Tag Archives: fundraising

Will Your Nonprofit be Ready for the Future of Payments?

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This article was originally published on nten.org in January

15NTC poster

from nten.org on instagram

One recent sunny afternoon in Austin, I gathered with a small crowd of NTEN 501 Club NPTechies to lunch and learn about digital currencies and payments innovations.

We were there to talk about Bitcoin—what it is (digital cash), what it isn’t (internet not required), why you would want to take advantage of it (0% transaction fee, anyone?), and what you need to know before implementing (multi signature wallets!)

The informal discussion was led by presenters, David J Neff, Digital Strategy Manager at PwC and Jacob Parks, Legal Researcher at the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. (You can watch the whole thing on Capital Factory’s YouTube or read my blog post for a summary.)

Most importantly, I learned that tech-savvy charities need to address changes happening in the payments landscape NOW.

Timing is perfect for you to learn from trailblazing organizations already breaking ground on the new frontiers, while still being early enough to claim advantages for your own cause. For example, digital currencies, such as Bitcoin, offer an excellent fundraising currency for micropayments and microlending because they provide a platform where you can give $0.25 without credit card fees eating it up.  Organization who have a good strategy in place will be poised to gain exposure to new sources of support with little accounting risk.

Digital currencies aren’t the only thing shaking up the payments landscape. Changes in physical security, such as chip-and-PIN (smartcard) technology, are already being used widely in Canada and Europe and will be expanding in the United States. ApplePay and others are radically increasing the adoption of tap-to-pay NFC platforms, especially in event-based scenarios. Will your nonprofit be ready?

All this innovation has not gone unnoticed at the major nptech software companies, either. PayPal has added digital currencies and wallets to its lineup for merchants and more is on the way. Even Microsoft is accepting Bitcoin! Software providers who want to keep their customers are looking for creative ways to integrate more payment options into their solutions. As they do, more charities will have more ways to connect with donors within existing toolsets.

At the 2015 Nonprofit Technology Conference, we are going to take this discussion to the next level with an expanded panel of experts to talk about how payments innovations are changing the way organizations engage with their constituents. David J Neff will join NTEN veteran, Jason Shim from Pathways to Education Canada, as well as pros Alissa Ruehl from Blackbaud and Robin Dupont from PayPal in a panel you won’t want to miss!  

See you in at #15NTC

NTC15 Session #1048:
Cryptocurrency that Cares: A primer on how digital currencies and payments innovations can help your organization

 Follow along on Twitter with #15NTCmerchant on Wed, Mar 4 1:30pm – 3pm CT

Nonprofits and Bitcoin – 501 Tech Club Austin panel

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In October, the Capital Factory hosted the 501 Tech Club of Austin, an affinity group of NTEN, the Nonprofit Technology Network which is a community transforming technology into change. The panel was entitled “Nonprofits, Bitcoin and Digital Currencies.” Presenters included David J Neff, Digital Strategy Manager at PwC and Jacob Parks, Legal Researcher at the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

 

Before our discussion began, participants got a quick primer in bitcoin. You can learn more about Bitcoin in this primer from Princeton:
https://wws.princeton.edu/news-and-events/news/item/bitcoin-primer

 

In the June issue of NTEN: Change, members read about how Bitcoin may be a game-changer for fundraising and nonprofits:
http://issuu.com/ntenorg/docs/nten_change_june2014_final/18?e=11383070/8364413

You can also watch this accompanying recorded webinar with David J Neff and Jason Shim of Pathways of Canada:
http://www.nten.org/events/webinar/2014/05/21/bitcoin-for-nonprofits-a-fundraising-digital-disruptor 

 

Some of the key learnings from the panel included:

What is digital currency or Bitcoin?

  • Bitcoin is a peer-to-peer digital currency. There are many “altcoin” alternative digital currencies too.
  • It’s like digital cash. Once you pass it to someone, there is no real way to track it. 
  • You store your coins in a vault at an online exchange (eg, Coinbase) which generates a wallet key you use to exchange coins. Be sure to pick a reputable exchange!
  • You don’t need a computer to pay with Bitcoin (eg, write your vault number and pass it on a napkin.)
  • Bitcoin value fluctuates more than traditional currencies, making it also like an investment. (Around $650/coin once, now closer to $430/coin and still on the move!)
  • Mining Bitcoins is very complicated. 
  • Accepting Bitcoins on an e-commerce website is technically very easy.

