Insights Archive - Page 17 of 29

It has been one year since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic in March 2020. Last spring, many faith communities completely suspended all in-person gatherings and worship moved exclusively online. According to research conducted by CCS Fundraising in summer 2020,[1] about 66% of Catholic and Episcopal parishes took an all-online approach. Others rapidly adopted hybrid worship and fellowship offerings as local health guidelines allowed, which involved a mix of in-person and online gatherings.

At first, this was an uncomfortable, sudden jolt that left a lot of congregations counting down the days until this was all over. One year later, these adjustments that were meant to be temporary are still present. Broad swaths of the population have fully adjusted to this new virtual lifestyle for work, worship, and social activities.

While many people are yearning for a full reversal of all adaptations that have occurred over the past year, the reality is that at least some of these changes are likely here to stay after the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided.

Parishes need to be ready for a hybrid model of worship and fellowship, similar to how many companies are preparing for a mix of in-person and remote work. The remainder of this article provides an overview of our recommended strategies to ensure that you are prepared to maintain a hybrid worship model for the short-, medium-, and long-term, and that you can continue to sustain philanthropic support in a hybrid environment.

One: Enlist a Plan Ahead Team

While no one can accurately predict when a “return to normalcy” will occur, we can plan for various potential next steps based on experiences thus far. We know certain activities have led to resurgences in outbreaks in local communities and we know this is followed by stricter lockdowns. We also know people will vary on how they decide to access the vaccine throughout the ongoing rollout process.

Amid uncertainty about the future, what we can do now is some scenario planning. We recommend creating a Plan Ahead Team,[2] which can be led by clergy and lay leaders. The Plan Ahead Team would be responsible for mapping out scenarios (e.g., full return to in-person worship, hybrid worship services) that are personalized to your community. For example:

Perhaps you have more families with small children. Through our engagements with clients, we have heard many families prefer watching services from home to avoid the stress of getting the kids ready for Sunday service.
Maybe you have more elderly parishioners who may be more vulnerable to COVID-19. These individuals are likely going to be more cautious with how they return to normal activities.
Are you reliant on events and auctions? You may need to focus less time on event planning to support people at a physical event and spend more time recruiting quality sponsors.

Whatever the demographics of your faith community, map out personalized scenarios for your parishioners. In each scenario, consider the segments of your population and think strategically about what forms of communication are needed to be supportive and maintain consistent and clear messaging about the importance of giving.

Two: Ensure You Are Fully Equipped

Many aspects of today’s virtual world could be here to stay permanently in the American lifestyle, such as hybrid workspaces and increased virtual gatherings.[3] It is wise to assume the same for non-work-related activities, including worship services and parish gatherings. The likely continuation of a digital audience cannot be neglected as focus begins to shift back to in-person service and gatherings.

As such, your communities cannot, and must not, abandon best practices developed throughout the course of the pandemic. Use this pre-reemergence time to ensure you are properly equipped with the necessary tools and systems to sustain a more robust operating model long-term.

Continue posting regular parish updates – of both a social and financial nature – via social media pages. Whether it be Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or another platform, social media will play increasingly vital roles in parish life moving forward. Check to see which social media platforms are receiving the most attention from your community and invest in regular updates on these platforms.
If your parish has a website, provide ongoing updates that are easy to find. Particularly in older parish communities where social media may not be a viable communication method, websites provide easy avenues to maintain social aspects of parish life.
Think through how single events can have both a virtual and an in-person option. For worship and other events, some parishioners may want to attend in-person while others may want to attend virtually. How can your parish logistically accommodate these preferences to maximize engagement and community?

Three: Make Giving a Central Component of Planning

CCS Fundraising’s research revealed many faith communities early in the pandemic utilized a variety of online platforms to share worship and fellowship information including their website (88%), engagement on social media platforms like Facebook (80%), and online digital bulletins (46%).[4]

However, across these online resources, giving was often not prominently mentioned – 45% of congregations mentioned giving on their websites, 15% on Facebook, and 22% in bulletins and newsletters. This research shows that in what was undoubtedly a rapid response to adjust service models to be fully online or hybrid, ensuring that giving continued virtually was not always part of the plan.

De-emphasizing giving can majorly impact the financial security of faith communities. Though the full impact of the pandemic on the financial security of faith communities is yet to be seen, early research may illustrate the downstream effects of not fully considering how to sustain giving in a virtual environment. The Lake Institute on Faith and Giving at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy reported an overall 6% decrease in giving to congregations as of June 2020.[5] CCS’s fourth-edition Philanthropic Climate Survey in January 2021 showed that 51% of religion respondents reported a decrease in fundraising at their organization in 2020.[6]

A hybrid worship model is likely here to stay, at least a little longer than most parishes expected or planned. A commitment to maintain consistent levels of giving and continued stewardship must be a central consideration throughout your planning. We recommend that parishes, at minimum:

Continue providing online options for parishioners to give. While in-pew gifts are the heart and soul of parish giving, online payment options need to be a central aspect of future plans.
Make a plan for how discussions of giving will be promoted in the hybrid environment. In addition to providing online giving options, think through where in your hybrid communications you will draw attention to giving and the financial needs of your parish.

Final Reflections

While no one can accurately predict the trajectory of a return to normalcy, it may be hard to turn away from the efficiency and flexibility that digital connections and community have revealed once lockdowns have ceased. By preparing your parish now through following the steps and recommendations of this article, the financial status of your parish can exceed pre-pandemic levels, and your community will feel far more comfortable with the flexibility and adaptability of a modern parish.

