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Before You Quit, Rate Your Nonprofit CEO

Hold your horses. In a moment we’ll give you a chance to vent confidentially with an Agitator Survey on CEOs, Boards and other horrors in your fundraising life. But first, the serious and disturbing reasons behind the Agitator Survey. Over the past decade the number of nonprofits has shot up by 47% to a whopping […]

Learn More January 29, 2013

Ode To Boomers

The 28th is my birthday. And proud to be a Boomer, I thought I’d indulge in another stab — hopefully not all that necessary — at why fundraisers should focus on, well, me (and my ilk, of course). Versus those other demographic groups! Fortunately, the case is well made in these comments that were sent […]

Learn More January 28, 2013

Fundraising Intermission #2: Mastering The Basics

Tom and I view our role somewhat as hunting dogs … ranging out and chasing the scent in search of the helpful, innovative, and provocative. But even for us older dogs (that’s me in the foreground), it’s good to pause and revisit the essentials — those basic skills that every competent fundraiser must hone and […]

Learn More January 23, 2013

Fundraising Intermission #1: Retention (Again!)

Before we continuing exploring the new, new things and better ways to do the old, old things, Tom and I thought it good to pause for an intermission and remind ourselves and fellow Agitators of some fundraising fundamentals that we lose sight of at our peril. Thus, in this two-part Agitator Intermission we want to: […]

Learn More January 22, 2013

Raising Extra Billions By Changing The Rules

Today our US readers will likely be away from their desks marking the Second Inauguration of President Barack Obama and the Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. But elsewhere in the world, especially in the UK, we want to call your early attention to an extraordinary Fundraising Summit we hope will serve as a […]

Learn More January 21, 2013

Seniors Are Challenging

Yesterday I suggested that fundraisers should pay attention to how AARP is using social media to engage its seniors market. They have the resources and marketing determination to try everything and discover what works. From them, we can learn. Here are some more insights into marketing to Boomers and seniors, this time from Jim Gilmartin […]

Learn More January 18, 2013

Flat Earth Fundraising: The Dangers Of RFPs

As I write, the great herds of wildebeests are thundering across the Serengeti. Part of the Great Migration in search of greener grass. Same thing’s happening right now in our nonprofit world, where too many mindless RFPs are being issued for about the same reasons: Duh! Let’s find some green grass. With nonprofits migrating in […]

Learn More January 16, 2013

Acquisition: What About Testing DRTV?

Direct Response Television (DRTV) isn’t for everyone, but for many organizations it’s proven to be a powerful and essential tool in acquiring monthly donors. My friend Russ Reid, pioneered this medium in the U.S. and today the Russ Reid Company carries on his tradition. In this first of a series of posts by Robbin […]

Learn More January 14, 2013

Could the Commercial Sector Really Be This Wrong?

Fact: when it comes to measuring marketing performance, the nonprofit and commercial sectors are much more similar than they are different. Yes, bottom line revenue goes to different places but the way in which nonprofits and commercial counterparts evaluate effectiveness is through similar metrics; acquisition of new donors/customers, retention of donors/customers, lifetime value, etc. Given […]

Learn More January 11, 2013

The Non Profit Sector Needs More Debt…Seriously.

The post title is a blatant attempt to generate interest. That said, it is a true (if incomplete) statement. What the sector is in desperate need of are markets; debt, equity, M&A markets. In short, it needs buyers and sellers, creditors and equity holders. In the commercial sector these are necessary financial tools for […]

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Ask A Behavioral Scientist

Behavioral Science Q & A

Q: Do you have any insight on whether integrating an individual giving appeal with other comms from the charity in both appearance and messaging can uplift results? Or does the actual appeal become ‘lost’ for lack of stand-out?

Integrating an individual giving appeal with other communications from a charity can have both positive and negative effects, and the outcome largely depends on how it’s executed. Advantages of Integration Brand Consistency: Maintaining a consistent appearance and messaging across all communications can reinforce the org’s brand identity and strengthen brand recognition and trust among your […]

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Q: Is there any research on response rate impact in direct mail when referring to a sustainer gift as ongoing or recurring (catching all frequencies) v. monthly or annual?

I’m not aware of any in-market tests specifically comparing recurring vs. gift frequency language. I suspect the answer might not be the same with all gift frequencies, nor with all people. It sounds like a great opportunity for you to test and find out what works for your audience. Based on the literature, here’s a couple […]

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Q: A major conservation nonprofit sends me lots of mail, many of which have on the envelope “time to renew” or “2nd notice.” I find this practice deceptive, especially as I haven’t given to said organization since 1997. It must be effective or they wouldn’t do it. But is it ethical?

Based on what we know from existing data, those renewal notices can actually be pretty effective in getting people to donate. They tap into our psychology – creating a sense of urgency, reminding us of past support, and using personalization to make the message hit home. They’re playing on our natural tendencies to feel obligated […]

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Q: I find it irritating when some nonprofits accept my “gift” and then ask me to cover their credit card fees separately. It feels like a practice that does nothing to help win donors and runs the risk of turning others off. Is there any data on this either way?

Interesting question. I had a quick look at the testing done on this topic. On the positive side, in all cases, over half of donors decide to cover the fee. In some cases, it goes as high as 65%. Not a negligible percentage at all. Here’s another test from iRaiser showing consistent results (see point […]

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Q: What are the three most important things to consider when designing a brilliant supporter journey?

There’s just one thing to consider when designing a supporter journey: the supporter. More specifically, you need to take into account: Who the supporter is i.e. their identity, which is the reason they support this cause, and their personality, which describes the way they “see” and process the world. These will determine the kind of […]

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Q: Is there any evidence that changes to the tax laws in the USA changed end of year giving behaviors? Previously, ~30% of US taxpayers filed itemized tax returns allowing them to receive a deduction for charitable giving. Tax law changed in 2017 so that now only ~10% itemize. This should mean tax year-end giving should not matter to millions of people for whom it used to matter. Is there any data evidence to support this?

I’m not an expert in this but a quick search surfaced this article on the effect of tax reforms on 2019’s charitable giving. The researchers didn’t find a reduction. Actually, they observed an “increase in charitable contributions in 2019, even with the lower tax rates and the dramatically smaller number of taxpayers who itemize their […]

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Uncategorized

Before You Quit, Rate Your Nonprofit CEO

Ode To Boomers

Fundraising Intermission #2: Mastering The Basics

Fundraising Intermission #1: Retention (Again!)

Raising Extra Billions By Changing The Rules

Seniors Are Challenging

Flat Earth Fundraising: The Dangers Of RFPs

Acquisition: What About Testing DRTV?

Could the Commercial Sector Really Be This Wrong?

The Non Profit Sector Needs More Debt…Seriously.

Ask A Behavioral Scientist

Behavioral Science Q & A

Q: Do you have any insight on whether integrating an individual giving appeal with other comms from the charity in both appearance and messaging can uplift results? Or does the actual appeal become ‘lost’ for lack of stand-out?

Q: Is there any research on response rate impact in direct mail when referring to a sustainer gift as ongoing or recurring (catching all frequencies) v. monthly or annual?

Q: A major conservation nonprofit sends me lots of mail, many of which have on the envelope “time to renew” or “2nd notice.” I find this practice deceptive, especially as I haven’t given to said organization since 1997. It must be effective or they wouldn’t do it. But is it ethical?

Q: I find it irritating when some nonprofits accept my “gift” and then ask me to cover their credit card fees separately. It feels like a practice that does nothing to help win donors and runs the risk of turning others off. Is there any data on this either way?

Q: What are the three most important things to consider when designing a brilliant supporter journey?

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