Fundraising is only one factor needed to run a successful nonprofit. There are also bills to be paid and taxes that are due that go along in “keeping the lights on” at a nonprofit.  A nonprofit whether large or small  should invest in a bookkeeping software to make sure that all of their transactions are in order. Nonprofit Treasurer is a software geared towards small nonprofits that will help them balance their books and build financial reports to get an accurate picture of their finances.

In Use:

The free bookkeeping software was built especially for small nonprofits and volunteer treasurers within the organization. The software enables a charity to “build trust, ease financial oversight, and reduce the burden of volunteer board roles.” Nonprofit Treasurer allows charities to build reports on their modern dashboard that’s easy to maneuver. With the software - nonprofits can import transactions, track expenses, and download budget performance reports on a monthly or yearly basis.

Ease of Use:

Users overwhelmingly agree that Nonprofit Treasurer is easy to use. Not only is it easy to use, but many nonprofits found that it was easy to learn as well.

The only issue from a functionality standpoint is that there is no “contact us” page within the website -  nor is there an email that a user or potential customer can use to contact support nor is there an “about us” page.  A recent review on Facebook stated, “when we tried to reach out to them for help we found NO contact information in the site, Facebook, YouTube, or any other place.” The review went on to say they tried to message the software via Twitter but did not receive a response.

Technology Needed:

Nonprofit Treasurer is a cloud-based software. The company boasts that their login is secure and uses bi-directional encryption. For security measures, nonprofits are allowed to give users credentials but can revoke them at any time if they were to leave the company or their role within the company changes.

Recap:

Nonprofit Treasurer is a free bookkeeping software that is geared towards small nonprofits. Nonprofit Treasurer enables users to bill, invoice, and track expenses all from the cloud. The dashboard is clean, and is easy to use which is crucial for small nonprofits who do not have a lot of time to learn new software.

Advantages:

• Nonprofit Treasurer includes everything a small nonprofit needs to run their organization from an accounting perspective
• Dashboard is user friendly and easy to explore
• Reporting is extensive enough for a small charity

Disadvantages:

• Customer Service is lacking as there is no contact page or email address
• There is no “About Us” page and little is known about the organization
• Website is outdated as well as the videos on their YouTube
• Small nonprofits will eventually grow out of Nonprofit Treasurer as they get bigger

My Opinion:

Nonprofit Treasurer is a great tool for HOA boards and small nonprofits who don’t have too many expenses. Many customers commend it’s ease of use, and the reports that they are able to pull using the software.

Usually my stance on free software is to give it a try because you don’t have much to lose. That being said, I would encourage you to do your research on Nonprofit Treasurer before uploading your sensitive data. I am not saying don’t use the software – just be cautious. If it were me I would make sure I had a conversation with the founder about privacy issues and who would have access to my data before uploading it to the dashboard.

You're changing the world. Let us help, the homepage of Qgiv implores. Qgiv, is a fundraising platform that helps nonprofit organizations raise money effortlessly. From multiple fundraising options to reporting and integrations, Qgiv has set out to be the premier fundraising option for nonprofit and faith-based charities across the country.

In Use:

Qgiv was created in 2007 to help nonprofits, faith-based charities, and political organizations leverage online donations. “As more and more transactions moved to taking place online, it became increasingly apparent that nonprofits would need to move into the digital space in order to maximize their fundraising efforts,” explains Sarah Sebastian, the Director of Brand Communication at Qgiv.

No two nonprofits are the same which is why Qgiv offers multiple options when it comes to fundraising. An organization geared towards college students may utilize the text-fundraising tool while a charity geared towards an older crowd may opt for the Auction-fundraising tool within Qgiv. Besides fundraising platforms, a subscription to Qgiv also includes event registration and detailed reporting to track donation progress.  

When it comes to pricing, Qgiv offers different packages that charities can chose from. Qgiv’s “Start” package is virtually free minus a transaction fee on all transactions. A smaller nonprofit can opt for the “Start” package which includes one-time and recurring donations, event registrations, and campaign thermometers while a larger nonprofit may chose the “Auction” package which is $229 per month. The Auction package includes everything from event registration, matching gift options, and in-app event purchases.

Technology Needed:

Qgiv is a cloud-based fundraising option that does not sit on-premise. Located all in one place, users don’t have to worry about getting the right type of operating system to support the software. One of the benefits of a cloud-based platform is that users can access the platform while remote – and being mobile responsive - users can access Qgiv on cellphones seamlessly.

