The Nonprofit Podcast

Send us a textLooking for ways to make your fundraising easier, save time but still raise more money?From easier account navigation with our new dashboard to inclusive accessibility, Donorbox has been steadily adding features, tools, and resources to help grow your nonprofit.  Join us to take a look at four Donorbox features that have made nonprofit fundraising easier in the last three months, plus the learning opportunities and free resources Donorbox is currently offering, and what's in the pipeline to take your fundraising to the next level in the coming months.Jena also gives us a sneak peek at two big upcoming events.  The Donorbox Live™ Kiosk is set to change on-site giving when it is released in April, you can find out more here: Donorbox Live™ Kiosk (don't forget to tick the notification box to be one of the first to access this groundbreaking device.)  And, most exciting, where to find us at AFP ICON 2023, and what you can expect if you join us in New Orleans to find out more about what Donorbox can do to help boost your fundraising.  You can register for the conference here: registration link and join us for expert-level best practices and industry-leading features, and of course, meet our team and Podcast Hosts.For more about the Donorbox features and services discussed please head over to our website: https://donorbox.org/?ref=dono345 Catch up with the new courses available from Donorbox Academy here: https://academy.donorbox.org/  Or discover the goldmine of information, best practices, and inspiring fundraising how-to’s in our Nonprofit Blog: https://donorbox.org/nonprofit-blog DO YOU have a question? The Nonprofit Podcast is here to answer your questions!  Our weekly Ask-Me-Anything feature is one click away, simply open the form, add your name, and ask us! ANYTHING!!  ➡️ https://donor-box.typeform.com/to/wXlnEX3X?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=podcast_53 The Nonprofit Podcast is available every Thursday on all your favorite podcast platforms, so follow, rate, and download so you never miss an episode!Support the show

Send us a text56% of donors regularly attend fundraising events and + 84% of event fundraising pledges are fulfilled.  Just two reasons events are an annual fundraising mainstay!So it's no surprise that many nonprofits are hard at work planning as we head into the busiest time of year for fundraising events.  But, are you making the best decision for your organization?  A big bang event may not be the best return on investment for nonprofits, in fact, an event may not be a good idea at all!Today Cara takes us through the fundamentals of fundraising event planning, from the critical ‘why’ to the ‘what, when, and where’ of making the right decision to reap dividends for your mission, plus Pro-tips on making and meeting the all-important budget.  Join us and find out how to ensure your event is a good fit for your cause, community, and donors or if you should be looking for alternatives in 2023.We recommend these three excellent guides to assist you in implementing some of today’s tips on our Nonprofit Blog, you can find them and many more here:Nonprofit Event Planning: 9 Simple Steps (+ Downloadable Checklist)https://donorbox.org/nonprofit-blog/nonprofit-event-planning How to Create a Fundraising Event Pricing Strategyhttps://donorbox.org/nonprofit-blog/event-pricing-strategy Creating and Selling Fundraising Event Tickets | The Ultimate Guidehttps://donorbox.org/nonprofit-blog/fundraising-event-tickets If you would like to find out more about the Donorbox Events, all the information can be found here: https://donorbox.org/events Or find out more at: https://donorbox.org/   DO YOU have a question? The Nonprofit Podcast is here to answer your questions!  Our weekly Ask-Me-Anything feature is one click away, simply open the form, add your name, and ask us! ANYTHING!!  ➡️ https://donor-box.typeform.com/to/wXlnEX3X?Support the show

