September, 2014

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10 e-Newsletter Best Practices for Nonprofits

Nonprofit Tech for Good

'Despite the rapid rise of social media, more online donations are made from a click in an e-newsletter than any other source. In fact, in 2013 for every 1,000 fundraising messages delivered, nonprofits raised $17. That was a 21% decrease from the previous year, but the decrease is mostly likely due to poor online fundraising practices , such as not having a mobile-optimized donate page and e-newsletter design.

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How to Find a Nonprofit Job After Election Day

EveryAction

'The end of the campaign trail is in sight and while it’s hard to think much about anything besides GOTV stats and your campaign team’s eventual glory on November 4th, you can’t help but think: What’s next? As election season comes to an end, many campaigners will be turning their attention to the job hunt. Many nonprofits are looking for individuals with an organizer’s skills and mindset.

Job 244
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Infographic: Optimizing Your Nonprofit Donation Page

TechImpact

'With online donations to nonprofit organizations on the rise, the onus is on the nonprofit to make the donation process as simple as possible. The point is to make donating through your nonprofit secure website simple, easy, and fast. The best way to do this is by optimizing your website, and more specifically, your online donation form. If your nonprofit has not taken a look at its online donation form within the last year, it might be time to fire up a web browser and try using it yourself.

Donation 236
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Master Class on Creating Startup Tech Social Enterprises

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

'I''m looking forward to teaching a Master Class at San Francisco''s Presidio Graduate School on September 18th. Current Presidio MBA student and Benetech team member Julie Noblitt wrote a generous blog post about the master class last week. Julie is not our only connection to Presidio: alum Kristina Pappas runs International Bookshare for Benetech.

Classes 191
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The Retention Ripple Effect: Nonprofit Staff and Donor Dynamics

Speaker: Andrew Olsen, CFRE - EVP, Fundraising Solutions at DickersonBakker | Kat Landa, CFRE, CSD - SVP, Talent Solutions at DickersonBakker

Across the nonprofit sector, organizations invest heavily in donor retention efforts, yet the struggle of cultivating lasting relationships remains. While attracting new donors is crucial, the lack of repeat donors poses significant financial risks. Through a comprehensive analysis of industry data, experts argue that there is a direct correlation between donor burnout, donor retention, and the talent retention crisis.

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It’s that time of year: your 8-step fundraising data checklist

3rd Sector Labs

'September has arrived. Kids are headed back to school. Fall will be here before you know it … and so will your big year-end fundraising appeal. Are you ready? Have you completed your fundraising data checklist? What are we talking about – a fundraising DATA checklist? This is the time of year when fundraising teams are pouring their available time, energy and talents into perhaps the most important task of the year.

Data 184
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Please Join VisionLink In Welcoming Aaron Titus To Our Proud Family!

VisionLink

'VisionLink is honored to welcome yet another resident specialist to our ever-growing VisionLink team. As the new Disaster Product Manager for VisionLink, Aaron comes from an extensive and distinguished background. As a former member of the New Jersey Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (NJ VOAD), Aaron coordinated Hurricane Sandy and Irene response efforts for Mormon Helping Hands.

Utah 149

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The Art of Facilitating Meetings with Sticky Notes

Beth's Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media

'Post-It Note Facilitation of A Network Map - 2012 Pakistan NGOs. What’s in your facilitation toolkit? Mine includes markers , sticky notes , index cards, and flip chart paper. But wait, paper??? Yes. And, I’m not alone. Take for example my colleague Eugene Eric Kim who shares his facilitation toolkit which includes links to his favorite Post It notes and markers.

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Infographic: What Your Social Media Followers Hate About Your Posts

TechImpact

'Twitter and its other social media feeds is your nonprofit’s public voice. It’s an extension of your nonprofit that should not be taken lightly. Your social media manager should be central to your nonprofit’s communications strategies. As such, it’s imperative to your nonprofit’s perceived legitimacy that its social feeds are engaging, well written, and maintained.

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Open Source and the Promise of Sustainable Nutrition Security

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

'Recently I had the opportunity to get introduced to Gerald Nelson , senior climate change researcher and Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Jerry and I had a great conversation about open sourcing of agricultural scientific models, such as those used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in their climate change reports.

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Does your charity have too much data?

3rd Sector Labs

'How do you know when your organization is storing and using too much data? We were asked this question recently – and it’s a great question. In fact, being in the nonprofit data services business, we get asked lots of questions about how to obtain more donor data, better data, the right data. Few customers ask us “When is there too much data?

