Why You Need to Start Planning Your Year-End Fundraising Campaign Now

Ann Green database, direct mail, donation page, fundraising, gratitude, planning, year-end appeal , , , , , ,

Wow, it’s already August. And it won’t be too long until September rolls around. I know it’s hard to think about fall when it’s been sweltering for most of the summer. Even so, September will be here before you know it, and we’ll be seeing all things pumpkin spice.

If you’re doing a year-end fundraising campaign, you’ll want to start planning it now, hopefully in an air-conditioned space. You don’t want to wait too long, especially if you’re behind in your revenue goals.

I’ve put together a checklist to help you get started. You can also use this for fundraising campaigns at other times of the year.

How much money do you need to raise?

You may have already set a goal for your year-end campaign in your 2025 fundraising plan (at least I hope you did), and maybe that has changed. 

You must determine how much money you need to raise before you start your campaign and raising as much as we can is not a goal.

Do you have a campaign plan?

Put together a plan or brief for your campaign that includes a timeline, a task list that includes who will do what, and the different channels you’ll use. Make it as detailed as possible.

I strongly encourage you to mail an appeal letter. Direct mail appeals are more successful. You can also send an email appeal and follow up with email, as well. 

When do you want to launch your appeal? If you’ve experienced funding cuts and are behind in your fundraising goals, you might want to start your campaign earlier – maybe in October. Make sure your goal is to have the letters done at least a week before that, because things always take longer than you think they will. Work backwards to figure out how you can get to your proposed send date.

Keep in mind you’ll be competing with many other organizations that are doing appeals. Think about how you can make yours stand out.

Also, how are you mailing your appeal? Do you use a mail house or get staff and volunteers together to stuff envelopes? Either way, plan ahead, so you’re not scrambling at the last minute.

Do you have a good story and photo to share?

If you’ve been using the same boring, generic appeal letter template for the last few years, it’s time for a refresh. It’s a good idea to revise your templates at least once a year. Situations keep changing and usually not for the better, so you need to take that into account.

A good way to start is to create an engaging story for your appeal. What challenges are your clients/community facing? Many people are struggling right now. Focus on them, not your organization. Each year is different and this is why you need new stories.  

You’ll want some good photos for your letter and donation page, too. Quotes and testimonials from clients will also enhance your appeal.

How can your donors help you make a difference?

Your appeal letter should focus on a need and let your donors know how they can help you make a difference. You might want to start by creating an outline.

You may be seeing more people at your food pantry because of rising food costs and cuts in benefits. Maybe your clients are struggling to find affordable housing.

You can also highlight some of the accomplishments you’ve made recently and state what you would like to do in the coming year, although these are usually more appropriate for a newsletter or impact report. 

One way to frame it is to describe a situation such as this. You run a tutoring program in your community and work with students who are falling behind in school. You can describe how thanks to your generous donors, your one-to-one tutoring program has helped students get better grades and are now less likely to be held back a year. You want to keep that going and serve more students.

Remember to focus on your clients/community and don’t brag about your organization.

Are your mailing lists in good shape?

Make sure your mailing lists are up to date. Check for duplicate addresses and typos. Your donors don’t want to receive three letters at the same time or have their names misspelled. Take a little time to do some data hygiene. Give your email list some attention, too.

Also, now is a good time to segment your mailing lists – current donors, monthly donors, lapsed donors, event attendees, etc. This is so important. Your current donors are your best source of donations. You should have more success if you can personalize your appeal letters. Acknowledge if someone has donated in the past or is a monthly donor. Donors like it when you recognize them for who they are, so don’t send everyone the same appeal.

Do you have enough letterhead, envelopes, and stamps?

Don’t wait until September or October to check your supply of letterhead and envelopes. Make sure you have enough. 

Speaking of envelopes, something besides the standard white business envelope can improve your response rate. Think about using an oversized, colored, or embellished envelope. If that’s not possible, don’t use a window envelope because it resembles a bill. A general rule is that you don’t want any of your direct mail pieces to look like a bill or junk mail.

Even though many people donate online, you want to make it easy for donors who prefer to mail a check. Include a pledge envelope or a return envelope and a preprinted form with the donor’s contact information and the amount of their last gift.

