Fundraising Challenges In The Digital Age

How to raise $50,000 in 30 days using 7 AI prompts (you’ve never thought to use): AI won’t replace fundraisers. But fundraisers who use AI strategically will absolutely outperform the ones who don’t. These 7 prompts aren’t basic. They’re engineered to unlock human behavior, decision-making psychology, and funding at scale. 1. Prompt: “Analyze our past 10 email campaigns. Identify the emotional tone, structure, and CTA that drove the most clicks and donations. Suggest 3 new email angles based on behavioral trends.” Why it works: Donors respond to patterns. This prompt uses your own data to reverse-engineer what actually moves people, not what feels right. 2. Prompt: “Write a donor pitch using the ‘Commitment-Consistency’ principle from Cialdini, reference a donor’s past actions and show how giving now is aligned with who they already are.” Why it works: People are more likely to act in ways that align with their self-image. Donors who’ve volunteered, signed petitions, or shared your content? This is how you turn engagement into dollars. 3. Prompt: “Create a 3-part story arc for LinkedIn posts that subtly shift a corporate contact from passive observer to strategic partner, without ever asking for money.” Why it works: It’s called affinity priming. AI scripts the story. LinkedIn builds trust. You close the deal. 4. Prompt: “Generate 5 donor thank-you messages tailored by giving tier, use loss aversion and social proof to increase chances of a second gift.” Why it works: “Thank you” is a sales moment in disguise. This prompt makes it count. One client turned 23% of first-time donors into recurring givers using tiered messaging like this. 5. Prompt: “Draft a voicemail script for a lapsed donor using the Ben Franklin effect, ask for a small favor instead of a gift, to reactivate the relationship.” Why it works: People feel closer to those they help. Use it to rebuild trust without making an ask. Often, the donation follows. 6. Prompt: “Identify 3 psychological barriers to giving on our donation page. Rewrite the copy to reduce friction using clarity, scarcity, and immediacy.” Why it works: Most pages leak donations. This prompt fixes that, leading to real revenue recovery. One org tested this and saw their average donation increase from $48 to $71 just by shifting copy. 7. Prompt: “Write a short pitch that reframes our mission as a business case for corporate ESG leads, focused on risk reduction, brand lift, and employee retention.” Why it works: Companies don’t give because of charity. They give because it aligns with strategy. This prompt flips the frame, and unlocks five-figure partnerships. These are just a few of the 40+ AI scripts inside our AI Launchpad Cohort, a hands-on experience for nonprofits ready to raise more with less guesswork. Comment Launchpad and we’ll send you details about the upcoming cohort. With purpose and impact, Mario

Of Assessing the Impact of Donor Investments on Smallholder Farming in Nigeria: An Independent Analysis (Part 1) Over the past three decades, Nigeria has been the recipient of substantial donor funding aimed at empowering smallholder farmers. Developmental partners, including the World Bank, IFAD, USAID, and others, have invested over $3 billion in various agricultural initiatives. These programmes were designed to boost agricultural productivity, enhance food security, and improve the livelihoods of rural farmers. However, despite these significant investments, the current reality suggests that the expected transformative impact on smallholder farming remains limited. ⚡ Current Reality vs. Investments Nigeria's agricultural sector remains predominantly subsistence-based, with smallholder farmers accounting for over 70% of the farming population. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), agriculture contributes about 25% to Nigeria's GDP (questionable), yet the sector's growth has been sluggish, averaging 2.1% annually between 2015 and 2020. Despite the influx of donor funds, challenges such as low productivity, limited access to credit and markets, inadequate infrastructure, and vulnerability to climate change persist. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports that Nigeria still has over 25 million people facing food insecurity as of 2023. This raises concerns about the efficacy of donor-funded programmes in achieving sustainable agricultural development. Flaws in the Current Donor System and Mitigation Strategies 1. Lack of Alignment with Local Needs and Contexts 🦈 Evidence of the Flaw Many donor programmes are designed with a top-down approach, often importing models that doesn't suit the local contexts. For instance, the introduction of high-yield crop varieties without considering local environmental conditions and farmer preferences has led to low adoption rates. A study by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) found that adoption rates of improved maize varieties were only 30% in some regions. 🦀 Mitigation Strategy ✅ Participatory Programme Design:- Engage local farmers, community leaders, and agricultural experts in the planning stages to ensure programmes address specific local needs. ✅Contextual Research:- Conduct better thorough socio-economic and environmental assessments before implementation. ✅Capacity Building:- Invest in training local extension workers who understand the cultural and regional nuances. 2. Fragmentation and Lack of Coordination Among Donors 🦈Evidence of the Flaw The multitude of donor agencies operating independently has led to overlapping projects, resource wastage, and confusion among beneficiaries. For example, the OECD reported that in Nigeria, over 50 donor-funded agricultural projects were running concurrently at some point without effective coordination. To be continued...

