Washington, D.C. 鈥� April 3, 2023 鈥� 精东影业鈥檚 Charities, the nonprofit that mobilizes the power of giving as a leading provider of volunteering, workplace giving, employee assistance funds, matching gift, scholarships and other social impact solutions, today announced it was selected as a 2023 Best Nonprofit To Work For by the impartial research organization Best Companies Group (BCG). This is the third consecutive year that BCG has recognized 精东影业鈥檚 Charities as one of the 50 best employers in the industry, scoring well above industry benchmarks for staff engagement and satisfaction. The NonProfit Times published the full list of nonprofit awardees on April 1.

鈥淲e work with organizational leaders every day, helping them create corporate social responsibility strategies and programs to engage their employees and improve the world,鈥� said Jim Starr, president and CEO of 精东影业鈥檚 Charities. 鈥淓mployee engagement starts with how your people feel about where and with whom they work. It鈥檚 also about empowering them to shape their communities, providing incentives for meaningful participation, building-in opportunities to listen and learn from each other, and creating a purposeful culture where a workforce cares for one another and their organization鈥檚 mission. We employ these same best practices within our own organization, so being named a Best Nonprofit To Work For again this year, truly reflects who 精东影业鈥檚 Charities is and what we do to 鈥榟elp you help others.鈥� I am immensely proud to work with such incredibly talented, passionate people.鈥�

To be considered for participation, organizations had to fulfill the following eligibility requirements:

• Must be in business a minimum of 1 year;
• Must be a nonprofit organization with 501 (c)(3) status;
• Have a facility in the United States;
• Have a minimum of 15 employees in the United States; and,
• An organization may enter as a group of nonprofits or as an individual organization as long as each participating organization is a separate legal entity (separate subsidiary). Branch offices may not enter separately from their parent nonprofit unless they are separate legal entities.

The 2023 Best Nonprofits To Work For evaluation process had two parts. BCG first analyzed 精东影业鈥檚 Charities鈥� policies, practices, philosophy, systems, and demographics, totaling 25 percent of the total evaluation score. Second, they surveyed staff to measure the quality and consistency of their employee experience, worth the remaining 75 percent of the evaluation. The scores were then combined to determine their final top 50 rankings out of the hundreds of nominated nonprofits.

For more information on The Nonprofit Times鈥� Best Nonprofits to Work For program, visit .

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鈥淏eing recognized as a Best Nonprofit To Work For, for the second year in a row, is a tremendous honor,鈥� said Jim Starr, president and CEO of 精东影业鈥檚 Charities. 鈥淚t is a testament to the commitment and compassion of 精东影业鈥檚 Charities鈥� staff, leadership, and Board of Directors. This is more proof that each team member cares for our mission, our clients and causes, and each other. We strive to nurture an environment where our people can meaningfully connect with each other, the impactful work of our mission, and the causes they care about, and feel empowered to shape the organization and improve their community.鈥�

The 2022 Best Nonprofits To Work For evaluation process had two parts. BCG first analyzed 精东影业鈥檚 Charities鈥� policies, practices, philosophy, systems, and demographics, totaling 25 percent of the total evaluation score. Second, they surveyed staff to measure the quality and consistency of their employee experience, worth the remaining 75 percent of the evaluation. The scores were then combined to determine their final top 50 rankings out of the hundreds of nominated nonprofits.

Eight key categories were measured: leadership, corporate culture and communications, role satisfaction, work environment, relationship with supervisor, training and development, pay and benefits, and overall engagement. 精东影业鈥檚 Charities scored 91 percent across all eight categories, which was two points above their 2021 score and well above the industry average. BCG considers 70 percent to indicate 鈥渟trong鈥� levels of engagement and satisfaction, while scores of 80 percent and higher represent 鈥済reatness.鈥� 精东影业鈥檚 Charities鈥� engagement and satisfaction scores 鈥� at 92 percent and 90 percent, respectively 鈥� were comparable to their scores last year and also above industry benchmarks.

Drilling down, 99 percent of 精东影业鈥檚 Charities鈥� staff value their work environment, and 97 percent said they have confidence in the organization; feel that they are treated as a person, not a number; and rely on the organization鈥檚 ample communication. All scores were on par with their 2021 evaluations. Additionally, 91 percent said they are satisfied in their role and have a good relationship with their supervisor, and 90 percent value 精东影业鈥檚 Charities鈥� corporate culture and communications. 83 percent of employees would recommend 精东影业鈥檚 Charities as a place to work, an increase of two points from their 2021 score.

There were several areas about which 100 percent of 精东影业鈥檚 Charities employees agreed:

• They are proud to work for this organization
• They understand the organization鈥檚 long-term strategy
• They like their coworkers 听
• They understand the importance of their role in the success of 精东影业鈥檚 Charities

鈥淲e work with organizational leaders every day, helping them create corporate social responsibility strategies and programs to engage their employees and create social change,鈥� added Starr. 鈥淓mployee engagement starts with how your people feel about where and with whom they work. It鈥檚 also about empowering them to shape their communities, providing incentives for meaningful participation, building-in opportunities to listen and learn from each other, and creating a purposeful culture where a workforce cares for one another and their organization鈥檚 mission. Being named a Best Nonprofit To Work For last year, and again this year, truly reflects who 精东影业鈥檚 Charities is as an organization and what we do to 鈥榟elp you help others.鈥� I am immensely proud to work with such incredibly talented, passionate people.鈥�

To be considered a Best Nonprofit To Work For in 2022, organizations had to be in business for a minimum of one year, be a nonprofit with 501(c)(3) status, have a U.S. facility, at least 15 employees in the U.S., and be a separate legal entity or subsidiary. BCG managed the overall registration and survey process, analyzed the data, and determined the ranking. The NonProfit Times, the leading national business publication for nonprofit managers, hosted the survey and published the final list.

Click here to learn more about 精东影业鈥檚 Charities and the people that comprise the organization and click here for more details about their employee engagement software plus back-end support solutions. for more information about the Best Nonprofits To Work For program.听

About 精东影业鈥檚 Charities

精东影业鈥檚 Charities is a 501(c)(3) membership-based nonprofit that inspires employees and organizations to support each other and the causes they care about. 精东影业鈥檚 Charities鈥� deep expertise in workplace giving and employee engagement is anchored in its history of helping employers of all shapes and sizes support causes and their communities and create sustainable impact. Since 1980, 精东影业鈥檚 Charities has raised nearly a billion dollars in corporate, federal, state, and local government workplace giving campaigns, benefiting tens of thousands of nonprofits addressing a wide range of causes including education, human rights, hunger, poverty, research, animal welfare, veteran assistance, disaster relief, and health services. More information about 精东影业鈥檚 Charities is at听, as well as on our听social media networks.

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One of the most frequently asked questions we get from companies regarding nonprofit-corporate partnerships is this:

鈥淗ow can we best measure the ROI and impact a partnership has on our company, for our nonprofit partner, and for the community as a whole?鈥�

鈥淚mpact鈥� means different things to different people. Before you can measure impact and ROI, you need to:

1. Answer the question, 鈥淲hat do you want to accomplish through this partnership?鈥�
2. Consider whether or not the partner you have chosen is a good fit (for you and for them), and
3. Define what 鈥渋mpact鈥� means to you and your partner.

Values and Expertise

Before you select a partner, you need to look within your company.听

• What are your company鈥檚 values?
• What is important to your employees and other key stakeholders?
• What resources 鈥� financial, human capital, goods 鈥� can you contribute to the community?
• What is your expertise, your specialty?
• What would you like to be known for in the community?

