Tag Archives: fundraising

The Future of Fundraising Events

In this session, we’ll unpack what modern charities are doing with their fundraising events to move forward into the “new normal.”

Rebecca Alfred (from Trellis.org) shares new ideas based on over 200 virtual, hybrid, and in-person events to increase fundraising potential and donor engagement, and discusses what it takes to be an organization that is leading the way with online fundraising.

What You’ll Learn

How to plan successful fundraising events in 2022 and beyond
How to enhance donor engagement with your fundraising events
How to implement a winning annual fundraising strategy for your organization

Watch the webinar on the future of fundraising events:

3 Reasons you should watch this video on the future of fundraising:

64% of nonprofits did not meet their 2020 fundraising goals
92% of those surveyed think virtual events are worth keeping
76% of donors expect to attend at least one virtual event in 2022

The Benefits of Virtual Events

Cost and time savings to organizations and donors
Donors can attend from the comfort of their homes
Increased geographical reach
Ease of execution and less manpower (volunteers/staff) required
Increased fundraising elements (online raffles, silent auctions, online donations and ticket sales, etc)

The Benefits of In-Person Events

Better engagement with attendees
Connecting face-to-face with donors
Networking opportunities

The Future: Hybrid Events

Hybrid events are the future because they allow organizations to get the best of both world.

Here are some examples of hybrid fundraising events and their benefits:

In-person with virtual fundraising options

Silent auction and/or raffle tickets available online ahead of time
Online ticket purchasing and donating
Combining the convenience of online platforms with the engagement of in-person events

In-person with a small livestream audience

Increased geographical reach
Ease of participation leading up to the event through online ticket purchases, donations, raffles, auctions, etc
In-person engagement and connection
Appeal to a wider donor base
Can be made more affordable for live stream audience through reduced ticket prices

Virtual event with a VIP in-person audience

Increased geographical reach
Appeal to a wider donor base
Great donor experience for both in-person VIP attendees and live stream viewers
More affordable for the virtual audience through non-VIP ticket option
Connection and networking opportunities for in-person guests

Key Takeaways for Success:

Create a seamless donor experience
Give donors both virtual and in-person options
Add additional online fundraising elements to your existing fundraising strategy

Additional resources and notes from the presenter:

Download the Future of Fundraising Report: http://bit.ly/trellis_report

Fundraising Resources from Trellis: https://trellis.org/guides/

About Trellis

Trellis is an all-in-one fundraising platform. They help foundations, charities, and nonprofits with their virtual and in-person fundraising.

About the Presenter: Rebecca Alfred

Rebecca is part of the team at Trellis Social Enterprise Inc, supporting charitable organizations, hospital foundations, non-profits, and other organizations to find new online approaches to raising funds for the causes they care about. Coming from a diverse background including tech companies, marketing agencies, and accounting firms, she’s now settled in the social sector. Since starting at Trellis, Rebecca has supported hundreds of organizations as they run fundraisers with specialized expertise in signature fundraising events, and donor experience for virtual and hybrid fundraisers. Beyond working at Trellis, Rebecca has also worked in research for non-profit sustainability and developed social programs to meet complex challenges.

Website: trellis.org
Twitter: @trellis_org

Join the TechSoup Connect British Columbia Community!

TechSoup Connect British Columbia hosts online and in-person tech-for-good events that bring nonprofits together. We help you build communities, share resources, and discover new opportunities for social impact.

We welcome nonprofits, consultants, technologists, funders, and everyone else passionate about using technology for good.

Check us out: https://events.techsoup.org/techsoup-connect-british-columbia-chapter/

SPONSORS

A HUGE thanks to our amazing community partners and sponsors. Give them love! Spend 💵with them!

Graphic Recording: Building Equity & Community in a Virtual Age with Maggie Miland

As a community builder, has this past year left you feeling disconnected and Zoomed out? What if there was something that could help us reconnect in a meaningful way? Graphic recording, or visual notetaking, is a powerful tool that puts people and their voices at the center of every conversation.

In this webinar, Maggie Miland uses her skills as a graphic recorder to capture stories and reveal sustainable solutions to our community’s most pressing challenges. She shares her unique approach to community development through her work with refugee youth, women seeking liberation from domestic violence, and communities addressing systemic racism.

Watch the recording to learn how graphic recording enables you to make the people you serve a leading role in the story!

What You’ll Learn

What graphic recording is and why it’s important
How you can use graphic recording within your own organization
Valuable tools to get started with graphic recording

Watch the webinar on building equity and community in a virtual age with graphic recording:

What is Graphic Recording?

