I'm going to say what I think the biggest failure of the social sector is today, and I want to know if you agree or disagree. I could be totally off base. But here it is: We are not documenting our work, we are not building the history as we go. Angela Davis's words: "I think the importance of doing activist work is precisely because it allows you to give back and to consider yourself not as a single individual who may have achieved whatever but to be a part of an ongoing historical movement." The more we share about the journey now, the more meaning we give to this historical, ongoing movement. So remember: The work we all do is important. Is of historical note. There are lessons to be learned from our work; our trials and errors, successes and impact. Big and small. The ideation, the consensus-building, the listening, the resourcing, the messaging, the advocacy, the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th tries.
I'm going to say what I think the biggest failure of the social sector is today, and I want to know if you agree or disagree.
Here are five ideas for capturing feedback on your creative work:
This is not to imply that organizations should be taking directives from donors on how to do the work. Never that!
But you may find it helpful to ask a question prompting for their ideas or a ranking of what works most effectively in their opinion can provide you with data that can inform the content you provide in your fundraising requests, donor education needs/opportunities that exist to support their understanding of the work, and you may also receive a few ideas worth considering.
Quickly, here are three reasons why I think donor polling often fails:
The metrics of a successful polling exercise are often misguided. The primary goal of donor polling shouldn't be self-serving. Or, at least, it shouldn't be so damn obvious. Questions like "How much do you donate to nonprofits a year?" and "How do you prefer to give?" tell the donor you're only interested in their money, not them and your relationship with them. This implies a purely transactional approach to donor engagement, which can be a huge turn-off. Instead, asking donors about the issues that have affected them or someone they know personally, about the root causes of the problem in their analysis, and about the type of work they want to learn about can be more engaging and provide you with data that can inform your donor cultivation strategies.
The polls ignore the value of what behavioral finance concepts can teach us if applied correctly. Behavioral finance examines how psychology can influence consumer/investor behavior and impact market outcomes. As it relates to nonprofit fundraising, perhaps the two most important concepts in this field of study are the Emotional Gap, which explains that people often make decisions based on extreme emotions (such as those provoked by tragic event with national news coverage) and Anchoring (how people decide on spending levels based on a specific reference point). Pointing questions to explore these aspects of your donor's perspective can help provide insights into what prompts donors to give and what informs their level of giving. For example, if you are a food assistance or food justice organization, ask where they get their news and information about hunger-related issues. Is there an article or news story that impacted them most, and can they post a link to it?
Pointing here to another concept in behavioral finance - self-attribution. This concept explores how people have overconfidence in their knowledge or skills and make decisions based on that bias. How it relates to donor behavior: if people care deeply about the issues you're trying to solve, they likely have THEIR OWN ideas about how to address the problem. Using your donor polling to show that you recognize they are so invested in your work that they likely have ideas to contribute can help foster a positive relationship with your donor because it demonstrates you value most their passion and ideas for the work, not just their money.
Storyteller friends,
I'm prepping for some in-home interviews for a new project this fall. I'm revisiting some of my best practices for going into people's homes, asking them personal questions, and ensuring I am operating in a respectful, culturally responsive, and professional way.
Here are some of my top 5 best practices. I'd love to hear any others!
Nonprofit organizations play a crucial role in society by addressing various social, environmental, and humanitarian issues. To effectively communicate their mission and impact, storytelling has become an essential tool. In today's digital age, where attention spans are shorter than ever, video has emerged as a powerful medium for nonprofit storytelling. Incorporating video into your nonprofit's communication strategy can have a profound impact on expanding your reach, attracting donors, and inspiring the community. In this article, we will explore the benefits of hiring a videographer for nonprofit organizations and how video production can elevate your storytelling efforts.
If someone told you the old-fashioned letter is dead, they lied. In fact, the letter holds significant power in one space in particular: public policy.
Submitting a letter to your elected and government officials concerning the changes they aim to make can be a promising strategy to grab their attention, and in some circumstances, prompt a request to speak with you directly to learn more about your concerns, or even delay their plan to move forward with their proposed policy. However, not just any old letter can trigger this kind of effect.
In the digital era, your nonprofit’s website serves as the first point of contact with potential supporters. It’s the face of your organization, and the staff and board website photos play a crucial role in making a positive and lasting impression.
A well-chosen and high-quality photo can convey trustworthiness, approachability, and professionalism. However, the aesthetic of your photos should be consistent with the message you want to put out into the world. This, of course, depends on the work you are doing and the people you want to attract to it such as community members, clients, donors, volunteers, and even prospective staff.
For community-facing organizations, especially those providing social services to folks who are forced to show up in a state of vulnerability to receive the help they need - such as for food or housing assistance, addiction services, or legal aid - it is critical for photos of staff to communicate approachability. In cases such as these, your power-posing corporate CEO-style pic is a non-starter.
