Are phone calls still relevant in an era of video calls and smartphones? What’s the proper phone etiquette when contacting your donors?
The post What Does The New Phone Etiquette Mean for Your Donor Calls? appeared first on Veritus Group.
Statelessness is a global issue for between four and ten million people worldwide. Global conflicts and other issues deny stateless people citizenship in any country. That’s despite the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which includes the right to a nationality.
It goes almost without saying, but everybody should have a right to a country. When you deny somebody a flag and home soil, you deny them the right to feel pride in their country. You deny them the right to put down roots and take full part in their communities. You deny them working rights and expose them to unacceptable risks through no fault of their own.
The movement to overcome statelessness also offers valuable lessons for philanthropy about centering the experiences of people with lived experience—not only in our specific field but beyond.
Stateless advocates are gathering in Malaysia from Feb 26-29 for a global conference where more than 300 of us will share lessons learned from advocacy around the world. At United Stateless in America, we’ve had strong success over the last few years. In 2023, the U.S. government announced new guidance on statelessness for the very first time.
Ending statelessness is more than an American issue, of course. Statelessness in the U.S. and around the world is the result of a chain of worldwide issues linked to discrimination. Philanthropic organizations looking to solve the issue of statelessness should consider ways that they can encourage cross-border cooperation between groups like ours so that we can all learn from each other and build a truly global movement. They might also learn from the missteps of some well-meaning funders in the space so far.
As an organization in the United States, we want to beware of exceptionalism and arrogance. By its nature, the conference in Kuala Lumpur requires travel across borders. Many of our members are still unable to do that because they do not have the privilege of a passport. Even our executive director, Karina Ambartsoumian-Clough, has had to turn down invitations to conferences in places like Malaysia and Europe. Funders view her experience as the daughter of immigrants from the former USSR as very valuable in the fight against statelessness. But they tend to overlook the fact that she lacks a passport.
‘Philanthropy also isn’t really tuned in to the issue of statelessness and how it intersects with the refugee, asylum, and border problems in the U.S. and internationally. When we talk about the record numbers of people fleeing their homes, we also talk about statelessness, often, whether we use the words or not. Yet funding is siloed between these different areas.’
Nobody means badly. With a few exceptions, most people who convene these conferences have never had to wake up without a passport. The idea of it is so unfathomable that it distances them from the stateless person’s everyday reality. This level of ignorance is unintentional. It simply illustrates how statelessness exists beyond the realm of comprehension due to its absurdity.
In a nutshell, that’s the challenge facing the philanthropic sector. Funders may mean well. But how can they truly understand the reality for a stateless person? Stateless people are very unlikely to have accumulated generational philanthropic wealth. By virtue of our lived experience, we’re scrappy and resilient. We just don’t have deep pockets and it means we’re speaking from a different place.
Philanthropy also isn’t really tuned in to the issue of statelessness and how it intersects with the refugee, asylum, and border problems in the U.S. and internationally. When we talk about the record numbers of people fleeing their homes, we also talk about statelessness, often, whether we use the words or not. Yet funding is siloed between these different areas.
These innocent mistakes and omissions mean that people whose daily reality is to live the issue we are seeking to overcome are often deprived from being in the room when important conversations happen about the issue of statelessness. It is a classic catch-22 situation. You can’t invite a stateless person to an international conference. And yet, they need to be there.
By being stateless-led, organizations speak in the most forceful ways for stateless interests. Too often, privileged people lead organizations with the goal of helping others. But the truth is that if you’ve got a passport, you can’t live and breathe statelessness. We have found that stateless leadership brings urgency, resilience, and creativity. Our leaders wake up thinking about statelessness and they go to bed with the same thoughts.
That makes us far more forceful advocates for change. It’s what has led to our success. It also helps with telling our stories. We are military veterans and car salesmen, Harvard graduates and Holocaust survivors. There’s no one story of statelessness. But there is one route to fixing our issues. And it starts in the urgency and power of our individual experiences.
Funders who understand the importance of these dynamics must also invest in solving the underlying issues. That means that as well as community organizing, on statelessness, legal services have a deep impact. Legal services also draw in stateless people and help them. When we meet people, we want to be able to help; from our Stateless Relief Fund, which provides short-term stipends for people in dire circumstances, to long-term legal support. Our community trusts us to deliver the help they need. To that end, we’ve offered services to hundreds of stateless people since our start. We have produced a legal practice advisory to explain the issue to lawyers. And we have published articles in the legal press educating lawyers about the issue.
We’re eager to learn more at the global conference and thank the Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion for hosting. It is exciting for us to be part of this global movement to build solidarity and action. Likewise, we offer this perspective here as a gentle challenge to global philanthropy to do more to consider how traditional funder dynamics might stand in the way, and perhaps even perpetuate some of the challenges that ending statelessness seeks to solve.
