Fundraising Talks
News and updates from the USM Office of
Advancement Research
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A report from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy and Candid shows that more than $11.9 billion in philanthropic funding was awarded for COVID-19 related matters. This means that funding for COVID-19 was more than 16 times the funding for Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, and Dorian and the Australian bushfires, combined. However, the study found gaps in funding. For example, only five percent of grant dollars specified BIPOC communities and less than two percent of the money received went to mental health organizations. Read more here.
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According to Fast Company, not every nonprofit will be able to survive 2020 thanks to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. However, there are steps nonprofits can take from now until the end of the year to ensure success and long-term survival. In September, focus on not sounding like a broken record when reaching out to donors. They know that the pandemic has hit nonprofits hard--to stand out from other appeals, nonprofits can't be afraid to discuss race equity and health disparity in the context of their organization's mission. In October, nonprofits should build trust among their donors and engage them in new and exciting ways. In November, use digital channels to show donors how your nonprofit is overcoming obstacles and delivering on your mission. In December, make sure you are engaging with donors on Giving Tuesday and converting donor engagement into donor dollars. Finally, in January take time to thank all of your stakeholders. Click here to learn more.
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With schools across the country struggling as a result of the pandemic, donors are worried about the fate of their charitable gift annuities to universities. However, experts say that these annuities should remain safe as few nonprofits have defaulted on their annuity obligations. If donors remain vigilant on how they select nonprofits that will set up annuities, their risk is low. Read more here.
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Organizations across the country are revamping their events season in a new, socially distanced world. Virtual events are becoming the norm, and the Helen Brown Group's blog post outlines tips for hosting a successful virtual event. Recommendations include marketing to as many participants as possible, as virtual events do not have a geographic limitation; requiring attendees to RSVP or purchase a ticket to hold attendees accountable; making the event as interactive as possible with polls, chat boxes, or small group discussions; and following up with attendees after the event, as you would with an in-person event.
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Donor stewardship is an extremely important task that nonprofits must perform in order to retain their donors. According to NonProfitPro, eight percent of donors lapse because they aren't informed on how their dollars are used, thirteen percent lapse because they never received a thank you, eighteen percent lapse due to poor communication and thirty-six percent lapse because they feel another organization is more deserving. This can be avoided by crafting good communication plans for donors. By segmenting your nonprofit's supporters, scheduling face to face meetings, hosting stewardship events, and communicating the impact of donor dollars, more donors will be willing to contribute to your organization again. Read more here.
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While FY20 closed out with less fundraising damage than expected, FY21 faces a new threat--shrinking of proposal pipelines due to FY20's slowdown in cultivation activities. EAB found that there were two causes of the depletion of proposal pipelines: plummeting qualification rates and not being able to move prospects forward. They suggest two strategies to higher ed advancement leaders. First, prioritize the warmest "cold" prospects for qualification and second, equip gift officers with the tools they need to move cultivation forward. Read the full article here.
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