 

Why Bitcoin?

Advantages of implementing Bitcoin at your organization include:

  1. Access to new markets and supporters by being a first leader
  2. Reduced (or zero!) transaction costs 
  3. Increased opportunity of provide micro-financing internationally, especially where anonymity increases program effectiveness (eg, instances of govt oppression, etc) 

 

Security

Tips for reducing your exposure to fraud:

  • Always use 2 factor authentication for bitcoin transactions (eg login with a password, confirm with a text message)
  • Segregate duties (for digital currency transactions, same as you would to reduce check fraud at your organization
  • Multisignature wallets coming soon — support segregation of duties by requiring at least 2 signatures to spend
  • Hot wallet vs Cold Vault — keep a portion of coins in wallet for current use. Unused coins can be put in “cold” storage on a computer that is not connected to the internet

Know before you implement

Before adding bitcoin, know how to account for it! There are no GAAP standards yet, although the IRS has released a statement that bitcoin will be treated as property. Have a strategy in place before you start accepting transactions.

Number 1 source of fraud at organizations is check fraud (#2 is falsified expense reports). Minimize your exposure to risk by segregating duties to spend digital currencies. Implement multisignature wallets as soon as possible.

 

Why now?

By implementing now, organizations can become a leader in nonprofit bitcoin use while still being able to learn from the experience of those already transacting. Organizations can gain exposure to new markets for fundraising messages with little additional accounting risk. Be prepared for the day when a major donor walks in and asks to leave their endowment-starting donation as bitcoin!

 

Additional links mentioned during our discussion:

 

How to mine bitcoin–one of many examples available via search! (this is not an endorsement of any product):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmOzih6I1zs 

 

Newsweek article on the guy who didn’t invent bitcoin:
http://www.newsweek.com/2014/03/14/face-behind-bitcoin-247957.html 

 

Do you have a link to share about Bitcoin and Nonprofits? Leave a comment!

Volunteers: Herding Cats into a Pack of Lions

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Cat wearing tieAnyone who manages volunteers can identify with the analogy of herding cats.  Volunteers want to  be more engaged than ever, but often nonprofits fail to capitalize on their skills and passions. Organizations need actionable ways to change the way they engage with volunteers.  Whether you’re developing interns, young professionals, or working with retirees, learn how to turn your herd of cats into a pack of lions!

Watch this presentation to learn:

  1. Why volunteer programs fail
  2. Strategies for evaluating and identifying gaps in current volunteer system
  3. 6 tips to improve volunteer engagement

Increase Your Donations through Audience Segmentation

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This article originally appears on the SageWords.net blog.

Increase Your Donations through Audience Segmentation

By Stacy Dyer

Audience segmentation is something businesses figured out a long time ago. To get an idea of why segmenting your audience data is so important, watch this video about Star Trek Red Shirt Death Rates with Matt Bailey:

OK, so you’re not trying to survive the next away mission (maybe you are, but that’s a different article), still there’s a few key points to learn from this example.

  1. Different people are motivated by different things
  2. People are more likely to do what you want when your message resonates with their individual perspective
  3. Tailor your message to connect with that perspective

Let me give you an example of what this means for nonprofit fundraisers.

Pretend you run an animal welfare organization. You have both myself and my husband in your database because we both animals. But there is a key difference in our perspectives. (You happen to track this key detail in your CRM because you are a rock-star fundraiser!) What is it?

I am a cat person.

My husband is a dog person.

Now you want to send us each an email asking to give to your annual fund.

To me, your appeal features a picture of a sweet, fuzzy kitten. I am more likely to connect emotionally with your message and click to go to your donation form.  There, I see a picture of another cute kitten. Now I know I am in the right place! You are bunch of kitten-loving fools and of course I am going to support you!

To my husband, you send the same appeal, but feature an image of a dog instead. He sees your adorable puppy face and raises you another donation!

What happened here? It was the same campaign, the same message, and you doubled your responses (and donations) just by segmenting your audience.  By targeting each segment with an email and landing page specifically designed to create an emotional connection with them, you were able to tap into sources of support which you would not have otherwise.

That is the power of segmentation.

One message doesn’t work for everyone. Identify what key attributes differentiate your audience and target campaigns to emotionally connect with each segment of your donor base.

So You Wanna Be a Mobile Superhero?

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Ok, so there was a lot of talk about the Justice League at Innogive 2012.

