Fundraising during Challenging Times: Strategies for Nonprofits Navigating Crises

In times of crisis, such as economic downturns or organizational upheaval, nonprofits face unique challenges. These periods demand not just resilience but also creativity and strategic thinking, especially in the realm of fundraising. So how do you keep donors engaged and informed, and keep the organization on mission? Here are some strategies:

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Donor Appreciation During the Holidays: Creative Ways to Use CRM to Show Gratitude

The holiday season is a time of warmth, generosity, and gratitude. For nonprofits, it’s not just about receiving; it's equally important to give back, especially to those who support your cause – your donors. With the help of a CRM like ResultsPlus, expressing appreciation to donors can be both innovative and personal, strengthening your relationship with them in meaningful ways.

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Maximizing Year-End Giving with ResultsPlus: A Nonprofit's Guide

As the year draws to a close, nonprofits gear up for the most crucial phase of their fundraising calendar: the year-end giving season. It's a time when donors are feeling most generous, often motivated by the holiday spirit and the upcoming tax deadlines. To leverage this season effectively, having a robust Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution like ResultsPlus can make a significant difference. 

Here's how nonprofits can maximize their donations using ResultsPlus.

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Cleaning up your CRM data for the end of year

Cleaning up CRM data is a critical task for nonprofits as the end of the fiscal year approaches. Effective data hygiene not only streamlines operations but also ensures that organizations can trust their data for reporting, fundraising, and strategic planning purposes. Poor data quality can lead to misinformed decisions and strategies. Nonprofits should understand how outdated or incorrect data can impact their fundraising and outreach efforts.

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Breaking down the features of a CRM

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems are a great way for nonprofits to advance their mission. A CRM tailored for nonprofits helps in managing relationships with donors, volunteers, and supporters efficiently and effectively. But what features are most important? Here are a few things to pay attention to:

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Understanding ResultsPlus add-ons and integrations

With the right plugins and add-ons, your CRM becomes more than just a tool – it becomes the backbone of your donor relationship strategy. ResultsPlus contains a lot of robust features like data services, project management, and the standard abilities of a CRM. But did you know you can extend the benefits of ResultsPlus with these integrations?

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Using CRM to Successfully Manage Your Major Gifts or Moves Management Fundraising

Major gifts represent a significant portion of revenue for many organizations. These substantial contributions come from individual donors, and cultivating these relationships is a critical activity known as moves management. Managing these relationships effectively can significantly impact an organization's financial health and long-term stability. One tool that is indispensable in this process is a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system like ResultsPlus.

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Maintaining Financial Transparency in Nonprofit Organizations

Nonprofits have a public purpose and the public puts their trust in them to do right, both for the community and as stewards of public resources. Maintaining financial transparency in nonprofit organizations is critical for several reasons: it builds trust with donors and stakeholders, satisfies regulatory and compliance requirements, and ensures that resources are being used efficiently and effectively to fulfill the organization's mission. Here are 8 strategies to enhance financial transparency in your organization:

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Unleashing Efficiency and Cost-Savings for Nonprofits with a CRM

Nonprofit organizations operate under a unique set of challenges, including limited resources, reliance on donors, and a continuous need to justify their impact. To tackle these challenges, they require tools that can optimize their operations while minimizing costs. A CRM like ResultsPlus is an excellent way to address some of these issues. Here’s how:

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Improving Nonprofit Programs with CRM Data Insights

Just as the commercial sector harnesses data to create more efficient and effective business models, the nonprofit sector can also leverage data to enhance their programs and impact. An important source of data is a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, like ResultsPlus, which many nonprofits have adopted to manage their relationships with donors, volunteers, and beneficiaries.

Here’s how to harness the potential of using CRM data insights to improve nonprofit programs, creating more powerful impact, and fostering stronger, more meaningful relationships with constituents.

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5 Ways to Leverage CRM Data for Nonprofit Success

For nonprofit organizations, every interaction, engagement, and contribution matters. A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system like ResultsPlus is more than a storage space for donor information. It’s a valuable tool that, when used correctly, can help a nonprofit organization operate more effectively and achieve greater success.

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5 Storytelling techniques for donor engagement

Effective storytelling is about more than just weaving a captivating tale. It's about forging connections, demonstrating the impact, and making your donors feel that they are part of a larger mission. When done right, storytelling can be one of the most potent tools for donor engagement in your nonprofit toolkit. Here are five ways to amplify your storytelling program:

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Leveraging a CRM to Build Long-term Donor Relationships

Long-term donor relationships are essential for the financial stability and growth of any nonprofit organization. By centralizing your donor data in a CRM system like ResultsPlus, you can ensure that your team has access to the information they need to build meaningful connections with your supporters. You can track donor preferences, communication preferences, and other details that can help you tailor your interactions to create a more personalized and satisfying experience for your donors. Here are some strategic ways to use your CRM to build long-term relationships with donors:

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Nonprofit CRM Data Security and Privacy Crucial to Successful Donor Management

Nonprofit CRMs store sensitive information such as donor and volunteer data, and it's the responsibility of nonprofits to ensure that this data is kept safe from unauthorized access and misuse. An excellent security and privacy policy will make donors happy and ensure staff have the tools to succeed. Here are some key considerations for ensuring data security and privacy in nonprofit CRMs:

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4 Ways That Nonprofits Can Avoid Mission Creep

Nonprofits exist to fulfill a specific mission and help with a societal need, and that can make nonprofits try to help in ways that extend beyond that mission. This is called “mission creep.” This is a common but significant challenge for nonprofit organizations. It can dilute the organization's impact and harm its reputation and brand. Here are some ways that nonprofits can avoid mission creep:

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How to recession-proof your nonprofit organization

Over the last two decades, the economic conditions facing nonprofits have been shaped by a huge recession stemming from the housing crisis, a slow economic recovery, and a worldwide pandemic spurring another recession. Nonprofit organizations need to be recession resilient in order to survive and thrive when the economy is unpredictable. 

