Comments on: Fundraising online is hard. http://www.socialfish.org/2009/12/fundraising-online-is-hard.html Social media strategy, training for associations, non-profits Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:00:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Lindsay Reene http://www.socialfish.org/2009/12/fundraising-online-is-hard.html#comment-1940 Lindsay Reene Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:37:21 +0000 http://www.socialfish.org/?p=2560#comment-1940 Awesome feedback, Maddie. I'm just getting to review this. Along with Anna and Adam, I agree that telling your story is the most important part. We're using Allyson Kapin's succinct model for building our eCommunications outreach plan to leverage a Friends-Asking-Friends model for our Memory Walks in the fall (http://bit.ly/dtqfcr). We continue to tell the story of one individual, such as our YouTube video of the daughter of a woman who Alzheimer's who wandered away from her home and was never seen again (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYbM9YdBMHc). Thanks again, Maddie! -Lindsay (@_LR) Awesome feedback, Maddie. I’m just getting to review this. Along with Anna and Adam, I agree that telling your story is the most important part. We’re using Allyson Kapin’s succinct model for building our eCommunications outreach plan to leverage a Friends-Asking-Friends model for our Memory Walks in the fall (http://bit.ly/dtqfcr). We continue to tell the story of one individual, such as our YouTube video of the daughter of a woman who Alzheimer’s who wandered away from her home and was never seen again (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYbM9YdBMHc). Thanks again, Maddie!

-Lindsay (@_LR)

]]> By: Nancy http://www.socialfish.org/2009/12/fundraising-online-is-hard.html#comment-1676 Nancy Tue, 19 Jan 2010 22:18:06 +0000 http://www.socialfish.org/?p=2560#comment-1676 Very interesting evaluation - have you also had a chance to explore Adopt-A-Classroom? Another nonprofit organization that is dedicated to helping teachers, but the mission is slightly different; the area of focus is providing a vehicle for communities to help their schools (most donors do in fact know the teacher when they adopt a classroom). It's a $25 minimum donation and 100% goes to the teacher. It's also tax deductible and you're guaranteed feedback on how the teacher spends the funds. You can adopt a classroom anywhere in the US at www.AdoptAClassroom.org. Very interesting evaluation – have you also had a chance to explore Adopt-A-Classroom? Another nonprofit organization that is dedicated to helping teachers, but the mission is slightly different; the area of focus is providing a vehicle for communities to help their schools (most donors do in fact know the teacher when they adopt a classroom). It’s a $25 minimum donation and 100% goes to the teacher. It’s also tax deductible and you’re guaranteed feedback on how the teacher spends the funds. You can adopt a classroom anywhere in the US at http://www.AdoptAClassroom.org.

]]> By: Adam http://www.socialfish.org/2009/12/fundraising-online-is-hard.html#comment-1593 Adam Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:14:45 +0000 http://www.socialfish.org/?p=2560#comment-1593 I agree that #3 is the most likely culprit. Fundraising, like any type of sale, requires a multi-channel approach. Twitter is good for starting conversations and creating awareness, but you just aren't going to drive home the value of the cause and make a personal connection with donors via Twitter. It's just the limitation of the medium. CARE does a great job of utilizing Twitter, blogs, email and their web site to mobilize volunteers & fundraisers. Great experiment - thanks for sharing! I agree that #3 is the most likely culprit. Fundraising, like any type of sale, requires a multi-channel approach. Twitter is good for starting conversations and creating awareness, but you just aren’t going to drive home the value of the cause and make a personal connection with donors via Twitter. It’s just the limitation of the medium. CARE does a great job of utilizing Twitter, blogs, email and their web site to mobilize volunteers & fundraisers.

Great experiment – thanks for sharing!

]]> By: frank http://www.socialfish.org/2009/12/fundraising-online-is-hard.html#comment-1591 frank Mon, 04 Jan 2010 22:46:33 +0000 http://www.socialfish.org/?p=2560#comment-1591 I think you hit the nail on the head right at the end Maddie. Just having a network isn't enough. The types of people in your network matter. If you don't build a network of people who actively give to charities and who know that you are someone who also gives it will be more challenging to ask for money. At least that's my theory on the topic. I do agree that telling the story is huge. Giving a face to the fundraising efforts matters. #Tweetsgiving has done a remarkable job at this. @staceymonk keeps telling the kids stories and putting faces on the project. Glad you went through this Maddie. It's cool to see people expierimenting. http://franswaa.com I think you hit the nail on the head right at the end Maddie. Just having a network isn’t enough. The types of people in your network matter. If you don’t build a network of people who actively give to charities and who know that you are someone who also gives it will be more challenging to ask for money. At least that’s my theory on the topic.

I do agree that telling the story is huge. Giving a face to the fundraising efforts matters. #Tweetsgiving has done a remarkable job at this. @staceymonk keeps telling the kids stories and putting faces on the project.