The answers may seem obvious to you, but the common hurdle many organizations face is the next question:

“What specific need or problem in the community is your organization best suited to address?” 听

Some needs are more visible and apparent than others.听 If you look a little deeper into a cause, is there a lesser known, but equally important need that could benefit from your support?听For example, if you manufacture or sell apparel you could take the more obvious philanthropic action of donating apparel to a shelter and stop with that. Donating goods can certainly contribute to common ESG goals like reducing waste in landfills.听However, a deeper conversation with your nonprofit partner could bring to light another issue that your donation is helping address and open the door for even more collaborative opportunities like employee volunteerism. The combination of the apparel your company donated, combined with your employees volunteer time could play an incredible role in building kids鈥� confidence and self-esteem, while helping the nonprofit with its clothing budget challenge.听

Finding the Right Fit

Don鈥檛 worry if you can鈥檛 answer these questions and identify a cause on your own.听 A business decision of this magnitude may necessitate outside guidance from a strategic partner like 精东影业鈥檚 Charities. Our more than 40听years of experience providing employers and nonprofit organizations with charitable giving services and employee engagement solutions puts us in a unique position to help your organization identify which need(s) and nonprofit partner(s) would make the most sense for you. Whether you need help identifying a charity partner, or have hundreds of nonprofits that have reached out to you for support, we can help find the right approach for you ().

Defining Goals and Impact

Once you have identified a charity partner听– or group of partners – who听fit the needs your company would like to address, the next step is to have detailed discussions with the nonprofit partner to identify what 鈥渋mpact鈥� means to each of you, and what measurements will define a successful outcome. Since every partnership is unique there are no general 鈥渟ystematic measurements鈥� for success听that can be applied to every situation.听 At times, success can be measured immediately upon completion of a project, or it may take a few years to measure due to the nature of the project.听 The key is to be clear about what success means and have patience while waiting for the results.

Below are some things to consider during the initial conversations with your partner:

• Set clear, realistic, shared goals that will benefit both partners and specify who is responsible for delivering what.
• Determine how long the relationship will last and put an exit strategy in place.听 Due to the nature of your partnership, some projects may be completed within a couple months, while other projects may take a few years. Consider starting out on a smaller, simple scale to show proof of life over a period of time and to test out the partnership.听Put an exit strategy in place to ensure your organization leaves the nonprofit in a better place once your partnership has accomplished its goals.
• A partnership is two-sided. Are there existing methods your nonprofit partner practices that can be used to measure your impact? Measuring impact should not be about collecting more data, but rather what information is absolutely necessary to prove your success.听 As a company, you obviously 诲辞苍鈥檛 want to burden your nonprofit partner, but 诲辞苍鈥檛 be afraid to look to them to help provide some of the answers and indicators of success.
• Stay within your means. Even if there is an ideal way to measure a program鈥檚 success, your nonprofit partner may not have the human capital or skills necessary to collect the information.听 Your company could help out financially so the nonprofit can hire someone for the job; you may involve your employees who have the skills needed for measuring the program鈥檚 success; or you might need to identify an alternative, less ideal measure of success that works within the means of both organizations. Perhaps your company can utilize an existing technology solution to assist with measurement. 精东影业’s Charities Engage CSR Solution听provides a holistic, easy-to-use platform for collecting, measuring and reporting on results for things like online giving, volunteer management, grantmaking, matching gifts, donation drives, and other creative charitable giving and employee engagement initiatives. Talk to us about your objectives and we can give you a demo of how the platform can be used to address your unique needs.
• Impact can be measured by quantitative or qualitative data. Impact depends on what goals you set.听What question(s) will your program evaluation answer? For instance, 鈥淗ow many students improved their grade level of reading鈥� (quantitative) vs. 鈥淒id the students have a valuable, rewarding experience鈥� (qualitative). 听You can take a similar approach to evaluating the impact the partnership has on your company.听 By using surveys, you can evaluate if your involvement in this nonprofit partnership has changed the employee鈥檚 (or another stakeholder鈥檚) perception and loyalty to your company.听 Or when using employee evaluations, you can gauge improvement in skill levels of employees before and after volunteering with your nonprofit partner.听
• Use Benchmarks and case studies as a roadmap for your partnership.听 Don鈥檛 reinvent the wheel if you 诲辞苍鈥檛 have to. 精东影业’s Charities has a library of free resources and we also offer benchmarking and strategy development听tailored to your company’s specific interests and needs. Our听Expert Advisory Services听will give you a clear perspective of how you stack up to peers, and arm you with specific tactics and overarching strategy tailored to your company鈥檚 unique culture and interests.听 听 听听

Measuring the success of a nonprofit-corporate partnership doesn鈥檛 have to be hard.听 If you bring the right partners and experts together, and are honest and realistic about your objectives and expectations, your partnership can have a significant impact on the nonprofit and the community, while also benefiting your business.

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We have advanced innovative science since Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease Research was founded by supporting over 795 projects involving more than 2,624 scientists. This work has led to better understanding of the causes and progression of Alzheimer鈥檚, improved diagnostic tools, and important preventive measures people can take to help reduce their risk of this disease.

Researchers found that this test predicts Alzheimer’s brain pathology in people with memory and other cognitive issues. While the test itself cannot diagnose Alzheimer’s, it is an important new tool for physicians to aid in the evaluation process. This test does not involve any radiation and is noninvasive, requiring only a small blood sample. That sample is sent to C2N鈥檚 laboratory for analysis by mass spectrometry, and a healthcare provider will discuss the results with a patient. These features make the test more accessible than other diagnostic methods that physicians use to evaluate issues with memory and other cognitive issues and could pave the way for earlier diagnosis and treatment and greater enrollment in clinical trials. 鈥淭his is a scientific breakthrough with the potential to dramatically change Alzheimer鈥檚 research and patient care now and into the future,鈥� said Stacy Pagos Haller, President of Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease Research.

The test was developed by Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease Research grant recipients, Phillip Verghese, PhD, and Joel Braunstein, MD, MBA, who built upon the work of previous grantees David Holtzman, MD, and Randall Bateman, MD. Dr. Braunstein said, 鈥淭he best chance we have for treating Alzheimer鈥檚 disease will come from earlier detection and earlier intervention. We are grateful to Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease Research for being such a strong supporter every step of the way.鈥�

***

Your donation to Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease Research will help scientists find ways to better diagnose, prevent, treat, and ultimately cure Alzheimer鈥檚 as well as provide free, valuable information to the public about this disease.听

If you鈥檙e a military or federal employee, you can support Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease Research through the Our CFC number is 30518.

If you鈥檙e a private sector employee, you can also help fund Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease Research through your employer鈥檚 workplace giving program.

Click here if your company would like to start a workplace giving program to support Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease Research. We have partnered with 精东影业’s Charities, a workplace giving federation, which connects employees to the causes they care about the most.

Through your generosity to Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease Research, you can help end Alzheimer鈥檚 by donating:

• $2/week ($104/year) to help buy personal protective equipment, data storage equipment, surgical tools, and cell culture dishes in labs.
• $5/week ($260/year) to help purchase enough agarose, a powder used to make gel to isolate proteins, for several weeks in a biology lab. It could also purchase a vial of an antibody to detect tau in animal models of Alzheimer鈥檚.
• $20/week ($1,040/year) to help cover the cost of an experiment to measure Alzheimer鈥檚 biomarkers (signs) in blood samples.
• $20 – $40/week ($1,000 – $2,000/year) to help send a promising young researcher to an international science conference to share research results – a critical venue for analysis of discoveries.

To learn more about the research that you can help support, visit听.

The post Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease Research Early Supporter of New Alzheimer鈥檚 Blood Test appeared first on 精东影业's Charities.

That type of community support plays an integral role in helping nonprofits fulfill their mission, but there is another vital component that is often overlooked:听existing, sustainable support from donors and community partners.