Data 155
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How to Design a Seamless & Personalized Digital Donor Journey

Speaker: Tim Sarrantonio

The average nonprofit uses five or more different software platforms to create their donor’s journey, making the experience clunky and disjointed. If you want to design a magical online giving experience for donors, making their journey as seamless as possible is key. In this webinar with expert Tim Sarrantonio, you’ll learn the fundamental steps to create an immersive and personalized online giving experience for your donors.

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Is Your Nonprofit using Google’s Free AdWords Grant?

BoardAssist

'As a part of Google Grants, qualifying nonprofits can earn a free advertising budget of up to $10,000 each month to use on AdWords to help promote their website and cause. But most nonprofits we work with don’t realize this amazing gift is theirs for the asking. Others that do know, don’t understand how easy it is to get and use a Google AdWords Grant.

Adwords 102
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The One Call We All Want To Receive

Wild Apricot

'Are you making thank you calls to your donors or members? It''s one of the few calls we all want to receive – and it can make a difference for donor retention and member engagement.

Retention 113
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NTEN Leading Change Summit #14lcs: Reflection

Beth's Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media

'Photo by Trav Williams. Last week I facilitated the “ Impact Leadership Track ” at the NTEN Leading Change Summit with John Kenyon, Elissa Perry, and Londell Jackson. Our track was one of three tracks for participants to dive deep into a topic and learn from peers through dialogue. The event also included plenary speakers, including a provocative talk about data methods from Alexandra Samuels and cross-track sessions from traditional panels to unconference.

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Infographic: How We Store Data Now, And In The Future

TechImpact

'Computing has ostensibly changed the way we access, store, and utilize information. It has changed the way we work, socialize, and even date. None of this would have been possible if it were not for the power of data storage. From the first 2.6MB hard drive being developed by IBM in 1963, to 2-4 terabyte cloud storage being available today, if we were unable to save and access our information, all our computing power would be all for naught.

Data 212
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Nonprofits Are Leveraging the Cloud, but Does It Have to Be So Complex?

Effectively managing cloud technology is getting more complex. From cybersecurity concerns, vendor lock-in, cost increases, or lack of transparency on costs, it can quickly get out of control. Knowing what you can control and finding a platform that’s built with nonprofits in mind is key.

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Team-Up for Textbooks: Volunteer to Help Students with Disabilities

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

'The new school year is in full swing, yet across the U.S., all too many students with print disabilities might not have the textbooks they need for class. To meet that need, the Benetech Volunteer Program is piloting a new initiative—and we’re inviting you to join us! When a Bookshare student member with a print disability needs a book for school that is not yet in the Bookshare collection, the member submits a request and Bookshare creates an accessible digital version of that book.

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May the Farce Be With You

See3

'We watch and review a lot of online video at See3, and one trend we see over and over is that videos that catch the cultural moment tend to do very well. When videos touch on something in the current culture they are more likely to be understood, appreciated and shared. Being in the now […].

Video 100
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Failing Forward: Why building failure into your organizational culture can make it more successful

NTEN

'Michelle L. Chaplin. Senior Manager, Online Fundraising. PBS. "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." - Thomas Edison. Most people bristle at the sound of the “F” word. Failing is something to be ashamed of or something to use for deprecation (#FAIL, anyone?). But failing can be one of the most powerful tools your organization has to continuously innovate and improve its programs.

Culture 100
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Fall Planning Resource Round-up

Wild Apricot

'Here''s a round-up of resources to help with fall membership planning. From member and volunteer recruitment, to refreshing your website or communications – we''ve got you covered with helpful guides, articles and blog posts.

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Nonprofit Technology Kick Start: Free World Class Board Meeting Software

Looking for cost reductions for your nonprofit? Why not consider modernizing with a digital board management system that's designed to work with remote meetings, with immediate cost reductions if you still distribute paper packets to members? Get going in less than an hour on a fully hosted cloud solution built on the latest technology that runs on any device - from desktops to tablets and smartphones - without any installation.

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Big Vision Tip: Stay on Track. Text Your Big Vision Buddy

Have Fun - Do Good

'About a year and a half ago my friend Heather and I decided to try the Oprah and Deepak 21-Day Meditation Experience. To make sure we completed it, we texted each other right after we meditated. There were many mornings when I would "forget" to meditate (isn''t it funny how our minds do that when we''re resisting something?), and her text would prompt me to do it.

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Why Email Still Matters To Nonprofit Marketing

TechImpact

'The numbers don’t lie. According to a recent study conducted by ExactTarget , 77% of consumers prefer to receive marketing communications through email. Email marketing has been around since the first email was sent in XX, and while its effectiveness has been called into question in recent years, the truth is, email marketing is here to stay as a lead generator for years to come.