You may find these resources of interest as you help your parish plan for the short-, medium-, and long-term:

[1] https://ccsfundraising.com/adapting-to-the-covid-19-crisis-a-look-into-catholic-and-episcopal-dioceses-and-parishes/

[2] https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/getting-ahead-of-the-next-stage-of-the-coronavirus-crisis

[3] https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/02/17/magazine/remote-work-return-to-office.html

[4] https://ccsfundraising.com/adapting-to-the-covid-19-crisis-a-look-into-catholic-and-episcopal-dioceses-and-parishes/

[5] https://philanthropy.iupui.edu/institutes/lake-institute/covid-study.html

[6] https://go2.ccsfundraising.com/PhilanthropicClimateSurveyEditionIV-Religion_DownloadPage.html

Women face myriad challenges in the nonprofit world across capacities: as donors, as nonprofit leaders and administrators, and as recipients of philanthropy. Research shows that women are frequently overlooked as prospective donors for reasons ranging from lower salary projections to a misconception that men are more often the primary decision-makers in a household. These challenges are often compounded for women of color, whose racial identity can further increase the chances that nonprofits overlook them as potential donors. Further complicating matters, research reveals that women think differently than men about their philanthropy, and therefore require a distinctive approach to illustrating the impact of their giving, which may prove challenging to organizations with deeply engrained prospect-outreach practices.

While it is important to equip organizations with the knowledge that these misconceptions exist regarding their donors, it is even more important to emphasize the reality of philanthropy in the U.S.: namely, that women have the funds and the means to allocate them to causes of their choice.

The experience of CCS Fundraising coupled with a burgeoning body of research on women’s philanthropy suggests that organizations must focus efforts on ensuring inclusive fundraising practices, from understanding the philanthropic landscape to crafting proposals that appeal to everyone in the room, to avoid overlooking opportunities to engage prospective donors.

Keep in mind these three considerations for your organization when thinking about how to better engage women donors.

1. Understand the Reality of the Philanthropic Landscape

The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic

It is important for nonprofit leaders to simultaneously recognize the disproportionate impacts that current events are having on women’s economic wellbeing and understand long-term trends in women’s philanthropy, which tell us that so many women have the means, inclination, and power to make charitable gifts, yet are often overlooked by fundraisers.

As we write in March 2021, women today are disproportionately experiencing the negative economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the U.S. alone, more than 2.3 million women have left the labor force since February 2020, putting women’s labor force participation rate at 57%—the lowest rate since 1988. Across the world, poor and marginalized women face a higher risk of losing their livelihoods amid the economic and social fallout of COVID-19.

Today, research on the effect of COVID-19 on women’s philanthropy is nascent. Initial research by the Women’s Philanthropy Institute suggests that early in the pandemic, single women were more likely than single men and married/partnered couples to report decreasing their giving in response to uncertainty about the economic impacts of the pandemic. In the coming months and years, it will be important to track the influence that the COVID-19 pandemic has on women donors as more research becomes available.

Longer-Term Trends in Women’s Wealth and Philanthropy

Research indicates that women have a significant say in how household philanthropy is distributed. Moreover, fundraisers have known for more than a decade that women typically make larger and more frequent charitable gifts than men of similar circumstances across almost every income bracket.

As a baseline, organizations should make a concerted effort to identify and cultivate women donors due to the growing population of high-net-worth women. In the case of married couples, organizations may incorporate measures such as ensuring that all communications are addressed to both partners, consistently inviting both partners to the table for all prospect engagement meetings, and shaping proposals to align with both of their interests. Following a gift, organizations can follow stewardship best practices by regularly updating donors and conveying impact over time with information tailored to address donors’ original motivations.

To avoid missing out on engaging potential donors, organizations should study the data on women’s giving and embed it in their understanding of how to leverage their own donor bases. Organizations should also understand the wealth that women donors possess. Women control a third of the world’s wealth, according to estimates by Boston Consulting Group. Projecting the future of women’s wealth is difficult due to uncertainties posed by the COVID-19 crisis. But pre-COVID, it was estimated that the global pool of wealth owned by women could rise to $93 trillion by 2023. In North America alone, it is estimated that as of 2019, women controlled 37% of all wealth, which totals to $35 trillion. Additionally, with women living longer than men on average, it is estimated that women could control a large portion of the $30 trillion expected to be transferred by baby boomers in the U.S. by 2030.

Simply put, operating under the assumption that men are primary givers with the most philanthropic potential, within or outside of a household, can be an expensive oversight for nonprofits.

2. Evaluate Your Own Organizational Practices

Even if organizations are not deliberately favoring male donors, subconscious biases or even fundraising software systems may negatively impact the efficacy of their engagement strategies. For example, due to the structure of many donor management systems, a family is often assigned a primary point of contact. If not otherwise stipulated, the primary point of contact may default to the first entry—historically, convention has led to naming the male partner first—which precludes spouses that are often equal partners in decision-making.

While not uncommon, overlooking these biases understandably alienates potential women donors—and often their partners as well—who feel undervalued by organizations. It can be particularly damaging for donor relationships when women are the households’ primary breadwinners, yet systems default to their husband’s data regardless of his circumstances or employment status. Equally damaging are conversations, casual or otherwise, with donors where the bulk of the dialogue is directed toward the male partner with the (perhaps subconscious) assumption that he is responsible for a couple’s giving.

Organizations must turn a critical eye to their donor engagement practices to ensure that prospective women donors are treated with equal respect and attention. Organizations should scrutinize the default functions of their donor database: does it produce profiles predicated on male-headed households? Is data on women partners being recorded and exported to correctly track women’s giving?

Beyond simply ensuring women’s giving is properly recorded and stewarded, organizations should begin tracking giving patterns within the woman demographic to gain a more robust understanding of how effective its engagement practices are across constituencies. A great first step for any organization is reviewing the top 100 donors and board volunteers in the database to ensure that all information is correctly attributed across genders.

Taking the time to objectively assess how women are engaged on an institutional level and evaluate organizational practices, whether they be data system functions or subconscious assumptions, may reveal important areas for improving donor engagement and relationships.

3. Engage Women on a Deeper Level

Although undoubtedly important, employing direct, equal communications is not sufficient to actively engage women on a leadership level. Even if an organization has a robust engagement program that identifies and stewards women donors, proposals for support might be geared toward men with a more transactional appeal.