That鈥檚 where听sustainable, unrestricted funds from workplace giving programs听and support from strategic partners play a tremendous role.

Employee giving and strategic partnerships empower nonprofits to have an immediate, effective, and lasting response.听 Resources that flow-in after a crisis or disaster strikes through donation relief campaigns strengthen that response, as long as those resources match the nonprofits鈥� needs.

What nonprofits need most, especially when it comes to crises and disaster relief, are monetary donations and large quantities of needed, organized goods. Often (despite their best intentions), in-kind support donated by individuals does not align with the actual needs of the nonprofit and those they鈥檙e helping. For example, donors might run to their closet and send a bag full of clothing when really what the nonprofit needs are sleeping bags, shrink-wrapped pallets of bottled water, and fresh food. Through strategic partnerships with nonprofits, businesses serve as a key solution to this disconnect.听 And according to employee donors surveyed in听精东影业鈥檚 Charities Snapshot Employee Research, 6 in 10 employees want to work for听a socially responsible company where the culture supports their passion for volunteering and donating.听For instance, whereas a strategic partnership with the community farmers鈥� market or grocery store, serves as a natural fit and reliable source for a nonprofit to access fresh ingredients and food donations they need (when they need it), cash donations made through an employer-sponsored disaster relief campaign will help fill the needs gap by providing the nonprofit with money to purchase necessary items like shrink-wrapped pallets of bottled water or sleeping bags.听 By empowering employees to support the community through organized workplace giving and disaster relief campaigns, and forming strategic partnerships with nonprofits based on their needs and in-kind support your company naturally has to offer, businesses are an indispensable conduit for providing nonprofits much-needed resources 鈥� in times of crises AND all year-long.听

精东影业鈥檚 Charities is proud to provide employers and their employees multiple ways to provide such support to nonprofits. Through听精东影业鈥檚 Charities’ employee听giving solutions, charitable funds management, and strategic consulting services, we facilitate sustainable giving through workplace giving campaigns, volunteer opportunities, and can also help you turn your employees’听passion into action听when crises and disasters strike听by setting up a disaster/crisis relief campaign on your workplace giving website.听

More Disaster Relief and Recovery Resources:

• Tips to share with employee donors
• How to start a disaster recovery campaign through workplace giving
• 精东影业’s Charities Disaster Recovery Funds

The post Aligning Community Support with Nonprofit Needs in Times of Disaster and Other Crises appeared first on 精东影业's Charities.

However, so many options can be overwhelming and confusing 鈥� to employee donors as well as to the leaders tasked with coordinating their company鈥檚 employee giving and corporate philanthropy initiatives. How can a business听help its staff most effectively raise money for causes they care about, create social change, and improve the world around us?听Through workplace giving,听one of the best-kept secrets to creating individual and collective social impact.听

I say “best-kept” secret simply because those who do, know. However, many still haven’t had the opportunity to try recurring payroll giving. Although workplace giving giving has been around for decades (upon decades), many still don’t understand how powerful recurring giving is for employers, staff, and the causes they support.

While 精东影业鈥檚 Charities continues to incorporate a variety of recurring donation approaches and methods into our suite of employee giving听technology plus customer support听options, recurring giving by payroll deduction听(aka workplace/ employee/recurring/payroll giving) remains the most cost-efficient way听to support nonprofits. In fact, it鈥檚 the driving force behind the success of the companies whose workplace giving campaigns we manage. Check out any of our free guides for examples and case studies of the collective impact made possible by workplace giving.听

But, and this is the crucial part, I hear you asking me: why? What makes payroll deduction giving more beneficial to charities, employee donors, and employers – especially compared to other donation payment methods? Beyond that, what would happen if we stopped payroll giving? Or, conversely, if听there were even more recurring donations?

We’ve answered those questions when we’ve听written about why听,听why听, why employee volunteering makes good business sense, how the workplace was crucial in the face of COVID-19, and more – but don’t just take our word for it.听

精东影业’s Charities seeks听to unveil the secrets of workplace giving and听specifically explain why recurring employee听giving is so cost-effective听in a series of conversations we titled听Saving the World, One Paycheck at a Time.听Listen to these听听to hear from听industry experts听with听whom听we discussed the reality of payroll giving.听We听asked the tough questions so you don’t have to —听and to their immense credit, these fearless guests didn’t hesitate to answer.

You’ll hear from Junelle Kroontje, Manager, King County Employee Giving Program (KCEGP), Seattle, Washington;听Candi Maciel, Corporate Engagement Manager, Best Friends Animal Society;听Willemijn Keizer, Director of Institutional Giving, Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC);听Susan O’Brien, Manager of the New Jersey Employees Charitable Campaign (NJECC); and more.听

Go听at your own pace as you browse听the video series听and presentation PDFs, then please, tell us what’s missing! What听other questions need to be asked? What would help make the case听for you and your organization? What information convinced you to give听workplace giving a try?听Just email us here听to听let us know.

Together, let’s make听recurring payroll giving one of the听worst-kept secrets to individual and听collective social impact.听

>> Learn More

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鈥淪egmentation鈥� refers to grouping your supporters based on shared characteristics (e.g. age, donation history, geographical area, etc.)听Identifying these common characteristics empowers your team to gain a deeper understanding of donors and what drives them to give. In turn, your marketing and fundraising teams can send tailored messages that appeal to each group, ultimately driving more value for your nonprofit.

If you鈥檙e early on in your nonprofit career or just need a refresher, we鈥檙e here to help. At Salsa, we empower nonprofits with the tools needed to connect with donors and build lasting relationships. We understand the value that segmentation can bring to all organizations. This quick guide will cover everything you need to know about getting started with donor segmentation, including:

• The benefits of donor segmentation
• The main challenge of donor segmentation
• Best practices for effective segmentation

So long as you have a thorough understanding of this strategy and , you鈥檒l be equipped to establish healthy supporter relationships. Ready to cover the basics of segmentation and gather actionable tips along the way? Let鈥檚 dive in.

Is workplace giving part of your fundraising strategy? Workplace donors provide your cause with funding听all year long, and they give on average five times more than individual donors. Learn more in this Washington Post article, “.”

The Benefits of Donor Segmentation

Regardless of your nonprofit鈥檚 mission, donor segmentation is an important strategy that can substantially strengthen your support system. It enables your organization to communicate with donors in meaningful ways. While useful for all-sized organizations, this strategy is especially crucial for larger nonprofits with thousands of supporters.

When leveraged effectively, donor segmentation enables your marketing and development teams to:

• Deliver meaningful content that appeals to donors鈥� interests.
• Reduce the number of irrelevant messages to donors who 诲辞苍鈥檛 belong to certain segments.
• Ask for feasible donation amounts based on giving patterns (i.e. donation amount, frequency, etc.)
• Offer relevant additional engagement opportunities outside of donating.

When you 诲辞苍鈥檛 segment your donors, you risk losing them. When someone donates, they shouldn鈥檛 be tossed into a generic email list where they鈥檙e bombarded with a bunch of information that doesn鈥檛 pertain to them. This can easily lead them to unsubscribe and stop supporting your nonprofit altogether, and there鈥檚 a high chance that they鈥檒l take their support to a different organization that personalizes their experiences.听

that as many as 94% of people who discontinued communications with a company did so because of irrelevant promotions or messages. Segmentation helps make your communications relevant, personal, and compelling.

The Main Challenge of Donor Segmentation

While segmentation has its benefits, it presents one major challenge that will work against your efforts: inaccurate data.