Send us a textThink golf fundraisers are old hat and more work than they are worth?  Think again!One in nine Americans plays golf!  The average player has a net worth of $768,000 and is aged between 25 and 55, the group with the highest spending power. So, why aren’t you tapping into this prime donor demographic?Jena is joined by Jeffrey Brown, Chief Marketing and Development Officer at STE(A)M Truck, a seasoned nonprofit executive, who is passionate about assisting organizations to raise the capital needed to thrive. Jeffrey shares his expertise, insights, and pro-tips on maximizing every element of a golf day fundraiser.From meaningfully bringing your mission to life on the fairway, to mechanisms to share your story while creating far-reaching brand awareness within budget, Jeffrey has innovative thinking to share.  Plus strategies to retain existing sponsors and source new ones if you choose to hold your next fundraiser on a golf course. To help you create a donation-driving fundraiser follow the link for our comprehensive Charity Golf Fundraiser Checklist, for a detailed outline of the tasks you and your team will need to accomplish before, during, and after putting on a Golf event. To find out more about Jeffrey and the remarkable work being done by STE(A)M Truck, just follow this link: https://www.steamtruck.org/ Or find out more at: https://donorbox.org/   DO YOU have a question? The Nonprofit Podcast is here to answer your questions!  Our weekly Ask-Me-Anything feature is one click away, simply open the form, add your name, and ask us! ANYTHING!!  ➡️ https://donor-box.typeform.com/to/wXlnEX3X?Support the show

Send us a textTurning crisis into opportunity takes planning and a well-developed strategy!  With rising inflation and dropping donor numbers, most nonprofits are already feeling the pinch of a tightening economy, especially coming hard on the heels of the pandemic.  As unnerving as this is, experience has shown that an economic downturn can be turned to your advantage with the right systems and strategies in place.Join us as Jena and Cara explore how nonprofits can leverage the lessons learned during a crisis to emerge stronger, more resilient, and better equipped for the future.  From tackling your communication strategy cadence to retaining existing donors while attracting new supporters, and tailoring your messaging to carefully targeted audiences, today's episode helps to recession-proof your organization and sets a course of action to ride out the storm.If you would like to find out more about the Donorbox Academy Fear-free Fundraising Masterclass commencing March 02, 2023, all the information can be found here: https://academy.donorbox.org/Or you can sign-up directly here: https://academy.donorbox.org/p/fear-freefundraising using the special promo code PODCAST and get $20 off. Or find out more at: https://donorbox.org/   DO YOU have a question? The Nonprofit Podcast is here to answer your questions!  Our weekly Ask-Me-Anything feature is one click away, simply open the form, add your name, and ask us! ANYTHING!!  ➡️ https://donor-box.typeform.com/to/wXlnEX3X?Support the show

Send us a textDonor-centered communication has been one of the keys to unlocking growth, funding, and community support for Sista Afya Community Care in Chicago.  Committed to maintaining excellent standards of care in everything they do, today Executive Director Camesha Jones shares how finding the perfect rhythm, tools, and touchpoints to communicate with their supporters and beneficiary community, is an extension of that ‘excellence in everything’ approach.Sista Afya is a social enterprise that provides community mental wellness care that centers on the experiences of Black women. Following a year of strong growth and expanding services Camesha explains how a consistent communication strategy has supported achieving their goals, despite the fact that they are ‘only a small but mighty’ organization.From using freely available online resources, and leveraging platforms such as LinkedIn, to when consulting with specialist advisers is cost-effective, Camesha opens up on the journey to creating a communication strategy and cadence that supports the whole organization, just as Sista Afya Community Care supports the well-being of the whole person.You can find out more about the work Sista Afya Community Care is doing, and support them here: https://www.sistaafya.com/ And to assist you in creating your own communication cadence follow the link to the free Donorbox 5 A’s of Awesome Fundraising download: https://poweredby.donorbox.org/podcast-five-as-of-awesome-fundraising/We know you will be using it again, and again!  If you’re inspired to take control of your outgoing communications but feel you may not be ready to do it alone, follow the link to find out more about Donorbox Premium custom packages including coaching, and the support you need to advance your mission here:  https://donorbox.org/premiumOr find out more at: https://donorbox.org/   DO YOU have a question? The Nonprofit Podcast is here to answer your questions!  Our weekly Ask-Me-Anything feature is one click away, simply open the form, add your name, and ask us! ANYTHING!!  ➡️ https://donor-box.typeform.com/to/wXlnEX3XSupport the show