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Donor acknowledgments spur new and renewed giving

Donor acknowledgments are an important part of any nonprofit fundraising campaign. These acknowledgments can take many forms, including thank-you letters, emails, phone calls, public acknowledgements, or personal visits. Regardless of the specific method used, the goal of donor acknowledgments is to show appreciation for the support of donors and to demonstrate the impact of their contributions.

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Year-End, Is That You?

We don’t know where the year went, but the reality is that it’s here and it’s time for you to start preparing for year-end in your ResultsPlus CRM! The last thing you want is to be stressing about it while you’re enjoying your Thanksgiving turkey or decorating for the holidays, so we’re planting this year-end seed so that you can get a jump-start on your year-end processes.

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4 Reasons to Invest in a Nonprofit CRM

A CRM? “We’re a nonprofit, not a for-profit. Why do we need a CRM?” you ask. Well, we’re here to tell you that you don’t have to be a corporation or even have a sales team to benefit from a CRM. Nonprofits are utilizing and enjoying the perks of CRM software now more than ever.

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5 Ways to Demonstrate Your Nonprofit’s Influence

One of the best ways to increase donations is to show donors and prospective donors all of the great work that your nonprofit is doing. Today’s donors want to know where their time and money are going and demonstrating your nonprofit’s impact and influence is a great way to prove to your donors that their limited time and hard-earned money is going toward something great!

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7 Steps to Create a Capital Campaign

Whether you want to raise money for a new, bigger building, to fund travel for volunteers, to purchase supplies, etc. Capital campaigns are essential to keep your nonprofit running and to keep money coming in for the causes that you are supporting.

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4 Ways to Re-engage Your Lapsed Donors

Sometimes your donors stick around, but sometimes you have to participate in the chase. Maintaining existing donors or re-engaging lapsed donors is more effective and more affordable for your nonprofit than soliciting brand-new donors.

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2022 Nonprofit Summer Reading List

We are big fans of taking time during the summer months to relax, unwind and soak in some sun. However, we also know that the nonprofit industry never takes a break. So we put together this summer reading list so you can learn and stay up-to-date without having to sit in an office and stare at your computer screen for yet another training session or class. Whether you’re a fundraiser, a social entrepreneur or a nonprofit leader, it’s important to keep the wheels turning and to learn new strategies that you and your team can benefit from.

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How to Inspire Your Nonprofit Team

Your nonprofit team members are the equivalent of superheroes. They are passionate, dedicated, generous and hard-working, wearing multiple hats and working long hours to help fulfill your organization’s mission. And while they may be doing the work for the good of your mission, that doesn’t mean that burnout isn’t a real problem. When your employees start to burn out, they may find less joy, satisfaction and motivation in the jobs they are doing.

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10 Traits of a Nonprofit Leader

Being a leader in the nonprofit industry is challenging and rewarding. It’s not just about managing a team, it’s also about being a decision-maker, being strategic and inspiring others. Leaders need to have many positive traits, but because of the unique challenges that accompany the nonprofit industry, nonprofit leaders need to have qualities to match those needs.

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Spring into volunteering

The weather is warming up, and for many of us our schedules are relaxing a bit. This means more time to relax in the sun, enjoy a backyard cook-out, and explore some volunteer opportunities.

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School is Out, But Class is in Session: Upcoming ResultsPlus Training

School might be out for the summer, but not here at ResultsPlus! We offer year-round training sessions so that you have the opportunity to learn no matter the season. So whether you’re adding a new member to your team or need a ResultsPlus refresher, we have a host of training options to suit you and your nonprofit’s needs.

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5 Tips to Avoid Nonprofit Employee Turnover

Nonprofit work is admirable, difficult and rewarding. People who work for or run nonprofits are resilient and passionate about the work they do to make their communities and the world a better place to live. However, because nonprofit work is often stressful and the pay does not always match the level of work, employee turnover is an issue running rampant in the industry.

Here’s the good news: Even if your nonprofit isn’t in a place financially to drastically increase salaries or hire more staff, there are ways to reduce employee turnover. Here are some tips to keep your team around for years to come:

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Upcoming Nonprofit Events and Where to Find Us!

That’s right, our nonprofit CRM experts are heading back to the booth! After two long years on hiatus, our team will be attending conferences both virtually AND in person in the coming months and we can’t wait to see you all!

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4 Ways Gen Z is Reshaping Philanthropy

The Gen Zers are making waves in the philanthropic world! This next generation of donors is quickly reaching millennial donation levels and is changing the ways that nonprofits are focusing on donor engagement.

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7 Things to Consider when Choosing a Nonprofit CRM

So, you’re ready to take your nonprofit’s fundraising efforts to the next level with a donor database/CRM. Good for you! The task may seem daunting but taking the time to consider your nonprofit’s unique needs and choosing a CRM carefully sets you up for great results.

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5 2022 Nonprofit Priorities

Welcome to 2022! By now you may have set your own personal New Year’s Resolutions, but what about resolutions for your nonprofit? We did some digging to see what other nonprofit pros are prioritizing going into 2022, and here are some suggestions:

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5 Nonprofit Technology and Fundraising Trends to Watch for in 2022

Another difficult year is coming to a close, and even though it still feels a little bit like time is standing still, we are looking into some of the top 2022 trends to look out for in the coming year. From fundraising to tech, the nonprofit industry continues to move forward even when the world feels like it’s stopping.