Stamps are more personal, so you could find some nice ones to use. 

Is it easy to donate online?

Be sure your donation page is user-friendly and consistent with your other fundraising materials. Using a branded donation page and not a third-party site is best. Highlight your year-end appeal on your homepage and include a prominent Donate Now button.

One way to ensure a good experience is to have someone on your staff or, even better, someone outside of your organization make a donation on your website. If they want to run out of the room kicking and screaming, then you have some work to do.

Do you offer a monthly or recurring giving option?

I’m a huge fan of monthly giving. It’s a win-win for your organization. You can raise more money, boost your retention rate, receive a steady stream of revenue, and allow your donors to spread out their gifts.

If you don’t have a monthly giving program or have a small one, don’t wait any longer to start one or grow the one you have. Be sure to highlight it as a giving option.

Do you want to find a major funder who will give a matching gift?

Another good way to raise additional revenue is to find a major funder to match a portion or all of what you raise in your year-end appeal. If you want to go down this route, now would be a good time to reach out to these potential funders. 

How will you thank your donors?

Be sure to spend as much time on your thank you letter/note as you do on your appeal letter and write them at the same time. And if it’s been a while since you’ve freshened up your thank you templates, I think you know what you need to do. It’s so important to thank your donors and thank them well as soon as you receive their gifts, so have a thank you letter/note ready to go. Don’t treat thanking your donors as an afterthought.

Handwritten notes and phone calls are much better than a preprinted letter. Create or buy some thank you cards and start recruiting board members and volunteers to make thank you calls or write notes. 

You’ll want to put together a welcome plan for your new donors and that also needs to be ready to roll after the donations come in.

How will you keep up with your donor communication?

Even though you’ll be busy with your fundraising campaign, you want to ramp up your donor communication this fall. Keep engaging your donors and other supporters (who may become donors) by sharing updates and gratitude. Pour on the appreciation! 

Send at least one warm-up letter or email. I’m a big fan of postcards. You could create a thank you video or a video that gives a behind-the-scenes look at your organization. Maybe you could hold an open house or offer tours. Just don’t disappear until appeal time. 

Yes, we’re in a period of economic uncertainty. Some donors may not give as much or at all, but others will give more. They won’t give anything if you don’t ask.

There’s still plenty of time to go to the beach and get ice cream this summer, but right now find that air-conditioned space and start planning your year-end campaign.

Best of luck!

Photo by creditscoregeek.com/

Go Above and Beyond With the 5 C’s of Good Nonprofit Communication

Ann Green Communications, donor engagement, donor relations, donor-centered, fundraising, gratitude, writing , , , , , ,

A lot of nonprofit communication is mediocre at best. Is that the case for you? Don’t settle for just okay. You’ll raise more money and have better donor engagement if you can go above and beyond.

The remedy I like to recommend is the 5 C’s of good nonprofit communication. Keep these in mind when you’re writing a fundraising appeal, thank you letter, update, or any type of donor communication.  

Is it Clear?

What is your intention? What message are you sending to your donors? Are you asking for a donation, thanking them, or sharing an update? 

Whatever it is, make sure your message is clear. If you have a call to action, that needs to be clear, as well. You also want to stick to one call to action. Don’t distract your donors with too many choices. If you ask them to make a donation, volunteer, and contact their legislators in the same message, you run the risk of them not doing any of those.

You want your message to produce results. Plain and simple, your fundraising appeal should have a prominent ask and entice someone to donate. Your thank you letter should thank your donors (no bragging or explaining what your organization does), and make them feel good about donating.

Use language your donors will understand (no jargon). Avoid terms like food insecurity and underserved communities. Just because something is clear to you, doesn’t mean it will be clear to others. 

Is it Concise?

Can you say more with less? Eliminate any unnecessary adverbs, adjectives, and filler. Make your point right away. Concise writing doesn’t mean you need to be terse or all your print communication has to be one page. Sometimes it will need to be longer, but the same rules apply. 

Nonprofit organizations like to pack a lot of information into their monthly/quarterly newsletters and impact reports, but many donors won’t read something if it looks like it will be too long. 

