Care2's Digital Engagement Blog

Imagine grant money that’s never claimed. Scholarships that receive no applications. Events without volunteers. Service programs that aren’t utilized. These are the things that keep nonprofit professionals awake at night. These professionals know how important their work is, but sometimes the public isn’t as aware.

As a nonprofit, your supporters are the foundation of all that you do. Supporters drive your cause forward and enable you to make a positive impact on the world. Donations from those who support your mission make up a considerable percentage of the funding for your work. However, not all supporters have taken a step toward giving financially.

Is your foundation or nonprofit thinking of hosting a Giving Day or crowdfunding campaign? At Rad Campaign we've helped launch several crowdfunding campaigns, raised a lot of money along the way, and learned how much hard work it takes to pull these campaigns off successfully. 

Running the Women Startup Challenge and our social change web agency, Rad Campaign I get pitched a lot of different products. I recently discovered Spendrise, a platform for creating positive change everywhere you spend money. Here's how it works.

1. Start a Pledge
You support a Spendrise campaign by pledging to spend money if the business makes a positive change that you believe in. The change could be asking the business to go solar, to provide sick days to its employees, or any number of ideas! It's free to pledge, and your purchase only happens if the campaign succeeds.

2. Share the Pledge
The more people that pledge to spend to see the pledge implemented, the more likely a business agrees to make the change. Spread the word and see the pledges grow!

3. Pledge Fulfilled
The campaign creator brings all the pledges to the business to decide. If the business accepts, your pledge becomes a giftcard, and your dollars helped make real change! If not, no worries, your pledge expires and you keep your money.

More and more nonprofit donations take place in today’s digital landscape, but how can nonprofits ensure their online storefront is not only open for business, but optimized for donations? And what are some basic fundraising tips to integrate if your nonprofit is just starting out on its online fundraising journey?

As I explored this critical issue in my new book, Nonprofit Fundraising 101, I interviewed Roderick Campbell, the CEO of nonprofit fundraising platform CommitChange. He shared a few takeaways from their efforts to maximize digital donations for Mercy House, a $3.8M nonprofit that has provided housing and support to California’s homeless since 1989.

  What’s the big deal about storytelling?

Storytelling matters because it shapes movements and defines the success of your nonprofit. But you're probably thinking, “I don’t have a sexy story” or “I don’t know how to tell a story”. You may have even tried to use storytelling at your nonprofit but it didn’t get much traction.

We believe that nonprofits and social good projects have an unlimited potential in using stories because you make this world a better place. It’s actually easier than you think to create a compelling story. You have all the building blocks for an effective story, but how do you get the put them together?

Look at the fairy tales, fireside stories, and your favorite Hollywood movies. There are storylines that every popular story follows. Guess what? They drive donations as well.

 So long sweet frogloop.com. On your 9th birthday, you have passed your right of  passage and deserve a new name – Care2’s Digital Engagement Blog.