Fundraising Headlines - June 22, 2009

The half-year point is upon us. It’s a great time to assess progress. Are you reaching the goals you laid out at the beginning of the year? What can you do to ensure that those goals are met by the end of the year? Do you need to recruit more volunteers? Revamp your mail appeals? Prepare for a capital campaign? Feel free to contact me if you’d like some ideas.

Here are this week’s headlines. Happy reading!

THOUGHTS ON FUNDRAISING

How NOT to Get Results With a Fundraising Letter (June 16, 2009, AFP) In this article, direct mail veteran Mal Warwick book describes the common errors in writing fundraising letters and explains how to avoid them. http://www.afpnet.org/ka/ka-3.cfm?content_item_id=24935&folder_id=914

Changing Demographics Could Be More of a Challenge to Charities Than the Recession (June 14, 2009, Chronicle of Philanthropy) Fund raisers might want to be more concerned about shifting demographics than economic swings. While charitable giving historically tends to be affected less significantly by either recessions or economic booms than other sectors of the economy, it has undergone tremendous changes in response to new generations and their changing attitudes toward philanthropy. By 1990 the average American donor was giving half of what the average donor gave in the 1920s. http://philanthropy.com/news/prospecting/8557/changing-demographics-could-be-more-of-a-challenge-to-charities-than-the-recession

The Added Value of Donor Surveys (June 14, 2009, Dan Allenby) In some people’s eyes, nonprofits only call or write when they’re asking for money. Part of our job in annual giving is to overcome that perception. Goals for surveys could include stewardship, data collection and prospect research. Start by identifying your overall goals. http://danallenby.wordpress.com/2009/06/14/the-added-value-of-donor-surveys/


TIPS AND RESOURCES

Tips for Designing (or Redesigning) a Nonprofit Web Site (June 16, 2009, TechSoup) If your organization is building a new Web site from scratch or updating an existing one, you may need to rely on professional help when it comes to design and implementation. The guidelines in this article can help you plan and design a polished, functional site that meets your organization's needs. We discuss some of the major phases of a design project, some of the lingo and jargon you'll encounter, and the tools and skill sets you'll need to set your sights on a great, new site. http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/webbuilding/page11822.cfm


TECHNOLOGY

The 10 Commandments of Social Media (June 9, 2009, Fast Company) As an author of The Social Media Bible, I am often asked, "What do I need to do (to) engage my company, my products, and myself in social media?" The answer is easy: participate. Get out there and get involved. If you aren't in the game, you can't win. ...… http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/lon-safko/ten-commandments-social-media/ten-commandments-social-media


OTHER ARTICLES

Donor Relationships - Who Do They Belong To? (June 13, 2009, Kirsten Bullock’s Blog) As a fundraising consultant, I am sometimes asked what donor relationships I bring with me. The answer is short, simple, and most times not what the organization wants to hear. The answer is none. http://fundraisingheadlines.blogspot.com/2009/06/donor-relationships-who-do-they-belong.html

Philanthropy During a Recession (June 15, 2009, About.com) The Giving USA Foundation report, produced by The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, was released last week and provides information about charitable giving in 2008. Some main points: (1) Although the adjusted figures were the worst seen in many years, the fact is that last year the S&P fell approximately 33% and charitable giving only dropped about 6%. (2) Corporate giving was down by 8%. (3) Individual giving decreased by 6.3% (while U.S. household net worth decreased nearly 18% in 2008). (4) The human services sector was the biggest loser, with contributions sinking by 15.9%. (5) Giving to religious causes increased by 1.6% http://nonprofit.about.com/b/2009/06/15/philanthropy-during-a-recession-giving-usa-report-yields-insights-into-what-fundraisers-can-do-now.htm

When Will it End? (June 18, 2009, The Chronicle of Philanthropy) AS A PREDICTOR of how long the economic downturn will last, and when charitable giving might rebound, the 1970s provide a good parallel, experts say. If the comparisons hold up, giving won't recover to 2007 levels until 2012 at best, assuming the recession ends this year. It took a full three years after the 1970s recession ended in 1975 for giving to bounce back. See: http://philanthropy.com/premium/articles/v21/i17/17002901.htm