Samantha Sitterley is the staff attorney at United Stateless.
Martine Kalaw is a member, and survivor of statelessness.
Karina Ambartsoumian-Clough is the Executive Director, and is stateless.
The post Funding challenges in the movement to end statelessness appeared first on Alliance magazine.
Like great sales organizations, great development operations need a constant stream of prospects… individuals, companies, and foundations that are, or are likely to be, interested enough in your mission to donate funds to your non-profit.
Creating and growing a prospect list is one of the key responsibilities of your fundraising team. Here are eight ways to keep that list growing and working for your school, church, or charity:
Too many non-profits keep prospect lists “in their heads.” They never write them down. This inevitably leads to people falling off the list as they are forgotten. Put your list on paper, or into a spreadsheet, or on a donor database system, and it will grow much, much faster.
2. Involve Your Board
When was the last time you sat down with each of your board members – individually – to ask them who was on their radar screen and who should be on yours? Your board likely has a great network… now is the time to start using it! (Be sure to read: How to Motivate Your Board to Raise More Money)
When was the last time you called your donors (or met them, or e-mailed them) to thank them for their support, and asked them who else you should be calling? Your donors support you and feel like part of your team. Ask them to help you expand that team by introducing your organization to their friends and contacts.
One-on-one meetings can be intimidating for new prospects. Your organization should be holding a series of non-ask events throughout the year, and asking your friends and supporters to invite their contacts to come, have breakfast or lunch, and hear about your organization. Non-ask events are just that: non-ask… the fundraising asks will come later in the relationship.
Do you have a “Young Friends of…” group? How about a “Lawyers for…” or “Accountants for…” group? Affinity groups, comprised of people who share a similar age, location, or occupation, can be a great way to get new people involved in your non-profit fundraising efforts.
Do you have a clear group of people who should be supporting your organization? Alumni of your school, survivors of a disease you are working to eradicate, members of your fraternal organization? Instead of targeting everyone in that group, target the “sneezers,” those people who have influence in the group and who, if they support you, will likely help bring others into the mix as well. (For more on using “sneezers,” read How to Make Your Fundraising Efforts Go Viral).
If you’re engaged in public relations efforts, don’t just put press stories out there and move on to the next. Be engaged, and create a funnel based on those PR efforts. When you place a story, shop it around… have your staff send it to people who might be interested, even if they haven’t been in contact with your group before.
Do you have people who volunteer with your organization? If so, they’re a great source, not only for future development efforts but also a great source for new prospects. Treat them like you do your donors… and ask them to help you meet new people from their own contact lists. They are already part of your team; ask them to help grow that team. If your organization doesn’t have volunteer opportunities, create them… people often want to get involved with their time and talent before they get involved with their treasure.
You may already know about Google for Nonprofits and all the tools that it offers to organizations like yours. One of the most valuable tools that Google offers to nonprofits is the Google Ad Grant program. After verifying eligibility and completing your application, you will receive a monthly budget of $10,000 to spend on the same ad space that businesses are paying top dollar for. You can use your ads to promote volunteer opportunities, events, fundraising campaigns and deadlines, and much more. Use your creativity to place ads that will get new people to join your organization’s community. Get started with Google for Nonprofits today.
Thank you letters have long been seen by many fundraisers as “gottados” – one of those things you just “gotta do” to get to the real work of fundraising, like writing newsletters and having lunches with major donors at great restaurants downtown.
Many development pros are starting to wake up the fact that thank you letters can be so much more than one-off “gottados.” Thank you letters are the start of the stewardship process, the linchpin of your donor recognition efforts, and the beginning of your work to secure another, larger gift from your donors.
Did you know that thank you letters have a real impact on your non-profit’s bottom line? It’s true. If your organization has been using the same stale thank you letter (which for many fundraisers also doubles as a donation receipt) for the past ten years, now is the right time to change course.
Penelope Burk, who has done tons of research into the impact of thank you letters on donors and organizations, has found that there are two critical components to great thank you letters:
Donors who receive prompt, heartfelt thank you letters are far more likely to give again, and will give more often over their relationship with your non-profit.
If you want to learn more about how to write really compelling thank you letters, check out How to Craft a Killer Thank You Letter by Gail Perry and How to Write a Better Donation Thank You Letter by Lisa Sargent.
I also recommend giving Fundwriter.ai’s free thank you note generator a try, which uses A.I. to write for you.
Ok, now that you know why great thank you letters are so important, my suggestion is that you and your team sit down this week to review your thank you letters and rewrite or edit them to be more compelling, more emotional, and more heartfelt.
If you’re wondering how to do that, here’s a sample. This is a thank you letter that one of my client organizations uses to recognize their low-dollar and mid-level donations (major donors get a personal, hand-written note from the Executive Director). The name of the organization has been changed to protect confidentiality:
——-
Dear Jim,
You made my day!
