Soapbox Engage Blog

Issue 217

Happy Tuesday, fundraisers! Hard to believe we’re nearing the final quarter of the year. Remember to take time to care for yourself this busy fundraising season!

In this week’s edition, discover how to create a sustainable operating budget, humanize your data, and secure donor trust. Plus, we’re sharing must-know strategies for the fall giving season! Whether it’s improving your donor data security or fine-tuning your fundraising stories, these articles offer actionable insights for your nonprofit’s success!

You can receive the Fundraising Weekly newsletter each Tuesday by subscribing today!

Great Fundraising Posts

3 Steps to Create a Sustainable Nonprofit Operating Budget

Jon Osterburg (Greater Giving)

Your nonprofit’s annual operating budget serves as the backbone for financial sustainability and successful growth. It’s important that you use this document to set clear goals and plan effectively. This blog post outlines three essential steps for creating a sustainable operating budget.

4 Strategies to Humanize Your Nonprofit Data

Re:charity (Re:charity)

Many nonprofits today are data-driven, using metrics to make important decisions. But when you’re reviewing your data, it’s important to remember that there are people behind those numbers. This guide offers four tips to help you capture the personal side of your data to tell more compelling stories.

The Secret Truth That Donors Can’t Tell You

Jeff Brooks (Future Fundraising Now)

One of the most important things you can know about fundraising is this: what people say about their charity or your fundraising has little to do with what they do. It’s important to keep that in mind when you’re making decisions. In this blog post, Jeff offers several things you may hear from donors—and why you shouldn’t necessarily take that as advice.

Soaking Up Fall: 5 Donor Strategies You Don’t Want to Forget!

Diana Frazier (Veritus Group)

The coming of fall signals many things to people. For some, it means apple picking, warm sweaters, and decorating for “spooky season.” For fundraisers, Fall means that we’re about to enter the last quarter of the year—a pivotal time for fundraising. This blog post offers tips on how to utilize this season for more success.

Don’t Squander Your Philanthropic Potential

Jim Langley (Market Smart)

As a nonprofit fundraiser, soliciting and stewarding donors are important steps to helping you reach your fundraising goal. But are you reaching out to the right people? In this blog post, Jim breaks down how to segment your funding requests to your donors’ level of receptivity so you don’t squander your fundraising potential.

4 Donor Data Security Tips for Nonprofit Fundraisers

Philip Schmitz (The Fundraising Coach)

From collecting contact information to processing their payments, your nonprofit has access to much of its donors’ private data. It’s important to maintain the trust that your donors have placed in your organization—so protecting donor data is a critical mission for nonprofits. This blog post features four tips any nonprofit can use to safeguard against vulnerabilities.

3 Ways to Amp up the Motivating Power of Your Fundraising Stories

Jeff Brooks (Moceanic)

Stories are not magic. Telling a story doesn’t automatically make your fundraising powerful. You have to tell the right story. In the right way. In this blog post, Jeff shares some ways to nudge your storytelling toward donation-inspiring power plus a few things to avoid that can cause an otherwise good story to block donor motivation.

20 Reasons Why Board Members Don’t Want to Ask for Donations (and How to Respond)

BrightDot (BrightDot)

Your board of advisors can play a crucial role in helping your organization meet your fundraising goals. But only if they’re willing to try. This blog post offers a list of reasons donors might not want to ask for donations, and how you can respond.

The Best Major Gift Ask Isn’t a Pitch

Claire Axelrad (NonProfitPro)

When it comes to soliciting donations from a donor, many fundraisers focus on pitching. You may do this poorly or you may do it well, but either way—you’re likely leaving money on the table. In this blog post, Claire explains why the best major gift ask isn’t a pitch, and what you should do instead.