Melinda Gates of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation stated in a 2019 interview that “it’s not just a matter of adding a name to a fundraising letter. We’ve learned from new platforms…that women give differently than men do.”

Research indicates that women philanthropists are drawn to impact giving, which often entails their intimate involvement in program development, funding allocation, and strategic planning. A great example of impact giving in action is the Maverick Collective, a nonprofit group that intentionally targets and engages women philanthropists to fund development projects around the globe. While supporters commit to a minimum pledge of $1 million, they also have the opportunity to apply their professional skills on the ground—from legal advice to marketing—to increase the success and sustainability of their projects.

Studies show that women are more persuaded by the emotional and community impacts of their giving, and less motivated by strategic or tax-related purposes. As such, organizations can tailor proposals to specifically highlight meaningful ways women’s philanthropy will transform an organization and its beneficiaries and offer other avenues for engagement, like volunteering. Women are also increasingly engaged with women’s foundations and funds and donor circles that pool resources to increase giving impact collaboratively and track impact over time. Organizations should be aware of any of these groups operating in their area with similar focal areas to develop potential partnerships.

Another excellent strategy for strengthening women’s engagement with organizations is recruiting more women for leadership positions. 50/50 Women on Boards, a global campaign that aspires to improve the gender balance and diversity of corporate boards, argues that women bring critical diversity of thought that encourages better decision making on boards, in return providing a competitive advantage over all-male or largely-male boards. According to a 2018 report by the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, women held 47% of overall nonprofit board memberships. Though the research did not explicitly report on women of color’s representation on boards, one can conclude that they are less represented based on the Lilly School’s findings that on average 78.6% of board members identify as white, 7.5% as African American, 2.6% as Asian American, and 4.2% as Hispanic. Still, diversity is not the norm across all nonprofit boards—the report found that older organizations and organizations with higher revenues tend to have less diverse boards. Bolstering leadership and board recruitment of women can diversify critical strategizing at the top level and improve organizational efficacy.

Perhaps our most important recommendation is for organizations to research how to best engage women with the organization’s development objectives and evaluate if their current approaches reflect these findings. A great place to start is asking for feedback from women stakeholders, whether they are current donors, prospects, or otherwise, on what organizations are doing right and areas for future improvement. Gathering insight into how women perceive the mission, vision, case for support, and opportunities for involvement can help strengthen existing relationships while also identifying ways to lay the groundwork for more meaningful future engagement with women donors.

Addressing the Challenges

At CCS Fundraising, we frequently support nonprofits encountering obstacles around inclusive fundraising. We have helped clients address challenges ranging from a higher-education institution with a pattern of directing communications solely to the male counterparts of heterosexual couples—even when both spouses were alumni—to a human services organization, the primary beneficiaries of which are young women, struggling to engage women leaders in industries aligning with the organization’s work.

Recently, CCS conducted a feasibility study on behalf of an all-women’s educational institution. Among other concerns, many participants noted the challenge of fundraising for a women’s school due to competition from the local men’s school, which had a longer history of garnering philanthropic support. Participants believed that because much of the community attended the men’s school, charitable giving would be designated there rather than the women’s school.

It is apparent now more than ever that organizations can—and should—help facilitate a shift in attitude about women’s philanthropy by educating themselves on the reality of women donors and get ahead of the curve by adopting more inclusive practices. Over-reliance on traditional methods of fundraising and donor stewardship may not only mean organizations are missing out on engaging potential prospects, but also may lead to alienating their current donor pools as the philanthropic landscape continues to shift.

Luckily, some of these pitfalls can be mitigated with a little extra effort. Organizations can ensure they engage and attract women donors by devoting time and energy to better understanding outreach practices and effective illustration of impact, offering meaningful opportunities for engagement outside of financial support, including leadership roles, and allocating resources to researching and implementing best practices, such as taking the time to survey current stakeholders.

This article was originally published on August 29, 2019, and was updated on March 8, 2021 to reflect new research.

CCS Fundraising is a strategic fundraising consulting firm that partners with nonprofits for transformational change. Members of the CCS team are highly experienced and knowledgeable across sectors, disciplines, and regions. To access our full suite of perspectives, publications, and reports, visit our insights page. To learn more about CCS Fundraising’s suite of services, click here.

In CCS’s January 2021 Philanthropic Climate Survey, more than half of respondents reported that they have held a virtual major gift solicitation through either phone, video, or both methods since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Of those who held virtual solicitations, a combined 72% of respondents reported that their virtual requests were either as successful or more successful than a typical in-person solicitation, as illustrated below.

CCS’s research encouragingly suggests that nonprofits can get the same or even better results from virtual major gift solicitations as they can from in-person solicitations. But virtual solicitations could also be more than a stopgap measure as we enter what are hopefully the final phases of the pandemic.

Virtual solicitations are convenient, cost-effective, and allow for nonprofits to secure meetings with prospects who might not normally agree to meet if travel is required. Even after it’s safe to meet in-person, donors may still prefer to keep virtual meetings as an option.

Regardless of whether you’ve conducted many virtual major gift solicitations or you’re just getting started, perfecting your approach will pay off not just for the duration of the pandemic—it will likely yield dividends in a post-pandemic world as well.

Key Steps for Success

Regardless if you are face-to-face with a donor in-person or via video, tried and true major gift fundraising best practices still apply. The preparation and strategy required for these virtual donor meetings are crucial to ensure you use your time wisely. It is important to realize that Zoom fatigue is real not only for frontline fundraisers, but also for our donors as well.

Make sure to take a step back, reflect, and assess what you hope to get out of your time with each donor. For example, meetings that don’t require you to walk through a proposal or presentation might be better accomplished through a one-on-one phone call.

