8 easy things to do raise more money for year-end |
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by Claire Axelrad, contributor, NonProfitPro
The biggest fundraising time of the year for most nonprofits is here. You’ve no doubt been working on the big things for year-end. Yet often it’s the little things that count and pack a surprising wallop. Here are eight simple efforts that could help your nonprofit raise more money before Dec. 31.
1. Send a thank-you. If it’s been a while since you thanked donors for the impact of their giving, take time to do so now — before you send your next appeal. This puts people in a grateful and giving mood. Essentially, it persuades folks to say “yes” when you ask. Because you’ve done them the small favor of acknowledging them and reporting back, they’re inclined to reciprocate.
They’ll also like you more because you’ve thought about them. When we like people, we tend to be more generous with them. The one small act of a thank-you letter encompasses three of Robert Cialdini’s principles of influence.
2. Make your donate button stand out. In the moment people are feeling warm-hearted toward your cause, make sure your donate button is big, bold, and easy to find. This may seem obvious, but many nonprofits blow this opportunity to drive more philanthropic giving. You may think it’s unseemly to call too much attention to it. Well, it’s a lot more unseemly to let people who rely on you down because you failed to raise the money needed to fulfill your mission.
Location. Place your donate button at the top so it stands out. Ideally, in the upper right-hand corner. That’s where people will look, as that’s become the custom.
Color. Make your donate button a color that contrasts with your branding colors. Don’t make it so tasteful that it blends in with the woodwork.
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Overcome these barriers to employee teamwork |
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by Tina Dalton, VonLehman CPA & Advisory Firm
If you are having difficulty keeping your self-directed teams working smoothly, you can likely trace these obstacles back to a few root causes. These causes are intertwined, and stem from correctable management behaviors.
Teamwork struggles typically boil down to five root causes:
- Employees don’t understand management’s motives.
- Expectations are not clear.
- Employees or managers are resisting change.
- Management shows a lack of participation and/or appreciation.
- Top management is not really committed to the concept or change.
- (Source: “Why Teams Can Fail and What to Do About It” by Darcy Hitchcock.)
To overcome a lack of trust or misunderstandings, improve communication. Create a clear statement of why operating as self-directed teams is a benefit for them. Initiate open, honest discussion of employees’ worries about change. Make sure the “what’s in it for them” is clear. You can never over communicate a change and the benefits for the group/team.
To make expectations clear, specify what powers you want teams to assume. Education is essential. Empower your team! Give employees input, resources, and again, be available for clarifying questions. Develop a list of short and long-range team responsibilities and allow teams to choose which short-term responsibilities to work on first. Bring them along to be a part of the process. This will gain their trust and buy in much faster.
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Episode 29: Join Bryan Orander as he learns about the Wise Giving Alliance and Give.org from Shelbi Felblinger and Jennifer Adamany of the Better Business Bureau of Central Indiana. The BBB has been an advocate for establishing trust and credibility for decades and the Wise Giving Alliance works with local nonprofits to establish their alignment with established industry standards and promote local charitable giving. Listen
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The Center for Leadership Development has hired KeAyra Williams as manager of community programs. Williams previously worked as director of upward bound at Ivy Tech Community College. |
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The Peace Learning Center has named Heidi Fledderjohn as a new facilitator/ coordinator. Fledderjohn previously was a dance therapist at Ascension St. Vincent Hospital Indianapolis. |
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United Way of Central Indiana is awarding $950,000 in grants to 11 nonprofits from the Social Innovation Fund. The funds will support creative solutions that address food insecurity, mental health and well-being, and safe and affordable housing in the communities served by the nonprofits. Learn more
Horizon House plans to develop a 36-unit permanent supportive housing for people overcoming homelessness. Compass on Washington will be located next to Horizon House’s service center at 1033 E. Washington St. The development, which is expected to be completed spring of 2024, will include on-site access to services aimed at community integration.
Gennesaret Free Clinics has received a $1 million sponsorship from Indianapolis-based media company audiochuck. The funds will be used to purchase a new mobile medical clinic unit, which will increase the organization’s number of mobile medical clinic and community outreach opportunities.
The Junior League of Indianapolis (JLI) is accepting applications for a new round of Community Assistance Grants. Nonprofit organizations interested in receiving funding must first register on the JLI agency portal and then submit a letter of intent by midnight on Dec. 15. Register Learn more
The Indiana Bar Foundation has unveiled the first of 120 civil legal help kiosks to be deployed in all 92 Indiana counties. The kiosks, which were funded by a $13.1 million grant from the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, will initially focus on issues like evictions and foreclosures for renters, landlords, and homeowners. Eventually, the foundation plans to include all civil legal matters as offerings. Read more
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How to get the most out of your nonprofit website webinar on Dec. 1 at 3 p.m. Learn the latest in marketing automation to engage donors, boost website conversion, and enhance website accessibility. Presented by Nonprofit Hub. Cost: Free. Register
Reimagining boards for high impact webinar on Dec. 6 at 1-2 p.m. Gain greater efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of impact by addressing shared goals at a network level rather than organizational level, and cultivating trust-based partner relationships. Presented by BoardSource. Cost: Free. Register
IU McKinney Law is offering a virtual Master of Jurisprudence information session on Dec. 12 from noon-1 p.m. for those interested in developing a better understanding of the law, but do not wish to practice law or earn a J.D. degree. Register
How to double productivity between board meetings pre-recorded webinar. Encouraging your nonprofit board to be productive between meetings can seem like an uphill battle. Everyone can be energized at the meeting, only to have things fall through the cracks in between. Presented by Boardable. Cost: Free. Watch
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AmeriCorps VISTA projects throughout Indiana require more member participants. Open member positions include opportunities like helping to mitigate food insecurity, working to address climate challenges, and helping students recover from COVID learning loss. Learn more and apply
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Recruiting board members from different racial backgrounds is not enough for an effective diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiative. Disruptive leaders provide five steps to change the way your nonprofit has been approaching equity.
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Gain insights from this comprehensive guide on nonprofit year-end giving success, including tips on the year-end giving planning process, marketing for year-end giving, best practices, and strategies to take on January 1 and beyond.
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Our sponsor marketplace serves to further connect our readers with our advertisers who are focused on serving nonprofits. To learn about each sponsor's nonprofit services, click on its logo.
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FUND DEVELOPMENT
STRATEGIC PLANNING
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BANKING/
ASSET MANAGEMENT
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Coworking Memberships (open desks and dedicated desk options): Nexus offers month-to-month memberships in our shared coworking space that come with free meeting room credits, access to high-speed internet, free copy, scanning, and printing, and free coffee. Best of all, you get to engage with other small business owners and nonprofits that care about making a positive difference in the Indianapolis Community. Memberships start at $59/month for lite memberships up to $149/month for a dedicated cubicle in our synergy suite. Learn more
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CHARITABLE ADVISORS
FEATURED JOB POSTINGS
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Job Seekers, what do you think of Charitable Advisors’ new job board? We moved our job board to HiringOpps in late April. Now, we are anxious to find out how the new system is working as a job seeker. If you have applied for a job using the new system, could you please take 2-minutes to let us know how it is going?
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Executive Leadership (CEO/ED/COO)
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