Making the most of the Spirit of Giving

The holiday season is right around the corner and so is the spirit of giving, one of the busiest times of the year for nonprofits. It is a well-known fact that people tend to give more during the holiday season but exactly how do donors decide which nonprofit gets their donation? Hope Consulting's research, Money for Good, found that while 9 out of 10 donors say that nonprofit performance is important, only 3 out of 10 do any research before giving and only 3 out of 100 do any research to find a high performing nonprofit.

These statistics didn’t entirely surprise me because many people tend to give to a nonprofit they already know so the question of researching on nonprofits may not arise. This is an advantage for the larger nonprofits since people can easily identify them and relate to their cause. For smaller nonprofits however, it is a different story due to the limited number of resources available for creating widespread awareness.

So how can smaller nonprofits make sure that they make the most of the spirit of giving? Here are a few ways we thought of: 1. Increase visibility A great way of increasing visibility is using social media effectively. Talk about your cause, promote it, connect with other nonprofits by ‘sharing’ and ‘liking’ their pages and create a network that can route people back to your nonprofit. 2. Create a great landing website The purpose of using social media is to not only create awareness of your nonprofit’s activities but also to direct the followers to your website where they can gain more information and take action e.g. a clear ‘Donate’ button or a page with volunteering opportunities. We at WebServes know the importance of having a great website which is why we offer web development services and welcome nonprofits that are seeking a professionally developed website. 3. List down tasks for drop-in volunteers The spirit of giving doesn’t always need to translate to monetary donations; some people give their time by volunteering at nonprofits. There are some people who just drop-in at nonprofits to help out and this is great since an extra pair of hands is always a big help. A great way of ensuring that the volunteers’ time is put to use is to have a ready list of tasks (such as organizing or cleaning) at hand to accommodate the drop-in volunteers. We recognize the fact that drop-ins are not always welcomed or appropriate given the nature of the organization’s programs or structure, but a cordial exchange and channeling of the prospective volunteers interest is definitely constructive. 4. Be specific about your needs As 10 Percent Solution puts it, don’t make your supporters guess what you want from them. Be specific about the nonprofit’s objectives and how the supporters’ donations of time, money or goods will enable your nonprofit to achieve the said objectives. Outline where donations go and even what specific amounts can achieve - A donation of $20 to our cause can... 5. Acknowledge your supporters No amount of time or money, however big or small, is insignificant so make it a point to acknowledge your supporters. Instead of just having a big ‘Thank You!’ on your website, send out personalized emails or Thank You cards and make your supporters feel special. How does your nonprofit make the most of the holiday season? Share your ideas and activities with us, ‘tis the season for giving after all! ~Ramya