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Unlocking Technology-for-Good Innovation

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

'At Benetech, we advance technology applications that empower and protect underprivileged populations, and that also have the potential to become financially self-sustaining enterprises. This keeps us focused on projects that offer the greatest social impact for the resources invested. Benetech Labs is where the Benetech team and our social impact partners incubate new software-for-good applications.

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High Holidays Lessons for Everyone: Using Reflection to Move Forward

See3

'Fall is always a time of transition when vacations are over, school years are starting, and the weather changes. Transitions are always a time for reflection, regrouping, and looking forward. When a leader retires, the organization must take stock of where they are at, and what they need for the next era. When a child […].

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Donor Engagement Guide: 8 Key Steps to Better Retain and Engage Donors

Are your donors your biggest fans, or are you lacking donor loyalty? The truth is, your donors have expectations of what their relationship with your organization should look like. This ebook will help you learn how to live up to those expectations!

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The 15th issue of NTEN: Change is here: Advocacy and Visual Communications

NTEN

'The 15th issue of the NTEN: Change journal is out, focusing on Advocacy and Visual Communications: How to Rise Above the Noise. This issue is packed with actionable ideas, intriguing interviews, and impactful case examples that''ll help you show what your mission means, and why it''s important. >>Read the September 2014 issue! (read it on your desktop, mobile device, or Issuu app) Articles and interviews in this issue examines visual communications and advocacy across a range of angles.

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Is It Time For A New Membership Website?

Wild Apricot

'Your website is the "mothership" of your online community. So if you are looking for a new website builder for your membership organization, here is a resource that can help.

Websites 109
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9 Tips For Delivering Excellent Customer Service

Eric Jacobsen Blog

'Leading a customer service team? Have the team members use these 9 tips for delivering excellent customer service : Rely on winning words and soothing phrases. A simple but sincere “Thanks for your patience” or “I’m listening” can go a long way toward defusing a holiday shopper’s frustration, anxiety, or panic. Develop a repertoire of short, easy to remember phrases around issues that are important to customers.

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10 Tips For #GivingTuesday Donation Form Optimization

TechImpact

'Image courtesy of SmashingForms. With #GivingTuesday right around the corner, your nonprofit’s donation page could use some sprucing up. Overall charitable giving grew by 4.9% in 2013, and online donations grew by an astonishing 14%. This increased comfort level of online consumers spending can be attributed to a variety of factors; an increased comfort level with spending money online, and the online giving process being streamlined by nonprofits to name a few.

Donation 210
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Nonprofit Technology Adoption: Why It Matters and How to Be Successful

Organizations like yours are increasingly realizing that technology adoption is only as good as the technology you choose. Statistics from a 2014 NTEN study show that seriously investing resources in training for your staff corresponds to higher adoption and ultimately technology effectiveness. In this report, we’ll give you a high-level overview of how to get your organization in shape for technology adoption and best practices for facilitating this critical process.

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Advancing Reading Equality with Bookshare’s Exponential Growth

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

'At Benetech, we always ask ourselves how our existing successful programs can reach more people who need our services and how we can apply technology in new ways to enrich and improve more lives. I’m thrilled to share with you some of the recent amazing impact of Bookshare , a Benetech Global Literacy initiative and the largest accessible online library of copyrighted content for people with print disabilities.

Literacy 129
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Social Media Advice from Superheroes

See3

'Some of the best advice I've ever gotten has come from masked avengers, caped crusaders, and friendly neighborhood supermutants. Turns out this advice applies pretty nicely to our work as digital do-gooders as well. After all, aren't we out saving our own corners of the world every day? Here are some of my favorite quotes from […].

Advice 100
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Putting Data to Use for a Successful Nonprofit Event

NTEN

'Matthew Wainwright. Director of Marketing. Attend.com. You put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into your fundraising event. How can you use data to get the most out of it? One of the simultaneously most rewarding and most difficult aspects of nonprofit work is the reliance on community members to support an organization’s cause. Fundraisers present valuable opportunities to generate a stronger understanding of and commitment to the given cause within the attendees.

Data 99
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Back to School Behavior, Magnetic Membership and More

Wild Apricot

'This week''s link round-up offers four posts on: kick-starting your board, creating member value, fine-tuning your events website, and checking your new appeal letter.

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Achieving Organizational Transformation: Pathways to Success

Association executives—and hopefully their boards—know that they are facing perilous times. Driven by the pace of cultural and technological change, they are experiencing major disruptions in the traditional business models that used to guide organizational growth strategies.orgSource offers a straightforward approach to navigating these changes and readying your organization for growth.