As you look to engage your major donors in a virtual solicitation meeting, consider these key steps:

1. Ensure you understand your donor’s motivations, interests, and timing

As you would in any donor relationship, you must cultivate and build a foundation based on what the donor cares about, the impact they hope to make, and how their interests align with the organization’s funding needs and priorities. It is important that you are on the same page with the donor, confirming that now is the right time to make a request and they are ready to make an investment. The key question to answer is, “have you requested permission to ask?” If not, be sure to take this step before initiating or drafting a proposal for consideration. There shouldn’t be any surprises going into your virtual solicitation meeting.

2. Prepare the proposal and get creative

Just like you would in preparing for an in-person solicitation meeting, make sure you have a thorough yet concise proposal to share with your prospective donor. Ensure the proposal conveys the need, meets the donor’s interests, provides a clear investment opportunity, and identifies the impact the donor can have through their support. Since the proposal will be shared in a virtual setting, consider if a video or a participant testimonial would convey the need in a more impactful manner than a traditional written narrative. Consider what other aspects of the proposal can be brought to life through other media during your virtual conversation.

3. Be clear in your meeting request: virtual “face-to-face” meeting

When reaching out to the donor, be clear that you would like to meet face-to-face over a video platform of their choosing, giving you the opportunity to share more detailed information and walk-through the proposal. This meeting should be at least 45 minutes long, giving enough time to review the proposal and answer questions. If the donor prefers a phone call, still take them up on this offer to keep the door open to a conversation.

4. Make an internal plan

If there are many members of your team engaged in this virtual solicitation, it is important to discuss the following:

Determine the flow of the meeting and focused goals: What do you hope to accomplish? What three ideas do you hope to convey? How can you ensure you are engaging the donor in a discussion rather than simply presenting?
Establish roles and objectives: Who is sharing what information? Who will be sharing their screen during the proposal walk-through? Who will be making the ask? Who is in command of the meeting to ensure the conversation keeps moving?
Draft an internal agenda: Since everyone will be attending the meeting from different locations, it is important to write out as much of the meeting flow of ideas and topics to discuss in advance to ensure everyone is on the same page. It is difficult to read body language or know who is preparing to speak in a virtual setting.
Develop the presentation deck/proposal: Determine who is responsible for pulling together the presentation deck or other interactive media to include. The slide deck does not need to be the proposal. It can call attention to the need, key funding areas, the partnership opportunity, the overall impact, and the stewardship/recognition the donor would receive. Include videos and photos where possible, while limiting the amount of copy per slide.
Practice: Schedule a time to prep with your internal team to practice sharing your screen, any key talking points, and other logistics before meeting with the donor. Use this time to practice out loud the formal gift request.

5. Share materials in advance with the donor

You never know what to expect with technology and will want to maximize your time with the donor. Plan to share the proposal and any other supporting documents that will be discussed during your virtual meeting in advance of your scheduled time together. That way, the donor can pull up the documents if needed or review them in advance and come to the table with any immediate questions. To note: when sharing these materials in advance, be sure to let the donor know that your time together will be walking through the concept shared.

6. Verbalize the request and close the gift

When connecting with your donor via video, consider when is the right time is to share your screen and at what points during the discussion it is most helpful to just have a conversation face-to-face.

Potential Format:

Welcome and check-in
Thank the donor for meeting
Transition to the proposal (share your screen)
- Convey the need
- Outline the investment opportunity
- Share the impact this investment will have on the organization and the community it serves
- Be sure to verbalize the request and pause for a response
- Discuss recognition opportunities, if appropriate
Answer any outstanding questions
Set next steps

Post-Meeting: Send the donor a follow-up thank you email the same day to close the gift. Be sure to outline any agreed-upon next steps, the amount they agreed to give, their areas of support, and over what period of time.

Virtual Engagement Best Practices

Whether you are looking to engage your donors in a virtual cultivation or solicitation meeting, consider the following best practices:

Define your purpose: what do you hope the donor will get out of this meeting?
Use this time to update and collaborate: engage the prospect in conversation by posing questions or include an interactive feature
Make it multi-sensory: lead with visuals and include minimal text
Determine what content needs to be live and what can be prerecorded
Provide insider access and make it feel exclusive and customized
Engage board members and key volunteers in the discussion, as appropriate
Be prepared for technical challenges: designate one person to screen share, practice in advance, and use Zoom as it is the most universal platform for donors

Final Thoughts

As nonprofit leaders continue to adapt and navigate the social distancing restrictions and the various shifts in fundraising activity, we identify new, creative ways to meet yearly fundraising goals. With the continued focus on building and maintaining relationships with current and potential donors amid a pandemic, nonprofits have found new ways to stay connected, tell their story, convey the need, and still receive transformational investments either over the phone or via video call.

There is no better time than now to embrace the virtual tools available to continue to engage and build relationships with current and future donors. Remember, many donors are already comfortable with various video platforms as they have used this as their main source of contact with family and friends over the last year.

At the end of the day, your virtual donor meetings and in-person donor meetings serve the same purposes: an opportunity to learn donors’ interests, build rapport, and bring them closer to your organization. Using a combination of tried-and-true best practices and a recognition of the opportunities and challenges inherent in a virtual setting, virtual major gift solicitations can help your organization secure transformational gifts in an era of social distancing—and maybe even beyond.

Since social distancing requirements began worldwide, organisations have faced the need to leverage technology to keep their doors open. Many teams had to quickly adapt to video calls, virtual events, and working from home. Though vaccine distribution has begun and the end of social distancing measures seems to be in sight, the digital transformation is here to stay.

Around the world, nonprofit organisations are learning from their experiences in 2020 and making permanent changes. Now is the time to ensure you adapt and prepare for the increasingly digital future. Here are a few ways nonprofits have risen to the challenge and set themselves up for success.

1. Upgrade Your Website

Especially now, your organisation’s website is likely the first line of communication with prospective and current donors. If your website has not been recently updated, consider working with a web developer or marketing firm to make relevant upgrades. As you are making these improvements, keep in mind these foundational concepts: user experience, responsive design, and search engine optimisation.

