This week the Foundation Center provided a quick summary of the Nonprofit Fundraising Study created by the Nonprofit Research Collaborative. The entire report is a great read for data nerds.
There were two data points in this report that we wanted to highlight. One of the items evaluated was how nonprofit organizations use the Internet for donor engagement. On page 32, a table shows that 63% of organizations that post regularly online met their fundraising goal, while just 50% of organizations that do not post online reached their fundraising goal. There are similar numbers throughout the table that reflect that those organizations maintaining a consistent online presence are more likely to reach their fundraising goal.
Similarly, data on page 27 shows that the organizations that consistently used thank you notes, email communication, and mailed materials are also more likely to reach their fundraising goals.
When evaluating the methodology of this survey, larger organizations are over-represented. But smaller organizations can use this data to help them consider how they allocate their limited staff and resources. The same techniques that make one-on-one relationship management so important are also critical in digital and social communication. Building a consistent, efficient, and thoughtful communication strategy will not only help you reach your fundraising goal but will also help you strengthen your place in the community and retain donors from year-to-year.
Below are some additional links from the week that we thought you might enjoy. As always, follow our Tumblr for other great links.
- Two products that we use regularly and are great for small nonprofit organization announced updates this week. Dropbox is rebranding their ‘Dropbox Teams’ to ‘Dropbox for Business’ which reflects their focus on Business tools. Meanwhile, Wave debuted a free receipt scanning function.
- NPQ published an interesting two-part point/counterpoint series about charity rankings. William Schambra, the director of the Hudson Institute’s Bradley Center for Philanthropy and Civic Renewal, argues of the dangers of charity rankings while Charity Navigator President and CEO Ken Berger writes about the importance of the rankings. For our thoughts on the subject, check out our blog post from last summer.
- Speaking of data, Piper Jaffray released their comprehensive survey of teenager consumer habits. The social media information begins on page 32 and provides some interesting trends.
- Ben Mangen, CEO of Earn, has a thoughtful article on three powerful ways to measure social good.
Justin (he, him) is a Principal and Co-Founder of Social Change Consulting. He has over fifteen years of nonprofit experience, with expertise in online fundraising, digital communications, and data management. Justin helps organizations connect their communication strategy to their income development needs. When he’s not on the clock, Justin is exploring Berlin, running, listening to too many podcasts, and drinking too much coffee.