When it comes to software-  nonprofits are always looking for ease of use as well as integrations. Qgiv does not disappoint when it comes to the amount of integrations that they offer. From CRMs (Blackbaud, Kindful) to Email Integrations (Constant Contact and Mailchimp) integrations allows for a smooth fundraising campaign.

Ease of Use:

While Qgiv does take time to master, the nonprofit software has various forms of customer service to help users navigate the platform. According to Sebastian, phone calls are always answered by a real person and users have access to free and unlimited support and training. “Many of the features and enhancements we develop are the results of direct client feedback or conversations with clients,” she notes.

Recap:

Cloud-based fundraising platform, Qgiv offers users everything from matching gift options, branding, subscription lists, custom reports, and recurring donations. What it lacks, they make up in integrations with popular softwares such as Quick Books and Salesforce.

Advantages:

• Different price points that can satisfy small to large nonprofits
• Excellent customer service and training tools
• Different type of fundraising capabilities to fit a nonprofit’s needs
• Mobile Responsive
• Various integrations with popular software

Disadvantages:

• Qgiv can be pricy depending on the needs of a nonprofit. If a nonprofit wants unlimited events or matching-gift options, they have to pay $229 per month.
• The software can be difficult to navigate at first
• Certain integrations are slow or can be seen as “clunky”

My Opinion

I appreciate that Qgiv not only offer trainings, resources, and excellent customer service – but they’re constantly trying to improve their software based on customer feedback.

I also appreciate that the company offers different price points for their software so all different sizes of nonprofits can take advantage of it. While their free version may not get you peer-to-peer text giving or an event builder- it does include the basics like event registration and recurring donations.

Qgiv is a solid fundraising platform that can help nonprofits increase and track donations. Right now a potential customer can request a demo for any of their subscriptions so a nonprofit can pick the right package for them.

Building a website can be a daunting task for a nonprofit organization just starting out. When many newer charities rely heavily on volunteers – employing a design team is out of the question. As the need for websites and content management increase – there are many web design platforms that charities can take advantage of. Using a design platform is less expensive then hiring a design team but it can still be pricey after hosting fees and a domain name are calculated.  As the number one content management system (CMS) with 61.8% of the market share and nearly 55,000 web plugins to enhance a website – WordPress should definitely be considered when a nonprofit is designing a new website for their organization or creating one for the first time.

In Use:

Not only do most businesses choose WordPress but it’s one of the oldest CMS software to date.  Released in 2003 – WordPress is a free open-sourced software – meaning that developers can add, modify, and build plugins to augment the software. While there are fees associated with creating a website such as purchasing a domain name and hosting fees – WordPress itself is free.

Users can customize the look and feel of their website using numerous front and back end plugins. Need to create a contact form? There’s a plugin for that. Need a firewall – there’s a plugin for that. Need to edit a photo or video? You get the picture – there’s a plugin for just about anything. And if there isn’t – because it’s open-sourced one can be developed. Any type of website can be built in WordPress. Because it’s a content management system – you have control over every element of the website opposed to a website builder where you have control on the look and feel of the website but not necessarily the backend.

Ease of Use:

WordPress has a variety of website templates or “themes” that a nonprofit can choose from. Once implemented – a nonprofit organization can begin to customize it. The “Ease of Use” depends on whether or not a person or nonprofit is web savvy. WordPress is unfairly compared against website builders such as Wix or Weebly when essentially it’s different and more complex because it management every aspect of content from blog posts, event registration, newsletters, gated assets, and the website itself.  So compared to Wix or Weebly – it is trickier and the learning curve is exponentially higher. Compared to other content management systems such as Drupal or Squarespace it’s easier to use and has a lower overhead cost – which significantly benefits nonprofits.

When it comes to WordPress, it can often take time it takes maneuvering code on the backend – to get your website exactly the way you want it. Edits in WordPress are not done in “real time” which means you must go back and forth between the editor and the “live view” to make sure you like the way it look.

Content Management Systems can be confusing and rely heavily on HTML/CSS knowledge. Because of this – I wouldn’t say WordPress is particularly easy to use from the start. The good news is that WordPress has an enormous community that are ready to help and support beginners. Whether that means asking for tips and tricks, hiring a freelance web designer, or taking classes to improve your skills.

