Summary

In this episode of Fridays 4 Fundraising, Kelly talks about the importance of maintaining a clean and up-to-date donor CRM, and how to leverage slower months (like August) to prep it for busier times (like year end). Kelly shares practical steps for nonprofit organizations to streamline their donor data, prepare for major gift campaigns, and leverage CRM cleanup as a strategic tool for fundraising success.

Links

• Check Out Donorbox
• Request a Discovery Call
• Register for Major Gifts for the Small Shop Workshop

Takeaways

• Regular CRM cleanup prevents duplicate donor accounts which avoids critical relationship management errors.
• Up-to-date donor profiles improve communication and engagement.
• Cleaning your CRM now saves time and effort later.
• A systematic approach to cleanup can be manageable and effective.
• CRM maintenance is crucial for long-term fundraising success.

Keywords

nonprofit fundraising, donor CRM, data cleanup, major gifts, fundraising strategy, nonprofit tips, donor management, CRM best practices, fundraising success, nonprofit growth

Summary

In this episode of Fridays 4 Fundraising, Kelly challenges you to call your 10 most recent donors AND create the infrastructure to keep calling your donors every Friday.

Links

• Check Out Donorbox
• Request a Discovery Call

Takeaways

• Build and schedule a report from your donor CRM to keep you on top of calling your donors.
• End your week with calls to your donors to maximize your donation relationships and end your week with encouragement.

Keywords

fundraising, nonprofit, donor communication, stewardship

Summary

In this episode of Fridays 4 Fundraising, Kelly tells you how her clients have successfully gotten more responses from emails to donors with a simple, practical email strategy to improve donor communication and stewardship, emphasizing strategic and sparing use of mail merge for maximum impact.

Links

• Check Out Donorbox
• Request a Discovery Call

Takeaways

• Mail merge can personalize donor updates and increase engagement when used SPARINGLY.
• Using mail merge for important, targeted communications can create a sense of exclusivity and intimacy.
• Always use mail merge strategically to avoid spamming donors.
• Tools like Outlook, Gmail, and third-party plugins can facilitate mail merge.
• Donor stewardship emails sent via mail merge can generate immediate responses and conversations.

Keywords

fundraising, nonprofit, mail merge, donor communication, stewardship, email marketing, nonprofit tips

Summary

In this episode of Fridays 4 Fundraising, Kelly explains how to effectively use LYBUNT reports to re-engage donors and build sustainable support. Learn actionable steps to improve donor retention and strengthen your fundraising efforts.

Links

• Check Out Donorbox
• Request a Discovery Call

Takeaways

• Check LYBUNT reports monthly to catch donors before they lapse
• Reach out to donors who haven't given this year to re-engage them
• Understand why donors lapse and address their concerns
• Use donor data to inform your fundraising strategy
• Build relationships beyond financial contributions

Keywords

fundraising, nonprofit, donor retention, LYBUNT, donor engagement, fundraising strategy, nonprofit tips

Summary

In this episode of Fridays 4 Fundraising, Kelly shares practical strategies for email list segmentation and donor engagement to boost nonprofit fundraising efforts. Learn how to effectively categorize your supporters and leverage integrated platforms for better outreach.

Links

• Check Out Donorbox
• Request a Discovery Call

Takeaways

• Segment your email list based on donor activity and interests.
• Use integrated platforms like Neon One, DonorBox, and CauseVox.
• Allow supporters to self-select their interests to improve engagement.
• Update donor tags with last donation date for targeted campaigns.
• Leverage Zapier to connect platforms that don't natively integrate.

Keywords

nonprofit fundraising, email segmentation, donor management, CRM, donor engagement, fundraising strategies, nonprofit tips

Summary

In this episode of Fridays 4 Fundraising, Kelly shares something a little different: a deeply impactful mindset quote that she wants to share with you. Take this weekend to rest, instead of continuing to hustle. The work will be there again on Monday.

Links

• Check Out Donorbox
• Request a Discovery Call

Takeaways

• When we don't take time for rest, we're asking to burn out.
• Even when the work is hard and urgent, rest is yet more urgent because you are your mission's greatest asset.

Keywords

fundraising, fundraiser burnout, nonprofit burnout, rest is resistance, nonprofit leadership

Summary

In this episode of Fridays 4 Fundraising, Kelly shares practical strategies for engaging lapsed donors, including real-life success stories and actionable steps to re-engage supporters and boost fundraising efforts.

Links

• Check Out Donorbox
• Request a Discovery Call

Takeaways

• It's worth calling lapsed donors, not to raise more, but to find out how to improve your fundraising efforts.
• A real life story about how Kelly brought a donor back into the fold at a higher level than they'd ever given before.

Keywords

fundraising, lapsed donors, donor engagement, nonprofit, Kelly McLaughlin, donor retention, fundraising tips

Summary

In this episode of Fridays 4 Fundraising, Kelly shares how nonprofit organizations can leverage Zapier to automate routine tasks, saving time and increasing efficiency in fundraising efforts.

Links to Tools Mentioned

• Zapier - https://zapier.com
• DonorBox - https://www.donorbox.org
• Neon One - https://neonone.com
• Monday.com - https://monday.com

Takeaways

• Zapier can connect multiple tools to automate fundraising tasks.
• Automation frees up staff to focus on relationship-building rather than data entry.
• A well-structured automation system can operate seamlessly without constant oversight.
• Nonprofits can implement sophisticated workflows even with small teams.

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to Fridays 4 Fundraising

00:48 Thanks to Donorbox!

01:17 This Week's Focus: Drop busywork with Zapier

02:07 How to drop busywork with Zapier

06:55 Resources to Support You

08:10 This Week's Assignment: Automate something that will save you hours

Keywords

fundraising automation, Zapier, nonprofit efficiency, donor management, workflow automation

Summary

In this episode of Fridays 4 Fundraising, Kelly talks about how to get your board to buy into professional development budgets.

Links

• Check Out Donorbox
• Request a Discovery Call

Takeaways

• Present fundraising investments as gains, not a way to prevent losses.
• Use data to show the potential return on investment.
• Frame fundraising needs as opportunities for growth.

Keywords

fundraising, nonprofit, professional development, donor retention, board engagement, fundraising strategy, nonprofit success, donor retention improvement, fundraising support

Summary

In this episode of Fridays 4 Fundraising, Kelly emphasizes the importance of personal donor engagement through calls, advocating for a return to traditional relationship-building methods to boost fundraising effectiveness. She shares practical steps for nonprofit leaders to reconnect with donors and improve retention.

Links

• Check Out Donorbox
• Request a Discovery Call

Takeaways

• The decline of digital-only fundraising strategies
• The importance of personal donor relationships
• Practical steps for calling and engaging donors

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to Fridays 4 Fundraising

00:41 Thank You to Donorbox!

01:08 This Week's Focus: Call Your Donors, part 2!

04:10 How to Approach Calling Donors You Don't Know

05:49 Let's hang out!

06:53 Your Homework Assignment: Call 10 Donors You Don't Know

Keywords

fundraising, donor engagement, nonprofit, relationship-building, donor calls, fundraising strategy, Kelly McLaughlin, From Scratch Fundraising