As I sat here this morning opening the mail, I came across your generous donation. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your support for our lifesaving work with Toledo’s most vulnerable children.
Here at Better Tomorrow, our goal is to make sure that no child in our area ever goes to bed hungry. While we served over 150,000 hot meals to children ages 2-18 in 2014 the sad fact is that over 5,000 kids in our area still went to bed hungry most nights last year.
Your generous donation of $200 will go a long way to helping us end child hunger in Toledo and beyond. In fact, with your gift, we will be able to provide over 85 hot meals to undernourished children in 2015.
Thank you! You have made a real difference in the lives of the kids we serve. Thanks to you, 85 children will go to bed full, well-nourished, and better off than the night before.
Jim, thank you once again for your donation. It means the world to us!
With gratitude,
Sasha Gregory
Director of Development
Better Tomorrow
——-
Guest Post by Corbit Harrison from VolunteerHub
Your volunteers are already some of your most committed supporters. You know that this is true, because they are contributing a highly valuable asset: their time. In fact, recent studies show that each volunteer’s time is worth over $23 per hour.
Why not ask them to also give financially?
Here are three reasons why you should make the ask:
Storytelling is one of the most challenging aspects of donor cultivation. If the pitch isn’t exactly perfect, you risk failing to connect – which translates into subpar capital campaigns. This is especially true when engaging prospective donors who are new to your cause. In today’s media-overloaded world, your message could easily be drowned out by competing emails, social posts, and direct mail.
Compare these challenges to the ease of reaching (and engaging) volunteers. While some of your volunteers may have never made a monetary gift to your organization, they certainly already understand your mission and the cause you serve. By reaching out to volunteers you can bypass much of the storytelling and advertising expense, which is traditionally required. This allows you to instead speak to your organization’s needs – and how the volunteer can help by giving in an incremental way.
Ben Franklin stated in his autobiography, “He that has once done you a kindness will be more ready to do you another, than he whom you yourself have obliged.” Often referred to as the “Ben Franklin effect,” the psychological phenomenon asserts that those who have done favors for you are very likely to do another favor.
Volunteers offer the perfect opportunity to put this theory to the test. Your volunteers have already performed the ultimate favor for your cause – donating their hard work to your cause. When asked to contribute financially, these supporters are likely to recall the investment they’ve already made to your organization. Making a financial contribution, for many, will be a natural extension of their good deeds and sweat equity.
Some donors choose to support your mission at an arm’s length, never stopping by to see your frontline operations. While you are certainly grateful for their contributions, it can be difficult to keep these constituents engaged for the long haul. A well-crafted communications and marketing plan is vital to avoiding churn within this segment of your portfolio.
Volunteers, on the other hand, have interacted directly with your staff, other supporters, and the people that your organization serves. Those experiences are permanently sketched into the minds of your volunteers, shaping their perspectives of how your organization serves the common good. By building a sense of community, volunteers can also encounter a deep connectivity to the individuals they serve alongside.
Each day, your operation already depends on volunteers to achieve its mission. Don’t be shy to ask them to also help in a new way – by contributing their hard earned dollars. You might find that many are simply waiting for you to ask.
Corbit Harrison is the Chief Operating Officer for VolunteerHub and has been actively helping nonprofit organizations better engage constituents for over 10 years. Connect with Corbit on Linkedin.
Photo Credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
For most fundraising events, the majority of your money should be raised through sponsorships.
Without a strong focus on sponsors, your event will not reach its true potential. If you are setting an ambitious fundraising goal for your event, it will be far easier to reach that goal if you can raise 50%+ of the revenue from large sponsors than if you are trying to raise 100% through individual ticket sales.
The first step to selling sponsorships for you event is to define your sponsorship levels and what benefits are included for each sponsoring company / individual. In defining sponsorship levels, be ambitious but realistic. Look at your donor file and the businesses you are thinking of contacting to understand what levels you can realistically expect to fill.
If, for example, you are holding an event for the first time and your largest annual donor gives you $25,000 per year, don’t set up a title sponsorship for your event at the $500,000 level… you’re not going to get it. On the other hand, many organizations that do have large donors will hold annual galas and price their top sponsorship at $1,000 or $2,500 thus underselling what could be a very lucrative avenue for additional revenue.
When setting sponsorship levels, look at your overall event goal. Assume that you will raise at least 50% of your overall fundraising goal through sponsorships (if not more). Thus, if you want to raise $100,000 from your event, your sponsorship goal should be in the $50,000+ range. Set your sponsor levels accordingly. In this case, you’d want to have a top sponsorship slot of at least $15,000 – $20,000 in order to reach your overall sponsor goal.