Along with classes, WordPress offers a wide range of instructional videos, and documentation. They also offer a Live Chat feature if a nonprofit has any questions. Depending on HTML knowledge – a nonprofit may have to hire a web developer to initially design and build their website – but with the numerous assets available – a nonprofit shouldn’t have any problems maintaining it when it’s been created.

Technology Used:

WordPress is available on the cloud – so no additional technology is needed.  In terms of integrations- WordPress has about 54,000 plugins can source. Companies that have created WordPress plugins include Google, HubSpot, and Mailchimp.

It’s important to have good security protection for your WordPress website. Because of its popularity – many websites are vulnerable to hackers and cyber threats. This is arguably the biggest disadvantage of a WordPress website.

Recap:

WordPress is a content management system that allows businesses and nonprofits to create and manage their content such as a website, blog, or gated assets. It does have the ability to go further and host landing pages. WordPress is the most common content management system to date having more than half of the market share today. Because of its notoriety and the fact that it is open-sourced there are many plugins a company can take advantage of to enhance their content.

Advantages:

• Free and open-sourced
• Over 54,000 plugins and integrations
• Cloud-based
• Customizable

Disadvantages:

• Learning curve is high
• Vulnerable to hackers and security threats
• Chances are you will need to hire a developer to get your website off the ground
• While the service itself is free – there are costs associated with developing and maintaining your content

My Opinion

As someone who has a WordPress site (shameless plug) I’ve always found WordPress and other content management systems daunting to the point where I put off creating a website for years. Finally, I hired a freelance web developer to create my website for me which came at a cost. Because it wasn’t an exuberant amount of money – hiring a freelance web developer would not break the bank of a small nonprofit – which enables them to get a clean, sophisticated website.

I can say without a doubt that I never would have been able to create the look and feel of my website by creating it myself. To create a sophisticated website on WordPress - you need to know code and if you don’t know code – then you need to hire someone that does. The good news is that once my website was built I felt comfortable in the tool to maintain it.

Overall, I would recommend WordPress because the possibilities are endless with what you can create. However, I would be prepared to hire a web developer to help you create, maintain, and secure your website because it’s too hard to do it yourself unless you have coding experience.

As the name suggests, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) technology enables organizations to manage their customer relationships. From managing pipeline, reporting, and sales automation the goal of a CRM software is a one-stop shop for managing a client’s needs. But unfortunately, many CRMs can come up short. Their either too clunky, too bulky, or they offer to many products that are just OK. Nonprofits need a CRM that can do everything well – because their time and resources are limited. With Nutshell’s easy to use platform and low costs – it’s starting to gain the attention of small-medium nonprofits.

In Use:

Nuthsell is a lightweight CRM that supports over 15 thousand users. While they mostly work with businesses – they appeal to the nonprofit community by offering a 10% discount upon sign up. Unlike other CRMs, they do not charge for start-up or maintenance fees, offer unlimited data storage, and only take a few days to onboard a user. In an interview with Account Executive Jared Knotts – Knotts explains Nutshell is completely customizable and can be as “simple or robust of a solution as you want.” This enables a nonprofit of any size to get the most out of software.

Nutshell also publishes a free blog that customers and potential customers can leverage for free. Topics on their blog have included topics such as professional development tips, how to craft an elevator pitch and how to be a better leader.

 Technology Used:

Unlike some other CRMs, Nutshell sits on the cloud so users can access it from their office, home, or anywhere with internet connection. It is mobile responsive and comes with a variety of software integrations for a variety of needs. Many of the integrations incorporate seamlessly with limited IT interactions. Among the softwares that work well with Nutshell are Quickbooks for accounting needs, Slack for communications, and Hubspot for email marketing. 

Ease of Use:

Nutshell shines when it comes to ease of use and lightweight capabilities. Any review written about Nutshell will highlight the ease of use when navigating the CRM. CRMs are not generally touted as being easy to use. They can be complicated and hard to maneuver at first. Take Salesforce for example – there are classes, certifications, and days of training that needs to take place before a user feels comfortable in the program.

Nutshell only takes a few days to set up and all customers have access to premium support through email, phone, or a chat feature. Knotts assured me that every phone call leads to a real person who is able to help.

