Sometimes it’s hard to remember why we got into non-profits; the long hours, budget cuts, donors that are increasingly harder to find and have less to give. But following these simple tips for a happier, more productive non-profit will allow your organization to spend less time on administration and more on pursuing its mission, and your passion.
10 Tips for a Happier, More Productive Non-Profit
By Molly McCluskey
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010 CONDUCIVE
1. Don’t assume people care about your mission.
I’ve never met anyone who will openly admit they don’t care about the planet, or children, or world hunger or women’s rights. But as people who are passionately dedicated to a particular issue, it’s easy to overlook that not everyone thinks it’s as great or important as we do. Just like not everyone thinks your pit bull is cute or your baby is brilliant, sometimes we have to realize we’re not all operating within the same framework. It’s not impossible to win these people over, just know you may have to start a few paces back from where you expected.
If you feel as though your organization is beginning to drift, or things aren’t as clear as they once were, reevaluate your mission. As your organization grows, your funding increases or you’ve accomplished many of your original goals, your organization’s mission may need to change.
2. It’s not about the children. (Unless it really, really is.)
The concept of “doing it for the next generation” is overplayed. It’s a particular downfall in the realm of environmental non-profits; the concept that we’re saving the planet for future generations. The days of thinking we have generations to correct the problems facing us are long gone. We’re running out of clean drinking water and open spaces in OUR lifetime. Appealing solely to parents with young children overlooks several generations of potential activists and donors.
Compare these three Public Service Announcements from Environmental Defense Fund. All are gripping, gorgeous and compelling.
Environmental Defense Fund: Train
Environmental Defense Fund: Polar Bears
Environmental Defense Fund: Tick
The first one uses the evocative imagery of a train barreling down on multiple generations, the second is an appeal for mass transit, regardless of age, race, etc. and the third uses children to make the case for “act now for future generations.”
Notice how the key messaging is the same, but each ad appeals to a different demographic. It’s an approach that works because it’s balanced.
3. Walk the line of facts and emotions.
Non-profits failing to obtain fundraising goals tend to switch staff, photographs or disaster, but not approach. In “Reaching the Left Brained Donor” Randon Samelson writes, “By moving beyond the traditional, emotional approach to fundraising, non-profit organizations can reach the most overlooked and under served donor in fundraising: the left-brain donor.”
Unlike traditional, “right-brained” donors who are moved by passionate appeals and provocative images, the “left-brained” donor determines their donation by analyzing the facts. A typical, right-brained approach might be to depict photographs of the hopelessness of homelessness, whereas a left-brained approach might be to identify the number of homeless people in a particular area, the costs of housing per individual per night, the cost and services provided to assist in obtaining employment, and the anticipated average night stay before an individual can be reasonably expected to find permanent housing.
Feeding America’s 1 in 8 campaign uses both stunning visuals and stark numbers to express the direness of hunger. Click on the link to watch a video of a left brain strategy from Feeding America: Feeding America: 1 in 8
4. Don’t be scary.
The world is going to end. We’re all going to burn alive. All the children will die. Our doors will close.
Avoid panic-driven fundraising efforts. They only work once. No one likes to hear the sky is falling. And if your organization is that panicked that often, your donors are going to wonder if their money is being managed properly, or if your organization has taken on more than it can handle.
When I was living in San Francisco, I once received a phone solicitation for a small, local independent theater. The caller said the theater would close if they didn’t raise $12,000 to keep their doors open. I contributed. Several weeks later, I visited their website to see if they had indeed been able to stay open. What I found was the announcement that they had purchased and were renovating a larger theater nearby. They had always planned on shutting the doors of the first one. The fundraising was for renovation funds, not to keep the theater alive. Needless to say, I never gave to them again.
5. Don’t overlook your donors after they’ve made their donation.
This is a given, but bears repeating. People pay attention to how well and quickly they’re thanked. And then they tell their friends. And post it on the internet.
A speedily mailed thank you, even if it’s a form letter, is better than no thank you at all. A slightly delayed thank you is acceptable if it’s personalized. Avoid sending the impression that your organization has so many donors it’s simply impossible to thank them all.
6. Make it clear what you did with your donors’ money.
Potential donors can get all the information they need about your organizations from sources such as Charity Navigator. If they’re not getting it from your web site, they might be getting it from someone else’s. Ensure you’re controlling the message.
Accomplishments should be clearly listed on your website, updated regularly with dates. Use numbers. “We planted x amount of trees.” “We fed this many school children.” “We built this many community clinics.” It keeps your donors engaged and makes it easier to fundraise the following year when you have a proven track record of what you’ve done with their funds to date. Avoid accomplishments that begin “Since 1974, we’ve…” Keep previous years’ accomplishments available as downloadable PDFs, or on request. This is an imperative, even if yours is a small organization, and will save time in the long run when making donor appeals.
7. Utilize (don’t abuse) cheap and free labor.
All hail the unpaid intern. God bless the volunteers. Non-profit organizations would be lost without them. To make the most of a volunteer program, have specific guidelines, select a person to manage it, and prepare tasks for the volunteer ahead of the visit.
Be aware of the issues of using unpaid labor, and ensure your organization is operating on the up and up.
8. Spend time and if necessary, money, creating a clear and easy to use website.
Ask people who are not involved with your organization if your mission is clear, how to donate and/or get involved. Implement a management plan for ongoing maintenance.
Cameron Chapman of Smashing Magazine writes, “A non profit’s website needs to make it easy to find out more about their cause, to donate money, and to become more involved. It needs to make it easy for media contacts to find the information they need and the contact information of key personnel. And it needs to do all this in a way that’s inviting to the organization’s targeted donors and/or volunteers.”
9. Use social media that is appropriate for your organization, mission and goals.
According to the Center for Marketing Research, charities are outpacing corporations in their use of social media. Why? Much of it is free and viral; tactics charities have long used to create awareness, educate the public and fundraise.
Do your research; not all sites are created equal. Rather than attempt to manage all the sites out there, know your donor demographics and what you want to achieve through your organization’s social networking and select a site accordingly. Create a plan, then dive in.
If working on a limited budget, this is a great task for an outgoing board member to manage to keep her/him engaged.
10. Leverage Your Resources
If your organization is part of a federation such as Earth Share or United Way, a community giving campaign, a local fundraising appeal, a special event, etc., look for co-marketing, available volunteer hours and shared workload opportunities.
Rather than providing a free tote for every donation, offer it as a raffle item at a tabling event where individuals must leave a business card or e-mail address to register. Allow donors to opt out of receiving a thank you gift to commit the entire membership dues to projects.
Ask donors for more than money; in an appeal letter request a dollar amount or four hours of volunteer service for a specific project or ask if they know anyone who can give time.
And then…
After you’ve followed these tips, you’ll be happier, well-rested and possibly even better looking. Why not share the wealth with those non-profit staff who are less fortunate? In all your normal, well-adjusted extra time, reach out to the non-profits mentioned here, or a favorite one in your neighborhood to donate time or money. Because although we’re all working on specific issues, we’re all after a better world.
Biography:
Molly McCluskey has worked with non-profit organizations and sustainable businesses for nearly ten years. She is currently a writer and communications consultant living in Washington, D.C.
