In a previous post, we talked about how to set campaign objectives through the SMART framework. Objectives are the first component of campaign strategy; they describe the intended result or outcome of an effort. After setting online fundraising campaign objectives, how do we communicate them effectively? How do we connect people to the goals? How […]

In the summer of 2010, CauseVox launched a Pilot Program for select non-profits to use an early-stage version of its supporter-driven fundraising platform. As part of this program, a celebrity spokesman from The Blind Project created a fundraising page that led to over $20,000 in donations. This case study discusses the details of her fundraising […]

“Who do we target?” “What is our message?” “How do we set our goals? What are our goals?” These are just a few of the strategy questions that go into the planning of an online fundraising campaign. Strategy guides the campaign, presents a holistic view of issues, and cultivates a specific direction for the campaign. […]

Supporter-driven fundraising is a method of fundraising that enables a non-profit’s supporter to champion and raise funds on the non-profit’s behalf within each supporter’s personal networks. Synonyms include: peer-to-peer, distributed, and networked fundraising With supporter-driven fundraising. a non-profit’s support base is expanded past what is managed by the non-profit and into the new personal networks […]

One of the perks of creating your own business is that you get to set all the rules. At CauseVox, we dedicate a portion of our time and resources towards pro bono work. I’m in Kolkata, India to help two NGOs build up their capacity and technology. But this trip couldn’t happen without the financial […]

Technology is one of the areas that small/medium non-profits struggle with. One of the FREE upcoming programs of the Non-Profit Technology Network is a 9-week online training academy on technology. Attendees of the academy will be able to: Articulate the value of technology in their organization for themselves, funders, and other key stakeholders View technology […]

I love team building activities. My favorite, which we do every year, involves getting in teams and competing to build the tallest tower with spaghetti and marshmallows. The spaghetti is used to build height while the marshmallows are used as a glue to connect the spaghetti. The point of this activity is to discover how […]

Over ten years ago, a Kiwi family – Kerry Hilton; his wife, Annie; and their four children – moved from New Zealand to Kolkata, India to live among and serve the poor.  They settled into an apartment in a seemingly innocuous part of the city; as Kerry walked through the streets at night, however, he […]

endPoverty is an amazing non-profit in Washington D.C. that supports microfinance institutions abroad. Last year, through Synergy Ministries, I led a team in Uganda for a two-week pro-bono consulting project for one of endPoverty’s partners in Uganda.  Understanding our audience was one of the lessons our team learned to become more effective. We had spent […]

In 2007, our venture was called HelpSupport; we aimed to equip volunteers, activists and missionaries with web-based tools. We identified a problem (kinda) and started to crank out a tool, but we quickly ran into hurdles. Even after eight exhaustive months of development, a concept test, and full-time work on the project, the project quickly […]