Recap:

Nutshell is a lightweight Customer Relationship Management tool used to help businesses and nonprofits easily manage their customer relationships. Nutshell pricing starts at $35 a month per user but nonprofit organizations receive a 10% discount. Unlike other CRMs- Installation, maintenance, and customer service with Nutshell are free. The software features tools like email marketing, sales automation, and analytics. Like most CRMs, Nutshell attempts to incorporate every tool that a charity would need to drive relationships, and increase donations.

Advantages:

• Nutshell subscription costs begin at $35 per user. Nonprofit organizations receive a 10% discount
• Nutshell is easy to use and compact
• There are no maintenance or set up fees
• Customers commend Nutshell for their excellent customer service

Disadvantages:

• May not fit the needs of large nonprofits
• Customers find lead importing cumbersome
• Customers have noted that managing contacts can be difficult

My Opinion:

For small to medium nonprofits who do not have the money to spend on Blackbaud or Salesforce – or do not have the need for such heavy CRMs- then Nutshell is a great option. While they may come up short in some of their features – such as lead importing or managing contacts they make up for in their ease of use, stellar customer service, and their ability to customize their software to fit any charity’s needs. If you’re not quite sold – I would recommend utilizing their free trial to see if it’s right for you.

 Facebook donations have given nonprofits the ability to fundraise from their donors on the world’s leading website with much ease.  With just a Donate button on Facebook, fundraisers can get funds for different causes from all over the globe. While the help that nonprofits have received from Facebook cannot be downplayed, some nonprofit leaders are concerned with the changes that are affecting their charities. Some of these leaders are discussing the possibility of leaving Facebook entirely due to the increasing perception of censorship imposed on nonprofits’ messaging, which puts barriers between them and their donors. One of the reasons that might have informed the decision by Facebook is the Cambridge Analytica saga that led to massive disinformation and data collection.

The latest efforts by Facebook to screen content, mainly those posted by politicians have not gone well with some nonprofit leaders who see it as having an impact on their fundraising campaigns. While the social media giant might be justified in its actions, the criteria it uses on checking these “political statements” might be driving one of its fan base in the name of nonprofits and potential donors away. This might at the same time, give a competitive advantage to its competitors.

While there might be a valid reason for censorship, the criteria adopted here is not transparent and cannot be seen as an ultimate solution that will prevent malicious people and companies from manipulating or circumventing the anti-censorship actions in place. Despite the lack of proof that these actions will deter misuse of social media, legitimate organizations who are caught in the middle of the fight will suffer. Nonprofit leaders see this as unfair treatment by a platform that has helped them gain much support in the past.

Unlike in the past when promoting or boosting ads on Facebook was easy and friendly, rejections are now an order of the day as ads can easily be classified as political. Owing to this difficulty, nonprofits should find an alternative way or platform of reaching the donor-base. The stringent measures that have been put in place that have increased the time for verification and ad review process have disadvantaged nonprofits. For instance, time-sensitive ads are now coming in late, which in itself is costly because fundraising opportunities are lost.

Although such challenges are unbearable for nonprofits that want their message to reach the intended audience, the sheer reach that Facebook has is making it difficult to leave the platform entirely. Besides, the investment that the social media giant has laid to enable different types of industries including nonprofits to reach their intended audience cannot be matched by any other platform and therefore leaving it is not that easy. Since a replacement to Facebook is not here, for now, a good move that will be beneficial is to find additional platforms to reach the donors. Some of the platforms that can help in such times are MeWe, although it has some weaknesses, LinkedIn and Twitter, among others. While others are not as good as Facebook, LinkedIn has shown some capability to reach potential clients. Additionally, nonprofits should study how the new rules in the platform work so that they can evade the rejections.

While it may be easy for people to find your organization on Facebook, always make it a habit to direct them to your website or an SMS channel that they can subscribe. Regardless of whether Facebook will rectify this undoing or not, nonprofits must always have multiple methods of reaching their donor-bases and potential donors. This will be helpful if the terms of service of one platform change as it is often the case in a volatile tech environment.

Creating a strategic plan for your nonprofit is one of the methods of ensuring that your mission is well understood and achieved. The strategic plan puts your mission into goals that are not only easy but also measurable and easy to track. It defines where your organization wants to go and outlines how you should get there. Since the business environment changes along the way, your strategic plan also should be flexible enough to address the changes as this will make the plan valuable in guiding your nonprofit to success. As a leader of a nonprofit, a strategic plan will help you land more opportunities and have a template that will guide you to offer top-notch services, ideas, and priorities. Nevertheless, the question that many people ask is; what is a strategic plan?