Justice League

I’m more of an Avengers fan, myself, but maybe that’s just because I’ve always liked Stark’s toys.

Anyway…

Kayta Anderson, shared these 5 forgotten questions we need to answer before you can be we can become superheroes in mobile fundraising!

1) Who is it for anyway?

Know your audience. She says that when at least 5% of traffic to your website is from mobile browsers (you are using Google Analytics to track this, right?) However, there was some discussion that if you don’t have a mobile site, you won’t get mobile traffic.

2) What will it do for them?

We download apps to make our lives easier. Unless the app provides a something sought after by your audience, they won’t download it. Don’t build an app for apps sake. Provide value to drive behavior.

3) What do you have?

Time, resources, money, staff. And not just staff to run it, but who in your organization will get behind the project? They have to be willing to take risks.

4) Where does it fit in?

Mobile is another channel in your multichannel communications strategy. You need to align your messages and strategy across all your channels.

5) What will it do for you?

ROI vs ROE. Traditionally, managers focus on return on investment. Instead focus on return on engagement, which measures things like new supporters, brand exposure, added convenience for supporters, improved advocacy results.

 

Why Mobile Won’t Work Magic

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I attended a webinar recently where the presenter attempted to demystify mobile magic by explaining that it is more like Houdini magic than Disney magic – that is real and it is something you can learn.

First, let’s call that Harry Potter magic just because I like the balance of Harry/Harry.

Now, I’m going to completely disagree.

Mobile isn’t magic—not even learn-able, slight-of-hand magic. There are no tricks and there are no secrets. Sure there are similarities to theatrical magic; getting mobile right takes a lot of hard work, dedication, and admittedly, a bit of showmanship never hurts!

The truth is mobile is not a magic panacea for all that ails your organization’s lackluster fundraising results. You do not add a mobile website or donation form and – poof – watch those donations roll in. However, mobile can be used as a valid tactic for expanding your reach and reinforcing your message, thereby increasing your level of engagement with your constituents.

Rather than thinking of mobile as a magic trick, I prefer to think of implementing mobile tactics in terms of a learning a new style of dance. You already know how to elegantly waltz your way through a direct mailer. Your sophisticated email strategy is as alluring to your donors as a sultry tango. Adding mobile-enabled elements to your existing communications is like throwing in a little Texas swing. You already know how to dance with your donors, mobile is just about doing to a slightly different beat.

By finding ways to leverage your message into mobile channels, such as text messages or mobile-optimized webpages, you augment the repertoire and relationships you have already built. Identify where mobile can supplement and reinforce your existing efforts. Rather than considering mobile tactics as a separate campaign, look for creative ways mobile can enhance current, already agreed-upon goals. Mobile isn’t a new trick; it’s just another way to dance.

Bottom line? Don’t try to use mobile to pull a rabbit out of your hat. You will fail. Instead, focus on how you are already interacting with your donors and begin integrating a few new mobile steps into your choreography.

QR Codes: A Tool for Multi-Channel Campaigns

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This article about what these little codes and tags can do, who is already using them successfully, and how you can leverage this handy little app in your own multichannel campaigns originally appeared in the November/December 2011 of Advancing Philanthropy.

QR Codes: A Tool for Multi-Channel Campaigns

By Stacy Dyer

Quick Response (QR) codes – those two-dimensional matrix bar codes designed to be read by smartphones – are growing in ubiquity. You see them more and more in magazine ads and catalogs, directing consumers to pull out their mobile devices and click. QR codes have incredible possibilities for nonprofit marketers who want to take advantage of the emotional connection and immediacy generated by their causes.

What Can QR Codes Do?

Enabling your audience with QR codes gives them the ability to immediately take an action.  QR codes can be created to prompt a phone call, send a text message, or click a hyperlink.

Think of the power of being able to link your supporters directly to your donation form, rather than your home page. QR codes can help eliminate disconnect between exposure to your message and the action you want your audience to take.

Donation forms are only one example. Advocacy institutions can create a QR code embedded with a phone number to call a local politician’s office. As part of green initiatives, museums, like the Mattress Factory in Pittsburgh, Penn., use QR codes to direct visitors to more information about artists or exhibits online rather than distribute brochures (The Handheld Guide: Experimenting with Mobile Technology in Museums http://www.technologyinthearts.org/?p=1511).