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COVID Recovery: 5 Priorities for Your Nonprofit

Enterprises and for-profit organizations weren’t the only ones to suffer due to the pandemic. Nonprofits also took a major hit with 75 percent of nonprofits reporting that the pandemic negatively impacted their revenue and funding, according to a survey by BDO U.S. The Nonprofit Finance Fund even discovered that 60 percent of nonprofits encountered situations during the pandemic that “seriously jeopardized their long-term financial viability.”

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How Effective is Your Fundraising? 6 KPIs to Measure

So, you’re a fundraising guru. You’ve nailed the ask, segmented your donors, set up your CRM and come up with creative campaigns. You’re almost there, but the final step is measuring the actual effectiveness of your fundraising efforts and the impact of your nonprofit.

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4 Benefits of Nonprofit Software in the Cloud

The cloud may seem like a scary place, way up in the sky, elusive and unstable. But trust us when we say that cloud technology is not nearly as unpredictable and volatile as the cumulonimbus cloud up in the sky. In fact, the cloud is the most secure and cost-effective place to store data and information!

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6 Tips for a Successful Crowdfunding Campaign

In this day and age, there is no lack of crisis. With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging on, social justice issues and global catastrophes, nonprofits are kicking it into high-gear to try and support as many people as they can with their mission. One of the best ways to generate funds for your cause is through crowdfunding.

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7 Ways to Make Your Website Fundraise for You

Obviously, you need a top-notch fundraising team to solicit new donors, nurture relationships and meet your fundraising goals, but did you know that you can also enlist your website to help? Your nonprofit’s website is a key tool in your fundraising endeavors, as it is often the first place potential donors will go to learn about your mission, and where existing donors will go to see what’s new. That’s why it’s important to make sure that it’s streamlined, intuitive and contains all the info that donors need to learn about you and your mission.

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7 Donor Communications Don’ts

Coming back from a crisis, like the COVID-19 pandemic, means reevaluating your fundraising and operations strategies and procedures. One of these strategies that may need a fresh set of eyes is your donor communication strategy. Whether your fundraising team is back in the office or still working from home, many nonprofits have resumed their fundraising efforts. And part of those efforts include effectively and appropriately communicating with current or prospective donors.

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4 Ways Nonprofits and For-Profits Can Work Together

Despite their extreme differences, nonprofits and for-profits are not mutually exclusive. In fact, the two go hand-in-hand in more ways than you probably realize. Partnerships with for-profit organizations create benefits for both the company and the nonprofit.

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How to Welcome Donors Back Post-COVID

It’s finally happening. The world is starting to slowly open back up again and things are starting to feel like something resembling normal. Whether it’s ditching the mask at certain public places, shaking hands or returning to the office, life is starting to normalize again here in the U.S.

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Spring into ResultsPlus Virtual Training

Is it time to give your fundraising a boost? With the country starting to see something resembling “normal” again, your team is probably thinking about how they’ll make up for lost fundraising time and get the ball rolling again.

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India Aid: How to help India during the COVID-19 crisis

India is in the midst of a COVID-19 crisis that has overwhelmed hospitals and caused a surge in COVID-related deaths. In the past month, about 58,000 people have died, which makes up a quarter of India’s total 222,000 deaths since the pandemic started last year. According to PBS, “experts estimate that the recent jump in COVID-related deaths could be up to five times greater than official counts.”

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Budget-Friendly Philanthropy

The COVID-19 pandemic has left many folks working with a very tight budget. But the pandemic, as well as a barrage of social issues, has also inspired many to be more philanthropic and help those who are struggling. So, how can you do both?

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4 Reasons to Switch to Cloud Tech for Nonprofits

In light of today’s uncertainty, we have been receiving numerous calls requesting information about our ResultsPlus Online service. More than ever, organizations are requesting that their employees work from home, and for those whose current infrastructure may be lacking, it can be hard to complete day-to-day tasks.

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ResultsPlus Virtual Training: February 2021

A new year of fundraising is underway! Do you have all the ResultsPlus insight you need to make it a successful year? We have you covered with a variety of virtual training courses and webinars to help get you and your fundraising team up-to-speed on everything ResultsPlus, from the basics to brand new functionality.

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How to Set Your Nonprofit up for Post-Pandemic Success

While it may not feel like it now, the pandemic will eventually come to an end and business operations will return to normal. Now that we have all adjusted to working from home, wearing masks, social distancing and hosting online events, the return to normal will likely be jarring and nerve-wracking for many.

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6 Ways to Combat Video Call Fatigue

It’s a brand-new year, and after almost a full year of virtual meetings, we think it’s time for a new resolution: reduce video call fatigue. When you’re already working a full day (and then some) in front of a computer, having virtual dinner with family and friends, and spending more time than ever watching Netflix due to the pandemic, having too many video calls is resulting in exhaustion, stress and frustration for many work-from-home employees.

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Giving Tuesday 2020: The Results

2020 is a year for the books. And because of the uncertainty and unprecedented nature of this year, we were all anxious to see what the results of this year’s Giving Tuesday would be. Despite all of the uncertainty this year brought and the precarious financial situation it put many people in, we also know that there was a huge drive to give to charitable organizations and a surge in charitable giving.