A strategic plan is a well-explained set of coordinated actions that work together to advance the mission of an organization. According to Michael Porter, a strategic plan is a competitive strategy and, therefore, must be unique and well thought. Unlike an operational plan that focuses specifically on a way in which things are done, a strategic plan is directional and far-reaching. For a nonprofit, a strategic plan must deliver a unique mix of value and must be based on the input of stakeholders. It should take into consideration the potential value proposition in a competitive nonprofit landscape.

Generally, a strategic plan must involve various aspects of your nonprofit such as mission, vision and values, goals, and how the goals will be attained by achieving the organization's objectives. Others include the available resources and analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT).

Strategic planning is crucial in a nonprofit for various reasons. First, after the strategic planning and priorities of an organization have been delineated as required, resources can then be allocated efficiently. Such a move reduces the likelihood of wastage and ambiguity. The clarification also allows leaders to get a clear vision, purpose, and direction that you need to take as an organization. This gives them purpose and direction and ensures that they are more engaged.  With the correct picture of the future, the organization's identity is identified, and all the decisions that will be made going forward will be guided appropriately. Accordingly, it deepens the engagement of the organization among staff, board members, program participants, stakeholders, and volunteers as well as partners. It also builds a shared understanding of the organization’s current position and where it intends to go in days to come, including the strategy for change.

A clear strategic plan will help your organization to anticipate potential challenges in the future by examining the weaknesses, strengths, and opportunities that they can be capitalized. Furthermore, it allows nonprofits to scan the external environment and identify ways of troubleshooting the problems that can hinder the achievement of goals. With a proper definition of the strategies, you get a framework and template that will guide your day-to-day decisions, investments, and opportunities that you should pursue. You can use a strategic plan as a fundraising and marketing document as it allows you to show your plans to your funders and constituents on what you plan to achieve in the long or short-term.

Make it a good practice planning for the future since various factors change, and nonprofits will need to adjust its strategy to meet these changes. Changing to suit the shift in the nonprofit environment brings everyone together and energizes the team. On the other hand, a constant review of the environment allows nonprofits to navigate the unpredictable changes and gives you the ability to adapt continually. It would help if you therefore created a strategy that is flexible to accommodate change and decisions that are arrived at to fit into the new nonprofit landscape.

Growth is not a hard thing to recognize in a nonprofit organization. In fact, you can easily find out how your nonprofit has grown over time by simply looking at the total fundraising revenue from one year and comparing it with the previous years. However, what is difficult is finding out precisely how you have come from a specific time to where you are at the moment. Understandably, there are many worthy nonprofits out there, only a few of them have efficient programs that are holistic and capable of withstanding the taste of time. 

While there are many nonprofits, only a few of them have the potential to withstand challenges. Evidence suggests that most of the nonprofits reach their potential too fast and stagnate due to lack of funding, economic issues, and demanding donors, among others. Although money has been blamed for most of the challenges that nonprofit organizations face, sometimes, strategy in various areas is what has kept them. For instance, one of the biggest challenges to many nonprofits is content and the inability to challenge the limits. Here are a few strategies that can help you emerge as the best.

Think big and work smart

One of the leading strategies is all about being practical in your aspirations. Instead of looking for a dream buster strategy, think about scaling up your services. For your organization to serve many people, you need to look at the infrastructure and number of people it can serve. Due to the importance of this aspect, you need to invest in infrastructure and operations. You need to invest in tools that work for your organization and will remain useful even as you scale up your operations. Normalize saying no when your organization is requested to do something that is against your mission or outside your abilities.

Have disciplined people

Successful nonprofit leaders are ambitious and ready to work hard towards the cause they believe in but not for themselves. They are selfless and have unrivaled determination to do what it takes to get what they want and deliver results with passion and humility. Their success is made possible by building the right team. Successful leaders in nonprofits ensure that there are right people that can take the organization ahead while the wrong ones are kept away. Once you have the right people on board, ensure that they have all that they need to steer change and ensure growth.

Have disciplined thoughts

The best nonprofit leaders are realistic and accept things as they are, including the reality of their performance. Despite the reality being harsh sometimes, they do not allow the situation to cloud their vision and focus. They always believe in their mission and potential and take responsibility for their success. As a leader, you need to accept your failures and the truth regardless of how painful it may be. Identify your main competencies and do your best in them.