Foundations organizing races, golf tournaments, or other events can collect registrations or sign up volunteers by directing supporters directly to a form on their website that has been optimized for mobile viewing.  By combining the power of QR codes and customized web content, the options for implementation are limited only by your creativity.

Who Uses QR Codes?

QR codes naturally target a younger, more affluent crowd. Tech-savvy Millennials and GenXers will be the most likely audience to scan and click first, but anyone with the ability to download an application, or “app,” on their phone can join the fun.

To increase the consumption of your mobile content, be sure to let folks know the benefits of scanning the code and what they can expect to find on the other end of the link. Offer exclusive content or discounts on services or admission. Depending on your audience, you may also want include instructions for downloading the app using their mobile phone.

While baby boomers aren’t as likely to use them, displaying QR codes is unlikely to put off more mature supporters—they will simply ignore them. With the opportunity to reach new audiences and capitalize on emotional, “in-the-moment” giving, there is nothing to lose by incorporating them into your strategy.

How Can You Use QR Codes?

First, create an emotional connection with your audience. The best time to do that is when they feel the height of that emotion—when they are at your event, in your museum, or reading your publication. “Wait,” you say, “that doesn’t have anything to do with technology!” You are right. This is something successful fundraisers are already doing. QR codes are simply another tool to remove barriers and encourage supporters to act.

Remember to consider the medium with which your audience will be consuming your content: a mobile phone. Optimize your landing pages for mobile viewing. Point QR codes directly to a donation form that has been optimized for mobile viewing and has been tested with the web browsers used by those mobile devices. Create customized, abbreviated forms that require minimal typing and are easy to view and understand.

Direct mail remains the cornerstone of many annual campaigns, yet online giving continues growing year after year.  QR codes offer the perfect bridge to combine multi-channel marketing efforts. They are not the most graphically attractive, but they are not expensive to implement either. By bridging the gap between offline and online engagement, this new technology gives fundraisers a powerful new tool.

In a recent Idealware article, Henry Quinn, marketing manager at L.L. Bean reminds us, “Implementing QR codes across your marketing efforts is a tactic, not a strategy.” No matter how hot or trendy the new widget, the tool itself does not complete the job. However, with the right tools, getting the job done can be easier, more efficient, and more effective.

My Five Reasons For Being A Girl Scout

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Stacy Dyer, Brownie

Stacy Dyer in full Brownie uniform, marching in the downtown Stuart holiday parade

Many years ago, I was shorter, cuter and I could eat a lot more cookies than I can today!

Before the days of Daisies, I joined Girl Scouts as a Brownie.  Yes that’s me to the right, check out my smile.  I loved being a Girl Scout.  Looking back there are many reasons why I enjoyed the experience and why I recommend Girl Scouts today.

Girl Scouts is fun!  I joined Troop #305, in Palm City, Florida initially because my mom’s friends’ daughters were all in the troop and I wanted to hang out with them.  We had a blast camping out, volunteering in local beach clean ups and dressing up in our uniforms to walk in the town’s annual holiday parade (complete with orange flag sock garters!)  Who doesn’t want to be in a parade?

Girl Scouts gets you outside.  A big reason for joining Scouts was the outdoor activities. I enjoyed horseback riding, camping, and wildlife rehabilitation. Scouting encouraged a great love of the natural world and it’s a value that has stayed with me to this day.

Girl Scouts gives you “prizes” and a sense of accomplishment.  Earning badges was one of my favorite parts of being a Girl Scout. Every meeting, our troop leader would organize a fun activity which would get us closer to our target. I have a competitive spirit and I relished the opportunity to have a good time and achieve something purposeful. I had so many badges, I had to get vest instead of a sash. My poor mom couldn’t keep up with sewing them on! I still crave accomplishments and rarely rest on my laurels for long.

Girl Scouts teaches you how to be an entrepreneur.  Call it Cookie Capitalism.  I learned “cold call” selling to strangers outside the grocery store and how to soft sell to my dad’s golfing buddies between the third green and the fourth tee. Back then, the only way to refuse me was to claim you had no cash. Of course, with today’s mobile payment options, and ATMs on every corner, you probably can’t get away with that excuse anymore. Selling cookies is a cornerstone of Girl Scout fundraising that instills an entrepreneurial spirit in young people—another Girl Scout trait I still carry today. I have supported myself as a freelancer and I am currently helping my husband Charles to build his coffee business on the side.  I have many an office colleague hooked on custom roasted coffee.

