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5 Modern Nonprofit Trends to Keep in Mind for 2021

March 9, 2021 by Dennis Fischman Leave a Comment

A guest post by Andrew Berry, of Donately

If we’ve learned anything from the past year, it’s that we can’t always predict the future. However, we can analyze and report on what nonprofits are doing to maximize their impact. Then, we can take these trends to make the most of every opportunity.

From daily operations to fundraising, everything is changing in the nonprofit sector. At Donately, we’ve seen these changes firsthand by working with thousands of nonprofits. We supply these organizations with the tools they need to engage donors and continue operating. Over the past several months, we’ve recognized a few trends that can be valuable when put to good use.

What can your organization expect over the rest of 2021? We’ll explore five modern trends that are sticking around for the foreseeable future, broken into two main categories:

Nonprofit Technology
Nonprofit Fundraising

As you continue refining strategies for 2021, these trends will help stabilize your efforts. That way, your organization can continue growing throughout the rest of the year. Let’s dive in.

Nonprofit Technology

Society’s reliance on technology continues to grow. For nonprofits, this means that the possibilities for connecting with supporters expand each day.

Digital operations aren’t a new concept, but 2020 definitely accelerated the process of incorporating nonprofit tech. Organizations across the globe scrambled to start operating behind screens. They readily adopted nonprofit software at lightning speeds. We expect that nonprofits will continue adopting these tools as tech literacy improves.

Let’s take a look at two technology-specific trends that are on the rise.

Going Mobile

It’s no surprise that more nonprofits are starting to rely on mobile outreach. We’re more attached to our smartphones than ever before. We use our mobile devices to check social media, search the web, and make purchases. Throughout 2021, we’re hoping to see nonprofits harness this power and encourage supporters to use their smartphones for good.

Here are a few ways your team can account for mobile in its strategies:

Donations. Double the Donation’s nonprofit fundraising statistics page indicates that mobile users make up half of all nonprofit website traffic. A mobile-friendly donation page is a crucial part of this. Your page’s fields, images, and so on should adjust based on the user’s screen size. More organizations are also taking advantage of text-to-give. That way, the form is delivered right to their devices via text message.
Event and volunteer registration. Moving away from paper registration and check-in is becoming easier. With volunteer management systems and virtual event apps, supporters can more effectively register for opportunities straight from their smartphones.
Supporter communications. Email apps and text messaging enable you to connect with supporters on-the-go. They can keep up with your cause from wherever they are. Make sure any content you share displays correctly on mobile devices.

Going mobile opens up the door to a world of possibilities for your organization. No matter how you approach mobile outreach, constituents will appreciate its convenience. Just make sure to respect those who prefer that you don’t contact them in this way.

New Social Frontiers

As of 2020, 3.96 billion people regularly use social media. And that number will continue rising over the coming years. For nonprofits, social media is a must for marketing initiatives and engaging supporters. With so many active users, the majority of your supporters are likely online, making it more important than ever for interacting and solidifying your base of support.

Building a social media presence opens the door to many opportunities, including:

Expanding your list of prospects by connecting with followers’ networks.
Promoting giving campaigns to drive donations.
Sharing pictures and videos of your work.
Interacting with your followers.
Gaining traction quicker for social movements and community causes.

If you haven’t already ventured into this realm, now’s the time. Determine which platforms will yield the best results. Facebook is still the preferred choice for many users, but younger generations are moving to different platforms. These include Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok — each of which has its benefits. Twitter is fantastic for succinct updates. Instagram works well for photos and videos. As for TikTok, it can spread cultural movements thanks to its shareability.

For 2021, try out multiple platforms instead of investing all your focus in one platform. Create a communication strategy for each, test the waters, and track your progress. That way, you can figure out which tactics work and which don’t.

Nonprofit Fundraising

The expanding digital landscape enables nonprofits to get creative with their fundraising strategies. So what specific trends can nonprofits take advantage of right now? Let’s dive into three trends that should play into your strategies.

Online Fundraising

Due to social distancing, more nonprofits ran online campaigns in 2020 than ever before. As society grows more accustomed to online giving, it looks like this type of fundraiser is here to stay.