When faced with complexity, draw it out. -Maggie Miland

“Graphic facilitation (or “Graphic Recording”) is the use of large scale imagery to lead groups and individuals towards a goal. The method is used in various processes such as meetings, seminars, workshops and conferences. This visual process is conducted by a graphic facilitator.” (source: Wikipedia)

Why Graphic Recording is Important

Maggie cites a study that found users retain only 10-20% of written or spoken information compared to 65% retention if the information is visual. Moreover, it’s estimated that 6 out of 10 people identify as visual thinkers.

Four reasons graphic recording is a powerful tool:

It prioritizes accessibility
It fosters trust
It builds collective ownership
It promotes a deeper understanding resulting in long-lasting change

6 Ways You Can Use Graphic Recording

1. Impact reports: Create a graphic that shares the story of what you do and how you did.

2. Feedback sessions: Involve more people by sharing visuals and allowing interactive engagement in developing the graphics.

3. Workshops: Create a graphic that recaps the highlights of an event. You can even share your screen or a time-lapse recording so viewers can see the progression of the graphic being made!

4. Strategic planning sessions: Create a visual that brings up statistics, feedback, representation, etc and shows people what you’re working towards.

5. Grant applications: Use graphics in your grant applications to bring them to life.

6. Stakeholder recognition: Use graphics for stakeholder recognition by combining them with impact reports or by showcasing your appreciation for their support.

Helpful Tools for Graphic Recording

Colour palette generator: coolors.co
Contrast Checker: webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker
Ipad Pro + Apple Pencil
Procreate App (for iPad)
Other apps: Fresco, Illustrator for iPad
Innovation Hour by Realize Strategies: https://realizestrategies.ca/innovation-hour-graphic-recording
Facilitator’s Guide to Participatory Decision-Making (Jossey-bass Business & Management Series) 3rd Edition
Neuland Markers (made in Germany) or other water-soluble markers
Collaborative whiteboards/tools: Miro.com and jamboard.google.com and mural.co
Graphic design software for beginners: Canva.com

About the Presenter: Maggie Miland of Realize Strategies

Maggie Miland uses her skills as a graphic recorder to capture stories and reveal sustainable solutions to our community’s most pressing challenges.

Website: realizestrategies.ca
Twitter: @realizestrat
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/maggiemiland

Join the NetSquared Vancouver Community!

NetSquared Vancouver gathers together nonprofits and activists, tech leaders and funders, and everyone who’s interested in using technology for social change. We’d love to have you join our Community: https://events.techsoup.org/vancouver

SPONSORS

A HUGE thanks to our amazing community partners and sponsors. Give them love! Spend 💵with them!

Virtual Galas: Engage More People While Raising More Money with Sara Hoshooley and Ine Van Aken

Using best practices and learning from past virtual and live galas, this webinar hosted by Sara Hoshooley (Charity Shift Consulting) with special guest Ine Van Aken (One Girl Can) provides tangible takeaways nonprofits can implement within their 2021 virtual gala planning.

Learn from a recent case study where a charity raised 230% over their fundraising goal and had more attendees than ever before! In addition, hear from the Executive Director of an organization that was one of the first Lower Mainland organizations to successfully move their in-person gala to a virtual one in April 2020.

What You’ll Learn

How to prepare for your Gala
How to ensure the maximum number of attendees and donors
How to create an effective, fun, and engaging event that your guests will love!

Watch the webinar on engaging more people and raising more money with virtual galas:

Introduction

Virtual galas are not the “new” normal, according to Sara Hoshooley, they’re the “next” normal. She predicts virtual galas will continue through 2021 and beyond.

Key Takeaways

“Virtual” does not equal “boring.” Find ways to engage your audience and keep your event short (one-hour maximum) and story-driven.

Opportunities for sponsorships are larger for virtual events than in-person events. Find creative ways to feature your event’s sponsor(s) and even get your audience involved (example shared: virtual wine and cheese tasting).

Maximize your fundraising by having donors pre-commit to donations before the event, coordinating donation matching, providing multiple ways for donors to give, and having tangible asks.

Pro Tips:

Help people navigate your online platform and give a tech how-to (don’t forget to show attendees how to connect their laptop to their TV for better viewing!)
Host a pre-event to help attendees sort out technical issues before the event officially starts. Make sure you have IT support available.
Make your audience feel like they’re “part of the show” and not just disengaged spectators.
Don’t just think about who has attended in the past; think about who could attend now and in the future.
Consider tiered ticketing options (or by minimum donation), to make the event more accessible.
Keep your event short. Share your most important content in the first 35-40 minutes and have everything finished in an hour.
At the end, of the virtual event (before attendees sign off), announce your donations raised so far and choose an end date for online donations so donors know they can continue giving after the event.

