Skip to main content
Tag

Fundraising communications best practices

Apr 22 2020

Live forum: Digital Do’s and Don’ts

By Steier Tips

The Steier Group’s latest live forum covered the Digital Do’s and Don’ts of what your organization should be doing online to counter the crisis and keep everyone engaged and giving. “People who want to be engaged are engaged,” said Fr. Tom Holder of Our Lady of the Presentation Catholic Church in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. The key is to make it easy for parishioners and donors to stay involved, he said. Fr. Tom talked about how his goal was to make the parish’s website user-friendly so parishioners can easily gain access to all online activities, including weekend Mass and daily reflection….

Read More
Apr 20 2020

Giving Tuesday FAQ

By Steier Tips

The concept of GivingTuesday may be new to you and your constituents. Please use this GivingTuesday FAQ to answer any questions your supporters might have. What is GivingTuesday? GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement and day of giving on Dec. 1, 2020. The day is designed to drive support for communities and nonprofits around the world. What does it cost to participate in GivingTuesday? There are no costs to participate in GivingTuesday. This is a free and open movement to unleash generosity across the world. If you are currently using a digital fundraising platform, there may be costs associated with…

Read More
Apr 19 2020

Giving Tuesday Communication Plan

By Steier Tips

Prepare your Giving Tuesday communication plan in advance to allow for easier implementation. The Steier Group has composed a suggested GivingTuesday communication plan to use in the run up to the day of giving on Dec. 1, 2020. Make sure to use the free graphics created by GivingTuesday to inform your supporters. Although it may seem tricky to ask for help during a pandemic year, the Steier Group has found that donors are willing to help as they can. Remember, you are inviting them to support an organization they care about. If they are willing and able to support, they…

Read More
Apr 15 2020

Live forum: Asking in April

By Steier Tips

We’ve heard from so many nonprofit leaders that are struggling financially but are unsure if they can ask for support during such a challenging time. With that in mind, our next live forum will be addressing this important question: Asking in April – Can you fundraise during the COVID crisis? Perhaps Francis Doyle said it best: “All we can do is invite people” to give. Only prospective donors can decide whether now is a good time to be asked – and to give, suggested Doyle, who is director of development for the Diocese of Hamilton. “Generosity keeps happening.” During the…

Read More
Mar 30 2020

CARES Act: How it will impact nonprofits and charitable giving

By Steier Tips

On Friday, the U.S. government passed the The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), which will provide much needed assistance to families and businesses across America. Below is a summary of items in the CARES Act that could provide value for your nonprofit: Charitable Giving Incentive The CARES Act establishes a new, above-the-line deduction (universal or non-itemized deduction that applies to all taxpayers) for total charitable contributions of up to $300. The incentive applies to contributions made in 2020 and would be claimed on tax forms next year. Section 2204. The bill also lifts the existing cap on…

Read More
Mar 17 2020

Fundraising and development during the coronavirus pandemic

By Steier Tips

These are unprecedented times. While there is understandably a lot of anxiety and uncertainty about what a nonprofit organization should do as the economy struggles and much of society shuts down, certain truths are unchanged. Your organization remains committed to achieving its mission, your needs are real, and your mission relies upon timely and effective fundraising. The Steier Group is no stranger to advancing our clients’ mission in times of crisis. We’ve faced the uncertainties following the tragedy of 9/11, the economic instability of the great recession, many regional natural disasters (hurricanes, flooding, earthquakes, etc.) and, for our Catholic clients,…

Read More
Feb 13 2020

Nonprofits active on social media see higher donations

By Steier Tips

For nonprofits, social media presents a major opportunity. Nonprofits can share their stories, interact with supporters and donors, and have an impact on the daily life of their communities. As of 2019, Pew Research Center found that 72 percent of American adults are on social media. Facebook was most popular with 69 percent of adults using it. From that group, 74 percent said they use Facebook daily. Looking at those statistics, it should come as no surprise that social media can have an impact on the fundraising of a nonprofit. CatholicSocial.Media, a Steier Group partner, found that churches that post daily on Facebook…

Read More
Jan 21 2020

Strong capital campaigns follow storytelling structure

By Steier Tips

Facts don’t always speak for themselves. It may be obvious to your leadership that it’s time to update the HVAC system, address that longstanding debt or that your growing organization requires more space. But for your supporters to convene and push such projects to success, plain facts must be shared within the framework of a story. Fittingly, one of the most important pieces to any successful fundraising campaign is effective storytelling. All stories have a beginning, a middle and an end. In the beginning, a problem arises. The middle of the story is finding the means to solve the problem,…

Read More
Dec 19 2019

Three ways to steward a donor relationship

By Steier Tips

The holiday season is the perfect time to reflect on the past year. Your organization was likely blessed in countless ways over the last 12 months and you should recognize and acknowledge those blessings. It is especially important this time of year to maintain donor relationships by showing your appreciation. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to assume donors know how their gift impacted your organization. It’s easy to fall into the trap of losing touch with your donors as the months and years pass from their initial gift, but it is important to continue, and ultimately strengthen,…

Read More
Nov 15 2019

How to incorporate Giving Tuesday into a capital campaign

By Steier Tips

A national or regional day of giving, such as Giving Tuesday, could seem to be at odds with a complex fundraising effort like a capital campaign. Devoting time and resources to one day of fundraising could take away focus and funds from a campaign. But that doesn’t have to be the case! With proper planning and clear communications, it’s possible to successfully incorporate Giving Tuesday or any day of giving into your capital campaign. At the Steier Group, we often conclude our onsite campaign management with Commitment Weekend. It’s a chance to celebrate the fundraising success achieved during the capital campaign while…

Read More