Inaccurate data can quickly derail your outreach and actually damage relationships rather than improve them. For instance, if you inaccurately record a supporter鈥檚 donation history, you may that substantially exceeds their budget. Especially when they receive a lot of these appeals, your messages can come off as insensitive and may steer them away.

Maintaining an accurate database is crucial. As explained by , good hygiene involves addressing any 鈥�dirty data鈥�.containing errors, whether it鈥檚 outdated, incomplete, duplicated, or simply incorrect.鈥澨�

Acting on any false information can have major costs; that same guide estimates that incorrect information costs organizations around $3.1 trillion a year in the U.S. alone.

The easiest way to maintain good data hygiene is to leverage the right constituent relationship management (CRM) system.听

Your solution should automate data collection and pull data from all types of campaigns. When your fundraising and marketing software integrates with your nonprofit CRM, data collection is seamless. Everything will flow into a single system, eliminating manual entry and giving you a 360-degree view of your organization鈥檚 performance.

Even when you invest in a powerful CRM, it鈥檚 best to regularly clean up your data to ensure it鈥檚 as accurate as possible. So regularly check any data that looks out of line and address it quickly.

Best Practices for Effective Segmentation

While segmentation is certainly useful, it鈥檚 only effective when you apply best practices. With the right practices under your belt, your communication team will be able to quickly understand who they鈥檙e talking to, why they鈥檙e reaching out to them, and how to appeal to them.听

Your segmentation can either improve donor retention or (when ineffective) drive valuable supporters away. Let鈥檚 walk through a few ways you can make the most of segmentation.

1. Create meaningful donor segments.

An initial step that you鈥檒l need to take is to determine which donor segments make the most sense for your nonprofit. There are several ways to group your donors, each of which will require prospect research, and your team will need to think about which donor segments are relevant to your cause and which contexts they can be used in. Many nonprofits group donors by:

• Giving history. You should be aware of how much and how frequently donors give. This will help you time your appeals and ask for the appropriate donation amount. Another point you鈥檒l want to consider is if they鈥檙e a first-time donor or a returning donor. First-time donors often need extra support and outreach than repeat donors.

• Preferred communication methods. An appeal may be fully optimized to convert but go unnoticed because you didn鈥檛 contact the donor using the right platform. You can segment donors based on how they prefer to be contacted, whether it鈥檚 via email, phone call, direct mail, or some other means. It can also be worthwhile to consider how often they鈥檇 like to hear from you.

• How they were acquired. It鈥檚 crucial to know where each donor initially came from so you can make relevant appeals down the road. Common examples of this include your nonprofit鈥檚 website, social media, and events. There are many other ones to consider, though. For instance, they may have originally been a volunteer that converted to a donor.

explains that your team should track additional information beyond this. Your donor management software should also store valuable information like relationships (whether familial, business, etc.), demographics, interests, and biographical information.

Using segments like these, you can send out optimized communications that are more likely to encourage recipients to convert. For instance, you may choose to send a targeted fundraising ask based on a donor鈥檚 current giving level. In this case, it would make more sense to send out appeals based on giving history, rather than their communication preferences.

What do companies want from their nonprofit partners? Access the free report, 精东影业’s Charities Snapshot Nonprofit Research, to find out this听answer and more.听

2. Deliver tailored fundraising asks.

We鈥檝e briefly touched on the idea that segmenting your donor data allows you to deliver customized appeals. If your development team frequently sends generic appeals to your entire contact list, that鈥檚 a good way to drive them away from your cause.

Like we said early on, your donors want to feel your nonprofit cares about their experiences enough that you took the time to understand their preferences. Here are a few ways your team can tailor fundraising to fit different segments:

• Take their preferred giving methods into account. Tailor your asks to segments that prefer to give using a certain platform. For instance, a technologically inclined audience is much more likely to give if you send them online giving opportunities as opposed to sending direct mail appeals.

• Offer other engagement opportunities. What other activities have your donors participated in? For instance, maybe they regularly attend events or volunteer. Knowing this, your team can invite them to your next event or share an upcoming volunteer opportunity. That way, they can become more involved with other activities in addition to donating.

When you leverage your segments in smart ways, you can truly connect with donors and drive them to give. Each donor will receive appeals, invitations, and other opportunities that adhere to their specific interests.

3. Promote corporate philanthropy to the right donors.

After donors鈥� data flows into your nonprofit CRM, you can group them based on their corporate philanthropy eligibility. All sorts of businesses have a corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy. Frequently, these include matching gift programs that can dramatically boost your organization鈥檚 fundraising potential. Here鈥檚 how defines matching gifts:

鈥淢atching gifts are a type of corporate philanthropy in which companies match donations that their employees make to nonprofit organizations.

When an employee makes a donation, they鈥檒l request the matching gift from their employer, who then makes their own donation. Companies usually match donations at a 1:1 ratio, but some will match at a 2:1, 3:1, or even a 4:1 ratio.鈥�

Some sources estimate that these opportunities generate $4-$7听billion for the nonprofit sector each year. Understanding your donors鈥� eligibility allows you to market the opportunity to the right individuals and secure any unclaimed fundraising dollars.

Be sure to capture employer data during the giving process. Your team can go into your CRM and flag everyone鈥檚 eligibility by searching a database like Double the Donation. Alternatively, use an integrated prospect research tool to automatically flag certain corporate affiliations.

Access a discount on Double the Donation’s employee matching gift tools, exclusively for听精东影业’s Charities nonprofit members!听Learn more here.听听

As we saw with the pandemic, the fundraising landscape can change drastically and without warning. As such, nonprofits should revisit their segmentation strategies to account for gaps and address evolving priorities. Regularly assess which segments you use and why. Doing so allows you to evaluate your segments鈥� performance and make adjustments.

When leveraged effectively, your donor segments can improve your fundraising tremendously. With all this in mind, how will you use your segments to strengthen your fundraising efforts and donor relationships?

About the author:听

Gerard Tonti is the Senior Creative Developer at , the premier fundraising software company for growth-focused nonprofits.听Gerard’s marketing focus on content creation, conversion optimization and modern marketing technology helps him coach nonprofit development teams on digital fundraising best practices.

The post Donor Segmentation: A Quick Guide for Impactful Nonprofits appeared first on 精东影业's Charities.

Increasingly, consumers around the world are looking for the phrase 鈥渃ruelty-free鈥� on cosmetics and other personal care products, keen to ensure that the shampoo, makeup or cream they are buying was produced without animal suffering.

Forty countries, nine Brazilian states and five U.S. states have already passed laws to end animal testing for cosmetics, so we鈥檙e well on our way toward reaching our goal of banning it in all major beauty markets worldwide by the end of 2023. We believe that consumers should be able to pick up a cosmetic product anywhere in the world and be confident that it is safe to use and free from any new animal testing.

Our was instrumental in driving the European Union to become the world鈥檚 largest cruelty-free cosmetics market, and in securing similar victories in India, Taiwan, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, Guatemala, Switzerland, and many more countries.

Today, we are leading 17 simultaneous legislative efforts in Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico, South Africa, Southeast Asia (ASEAN), Sri Lanka and the United States, where more than 335 cosmetics companies have independently endorsed the Humane Cosmetics Act鈥攕upported last Congress by 23 U.S. senators and 183 representatives鈥攁long with the nearly 600 member companies of the Personal Care Products Council. We are also leading efforts in states to prohibit the sale of animal-tested cosmetics including in Maryland, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.

In China鈥攖he last major market still to require animal testing for cosmetics鈥擧SI is the only animal protection organization with a sustained effort to support training for local cosmetic companies, authorities and other stakeholders to achieve acceptance and widespread use of animal testing alternatives.

You can help us build a cruelty-free world with a gift to support our work. Below, we’ve detailed听the challenges ahead, our record to date, the goals we can achieve and the financial resources we need to end this cruelty to animals.