Set a social media strategy

The current social media age is making social media marketing a good strategy for marketing your charity. This strategy is a cost-effective way of reaching new donors and getting known. Platforms such as Facebook Instagrams and Twitter, among others, can give you an avenue to reach many people who are interested in your charity. Instead of trying to be present in every social media platform, identify those platforms that your target market likes most and focus on ensuring you are there all the time. This strategy is essential because social media knows no border and can reach millions of people globally.

Generally, ensure that everyone in your nonprofit talks about your charity and vision consistently. Ensure there is unity as this is a crucial element in ensuring there is a strong brand. Lastly, make sure the voice of your nonprofit is represented well everywhere.  

As the world keeps evolving, nonprofits find themselves with a lot on their plate to handle. From the ever-changing regulations to increased competition for donor money and volunteers, running a nonprofit in the modern age is not always easy. These challenges are, however, fun and make the job more rewarding in the end since these challenges can lead to innovation. Solutions to some of these problems are what makes nonprofits always fresh. The most important thing here is that you need to know the issues and challenges that you are likely to encounter to stay ahead of the game.

Here are some of the issues that you are likely to encounter as a nonprofit leader going forward.

1. Government regulations and taxation regime changes

A leading concern, both within and without nonprofit world is the impact of the tax reforms and regulations that always change. From the changes in taxation and paper-cutting move by the Trump Administration to the changes in tax code, nonprofits are always faced with challenges in adapting to the government regulations that change each time a new president comes in. Some of the questions that nonprofits struggle to find answers to include what is the likelihood of an increase in standard deduction that a person donates? Will it allow donors to increase their donations? With the regulatory changes, will we be able to receive the same or more funding?

2. Talent retention and growth

Many nonprofits always find it hard to attract and retain talented employees that will help them achieve their goals and seize opportunities for growth. As such, most of them fear to invest in talent development initiatives because employees keep leaving leading to losses. However, although some employees may leave, you should always try to create an environment that promotes learning, growth and development to attract new talent to compete in the future.

3. Technology challenges

Technology is a perpetual challenge to all nonprofits. The changes in how things are done, thanks to evolving technology, have made the old methods such as manual, paper-based processes obsolete. Also, outdated software keeps increasing the cost of operations as nonprofits try to acquire new systems to keep going. Old ineffective software reduces reliability, therefore, affecting transparency that is critical in any nonprofit. Lack of up to date and secure software platforms affects growth, funding and donor funds. Since new technologies can improve outcomes in many ways for nonprofits, the right technology also creates positive effects and reduces reliance on the human workforce. In turn, it leads to growth that is fast and painless.

4. Political and social unrest

With the coronavirus, 2020 will be a year of political, economic and social disruption. The year has already been characterized by the absence of meaningful legislative accomplishments that advances the development interests of different sectors.  As such, nonprofits will find it harder working with all the noise, and other challenges in place and their funding will also be reduced significantly. Nonprofits must, therefore, reconsider their funding priorities and consider partnerships for the common good.

5. Sustainability issues

Sustainability is crucial in an organization, be it profit or nonprofit. In the past, nonprofits were mainly focused on leadership, resources and services. However, with the changes in society, nonprofits must at all times, evaluate their missions and align with the needs of a customer and their preferences. For nonprofits, sustainability depends on the ability to identify the changes in donor behavior and change the structures and strategies to conform to these new norms. This is not easy and is expected to be tricky in the coming years as donor behavior keep changing. Cracking this code will be a competitive edge and will see the rise in fundraising money.

You can now say “Alexa make a donation to_____” and have Alexa use your Amazon pay account to make a donation up to $5,000.  Currently, this program is only available to select charities that have been invited by Amazon. However, it is likely that this program will be a hit with both donors and nonprofits, so it is something that you should have on your radar for the upcoming year. 

Another high tech trend to watch for 2020 is the rise in giving via a blockchain platform. A blockchain platform is  a public ledger relying on globally distributed historical transactions to prevent tampering and fraud. 

Blockchain was designed to offer a higher level of transparency for transactions. Many donors wish to know that their donations are going directly to the charity that they have selected for the express purpose of funding a certain project. A blockchain giving platform can give them that piece of mind. 

