OntheWilderSide

2007 Nonprofit Technology Conference

Join us April 4-6, 2007 in Washington, DC!Each year the Nonprofit Technology Conference brings together over 1,000 people for three days of connecting, learning, educating, and fun. Collaborators in the nonprofit and technology sectors will have the opportunity to share resources and learn about what works, what doesn’t work, and what new technology will help make the world a better place.The conference will address common issues faced by nonprofit leaders, program staff, development professionals, IT staff and technology support providers. The agenda will span a broad range of technology expertise and topics. Anyone who is interested in how technology can be used to help nonprofit organizations go farther, faster, or be more user-friendly should participate.

Register before Jan 15th for special rates

Website Tips for Year-end Giving 

Follow these tips to make sure your website is ready for donors who wait until the few days of the year to give.

• Donations as Gifts
  Encourage your supporters to consider making a donation as a holiday gift for a loved one this year. Use a service that allows donors to send an eCard or provide a mailing address to have their honorees acknowledged. Remind them it is a wonderful way to involve children in the process of giving to others and helping your charity all in one effort.
• Put a face to the gift
  Whatever your mission is, relate the appeal to a specific need of your beneficiaries, such as a warm meal for a homeless child, shelter for abuse victims or the surgery of a rescued animal. Use messaging and touching imagery that relates directly to gift giving and your organization’s mission.
• Offer Incentives
  Consider offering branded gifts or other incentives for giving over a certain amount, such as a t-shirt or hat with your organization’s logo. Doing so will often encourage higher dollar donations and facilitate familiarity with your organization from loyal supporters.
• Giving Options
  Donors like choices. Consider listing the following options on your donation page:
  • Donate Online
  • Donate by Mail
  • In-Kind donations
  • Memberships/Giving Circles
  • Stock Donations
  • Honor/Memorials
  • Estate Planning
• Program Results & Accountability
  Your supporters want to know how their contributions are being spent and what sort of programmatic results you are getting from your efforts. Many donors rely on websites, such as Charity Navigator or GuideStar, to look at information on your organization before they give. Make sure your website clearly displays your accomplishments and your GuideStar profile is up-to-date.
• Easy to Act
  Make that Donate Now button visible from your home page, donation and program pages to ensure that you don’t miss a single opportunity to engage your supporters when they are compelled to give. Provide a form to collect email addresses too, so that you can continue communication with supporters long after the holidays are over.
• Driving Donors
  Once you have the website just right, you have to get people there. Include your Donate Now URL in all your online (and offline) communications – newsletter, blog, signature and last-minute appeals. Remind supporters of year-end tax breaks and don’t forget to ask them to tell their friends about your mission too – trusted references are a great source of new referrals.

For more ideas and techniques, download a free copy of our holiday donation tips.

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