According to a 2019 Statistica report on social media use, users spend an average of 136 minutes per day on social channels such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat. Facebook alone has 2.41 billion monthly active users, and that number is expected to grow to over three billion by 2021. Individuals are not only using digital channels to entertain themselves or connect with friends and family, but to connect with causes they care about. 

The digital age represents an opportunity for nonprofits to increase giving. With merely a click of a mouse or tap on a phone, individuals can quickly learn about and donate to nonprofit organizations. Digital fundraising, specifically on social media channels, provides a way for nonprofits to connect to younger generations who do not have the time nor desire to receive lengthy appeal letters or printed newsletters. It is a rapidly growing medium that nonprofits must tap into if they wish to attract and maintain donors.

Social media and online giving both increased six percent between 2010 and 2018. On the other hand, direct mail decreased by 26 percent. With 75 percent of the population on social media every day, nonprofits have an ever growing audience of vast ages to solicit their…

Professional development (PD) is the "process of improving and increasing capabilities of staff through access to education and training." PD is crucial to keeping the right people working for your organization.

According to Guidestar, there are three reasons why PD is extremely important. First, it helps with staff retention rates. When staff are happy and feel good with not only the work they are doing, but know that they are appreciated and are shown that their work matters, the likelihood of them sticking around in their role is much higher. Second, better results for the organization as whole. When a nonprofit leader invests in the PD of their employees, it will have significant positive effects on fundraising and donor involvement. Lastly, investing in PD means better-educated and more motivated employees to help reach the mission for which the organization is striving.​​​​​​​

While conferences were once the only idea in gaining professional development skills, peer-to-peer mentoring is shown to give the highest output of learned skills. According to a Stanford Social Innovation Review survey, 70 percent of social-sector…

I’ll keep this simple, as many of us have a lot on our minds as we experience the world grappling with a public health crisis. Once you have looked out for the safety and well being of your employees by implementing work from home, social distancing, and community hygiene, it is critical that you turn your attention to your organization’s future fiscal health. Putting this off may impact, and potentially prevent, your organization from implementing its mission and providing critical services.

We have to look at the financial markets

The dual shocks of COVID-19 and an oil price war have roiled global markets. As of mid-March, the S&P 500 has plummeted over 27 percent since a market high on February 19, 2020. Uncertainty is likely to continue as the dual shocks on the global economy are increasing the probability of recession. Keep this idea of uncertainty in your back pocket, as we will return to it soon.

We just saw this

Again, with the focus on financial markets, we’ve seen this before and not too long ago. Remember the global financial crisis (GFC), aka the Great Recession, of 2007-2010? Of course you do. It took well into the last decade for most to recover; and, in some cases, organizations and communities never recovered.

For the nonprofit sector, the GFC wreaked havoc on donations and budgets…

Technological advancements have fundamentally changed the way people live, and they will continue to do so. These changes have significant consequences for how organizations connect with donors, clients, partners, and employees. According to Pew Research Center, a whopping 96 percent of Americans now own a cell phone, and the share that own smartphones is now 81 percent—up from just 35 percent in 2011.

Roughly one in five Americans have abandoned broadband Internet altogether and now exclusively use their mobile device. Notably, this isn’t just a trend for younger generations. 96 percent of those aged 30-49 own smartphones along with 79 percent of 50-64 year olds. In an article in Nonprofit Quarterly, Holly Ross said society’s implementation of technology has altered expectations of responsiveness, internal visibility, and the lure of newness and innovation. Bottom-line: the nonprofit sector must adapt.

Leveraging technology is about strategically selecting tools that will advance an organization’s mission. Mobile technology includes all portable communication devices, such as smartphones, tablets, or smartwatches, that connect to Internet or cellular data and can be used to increase trust and transparency, fundraise, story-tell, and work more efficiently.

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Many charitable nonprofits rely on the help of volunteers to fulfill their missions. Whether it be packing food boxes, mentoring youth, or assisting with general office work, volunteers contribute valuable time and energy to help organizations succeed. Implementing management practices allows organizations to recruit and retain volunteer resources, but many nonprofits struggle to successfully engage volunteers and reap the full benefits of their service. By effectively managing and engaging volunteers, organizations can save costs, increase community support, and build their capacity to operate efficiently and sustainably.

Engaged volunteers feel connected to the organization and are more easily retained, allowing nonprofits to benefit from volunteer contributions over longer periods of time. Building relationships with volunteers and unlocking additional ways they may be willing to support the cause helps an organization develop its capacity to fulfill its mission. Implementing strategic engagement initiatives designed to leverage the assets of volunteers expands a nonprofit’s ability to maximize its social impact.

Nonprofits should consider engaging volunteers as leaders, donors, and advocates to grow their commitment to the organization, boost retention, and build organizational capacity. In order to cultivate volunteers to contribute in these ways, a strong foundational volunteer program must be in place.

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