Shorter, more frequent communication is better. This applies to the example I gave above about not putting more than one call to action in a message. You’ll have better results if you send separate messages for each call to action.

Also, most people skim, so use short paragraphs and lots of white space, especially for electronic communication.

Make all your words count.

Is it Conversational?

Write as if you’re having a conversation with a friend and be personable. Use the second person – where you refer to your donors as you and your organization as we. Remember to use you much more than we. 

Avoid using jargon, clichés, multi-syllable words, and the passive voice. Is that the way you talk to your friends? I hope not.

You may think you’re impressing your donors by using jargon and big words, but most likely you’re confusing them or even worse, alienating them. Connect with your donors by using language they’ll understand.

Is it Compelling?

Is whatever you’re writing going to capture someone’s attention right away and keep them interested? The average human attention span is eight seconds, so the odds are stacked against you. It’s an understatement that there’s a lot of stuff competing for our attention right now. If you can’t stand out, your donors are going to move on to something else.

Start with a good opening sentence. Leading with a question is often good. Stories are also great. 

Put a human face on your stories and keep statistics to a minimum. Start a fundraising appeal with an engaging story that leads to a call to action.

Are you establishing a connection?

Donors are drawn to your organization because they feel a connection to your cause. You also need to establish a connection with them. You can start by segmenting your donors by different types, such as new donors, current donors, and monthly donors. 

Get to know your donors better and give them content you know they’ll be interested in. Hint – it’s not bragging about your organization. They want to know how they’re helping you make a difference for your clients/community. They also want to feel appreciated. Focus on building and sustaining relationships.

Go above and beyond and improve your donor communication by practicing the 5 C’s.

6 Unique Volunteer Opportunities to Offer Supporters

Ann Green fundraising, in-kind donations, planning, volunteers , , ,

Volunteer opportunities come in all shapes and sizes, and unique positions can keep your supporter community engaged. Discover these six unique volunteer roles.

By Kyle Payton

Volunteers make the nonprofit world go round. From helping out on mission-related projects to participating in fundraisers and making sure events run smoothly, volunteers lend their time and energy to see a wide range of tasks to completion. 

While many volunteers are happy to lend a hand to important but run-of-the-mill opportunities, others might be intrigued by more unique offerings. While volunteer roles vary from nonprofit to nonprofit — after all, a thrift store, healthcare organization, and animal shelter likely all have very different offerings — there may be opportunities to provide new and interesting roles at your organization. 

To keep your nonprofit’s volunteer program lively and accessible to all supporters, consider whether you can offer unique volunteer opportunities like these:

1. Remote positions. 

Double the Donation’s volunteer statistics report found that 49% of individuals feel that work obligations are their biggest obstacle to volunteering. For potential volunteers with a typical 9-5 schedule, heading to your volunteer site after a long day at work is the last thing on their minds. 

Fortunately, you can engage these would-be volunteers by enabling them to volunteer remotely. This way, they can volunteer whenever it’s most convenient for them from the comfort of their own homes. Plus, by taking volunteering online, your nonprofit can provide a range of unique virtual opportunities. 

For example, environmental and research-based nonprofits engage thousands of volunteers through initiatives like Zooniverse, where online volunteers are encouraged to catalogue as many photographs and audio samples as they desire. If your nonprofit has vast data sets that can’t easily be analyzed by automated tools, consider setting up a similar online volunteer offering for your supporters. 

Additionally, volunteers can help out online in a variety of more typical but still useful ways. For instance, they might help clean up your database and mailing lists by identifying duplicate and outdated information or chip in to help your marketing campaign by creating copy and images remotely, then sharing the finished assets with your team.

2. Translation. 

The more audiences your nonprofit can reach, the more donors you can engage and constituents you can serve. Volunteers with translation skills can lend their talents by translating a range of your nonprofit’s key documents into other languages. For instance, you might ask volunteers to translate:

  • Your website, focusing specifically on core pages like your homepage, contact information, and services pages
  • Program information documents that explain what services you offer and how individuals can seek help or enroll in programs
  • Outreach materials, ranging from your email newsletter to social media posts to video transcripts

While some nonprofits rely on automatic or machine translations, these often have errors or lack the nuances that a human translator will pick up on, making these volunteers invaluable. If your nonprofit serves multilingual communities, a translator can help connect with new constituents and supporters in a way they can understand, helping build trust. 