The user experience should be highly prioritised when designing your website. Similar to a donor-centric model, prioritising user experience in your website involves examining how visitors interact with each part of your website, taking into account their needs, values, abilities, and limitations.
Creating a responsive design should also be at the top of your to-do list. It is estimated that half of all visits to nonprofit websites are on a mobile device. A responsive design will allow your content to adjust to any screen size or type (smartphones, desktop, or tablet), which will enhance the overall user experience.
Your team should also consider working with a search engine optimisation (SEO) expert. SEO is all about making sure that your organisation can be found easily on the internet. An SEO expert can analyse how visitors are currently getting to your website and identify modifications you should make to your content to improve your search visibility.

2. Master Virtual Gatherings

At this point, many organisations have embraced video calls as a method to hold team meetings and prospect solicitations – and most are successfully connecting and securing philanthropic gifts through this method. They have also successfully pivoted in-person events to virtual gatherings, such as virtual galas, conferences, fundraisers, and other stewardship events. Here are our top suggestions to master video call etiquette and make the best use of your virtual meetings and gatherings:

Prepare for and run a virtual meeting like you would an in-person meeting. Have an agenda prepared and share it with attendees ahead of time. At the beginning of the meeting, facilitate introductions with everyone on the call to replicate, as best as possible, an in-person meeting environment.
Do a practice run. Technology is our friend – until it isn’t! Make sure that you understand how to use the virtual platform, know how to help troubleshoot if your guests have any technical issues, and always have a back-up plan in place in case the technology does not cooperate. We recommend including instructions for logging onto the platform in any materials you send beforehand. Also, build in some “buffer” time to account for any potential technical difficulties that may delay the start of your meeting.
Keep your attendees engaged. Whether you are hosting a one-on-one virtual solicitation or a 1,000-person webinar, make sure to pause, ask questions, and ask for feedback from your guests. You may also want to consider poll questions, music, and breakout rooms. Video call fatigue is real, so we challenge you to find ways to keep your attendees engaged.

3. Optimise Email Communications

While virtual calls and events are critical to master, do not forget to evaluate your email communications as well.

Although many nonprofit organisations have been utilising mass email communications for years, the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed new areas for improving digital communications systems. For example, in a time when you felt the need to email your constituents, were you able to deploy your emails quickly and efficiently to your target audience? Are there communications you previously mailed that might be better off as an email this year and in future years? Now is an opportune time to evaluate if your current email platforms, strategy, and schedule are still working for your organisation or if you need to adjust for an increased volume of virtual communications.

4. Leverage Social Media

Your organisation should do its best to build a presence on social media.

To decide which platforms to devote your time and attention to, reflect on where your target audiences spend the most time online. This may include LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter depending on who you want to reach. Social media may seem like a fun extra, but it should be managed with purpose and methodology. You need to be consistent with your brand across all platforms and create a dedicated schedule to develop and share content. Social media platforms offer your team the opportunity to interact with industry-adjacent content and remain relevant by staying on top of trends. Staying active on social media allows your organisation to stay top of mind for those already close to your network, while also creating opportunities to be discovered by new prospective donors.

5. Get Creative

Finally, dare to dream! If you have a creative idea to interact with donors digitally, explore it. At this moment, organisations have the license to veer away from traditional engagement and solicitation methods. We have seen several organisations embrace this creative freedom with virtual events, in-house thank you and promotional videos, and interactive digital proposals.

The pandemic has changed the way we all operate both personally and professionally. As we continue in this new fundraising landscape, commit to building your digital presence. Take this opportunity to set your organisation up for success and growth by testing out new strategies. Your donors and colleagues will thank you!

Historically, the traditional fundraising campaign has been the vehicle of choice for nonprofits to energise the community and secure significant philanthropic commitments. Campaigning raises more money, creates excitement, provides a rationale to support giving, and demonstrates what donations will accomplish.

Sounds like a good idea, right? Not so fast. Traditional campaigns undoubtedly provide tremendous benefits to those organisations that run them well. Yet many nonprofits focus too much on the five-year horizon of a campaign and forget to consider what happens when the campaign is over. You have surpassed your goal and celebrated your success. Now what? If you have not planned ahead, it is likely that your post-campaign fundraising revenue will drop to pre-campaign levels. While you funded the greatest needs of your institution, you neglected the overall health of the nonprofit by failing to create sustainable growth.

Consider an Alternative Campaign Approach

To mitigate the traditional post-campaign lull, alternative fundraising campaign designs are becoming more common. Some organisations never stop campaigning, taking a perpetual approach with decade-long funding initiatives and back-to-back traditional campaigns. Others employ smaller and shorter mini-campaigns to continually target specific funding priorities, or to simply bridge between traditional efforts. Some organisations are scrapping the traditional campaign altogether, instituting a “never” campaigning approach where targeted gift requests are built into “business-as-usual” fundraising.

While these campaign designs have separate benefits and risks, they all share one common element – the flexibility to pivot strategy to accommodate shifting donor desires, community needs, and institutional priorities. As the COVID-19 pandemic endures, this adaptability is particularly important given the changing philanthropic landscape. Economic volatility, new legislation, evolving trends, societal interests, and institutional leadership changes are just a few of the challenges that you may face in the coming months and years. Don’t get stuck in a campaign that restricts funding to a singular and rigid initiative. Consider a single project as one of your campaign funding priorities, not the only one.

Don’t Forget the Annual Fund

Regardless of campaign design, make sure you pay attention to your annual fund at the start. Consider growing your annual fund as one of your campaign goals or as a parallel strategic initiative. Focus on bringing in new donors and new dollars. Cultivate and upgrade your smaller gifts. Prioritise stewardship. These gifts may take years to cultivate, but by the end of your campaign you should see an increased fundraising baseline, a softened post-campaign revenue dip, and a secure fundraising future for your organisation.