Welcome to the Future of Fundraising. When my team and I built the first fully autonomous fundraiser, we saw how digital labor could expand outreach and deepen engagement. Which is why now, in collaboration with our Innovation Partners, we are tackling one of the most persistent challenges in fundraising: scaling meaningful stewardship. The cycle of giving feels transactional for too many donors. They make a gift, receive a generic thank you email or letter, and then the next time they hear from the organization, it’s another solicitation. This unintentional pattern leaves many donors feeling like just another name in a database rather than a valued partner in the mission they support. Hundreds of our conversations about digital labor lead us to believe there is a solution to these challenges. Research tells us they are worth solving: Mid-level donors are often the most loyal donors, yet they receive the least personalized stewardship. In a study of mid-level giving, donors cited “lack of communication and feeling unappreciated” as a top reason for stopping their gifts. (Nonprofit Quarterly) Younger donors are making lasting connections to causes now, even if their giving capacity isn’t fully realized yet. Organizations that don’t retain these donors will lose out on major returns as they age into their prime giving years. (The Chronicle of Philanthropy) This is why we introduced the Virtual Stewardship Officer (VSO) as the next logical step in our mission to accelerate and transform philanthropy. Donors give because they care and they continue giving when they feel genuinely valued. Yet meaningful stewardship, personalized impact updates, heartfelt gratitude, and long-term engagement, is often reserved for top-tier donors making six- and seven-figure gifts. The VSO expands meaningful stewardship beyond top donors, using digital labor to create personalized touchpoints that acknowledge donor history, reinforce impact, and build lasting relationships. By scaling engagement, it ensures no donor feels overlooked, making long-term relationship-building and meaningful pipeline development sustainable for every giving level. Traditional stewardship models make it nearly impossible to engage donors in a truly personal way at scale. The VSO personalizes 1:1 stewardship to donors who give year-after-year, stretching their budgets to contribute in a way that is personally significant, even if it isn’t classified as a "major" gift; long-time supporters who have probably made their last large donation but remain deeply invested in the organization’s mission; first-time donors who, regardless of gift size, we want to retain; and more. These donors are often the backbone of an organization’s giving pipeline. The future of fundraising isn’t just about raising more money—it’s about ensuring every donor feels like their gift matters. With digital labor, meaningful stewardship is no longer just for a select few—it’s for everyone who chooses to give.

As I served on my first nonprofit board, I remember debating if “this internet thing is just a fad”..... 🌐 Granted it was 1994, but there was serious debate about whether or not we needed to invest in a website. Now, thirty years later, some nonprofit organizations are still stumbling as they navigate the digital shift in fundraising. So, here are three recommendations to make your 2024 fundraising more robust and tech-forward: 1. Leverage Social Media and Influencer Partnerships: In the digital age, social media is an invaluable tool for reaching a wider audience. Create engaging content and collaborate with influencers who align with your mission. These partnerships can significantly amplify your message 📣 and  reach younger demographics, and drive fundraising through platforms that resonate with a digital-savvy audience.💰📈 2. Data-Driven Decision Making: 📊🧠 Implement data analytics to understand donor behavior and preferences. Use insights from YOUR data to tailor your outreach and personalize your communication strategies, leading to more effective donor engagement and higher retention rates.🎯🗨️ 3. Mobile-First Approach: 📱👆With the increasing use of smartphones, ensure that your digital presence is mobile-friendly. This includes having a responsive website, easy-to-use mobile donation platforms, and SMS marketing campaigns. A mobile-first approach makes it convenient for donors to hear your message and engage and contribute anytime, anywhere.🌏🤳 If you are a nonprofit leader who knows their organization could be operating more efficiently and want to introduce a more tech-forward approach to fundraising, download your FREE copy of the our 3 Point Strategy Guide for Nonprofit Fundraisers. Just follow the link in the comments below (choose recent comments in the dropdown if you do not see it.) 📥👇 #ai4good