Send us a textIf your online fundraising is frustrated by underperforming donation pages our conversion-focused best practices will set you on the fast track to success.Online giving is a critical element of your fundraising strategy, so ensuring your donation pages and forms are fit for purpose is the logical starting point for all successful campaigns.  While your website is there to educate visitors about your mission, it’s your donation pages’ function to convert them into donors.   And that’s where Jena jumps in, deconstructing the elements that optimize donation page and form performance.Not just a simple, seamless way to donate online, your fundraising fit donation page and form will expand your reach, enhance your brand awareness, and deliver the all-important increase in donations your mission needs.  Take ten minutes and find how these immediately implementable best practices will hone your donation form to peak fundraising performance. For much, much more on donation form fitness join our upcoming FREE webinar: "Is Your Donation Form Fit for Fundraising? The Ultimate Transformation to Get 4x More Donations for Your Nonprofit"When: Wednesday, Feb. 22nd at 2 pm ESTBook your spot here: https://webinars.donorbox.org/w/transform-nonprofit-donation-form?utm_source=The+Nonprofit+Podcast&utm_medium=NPP&utm_campaign=NPP Plus our Donorbox Nonprofit Blog has two excellent articles to guide you through bringing your donation page up to speed, you can find them here:13 Best Donation Page Examples for Better Fundraisinghttps://donorbox.org/nonprofit-blog/donation-page-examples  27 Donation Page Best Practices For Nonprofits – Tips and Exampleshttps://donorbox.org/nonprofit-blog/donation-page-best-practicesImprove Your Donation Page Conversion Rates With These Easy Tipshttps://donorbox.org/nonprofit-blog/5-tips-improve-donation-page-conversion-rates  Or find out more at: https://donorbox.org/ DO YOU have a question? The Nonprofit Podcast is here to answer your questions!  Our weekly Ask-Me-Anything feature is one click away, simply open the form, add your name, and ask us! ANYTHING!!  ➡️ https://donor-box.typeform.com/to/wXlnEX3X The Nonprofit Podcast is available every Thursday on all your favorite podcast platforms, so follow, rate, and download so you never miss an episode.Support the show

Send us a textFundraising is about so much more than asking for money.  ‘The Ask’ may dominate, but don’t forget about Attract, Acknowledge, Account, and of course, doing it all Again!Each of these actions underpins one of the most important, but often overlooked, drivers of nonprofit growth, a strong communication strategy!   Today we look at ‘Nonprofit Communication Made Easy’ using an easy-to-remember, donor-centered communication cadence that will improve fundraising for your organization.  Donorbox’s 5 A's of Awesome Fundraising is a simple way to remember the all-important Cycle of Fundraising that sits at the heart of every successful development program. To help you stay focused and on track throughout the fundraising year we recommend you make this your screensaver, pin it on your message board, or use it as a useful aide memoir hand-out at strategy sessions.  We know you will be using it again, and again!  Download The 5 A’s of Awesome Fundraising Here: https://poweredby.donorbox.org/podcast-five-as-of-awesome-fundraising/ If you’re inspired to take control of your outgoing communications but feel you may not be ready to do it alone, follow the link to find out more about Donorbox Premium custom packages including coaching, and the support you need to advance your mission here:  https://donorbox.org/premium Or find out more at: https://donorbox.org/    DO YOU have a question? The Nonprofit Podcast is here to answer your questions!  Our weekly Ask-Me-Anything feature is one click away, simply open the form, add your name and ask us! ANYTHING!!  ➡️ https://donor-box.typeform.com/to/wXlnEX3X Support the show

