My 2022 Fundraising Predictions
What feels like a bajillion years ago - at the very start of the pandemic - my friend texted me this:
“It’s the people who are willing to adapt and shift who are going to survive this pandemic.”
….and she was right. We were talking about it from a business standpoint, but the same goes for your parenting style, mental health and more.
One thing I can feel in my bones is that nonprofit fundraisers and leaders as a sector are tired. Like beyond. I hope in listing these 2022 fundraising predictions you are able to weave in shifts and adaptability alongside self-care that works for you. Read to the bottom to also see what I think worked really well in 2021 (so you can keep up the momentum in 2022).
Happy New Year!
2022 Nonprofit Fundraising Predictions:
The lead up is more important than ever before
Yesterday, my family and I went to see the new Sing 2 movie. As we were watching the previews for an upcoming Spider-man movie I leaned over to my husband and said, “That movie isn’t coming out until October 2022!” That’s nearly a year away and studios are already priming audiences. #goals
To be blunt: warming up your audience before you make an ask is likely the difference between a successful campaign and an unsuccessful one. So my question to you is: are you adequately priming your audience?
You might be wondering, what does a sufficient job of warming up your audience look like? Here is the bare minimum I teach my clients to do in the 60-90 days leading up to the ask/campaign:
At least one story of transformation
At least 2 social media posts per week
As mentioned above - this is the bare minimum. An A+ version of a warm up looks like this from one of my clients who is killing their end-of-year campaign:
A monthly story of transformation all year long
At least 2 social media posts per week + Stories all year long
A physical mailing of their annual report to all the previous year’s donors
A physical gratitude mailing to their champions (donors + volunteers, etc)
A handwritten thank you note to all donors
A thank you video sent on Thanksgiving
In the above example, my nonprofit client softly started turning up the dial to warm up their audience in the late summer before starting to ask for donations in November. To date - they are set to exceed their end-of-year goal by 35%.
This stuff works.
Physical mail will help you stand out from the crowd
Speaking of stuff that works - I was shocked that my mailbox was so light on physical appeals this year. So far, with just a few days left in the year to go, I’ve received four. FOUR! Compare that to the 71+ appeal requests in my inbox on Giving Tuesday and it’s hard to not see a glaring opportunity for nonprofits.
According to this annual report provided by Blackbaud - online giving grew to 21% in 2020, but that still means that 79% of gifts come through physical mail.
What may be even more interesting to you is that physical mail works extremely well for Millennials. A report by MarketingCharts states that 92% of Millennials say they are influenced by direct mail compared to 78% of folks being influenced by email.
My advice? Give it a try. If for any reason it’s because donors who donate across channels (ie online AND mail) are likely to be your very most engaged donors.
Remember - it doesn’t have to be to ask for money. Try sending a Valentine’s Day card or a Happy Birthday card in the mail. Do you work with rescue animals? Send a postcard update of a dog that has found his forever home (a picture is a must!) to all of your 2021 donors.
There are a million ways to do it, but if you want to stand out in a sea of nonprofits - remember that direct mail isn’t dead.
Case studies will give you credibility (and build trust with your donors)
Accountability from organizations - nonprofit and for profit matters more now than ever before. Unfortunately, we now live in a world where trust is at an all-time low.
According to the 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer, a report that has been analyzing trust across sectors since 2001 shows that trust in nonprofits and NGOs has fallen again, down another point from 2020. Additionally, only 52% of Americans believe nonprofits “will do what is right.” This becomes super problematic because according to a report by the Better Business Bureau, 70% of Americans state that trust is essential before making a donation.
So, how do you build trust with your donors? Here are my recommendations:
Share case studies of your work. Did your organization spend $1,431.93 keeping a mom and child housed during the month of December? Share that. Did it cost your organization $42 to provide breakfast to your YMCA kids during the winter break? Say that. Did you copy machine break and you had to spend $784 of your hard earned donations to replace it? Say that. Tell folks how you are using their donation.
Show your face (I know, I know!). People give money to people and one of the best ways to build up that know, like, and trust factor is when you show your face. So, hop on Loom or get on IG Stories. Need a place to start? Try saying thank you
Get vulnerable. This might feel uncomfortable, but each and every time I see a nonprofit leader or fundraiser let their guard down and talk like a real human vs. that person that trying to act like everything is perfect within an organization (you know who I’m talking about) - I see incredible results. People start offering to make connections, people start donating, people reach out to offer advice. When people know how to actually help you - guess what? They help.
Small, intimate gatherings will be powerful
Zoom fatigue is real. Really real. From what I can tell - after nearly two years of little to no in-person gatherings - folks are over it.
But I also don’t think rushing to reproduce your 500+ annual gala is the right move either.
The truth is: people want quality over quantity. So, I challenge you: how can you gather people (safely!) and intimately in 2022? Is it by hosting a Jeffersonian dinner? Is it a gathering with current and new board members? Is it a hybrid event?
People are craving in-person connection now more than ever before and you can be the one to give it to them!
Looking for an intimate gathering for you and your professional development in 2022? Check out the Get It Done Week and if you feel like its the thing that will take you to the next leadership and fundraising level - apply today.
…and now - for what worked well in 2021 (ahem - keep doing):
Short video content is where it’s at. Video is here to stay and between Instagram Reels and TikTok (yes, I said TikTok) - the most organic traffic you can drive is using these short form video tools.
Easy, online giving. Online giving in 2021 topped all of the records. If you are still using a clunky system, it takes more than 2 clicks for donors to get to your donation page, or your online donation system isn’t mobile friendly - it’s time for an update.
Peer-fundraisers. Want to cut down the know, like and trust factor? Recruit some peer-fundraisers.
Recurring revenue. I don’t think I’ve meet a nonprofit yet that doesn’t wish they started a monthly giving program 2 years earlier
Let’s jump into 2022 with eyes wide open. As always, I’ll be cheering you on.
What prediction are you taking on in the New Year?