Next in Nonprofits is available to help your organization learn about social fundraising and social content development. Please contact Steve@NextInNonprofits.com or call 651-356-8896 to learn more.

Aug
15
Thu
Building Relationships through Social Media @ University of Saint Thomas, Minneapolis
Aug 15 @ 9:45 am – 11:00 am

This session is part of the Minnesota Council of Nonrprofits Essentials Conference. Registration is required to participate in this session.

Social media is a great tool to get the word out about your programs, but that’s only the beginning. Build strong communities through social media by creating meaningful conversations online and providing relevant, consistent information. This session will give you the tools to create your own social media plan, including tools for measuring success and templates for managing it all.

Sep
11
Wed
Fundraising Roundtable Network @ Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
Sep 11 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

This month’s topic – Social media and fundraising! Steve Boland from Next in Nonprofits will join a panel to lead this discussion.

Each month focuses on a topic around which the majority of the discussion will revolve. Participants are encouraged to bring questions, examples, and insights related to the topic of the session. In addition to the featured topic discussion, each session will include time to network and ask questions, so come prepared to chat with your peers. This networking event is free and no RSVP is necessary. You are invited to bring your lunch, business cards, and ideas. If you have any questions about the Fundraising Roundtable Network, please contact Kari Aanestad, MCN’s director of advancement, at 651-757-3073 or kaanestad@minnesotanonprofits.org.

The Fundraising Roundtable Network events are co-sponsored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Minnesota Chapter.

Oct
15
Tue
Micropayments:  Small donors adding up big support! @ Metropolitan Regional Arts Council
Oct 15 @ 9:00 am – 10:30 am
Recurring donors are a dream for many arts organizations, and have come in the past in different ways. Season ticket holders are (essentially) recurring donors. Some organizations have been successful with getting regular monthly support (a tote bag for less than the cost of a cup of coffee a day….). The rise of affordable, easy-to-use internet platforms like Patreon make it easy for a larger number of people to contribute (less than cost of a cup of coffee a month…) and provide flexible ongoing support. Some artists and organizations are using these smaller payments as a way create stronger engagement, and building a group of mission advocates as well as a revenue stream. Tools like non-cash rewards or incentives can change the game, and things such as exclusive updates or communications channels can build more interest over time.  This session will cover both financial costs as well as staff/volunteer time questions, and explore how some groups are using their micro-donors to connect to larger-dollar supporters.”
Oct
25
Fri
Google Ads, Grants, and the Importance of “Conversion”  @ Mayo Civic Center
Oct 25 @ 8:00 am – 9:00 am

This presentation is part of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits Annual Conference. Registration is required to attend.

Google Grants provides up to $10,000 each month for nonprofit organizations to spend advertising in Google search. Most nonprofits don’t use the free grant, or don’t know that “conversions goals” are required to really get the attention of new potential supporters. This session will review pre- and post- Google Ads data for a smaller charity, and show how a measured goal (donation made, newsletter sign-up, advocacy action taken) can impact the overall ads program for reaching new audiences. This session will focus more on the process of selecting ad campaign words (using tools such as Google Keyword Planner), looking out for the “quality penalty” imposed by Google for ads which don’t generate clicks, and higher per-click eligibility rewards for meeting quality measures.
Steve Boland, managing partner, Next in Nonprofits

Transparency in Crisis – and Non-crisis – Communications  @ Mayo Civic Center
Oct 25 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

This event is part of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits Annual Conference. Registration is required to attend.

No organization relishes talking about challenges, but not talking about them can certainly lead to even worse results. Transparency will often prompt improved support if it is voluntary (and not coming after an ill-timed report in the local news). This case study will follow the decisions of In the Heart of The Beast Puppet and Mask Theater as it went public with a challenging set of information about their annual May Day Festival and Parade. This tiered-communications approach had to dismiss some fears, and took an investment in staff and board time to show a potential path forward without over-promising. The transparency theme need not be limited to just difficult news. A commitment to using transparency tools such as the Charities Review Council and Candid (formerly Guidestar) can create a framework for how “boring” data can increase donor engagement – even if the donor doesn’t actually read it.
Steve Boland, managing partner, Next in Nonprofits