Back to TopFundraising

3 Essential Reports

In today's economic climate nonprofit's must take their fundraising approach seriously. And with any successful business process it requires understanding and visibility. Do you have that occurring on a monthly basis in your organization ? You do not have to make it complicated but you do have to engage some essential reports and practices.....

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In the nonprofit world, it is “survival of the fittest” especially during times of economic uncertainty. Accessibility of donor data allows organizations to operate both efficiently and effectively while building visibility. The following 3 reports are some of the most basic reports, but can really help you understand your donors and therefore build stronger, longer lasting relationships. Following each report type is a description and real-world uses for the information obtained through these reports.

First Time Donors

Do you know who is donating to your organization? Do you segment first time donors from your long term donors in your acknowledgement practices? By preparing a first time donor report daily, weekly or monthly you can set these donors apart and start cultivating these new relationships immediately.

	"1st Time Donor" Action Steps
	Report: Design a memorized report identifying "1st Time Donors" and run it monthly. Include essential contact and gift information.
	Monthly: Besides the Development Director, the Board should review the list of new donors - in the same manner as major donor cultivation occurs - divide up the names and make personal calls with two main objectives: thanking the donor and asking what inspired them to make a gift. This Board action connects the donor and connects the Board beyond the basic thank you letter. It makes a memorable first impression as well as continuing the cultivation of the new relationship.
	Design some type of new donor welcome packet. If possible include the first acknowledgement letter within these packets along with a newsletter, an annual report, or a brochure. If this is not efficient for your organization try sending monthly new donor packets.

LYBUNT

Is your organization losing donors? If so, how many? And Why? The “Last Year But Unfortunately Not This” Year report (also referred to as the SYBUNT report or “Some Year But Unfortunately Not This” Year) provides information regarding your lapsed donors. By defining the time frame that the last gifts of your donors were made you can determine your attrition rate.

	"LYBUNT" Action Steps
	Report: Design a memorized report identifying "Lapsed Donors" and run it quarterly and especially at year end. Even more important, set the report to see last 2-years but not this year.
	Quarterly: You need to strategically plan to reach out to your lapsed donors. You can do this by making phone calls, sending targeted emails or customized letters. It is much less expensive to retain a donor or re-engage a donor than it is to attract a new donor. Use this report to provide ongoing stewardship and cultivate longer lasting relationships.
	Visibility: By knowing your attrition rate you can also strategically plan to increase your donor base by acquiring new donors. This can be done by increasing your visibility, working with an acquisition company to prepare a targeted solicitation or by incorporating new ePhilanthropy efforts.

Monthly Donation Review

Are your solicitations meeting their goals? Are your monthly expectations being met? What solicitations are the most successful? What programs are attracting the most support? By answering these questions you can build the analytics you need to gauge and improve your program outcomes. Use these analytics to determine your average gift, cost per donor and cost per donation ratios, which solicitation methods are most successful (i.e. direct mail, eCommunication, events, etc.), and which programs generate the most support. When reporting your success to your constituents these values will make a huge impact.

	Monthly Donation Review Action Steps
	Report: Design a memorized report identifying "Number of Donors", "Total Dollars" and "Average Gift Amount". Run it monthly by "Solicitation" and by "Purpose".
	Template for Charting: Create a formatted excel template to copy and paste the monthly numbers into "By Solicitation" and "By Purpose". On sheet-2 link a formatted 3-D Chart of the information in Sheet-1 so that each month when you update Sheet-1 the Chart on Sheet-2 automatically updates
	Charting: A visual representation of the monthly numbers makes it easy to review and communicate monthly results and identify trends. SEE Excel Tips & Tricks

If you are unable to create these reports or access this information easily then maybe your data is not working for you. If you would like more information on these or other Fundraising Department services please contact Non-Profit Partners by using the links below.

• Please call me so I can learn more about the Increasing Donations and Donor Awareness: Click on "Call Me Now"
• I would like a one-on-one conference: Click on this link: Setup a 1-on-1 Conference

 

Back to TopExecutive Leadership

Your Web Audience

Websites need to be an extension of who you are, what you do, your effectiveness and how you engage with your "audiences". Most nonprofit have not updated their website look, their feel, their content and navigation to reflect these core principals. They are a bit outdated. Is this a reflection of your value and mission ? Likely not, but how do your "audiences" interpret your organization? I mention audiences because again websites do not think in this perspective. Executive leadership needs to take a critical look at their website from these "audience" perspectives.................. .