Embrace Flexibility

Campaigning is not a one-size-fits-all proposition, and traditional campaigning may remain the best fit for your organisation. However, campaign timing and design should be grounded in the financial needs, strategic initiatives, and specific culture of each organisation. The key is to remain flexible to changing priorities and community needs while addressing the traditional post-campaign revenue decline. Appropriate campaign design alongside a deliberate approach to building and sustaining relationships will ensure that your organisation is in the best position to raise more money while growing sustainably.

Since social distancing requirements began in the U.S., organizations have needed to leverage technology to keep their doors open. Many teams have had to quickly adapt to video calls, virtual events, and working from home. Though vaccine distribution has begun and the end of social distancing measures seems to be in sight, the digital transformation is here to stay.

Around the world, organizations are learning from their experiences in 2020 and making permanent changes. Now is the time to ensure your organization is adapting and preparing for the increasingly digital future. Here are a few ways we have seen organizations rise to the challenge and set themselves up for success.

1. Upgrade Your Website

Especially now, your organization’s website is most likely the first line of communication with prospective and current donors. If your website has not been recently updated, consider working with a web developer or marketing firm to make some upgrades. As you are making these improvements, keep in mind these foundational concepts: user experience, responsive design, and search engine optimization.

The user experience should be highly prioritized when designing your website. Similar to a donor-centric model, prioritizing user experience in your website entails examining how visitors interact with each part of your website, taking into account their needs, values, abilities, and limitations.
Creating a responsive design should also be at the top of your to-do list. It is estimated that half of all visits to nonprofit websites are on a mobile device. A responsive design will allow your content to adjust to any screen size or orientation (smartphones, desktop, or tablet), which will enhance the overall user experience.
Your team should also consider working with a search engine optimization (SEO) expert. SEO is all about making sure that your organization can be found easily on the internet. An SEO expert can analyze how visitors are currently getting to your website and identify modifications you should make to your content to improve your search visibility.

2. Master Virtual Gatherings

At this point, it seems that many organizations have embraced video calls as a method to hold team meetings and prospect solicitations – and most are successfully connecting and securing philanthropic gifts through this method. Many organizations have also successfully pivoted in-person events to virtual gatherings, such as virtual galas, conferences, fundraisers, and other stewardship events. Here are our top suggestions to master video call etiquette and make the best use of your virtual meetings and gatherings:

Prepare for and run a virtual meeting like you would an in-person meeting. Have an agenda prepared and share it with attendees ahead of time. At the beginning of the meeting, facilitate introductions with everyone on the call to replicate, as best as possible, an in-person meeting environment.
Do a practice run. Technology is our friend – until it isn’t! Make sure that you understand how to use the virtual platform, know how to help troubleshoot if your guests have any technical issues, and always have a back-up plan in place in case the technology does not cooperate. We recommend including instructions for logging onto the platform in any materials you send beforehand. Also, build in some “buffer” time to account for any potential technical difficulties that may delay the start of your meeting.
Keep your attendees engaged. Whether you are hosting a one-on-one virtual solicitation or a 1,000-person webinar, make sure to pause, ask questions, and ask for feedback from your guests. You may also want to consider poll questions, music, and breakout rooms. Video call fatigue is real, so we challenge you to find ways to keep your attendees engaged.

3. Optimize Email Communications

While virtual calls and events are critical to master, do not forget to pay attention to your email communications as well.

Although many nonprofit organizations have been utilizing mass email communications for years, the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed new areas for improving digital communications systems. For example, in a time when you felt the need to email your constituents, were you able to deploy your emails quickly and efficiently to your target audience? Are there communications you previously mailed that might be better off as an email this year and in future years? Now is an opportune time to evaluate if your current email platforms, strategy, and schedule are still working for your organization or if you need to adjust for an increased volume of virtual communications.

4. Leverage Social Media

Your organization should do its best to build a presence on social media.

To decide which platforms to devote your time and attention to, reflect on where your target audiences spend the most time online. This may include LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and even TikTok and Pinterest, depending on who you want to reach. Social media may seem like a fun extra, but it should be managed with purpose and methodology. You need to be consistent with your brand across all platforms and create a dedicated schedule to develop and share content. Social media platforms offer your team the opportunity to interact with industry-adjacent content and remain relevant by staying on top of trends. Staying active on social media allows your organization to stay top of mind for those already close to your organization while also creating opportunities to be discovered by new prospective donors.

5. Get Creative

Finally, dare to dream! If you have a creative idea to interact with donors digitally, explore it. At this moment, organizations have the license to veer away from traditional engagement and solicitation methods. We have seen several organizations embrace this creative freedom with virtual events, in-house thank you and promotional videos, and interactive digital proposals.

The pandemic has changed the way we all operate both personally and professionally. As we launch into a new year, commit to building your digital presence. Take this opportunity to set your organization up for success and growth by testing out new digital strategies. Your donors and colleagues will thank you!

This article was originally published on the AFP Greater Philadelphia Chapter Blog on January 21, 2021.

When you hear the term “Donor-Advised Fund” what is the first word that comes to mind? For me, it’s opportunity.

A donor-advised fund (DAF) is a philanthropic giving vehicle established at a public charity. Donors can establish and fund a DAF account by making irrevocable, tax-deductible contributions to the charitable sponsor. Then, they can recommend grants from the DAF to other nonprofit organizations.[1]

Earlier this month, National Philanthropic Trust (NPT), the largest national, independent public charity that manages donor-advised funds, and one of the leading grantmaking institutions in the U.S., published its 2020 Donor-Advised Fund Report and the findings are making headlines.[2]

The Tremendous Historical Growth of DAFs

Based on an analysis of 2015 through 2019 fiscal year data from nearly 1,000 charities that are DAF sponsors—meaning they administer donor-advised funds—NPT reports historical growth in DAFs:

Grantmaking from DAFs to qualified charities totaled a record-breaking $27.37 billion in 2019, a whopping 93% increase since 2015, when grantmaking totaled $14.15 billion.
At the same time, contributions to DAFs also skyrocketed, totaling $38.81 billion in 2019 and representing an 80% increase since 2015 when contributions totaled $21.48 billion.
Charitable assets under management in DAFs totaled $141.95 billion in 2019. This represents a compound annual growth rate of approximately 10% since 2015—a reflection of an increasing number of DAFs, donor contributions, and market gains.
The number of individual DAF accounts jumped to 873,228, up from just 272,781 in 2015 and representing an astounding 220% increase.