3. Donation organizer and cataloguer.

In-kind donations keep many types of nonprofits going, from homeless shelters to thrift stores. However, after you collect donations, you’ll need someone to sort through what you received and catalogue it. 

Volunteers managing in-kind donations need to:

  • Catalogue all items by writing a detailed description that explains what the item is and what condition it’s in.
  • Enter items into your database — this will likely be an inventory management system where your nonprofit keeps track of supplies.
  • Communicate with donors, such as confirming their donation was received, thanking them for their donation, informing them when their donation receipt will be available, and answering any questions they may have.

When it comes to accepting in-kind donations, some steps in this process might require unique skills. For instance, to properly issue donation receipts, you’ll need to calculate the fair market value of the items donated. Nonprofits that run thrift stores might receive rare, unique, and high-value items that only a specialist can properly appraise.

4. Peer-to-peer fundraiser. 

Hosting fundraisers that cut through the noise of daily life can be a challenge. However, while it’s easy to overlook a fundraising request from a nonprofit you’ve never heard of, you’re far more likely to open a message from a friend discussing a cause they feel passionate about. 

Peer-to-peer volunteers fundraise on your nonprofit’s behalf. All your nonprofit needs to do is set them up with an individual fundraising page. Then, the volunteer reaches out to their friends, family, and followers to facilitate donations from individuals your nonprofit might not have otherwise ever contacted. 

5. Greeter or tour guide. 

Volunteers do a lot of work behind the scenes, but they can play an important role in presenting your nonprofit to the general public. Sociable, energetic volunteers can be the face of your nonprofit by serving as greeters and tour guides. 

To get the volunteers up to speed and ensure they present your nonprofit in the right light, be sure to:

  • Recruit individuals with people skills. All volunteer roles require their own unique skill sets, and any position that involves interacting with the public requires friendliness and patience in addition to listening, conflict de-escalation, and leadership skills. 
  • Conduct training. Greeters and tour guides are expected to be knowledgeable about the ins and outs of your nonprofit. While you can’t train for every possible situation, conduct onboarding so volunteers know what their responsibilities include and have a strong understanding of your nonprofit and its mission. 
  • Provide expectation guidelines. As they are the faces of your nonprofit, implement guidelines for how these volunteers are expected to behave and represent your organization. For example, you might have a dress code for greeters and a uniform for tour guides. 

Greeters, tour guides, and other public-facing roles are tasked with creating a positive supporter experience for your audience. Ensure they have the tools to help your organization make a good impression, build connections, and encourage future engagement. 

6. Donation drive coordinator.

Some of your experienced volunteers might be looking for a bit more responsibility, and you can provide it by giving them the tools and support they need to run donation drives on your behalf. In-kind donation drives are often mass collaborations between your nonprofit and a range of organizations, so having individuals step up to build those connections can be invaluable. 

Donation drive coordinators will do everything from reaching out to businesses and other organizations in your community to marketing your drive to overseeing and retrieving items from your donation drop-off sites. 

ThriftCart’s guide to inventory management advises nonprofits to use collection bins, which can be branded to your organization, so supporters know exactly who they’re donating to. Your volunteers will then need to frequently check these bins to collect donations and ensure the bins and their surrounding areas remain clean and organized.

Volunteers can accomplish a wide range of odd jobs around your nonprofit that are vital for your organization’s continued success. Promote unique roles and recruit more volunteers by listing interesting opportunities on your website and letting your base of recurring volunteers know whenever any out-of-the-ordinary positions come up. 

Kyle Payton is the general manager of ThriftCart, an all-in-one point-of-sale product assisting nonprofits and small businesses in navigating the complexities of retail.


Don’t Take a Vacation from Your Donor Communication

Ann Green Communications, direct mail, donor engagement, donor relations, donor-centered, gratitude , , , , ,

It’s summer! I hope you’ll get a chance to take a vacation or just some time off. It may be quieter at your nonprofit, or maybe it isn’t considering everything that’s going on, especially in the U.S. Either way, you don’t want to be too quiet and ignore your donors. Summer is a great time to do some relationship building. 