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Who are your audiences? Depending on your mission, your Web site probably is visited by Donors/Sponsors, Foundations/Grantors, Volunteers, Prospective Donors, Board Members, Employees, Benefactors and their families. With such a diverse audience pool who does your Web site actually speak to and how are your online tools used to create more visibility for your organization. To best understand your Web site make a list of the audiences you hope your Web site is addressing then go to your home page. Look at your main navigation bar and list next to your audience type which pages are directed toward which audiences. Is every audience represented? If not, what needs to change?

Now ask yourself:

	Audience Action Steps
	Donors: Do they have reason to come back to your website ? Are they treated special or have unique access ? Are they highlighted, spotlighted in any of your communication meduims, e.g. newsletter ?
	Corporate Sponsors: Are they listed in a manner that gives them social marketing presence ? Shows the value and strength of your support ?
	Foundation / Grantors: Are my annual reports and newsletters available on my Web site? Are they easy to find? Does you site give confidence to prospective Foundations/Grantors doing research.
	Volunteers: Can volunteers locate opportunities to become involved ? Do they know how, where and whats involved. Can they be trained or educated by using your website, videos or current literature?
	Prospective Donors: Are donors overwhelmed by the information on the “Join” or “Donate Now” page? Separate out opportunities by individual pages.
	Board Members: Do board members have special access for their information ?
	Staff: Are the staff connected and a part of the website. Employee listing page ? Are they important ?
	Mission Benefactors: Can benefactors locate programs offered, hours of operation, location of services, etc.?
	Branding: Is my organization’s “brand” easily recognizable? Are affiliated organizations recognized appropriately (i.e. parent or national organization affiliation, United Way, Better Business Bureau, etc.)? Are my website, newsletter, e-communication, logo, print are unified and consistent ?
	Current & Engaging: Are there videos or picture galleries that represent what my organization is doing in our community?

These are only a few items that your various audiences will specifically look for on your Web site. If you answered no to any of these questions, contact us and we can help you make your Web site work for your organization and your programs. A great Web site will increase your visibility and compliment a strong eCommunication initiative. If you would like more information on these or other Fundraising Department services please contact Non-Profit Partners by using the links below.

• Please call me so I can learn more about the Increasing Donations and Donor Awareness: Click on "Call Me Now"
• I would like a one-on-one conference: Click on this link: Setup a 1-on-1 Conference

Fundraising - Kaizen

Action Step: Design Memorized Reports for "1st Time Donors", "LYBUNT" & "Monthly Review by Solicitation and by Purpose"

Action Step: Determine the Review Process & Periodicity of the Reports

Action Step: Adjust your Practices and Processes based on the Analytic Results

Executive Operations - Kaizen

Action Step: List the Audiences that are applicable to your mission

Action Step: Rank the Audience Type in order of importance to your mission and revenue

Action Step: Copy down or screenshot you websites Main Navigation

Action Step: Match or locate where in your sites Main Navigation each Audience type is addressed.

Action Step: Make Simple Note by each Audience Type: "Not at all" - "Poorly" - "Average" - "Excellently"

Action Step: Update your Website one Audience Type at a time in order if importance to your mission and your revenue.

Nonprofit Links of Value

Podcast: Do you know what Giving Circles are ? Donors Turn To Giving Circles As Economy Drops

Regulatory: The Redesigned Form 990

Website Tool: Struggling with your website ? Use this great tool / Tons of easy to use applications

Excel Tip & Trick: Intro to Charting & How to Sum a Column of Numbers

Free Microsoft Converter Pack for Office 97 -03 for opening Office 07 Documents: Click Here

Of Thought or Value: The term kaizen refers to the philosophy or practices focusing on continuous improvement in business activities, processes and operations. Essentially making continuous incremental positive changes to your nonprofit organization for the betterment of the mission, the people you serve, the staff and your limited resources.