Digital philanthropy is widely favored among donors thanks to its convenience. Thankfully, you don’t need to be especially tech-savvy to raise money online, and most technology is simple to use. Online fundraising offers many benefits, including:

Access to a larger audience. Nonprofits are no longer confined by their geographical locations. Going online allows people from around the globe to easily support your cause.
Lower overhead costs. Compared to traditional fundraising, virtual events and campaigns are less expensive to produce. You’ll eliminate extra venue and catering costs, meaning you get to keep more of the money you raise.

Most nonprofits venture into online giving by featuring a donation page on their website. While this is a great start, you’ll want to get creative if you want your cause to stand out. For example, try out peer-to-peer fundraising to spread the word about your mission.

Recurring Giving

Nearly seven out of every ten new donors from the previous year didn’t donate at all the next year. Thankfully, technology makes it possible for donors to donate to their favorite causes again and again. As more nonprofits recognize the power of recurring giving, it’s become a major trend in the philanthropic sector.

As one of Donately’s top online fundraising ideas, this type of program makes giving more manageable for donors and the nonprofits that offer them. With the right technology, donors can select the amount and cadence of their gifts, such as giving $25 each month. Plus, your team can receive automatic updates whenever a donor’s payment fails, so you can follow up.

Not to mention, recurring givers tend to donate more over time than those who only donate once a year. Fundraising statistics show that on average, recurring donors give 42% more per year than one-time donors.

If your technology offers this functionality, make sure you’re taking advantage of it. If not, find a solution that does, so you don’t miss out on a more predictable revenue stream.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Despite the pandemic, corporate giving was up last year and continues to rise. More for-profit businesses are becoming conscious of their philanthropic responsibility than ever before. In turn, they’ve developed programs designed to encourage workplace giving and volunteering.

For nonprofits everywhere, corporate giving programs have had a tremendous impact on fundraising. This means your team should be on the lookout for these opportunities. Here are the two primary types of programs that nonprofits are taking advantage of:

Matching gifts. This is when a company promises to match its employees’ donations to charity. There are stipulations surrounding which nonprofits are eligible and how much the company will match.
Volunteer grants. Many companies offer to submit contributions to organizations where employees regularly volunteer. Generally, the company donates a certain amount for however many hours are volunteered. These programs also tend to have guidelines, such as the minimum threshold of volunteer hours that needs to be met.

To start, invest in a database that allows you and your donors to research eligibility. Then, pay attention to which companies submit matching gifts and volunteer grants often. This can be a strong sign of which local businesses might be good corporate partners. Forming these relationships may lead to ongoing revenue and marketing for your organization.

While it’s difficult to predict the exact course of the nonprofit sector, we can make educated guesses based on current trends. We may start engaging with constituents in person this year, but many trends will carry over into post-pandemic life. It’s up to you to figure out how you take these trends and put them to use.

From going mobile to promoting corporate social responsibility, there are many steps your team can take over the next several months. Good luck!

Author: Andrew Berry

Andrew Berry

Andrew is the head of marketing and customer success for Donately. After getting involved with nonprofits at a young age, he discovered a passion for helping the organizations that are making the world a better place. Knowing how vital online fundraising has become, his goal is to help nonprofits raise more money online each year!

In his spare time, you will find him cooking up dinner, playing with his dog or cheering on Boston sports teams.

How To Get Your NPO Off The Ground

March 1, 2021 by Dennis Fischman Leave a Comment

A guest post by Elena Stewart

Every year, countless people decide they want to start a nonprofit as a way to bring positive change to their community. However, not everyone pushes through with their good intentions. Looking for insight on getting started? You’ve come to the right place!

It Starts With Research

Your very first step is to determine how your nonprofit idea can benefit your community. Do the research first, and the rest of the process will fall into place. The National Council of Nonprofits suggests going about it by identifying supply and demand like you would if starting a for-profit business.

Next, identify your target demographic. This will guide your content and help you choose which tools to decide when promoting your organization.

You will also want to look into the best business structure. As a nonprofit organization (NPO), you have options. You might operate as a sole proprietorship or, in some cases, an LLC. If you choose the latter, pay close attention to the legalities, and know that your nonprofit must register as a 501(c)(3). Any assets collected must also be earmarked for charitable donation should your LLC dissolve.

Foundation Building for Your New Nonprofit

Now that you have defined your objectives and have handled legal matters, it’s time to build a solid foundation. A successful nonprofit will consist of many people, including board members and volunteers. You can even have paid employees, although Patriot Software cautions you to pay close attention to your pay structure. NPO employees can’t be paid a commission based on the money they raise.

