#fundchat

We’re Getting The #fundchat Band Back Together

  In June 2011, I was looking to connect with other nonprofit professionals on social media. So I launched #fundchat, a weekly conversation on Twitter for people who work for a nonprofit in either a fundraising or marketing capacity. Over five years and hundreds of chats, a happy little community came together around #fundchat. It became a supportive group of amazing people who were quick to…

Measuring How Nonprofits Measure Impact

How many times has a prospective donor asked you about your nonprofit’s “impact?” And more importantly, how did you respond? The impact revolution in philanthropyhas proved challenging for nonprofits who have historically focused on delivering programs and services and spending less time on documenting metrics and outcomes. But it’s a new day as Gary Laermer,  Chief Development Officer, YMCA of…

UPDATE: The revival of #fundchat

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I hope you all had a deliriously amazing summer and are recharged and recommitted to our shared vocation. It’s time to sit up straight, roll up your sleeves, and get down to the important work of raising the money that fuels the mission of our nonprofit organizations.

Since the launch of #fundchat in June 2011, our goal has been to create an online community of…

Making Your Charity Auction a Million Dollar Success

How can your nonprofit benefit from charity auctions? Join #fundchat on Wednesday, May 11 from 12-1pm EST for “Making Your Charity Auction a Million Dollar Success.” We’ll delve into the details of how to make the most of these events from conception, to planning, and implementation. We’ll be joined by @CharityBids who will share their experiences in working with clients. (Note: This is nota…

Social Media Success for Special Events

Want tips on how to leverage social media to build on the success of your special events? Curious about strategies before, during, and after events to maximize communication potential, build buzz, raise funds and steward donors?

Then “tune-in” from 12-1 p.m. EDT on April 20 when Lisa Chmiola, CFRE and Josh Hirsch take over moderating duties for this special edition of #fundchat! Fresh off their…

Turning Tweets & Likes Into Donations For Your Nonprofit

Has your nonprofit tapped into the power of social media for fundraising? That’s what I thought. There’s a lot of advice out there about how to turn likes, tweets, and shares into cash for your organization. But success with social media fundraising has proven elusive. As NPR reported in December, the nonprofit world hasn’t figured it out yet:

The issue strikes a chord with the digital…

Best Practices for a Successful Phonathon

It’s long been a staple of many fundraising programs: the traditional phonathon. Whether it’s a call from your alma mater or from your local United Way, calling potential donors directly and asking for their support is a tried and true method of raising money for your school or local charity. But with the rise of online giving, cell phones, caller ID, and more, do phonathons still work and are…

Crisis of Confidence: How Should Wounded Warrior Project Respond?

A Crisis of Confidence

Becoming headline news for all the wrong reasons is at the top of the list for nonprofit nightmares come true. A crisis of confidence has enveloped the Wounded Warrior Project coming under intense scrutiny after news stories questioned its spending habits and how donations are being usedto support the mission of the nonprofit. The crisis has dominated the headlines and now…

Should Your Nonprofit Pull The Plug On Social Media?

A few years ago, an intern or Millennial staffer at your nonprofit was tasked with “creating a social media presence” for your nonprofit. They signed up for Twitter, uploaded a profile picture for your Facebook page, started a group on LinkedIn, posted some photos on Instagram, and (what the heck) got everything up and running on Pinterest.

Since then, you’ve chugged a long, regularly updating,…

Create a Winning Nonprofit Annual Report

With December in the rear-view mirror, many nonprofits turn their attention to creating an annual report to share their success from the previous year as well as an accounting of their fundraising efforts and a list of donors.

Let’s put aside the debate of whether or not to even produce an annual report and instead discuss how to make the most of this stewardship opportunity for your nonprofit.

How To Recharge Your Volunteer Program

Many nonprofits rely on the work of volunteers to fulfill their missions. A volunteer is often worth their weight in gold. Yet, volunteerism in the United States is at an all time low.

According to a new reportby the Corporation for National and Community Service and the National Conference on Citizenship, “Adults in the United States volunteered in 2014 at the lowest rate since the federal…

One of the hardest parts of being the moderator of #fundchat is making the time to come up with topics that may (or may not!) be interesting to an amazing and talented group of nonprofit fundraising professionals. This week, my team was “all in” on a Giving Tuesday campaign and by Wednesday morning, I realized that I did not prep a topic for this week. So instead of sheepishly tweeting, “Sorry…

Giving Thanks: A Fresh Look at Donor Stewardship

Time for a check-in on donor stewardship! Join #fundchat on Wednesday, November 18 from 12-1 p.m. EST to discuss best practices in making your donors feel appreciated.

Here’s what you can do to ensure a successful #fundchat:

Share this post with your social networks! Invite your colleagues to join the conversation.

Suggest questions that we should ask during the chat to guide the discussion (use…

Do Your Donors Want Poetry or Prose?

How should you raise money for your cause? Fundraising can take many forms: grant proposals, appeal letters, events, or crowdfunding?

It all depends whether your donors want poetry or prose.

Raising Funds with Words that Sing

My late brother Ron Fischman needed money. He had commissioned artist Debora Alanna to produce the beautiful cover illustration for his new volume of poems, My Book of Days

Are You Bothering Your Donors Or Inspiring Them?

“Let’s not send too many emails. We don’t want to turn them off.”

Why are so many fundraisers  deathly afraid that they’re “bothering” their donors?

Make it meaningful.

It’s less a question of frequency and more one of content and relevance. When someone receives your letter or email, are you one more thing to get done in the rush? Or does she eagerly read, happy to confirm what she wants to…

Choosing The Best Fundraising Software For Your Nonprofit

You know it’s time. There was a time when your nonprofit could get along with the system you’ve had forever, but you realize that your fundraising software just doesn’t cut it any more. In fact, the systems that you have today are holding you back from better serving your donors, CEO, and board. But the process to choose the best fundraising software for your nonprofit seems daunting and the…