Planning Your Virtual Gala Timeline

3-6 Months Prior

Choose a theme
Book your emcee
Choose your technology
Send save the dates messages
Confirm fundraising channels (website, text, auction)

1-2 months

Send invitations
Develop a solicitation plan
Put together your staff and volunteer schedule
Create your event program

1-3 weeks

Have a tech/dress rehearsal
Follow up with key donors
Review details with vendors
Finalize all the content for your virtual gala

Event Day

Review all the details
Check that all technology is set up and working
Have a way to communicate with team/volunteers

Post event

Send out thank-yous, share reports and recordings
Remind donors that donations are still being accepted until your chosen end date
Debrief with your team

Don’t forget to have fun!

About the Presenter: Sara Hoshooley of Charity Shift Consulting

Charity Shift helps charities and non-profit organizations raise more money using best practices and proven fundraising strategies. Based in Vancouver BC, Charity Shift is led by Sara Hoshooley who has helped organizations raise millions of dollars to further their programs and causes.

Website: charityshift.ca

About the Panelist: Ine Van Aken of One Girl Can

Ine Van Aken is the Executive Director of One Girl Can – a Canadian and Kenyan registered charitable organization on a mission to break the cycle of poverty and achieve gender equality through education and mentorship. Their unique holistic model empowers girls from the time they leave primary school until they gain meaningful employment. They do this through three pillars: building and renovating school structures, providing educational scholarships, and mentorship for long-term success in their chosen field of study.

Twitter: twitter.com/onegirlcan
Website: onegirlcan.com

Join the NetSquared Vancouver Community!

https://www.meetup.com/net2van/events/275974380/

SPONSORS

A HUGE thanks to our amazing community partners and sponsors. Give them love! Spend 💵with them!

Nonprofit Marketing Trends in the COVID-19 Age with Ben Abel

COVID-19 has had an impact on nonprofits in ways that may not yet be measurable. But there are key indicators within and outside of organizations that can be used to understand what has happened and what will happen as we move forward.

Exploring an organization’s digital culture and formulation of new marketing strategies can lead to better customer experience through Personalisation 2.0 and Artificial Intelligence.

Our ultimate goal is to rebuild donor trust and help organizations sustain and grow themselves in the 21st century.

Watch the Webinar on Nonprofit Marketing Trends During COVID-19

Key Takeaways about Nonprofit Marketing Trends During COVID-19

Artificial intelligence

Not only can AI help you reach a particular customer segment but it can help you create targeted campaigns for each individual with a different ask. All this will be driven by the deluge of data that we have available. AI is not only useful at the beginning of the donor journey but also during and after they have donated.

Artificial Intelligence Leads to Personalization 2.0

Artificial Intelligence can be used to create personalized marketing campaigns for all kinds of groups that reach both the targets of a campaign and those who can be implementers.

Personalization 2.0

Donor retention can only be achieved by engaging these donors and maintaining an emotional connection with them after they have donated. It can be done by using social-demographic data such as communicating with them on social media platforms, sending targeted emails on how they are making a difference, using geo-targeting for delivering content based on their geographic locations, and providing them personalized incentives for being loyal donors.

Digital culture and strategy

Digital culture and strategy lead to better customer experience. Why? Because it forces you to really look at your potential donor or customer and understand what they want.

The Constituent Experience is a Powerful Differentiator

Nonprofit marketers are pivoting from traditional single or multi-channel messaging strategies where communications are duplicated across channels. Instead they are taking cues from other industries to create personalized and connected cross-channel journeys where each constituent is recognized, remembered, and offered the right content at the right time based on the channel they’re engaging on.

Sources Provided by Presenter

About the Presenter: Ben Abel from Abel Marketing Ltd.

Abel Marketing is a Vancouver, Canada based marketing company founded by Ben Abel. His mission is to help you build successful marketing programs and initiatives for your business venture or company.

Twitter: @lebaneb
Website: https://www.abelmarketing.ca

Join the NetSquared Vancouver Community!

SPONSORS

A HUGE thanks to our amazing community partners and sponsors. Give them love! Spend 💵with them!

Video + Slides: How to Maximize Data to Enhance Your Fundraising Programs and Campaigns

In this presentation campaigners and fundraisers from any size organization will learn to use big data in a way they haven’t before. They will learn how to better target their messaging to influence people within their organization’s community to encourage them to give a gift or volunteer.