You should communicate with your donors at least once a month and that includes the summer months. Don’t make the mistake of taking a vacation from your donor communication. Continuing to stay in touch with your donors will help you when you launch your fall fundraising campaign. 

Maybe this sounds impossible, especially if you’re a small organization and worried about your finances, but you can do this!

Here are a few ways you can connect with your donors this summer, as well as throughout the year, and build those important relationships. 

Brighten your donor’s day with a handwritten thank you card

Nonprofit organizations don’t thank their donors enough. You don’t need a reason to thank your donors. Just do it and do it often. You’ll stand out if you do.

This is a good time to do something personal, such as sending a handwritten thank you card. Pour on the gratitude and let your donors know how much you appreciate them.

You only need to write a few sentences, but make it warm and friendly. Think of it as having a conversation with a friend. Get board members and other volunteers to pitch in and help. You could also have a client/beneficiary write thank you notes.

Send a postcard

It used to be fairly common for people to send postcards when they went on vacation. I don’t know how many people still do that, although I always enjoy receiving them.

Postcards are a great way to connect with your donors. Communicating by mail is more effective than electronic communication. I know mail is expensive, but a postcard shouldn’t cost too much. Your donors are also more likely to see your messages if you send them by mail. 

You can say thank you, share an update, or a combination of both. Besides feeling appreciated, donors also like to hear how their gift is making a difference. You could consider an infographic postcard.

Sending something by mail is an investment that could pay off if your postcard (or handwritten card) entices a donor to give again and possibly upgrade.

Email and social media are okay, too.

While it’s important to stay in touch once a month, it may not be possible to use direct mail that much. You can also use email and social media. Email has an advantage here because you can personalize your messages and the engagement levels are better, although not as good as direct mail. The downside is people get a ton of email and social media messages, so make yours stand out.

You could send your donors a thank you photo or video. Maybe you already do a monthly e-newsletter. Spruce it up a little. You could even make it shorter. Share a story that lets your donors know how they’re helping you make a difference for your clients/community.

You don’t need anything fancy and make it easy for yourself by keeping it simple. There are so many ways to thank your donors and share an update. It’s okay to have a little fun and get creative. It’s summer, after all. It could also be a nice distraction from all the chaos and uncertainty going on right now.

Get donors involved

I know we’re facing a lot of economic uncertainty, but donors want to help if they can. 

Will certain policies or funding cuts affect your organization? Most likely, the answer is yes.

Share ways your donors can help – perhaps by contacting their legislators, volunteering, or making a donation.

I’m a big fan of advocacy alerts. They can be a great way for people to engage with your organization. Be sure to thank participants and keep them updated on any outcomes.

When all levels of government make funding cuts or policy changes, the need in the community grows, which puts more burden on nonprofit organizations. Remember, some donors will step up and help, if they can. 

Make room for improvement and plan ahead

Summer can be a good time to make improvements in your existing communication. Spend time finding some engaging stories and photos for your newsletters and other updates. This is also a good time to warm up your donors for your fall campaign.

Start working on your appeal and thank you letters for your next campaign. Make sure they focus on building relationships and are donor-centered. Segment your donors by different types – new, renewing, monthly, etc.  Also, make sure your CRM/database is up to date.

If you’re feeling pinched financially, I recommend starting your fall campaign earlier, maybe in September or October. Many nonprofits run year-end campaigns. The earlier you start, the less likely you’ll compete with an onslaught of appeals. 

You could try a summer campaign if you’ve experienced a big cut in funding, although summer generally isn’t the best time for a fundraising campaign. You could, however, try to raise some additional revenue by inviting current donors to join your family of monthly donors and reaching out to your lapsed donors.

For now, keep relationship building front and center. Keep communicating with your donors. They want to hear from you. Don’t take a vacation from your donor communication.