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Closing Out an Unprecedented Year in Your ResultsPlus CRM

Was 2020 the longest year ever? Yes. But, despite the fact that the year appears to be never-ending, year-end is here again, and most nonprofits are making their final requests for donations for the 2020 calendar year. And while nonprofits are having to change their strategy for year-end fundraising to accommodate the raging pandemic, it’s still important that you follow your year-end procedures to assure your database is up-to-date with the latest donation and donor information. 

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2 Tips for a Fall Database Clean-up

We don't know about you, but since starting to work from home our homes have become MUCH cleaner! Work-from-home has been great for our laundry situation, our bathrooms are looking much cleaner and we've even been taking part in some purging. Having an efficient workspace makes our jobs easier. Now that our homes are our offices, we know that we are much more efficient (and much happier) when our workspaces are clean and organized.

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4 Ways to Maintain Donor Engagement During COVID-19

Executive directors, fundraisers and other nonprofit employees, we know that you’re in unfamiliar territory this year. The impact that COVID-19 will ultimately have on the sector is still unknown, but what we do know is that you are all taking on these unprecedented times with ingenuity, creativity, strength and resilience.

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A Light in the Darkness: Charitable giving surging in 2020

It’s difficult to look at the year 2020 and think, “So far, this year has been pretty great!” From political and social unrest to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this year has been a challenge and we think it’s safe to say that many of us are anxious to move on to a new, better year. However, some good news has surfaced. We’re not kidding, there really is a little bit of good news in the midst of all the chaos. According to Fidelity Charitable, 2020 may end up being the best giving year EVER. Yes, you heard us right: The best.

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Virtual Volunteering: Creative ways to volunteer during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused substantial stress for many people around the world. From working from home, home-schooling kids, social distancing, quarantine, etc. – life as we know it has changed. However, folks are finding ways to boost their mental health AND give back to their communities while also staying safe and healthy.

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COVID-Proof Virtual Nonprofit CRM Training

It’s the age of e-learning, and while we jumped on the bandwagon a long time ago, we’re now really realizing just how crucial having virtual training options is for our clients. Whether you’re back at the office or still working from home, we have some online training courses to help keep you safe and feeling confident about how to use your ResultsPlus system. If you’ve brought on some new team members who will be working in ResultsPlus, or if you just need a little refresher, we encourage you to register yourself and your team for a class that fits your needs and schedule.

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7 Tech Tips for Work-From-Home Success

Work-from-home. It may sound like a luxury, but for those of you who were thrown into the new work-remote culture suddenly, you can attest that the transition is difficult. From trying to access information to keeping your work life separate from your home life, connecting with co-workers via video and chat to getting used to new tech tools, working from home isn’t nearly as simple as it sounds!

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6 Tips for Effective Home-Based Fundraising

Some things have been put on pause due to the coronavirus pandemic. Events, sports, eating out, travel, etc. All of these aspects of normal life are on hold as the world works to try and flatten the coronavirus curve. However, fundraisers are finding ways to keep raising money for the causes they support. Through innovation, technology and plenty of creativity, they are continuing to nurture relationships with donors, educate themselves and others, raise funds and set their nonprofit up for success down the road.

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Giving During Crisis: How COVID-19 will affect charitable giving

In the midst of crisis, what happens to charitable giving? We are currently in the throes of the COVID-19 crisis, and charities are feeling the effects of the pandemic. Historically, economic downturn has not ignited charitable giving. In fact, according to The Conversation, average giving has actually decreased by 0.5% due to more people being out of work, leading to less income and reduced wealth availability.

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7 Ways to Give Back During the COVID-19 Pandemic

When natural disasters strike, there are a host of ways for individuals to give back and help out their communities. However, in the case of COVID-19 when we are told to practice “social distancing,” it is significantly more difficult. Because of this, we have compiled a list of ways to assist your communities in the face of this global pandemic, while still helping to “flatten the curve” and prevent the spread of coronavirus.

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3 Reasons Why Nonprofits Need Technology

Fundraisers have been raising money, developing and executing campaigns and appeals, and nurturing relationships with donors for decades. Yes, that means before computers, before social media, before fundraising platforms and online giving. However, just because fundraising has been done without technology in the past doesn’t mean that it should be done without technology today. In fact, technology is essential to fundraising success.

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7 Tips for Motivating Your Fundraisers

The burn-out is real, especially in the nonprofit industry. Long hours, small budgets, over-worked employees – it all leads to diminishing motivation. However, there are plenty of ways to make sure that your fundraising team is feeling fired-up throughout the year. And a fired-up fundraising team is an effective and passionate fundraising team.

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How Millennials and Gen Z Are Changing Philanthropy

As Millennials and Gen Z continue to change the workforce, the economy, technology and consumerism, we did some digging to find out how they are also changing philanthropy. Because these generations are impacting our society in such dramatic ways, it’s important to know how they are affecting the nonprofit industry.

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3 Ways to Build Donor Loyalty

It’s a new year and it’s the time when many nonprofits start to look at how they can revamp their fundraising strategies. Donor attrition remains high in the nonprofit world, but by putting the focus on building donor loyalty you can start to see organizational growth and donor retention.

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4, 3, 2, 1… 4 Tips for Year-End Fundraising

The holiday season is a crazy one for everyone, especially for those in the fundraising and nonprofit sector. It’s not just about prepping for the new year, it’s also about prepping for the end of the year. One of the best times to launch of a fundraising campaign is the last week of December.

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9 Ways your Nonprofit can Encourage Giving on #GivingTuesday 2019

It’s almost time for another #GivingTuesday, and this year’s day of giving will take place on December 3. Whole Whale put together some predictions, statistics and facts for #GivingTuesday 2019 and we are looking forward to seeing the incredible impact that this giving day has this year!