Donors aren’t fatigued. They’re bored. Nonprofits say it all the time: “Donors are tired of being asked.” No, they’re not. They’re tired of being underwhelmed. Most appeals sound exactly the same -- A generic call to “make a donation” with no clear tie to impact. If donors don’t know what their $100 or $10,000 actually does, it’s like asking them to pay for something without telling them what they’re getting. And it’s not just the message. Many campaigns feel copy-pasted, copy-pasted, copy-pasted. Same story, same design, same event, same appeal. If you’re bored doing it, your donors will be bored reading it. Even the donation experience can kill the emotion. A templated campaign page. No visuals. No story. It all feels transactional instead of transformational. So how do you re-engage donors who seem “fatigued”? How do you deliver a great donor experience? 1. Personalize and customize. Tailor your story to what donors care about. Show them how their gift makes a difference. Make your campaign look and feel distinct, not templated. 2. Focus on stewardship. Don’t just ask, appreciate. Celebrate progress and impact. Let donors see themselves in the success they helped create. 3. Invite more action. Go beyond one-time giving. Encourage recurring donations, pledges, or peer-to-peer fundraising. Participation builds connection. Donor fatigue isn’t the problem. Apathy is the symptom. When you make your fundraising interesting, transparent, and personal, donors don’t tune out anymore. They lean in. #Fundraising #Nonprofits #Storytelling #DonorEngagement #DigitalFundraising #CauseVox

So this is what the COVID money was funding in mental health/SUD and which was cut abruptly by the administration. In the midst of a mental health crisis.... • Warmlines – Terminated funding is used to support confidential, non-emergency phone services (staffed by peers with lived experience) who provide emotional support, connection, and resources to individuals experiencing mental health challenges before they escalate to crisis. Minnesota’s service takes 1,200 calls per month. • Tribal Nations and Urban Indian Organizations – Terminated funding will disrupt vital services including crisis intervention following traumatic events, telehealth therapy, psychiatric medication management for vulnerable youth, emergency supports and basic necessities for unsheltered individuals, and transportation assistance. • Mobile Crisis – Terminated funding supported the growth and expansion of mobile crisis services. These mental health response teams are available 24/7 and travel to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis wherever they are located. • School-Based Early Substance Use Disorder Intervention – Terminated funding supported school-based providers to identify and support students showing early signs of substance use, providing targeted assessment, counseling, and referrals to prevent progression to substance use disorder. • School-Based Mental Health Evidence-Based Practice Training – Eliminated funding supported consultation and coordination for School-Linked Behavioral Health Evidence-Based Practices. • First Episode Psychosis – Cuts will lessen providers’ ability to provide evidence-based interventions to young people experiencing early psychosis, potentially leading to poorer clinical outcomes for this vulnerable population. This will lead to higher rates of hospitalization and emergency room care – which come at a higher cost to the public – at a time when hospitals are already struggling to serve an influx of youth with behavioral health issues. • Women’s Culturally Responsive Recovery Services – Terminated contracts supported the development and implementation of culturally-specific community outreach, curriculum development, training, peer support, and services for women, mothers, and families struggling with substance use disorder. • OERAC-allocated SUD Funding – Funds that were cut would have expanded and enhanced the continuum of care for opioid-related substance use disorders.