Send us a textLet mission-driven SMART goals drive your nonprofit’s success in 2023!Goal-setting is a necessary, but potentially painful, process to bring your strategic planning to life, so why not make it SMART and stress-free?  Join us for mission-moving tactics that will help you structure your goal-setting and make your strategic plan meaningful, implementable, and measurable!From practical tips on determining clear, defined, and actionable goals, to the tactics and timeline to implement them, Cara and Jena unpack the value of the SMART goals framework. Plus offer their personal favorites to take the pressure out of planning with advice on the right tools to use to manage everyday tasks that keep your mission on track, and you and your team stress-free.Reaching your fundraising goals is hard work, but armed with a SMART approach and the right tools, you can do it!We have two excellent guides to assist you in implementing some of today’s tips on our Nonprofit Blog, you can find them here:The Ultimate Guide on Creating a Strategic Fundraising Plan for Nonprofits: https://donorbox.org/nonprofit-blog/strategic-fundraising-plan How to Set and Meet Fundraising Goals the Smart Way (13 Tips): https://donorbox.org/nonprofit-blog/set-and-meet-fundraising-goals Or find out more at: https://donorbox.org/    DO YOU have a question? The Nonprofit Podcast is here to answer your questions!  Our weekly Ask-Me-Anything feature is one click away, simply open the form, add your name and ask us! ANYTHING!!  ➡️ https://donor-box.typeform.com/to/wXlnEX3X Support the show

Send us a textToday Jared Polivka meets Curt Yagi, the  Executive Director of Real Options for City Kids (R.O.C.K.) a nonprofit that helps children become successful and healthy adults. Curt and his team serve children in the Visitacion Valley area of San Francisco. With 28 years of providing resources for their young community, anchored in academic and social support that nurtures youth with love, courage, and hope, Curt and the R.O.C.K. team have a great deal of experience to share. In this episode, you’ll learn more about the nonprofit, how they integrate social-emotional learning into their programs, a bit about his team’s fundraising philosophy, and the unexpected way the pandemic pushed R.O.C.K. to become more strategic and evolve.If you are delivering services to a community where challenges are great and resources are few, R.O.C.K.'s experiences may unlock solutions for your organization. From the pros and cons of accepting public sector funding, why R.O.C.K. diversifies their fundraising, to how the team listens to their community through friendly surveys, focus groups, and Zoom calls, Curt guides us through their journey spotlighting the learning curve.If you've been inspired to support this small but mighty team find out more about their programs, impact, and volunteering opportunities here:https://rocksf.org/ R.O.C.K. (@RealOptionsKids) / Twitter Or, find out more about online fundraising for your nonprofit at: https://donorbox.org/ DO YOU have a question? The Nonprofit Podcast is here to answer your questions!  Our weekly Ask-Me-Anything feature is one click away, open the form, add your name and ask us ANYTHING!!  ➡️ https://donor-box.typeform.com/to/wXlnEX3X?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=podcast_40   Support the show

Send us a textLooking to assess your nonprofit team's performance in 2022?  A turbulent year may have tested your nonprofit to the limit, but it sure taught us all a lot about the nonprofit sector’s ability to pivot and perform!  Today we tackle mindful retrospection as a ‘quick and cool’ tool to take your nonprofit’s temperature at the start of a new year.  Using the Rose, Bud, and Thorn technique Cara and Jena explore mindful retrospection as a way to assess your team, event, and fundraising campaign performance over the past 12 months, and improve structure and planning for the coming year.  From highlighting strengths and weaknesses to identifying roadblocks and setting more realistic expectations, this exercise offers a great opportunity to review, recalibrate and reinforce hard-won learnings. Plus we have a fabulous free downloadable worksheet to get you started, just follow the link here: https://library.donorbox.org/rose-bud-thorn-worksheet/ Don’t forget to check out all the other useful nonprofit resources available in our Donorbox Library, or find out more at: https://donorbox.org/  Now we have to ask: DO YOU have a question? The Nonprofit Podcast is here to answer your questions!  Our weekly Ask-Me-Anything feature is one click away, simply open the form, add your name and ask us! ANYTHING!!  ➡️ https://donor-box.typeform.com/to/wXlnEX3X Support the show