Our Challenge

Despite the many achievements of our #BeCrueltyFree campaign, hundreds of thousands of rabbits, guinea pigs, mice and rats are still being used each year worldwide to test the safety of cosmetic products and ingredients.

These animals suffer terribly鈥攚hen a cosmetic product or ingredient is rubbed onto the shaved skin or dripped into the eyes of restrained rabbits without any pain relief; in repeated force-feeding studies lasting weeks or months to look for signs of general illness or specific toxic effects; and even 鈥渓ethal dose鈥� tests in which animals are forced to swallow large amounts of a test chemical to determine the amount that causes death. At the end of these tests, animals who have survived are killed, normally by asphyxiation, neck- breaking, or decapitation.

Beyond their obvious cruelty, animal tests have scientific limitations, because different species can be more or less sensitive to the effects of chemicals or products鈥攅ven closely related species such as rats and mice can differ greatly in their response to the same substance.

Consequently, results from animal tests have been shown to have limited relevance to humans. In addition, results from animal tests can be quite variable and difficult to interpret. Unreliable and ineffective animal tests mean consumer safety cannot be guaranteed.

In contrast, modern non-animal approaches to testing and safety assessment combine human cell-based models (e.g. 3-dimensional skin or corneas grown in the lab) and sophisticated computer predictions to deliver human-relevant results in hours or days, unlike some animal tests that can take months or years. To produce new cosmetics the cruelty-free way, many companies choose from among thousands of existing ingredients with long histories of safe use, together with modern non-animal testing methods. This has allowed more than 1,000 socially conscious companies to turn their backs on animal testing once and for all.

Our Support

The HSI/HSUS campaign to end cosmetic testing on animals differs from the efforts of other animal protection organizations in two significant ways: the depth and breadth of our work, and our impact. We have a pragmatic, long view approach, building partnerships with key stakeholders to achieve meaningful and lasting change.

This has allowed us to nurture long-term, fruitful relationships with leading global brands. (see below) In the U.S., the HSUS reached an agreement with the Personal Care Products Council, a trade group representing 90% of the cosmetics industry in the country, to work together to end animal testing for cosmetics through passage of the Humane Cosmetics Act.

This unprecedented base of support gives us the credibility and credentials to attract additional partners, and successfully engage with national industry associations, elected officials, health regulators, and other stakeholders to bring about a lasting transformation.

Reaching our public policy goals also requires us to support smaller companies and government health authorities to understand and become comfortable with modern, non-animal approaches to testing and safety assessment. For years HSI has supported hands-on training workshops in China, Brazil and elsewhere. Now, in partnership with global industry leaders under the Animal-Free Safety Assessment (AFSA) Collaboration, we are developing a comprehensive, multilingual curriculum that will be delivered through videos, webinars, in-person lectures and other means, to ensure that all stakeholders who will have to comply with new #BeCrueltyFree laws we are passing are fully equipped to do so.

Thank you for considering supporting our fight to end cosmetics testing on animals. Together, we can do this.

听

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Unfortunately some pet stores still choose to source their puppies from commercial dog breeding operations known as 鈥減uppy mills.鈥� Behind the cute, fluffy puppies you see in those store windows is a very shady, cruel industry where dogs are treated horrifically.

Corporate 精东影业 can be a good and an important ally to animal welfare leaders like the in the fight against all forms of animal cruelty 鈥� like puppy mills. In this article, we share some background and facts about puppy mills; highlight the positive results that have come from the HSUS鈥� work, and outline ways that businesses and their employees can join together to help the HSUS end the cruel treatment of dogs in mass breeding operations.

What Makes Puppy Mills and the Associated Pet Stores Bad

Every year, some 1 million adoptable dogs are euthanized in shelters in the US while puppy mills churn out an estimated 2 million puppies 鈥� and there are thousands of puppy mills currently operating across the United States. Life inside these intense breeding operations鈥攚hich can see dogs crowded into someone鈥檚 basement, barn or shed, stacked in outdoor cages exposed to the elements, or hidden in a windowless concrete building. Mother and father dogs often spend their entire lives in the dark and in misery, deprived of basic needs like adequate food and water, medical care, fresh air or room to move freely. Mill owners treat them as breeding machines and the litters of puppies they produce as units of production. They hide the noise, smell and squalor by operating in rural areas. And they use deceptive advertising to hide the grim reality of where pet store puppies come from.

Although all 50 states have anti-cruelty laws, they are seldom applied to puppy mills if the dogs in question have the rudimentary basics of shelter, food and water. Mill dogs are often treated as agricultural 鈥渃rops鈥� and not as pets, with little concern for their health and well-being.

Puppy mill dogs are often sold to unsuspecting families despite having serious and even fatal health and hereditary conditions such as seizures, neurological conditions, liver disease, parvovirus, distemper, parasites, pneumonia, or skin and ear infections.

The Humane Society of the United States receives complaints from buyers of sick puppies on a daily basis鈥攎ore than 5,300 in the last 10 years via our online complaint form, email and our puppy mill tip line. We have published the results of 10 years of complaints and stories from consumers who purchased puppy mill dogs. The accounts are heartbreaking and hard to read. And they are far too common.

It鈥檚 not unusual for puppies to seem healthy at the time of purchase鈥� deadly diseases and conditions can have weeks-long incubation periods鈥� only to become sick or even die within a few days of arriving in their new home. Some buyers report spending thousands of dollars trying to save the life of a sick puppy, with a few spending more than $10,000 on veterinary care to save the life or ease the suffering of a beloved pet.

What the HSUS is doing to Stop Puppy Mills:

The Humane Society of the United States is leading the fight to end retail sales of puppies, drive inhumane puppy mills out of business, strengthen care standards and oversight of mass breeding operations, and move consumers away from purchasing a pet and toward adoption. More than 35,000 homeless pets have been saved as a result of our Puppy Friendly Pet Stores conversion program, which encourages pet stores to help with homeless pet adoptions rather than selling commercially-raised puppies.

Our Animal Rescue Team has rescued more than 10,000 dogs;

• The Animal Rescue Team deploys to scenes of suspected cruelty and neglect at puppy mills and launches a rescue as soon as law enforcement gives the green light.
• Use the courts to hold retailers and mill operators accountable: Our findings and investigations have triggered multiple consumer lawsuits against retailers and mill owners and shut down dozens of mills and pet stores.
• Change bad federal policy: We got the US Department of Agriculture to crack down on the import of puppies from foreign mills, saving thousands of dogs from transport before they were fully weaned and vaccinated.
• Move customers toward adoption instead of purchases: Our Puppy Friendly Pet Stores program has helped more than 3,000 pet stores pledge not to sell puppies, and led to adoptions of more than 35,000 local shelter pets instead.

Our work on puppy mills has changed the landscape for dogs used in the breeding industry. We have helped pass 380 local ordinances and three state laws that end sales of commercially raised puppies (and other animals) in retail pet stores, carried out multiple undercover investigations that led to the closure of stores and mills, publicized violations and abuses by mill owners from inspection records and data, and run national campaigns that educate consumers about how and why to adopt their next family member from their local shelter or rescue group. In May 2020, the USDA finalized a new rule requiring commercial dog breeders to obtain regular veterinary care and vaccinations for dogs, provide continual fresh water, and to demonstrate compliance with the Animal Welfare Act before obtaining a new license. The rule encompasses several standards that HSUS requested in a 2015 legal petition to the agency and had been pressing the agency to adopt ever since.

