Paul McEntire

"You can't manage what you can't measure." But, measuring the RIGHT metrics is also important for managing effectively. Are you measuring and valuing the right metrics? This article points out a few.

7

The Far Side of Fundraising Tip of the Week Transactional fundraising leads to high rates of donor loss. Most organizations lose 4 out of 5 first-time donors. The more rapidly and impersonally we secure support, the more we sub-optimize giving potential and the more rapidly donors depart. High rates of donor attrition, coupled with the continue contraction of giving households, spell long-term disaster for most nonprofits. Don't follow the transactional lemmings as they plunged into the sea. Adopt sustainable practices. You may be in the minority but you will help your organization survive and eventually thrive. This one requires that you closely to see who stands out in adopting sustainable practices.

130

31 Comments

🎇 🎇 As acquisition gets harder and retention rates fall, don't you think it's time to reimagine our grassroots and mid-level fundraising approaches? 🎇 🎇 ➡ We built our very successful direct-response fundraising programs to appeal to the Greatest and Silent generations. 🚩 BUT today our prospect pool (and a lot of our donor pools) are made-up of Baby Boomers and older GenX'ers. Even Millenials and Gen Z are starting to donate. The biggest changes in how folks behave are not where you shop, political affiliation, or demographics (to name a few). Yes, these things influence behavior and may be part of the broad makeup of your donor base. ❓❓ ❓ So, what's the biggest factor? GENERATION. 🔥🔥🔥 💭💭 Some food for thought: ▶ The Greatest Generation: 💠 Motivated by a sense of duty and tradition 💠 Often supported the same causes throughout their lives 💠 Giving was usually more private 💠 Regular donations (i.e., strong retention!) 💠 Volunteered as part of the community, especially with religious or service organizations ▶ Baby Boomers: 💠 Engage with causes that resonate with their personal values and experiences 💠 Participate in recurring giving programs 💠 Use digital media, but prefer traditional methods 💠 Volunteer with causes they support 💠 Couple their donations with volunteerism Have you changed your fundraising strategies AND metrics to accommodate the newest group of prospects and donors?

24

2 Comments

Donor-Advised Funds: A Win-Win for Charitable Giving and Tax Savings Did you know you can maximize your impact AND reclaim your charitable income #tax deduction by bundling or bunching contributions to your donor-advised fund (#DAF)? By making a larger, lump-sum contribution to your DAF in a single tax year, you may qualify to itemize your deductions, recapturing a key financial benefit. Then, you can direct annual support to the charities you love—like Samaritan or other causes close to your heart—on your schedule. This strategy is a simple way to achieve both tax efficiency and consistent #philanthropy. Your generosity sustains #nonprofits doing vital work, and your support can go even further when paired with thoughtful planning. Interested in learning more about how your giving can make a difference year after year? Let’s connect! #DonorAdvisedFunds #CharitableGiving #TaxSmartGiving #NonprofitImpact https://lnkd.in/eE7J-2zu

4

1 Comment

#Myth: Successful fundraising events happen without detailed planning. #Fact: Success begins with a strategic plan. Tailored consulting, from item curation to event layout, ensures a seamless evening that captivates your audience and maximizes donations.

14

2 Comments

Are hundreds of billions of dollars wharehoused in #DonorAdvisedFunds, rather than providing the community benefit that earned their #donors a #tax deduction, as an Institute for Policy Studies report contends? While some proposed reforms are likely nonstarters (including increasing the minimum payout to 10% for foundations with assets of $50 million or more, and 7% for all other foundations); others make sense, including excluding grants from private foundations to DAFs from counting towards payout, and excluding grants from one #DAF to another. https://lnkd.in/e2F-Sgbw

1

During Small Business Month, it's an excellent moment to contemplate integrating the WOSB certification into your portfolio. The Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Certification presents a chance to tap into government contracts, as annually, the government aims to allocate 5% of all contracts to Women-Owned Small Businesses, offering numerous opportunities to deserving small businesses like yours. This initiative aims to bolster female representation in the business sector and to furnish opportunities that may have been previously unavailable. If your business is majority-owned and operated by women (51%), you may qualify to access a portion of these funds. At Women's Business Council Southwest, we provide this certification. It can bring opportunities that you didn't know existed.

19

Start making your Development Committee more effective today. Check out these tips!

2

Serving on a nonprofit board is an excellent way of developing or advancing your leadership skills while supporting a cause meaningful to you. It’s also an opportunity to expand your community and professional network. Becoming a board member is a significant responsibility, and the choice to serve should not be taken lightly. The decisions made by the board impact the organization’s future; while good decisions may lay the foundation for its long-term success, poor decisions may lead to its eventual demise. Your term may be uneventful, or you may face difficult situations, such as firing and hiring the senior executive or navigating through a crisis. Also, the organization’s stage will determine what type of role its board plays – a small, new or grassroots organization may need board members to perform hands-on work that staff may typically do, while larger, more mature groups may need its board to focus solely on governance. If you are curious about board service, or if you are a current board member looking for resources to learn more about your role, check out BoardSource. In “Serve On a Nonprofit Board,” you can read more about the board’s general functions, gain tips on how to get started and take a Board Readiness Quiz. https://lnkd.in/e-sAwGzK

7

Learn the steps for making a professional capital campaign solicitation that we train our committee members to use. Read now!

1

There are 6 core competencies of nonprofit chief executives, do know what they are? Understanding the responsibilities of your CEO helps establish expectations and hold them accountable. Learn more:

4

Is it time for your nonprofit to plan a leadership retreat? I recommend a nonprofit leadership retreat every three years, and SWOT should lead the way.  http://mvnt.us/m2416213 

2

If stewardship is about so much more than a thank you, what is it and how do you make it work for your nonprofit? Donor stewardship is the intentional practice of building a relationship with your donors and stakeholders. In this episode of The Nonprofit Podcast Cara and Jena examine how gratitude and showing impact underpin a successful donor stewardship strategy, supporting your all-important donor retention. From how to build meaningful donor relationships to creating ongoing commitment and recurring donations for your cause, Donorbox has several key tips that will help your nonprofit grow with gratitude. https://lnkd.in/eaFY_G7j #fundraising #nonprofits

8