Blue State’s Post

🔥 Timely and powerful article from The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Reaffirms what the great Frank O'Brien said about the need for authentic messaging post the debate. 👀 A recent article from The Chronicle of Philanthropy underscores this, revealing that ▶ 78% of donors prioritize truthfulness in charity communications. In an age of rampant misinformation, this demand for honesty is more critical than ever. 👀 Another stat: transparent and clear messaging saw a ▶ 23% increase in donor retention rates. These stats are a testament to the power of authenticity. When donors feel they can trust the message, they are more likely to stay engaged and continue their support. https://lnkd.in/eRwJTkXB Proud of my team at The Harrington Agency, especially our writers, Wendy Davis and Willa Hammitt Brown, to hold fast to our values: authentic, honest, and powerful content is the foundation of what makes THA’s fundraising so effective.

On Sunday, April 14, MCN joined Senator Klobuchar, the Minnesota Council on Foundations, the Women's Foundation of Minnesota, and the EAST SIDE FREEDOM LIBRARY for a press conference to promote The Charitable Act (S.566/H.R. 3435) that would create a universal charitable deduction at the federal level. For over a century, our tax system has encouraged Americans to give back to their communities by providing tax deductions for contributions to charitable organizations. But this culture of giving is at risk. "Our sector is essential, yet MCN’s most recent nonprofit impact report highlights a dire need – as community demands continue to increase, critical financial donations have decreased," said MCN executive director Nonoko Sato at the press conference. "In fact, according to Giving USA Foundation’s 2023 report, individual giving adjusted for inflation, has declined 13.4% in 2022, only the fourth time that donations have fallen in the last 40 years." The Charitable Act, at its core, is about building stronger and more resilient communities. By recognizing and incentivizing charitable contributions, governments signal their support for the critical role that nonprofits play in delivering essential services, fostering innovation, and building stronger communities. More: https://lnkd.in/gvcJsQ-w

Revenue diversification is crucial for nonprofit organizations during these tough times. With the industry continuing to face shrinking files and retention rates, it's essential to optimize the donor pyramid to avoid leaving money on the table and putting operating models at risk without slashing expenses. #fundraising #nonprofits #cultivation

🌟 The year-end season is crucial for nonprofits, and crafting impactful appeals is key. Check out these 8 practical ways to create successful year-end appeals that inspire generosity and support for your cause. #yearendfundraising #nonprofitmarketing

🌟 The year-end season is crucial for nonprofits, and crafting impactful appeals is key. Check out these 8 practical ways to create successful year-end appeals that inspire generosity and support for your cause. #yearendfundraising #nonprofitmarketing

🎁⛄Will the busy holiday season have you making multiple trips to Target for all the last minute meal supplies, gifts, and more? Did you know that every time you shop, you earn votes to support local nonprofits? 🎯 Now through December 31st, vote for FISH through the Target Circle program to help us earn a percentage of Target’s charitable giving this quarter. Every vote counts to help us receive a portion of the available Target funds. Don’t forget, as you earn more votes, you can keep voting multiple times during the campaign! 👉Note: FISH is only listed for the Denver-area Target locations. If you do not see us on the list of nonprofits, try temporarily changing your store location. #target #targetcircle #broomfield #giveback #holidayseason

Following the writing up of Bluefrog's report and presentation on our findings into why older donors (aged in their late 70s, 80s and 90s) add and remove charities from their Wills, I thought I'd have a peek at Facebook to see how many charities were delivering what older donors are interested in, in their recruitment advertising. I flicked through my Facebook feed three times over the course of about half an hour and saw the following ads (as a bloke in my early 60s). You'll see that not all are ads are from charities, but many of the offers are very, very similar. It left me asking five questions: 1. Why are so many legacy fundraising ads aimed at price sensitive people? 2. Why do so many fundraisers think older, wealthier donors don't know how to write or change a Will? 3. Why do so few legacy fundraising ads deliver what older donors want? 4. What's happened to creativity? 5. Do clicks count more than income? I'm not saying all these ads are poor, but it left me with a lot of whys? And just for clarity, I didn't use any search term. All these were just there waiting in my feed as I scrolled away. #legacyfundraising #legacies

The Arizona Republic published a lengthy article about the outrageous donation match claims in Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake's fundraising texts and emails, and it's worth reading. (🔗 in the comments) Lake's campaign is by no means alone in this, but her fundraising solicitations imply that individuals' donations will be matched by especially large multipliers: "This link automatically activates 30X IMPACT!!!"  "80X IMPACT ON YOUR DONATION." The Arizona Republic's reporting correctly points out that this popular way of misleading donors has questionable effectiveness, leads to donor fatigue, and opens you up to legal liability. And no, those donations never get matched. It's worth noting that nobody is proud of doing this type of fundraising. One of Lake's own campaign advisors, Caroline Wren, railed against the tactic: "Every time I look at my phone, I get a text message saying, 'give right now or we'll shoot your dog and light your house on fire… It's like, how is that motivating someone to donate?" I don't care about Kari Lake, but I get disheartened when I see good people and good organizations borrow bad tactics from high-profile political campaigns. I want to be clear: Just because you're seeing something constantly doesn't mean it works. There's a disturbing amount of inertia in the political space. What some people are afraid to admit is that there are better ways to raise money. But they're harder—you don't get to use generic, boilerplate copy or the "spray and pray" approach of sending panicky pleas to people who have never heard of you. I know this because my team and I have raised millions of dollars for clients without sending misleading messages or alienating would-be supporters. Instead, we've leveraged our clients' unique stories and voices to build lasting support for their cause. We treat money as a tool, not a goal. Our approach requires transparency, creativity, and a commitment to a long-term, big-picture, world-bettering goal. It takes time and investment. It's not for everybody, but if you're trying to build a sustainable culture of giving that can withstand changes in algorithms and politics, there's no better way. There are thousands of different ways to raise money. Choose one that has movement building in mind.

Donor trust is paramount. Transparency and authenticity should be our priority, as a recent BBB Wise Giving Alliance report shows in an article by The Chronicle of Philanthropy. https://lnkd.in/eR65esJ7

🇺🇸 Worried about political giving impacting your fall fundraising? Don’t be. Evidence shows it won’t. Charitable giving has increased in 9 of the last 10 presidential election years. Political giving is less than 2% of all charitable donations. Elections can actually boost awareness of civic duty, leading to increased charitable donations. Stay the course: - Mail fall appeals in September/October and end-of-year appeals before Thanksgiving or early December. - Inspire donors with thank-yous, stories, and impact reports. - Ensure timely thank-you letters, calls, and emails, especially to first-time donors. - Continue soliciting via email until New Year’s Eve. Five Maples is here to help. Here’s to a successful fall and end-of-year fundraising season!