Make it Easier for Your Nonprofit and Your Donors by Keeping Things Simple

Ann Green Communications, donor engagement, donor relations, planning, writing , , , ,

Over the years, I’ve realized the importance of keeping things simple. This is even more important now during this time of chaos and uncertainty. I’m sure you’re experiencing those both professionally and personally. I often find pleasure in simple things such as taking a walk, reading (I’ve found the Thursday Murder Club series to be a nice escape right now), and doing yoga.

Keeping it simple doesn’t have to mean a bare-bones existence. There’s a Swedish term called lagom meaning everything in moderation or not too much, not too little. Or think of Goldilocks and choose what’s “just right.” This can apply to how much information we take in about everything that’s happening in the world. You want enough information to know what’s going on, but not too much that it’s overwhelming. Also, it’s not good for your brain to multitask. 

Keeping things simple is important for your nonprofit organization, too. I know this is a tough time, especially if you’ve experienced funding cuts and your revenue is down. Maybe you’re short-staffed and struggling to get things done.

Even so, you need to continue to raise money and communicate regularly with your donors, while not taking on too much. Donors are also navigating these uncertain situations, but they want to help if they can and they want to hear from you. What they don’t want is a lot of complex content and too much information.

Here are a few ways to simplify your donor communication without making it too difficult for you.

Keep it simple by planning ahead

If communicating regularly with your donors sounds overwhelming, plan ahead by using a communications calendar. You should be in touch every one to two weeks, if possible. Otherwise, aim for once a month. Fill your calendar with different ways to do that and update it as needed. A good rule of thumb is – ask, thank, report, repeat. And, as I mention below, you can keep it simple with shorter communication.

Keep it simple by sticking to one call to action

Your communication needs to be clear. Before you send an email message or letter, ask what is your intention?  Is it to ask for a donation, say thank you, or send an update?

Stick to one call to action. Suppose you send a message that includes requests for a donation, volunteers, and for people to contact their legislators. It’s likely your donors won’t respond to all of your requests and may not respond to any of them. Send separate messages for each request. 

You’ll also have better results if you send your messages to the right audience. For example, if you’re looking for volunteers for an event, reach out to past volunteers and ask them to bring a friend, as opposed to sending a message to everyone on your mailing list. This way you won’t be subjecting people to messages that may not be relevant to them.

In your fundraising appeals, don’t bury your ask. You can start with a story, followed by a clear, prominent ask. Recognize your reader. Thank previous donors and invite potential donors to be a part of your family of donors.

Your thank you letter or email should thank the donor. Sounds simple, right? Make them feel good about giving to your organization. Welcome new donors and welcome back returning donors. You don’t need a lot of wordy text explaining what your organization does.

Keep your messages simple, yet sincere, and include a clear call to action.

Keep it simple with shorter, easy-to-read messages

Plain and simple if your communication is too long, most people won’t read it. 

Limit print communication, such as newsletters and impact reports, to four pages or less. Your email messages should be just a few paragraphs. On the other hand, you don’t want to be terse or say too little.

“I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.” Mark Twain

Be sure your communication is easy to read and scan. Use short paragraphs, especially for electronic communication, and include lots of white space. Don’t clutter up the page. Use at least a 12-point font with dark type on a light background – basic black on white is best.

Keep it simple by using conversational language

I find it annoying when I read an appeal letter or newsletter article that sounds like a Ph.D. thesis. Write at a sixth to eighth-grade level. That’s what most major newspapers do. This is not dumbing down. You’re smartening up by ensuring your donors will understand you. There are programs out there that can help you determine the reading level of your content. Plus, you can raise more money if your messages are easy to read.

Keep out jargon and other confusing language. Instead of saying something like – We’re helping underserved communities who are experiencing food insecurity, say  – Thanks to donors like you, we can serve more families at the Northside Community Food Pantry. 

We’re seeing real people being affected by real problems. Don’t diminish this with jargon and other vague language.

Use the active voice and there’s no need to get fancy by using a lot of SAT vocabulary words. Again, you want your donors to understand you.

Keep it simple by creating a clutter-free website

Your website is still a place where people will go to get information. Make sure it’s clear, clutter-free, and easy to read and navigate. Don’t forget about short paragraphs and lots of white space.

