Nonprofits using text to boost donations

In the wake of the American Red Cross’ successful “Haiti” text message campaign, more nonprofits are looking at text as a way to boost donations. But there are some caveats.

The Red Cross raised $32 million in a month in $10 donations for Haiti relief. MobileActive.org, which promotes mobile giving, said they have had an upturn in interest since the campaign began from other nonprofits wondering if it would work for them.

According to a study of six nonprofits called “2010 Nonprofit Text Messaging Benchmarks” by M+R Strategic Services and MobileActive.org, text messaging is good for “call-in alerts” but is limited b/c of the character limits.  The biggest success noted by the study was the response rate of 4.7%, nearly six times the rate for similar emails.

However, before you jump on the text donation bandwagon consider these issues:

• Wireless carriers limit donations to $5 or $10 amounts. This is far less than the $71 average donation garnered from email requests, according to the study.  You may get a higher response but you may also be leaving money on the table from donors who are willing to give more through another channel.

• Text donations could be fairly expensive for donors and recipients if each text message costs 20 cents or more to send. The study notes that about half of cell phone users have unlimited texting plans but the rest pay 20 cents or more per text. Factoring in the first request and response as well as confirmation of the donation, this could add 80 cents or more to the cost of donation for a $10 gift.

For more details on how mobile giving works, visit Mobileactive.org for a rundown.

To be as rich as Olivia

I planned on writing a little something about an afternoon I recently spent with an assortment of people from Monarch group homes. I planned on sharing little anecdotes about how fulfilling and rewarding the experience was for my colleague Kimber and me and how we look forward to doing more. I thought about telling stories about funny things people said and how we laughed more than we had in a long time.

But, when I sat down to write, just one story remained fixed at the top of my mind. It was a conversation I had with a woman named Olivia. You see, Olivia is an exceptional woman who happens to live in a Monarch residential group home for developmentally disabled people. I cannot tell you what her exact diagnosis is – although that part really isn’t important. What I can tell you is that I will carry thoughts of Olivia with me for a very long time.

First of all, whatever her mental capacity, she is beyond smart when it comes to specific details like the members of Hannah Montana’s band, the names of all of the songs from High School Musical, and the call letters and personalities from countless radio stations within our market. Turns out that Olivia isn’t just a fan of music, I have been told that she is also an accomplished musician in her own right. She loves to sing and share with others her enthusiasm for upcoming concerts and shows.

Olivia is petite, with a wide smile and long dark hair. Although her eyes may not meet yours directly, she manages to engage those around her with her quick wit and ability to participate in a conversation about almost anything. By the end of our visit, Olivia was giving hugs and telling stories about places she had been and places she plans to go. She has a contagious zest for life uninhibited by what some may consider her limitations.

As we pulled on our coats and were getting ready to leave, Olivia asked me a question. “Do you know anyone who is poor?” And before I could answer came a second question, “Are you poor?”

 “No, Olivia,” I answered. “Why do you ask?”

She answered, “Because some people might think I am poor, because I don’t have a lot of things and I might not be as smart as they are. But, I’m not poor because I have love in my heart, and I am happy.”

“Then you are perhaps the richest person I know,” I told her and we shared another hug before I left.

It is this conversation that keeps replaying in my head since last week. When I read the news, see another story about our troubled economy, think about my husband who works out-of-town for more than a year to keep his job, worry about my children and their future, and see my pile of laundry or listen to my ailing truck with 145,000 miles, feel like I need a Calgon bath to “take me away”…I think about Olivia. I think about her perspective and her ability to focus on what is important – her loved ones, her Monarch family, her love of music, her ability to connect with people and make them laugh, and her innocence. It makes me wonder, if when she was born her parents had any idea of what her future might be like and who she might be as an adult.  If I were to ever meet Olivia’s parents, I would tell them that they have a lot to be proud of.

Olivia may never realize the impact she has had on my life. I went to Monarch that day to do something nice for others – to help people in my community and do my part. But, I think I benefitted as much as anyone.  I have a perspective that I plan to carry with me and share as much as I can – the “Olivia definition of rich.”  In our world, we could all stand to learn a lesson from Olivia.

The next time you think about supporting an organization by writing a check, I encourage you to go ahead and do so. But, think for a moment about your calendar and see if you maybe you couldn’t spare a couple of hours maybe once every few months. The feeling that comes from giving of yourself can be even more enriching than giving of your checkbook. If we can all do a bit of both, maybe we will all be a little more “Olivia rich.”