If I'm in charge of digital revenue at a nonprofit, here's what I'm doing right now to prepare for year end. 👇 I'm auditing my donation funnel. 𝟏. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝⁣⁣⁣ ↳ These tools help you see what’s working, and what’s not. -Google Tag Manager (GTM) is installed on every page of your site -Meta Pixel (Facebook/Instagram) is firing for pageview, purchase, lead, parameters populated  -Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is setup properly -Google Ads conversion tag is active 𝟐. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝⁣ ⁣↳ You need to know when people give, and what led them there. -Donation form loads trigger tracking -Form starts are tracked -Completed donations are tracked as conversions 𝟑. 𝐄𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐑𝐌 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠⁣ ⁣⁣↳ Clean data *is* strategy. You want donors to feel seen and celebrated. -Donation form is passing gift and donor data into the CRM -CRM records correct campaign code and source -The right email autoresponder is triggered  -New donors are added to the right list or journey -New subscribers are added to the right list or journey -All contact information and organizational language is up to date -Daily/weekly reports for donor relations and gift officers are working 𝟒. 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐃𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫⁣ ⁣⁣⁣↳ Make a gift and go through the journey yourself -Is the page laid out in a single column format? -Is there a logical information hierarchy? (Headline, subheadline, body copy, call-to-action, donation form) -Does it pass the squint test: is the layout scannable?  -Is the donation page mobile friendly?  -Does the message match? Is it congruent with the ad, email, direct mail piece, etc. that brought me here? -Can I quickly understand the problem I’m being asked to solve, the solution, the outcome, the impact and the desired future state? -Are there no competing calls to action (ex. volunteer, give, sign a petition, etc.)  -Does it seem credible, including some form of testimonials, quotes, reviews, unique stats or data points, credibility seals 𝟓. 𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣↳ This is one of the most revenue-critical tools in your tech stack. It should meet donor needs, not your internal needs. -Is the giving form integrated into your site or does it take you to a new page? -Do you choose the gift frequency before you choose the gift amount? -Is there a gift array? -Is the gift array personalized? -Are the gift array buttons mobile friendly? -Have the form fields been limited to only the essentials to make the transaction? -Are you able to donate without adding anything to a cart? -Are all donor login options removed? -Are you prompted to upgrade your one-time gift to a recurring donation? -Can you pay using Apple Pay or Google Pay? -Is there a bank payment option available? Continued in the video below 👇 ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Unpopular opinion: Not Every Donation is Worth It. Let’s face it. Getting donations can feel like a win. But accepting funds from just ANY donor? That could be a costly mistake. Here’s what can go wrong: - Misaligned Values: A donor’s motives might conflict with your organization’s mission. - Unrealistic Expectations: Some donors may demand changes that derail your focus. - Reputational Risks: Associating with a controversial donor can damage your credibility. - Compliance Issues: Funds that don’t meet legal requirements can lead to audits and penalties. So, what should you do? -Research the donor’s background, past contributions, and public image. -Ensure their values and expectations align with your mission. -Define boundaries and expectations upfront in an MoU. -Focus on partnerships that enhance your mission, not compromise it. Remember, not all money is good money. Saying “no” today could protect your organization’s future. How does your organization evaluate donors? #NGOs #Notforprofit #Nonprofit #fund #donation #donor

RAISING FUNDS BY BUILDING AN ENGAGED AUDIENCE In a landscape where every pound must work harder, not-for-profits can no longer afford to see audience-building as a “nice to have”. It’s the foundation for sustainable fundraising, and offers one of the most cost-effective ways to drive long-term impact. The most successful organisations understand that fundraising begins well before the ask. It starts with connection. By investing in a loyal, growing audience across digital channels, events, and partnerships, you create a community that is emotionally invested in your mission. Here are four principles to help you do this strategically and affordably: 1. Clarify your story and stick to it. Consistency builds trust. Ensure your messaging clearly articulates why your work matters, who it helps, and what difference support makes. Avoid jargon, speak in human terms that inspire empathy and action. 2. Use your channels wisely. Your website, email newsletters and social media are powerful, low-cost tools. Prioritise them over paid advertising. Regular, authentic content, such as stories from beneficiaries, staff insights, and short videos, keep your mission front of mind and builds credibility over time. 3. Engage, don’t broadcast. An audience is not a database; it’s a community. Reply to comments, thank supporters publicly, and ask questions. Encourage peer-to-peer sharing, one of the most cost-efficient ways to grow reach organically. 4. Convert interest into commitment. Once people are engaged, make it easy for them to take the next step, whether that’s subscribing, volunteering, donating, or advocating. Clear calls to action, mobile-friendly donation forms and transparent impact reporting all make conversion frictionless. When you nurture genuine connection, fundraising becomes a natural outcome, not a transactional activity. Audiences who feel part of your purpose are your most effective ambassadors, and the most reliable source of future income. Building that kind of community takes time, intention and consistency, but not necessarily budget. The investment is primarily in your story, your voice and your relationships. In today’s competitive giving environment, those are the assets that will truly set your organisation apart. For help with building your audience and integrating this with your fundraising contact @Heaward Solutions.