How Businesses and Employees Can Help:

Our Stop Puppy Mills campaign exposes inhumane breeding operations and sales in states with high numbers of mills. We investigate suspected cruelty and neglect at pet stores that sell puppies from mills. We collaborate with and assist law enforcement authorities to enforce laws and prosecute offenders, and provide ongoing law enforcement training, tip lines, rewards, and investigations.

We鈥檝e made great progress but much more needs to be done. And a large percentage of your employees and consumers care about what we are doing.

With your support, we will continue to:

• Expose cruel conditions at mills and animal neglect at pet stores
• Reduce the market for puppy mill dogs by restricting or banning retail sales, creating partnerships between pet stores and shelters and moving consumers toward adoption and responsible breeders.
• Enact strong standards of care and higher penalties for violations in the biggest puppy-producing states, reform US Department of Agriculture regulations for commercial dog breeding and ensure vigorous enforcement of oversight laws.
• Save dogs trapped in puppy mills through direct rescues and assistance to law enforcement and other rescue groups

As an employer, you can help us do this through multiple methods:

1. Campaign: Hold a workplace giving drive focused on this cause. Many people simply aren鈥檛 aware of the cruelty of puppy mills and pet stores that sell dogs. By featuring The Humane Society of the United States in your campaign, you can help the HSUS raise awareness about this growing problem, while providing employees with an easy, secure way to take action. While there are different ways employees can donate through workplace giving, the most popular method is via payroll deduction, which allows employees to have a small amount of money deducted from each paycheck each pay period for a year. For example, a gift of $130 total (just $5 per paycheck for 26 pay periods) will help the HSUS rescue one animal from a puppy mill. This is a perfect example of how an employee can make a larger contribution 鈥� and life-saving impact 鈥� and pay for it in small, more feasible installments, without losing the tax benefits of charitable giving. And because of this year-round sustained gift, organizations like the HSUS can more strategically use that donation to help protect and save animals. This article highlights a few more ways employee payroll donations can make an impact and help the HSUS protect animals.
2. Offer Employees Paid Time Off to Volunteer or Feature Current HSUS Volunteer Opportunities: The importance of workplace volunteering is accelerating 鈥�精东影业鈥檚 Charities research has shown it听is the听second most important component of employee engagement programs, and听the #1听motivation for workplace donors. As more companies have prioritized corporate volunteering and brought this spirit of innovation to their employee giving programs,听they have seen the results: improvements in recruiting and retention, employee satisfaction, leadership and skill development, brand value, innovation, community relationships, employee health, and more. One way your employees can support the HSUS through volunteerism to give them paid time off to be , to get involved with animal protection issues in your state through the HSUS鈥� , or to feature current volunteer events on your employee volunteer platform by referencing which helps you find opportunities based on location and virtual/at home opportunities.
3. Matching gifts and/or volunteer grants: An effective way to further demonstrate your company鈥檚 commitment to supporting its employees and amplifying their gifts to the HSUS is to match employee donations or offer to make grants to the HSUS based on how many volunteer hours employees give (known as Dollar for Doers service grants). 听for workplace donors. In fact,听听say they’re more likely to donate if a match is offered, and听听if matching is applied to their donation.听
4. : Hold a drive encouraging employees to donate items. The HSUS鈥� Animal Rescue Team has a hefty list of supply needs that varies based on the deployment. Some common supplies on that list () include, crates (airline and metal), pet beds, slip leads, food and treats, medical and preventative supplies, and toys.
5. : Making a direct donation via grant can help ensure the HSUS鈥� most urgent needs are meant and sponsoring an HSUS event helps underwrite the costs of the events so that all of the funds raised can go directly to our work. When you sponsor an event, your company will be affiliated with the leader in the fight for all animals. It鈥檚 an exciting way to connect with new and current customers in their daily lives and demonstrate your commitment to animal welfare.

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Alongside this shift, employee attitudes about philanthropy are changing, too. Research shows workers are willing to donate to charitable causes or give their time through volunteering鈥� in fact, they鈥檙e excited to do so. So what does this mean for you?

If you鈥檙e an employer, this means better opportunities to foster employee engagement. If you鈥檙e a nonprofit fundraising professional, this means greater support for your cause. Whatever your perspective, you must first fully understand employee motivations to take advantage of growing charitable sentiments.

With this in mind, 精东影业鈥檚 Charities released a study exploring attitudes of 精东影业n workers toward workplace giving, volunteering, and corporate social responsibility (CSR). The study found these top five motivations for employee giving:

1. Paid time off to volunteer
2. Employer matching gift programs
3. Easy-to-use online giving platforms
4. Volunteer grant opportunities
5. Ability to connect with colleagues and causes of their choosing

Here at have seen firsthand the benefits of strong bonds between nonprofits and the for-profit world. We鈥檒l dive into this issue by first explaining why you should pay attention to trends in employee giving and what they mean for you. Then, we鈥檒l describe the top five employee-giving motivations and provide additional tips for nonprofit professionals looking to steward donors to create long-lasting relationships. Let鈥檚 get started!

Why is employee giving so important?

Brands and nonprofits receive different benefits from employee giving, but they must work together to maximize these benefits. For nonprofit professionals, employee giving and corporate relationships can:

Expand your mission鈥檚 reach and build sustainable revenue

Nonprofits benefit from employee giving and corporate partnerships because of the fundraising boosts they provide. A central feature of these programs is payroll giving, enabling nonprofits to access recurring revenue all year long. In fact, workplace giving is considered one of the most cost-effective ways to support charities 鈥� because giving is aggregated, nonprofits save precious time and money processing a handful of larger donations throughout the year rather than thousands of individual payments along the way.

But these relationships are much more than just a funding stream. They also introduce your mission to a new audience that can bring novel ideas and a fresh perspective. Through consistent and deliberate stewardship efforts, these new audience members have the potential to become long-term supporters of your nonprofit 鈥� and even major gift donors.

Therefore, as a nonprofit professional, it鈥檚 important to analyze employee giving trends. Once you understand what drives donors, you can use your marketing platforms to encourage and empower your corporate partners to provide these enticing incentives. You鈥檒l gain a revenue boost through increased fundraising and a community of new supporters along the way!

From the employer perspective, employee giving and community involvement can:

Enhance employee engagement and improve your brand image

By promoting employee giving and providing opportunities for community involvement, you can augment employee wellness and decrease burnout. People derive personal fulfillment and a sense of accomplishment from volunteering and donating, and leaning into this sentiment boosts employee morale.

These types of programs have also increasingly become an expectation. Research shows that 71 percent of employees want their employers to provide opportunities for them to on the company鈥檚 social and environmental commitments, and community commitment is a factor when deciding where to work. CSR programs have gone from a 鈥渘ice to have鈥� job perk to a 鈥渘eed to have鈥� program to retain employees.

Ultimately, emphasizing employee giving helps enhance your image as a socially-responsible business operation, which is particularly important now, as the world watches how brands respond to the pandemic.

With these benefits in mind, here are the top five employee motivations for getting involved with nonprofit causes, and how employers can respond to these desires:

Paid time off to volunteer

In its study, 精东影业鈥檚 Charities found that employees listed having paid time off to volunteer as the number one motivating factor for getting involved in charitable causes.

After working all day, taking care of kids or other family members, doing household chores, and running errands, many people find it hard to find free time to devote to volunteering. However, by receiving paid time off to get involved in a local organization, employees can contribute their time and energy without worrying about the million other things on their to-do lists.

In the study, employees expressed gratitude for employers who offer paid volunteering time, saying they appreciate employer investment in their personal growth and development outside of work.

A year after the COVID-19 pandemic first hit, virtual volunteer opportunities have become the norm. Much of the volunteering is skills-based, which not only helps workers support their communities but also develops their leadership skills and broader skill sets.