How important is branding for non profits in this economy?

I would say, extremely important, especially in this economy. Times are changing, and fast. Gone were the days were non profits couldn’t print anything four-color for fear that they were looking “too slick or wasteful” for their donors and public. Technology has made up the cost difference between 2 color and 4 color these days, but I am finding some non profits don’t realize that it is important to show “life and color” in their materials. Not just a grayscale face. Now, this isn’t just a post on printing. I would say, non profits need more aggressive in developing their branding, messaging, and awareness programs as well. The “big dogs” like Red Cross, YMCA, Special Olympics, Susan G. Komen, all know developing a brand personality and delivering on their promises is very important for their growth and survival. Don’t you know that branding consistently, is why people get involved and give time and money, to these organizations? You can’t really put a price on branding your organization. It gives you a way to differentiate from your competitors in this overcrowded market. It helps communicate what your mission and goals are in a way that the public “gets it.” It creates a sense of pride and ownership for your staff, board, and members.  Non profits need to change their thinking and perception or marketing. It is not just for one department anymore. Branding, is looking at the entire picture and giving you the tools to communicate across all platforms consistently through look and messaging. It is what inspires people to align themselves with you as donors, volunteers, and advocates. What are your thoughts on branding and non profits?

Top 5 Ways to Maximize Your Annual Report as a Communication Tool

Many nonprofits are in the process of creating their annual reports at this time of year. But, Indiblu Creative recommends that before you get started, you need to stop thinking of an annual report as a financial report. And, start thinking of it as a way to connect with the very people who support your organization.

There was a time when a nonprofit annual report consisted of little more than a two sided sheet of paper littered with numbers and graphs – hardly an interesting or inviting piece of reading. Yet, this piece is widely distributed among sponsors, donors, volunteers, and the community. With limited marketing dollars and the need for an annual report, Indiblu Creative suggests nonprofits use this piece as a marketing tool. In our current economy, this makes as much sense as ever.

Try following Indiblu Creative’s Top 5 Tips for Your Annual Report:

1. Stay True to Your Mission

Inspire supporters with stories of personal success and responsible use of funds. True stories add a human element and remind the reader that the mission is not about money. Stay away from details like a new software program in purchasing or remodeling of the offices– this has nothing to do with your mission.

2. Use Pictures to Tell a Story

For those who have neither the patience nor the time to read the full report, photos with captions provide a quick glimpse of your efforts. There are many ways to use images even if the photo library is limited due to privacy issues. Stock photography or carefully used images can be used to tell a story.

3. Do Not Focus on Past Fundraising/Focus on Future Advocacy

While you are expected to successfully raise money, this is not the core of your mission. The money simply helps to make your mission possible. Your reader would rather hear how you responsibly and effectively put that money to good use. This is where the personal stories do the work. Keep the specific numbers to the financial pages of the report. On the other hand, this is a good place to show thanks to your supporters and to ask for their continued support going forward. Now that you’ve inspired them with the good that you do, tell them how to get involved and help going forward. Be clear with exact details about how to help and provide an easy to use online link. Do you need time and/or money? Do you offer planned giving options? Do you accept gift cards or stock? Can donors contribute monthly with a credit card debit? Make supporting your organization easy and show your appreciation as often as possible.

4. Make the Financials Easy to Understand

Most of us are not accountants or tax attorneys. Either we will not know how to read the report or won’t want to bother. Keep it simple, easy to read, and where applicable, show visually through graphs and charts. Explain the numbers with call outs, small notes, and even put in a highlight about fundraising strategies or cost-savings tactics.

5. Triple Check Everything

“I distinctly remember being at a fundraising lunch where everyone received a printout of the financials to review. The executive director then proceeded to launch into a campaign for donations expressing how desperately they needed the support of the attendees to continue their mission. Upon a close review of the financial sheet, it appeared that they were quite well off with more than a million dollars that were unaccounted for in any budget. The mistake was a typo, but it left many with an uneasy feeling about how the organization functioned,” shares Kimber Flynn, President and Creative Director at Indiblu. The moral of the story, check the numbers, the donor list, the facts, and every detail more than once and with multiple parties.

The addition of relevant content to the annual report and a call for action moving forward will no doubt make an impact on your audience. The stories and articles are a fresh reminder of the very core of what nonprofits do. After all, the work you do is not simply about money – it is about people, health, animals, the environment, or another cause of great importance to the community.