What if I told you nonprofits could potentially improve their fundraising returns by focusing on their donors’ giving, communicating impact and being transparent?
Why does impact matter?
According to the Charities Aid Foundation, four in five people (81%) say it is important that they receive some form of communication from a charity after making a donation. But even more than just your standard thank you message, donors value communications that share how the nonprofit is making an impact and progress reports.
Donors are motivated by access to information that proved the impact of their contributions. As information regularly becomes more accessible, your donors expect to see returns and stories of impact on their charitable investments. Nonprofits must be clearly articulating and marketing the impact they make with their various fundraisers and programs.
How can my nonprofit share stories of impact?
Donors are curious how your nonprofit is making an impact in the lives and communities of the people you serve. The good news is there are many different channels through which your nonprofit can communicate impact.
Share stories of impact through video
Video has become an important tool for any brand to share their story and mission and is a relatively affordable option for any nonprofit. In today’s digital era, there is likely someone on your team with the basic skills to create a simple video, and you can always utilize resources on Vine, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram’s video features to record brief videos.
Let’s get specific: Consider setting up a video booth at your next fundraisers that allows volunteers or donors to share their own personal stories of why they have chosen to work with your cause.
Share stories on your blog
Does your nonprofit blog? Having a blog on your website can improve your online rankings with search engines, drive more traffic to your site and establish your nonprofit as an industry authority. It is also a great venue for your nonprofit to share personal and individual stories of how people and communities have been impacted by your work.
Let’s get specific: Share a story of impact on your blog around the same time every month. Take the time to interview individuals who have been impacted by your nonprofit, and create a fun name for the series so readers know it is a story of impact.
Focus on the numbers and what they mean
Analyze your annual reports for great statistics that you can use to show your nonprofit’s impact, then share the human stories behind those statistics. Behind every statistic is a great story of how lives were impacted, and these numbers and stories can go hand in hand.
Let’s get specific: Once you’ve narrowed down some of the most insightful numbers, create infographics, social media images and other eye-catching visuals that include people and are easy for readers to share.