Name your sponsorship levels in a way that highlights either your event theme or your organization’s work. For example, if you are holding an event to raise money for a school, you could name your sponsor levels: Scholar, Essayist, Author, Contributor, Friend. If you are holding an event with a garden theme your sponsorship levels could be: Rose, Tulip, Petunia, Daffodil, Daisy. If you can’t come up with anything that ties into your organization or event, you can also use naming conventions like: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze.
Each sponsor level should include a distinct group of benefits for the sponsoring company, individual, organization or family. These benefits can include:
Marketing Opportunities – What marketing and advertising opportunities can you offer your sponsors in return for their sponsorship?
Event Benefits – What event benefits can you offer your sponsors in return for their sponsorship?
Be creative in planning your sponsor benefits. Not every sponsor will receive all of the benefits outlined above, and obviously the higher a sponsor’s donation is, the more benefits the company or individual will receive.
Most non-profits that are hosting fundraising events will create a sponsorship flier (or include one with their event invitations) that showcases the sponsor levels and the benefits that sponsors will receive at each level. Here is a sample sponsor flier you can modify for your next fundraising event:
47th Annual Columbia Family Shelter Black Tie Gala
Title Sponsor: $20,000
– Naming rights for the event and inclusion of logo on all event materials
– 25′ banner at event
– Opportunity for sponsor to speak at event
– 20 tickets to event and VIP auction preview
VIP Auction Preview Sponsor: $10,000
– Naming rights for VIP auction preview reception
– Inside back cover of ad calendar, and display advertising at event
– Featured in newspaper and billboard advertising for event
– Logo featured on website for one year on event invitations and materials
– 10 tickets to event and VIP auction preview
Presenting Sponsor(s): $5,000
– Full page ad in ad calendar and display advertising at event
– Featured in newspaper and billboard advertising for event
– Logo featured on website for one year and on invitations and event materials
– 10 tickets to event, 6 tickets to VIP auction preview
Excellence Award Sponsors: $2,500
– Naming rights for one of this year’s Columbia Excellence Awards, presented at the event
– ½ page ad in ad calendar and display advertising at event
– Featured in newspaper and billboard advertising for event
– Name listed on event invitations and logo featured on website for six months
– 6 tickets to event, 2 tickets to VIP auction preview
Silver Sponsor: $1,000
– ½ page ad in ad calendar and display advertising at event
– Featured in newspaper advertising for event
– Name listed on event invitations and logo featured on website for six months
– 4 tickets to event, 2 tickets to VIP auction preview
Bronze Sponsor: $500
– ¼ page ad in ad calendar and logo featured on website for six months
– 2 tickets to event, 2 tickets to VIP auction preview
Partner Sponsor: $300
– Listing in ad calendar and on website for three months
– 2 tickets to event
Most nonprofits hold at least one fundraising event each year – does yours? Do you feel like your events are far too much work, with far too little revenue? So many organizations are stuck holding events that take up valuable time and resources yet never reach their true potential.
If you are currently holding nonprofit events and want to double or triple the amount you are raising… or you want to launch a new event at your organization and supercharge the fundraising without all the hassle, then I invite you to join us for our newly updated class:
This 8-week course will walk you through both basic strategies and advanced tactics for supercharging your nonprofit fundraising events. You’ll learn how to raise more money while spending less time and energy planning each affair. We’ll work together to make sure your next event is an outstanding success.
Funding towards the promotion of a healthy democracy has been on the up in the US, driven by rising threat of authoritarianism and concerns over democratic institutions ever since the 2016 election victory of former US President Donald Trump, according to the Democracy Fund.
Since 2016, new philanthropic actors, structures and funding models have bolstered pro-democracy efforts “infusing the movement with needed dynamism,” according to a report published by the non-partisan, independent organisation.
It warns that pro-democracy funding could soon wane.
The findings, which includes surveys and interviews with 70 institutional funders, warn that from funder perspective, shifts in the philanthropic landscape are becoming “increasingly complex, confusing, and difficult to navigate”.
Institutional philanthropy for democracy is estimated to have grown from between $3.8 billion and $4.3 billion in 2017–2018, to between $5.4 billion and $6.9 billion in 2021–2022.
Institutional philanthropic funding for democracy is expected to grow further in 2023–2024, with 45 per cent of survey respondents planning to increase funding and just 8 per cent planning to decrease it compared to 2021–2022.
Long-term and unrestricted funding is becoming more common across institutional philanthropy, despite concerns that funding growth has focused on short-term goals.
There is also increasing support for key issues dominating progressive philanthropy, with 70 per cent reporting funding for social and racial justice work and 59 per cent reporting funding for media policy and misinformation and disinformation.