Girl Scouts empowers you to be the best you can be and to help others in turn. Service to others is a key part of the Girl Scouts experience.  You learn to be your better self by helping others and giving back to your community.  You also learn you are unstoppable and that really all you need in life are your friends, a pocket knife, flashlight and a box of cookies

For over a 100 years Girl Scouts has been developing girls and helping them grow into women.  Not too many organizations in this world have lasted as long.  I am so happy that I am getting to attend the 2011 National Girl Scout Council in Houston, Texas this week.  It is a chance to reconnect with fellow alumni, engage in Girl Scout leadership activities, and check out the captivating speakers.  I’m looking forward to being a part of this unforgettable event.  I will also be live tweeting from the event, follow the festivities on Twitter @stacydyer or the hash tag #GirlScouts100

 

How to Launch a Rapid Response Campaign like a Rockstar

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The Bastrop Fires (image courtesy of AHS Media Arts)Here in Austin, I have been humbled by my community’s response to the central Texas wildfires. Individuals, small local businesses, and national corporations alike have clamored to offer their generous support to everyone affected by the fires.

This disaster, hitting so close to home, literally, has been an eye-opening experience for me as a fund raiser because many local nonprofits were unprepared for the outpouring of support that came from the community.

While this is a good problem to have, as far as problems go, there are few simple steps that every nonprofit can take RIGHT NOW to make sure they are ready to rise to the challenge when communities pour out their hearts in support of a common cause.

Start with a Simple Web Form

Create a simple form that can easily be placed on any website. Keep your form short and sweet. Ensuring it doesn’t take up too much web “real estate” will increase the number of websites willing to place it on their site. Keeping it simple also increase the likelihood of your form being prominently featured. Ideally, you want your form to be on the front page and “above the fold” to get as many impressions as possible.

Build your form using Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) so it can easily blend into any site. Webmasters will be more likely to publish your form on their own sites since it will automatically take on their sites’ look and feel without any additional work.

Make sure your form can be easily distributed as snippets of code so even novice webmasters will easily be able to embed your form on their own sites. With the form still hosted by you, you will have complete control over the content and can change it at any time.

Control Your Message

During non-urgent times, use your rapid response form to highlight your latest accomplishment, share a video or picture, or even let people sign up for your newsletter. Use rich media like pictures and video to keep your form interesting even when it is not “activated.” In times of need, quickly update the message on your form to distribute important information to the community, collect urgently needed funds, or whatever call to action you need most.

Webmasters are usually most likely to let you ask for donations during times of disaster. However, that doesn’t mean webmasters like hosting donation forms on their sites all the time. To increase your forms’ popularity, use your rapid response form to distribute information most of the time and only ask for donations in times of dire need.

Build Your Network Before You Need It

Encourage embedded forms throughout your supporters network of websites—other nonprofits, corporate sponsors, individual bloggers—so that your forms are already in place and ready to go when the need arises. Start building this network right now, don’t wait!

Launch a campaign that targets those technically savvy supporters who are most likely to have a website on which to feature your rapid response form. Use Facebook and Twitter to point them to your rapid response form. Be sure your form has the snippet of code for them to embed on their site featured prominently. Ideally, the snippet should be right next to your share buttons for Facebook and Twitter, so all users have to do is copy and paste.

To increase the number of people who distribute your form, customize the content for each audience. For example, if your organization’s mission is animal wellness, create a form that features kittens for cat lovers and another with puppies for dog lovers. Targeting your content will widen your audience and increase the overall exposure for your rapid response form.

Ways to Use a Rapid Response Form

Obviously, you can use a rapid response form to ask for donations, but that is only the beginning. Your new form has all the potential power of a grassroots, distributed information network. Other ways you can use your form include:

  • Political activism – encourage supporters to contact their representatives to speak out against potential funding cuts or other legislation
  • Activate community action – Flash mob at 12:30 at City Hall!
  • Information alerts – think news alerts; when something is happening right now that your supporters need to know about immediately
  • Generate matching gifts – We need another $2000 by 5pm to qualify for that big match from the Mr. & Mrs. Rich Foundation!

Now that you know the basics of creating a rapid response campaign for your organization, how will you put it into practice? Share your ideas!

Want more examples?

I love this story from NTEN about a Marfa radio station’s Facebook page becoming a hub for community alerts and info.  The key is to have your network in place BEFORE the emergency. Read these related articles and let me know what you think.