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5 Benefits of Volunteering in Retirement

One of the most popular volunteer opportunities that individuals take part in is helping out at senior living facilities. The interaction is great for the physical and mental health of older adults. However, research has found that it is also beneficial for older adults in retirement to engage in volunteerism, as well.

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Teaching Kids About Philanthropy

When it comes to giving to charity, oftentimes it’s the adults of the house who choose the organizations they donate to. And with the ease of online giving, charitable donations can be made quickly, or even scheduled if you’re a recurring giver, so that you don’t even need to think about it. However, it’s important to instill philanthropic tendencies into the next generation, which is why we encourage you to chat with your kids about how you give back and why.

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Hurricane Dorian 2019: 8 Ways to Help

Hurricane Dorian made her way to the States, but not before completely ravaging the Bahamas. Dorian hit the Bahamas as a Category 5 hurricane, damaging 60 percent of the homes in Marsh Harbour, leaving behind a death toll of 20 and 70,000 people in need of lifesaving help.

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5 Strategies for a Stronger Email Game

Whether you work in nonprofit or retail, marketing or engineering, email communication with prospects, customers and donors is essential. And while every organization uses email just a little bit differently, nonprofits – according to a study by Campaign Monitor – experienced higher-than-average email open rates in 2018 compared with other industries.

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A Healthy Dose of Volunteering

We all know that volunteering has a positive impact on our communities and our world, and that it tends to give us that warm, fuzzy feeling (also known as “helper’s high”). But did you know that volunteering can also provide health benefits?

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Matching Gift Hide-and-Seek: 6 Reasons you’re missing out on matching gifts

Each year, $4-7 billion in matching gifts go unclaimed. This is a ton of money that nonprofits are missing out on that could go toward supporting their missions and allowing them to do the great work that they need to do to improve their communities and the world. Matching gifts, especially through corporate giving programs, are a great way for nonprofits to increase donations and allow employees to give to the causes that mean the most to them, while doubling that donation through an employer contribution.

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The Art of Listening: 4 Ways to Listen to Your Donors

Fundraisers, we know that you’ve mastered (or are working on mastering) the art of the ask. You’ve been honing that pitch for major donors, repeat donors, new donors and lapsed donors, highlighting your big annual event, appeal or campaign. We all know how important the ask is. However, have you ever stopped to consider the flip-side; the art of the listen?

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5 Ways NOT to Communicate with Donors

We are humbled by the work that nonprofits are doing, and the time, money and heart they put into their missions to make their communities and the world a better place to live. The work being done is valuable, but the nonprofit sector continues to experience declines in giving, according to the FEP and Growth in Giving Database.

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6 reasons to appreciate small donors

There’s a lot of hype surrounding major gift donors. They are the ones who financially support your mission and whose contributions make a huge impact and we put a lot of emphasis on acquiring them and nurturing those relationships.

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2019: The Year of Things

We’re not talking about just any old “thing,” we’re talking about the Internet of Things. From smartphones to smart refrigerators, the Internet of Things is making it possible for us to use connected devices to collect, share and utilize data. We’re thinking voice assistants, like Alexa and Siri that can tell you what the weather is, what the best Italian restaurant in your city is, and how much longer your cupcakes need to bake for. Today’s homes are even getting smarter and smarter. From smart thermostats that help people be more energy efficient, smart refrigerators that let you know when your produce is going bad and how much milk you have left (yes, this is a thing), and smart lightbulbs that automatically adjust based on the time of day.

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Unique ways to encourage giving in 2019

We all know the phrase, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” But what if you and your fundraising took the time to deviate from your usual fundraising methods to try something a little bit different? Sometimes, changing the giving experience for your donors is the key to encouraging your donors to increase their giving amounts or frequency.

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Guest Post: Using Social Media to Elevate Your Fundraising Campaign

As your nonprofit plans its next fundraising campaign, take some time to evaluate your social media strategy. Whether you’re well-established across several platforms or making your first forays into the world of social media, it’s worthwhile to consider how your organization could better utilize sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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6 things to put on your nonprofit CRM wish list

The holidays are already among us, and this year you may be looking for the ultimate gift for your fundraising team. And if you're looking for a gift that will keep on giving all year long and for years to come, nonprofit CRM software is bound to be a hit.

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5 Ways to demonstrate thankfulness to your donors

With Thanksgiving coming up next week, now is the time when so many people start to think about everything that they're thankful for. Family, friends, a great job, a roof over your head, food in the fridge, etc. And if you work for a nonprofit, we know that you are extremely thankful for your donors because, without them, you wouldn't be able to do the work you do to change your community and the world.

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No tricks, just treats with donor management software

We're only a couple of days away from Halloween, and here at ResultsPlus from Metafile we have a strict "treat-only" policy. This doesn't mean that we only give out candy (though you'll often find bowls of tasty treats on our employees' desks), but that our ResultsPlus Nonprofit CRM software provides only benefits to our customers.

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Giving back after disaster: 7 ways to help following Hurricane Florence

The wrath of Mother Nature has struck again, and Carolinians are now transitioning into recovery mode now that Hurricane Florence has made its grand exit. And since the hurricane is over, many individuals, nonprofits and corporations are stepping in to help the affected communities recover. If you’re wondering how you can help, this article by NPR has some great insight and resources.