“This is a remarkable commitment and represents a dramatic increase from where we were at just five years ago. But that figure doesn’t tell the whole story,” said Joe Goldman, president of the Democracy Fund
“For democracy to thrive, we need significant long-term commitments to the pillars that support it. While it’s encouraging that democracy funding has increased significantly in recent years — by our estimates, somewhere between 42 and 61 percent growth from 2017–2018 to 2021–2022 — we must do more. And we can: Less than one percent of philanthropy was devoted to democracy in 2022, while other issue areas still receive far more attention and support.”
Shafi Musaddique is the news editor at Alliance Magazine.
The post US philanthropy promoting democracy sees dramatic rise since 2016 appeared first on Alliance magazine.
It’s no secret that Google Ad Grants is a fantastic resource for nonprofits. However, many eligible people are still unaware of the program and how to use it. In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to know about the Google Ad Grant Program, including eligibility requirements, the application process, and benefits. This post will clarify any questions you might have and help you make the most of your grant!
Google’s Ad Grant Program is one of the best resources out there for nonprofit organizations. It helps your marketing budget go far without a digital advertising background. If you aren’t already a Google Ads expert, we’ve got your back. Our guide will remove any confusion and help you decide if Google Ads is right for your organization.
Ad Grants is a program sponsored by Google that gives nonprofits free advertising credits on its Google Ads platform (text ads on search pages). There aren’t many requirements to get started.
Google Ads are incredibly effective because they are displayed to people searching relevant terms in Google. So, the traffic your ad generates is very targeted. This powerful combination of targeting and effectiveness makes Google Ads extremely valuable for organizations looking to drum up more donors, increase site traffic, and expand their reach.
If you ever worked with Google AdWords in the past, then you already know Google Ads (it rebranded in 2018).
The main reason people don’t use the program is that they are intimidated by it. Many nonprofit organizations don’t have the time or resources to learn how to use Google Ads. However, Google Ad Grants take care of the hard stuff for you. For example, it helps nonprofits understand how ads work. It also provides templates for typical Google Ads campaigns that you can easily customize.
The process is straightforward and doesn’t take long to sign up. First, you’ll need a Google Ad Grants account, which is free! Then you’ll need to apply (you can do this by answering a few questions and uploading a few basic stats). The grants team will go through your report and contact you with the results. Once you are approved, your organization will receive $10,000 per month in Google Ad credits.
Don’t worry about competing to win the grant. Google isn’t comparing your application to other nonprofits. They just want to make sure your organization meets a few simple requirements.
There is no deadline to apply! The Google Ad Grants team reviews applications on a rolling basis, so there are no deadlines. Once you start the application process, it will be easy to get through at your own pace without worrying about time constraints or having to pause in between steps for any reason.
You access the Ad Grant application through Google for Nonprofits, so having a Google for Nonprofits account is a prerequisite. If you don’t have a Google for Nonprofits account yet, here’s how:
1. Review Google’s Eligibility Requirements
2. Request a Google for Nonprofit Account
3. Get verified by TechSoup as a legally registered nonprofit (or similar)
Create an account with TechSoup and upload documents like 501(c)(3) determination letters or articles of incorporation paperwork from state regulators to show you have valid charity status.
4. TechSoup will issue you a token number that unlocks access to various products and services, not just Google for Nonprofits.
(It is worthwhile to register with TechSoup even if you don’t want anything Google-related.)
Google cares if you have a usable website, so make sure it is up to par before applying.
Google doesn’t want to promote bad sites, even through paid advertisements because it will annoy their users. A good, usable site with clear information gives Google’s algorithm confidence to put your ads in front of more people. This means a lot more clicks on your ads and more visitors to your website.
It doesn’t take a lot to have a good site.
If your site clears all these bars, then CONGRATULATIONS! Your site is probably up to Google’s standards.
Once you have set up your Google for Nonprofits account, you can apply for the Google Grant. You must first apply to the team that reviews websites. They make sure that it is ready before giving you access to your Google Ads Account.
After the first phase is approved, the next step is to build a basic Google Ads account and submit that for approval. You’ll find instructions for this process as you fill out the application form.
Be aware that when you apply for Google Ads, you choose between two different kinds of accounts. The first one is called “Smart Campaigns.” It is, in fact, quite dumb. Go with the other account type called “Classic.”
The wait time for the application process can take over a month if you don’t yet have a Google for Nonprofits account. If you’re in a hurry, it’s essential to take care of every step, so there aren’t any hiccups to slow you down.
Techsoup validation: 2 to 14 business days
Google for Nonprofits account setup: 2 to 14 business days
Google Ad Grants Pre-Qualification (Phase 1): 2 to 9 business days
Google Ad Grants Account Setup (Phase 2): 5 to 25 business days
Application review: Approximately 10 business days
Google Ads put ads on search results pages and Google properties like YouTube. The way they work is straightforward. You’ll specify the audience you want to reach based on where they are, what they’re doing online, and how much money they have. These audiences can be highly specific.