BitGive’s GiveTrack is an example of one such platform. BitGive shares detailed real time information about the financial and project status of the charities that they work with that are accepting donations via GiveTrack.

Global Giving is a crowdfunding platform designed to help small nonprofits raise awareness and money. Global Giving is also a nonprofit, which means it understands what nonprofits need to run a successful fundraising campaign. 

Global Giving also understands that small nonprofits don’t have a large budget, so there is no application fee to join the  Global Giving platform. There is no monthly subscription fee, however Global Givings has a 3% transaction fee along with a sliding scale support fee of 5-12% of collected donations. 

The site offers a host of training and support options for nonprofits that join the platform. There are webinars, training libraries, workshops, one on one phone consultations or site visits.  The platform has tools like gamification and incentives to increase donations. 

The platform offers all the standard fundraising campaign tools, including metrics, donor engagement, social media integration. What it also offers is opportunities to partner with large companies for matching grants, or specific giving programs with the company.

know your audience in order to determine if live streaming is right for your nonprofit. The people you want to engage through a live stream have to be savvy enough to access your video feed so that they aren’t overwhelmed or frustrated by the experience. Beyond this point, your decision should come down to value—both to the viewer and to your organization.

If your organization is exploring adding a livestream to your next event there are a few things that you should consider. First, is your event the type of event that makes for a good livestream. 

The purpose of the livestream is to generate enthusiasm and excitement from those who are unable to attend in person. The event you are live streaming has to be visually interesting enough to keep your online viewer engaged. The most successful live streams are based on events that have an element of excitement to them. Is your event a fashion show? Will there be cute animals?--you can never go wrong livestreaming cute animals.  Also, if your event includes a celebrity guest that you know people who were unable to attend in person would love to see, 

After determining if your event is right for a livestream, it’s time to consider if your intended audience is right for a livestream. If your audience is comfortable using Twitch, YouTube or social media, if you chose to livestream via Facebook than live streaming is a good idea. If your audience is not comfortable with those platforms it doesn’t mean that you can’t do a livestream it just means that you may not get a huge return from the event. 

Next, it’s time to plan your livestream events content. Think of your live stream as the modern equivalent to a charity telethon-except instead of broadcasting on TV your using the internet. A telethon doesn’t consist of a single still shot of the action and neither should your livestream. 

Create a content script. If your are doing a fashion show consider doing interviews with the models or designers (or stores that donated the fashion). Have a host roving the audience,anything to spice up the broadcast. Remember you want to keep the excitement going. 

Many livestream apps allow your organization to collect donations directly from the livestream platform, so make sure your call to action is clear. 

EveryAction wants to be everything to every nonprofit. This cloud based platform offers fundraising, advocacy, organizing and digital all in one package. 

For fundraising, you can use the platform to create a simple donation page for your website. You can also use the platform to track major gifts, pledges and other donations. And, you can run an online auction with it as well. 

Get all your advocacy done with social matching and listening which lets you monitor and track influential supporters and it has an advocacy module that makes it easy for you to turn your advocates into donors. 

Organize your supporters with the built in tools to manage your volunteers and coordinate your canvassing or phone bank events. 

The digital portion lets you build multi channel ad campaigns. The platform includes data visualization tools so you can make use of all the various data sets that your organization accumulates. 

Nonprofits can make the most out the remaining giving days in the year, reports The Nonprofit Times. 

You’ve survived Giving Tuesday – and hopefully come out of it with a nice boost of donation revenue for your nonprofit.

Read article on The Nonprofit Times

New Story, a nonprofit that focuses on using tech to build affordable housing, plans on having 50 new homes erected a Mexico community by the end of 2020. 

A giant 3D printer built two houses in an impoverished, rural part of Mexico last week, breaking ground on what will be the first 3D-printed neighborhood in the world.

Read article on Fox 2 Now

According to the Biz Tech Magazine, integrated giving is one of several technology trends that will impact nonprofits in 2020. 

Nonprofits have a lot on their plates. Charitable giving took a hit last year, declining for the first time since the Great Recession, forcing organizations to do more with less.

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Mobile friendly devices help contribute to the success of #GivingTuesday, reports Biz Tech Magazine.  

Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday are all behind us, but the long Thanksgiving weekend isn’t over yet. Many will be digging deep into their pockets again today, but not for themselves—this time, it’s for Giving Tuesday. 

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