Whether through a direct mail appeal, cross fundraising approach or a face to face ask, data can help.

How to Maximize Data to Enhance Your Fundraising Programs and Campaigns – Allen Davidov from NetSquared Vancouver

PRESENTER
Allen Davidov is Director of Business Development at Environics Analytics in the not-for-profit practice. With nearly twenty years of experience, he is responsible for helping charities and foundations apply EA’s products and services to attract and retain donors, corporate partners and volunteers.

Prior to joining EA, Allen successfully led marketing, annual giving, leadership giving and event initiatives at a number of organizations, including Sinai Health Foundation, Habitat for Humanity GTA, Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, St. John’s Rehab Hospital Foundation at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and North York General Hospital Foundation.

Allen is also an active member of the Canadian Marketing Association Not-For-Profit Council. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Liverpool, a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Ryerson University and a Creative Advertising diploma from Centennial College.

SOCIAL LOVE
Hosted by @elivdg
Presented by @net2van
Venue partner @hivevancouver

PRESENTER
@AllenDavidov of @EnvironicsA

SPONSORS
@iatspayments @VCN_Community @techsoupcanada @NTENorg

Video: Donor Retention Best Practices with Janet Edmison, Principal at Fawkes + Holly

A strong fundraising program is an essential part of building a thriving non-profit. But when you have a small team and limited resources it can be hard to know where to focus.

At Net2van’s October 10 meetup Fawkes + Holly offered research and experience on how to retain the donors you’ve worked so hard to acquire. Viewers of these videos will emerge feeling encouraged, equipped and armed with practical tools you can start implementing immediately.

Here’s two video recordings of the presentation, focusing on the presenter or the slides. Take your pick! Or if you’re on the move listen to the podcast.

Presenter Video

Webinar-Style Video

Janet Edmison, Principal at Fawkes + Holly

Janet is a strategic thinker with experience fundraising for small and mid-sized non-profits including Cystic Fibrosis Canada and Union Gospel Mission. Passionate about sharing the vision and mission of organizations making an impact around the world, Janet excels at developing strategies and materials that change the game for small teams with limited resources. As a consultant, Janet has worked with dozens of organizations facing challenges in building and maintaining a sustainable fundraising program.

HOSTS
Produced by Ashleigh Turner @SexWithAshleigh
Hosted by NetSquared Vancouver @net2van
Venue partner HiVE Vancouver @hivevancouver

PRESENTER
@fawkesandholly

SPONSORS
@iatspayments @VCN_Community @techsoupcanada @NTENorg

Mo Money Mo Problems | What you need to know about collecting online donations

My kids will never write a cheque, and in a few short years neither will the majority of your donor base. While it used to be acceptable to collect money ‘any way possible’ online, the data is telling us that donors want a donation experience that is easy to follow, on brand and connects the donor with the cause. How we accomplish these things without compromising security, CRA compliance and more is not always straightforward. This session will cover the basics of:

Compliance and Law with respect to donation processing and the CRA
The 101’s of payment processing terms, security and must knows
How you can get the most out of your online donation experience

This session is for:

New fundraisers who want to learn the ropes of accepting money online
Experienced fundraisers who are looking for ways to make their program more successful
Web and online staff responsible for making all the online donation stuff work ?

RSVP on Meetup.com

When: Tuesday, January 7, 2013, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Where: HiVE Vancouver, #210 – 128 W Hastings St.

RSVP on Meetup.com

AGENDA

5:30 – 6:00 PM: Networking and snacks
6:00 – 7:00 PM: Presentation
7:00 – 7:30 PM: Q&A and Wrap

JEFF GOLBY
Jeff has worked in one form or another of credit card based donation processing for Charity for around eight years on the charity side, for profit side and back again now on the charity side. Currently he works for Chimp Foundation an online tool that allows you to manage and amplify your charitable giving. His role there is to create a space where law, charity, money and trust come together in a way that inspires and motivates people to give.

TWITTER

Event hashtag: #Net2van
Host: @Net2van
Presenter: @jgolby
Venue sponsor: @HiVEvancouver

ACCESSIBILITY

Mobility Access: This venue does not have ramps and elevators and is not wheelchair accessible.
Hearing Access: Speakers at this event will use microphones.
Sight Access: Contact the organizers if you need an advance copy of the presentation.

We want everyone to be able to participate in the Net2Van community and events. Please don’t hesitate to let us know what we can do to accommodate your needs.

Tech4Good Surrey: Fundraising 101

Who Does Good Annual Giving Campaigns at Year-End in Surrey or Vancouver?

Presenter wanted: Year-End Fundraising