Philanthropy’s Next Generation Now: Denver Fundraising Lab Recap

Thanks so much to all of our clients who joined us at the Denver Fundraising Lab on September 17th!

Attendees networked with other local nonprofits, enjoyed a presentation from Emily Davis on “Philanthropy’s Next Generation Now,” saw how other clients are using Qgiv’s features and driving success, and learned how to write a better appeal letter.

The purpose of the Fundraising Lab is to host events that give local organizations the opportunity to connect with each other and benefit from the expertise of industry pros. The events also give nonprofits the chance to talk with staff about all things Qgiv!

Philanthropy’s Next Generation Now

Emily Davis, President of Emily Davis Consulting, shared insight into generational philanthropy and how each generation has individual preferences for how they’re engaged by nonprofits.

• Traditionalist (1900-1945): Direct mail and phone calls
• Boomers (1946-1964): Emails and Facebook
• Gen Xers (1965-1980): Websites, E-Letters, and Emails
• Millennials (1981-1996): Mobile, social media and websites

A few key points to keep in mind:

• Philanthropists are like snowflakes. No two are alike.
• Lifetime giving loyalty starts in people’s 30s.
• Millennials are coming out of high school with more volunteer hours than any other generation.
• Build long-term and authentic relationships with your donors. Don’t treat them like they’re ATMs.

Qgiv Roadmap & Customer Showcase

Jennifer Mansfield, Qgiv’s Vice President of Customer Experience, showcased the Qgiv roadmap. This included not only recent features, enhancements, and new products but what we have planned for the coming months. She shared that feedback from your organizations are heavily weighed into this process, so keep sharing your feedback with the CX team!

How to Build a Better Appeal

Afton Lorenz, Customer Success Manager at Qgiv, went step-by-step on how to craft a better appeal letter, from what people look at first in the letter to how to catch people’s attention with the envelope!

• How donors skim an appeal

1. Pictures
2. Salutation
3. Johnson Box & Post Script
4. Signature
5. Body of the letter

• Pictures
  • Choose powerful images
  • People are going to feel more connected to a picture of a person or animal looking happy and healthy than sad or sick
• Salutation
  • Don’t “Dear Friend” your donors
  • Try to use a salutation that matches the person’s interest if you don’t have their name. For example, use something like “Dear Animal Justice Warrior.”
• Johnson Box & Post Script
  • 79-90% of readers look here first!
  • Great place to make an ask
• Signature
  • Use someone besides the CEO to sign, like a volunteer or board member. If it is the CEO’s signature, try to include a personal note.
  • Be creative with the signature! For example, if your appeal is for an animal shelter, have the signature be from an adoptable pet
• Body of the Appeal
  • Make it easy to scan
  • Make sure that it’s donor-centered. It should contain more “You” language than org-centered language.
  • Read the letter out loud! This is a good way to ensure it flows and makes sense.

Want to see if a Fundraising Lab is heading to a city near you? Check out this page for more locations!