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3 Ways CSR Benefits Nonprofits

As a nonprofit organization, you work hard to raise funds and promote the importance of your cause or mission. So, what happens when you find out that a local corporate social responsibility (CSR) program is focusing its efforts on the realm that you’ve committed yourself to, as well? This means that people who are socially conscious and want to dedicate themselves to a mission no longer need to work for a nonprofit, but can instead expand their job search to for-profit companies that have a strong CSR program.

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Reaching 4 generations of donors

Today’s donors come from a wide variety of demographics and are spread across multiple different generations. We’ve talked before about the importance of segmenting your donors, and this also includes tailoring your communication to donors from different generations.

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Prospect Hide-and-Seek: 6 donors hidden in your database

You and your colleagues work hard to keep your donor database updated and current with the most accurate donor information, but we all know that sometimes less prominent prospects can get lost in there. While your loyal and active monthly donors, volunteers and major gift donors are front-and-center, there are plenty of other donors in your database who you may be overlooking and shouldn’t be.

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7 Things to Consider When Evaluating a Donor Database

Think of your new donor management system like it’s an employee. You wouldn’t just hire someone willy-nilly and cross your fingers that they’ll be a good fit. Especially in the nonprofit industry, it’s so important that your team members fit your company culture and have a passion for your mission.

Believe it or not, the same goes for your donor database.

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Back to School with ResultsPlus

The kiddos aren’t the only ones thinking about heading back to the classroom this fall. Fundraisers are hitting the books with the ResultsPlus team and taking advantage of the new educational opportunities that we have to offer at ResultsPlus from Metafile.

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Giving USA Annual Report Highlights

It’s that time of year again; time for the charitable giving stats for the previous year to start rolling in! And if you’re a nonprofit nerd like we are, you can understand the excitement that ensued when the Giving USA 2018: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2017 came out last week.

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GDPR: What does it mean for your nonprofit?

As a nonprofit organization, it's incredibly important that you respect your donors' privacy. You likely have access to great amounts of personal information on your constituents, and those constituents are trusting that that personal information is FYEO.

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3 Challenges Facing Today's Nonprofits

Throughout the year, we post encouraging blog posts about nonprofit industry trends, tips and tricks, inspiration, and happenings. However, as the political landscape, technology and the world around us continue to change, our industry must, too. With that, nonprofiteers are facing new challenges and issues head-on.

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14 Questions to Ask Before Purchasing a Nonprofit CRM


Nonprofits, we know how stressful it can be to start the search for a CRM. It’s like trying to buy a car when you’re not a car person. All that talk about ABS, E-REV, Electronic Stability Control, horsepower, all-wheel drive versus four-wheel drive – it all sounds like a foreign language, and eventually you find yourself nodding, smiling and then driving off the lot in a new car wondering how you got there.

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3 reasons your donors could use a pat on the back

We all crave positive affirmation, whether we want to admit it or not. We know that people do great and generous things out of the goodness of their hearts, but that warm, fuzzy feeling is also a huge factor in why we do what we do. And the same goes for your donors.

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Three ways to improve donor retention

We’ve heard it said time and time again – it’s more beneficial for nonprofits to retain existing donors than to try and acquire new ones. A one-time donation is something to be thankful for, but it’s vital that nonprofits can rely on donors who give regularly over longer periods of time.

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Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: 4 ways it affects nonprofits

The new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is now law, and it has many nonprofits and small businesses quivering a little bit. It’s important to remember that there are many facets to this new act and to understand the potential repercussions, both positive and negative.

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Guest Post: 7 Ways to Use Existing Donor Data for Year-End Fundraising - Part 3

By: Sarah Tedesco, Executive VP at DonorSearch

Part 3 of "7 Ways to use Existing Donor Data for Year-End Fundraising" is here, just in time for year-end! Catch Part 1 and Part 2 on the blog for a complete look at year-end fundraising and how to utilize your donor data for best results.

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Donor Love: Identifying "Donor Love Languages"

Back in June of this year, NonProfit Pro published an article about the five "Donor Love Languages," stemming from Dr. Gary Chapman's well-known book about strengthening romantic relationships, "The 5 Love Languages." With Thanksgiving on the horizon, many of us really start to think about the things, people and situations that we are thankful for. Oftentimes, these include our family, friends, jobs and opportunities and Thanksgiving and the holiday season offer the ideal chance to show love and thankfulness in a very tangible way.

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Making the Ask: 3 tips for less awkward fundraising

You're a dedicated fundraiser with a passion for your mission. You know the ins and outs of major gift programs, creating campaigns, organizing donor data, segmenting your constituents and handling appeals. But asking for donations, no matter how seasoned you are in the world of fundraising, can still be intimidating and even a little awkward.

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Stand with Vegas: How you can help

In times of tragedy, we often feel completely helpless as we're watching the events unfold and seeing the news stream in on TV, radio and social media. Following the events in Las Vegas this week, we saw the country come together to offer love and support to all those affected by the horrific occurrence.

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Channel Your Inner Type A: Segmenting Donors

Even if you're typically relaxed, easy-going and go-with-the-flow, there's a little bit of Type A in all of us. When you're walking through the store and see a jar of peanut butter facing the wrong direction, one shirt unfolded, a roll of paper towel in the soup aisle... there's a little piece of all of us that gets driven a little crazy by these inconsistencies.

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Falling for nonprofit tech

Fall is in the air (again? Really?) and it’s time to start thinking about what’s next for your nonprofit. Will you be maintaining a goal that you established earlier this year? Focusing on implementing a new donor relations strategy? Implementing new technology? Autumn is a great time to reevaluate and bring to life the things that you’ve been dreaming about for your organization since the first day.