To take full advantage of Google Ads, you’ll need to know some basic terminology. I’ll try to break it down here in a few sentences, but if it’s still confusing, read this guide. When you set up an ad campaign, you will choose your ads’ settings.
Keep in mind that there is a learning curve with Google Ads. After all, it is a product meant for professional marketers to use daily. You are wearing ten hats, and if you can spend 6 hours on this in the first month, you’re overachieving.
To make the most out of your time, rely on Google’s Skillshop courses to educate yourself.
You can do all of this work yourself, or you can easily find someone to do it for you. Use sites like Upwork.com or Fivver.com to find someone to get the first few ads established. This is a common task for people on these sites, and you can find many good people to do the work for less $ than you think and in a lot less time than it would take a newbie. You might have a volunteer who can help with this, but don’t just give anyone the keys to drive your fancy new car :).
Whether you do it yourself or find help, it is good to understand how it all works.
Your grant is $330 per day.
(There goes our plan to carpet bomb the town ads promoting our Giving Day Campaign.)
But that’s ok. It is hard to spend $10,000 in the first few months anyway. Google needs some time to run our ads and learn how people interact with them before extending our ads to their maximum reach.
If you do hit a home run with a few ads and all of a sudden you have overspent your $330 per day, don’t sweat it. Google doesn’t bill you for those budget overages.
Once you have your grant, you will need to understand your keywords. Your ads will appear in front of people searching on Google, YouTube, etc., so create ads for your relevant keywords that get searched most frequently.
So it would be best if you found out which of your aspects of your organization people are interested in. Then you can set up Google Ad campaigns for these things around your most popular keywords. Your organization might end up with many low-performing campaigns and struggle to meet the minimum performance required by Google if you do not do this first.
When you’re building your keyword list, it can seem overwhelming. A clever tool built into Google Ads will ease the process. Known as the Keyword Planner, this lets you see how many people are searching for each term and what phrases they’re using; make sure to use these phrases in your ads!
The broad match keyword format is an effective way of targeting words for users searching on Google. It is powerful because when you use (+housing +donation) or (-housing -donation); it’ll trigger your ads if someone searches using variations of those terms. So if someone searches “local housing organizations accepting donations,” then your ad will get activated. Broad match modified keywords will make your ads show up to the maximum number of people. They will also make sure that people are likely to be interested in what you have.
Be sure to set up an ad for each keyword that includes that keyword in the headline and the description. The close match between your ad and the searchers will lead them to click on it.
Google doesn’t waste valuable ad space on ads that aren’t getting clicked. So, don’t take comfort in the idea that your un-clicked ads create awareness. If your ads aren’t getting clicks, then you’ll need to troubleshoot your ads.
At this point, you have a Google Ads account. You have a Google Analytics account. Get the most out of them by setting up some conversion goals. Use the conversion goals to track how the ads convert ad views into visitors, and how many of those visitors are doing what you want them to do on your site (email subscription, event sign-up, make a donation, etc.).
You will find that Google requires you to track meaningful conversions like these. Track as many as you can. It will help give you insight that applies well to all visitors, not just those driven by ads. Google will use this ROI information to guide their Google Ad Grant program into the future.
Google Ads Grants are a great way to get more exposure for your nonprofit’s website and generate leads. There is no cost, but you do have to meet certain criteria in order to be eligible. With an average of $10,000 per month in grant funding for nonprofits and small businesses, it’s worth taking some time to learn all about how you can apply for one. We’ve compiled this guide of resources and information that will help you decide if your organization is eligible to apply, how to get your account established, keys to get your first ad campaign up and running, and more!
Let us know below if there’s anything else you think would be helpful or important in understanding how Google Ads Grants can help grow your nonprofit.
Have you applied? What was the experience like? Let us know what questions still linger about this program, so we can try to answer them here.
Fundraising events are a staple part of non-profit development programs worldwide. Your goal as a fundraiser is to make sure that you are maximizing your events to raise as much money as possible, without wasting valuable time and resources.
As you plan your fundraising events large, small and in-between, there are eight fundamental concepts that you should keep in mind to ensure that you are raising as much as possible:
Many non-profits focus on the event part of fundraising events – they find a great headliner, hire a nice band, find a good venue and print up nice invitations. Then, they expect the money to come flowing in. When the revenue doesn’t come, they wonder why.
Fundraising events are still fundraising, and all of the rules of fundraising apply. You need to build relationships (with sponsors, auction donors, guests, etc.) You need to cultivate your donors. You need to make asks (even… gasp!… in person and over the phone). The fundamental rules of fundraising don’t disappear just because you are raising money through an event.