Next steps: As an employer, you likely provide other opportunities for paid time off, such as vacation time, sick time, and time to take care of personal needs. By adding paid time off for volunteering, you can invest in your employee鈥檚 overall wellbeing and promote greater community development in the process. Click here for five key steps to starting an employee volunteer and skills-giving program.

Employer matching gift programs

The existence of employer matching gift programs is another top motivating factor for employees to get involved in charitable giving. According to 精东影业鈥檚 Charities鈥� Definitive Matching Gifts Guide for Employers, these initiatives involve employers matching contributions made by their employees to eligible nonprofits, usually dollar for dollar up to a certain amount.

These programs are so exciting to charitable-minded employees because they can double, triple, or even quadruple the impact of their singular contributions. Employees respect corporations that put their money where their mouth is and actively support nonprofits that are close to their hearts. And 84 percent of donors are more likely to give – and another one in three would give more – if their gift is matched, meaning it鈥檚 an incredibly useful tool for nonprofits. to add to their website which makes it easy for donors to find out if their employer matches contributions.

Next steps: Be sure to investigate the process of starting up a matching gift program to get this initiative started within your organization. Or, if you already have a matching gift program, remind your employees of the opportunity and encourage them to submit their forms to capitalize on their donations.

Easy-to-use online giving platforms

People 诲辞苍鈥檛 want to waste time figuring out how to donate to an organization. On the corporate side, consider . Do you want a giving platform that integrates with your other human resources, CSR, or business processes? Do you want to do something quickly 鈥� say, help provide support after a natural disaster? Do you want a giving-only campaign or do you want to include aspects such as volunteering, gift matching, corporate grants management, and so on? What kind of reporting do you need, and how do you want to visualize the data and share it? Do you want to use your workplace giving platform to help define your corporate goals, or do you already have a clear set of goals, such as the UN鈥檚 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and your site needs to incorporate and reflect those goals?

On the nonprofit side, if a donation page or form is too confusing, many people will abandon it entirely rather than continue deciphering the various steps. Therefore, making sure donors can easily give to you, through a variety of mechanisms – including employee giving – is essential.

Next steps: Companies, check out this article that outlines four kinds of giving and engagement platforms available based on your goals and preferences. Nonprofits, if you鈥檙e creating your website or online donation page for your employees to support a specific organization, be sure to reference for a few best practices. You must make your page easily accessible from your main site, responsive to all devices, and able to process multiple payment methods. You should also ensure your form fields are simple, perhaps by adding pre-filled gift suggestions, to make the donation process as smooth as possible.

Volunteer grant opportunities

Much like matching gift programs, volunteer grants also offer employees the opportunity to get more out of their contributions than they originally thought. However, rather than matching monetary donations, companies reward employees who volunteer a certain amount by donating a set amount of money to that charity where the employee volunteered. This maximizes the impact of their employees鈥� contributions, helps brands engage and support their employees, and burnishes a brand鈥檚 reputation.听

These grants, which are sometimes also known as , encourage employee volunteerism by empowering them to make an outsized contribution to important causes. Along with offering paid time off for volunteering and a matching gift program, volunteer grant opportunities enhance your standing as an altruistic organization dedicated to investing in causes that improve the world. Double the Donation has a comprehensive list of .

Next steps: Show your employees you care about the causes and organizations that matter to them by implementing a Dollars for Doers program.

Ability to connect with coworkers

Employees emphasized having the opportunity to engage with colleagues as a top motivator for getting involved in charitable workplace giving. Employees often form groups to volunteer together, which creates deeper connections and friendships among coworkers. These improved relationships can contribute to smoother teamwork and better collaboration back at the office, too.

During this era of social distancing, staying connected with coworkers is essential, especially for employees who joined the team after the start of the pandemic. Virtual volunteering can be a great way for these new employees to meet the team and start forming relationships, and it can help old colleagues connect again in a new way. In many ways, workplace giving has become even more important during the pandemic 鈥� namely because these are digital programs that bring people together.听

Next steps: Learn the facts of employee giving and how you can make a difference while keeping your distance. Encourage employees to team up to participate in virtual volunteering tasks or socially-distanced volunteer opportunities. Consider sending out emails about upcoming volunteer opportunities or noting them on your shared calendar.

Tips for ongoing engagement

By now, employers likely have a good idea of how they can take employee motivations into account to promote giving and volunteerism for improved office culture. But how can nonprofit professionals make the most of increased employee altruism?

As this explains, access to diverse revenue streams helps nonprofits become more resilient. Utilizing multiple fundraising channels helps your organization weather crises and maintain consistent funding despite any disruptions. Your corporate partnerships are one of the many fundraising channels you must optimize to improve your long-term fundraising strategy.

For example, you might be carrying out a that requires a significant amount of fundraising, and your corporate partners will be one of the key funding sources in that effort. The key to maximizing employee giving and corporate partnerships is improving your donor stewardship approach.

As a fundraising professional, your engagement with employee donors shouldn鈥檛 end when you receive a donation from them. It鈥檚 imperative that you follow-up with individual givers to thank them for their contributions and keep them engaged in your mission by providing frequent updates on your projects and programs. Through donor recognition efforts, you can transform these one-time or infrequent donors into long-term supporters of your organization.

Be sure to also check in regularly with your corporate partners to thank them for their support, highlight the benefits of matching gift and volunteer grant programs for your cause and ensure they鈥檙e promoting these initiatives to employees.

Whether you鈥檙e an employer or a nonprofit professional, you should now have a clear understanding of what drives employees to get involved in nonprofit causes and how their engagement benefits your organization. Use this knowledge to your advantage by actively incorporating employee motivations into your strategy moving forward. Good luck!

听

About the author: Long before Aly Sterling founded her eponymous , she was solving the unique yet similar problems encountered by nonprofit organizations.

Her decision to start her own business in 2007 was driven by her belief in leadership as the single most important factor in organizational success, and her determination to work with multiple causes at one time to scale societal change.

Aly鈥檚 expertise includes fundraising, strategic planning, search consultation, and board leadership development for the well-positioned nonprofit. She is regularly sought for comment by trade and mainstream media, including the Chronicle of Philanthropy and U.S. News & World Report. She has contributed to publications of BoardSource and The Governance Institute, as well as the Toledo Chamber of Commerce and The Giving Institute.

The post What Motivates Employees to Give? Exploring Top Incentives appeared first on 精东影业's Charities.

! Watch the 精东影业’s Charities and The Giving Block webinar听to learn how cryptocurrency works and why you should add it to your nonprofit’s听fundraising mix to diversify your revenue stream.

Bitcoin continues to reach new heights. Notable technology leaders like and large corporations like and Square are pouring their support and money behind Bitcoin, the digital currency. Visa announced it will add cryptocurrency to its payment network, opening up cryptocurrency to their 70 million merchants around the world. PayPal already allows its 346 million .

You might be surprised to hear that the with over 100 million users. Bitcoin alone has a market capitalization of , that has surpassed Visa, Disney, and Facebook. Momentum keeps building. Every week, if not day, Bitcoin gets bigger and with it future cryptocurrency donations for nonprofits.

Why donate cryptocurrency?

Similar to stock donations, crypto offers a more because cryptocurrency is classified as property. For donors, that means no capital gains tax and a fair market value deduction. That can often mean a 20-30%+ larger donation and deduction. Donating bitcoin directly can benefit both the donor and the nonprofit, by.

Bitcoin鈥檚 rising price means increasing future donation dollars for nonprofits. Widespread adoption of Bitcoin means new potential donors for nonprofits.

Crypto donation volume is hitting record highs

During the month of December, The Giving Block facilitated a record . This was part of their end of year BAG Season campaign. The biggest names in cryptocurrency come together with the biggest names in philanthropy for the biggest month of cryptocurrency giving.