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Back-to-School Tips for your Nonprofit

It’s that time of year again, and whether you’re holding on tight to the last few remnants of summer with your kids or ushering them out the door, back-to-school is inevitable. By the time they’re getting on the bus to head to their first day of school, you are confident that their lunch is packed, backpack is zipped, supplies are purchased, they’re rocking their first-day-of-school outfit and you’re mentally prepared not to cry (OK, maybe a little) this year. They’re ready and you’re ready to take on another year.

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Good data to do good

We’ve heard it before: The better your data, the better your results. Data may seem boring, tedious and something that you, as a fundraiser, shouldn’t have to deal with. Think again! Data is everywhere and usable by everyone. And it’s not only useful, but can help you do more good and be more successful in your mission.

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Why your nonprofit work matters

We won’t deny it – working for a nonprofit organization is hard. Limited funding, endless hours of work that so often goes unrecognized, number crunching, task juggling and fundraising. While Metafile is not a nonprofit, we work closely with the organizations who work day and night to accomplish their missions and see the blood, sweat and tears that nonprofiteers put into their work. This, and many other blog posts out in cyberspace, probably make you wonder why anyone would ever choose to work for a nonprofit.

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Philanthropic Fireworks: Volunteer Opportunities on the 4th of July

You’re all set for the party. You have the burgers and the hot dogs, the patriotic desserts, the red, white and blue streamers that you stood in line for an hour at Party City to get, the piles of fireworks the kids are just dying to get their hands on. This promises to be a 4th of July your friends and family will never forget!

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Soaking up the summer philanthropy

Summer is on the horizon (really, it is!), and with that comes the summer-slump for many of us. We don’t want to be spending the beautiful days in the office, we want to be at the pool, on the beach, on the court, in the garden, napping on a hammock or playing with the kids. How can you keep up that philanthropic momentum, even when you’re being pulled toward the summer sun?

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How to be a Superhero


Let’s be real here: Everyone, at some point, has dreamed of being a superhero. Flying at the speed of light, saving the world from evil, using your supersonic strength to move mountains, having the latest and greatest superhero gear and gadgets…

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Another AFP International Fundraising Conference in the books

Another AFP International Fundraising Conference has come and gone, and while we are already missing the fundraising and nonprofit camaraderie (and the warm California sun), we left with more tools in our arsenal, a renewed sense of inspiration for the nonprofit industry and some great takeaways.

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Earth Day 2017: Going electronic to go green


Getting your executive director or upper management on-board to adopt new software technology can be difficult. Between the associated costs, time spent transferring data and the learning curve involved, many nonprofit executive directors will keep outdated technology (or no technology) indefinitely. In case you need more fodder to convince your leadership team that new technology is for you, here’s another reason you may not have thought of yet: It’s good for the environment, too! With Earth Day coming up tomorrow, it’s great to remind ourselves that being environmentally friendly should go beyond just one day of the year. And, believe it or not, technology, like a donor management system, can help you do that. How?

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Call them, beep them if you want to reach them: Engage donors on social media


As a millennial PR and communications professional, I think it’s safe to say that I love me some social media. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, LinkedIn – I’m always plugged in. And while we can debate whether or not this is healthy another time, it’s clear that the best way to connect with me is through digital means. In the words of children’s cartoon character, Kim Possible, “Call me, beep me if you want to reach me!”

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Donor Management Bowl 2017: How to choose a champion

Are you ready for some football!?! The Big Game is coming up in just over a week – the day when the best of the best in American football duke it out on the field for the title of "Champion." At your nonprofit, you may have your own bowl, of sorts, going on. We’re not talking about football, we’re talking about making the final decision between two donor management solutions. Now that you’ve narrowed it down to the best two, it’s time to find the champion – the Nonprofit CRM that will provide the greatest benefits to your organization.

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Happy Holidays from ResultsPlus!

We've been celebrating the holidays in the best ways possible at Metafile over the past couple weeks. From Secret Snowflake gift-giving to white elephant and holiday potlucks to ugly sweater contests, Metafile has been filled with holiday cheer and office camaraderie!

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New Year, New Data: Year-end in your ResultsPlus CRM

It’s that time again – time for year-end! You’ve baked all the cookies, decorated the house, written holiday cards and sung all the carols, and now it’s time to say goodbye to 2016. Organizing holiday parties may not come with an instruction manual but, luckily, the ResultsPlus CRM year-end procedure (that may have made you cringe) does! So don’t panic, here’s how to do it:

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Elect to Support our Vets


In 1918, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, an agreement was signed in a forest outside of Paris to end hostilities between Germany and the Allies at the end of World War I. It was the beginning of the end of World War I and the start of Armistice Day, celebrated by many allied countries to honor and remember those who serve the military of their countries.  In the United States it has evolved into what is now Veteran’s Day, a federal holiday set aside to honor any and all persons who have served in the armed forces.

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Nonprofit Technology: Getting your boss on-board


Nonprofit technology, like donor management software, is on your radar. Maybe you attended a conference and talked to a provider of nonprofit CRM software, or read a blog post or case study about a donor database that can increase your fundraising success. However you discovered it, you’ve decided that your nonprofit organization can definitely benefit from some new technology that can track donors, gifts, pledges and more.

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Share and Care Alike: The Networking Nonprofit


Many years ago, when I was about to embark on a new job that involved raising funds for a nonprofit organization, the practice was still called fundraising and donor management systems were just becoming common. I found myself in this situation after being encouraged by the Executive Director to branch out from my original responsibilities, and I had agreed with no small amount of trepidation.