DAFs and the Philanthropic Response to COVID-19

In addition to its annual Donor-Advised Fund Report, NPT also published a special Donor-Advised Fund COVID Grantmaking Survey.[3] The survey reflects self-reported data from DAF sponsors on the philanthropic response to COVID-19 as it emerged in the first half of 2020.

Amidst a global pandemic, a widespread reckoning with racial injustice, and a polarized political environment, grantmaking from DAFs to qualified charities rose nearly 30%, from $6.41 billion in the first six months of 2019 to $8.32 billion for the same period in 2020. The total number of DAF grants increased by 37%, from 945,044 grants in the first half of 2019 to 1,298,787 in the same period in 2020.

All eyes were on DAFs at the start of 2020 following the launch of #HalfMyDAF by philanthropists Jennifer and David Risher.[4] Through a matching challenge incentive, #HalfMyDAF seeks to raise awareness of DAFs and inspire DAF donors to give now. The movement leveraged $8.6 million in charitable grants from DAFs to nonprofit organizations in just five months, aided by $1.4 million in matching funds.

On February 1, 2021, #HalfMyDAF reignited the movement with an ambitious goal of leveraging $20 million in DAF grants to nonprofits this year, including $3.1 million in matching funds.

This creative fundraising strategy educated and inspired individuals to give through DAFs while empowering nonprofits with the knowledge and tools to encourage DAF donors to act now.

As we look to the future of philanthropy, we know one thing for sure: DAFs will be an integral part of the conversation. NPT’s findings and the #HalfMyDAF challenge reinforce the impact of DAFs and DAF donors on charitable organizations, especially in times of uncertainty.

How to Attract Gifts from DAFs at Your Organization

How can we apply these findings to position nonprofit leaders with the language and resources to leverage DAFs in support of their annual fundraising efforts?

Below are three recommendations to elevate philanthropy through DAFs. These recommendations are aimed at preparing fundraisers with the tools to maximize philanthropic revenue as we continue to navigate an evolving environment.

1. Make giving through DAFs a part of your donor dialogue.

The more we talk about DAFs, the more they will become a part of our fundraising lexicon, and the more that donors will make them a part of their giving toolkit. Take the time to educate donors on the role and benefits of a DAF. When meeting with a donor, don’t be afraid to spark the conversation: “Many of our supporters give through a DAF. Would you be open to learning how you can leverage a DAF to have a greater impact on our community?”

2. Make it easy to give to your organization through a DAF.

When a donor goes to your website, it should be clear that your organization welcomes giving through DAFs. Market DAFs on your website by including a link to “give from my DAF” or “click here” if visitors have a DAF and want to learn more about giving through this vehicle to your organization.

Additional ways to attract gifts from DAFs include direct mail appeals and employer matching gift programs. Let donors know that your organization is eligible for support from DAFs when communicating with donors— “send a check or recommend a grant from your DAF” or “double the impact of a DAF grant through your employer’s matching gift program” are ways to convey this important message.

3. Show the impact that DAF grants will have today.

Share examples of how DAF grants have enabled your organization to have a greater impact on the communities you serve. Create a sense of urgency by emphasizing how grants made today have equipped your organization with the tools, talent, and technology to achieve your mission while navigating an uncertain environment. Use personal stories of DAF donors to educate and inspire a new cadre of individuals to leverage DAFs as part of their philanthropic toolkit.

As DAFs become more popular, and technology makes giving to and from DAFs more accessible, we can expect to see grantmaking from DAFs to charitable organizations continue to grow at a steady rate. The future is #DAF—let’s get ready.

References:

[1] National Philanthropic Trust, What Is A Donor-Advised Fund?

[2] National Philanthropic Trust, The 2020 DAF Report, February 2021.

[3] National Philanthropic Trust, Donor-Advised Fund COVID Grantmaking Survey, February 2021.

[4] #HalfMyDAF Website.

The global coronavirus pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges and change to the philanthropic sector. Overnight, nonprofit leaders had to pivot from visionary plans for their futures to a laser-like focus on daily operations, responding to the health crisis and re-calibrating their fundraising activity to navigate a rapidly evolving environment.

The latest research conducted by CCS suggests that the pandemic’s negative impact on fundraising has reduced over time. Since our earliest survey in May 2020, the proportion of respondents reporting either a modest or significant decline in fundraising in response to the pandemic decreased. At the same time, the proportion of respondents reporting an increase in fundraising rose.

What changed? CCS’s research suggests that nonprofit leaders embraced new fundraising tactics, leaning into technology and developing innovative pathways to fundraise. These tactics include virtual events and online briefings with stakeholders. Many charities converted pre-existing events into a new virtual format, while others created entirely new online events that illustrated how their mission met this unique moment. Furthermore, many nonprofit leaders have embraced virtual gift requests as a part of their fundraising toolkit. Fifty-six percent of survey respondents conducted a request via phone, video, or both methods during the pandemic as of January 2021.

Now, amid so much uncertainty about the future of philanthropy, how can nonprofit leaders set themselves and their teams up for fundraising success throughout 2021?

The good news is that we are now in a more comfortable place where we can take what we’ve learned in 2020 and apply these lessons to the future. This will allow leaders to be more strategic, more innovative, and more deliberate in how they develop and implement fundraising plans in this evolving landscape.

Below are five recommendations to elevate your organisation’s fundraising strategy in 2021. These recommendations will prepare leaders with the knowledge and tools to maximise their philanthropic revenue as we continue to navigate a dynamic environment.

