COVID-19 has impacted fundraising in various ways. What will major and planned giving programs look like in our current landscape, and how can your organization adjust to see continued success with these programs?
In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Eddie Thompson, founder and CEO of Thompson and Associates, and Russell James, Professor of Charitable Financial Planning at Texas Tech University, in an excerpt from a Blackbaud webinar. They discuss the challenges of raising major and planned gifts in the current environment, give advice on how to talk to donors and consider how they are feeling and faring during this time, and highlight different giving strategies that can benefit organizations and donors.
After listening to the episode, click on the link to the webinar in the Resources section to watch the full recording, including a panel discussion featuring Eddie and Russell as well as Page Bullington, president and general manager of Blackbaud Healthcare Solutions and Blackbaud Foundation Solutions, and Heather Wiley Starankovic, principal consultant at Accordant Philanthropy.
Topics Discussed in This Episode:
Resources:
Webinar: Raising Major and Planned Gifts in the Current Environment
Tip Sheet: 6 Planned Giving Options to Offer Donors
Tip Sheet: Questions Major Donors Are Asking Themselves Before Making a Gift
Quotes:
“We are really positioning ourselves not just for today, but for the future.” –Eddie Thompson
“I’ll tell you this, almost everyone has been impacted emotionally.” –Eddie Thompson
“We want people to ask us for more information or more details.” –Russell James
Giving days are an increasingly important fundraising tool for social good organizations. And while #GivingTuesday may be the most well-known event, there are a variety of ways to hold a giving day, from organization-specific to regional to national or international, each with their own benefits.
In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Amanda Baldwin, Sr. Principal Solutions Engineer at Blackbaud, about how to plan a successful giving day for your organization. Listen in to hear what Amanda has to say about the importance of giving days as a fundraising strategy, the benefits of organizations holding their own giving days, and technologies that organizations should consider for giving day success.
Topics Discussed in This Episode:
Resources:
Webinar: How to Hold a Successful Giving Day for Your Nonprofit
Creating a Giving Tuesday Strategy That's 'Just Right'
Quotes:
“It is important to remind your audience that fundraising is how you are able to reach those outcomes.”
“You shouldn’t have to apologize for needing to fundraise in order to do all the good work you’re doing in your community and around the world.”
“I think that the more unique you can be, the more you can make yourself stand out, the more likely you won’t have to be concerned about feeling like you’re in competition for donor dollars all on one day with other organizations either in your community or around the world.”
Nonprofits that are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic may be able to receive help through the CARES Act – the large relief bill that Congress passed in an effort to help individuals and organizations weather the crisis. But it can be difficult to understand all of the ins and outs of such a large and complex piece of legislation.
In today’s episode, Ben Kershaw of Independent Sector joins Blackbaud’s Government Relations Manager Sally Ehrenfried to answer questions about the CARES Act that especially concern nonprofit organizations. Listen in to hear what Ben has to say about how nonprofits can get help, how to think about long-term support, and what aspects of the Paycheck Protection Program nonprofits need to be aware of.
Topics Discussed in This Episode:
Resources:
CARES Act Resources from Independent Sector
Blackbaud COVID-19 Resource Center
Blackbaud CARES Act Resource Hub
Quotes:
“As we turn to other legislation, we’ll be talking about 2 trillion-dollar responses, so it’s just a reminder of how quickly both the public awareness and the policy response to this have grown.”
“We will certainly be advocating to extend this incentive and to expand it, so that it can help incentivize the sort of giving that we need as a nation.”
“The intent of the Paycheck Protection Program is clear. It is not small business or a small non-profit protection program, it’s a paycheck protection program. The intent is to make sure that employees stay on payroll.”
In the new normal in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, what’s the best way for organizations to engage and inspire their audiences? Should they be looking to newer types of media, such as podcasts, to help humanize their organizations and more deeply connect with their supporters, customers, donors, etc.?
Today’s guest is Camille Laurente, co-founder and CEO, of Hueman Group Media. Listen to the interview to hear what she has to say about how to engage audiences through storytelling across multiple digital channels, what powerful and compelling stories look like, and how organizations should be thinking about using podcasting and other types of new media.
Topics Discussed in This Episode:
Resources:
Humaen Group Media Podcast Series
Blackbaud University Course: Multimedia Storytelling
Quotes:
“I think one of the key approaches to this pandemic is really being transparent and really authentic in your messaging.”
“Data is good, and your impact or what you’ve done in the past is good, but don’t forget to humanize your content.”
“I love sharing this because, in the next few weeks, we’re launching a new slate of podcasts on our network.”