This strong is only now becoming common knowledge in the crypto-verse. This combined with all-time high prices has resulted in a massive increase of cryptocurrency donations in December 2020, and is currently trending toward a parabolic growth of donations for 2021.

Who donates cryptocurrency?

With over 100,000,000 users, Bitcoin has become more popular than Venmo among Millennial and Gen-Z donors. And, the user-base is doubling every 1.5 years. Bitcoin is a rising star among young donors, with nearly half of. Over 60% of cryptocurrency users are under the age of 40.

Nonprofits can diversify their revenue streams by accepting cryptocurrency donations and open themselves up to a whole new pool of donors. Most crypto donors only donate in crypto so they tend to be new donors. These nonprofits stand out to the crypto community, stake their claim as early supporters and adopters, and as a result receive crypto donations.

What nonprofits should accept cryptocurrency donations?

Accepting cryptocurrency donation is the perfect solution for organizations whose fundraising has been affected by COVID and 2020 overall. It鈥檚 a low effort and low resource way to grow your revenue without needing to hire more staff. However, it is important to have the right guidance to set up your account and reach the right audience.

The Giving Block makes accepting cryptocurrency donations easy for nonprofits, with the #1 crypto solution for universities, faith-based, and other charities. They walk you through opening an account, receiving donations, automatically converting them for cash, and issuing automated tax receipts. With 100,000,000 users, crypto has become more popular than Venmo among Millennial and Gen-Z donors.

精东影业’s Charities and have formed a partnership to provide an easy way to accept cryptocurrency donations. You can read more here.

听

The post Cryptocurrency Donations are on the Rise as Bitcoins Price Continues to Surge appeared first on 精东影业's Charities.

We are seeing a clear move towards digital channels, human connections, and increased flexibility, mainly because of the increase in remote working.

Below are the five nonprofit trends for 2021, with tips on how organizations can adapt to them.

Nonprofit Trend #1: Digital Fundraising

Nonprofits have successfully used online channels for years, but it became the primary method of communication in 2020, thanks to social distancing. Many nonprofits successfully engaged their donors online last year, which is why we can expect digital fundraising to remain at the fore in 2021. Learning how to better convert that digital engagement into dollars raised will become a key nonprofit trend for the next few years.

These showcase the power of digital media.

Numerous organizations created gift matching drives and hashtag campaigns, and used live video and paid social media ads to reach even more donors and increase revenue.

Nonprofits will need to continue their strong social media presence this year. Actively engage with your community by encouraging comments and encouraging conversations with supporters.

Use — many of which are free — to post regularly and measure success through platform analytics. You can also learn the best time to post to get the most engagement through these tools.

is another area that nonprofits can utilize to retain donors. Despite the i788ncreased emphasis on two-way, social communication, emails are still the number one way to reach your audience. Sending regular emails is a great way to keep donors informed and connected to the organization.

A nonprofit blog is a great way to keep donors updated on what your organization is doing and to highlight the causes you are working on鈥攖hese will help you get better engagement.

Nonprofit Trend听#2: Share Your Impact

We have written about the importance of transparency for nonprofit fundraising during a crisis and this is a trend that is going to continue well past 2021.

Nonprofits will face unexpected challenges this year, as will their supporters. To ensure that donations continue to come in, organizations will have to add value to their donation appeals.

There are numerous nonprofits around the world, all vying for attention from prospective donors. The way to win them over is to show how your organization is making an impact. And that鈥檚 the key – it鈥檚 about showing, not just telling.听

Explain where their money is going and the real people you are helping using a range of information: data, stories, testimonials, images, etc. Let your supporters know how close you are to reaching your mission-driven goals and share stories from the people you鈥檝e helped. Just be sure to get permission from your beneficiaries before you pass it on!听

You can highlight how the support of your donors can directly impact your goals, like the New Zealand SPCA does on their homepage.

Nonprofit Trend听#3: Flexible Strategies

The nonprofit sector, thanks to tighter budgets and fewer resources, has always had to learn on the go, but 2020 proved that flexibility is incredibly important. By preparing for the worst, nonprofits can be prepared to handle anything that comes their way.

The way nonprofits work has changed due to the pandemic鈥�, and that impacts the inner workings of organizations.

Being flexible with how your employees work, whether in-house or remotely, will be a priority in 2021.听

But fundraising strategies will also need to be flexible鈥攜ou can鈥檛 put all your eggs in one basket. In other words, diversify the ways in which you generate revenue.

If you鈥檝e been fundraising primarily through web donations, consider running crowdfunding campaigns, virtual events, or peer-to-peer campaigns. Workplace giving in particular is a method that has gained popularity during the pandemic. These programs not only engage employees and become the virtual watercooler around which teammates connect,听but they also help employees feel connected to their jobs and the community.听

Keep your options open and have a backup plan so you can adjust depending on the environment.

Nonprofit Trend #4: Recurring Donations

One-off donations are helpful but they require more work, which often means there鈥檚 little to no return on investment (ROI). Each new supporter has to go through the entire donor journey until they finally donate.

This requires introducing them to your cause and proving to them that your nonprofit is worth their hard-earned money. It is a long process that results in a single donation.

Consider the special #GivingTuesday campaign. There is no doubt that many nonprofits build a successful strategy around that day of giving. However, did you know that workplace giving, which is a recurring giving campaign via payroll contributions, generates nearly 10 times more in funding for nonprofits annually than #GivingTuesday? Check out this 精东影业鈥檚 Charities article for the details.

Recurring giving enables nonprofits to plan for funding all year-long and it鈥檚 easier on a donor鈥檚 bank account. Many donors actually give more over the long-term when they can donate a small amount of each paycheck to a charity they love, rather than one whopping donation. Bottom-line, recurring giving benefits the nonprofit, donor, AND the people being served by the nonprofit.

A new donor鈥檚 second contribution is called the 鈥済olden donation.鈥� It鈥檚 hard to get your new supporters to make a second contribution and yet, per the statistics below, it鈥檚 worth the effort. Nonprofits who focus on receiving that golden donation naturally increase their average donor retention rate (about threefold!) because of this higher repeat retention rate.

Nonprofit Trend #5: Virtual Events

With more people spending time online for work, entertainment, and philanthropy, virtual events are one of the biggest fallouts of the pandemic.

In-person meetings are possible now only under strict health restrictions, making virtual fundraising the go-to method for most nonprofits, like this .

There are benefits to going virtual for events鈥攜ou can that allows you to tap into a global audience. This opens up fundraising resources heretofore untapped.

Virtual events also allow more diverse audiences to attend fundraisers. Attendees 诲辞苍鈥檛 have to concern themselves with traveling distances, hotel stays, or taking time off from work.

Organizations also cut down on the cost of securing venues, food, transportation, etc.鈥攖hough they continue to be a consideration for hybrid events that include virtual and in-person elements. Of course, it鈥檚 important to invest in virtual events to ensure a positive experience, so nonprofits still need to set aside a budget for events. But thankfully, that budget doesn鈥檛 need to be quite so hefty in a virtual environment.

Key Takeaways: Go Digital to Adapt to the Nonprofit Trends of 2021

2020 changed the way the world works and it has impacted nonprofits in ways that will continue over the next few years.

Five of the biggest nonprofit trends of 2021 are:

• Digital fundraising
• Sharing your impact
• Flexible strategies
• Recurring donations
• Virtual events

By adapting to these trends, nonprofits will be able to reach and retain more donors and fundraise better.

Ronita Mohan is a content marketer at Venngage, the online听听and design platform. Ronita regularly writes about digital marketing, nonprofits, and small business growth.听Twitter:

Cover image:听Photo by听听on听

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