1. Plan for the unplanned

As we have learned, the future is uncertain and organisations that are nimble and innovative in the face of adversity can meet the moment with strength and success. To that end, stay well-prepared with scenario planning and revenue forecasting. Prepared organisations will have steadier balance sheets in the face of unexpected events, so develop a short-term action plan and identify diversified funding streams that include both outright and planned gifts.

2. Re-envision event opportunities for a virtual setting

As we have seen, nonprofit leaders are reimagining donor engagement opportunities for a virtual platform. For the foreseeable future, these virtual engagement methods will be fundamental to fundraising activity and revenue generation. As comfort levels around virtual events continue to increase, leverage the special opportunities afforded by the virtual format to build momentum and scale your impact. Don’t be afraid to be creative and bold!

3. Embrace evolving donor communication and lead with empathy

Consistent and transparent donor communication has always been valuable. Today more than ever, it is important to show empathy, concern, and gratitude for your stakeholders. Additionally, donors may be more available to meet virtually, so embrace the new “face-to-face” donor meeting and gift request conversation.

4. Prioritise Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

DEI is a vital lens through which to evaluate the stories you tell about your nonprofit and the communities you serve. It is also important to consider DEI relative to your internal practices and operational activity. Bringing diverse perspectives and talent to the table leads to more creativity and innovative ideas. Beyond helping to advance social change, this will translate to better performance and higher fundraising results.

5. Stay true to your goals while maintaining a flexible approach

At the end of the day, focus on your mission and why it’s relevant. Regardless of the communication method you use, reaffirm your purpose and the impact that philanthropic investments will have on the community you serve. Foundational fundraising principles still apply, and continued flexibility and adaptation may be needed.

As we continue to reimagine the philanthropic landscape, let’s focus on what we know, embrace opportunities for the future, and take action where we can to have the greatest social impact.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began nearly a year ago, one of the central questions in the minds of nonprofit leaders and fundraisers has continually been can we raise money effectively in a virtual world?

The latest results from CCS’s Philanthropic Climate Survey—which encompass responses from more than 1,000 individuals representing nonprofits across sectors—help show that as we begin 2021, the answer is still yes.

Click here to download the full report.

CCS undertook the first installment of our Philanthropic Climate Survey series in spring 2020 to assess the immediate impact of the COVID-19 crisis on nonprofit fundraising. Since then, subsequent installments have broadened beyond analyzing the effects of the pandemic to address the larger picture of nonprofit fundraising today.

Our new fourth-edition results provide a snapshot of the strategies many nonprofits have embraced to fundraise in 2020 and early 2021. The survey data also provide a window into how nonprofits are planning for the future of their fundraising programs, including looking ahead to a post-pandemic world. The newly released survey report covers topics including the utilization and success of online fundraising events, changes to cases for support, trends in remote work for fundraising staff, and more.

Success in Virtual Major Gift Solicitations

One particularly reassuring finding from our survey is that virtual major gift solicitations were mostly reported as successful.

As of January 2021, 56% of our survey participants reported holding a virtual major gift solicitation during the pandemic via phone, video conference, or both methods (up from 43% in our September 2020 survey). Of those respondents whose organizations had conducted a virtual major gift solicitation, 72% reported that their virtual requests were either as successful or more successful than their typical results from in-person solicitations.

Improving Fundraising Results

This news of successful virtual solicitations aligns with our survey’s broader findings on improving fundraising outcomes over the course of 2020.

In line with trends observed in previous Philanthropic Climate Survey editions, our fourth-edition results suggested that in aggregate, the COVID-19 pandemic had less of a negative effect on fundraising by the end of 2020 than at the beginning of the pandemic.

As of January 2021, 39% of respondents reported that their organization’s fundraising increased in calendar year 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This proportion grew more than 2.7 times from our May 2020 survey results, in which only 14% of respondents reported an increase in 2020 to date. Similarly, the proportion of respondents reporting decreases in fundraising due to COVID-19 went down from a height of 63% in May to a low of 44% in January.

More Reasons for Optimism

Other encouraging findings from our latest survey results include:

Respondents reported a variety of positive changes at their organization in response to society’s renewed focus on racial equity and social justice. Just over half of respondents indicated that their organization took steps to make its workplace more diverse, equitable, and/or inclusive. Other respondents reported changes such as examining their board and volunteer management practices, modifying their case for support, and revisiting their donor pipeline strategies.
Most of our participants indicated that their organization would maintain or even increase their fundraising staff sizes in 2021. More than one in four respondents reported that their organization intended to add fundraising staff in 2021. The majority (59%) said that they expected their numbers to stay the same. Few respondents (5%) reported intentions to reduce their fundraising staff numbers this year.
Respondents seemed largely confident in their ability to move forward with major capital and comprehensive campaigns. A combined 55% of participants said they were launching, restarting, or continuing a campaign. Another 17% reported that a campaign was under consideration in 2021.

To see more results from our Philanthropic Climate Survey series, download our fourth-edition report today. If you have any questions about the report or CCS Fundraising, please contact us at marketing@ccsfundraising.com.

To access our full suite of perspectives, publications, and reports, visit our insights page. To learn more about how CCS Fundraising partners with nonprofits for transformational change, click here.

Our survey results provide a snapshot of how responding organizations are persevering amid challenges, evolving their fundraising tactics, and planning for 2021 and beyond.

KEY FINDINGS

54% of respondents said that they believe their fundraising from annual appeals will increase in 2021
64% of respondents who conducted virtual major gift solicitations amid the pandemic reported that their virtual solicitations were either as successful or more successful than typical in-person solicitations
36% of respondents reported that their organization anticipates adding fundraising staff in 2021

DOWNLOAD

To explore data from 1,000+ respondents across nonprofit sectors, check out our main fourth-edition report.

If you have any questions about this survey or about CCS in general, please contact marketing@ccsfundraising.com.

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