Glad you went through this Maddie. It’s cool to see people expierimenting.

http://franswaa.com

]]> By: associationjam.org http://www.socialfish.org/2009/12/fundraising-online-is-hard.html#comment-1590 associationjam.org Mon, 04 Jan 2010 21:48:20 +0000 http://www.socialfish.org/?p=2560#comment-1590 <strong>Fundraising online is hard. — SocialFish...</strong> In this thought-provoking little case study, Maddie Grant reviews her experiment with fundraising on Twitter, reasons why people don't give online, and other factors that might come into play when an online fundraising campaign fails to meet its donat... Fundraising online is hard. — SocialFish…

In this thought-provoking little case study, Maddie Grant reviews her experiment with fundraising on Twitter, reasons why people don’t give online, and other factors that might come into play when an online fundraising campaign fails to meet its donat…

]]> By: Craig Jones http://www.socialfish.org/2009/12/fundraising-online-is-hard.html#comment-1580 Craig Jones Sat, 02 Jan 2010 15:31:48 +0000 http://www.socialfish.org/?p=2560#comment-1580 I think donor fatigue plays a part often, as well as how the story behind the need is portrayed. One of the most inspirational and successful examples of online fundraising is the 12for12k project: http://12for12k.org This came about at the start of 2009, and I think they've raised about $90,000 for charities so far in 2009. They use live events, online tweetathons, live music shows and more to get the word out. In December, they arranged for supporters to go to homeless shelters in their own towns and cities and donate time and items instead of dollars. I've loved watching this group of normal people (no superstars on influencers involved) make a tremendous difference to many lives - you should see what they do? I think donor fatigue plays a part often, as well as how the story behind the need is portrayed.

One of the most inspirational and successful examples of online fundraising is the 12for12k project:

http://12for12k.org

This came about at the start of 2009, and I think they’ve raised about $90,000 for charities so far in 2009. They use live events, online tweetathons, live music shows and more to get the word out. In December, they arranged for supporters to go to homeless shelters in their own towns and cities and donate time and items instead of dollars.

I’ve loved watching this group of normal people (no superstars on influencers involved) make a tremendous difference to many lives – you should see what they do?

]]> By: maddiegrant (Maddie Grant) http://www.socialfish.org/2009/12/fundraising-online-is-hard.html#comment-1558 maddiegrant (Maddie Grant) Wed, 30 Dec 2009 18:03:33 +0000 http://www.socialfish.org/?p=2560#comment-1558 Socialfishing:: Fundraising online is hard. http://www.socialfish.org/2009/12/fundraising-online-is-hard.html Socialfishing:: Fundraising online is hard. http://www.socialfish.org/2009/12/fundraising-online-is-hard.html

]]> By: maddiegrant http://www.socialfish.org/2009/12/fundraising-online-is-hard.html#comment-3809 maddiegrant Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:23:04 +0000 http://www.socialfish.org/?p=2560#comment-3809 Fundraising online is hard. http://j.mp/8erH6Q<p class="ubervu_reaction_link">via <a href="http://www.ubervu.com/conversations/www.socialfish.org%2F2009%2F12%2Ffundraising-online-is-hard.html">uberVU</a></p> Fundraising online is hard. http://j.mp/8erH6Q

via uberVU

]]> By: 5forFairness http://www.socialfish.org/2009/12/fundraising-online-is-hard.html#comment-3814 5forFairness Wed, 30 Dec 2009 15:50:05 +0000 http://www.socialfish.org/?p=2560#comment-3814 Yes, it is. RT @maddiegrant: Fundraising online is hard. http://ff.im/-dxCVV<p class="ubervu_reaction_link">via <a href="http://www.ubervu.com/conversations/www.socialfish.org%2F2009%2F12%2Ffundraising-online-is-hard.html">uberVU</a></p> Yes, it is. RT @maddiegrant: Fundraising online is hard. http://ff.im/-dxCVV

via uberVU

]]> By: Anna McDonnell http://www.socialfish.org/2009/12/fundraising-online-is-hard.html#comment-1564 Anna McDonnell Wed, 30 Dec 2009 15:47:22 +0000 http://www.socialfish.org/?p=2560#comment-1564 Really interesting post. My 2 cents. I think you're approaching the answer to your question in #3 - "I didn't give it a story." But it's is not that you didn't give IT a story. You didn't give it YOUR story. If you don't care enough about a cause to write more than 140 characters about it, you are sending a pretty strong signal. And if you don't care all that much, why should your Twitter followers care? We are all being inundated all the time with requests for money. It is simply overwhelming. The idea that powers our project (and I have no idea if it will work over time!) is that for online giving to work, the giving of money needs to be embedded in an experience that is personally meaningful and an online space where people and their personal gifts and capabilities are valued more than their money. Really interesting post. My 2 cents. I think you’re approaching the answer to your question in #3 – “I didn’t give it a story.” But it’s is not that you didn’t give IT a story. You didn’t give it YOUR story. If you don’t care enough about a cause to write more than 140 characters about it, you are sending a pretty strong signal. And if you don’t care all that much, why should your Twitter followers care?

We are all being inundated all the time with requests for money. It is simply overwhelming. The idea that powers our project (and I have no idea if it will work over time!) is that for online giving to work, the giving of money needs to be embedded in an experience that is personally meaningful and an online space where people and their personal gifts and capabilities are valued more than their money.

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