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Nonprofit Technology: An Investment for Good


If you’re working for a nonprofit, it’s likely that you are operating under a very tight budget. You may have to make do with outdated nonprofit technology, limited staff and not the most ergonomic office equipment. When it comes to making a big purchase, it takes a lot of planning, negotiating, discussion and possibly a large pros and cons list.

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Red, White & Charity: Fundraising during election years


The 2016 presidential election is coming up, and whether you are enjoying the debating, political-ranting, opponent-bashing and candidate paraphernalia or not, it’s impossible to escape. The U.S. is completely consumed in politics right now as Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton duke it out for the position of President of the United States. The election propaganda has taken over more than just your Facebook and Twitter feeds – it's also affecting charitable giving and fundraising. But not in the way you might think.

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Pokémon GO for Nonprofits: Gotta donate to ‘em all


For about a week now the newest mobile app, Pokémon GO, has been taking over the internet (and the hearts of us 90s kids) as people take to the streets trying to “catch ‘em all.” Pokémon GO uses location technology and augmented reality to make the user feel like a Pokémon Master as they go from place to place looking for Pokémon, fictional cartoon monsters, to catch and collect. Users are divided into three teams, encouraging people to work together and get to know each other.

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Nonprofit Technology: ‘Be There’ or Be Square


It seems that there is some new technology available to development professionals nearly every day. Phrases like ‘data-driven decisions,’ ‘mobile optimization,’ ‘cloud-based computing’ were not even on our horizons just a few short years ago. And yet here we are, using terminology like this in our planning, strategy, and day-to-day discussions. It appears that we just won’t be able to survive in the future if we don’t adapt to and take advantage of all the technological developments that are currently available.

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Stand strong, #StandWithOrlando

This week, tragedy struck a club in Orlando that shook the country and the world to its core. In the early hours of June 12, a gunman opened fire in a nightclub in Orlando, killing 49 and injuring 53. The event has been labeled the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

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Nonprofit Storytelling: The Why


Take a second to think about the organizations that you are drawn to the most. Which would you be more inclined to give to: The local nonprofit that sends a generic letter asking for a donation for their upcoming event? Or an organization who details their mission through photos, videos and personal details to give you a sense of the urgency and need for your donation?

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AFP International Fundraising Conference 2016 Tips and Tricks

The annual AFP International Fundraising Conference is coming up in less than two weeks, and we are so excited to be jetting off to Boston to exhibit again this year! When it comes to attending conferences, we fancy ourselves to be pretty much experts. And since we are AFP International Fundraising Conference veterans, we have compiled a list of tips and tricks to make sure you’re getting the most out of your conference experience.

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Big Brother Versus the Big Apple?

There is a fascinating discussion beginning to play out in the media regarding data privacy and security. It’s a battle between the FBI and Apple over a cell phone used by one of the attackers in the mass shooting at the San Bernadino County Department of Public Health on December 2, 2015.

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Feeling Toasty: Small acts of philanthropy bring warmth


I’m looking at the forecast for this week and it’s bone-chilling. Several of my so-called friends on Facebook are only making it more poignant. One is posting a picture showing side-by-side screenshots of weather reports for both Minnesota and Antarctica, and it’s warmer in Antarctica. Another ‘friend’ is posting pictures of themselves on a white sandy beach in the Caribbean. I can’t honestly decide which makes me feel colder.

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The Year-End is Near


It’s that time again – time to start thinking about year-end procedures. If you’re a ResultsPlus user, that means closing out your calendar year, and that can be a little scary if it’s your first (or even your tenth) time doing it. This enables your system to generate final numbers and stats for the year, and to clear the counters in preparation for the new year.

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Holiday Traditions


On this last day of work before the Christmas holiday here at Metafile, there are people wearing Santa hats, and goodies galore. Even in the midst of a strategy session or team meeting, someone’s earrings will be blinking or a holiday pen will be scribbling notes.

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Keeping Up with the Current

Microsoft has been promoting upgrades to their new Windows 10 in a big way. They are offering it as a limited-time free upgrade to qualified Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users, and this may be getting people to consider it sooner than they might otherwise. New computers are coming with Windows 10 installed, though some will offer ‘downgrade rights’ if you’d prefer to start on a more familiar and well-tested version. We are currently testing ResultsPlus in the Windows 10 environment and all appears to be going smoothly. Once the testing is complete, we’ll announce official support for this newest version of Windows.

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Make the Change to ResultsPlus Projects

Anyone currently using EventsPlus should know by now that support for this legacy special event management application will soon be ending. That may be unsettling for those who prefer things to stay as they are, but with most change also comes new opportunity. In this case, the new Projects area of ResultsPlus is the new opportunity, and it’s designed to be a better fit for current-day event management.

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Hidden Treasure


I’d be willing to bet that one of the most valuable features of ResultsPlus (or any donor management system, for that matter) is also one of the most under-utilized. I’m talking about constituent-relationship management:  the fields in your database that allow you to define, record, monitor, compile, analyze, and report on your major donor cultivation progress.

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The Not-So-Social Butterfly: How to network at your next nonprofit conference


For the not-so-social butterfly, attending a conference with the intention of meeting new people and making connections can be nerve-wracking. Talking to people you don’t know, in an unfamiliar environment… What do you talk about, the weather? Where should you approach people? What do you do with those new connections when the conference is over? Isn’t it awkward?

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Document Archival: It's in Store For You


For years our customers have been asking for the ability to store gift-related collateral materials in their ResultsPlus database. I’m talking about things like pledge forms, check images, and other correspondence included with donations that arrive in your mailbox. You know, those things we feel compelled to store - just in case we’re ever asked to produce it?

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