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Created on April 8, 2024
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Transcript
I'm going to say what I think the biggest failure of the social sector is today, and I want to know if you agree or disagree. I could be totally off base. But here it is: We are not documenting our work, we are not building the history as we go. Angela Davis's words: "I think the importance of doing activist work is precisely because it allows you to give back and to consider yourself not as a single individual who may have achieved whatever but to be a part of an ongoing historical movement." The more we share about the journey now, the more meaning we give to this historical, ongoing movement. So remember: The work we all do is important. Is of historical note. There are lessons to be learned from our work; our trials and errors, successes and impact. Big and small. The ideation, the consensus-building, the listening, the resourcing, the messaging, the advocacy, the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th tries.
I'm going to say what I think the biggest failure of the social sector is today, and I want to know if you agree or disagree.
Here are five ideas for capturing feedback on your creative work:
This is not to imply that organizations should be taking directives from donors on how to do the work. Never that! But you may find it helpful to ask a question prompting for their ideas or a ranking of what works most effectively in their opinion can provide you with data that can inform the content you provide in your fundraising requests, donor education needs/opportunities that exist to support their understanding of the work, and you may also receive a few ideas worth considering.
Quickly, here are three reasons why I think donor polling often fails:
The metrics of a successful polling exercise are often misguided. The primary goal of donor polling shouldn't be self-serving. Or, at least, it shouldn't be so damn obvious. Questions like "How much do you donate to nonprofits a year?" and "How do you prefer to give?" tell the donor you're only interested in their money, not them and your relationship with them. This implies a purely transactional approach to donor engagement, which can be a huge turn-off. Instead, asking donors about the issues that have affected them or someone they know personally, about the root causes of the problem in their analysis, and about the type of work they want to learn about can be more engaging and provide you with data that can inform your donor cultivation strategies.
The polls ignore the value of what behavioral finance concepts can teach us if applied correctly. Behavioral finance examines how psychology can influence consumer/investor behavior and impact market outcomes. As it relates to nonprofit fundraising, perhaps the two most important concepts in this field of study are the Emotional Gap, which explains that people often make decisions based on extreme emotions (such as those provoked by tragic event with national news coverage) and Anchoring (how people decide on spending levels based on a specific reference point). Pointing questions to explore these aspects of your donor's perspective can help provide insights into what prompts donors to give and what informs their level of giving. For example, if you are a food assistance or food justice organization, ask where they get their news and information about hunger-related issues. Is there an article or news story that impacted them most, and can they post a link to it?
Pointing here to another concept in behavioral finance - self-attribution. This concept explores how people have overconfidence in their knowledge or skills and make decisions based on that bias. How it relates to donor behavior: if people care deeply about the issues you're trying to solve, they likely have THEIR OWN ideas about how to address the problem. Using your donor polling to show that you recognize they are so invested in your work that they likely have ideas to contribute can help foster a positive relationship with your donor because it demonstrates you value most their passion and ideas for the work, not just their money.
Storyteller friends, I'm prepping for some in-home interviews for a new project this fall. I'm revisiting some of my best practices for going into people's homes, asking them personal questions, and ensuring I am operating in a respectful, culturally responsive, and professional way. Here are some of my top 5 best practices. I'd love to hear any others!
Nonprofit organizations play a crucial role in society by addressing various social, environmental, and humanitarian issues. To effectively communicate their mission and impact, storytelling has become an essential tool. In today's digital age, where attention spans are shorter than ever, video has emerged as a powerful medium for nonprofit storytelling. Incorporating video into your nonprofit's communication strategy can have a profound impact on expanding your reach, attracting donors, and inspiring the community. In this article, we will explore the benefits of hiring a videographer for nonprofit organizations and how video production can elevate your storytelling efforts.
If someone told you the old-fashioned letter is dead, they lied. In fact, the letter holds significant power in one space in particular: public policy. Submitting a letter to your elected and government officials concerning the changes they aim to make can be a promising strategy to grab their attention, and in some circumstances, prompt a request to speak with you directly to learn more about your concerns, or even delay their plan to move forward with their proposed policy. However, not just any old letter can trigger this kind of effect.
In the digital era, your nonprofit’s website serves as the first point of contact with potential supporters. It’s the face of your organization, and the staff and board website photos play a crucial role in making a positive and lasting impression. A well-chosen and high-quality photo can convey trustworthiness, approachability, and professionalism. However, the aesthetic of your photos should be consistent with the message you want to put out into the world. This, of course, depends on the work you are doing and the people you want to attract to it such as community members, clients, donors, volunteers, and even prospective staff. For community-facing organizations, especially those providing social services to folks who are forced to show up in a state of vulnerability to receive the help they need - such as for food or housing assistance, addiction services, or legal aid - it is critical for photos of staff to communicate approachability. In cases such as these, your power-posing corporate CEO-style pic is a non-starter.