What is your event committee / host committee focusing on? If it’s logistics instead of fundraising, you’re in trouble. The same goes for your board. If you don’t have folks on your team who are committed to fundraising and have large enough personal networks to help raise money, it is unlikely that you will hit your event fundraising goals.
Seek out host committee members and board members who will take ownership of some of the fundraising for the event by selling sponsorships and tickets. Then, provide them with the training and materials they need to do so.
The revenue goal for your event should be thought of in terms of “net revenue,” not “gross revenue.” Gross revenue is all of the money you bring in at an event, without regard to event costs. Net revenue is the money you raise at an event minus the event costs. Your non-profit needs money to pay for programs and organizational overhead – the only money that you will be able to spend on those items is the money that is left over from the event after you deduct the event costs. Thus, you should focus on net revenue.
Money saved at your event is money earned for your non-profit. Think of it this way: if you hold a nice event for your organization that raises $25,000 and spend $15,000 on the venue, catering, collateral materials, etc., you will end up with $10,000 in net revenue that goes to your organization.
On the other hand, perhaps you can get some of your materials donated and go with a slightly less expensive, though still nice menu. In that case, you raise $25,000 and spend $10,000 on the event. This means you end up with $15,000 in net revenue that goes to your organization… that’s a 50% increase in fundraising revenue to your bottom line!
Spend most of your time focused on bringing in money for the event, but remember to take a hard look at costs and possible in-kind donations so that you can keep more of the money that the event raises.
There’s a lot of “sideshow” with non profit events. There are color schemes to pick, wine baskets to put together, event favors to package, floral arrangements to choose. Don’t get sucked in. What matters for your event is fundraising.
Sure, you should have a nice event. Yes, you should choose a color scheme and floral arrangements. But do you need a committee of 5 spending an hour to do so? Or could you just pick one that looks nice and be done with it? I’d rather have a staff member spend 50 minutes making sponsorship calls and 10 minutes choosing floral arrangements than vice versa.
Focus on sponsorships. Then focus on ticket sales. Then focus on added revenue streams. In that order. Most of your event efforts should be focused on fundraising, and most of your fundraising efforts should be focused on selling sponsorships. A smaller amount of time should be spent on ticket sales, and even less on added revenue streams.
Use the 80 / 20 rule. Focus 80% of your time on the 20% of activities that will raise the majority of the money for your event.
Do you hold a large, all-hands-on-deck fundraising event each year, like a gala or annual dinner? If so, your big annual event requires a year-long effort in order to raise the maximum amount of money.
I once worked at a non-profit that held one major dinner per year. It raised a significant portion of the organization’s annual budget. When I arrived at the office the next day, one of my staff members said, “That was a really great event, but I’m glad it’s over. It was so much work! When will we have to start working on next year’s event? A couple of months?” My answer was, “Enjoy today. We’ll start working on next year’s event tomorrow.”
He though I was exaggerating, but I wasn’t. Big annual events require big annual efforts. You need to start cultivating this year’s event donors for next year’s event. You need to go see them. Thank them. Ask them who else might be interested in sponsoring the event. Stay in touch with them. Steward them. Add new prospects. Build new relationships. All before you make your renewal asks for the event, which should be 4-6 months out from the event. It’s a year-long endeavor.
Fundraising is all about relationships. Fundraising events are all about relationships too. Many non-profits have corporate sponsors that donate to events year after year, but yet the organization never cultivates a relationship with anyone at the company. Similarly, many charities never reach out to event attendees or silent auction item donors after the event, at least not until it comes time to make an ask for next year’s event.
The best way to exponentially grow your fundraising event revenue is to start cultivating your event donors in a systemized way. Do meetings. Make phone calls. Add them to your mailing list. Hold a thank-you event for your silent auction item donors. Ask your event guests to join your volunteer committee. Cultivate your event donors and you will grow not only next year’s event revenue, but your overall donor base as well.
If you are launching an event and hope to make it an annual event (either a large annual gala or a small, simple yearly event) understand that event revenue generally grows year over year, at least until you reach a plateau point. This means that if you hold an event this year that raises $50,000 and do all the right things to grow the event (i.e. the things that we will talk about in this class), next year you may raise $60,000… and the following year $75,000… and the fourth year $100,000.
This is because events, when properly run, show a compounding effect. If you hold a great event, your guests will tell their friends and bring them to the event next year. If your silent auction gets press coverage, more businesses will want to be featured in the auction next year. If you treat sponsors really well and cultivate them over the course of the year, they will introduce you to other businesses in their network that may want to sponsor your event. Treat your donors and guests right, and you will see your event revenue grow year after year.
‘If you want 10 years of prosperity, grow trees. If you want 100 years of prosperity, grow people.’ This ancient Chinese proverb remains relevant to humankind’s future, even as we struggle against an existential environmental threat. The challenge underscores the prism that the journey toward sustainability requires more than technological advancements and financial investments; it demands an informed and engaged populace.