Related articles:

http://www.nten.org/blog/2011/09/19/how-simple-facebook-strategy-can-turn-crisis-community

http://forums.techsoup.org/cs/community/b/tsblog/archive/2011/09/16/cool-app-roundup-apps-for-disaster-and-emergency-situations.aspx

Get the Word Out: Event Fundraising Using Social Networking

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This article was originally published by Fundraising Success in September 2011

 

Get the Word Out: Event Fundraising Using Social Networking
By Stacy Dyer

Fundraisers know the key to successful special events is good attendance. A well-attended event garners not only more revenue from registration fees or ticket sales, but also broader exposure for your cause to your community and their networks.

But, event fundraisers are on a hard deadline. Unlike an annual campaign or endowment drive –which can be ongoing throughout the year – in order for supporters to participate in your special event, they must be aware and take action before the big day.

How can you best spread awareness to as many potential supporters as possible when you have limited budget and resources? Leverage social media to get the word out quickly and efficiently throughout your nonprofit’s network.

In The Networked Nonprofit, authors Beth Kanter and Allison Fine write, “Networked Nonprofits work as social networks, not just in them.” According to Kanter and Fine, by connecting individuals with common interests and goals, nonprofits create an ecosystem of organizations and people eager to help.

And, by utilizing “free agents” – individuals working outside the organization who can organize and raise funds – nonprofits can capitalize on the power of social media to get their message out.

Social Networks Disseminate Information

Individuals are more likely to support a cause when asked by someone they know, even if it is not a cause they would have otherwise supported. This is especially true if the audience you are trying to reach is Millennials.

According to the 2011 Millennial Donor Survey, a recent study from Johnson, Grossnickle and Associates (JGA) and Achieve, 56 percent of young donors between ages 20 and 35 report they get information about organizations to support from their peers.

The same study found that 33 percent of donors in the same age group learn about organizations to support from Facebook. Ninety-three  percent of those surveyed report giving to nonprofits in 2010. The power of social networks to disseminate information and motivate supporters to act is clear.

Case Study: Habitat for Humanity Winnipeg

While using social networks to maximize event fundraising may seem like a new concept, it actually is not. Habitat for Humanity Winnipeg is a nonprofit utilizing a team-based fundraising structure.

Since 1993, Habitat for Humanity Winnipeg has organized an annual special event called the Cycle of Hope.

“Riders journey 1,600 km and raise enough money to enable Habitat for Humanity Winnipeg to build a new, affordable home for a very deserving family,” says Heather Scott, the organization’s database and administration supervisor.

Each Cycle of Hope rider is required to raise a minimum of $2500 to participate. Habitat for Humanity Winnipeg encourages team members to tap into their own social networks for support.

“The cyclists said the easy-to-use, peer-to-peer fundraising tool we put in place made it easier for them to reach out to more people they knew,” explains Scott. “We also host about four meet-and-greets in the office, so new riders can talk to and learn from experienced riders. They discuss fundraising and other tips and techniques.”

The above-mentioned team members function as Kanter and Fine’s “free agents” for the nonprofit.

Enabling supporters with online fundraising tools they can share through their various personal social networks (email, Facebook, Twitter) is critical to Habitat for Humanity Winnipeg’s success.

“Using an online fundraising and event management tool made it very easy during the postal strike that occurred during this year’s Cycle of Hope,” says Scott. “Some supporters who would have normally mailed in cheques used the online system and I’m hoping they now see how effortless and quick it is to give in that way.”

Cycle of Hope participants can even embed special fundraising forms directly on their own blog or web site, allowing them to capitalize on people’s tendency to donate to causes their friends ask them to support.

“We raised $60,000 more this year over what we had hoped,” says Scott. “We received donations from all over Canada, the U.S., and Europe. In the past, I had only seen one donation come from overseas. Next year, I’m looking forward to seeing that market grow even more.”

The donors reached by these “free agents” may not have any particular affinity for Habitat for Humanity Winnipeg itself, or may not even live in the same country, but they have a great affinity to support their friends, so they contribute.

Social Media is a Contact Sport

As you can see, using social networks to increase support for an organization’s special events is quite powerful. If your organization has been sitting on the sidelines, now is the time to stand up and start engaging.  As Kanter and Fine say in The Networked Nonprofit, “Social media is a contact sport, not a spectator sport.”