Why Did You Come To Work Today?
People devoted to raising funds for nonprofit causes and charities do rather important work.
Sometimes when we get down in the weeds we forget that.
Here's a reminder Ellen Church, prez of Craver, Mathews, Smith & Company recently sent to her staff.
Whether you work as fundraising professional for a nonprofit or for an agency servicing that universe, her exhortation applies …
“We build movements of people who want to end poverty housing, end animal abuse, end hunger, end the disparity of basic health care in the world, protect constitutional rights, etc. This is the way we motivate people – not just to write the check or click “give now” on the website – but to get involved and feel passionate about the organization and to believe that they are part of a solution.
We don't just produce mail or raise money through direct response – we build movements that change the world. The work we do each day is not to get the mail out – that is just the mechanics needed to get to the end result.
What we do each day is raise awareness for the most relevant and important causes the world faces – and create communications that motivate people to care about other people (or animals) and to do their part to ensure that everyone has the right to live with dignity – feed their children, live in decent housing, receive a vaccine that costs 3cents and can save their life.
When you are approving the blueline, creating the art, writing the copy or agonizing over strategy today, remember that is the means to the end result. The end result we all hope for is leaving the world a better place than we found it.”
Well said, Ellen.
Tom
Disclaimer: The Agitator is a godchild of CMS.
Behavioral Science Q & A
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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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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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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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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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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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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