The youth are at the forefront of this crucial task, their enthusiasm and inherent curiosity about the world making them pivotal contributors to building a sustainable future. However, a glaring deficit in environmental literacy poses a significant challenge requiring a collective and strategic response.
As governments and the private sector make substantial financial investments into transition toward a net-zero emissions future, it is imperative to recognize that their success relies on a robust human capital foundation. Merely channeling billions into technological advancements and infrastructural changes is insufficient if there is a lack of corresponding investment in nurturing the minds and capabilities of the next generation.
The call to nurture human capital is not merely a plea but a pragmatic recognition of the return on investment (RoI) that sustainable education yields. When educational strategies align with economic sustainability, the result is a pipeline of skilled individuals ready to contribute toward implementing sustainable solutions. This alignment is essential for the success of climate initiatives and for the long-term benefit of society.
Education is an investment in the world’s future leaders. By instilling environmental literacy in the younger generation, we shape the minds that will lead nations, raise families, and drive communities. The RoI in their education ensures a generation committed to upholding and advancing the sustainable agenda.
In educating the youth about environmental issues, we are sowing the seeds for a future where climate change mitigation is not just a policy but a way of life. The knowledge and awareness imparted today will empower these young minds to become advocates and contributors in the fight against climate change.
As COP28 drew to a close late last year, the global community recognized that the success of environmental initiatives rests on technological advancements and the shoulders of environmentally literate and empowered youth. Investments in education today will yield dividends for generations to come. The alignment between educational strategies and economic sustainability is not just a strategy; it is an ethical imperative that ensures a harmonious and sustainable future for our planet.
‘By pooling resources and expertise, organizations can create comprehensive and inclusive educational materials that can be freely accessed by educators worldwide. This shared knowledge can empower educators and students, fostering a global community committed to environmental stewardship’
The urgency of the environmental crisis calls for a paradigm shift in how we approach education. Environmental literacy should not be an optional addendum to the curriculum but as a core component of every educational institution’s mission. Integrating sustainability principles across disciplines ensures that every student has the knowledge and skills to navigate a world battling environmental challenges.
Furthermore, addressing the current barriers and challenges to environmental literacy is crucial for its widespread adoption. One significant barrier is the resistance to change in educational systems that often sideline holistic and experiential learning about environmental issues. To address this, educational institutions should embrace innovative pedagogical approaches that encourage critical thinking, problem-solving, and real-world application of knowledge.
Another challenge is the unequal access to quality education. In many parts of the world, especially marginalized communities, students lack access to resources and educational opportunities. Bridging this gap requires collaborative efforts between governments, non-profits, and private organizations to ensure that environmental education is accessible to all, regardless of socio-economic status or geographical location.
The digital divide poses challenges to the widespread integration of technology. Moreover, a lack of education or digital literacy can prevent individuals from effectively using it. Technology and internet access costs can be prohibitively high for individuals in lower-income brackets. In some areas, mainly rural or remote regions, the necessary infrastructure for high-speed internet and other communication technologies is lacking, hindering technology integration.
Organizations can collaboratively develop and share open-access educational resources focused on environmental literacy. By pooling resources and expertise, organizations can create comprehensive and inclusive educational materials that can be freely accessed by educators worldwide. This shared knowledge can empower educators and students, fostering a global community committed to environmental stewardship.
Additionally, organizations can offer mentorship programs, internships, and educational outreach initiatives to support schools and communities in building their environmental literacy programs. By connecting with local schools and educational institutions, organizations can provide real-world insights, share best practices, and inspire the next generation of environmental leaders.
In return, organizations can offer to collaborate on research projects, share data, and provide funding for educational initiatives. By offering financial support, expertise, and resources, organizations can contribute to developing a robust and sustainable educational infrastructure focused on environmental issues.
Addressing the funding challenges in the climate emergency requires a holistic approach that includes investing in environmental literacy. The global community must recognize that the success of climate initiatives depends on technological advancements and cultivating an environmentally literate and empowered youth.
Organizations can play a crucial role in building a sustainable future by breaking down barriers, collaborating on educational resources, and offering support to schools and communities. Environmental literacy is not just an academic goal but an ethical imperative shaping the leaders and citizens who will drive positive change for our planet.
The road ahead is challenging, but it is also filled with opportunities. By investing in environmental literacy, we invest in a sustainable but also equitable, resilient, and prosperous future. At COP28, it was collectively affirmed that the most critical investment we can make for our planet’s future is in our people—their education, empowerment, and ability to lead the way in creating a sustainable world for future generations. The task is to keep the good work going and gather adequate momentum.
Malakeh El Haj is the Vice President for Knowledge & Innovation at the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation.
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