors for any money, first ask yourself: what have I shared with them? Did I let them know the impact of their gift? Did I make the donor the hero of the story?

If not, take a leaf from MassCOSH. Send your donors something they’ll value right now.

See how much of a difference it makes in December!

 

Fundraising Tuesday: How to Pay for Nonprofit Advice You Need

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Your nonprofit organization does great work. You’d like more people to know about it. So you squeeze time for writing newsletters, sending email, and posting to social media into your schedule.

And still, people don’t know what you do.

You realize you need outside help…but there’s a problem. How are you going to pay for the help you need?

Nonprofits often operate with restricted funds. The grant you received to offer concerts to schoolchildren, or feed elders, won’t pay for your consultant. You know you need to spend the money to make more money, but where do you get the money to invest in the first place?

Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Four ways, in fact.

Here are four approaches you can take to find money without strings attached, money you can invest in the future of your organization.

Each of them is something you can do, even if you’re a small nonprofit. And none of them will break the bank.

Ask a donor.

Most people give to your organization to produce immediate results. A few of your supporters understand that better communications now means a stronger organization later. Find a major donor like that, and ask him or her to give you the seed money you need.

Write a proposal.

Communications is “capacity building.” Foundations will give grants if you show them what difference your improved communications will make. Businesses will also invest if you make a strong case.

Do some crowdfunding.

Zach Brown raised $55,000 online by making potato salad.. How about you? Be very human and a little bit funny, and you just might get enough small gifts to pay your consultant.

Build it into the budget.

Communications are just as important as staff training and other items you budget for every year. It will be a lot easier to pay for help if you’re planning for it.

When you have the money in hand, here are seven tips on what to look for when you’re hiring a communications consultant. And I’d love to talk with you about your project. Drop me a line at [email protected]: maybe we can work together!

Fundraising Tuesday: The Map, or the Territory?

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journeyLet’s go on an adventure together. Take a look at this map.

We’ll start here, at this jumping-off point, and head toward that fabulous destination. Follow my pointer.

We’ll travel these roads, stopping here, here, and here for food and gas. We’ll meet new people, see new sights, learn new things, and feel happy at the end.

Wasn’t that fun? You can keep the map, as a memento.

Oh, wait. We only traced the journey on the map? You mean I didn’t actually take you anywhere?

Were you expecting an actual adventure? So are your donors.

When you ask for money for your nonprofit, you are promising to take the donor on a journey.

It starts with a single person or family at the edge of a cliff: hunger, homelessness, domestic violence, poverty.

It ends at an oasis of safety, health, and happiness.

Your organization’s programs are the road map. Intake here. Service provision there. Counseling and training a little further down the road.

But the map is not the territory.

Don’t tell your donors about the map. They don’t care very much about the road you take.

Tell them the story of the journey. Who is that person on the road? Where are they now? Where are they headed? What will it take to get them there?

How can the donor become their travel companion?

 

 

 

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