Issue 36

As more people across the world gain access to Covid-19 vaccines, there’s a glimmer of hope that we will be able to return to in-person fundraising events. But keep in mind that virtual fundraising will always be a relevant and useful skill for any nonprofit! This week on the Fundraising Weekly, we have blog posts covering all kinds of skills— from building donation pages, to writing fundraising letters, to leveraging social media, and more!

And, if I may share, we have some very exciting news over at Soapbox Engage! Our Donations app is now the first tool of its kind to integrate with Microsoft Fundraising and Engagement, Microsoft’s free, open source fundraising application built for nonprofits. The Soapbox Engage Donations app can send data to Fundraising & Engagement in real-time so donor and transaction information is instantly available with no manual entry. We’re just a little bit stoked!

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Issue 35

Happy Tuesday, everyone! I think Tuesdays are sort of underrated. Monday kicks off the week, Wednesday is hump day, Thursday is Friday lite, and Friday is the fun, final push for the week. But Tuesdays need a bit more love. For me, Tuesdays are for weekly all staff meetings and, of course, the Fundraising Weekly— and those two reasons make them the best.

This week, we have a bit of everything: social media marketing, donor cultivation, campaign planning, social justice engagement, fundraising appeals, and more! Dig in to this wealth of knowledge, then pass the Fundraising Weekly along to a friend!

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

Issue 34

Well, we’re officially on the other side of the Spring Equinox. That along with the continued rollout of vaccines to communities around the world has me feeling pretty optimistic for the coming months. I don’t think I’m alone in that feeling either.

Studies have shown that hope and positive moods can increase helping behaviors, like volunteering, assisting coworkers, and donating! Ride this positivity into your next fundraising campaign! Take some free knowledge from your community of fundraising professionals, and dive headfirst into the week with me.

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

Issue 33

Wandering into Joshua Tree National Park, deep in the deserts of California, you feel like you've walked right into a Dr Seuss book. I decided to explore with an experimental bag of "Trader Joe's Grainless Cassava & Coconut Tortilla Chips" (which yes, are actually amazing, and no, I don't know how they make them), and saw all sorts of new sights.

It's easy to get turned around, confused, and within inches of pain for something that you swear looked like a harmless, cotton-like bush (that's a cactus, Ryan). That seems to hit a bit close to home for the accidental techies in our fundraising world. One moment, "wow, look at that amazing new fundraising tool features", next moment, "so, you're saying I accidentally deleted what again?".

For those of you wandering the magical online fundraising world alongside me, here's another great week of tips and ideas to help you navigate without bouncing into a prickly plant.

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Issue 32

Happy Tuesday! We’re just about a year into various states of lockdown and I hope you’re all hanging in there. We were blessed with some sunshine in Washington DC today and a little it of vitamin D will turn the day around!

We have a lot of awesome content for you this week in the Fundraising Weekly. If you have any spring fundraisers coming up, get ready to draw some inspiration!

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

Issue 31

As the calendar turns to March, it's hard to not say, "wait, you again?" A year ago today feels so distant, as we all just went about our days maskless. Now just watching a movie scene that includes a crowd makes me cringe.

We seem to be turning a corner in the fight against COVID-19, and it just might be time to think about a post-pandemic future. Fundraising in-person. Galas. Dinners...inside!

Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let's keep our eyes focused on the road ahead, and soak in some great fundraising community knowledge.

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

Issue 30

We’re wrapping up February, then spring will be just around the corner! I'm sure my fellow northern hemisphere friends are as excited as I am. What are your spring fundraising goals? Do you have any special events planned — virtual or in person? Am I getting ahead of myself?

With spring on the way, I feel a renewed sense of hope. And it’s not just the thought of warmer weather and some leaves back on the trees. I’m hopeful that this season will renew some strength in the nonprofit community and nudge us just a little closer to the “normal” we all miss. For now, bundle up!

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Issue 29

It’s a very special day for PICnet, the company behind Soapbox Engage… It’s our 20th anniversary! We’ve spent the last two decades advancing the world of nonprofit tech and serving the nonprofit community we deeply cherish. We’ve grown and evolved a lot over the years and it hasn’t always been easy, but we’ve loved every moment.

Thank you for being a part of this community. This newsletter and each subscriber is another reminder of why we love what we do. So, while we celebrate ourselves today and reminisce about laying ethernet cables in 2001, please know we are also celebrating you!

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

Issue 28

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. For some, this may be a made-up holiday designed to sell cards and chocolates. But I like to think of it as an opportunity to practice gratitude in all areas of my life.

What about the nonprofit community do you cherish? How have you been expressing appreciation for your donors lately? Which of your coworkers could use some encouragement right now? There's lots of little ways to show love, and it goes a long way in a season like this. So cozy up with your favorite warm beverage and enjoy this week's thoughtful fundraising content!

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

Issue 27

Winter has officially arrived in DC. How is this measured? The speed by which the city shuts down at even the whisper of snow on a local Reddit forum.

While the National Zoo's pandas celebrated by doing their own version of body sledding yesterday, our fundraising community was busy at work with more knowledge sharing. Grab a cup of hot chocolate, east coast folks, and enjoy a round of thought-provoking content!

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