If you haven’t yet, write a business plan for your nonprofit and share this information with your staff and volunteers. You will also need to file as a tax-exempt organization and, ideally, appoint one person to handle your tax filings. This individual’s work should be double-checked for accuracy and omissions before being submitted.

Fundraising

Fundraising is the backbone of most charitable organizations. Although your plan is not to profit from your efforts, it takes money to do good.

One approach is event fundraising. Decide the types of events that you’d like to host. This could be anything from selling logo clothing to partnering with local restaurants for a “spirit night.” You can also get your community involved by issuing challenges where teams pay a fee to compete in activities, such as community cleanup or stocking food pantries.

Keep in mind here that, depending on the type of event you have planned, you may be required to obtain a special license or permit, particularly if you plan to serve alcohol or host a raffle drawing as part of your fundraising campaign.

Ongoing Accountability

As the head of a fundraising NPO, you’re also expected to provide annual reports to the government, as well as your Board of Directors each year. Make sure that you keep up with all of your fundraising events, donations, and outreach efforts. Don’t forget about in-kind donations, which are those that do not involve cash but, instead, a donation of goods or services — often in exchange for visible recognition.

Keeping accurate records is paramount to the ongoing success of your nonprofit as it increases trustworthiness and can streamline the audit process if the IRS comes to call.

There are many other subtle nuances to launching a not-for-profit endeavor. It’s hard work, but the return is worth far more than a corporate job could ever offer. Good luck with your efforts, and know that the work you do today will have a lasting impact.

If you’re looking for a marketing partner for your NPO, Communicate! Consulting is the service for you. From demographic targeting to crafting content that matters, Dennis Fischman is your go-to expert. Call 617-501-6219 today.

About the author: Elena Stewart made the jump from a corporate job she wasn’t entirely happy with, to running her own business that gives her the financial freedom and flexible lifestyle she’s always wanted. As a life coach, she now gets the happiness of helping others get to the places that might seem out of reach.

Fundraising Tuesday: Let Donors Hear That They Matter

February 23, 2021 by Dennis Fischman Leave a Comment

Is your nonprofit not getting the donations that you would like? The reason might be that you are not telling donors what they want to hear.

I’ll let you in on a secret: I read all the appeal letters you send to the Fischman household, and the great majority of them are focused on your nonprofit organization.

You bragged about what “we” accomplished. You told Rona and me about what “we” need.

And in each case, “we” meant the organization…not the Fischmans or any other donors.

This is an Opportunity!

The bad news is that by saying “we,” you are putting the donors on the outside and making them less likely to give. Donors don’t want to hear that you’re great without them. Why should they donate if you’re already doing so well?

The good news is that you can tell donors what they want to hear–which is that they matter.

Let Donors Hear the Difference They Make

Do donors really need to hear that they matter? Don’t just take it from me.

To create compelling stories for your nonprofit marketing, consider ways to make the audience the hero of the story. –Khaled Allen

Your donors don’t care about your campaign goal! -Tom Ahern

So what do donors care about? They care about themselves. Not in a selfish way, but in how they help your organization succeed. They want to know what difference their support makes. The impact their donation has on your ability to fulfill your mission. –Chad Barger

Three female superheroes on a t-shirt

Why do superheros keep on going? Because they know something bad will happen if they stop. Making your donors the superheroes for your organization helps them understand they need to keep helping your cause, keep fighting the bad guys, and keep making the world a better place. –Kivi Leroux Miller

How You Can Say “You Matter” so They Hear It

If you are using the word you more than the name of your agency, that’s a good first step. By itself, though, you won’t do the trick.

'We are a great agency, so you need to support us' is not making the donors feel they matter. Share on X

The key idea to express is “Because of you, the donor, this success story happens.” Draw a direct line between the donor’s decision to give and the lives saved, or the people helped, or the great work of art produced or performed.

It’s odd but true: the more you claim the credit, the less people feel inclined to give.

But please hear this: the more you step out of the way, the more you portray your organization as the donor’s tool for doing what they want done, the more likely your donors are to give. And to feel proud of themselves. And to give again.

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5 Modern Nonprofit Trends to Keep in Mind for 2021