Soapbox Engage Blog

Issue 242

Happy Tuesday, Fundraisers!

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but we’re just two days away from the official start of spring! That means longer days, fresh energy, and a perfect opportunity to shake off the winter blues. As the season changes, so do fundraising opportunities—now’s the time to tap into that renewed enthusiasm and get creative. To help you get started, here are 5 Fundraising Ideas for Spring that can inspire your next campaign.

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Great Fundraising Posts

The Five Most Important Emphases For An Advancement Operation

Jim Langley (Jim Langley)

As giving has declined and more nonprofit organizations are competing for the same dollars, fundraising professionals need to shift their strategies. In this blog post, Jim shares the five most important things to shift resources to in order to improve your fundraising.

Building Friendly Relationships with Government Officials: A Smart Strategy for Nonprofits

Gail Perry (Gail Perry Group)

In this time of drastic governmental funding cuts, many nonprofit leaders are wondering whether and how to be in touch with their local elected officials. Should you reach out now? And most importantly, exactly who should you reach out to? And what approach should you take? By all means, now is the time to be connecting with your government officials. Check out this blog post to learn why and how you can do so.

Direct Response and Major Gift Fundraising Should Follow the Same Rhythm

Sarah Lundberg (The Better Fundraising Co.)

You may think direct response fundraising and major gift fundraising are very distinct. But in this blog post, Sarah talks about how the two types of fundraising should follow the same rhythm, and how identifying the similarities can improve your mindset as a fundraiser.

After Recruitment: Training & Retaining Event Volunteers

fundraisingIP (fundraisingIP)

Nonprofit event planners often face a recurring challenge: after investing time and energy into recruiting volunteers, many don’t return. Retaining event volunteers isn’t just about getting them through the door—it’s about creating a volunteer experience that makes them want to stay. This blog post explores strategies for more effective onboarding, training, and ongoing engagement.

Navigating the Shifting Political Landscape as a Federal Grant Recipient

Rachel Werner (The ENGAGE Blog)

With the recent federal administration changes, there is a lot of uncertainty in the nonprofit and philanthropy sectors. Federal grant recipients face shifting priorities, new executive orders, and evolving funding practices. Navigating these changes effectively is crucial for sustainability. This post explores how organizations can respond to these shifts.

Unlocking Potential: The Benefits of Cross-Sector Partnerships for NGOs

Martine Dadra (Undertake)

NGOs play a vital role in addressing social, environmental, and economic issues worldwide. To effectively tackle these challenges, cross-sector partnerships have emerged as a powerful strategy. This blog post delves into what cross-sector partnerships entail, explore their benefits, highlight some challenges, and provide real-world examples of their effectiveness.

It’s Time to Ditch That Same-Old “Default” Direct Mail Appeal

Jeff Brooks (Moceanic)

You may have noticed that there is a “default” direct-mail appeal that is often repeated by nonprofits in the United States. While there’s nothing wrong with having a default format, the current one has a lot of features that are likely to fail. In this post, Jeff breaks down what’s wrong with the current default format and offers suggestions on how you can pivot.

Grant Fundraising is a Numbers Game

Joe Garecht (Garecht Fundraising Associates)

Have you struggled with getting the results you want to see within your grant fundraising? The truth is, fundraising is a numbers game. The more you put into it, the more you get out. In this blog post, Joe breaks down some tips to help you get more out of your grant fundraising.

How to Use Your Email Platform to Prospect Research and Encourage More Gifts

Paul St. Onge (NonProfitPro)

As a nonprofit fundraiser, data is the key to help you improve your fundraising strategies. And there may be some data you haven’t even tapped into yet that can make all the difference. In this blog post, Paul explains how you can use your email platform to find valuable data that can be used for prospect research.