One of the most important parts of your website is your donation page. It needs to be easy to use and collect enough information without overwhelming your donors. If it’s too cumbersome, they may give up and leave. What’s known as form abandonment can happen on other web pages, too.

If it’s a branded donation page (e.g. not a third-party site), make sure it’s consistent with your messaging and look. Don’t go too minimalistic, though. Include a short description of how a donor’s gift will help you make a difference, as well as an engaging photo.

Make it easier for your nonprofit and your donors by keeping things simple.

How Is Your Nonprofit Doing This Year, and How You Can Make Improvements If You’re Behind In Your Goals

Ann Green Communications, donor engagement, fundraising, gratitude, planning , , , ,

It’s hard to believe we’re halfway through 2025. It’s been a tumultuous year so far, especially in the U.S. The midpoint of the year is a good time to see if you’re meeting your fundraising and communications goals. For this post, I’m assuming your fiscal year is the same as the calendar year. If you’re on a different fiscal cycle, you can make the appropriate time adjustments.

Your fundraising revenue may be down. You might have lost some federal funding, and cuts in federal funding can trickle down to the state and local levels.

Yes, we’re in an uncertain economy, but that doesn’t mean you should stop fundraising. Never stop fundraising! Donors will give if they can.

You may need to make some changes to your fundraising plan and other goals. And, if you never made a fundraising plan for this year, stop right there and put one together now and use it for the remainder of the year. Always have a plan.

Take a look at what’s working and what’s not. It will be different for every organization. If you’re doing okay, keep it up, although your circumstances could change. If you’re falling short, figure out where you need to make changes.

If you’re relying too much on grants and events, and those aren’t bringing in the revenue you need, focus more on individual giving. Many nonprofits raise the most money from individual giving. Summer is usually a less busy time for nonprofits. Take advantage of that with these suggestions to help you stay on track this year.

Start or enhance your monthly giving program

Monthly giving is doable for all sizes of nonprofit organizations, even small ones. It’s a great way to raise more money, as well as your donor retention rate. Retention rates for monthly donors are much better than other retention rates. You’ll have a steady stream of income and it may be more feasible for your donors, especially if they’re feeling pinched financially. It’s also one of the few types of fundraising that’s growing right now.

If you don’t have a monthly giving program, start one now. To get more monthly donors, send a special targeted letter to current donors inviting them to become monthly donors. This is a good opportunity to upgrade smaller dollar donors, or any donors for that matter.

Small gifts of $5 or $10 a month can make a difference. You could also get larger gifts of $10 or $20 a month. Again, this can be more appealing than giving a bigger sum all at once.

Also, do something special for your current monthly donors. Send them a thank you postcard or email. They’ve made a commitment to you – now make a commitment to them.

I’ve always been a big fan of monthly giving, even more so over the last few years. They’re one of your most committed donor groups. 

Having a strong monthly giving program is going to be a big help if you’re worried about meeting your fundraising goals.

Get in touch with your lapsed donors

This could be a good time to reach out to donors who haven’t given for a year or two. There are many reasons for that. Maybe they can’t afford to give right now. Maybe you’re doing a poor job with your donor communication. Maybe they were busy and forgot. Send them an engaging, personal appeal saying how much you’ve appreciated their support, state your need, and ask them to give a gift.

Don’t assume donors aren’t going to give right now.  Although if you hear from a donor who says they can’t give at this time, respect that. Most likely, your need is growing, and remember, many donors will help if they can. 

Look into higher levels of giving

Another advantage of monthly giving is that these donors are more likely to become mid-level and major donors. Starting a major gift program will take time, but it’s doable even for small organizations. Look into starting one soon. Organizations with strong major gift programs tend to do better financially. 

Ramp up your donor engagement

Since summer is usually a slower time for fundraising, it’s a good time to show some donor appreciation and plan for fall. Don’t disappear over the summer.

Some donors will pull back on their giving, but that doesn’t mean ghosting them. Keep engaging with them to help ensure they’ll give again, if they can. Remember the ask, thank, report, repeat formula, with a focus on thanking and reporting. 

Make improvements to your donor communication

Many nonprofits can do a better job of communicating with their donors. Are you one of them?  Look at metrics such as website visits and email open rates. I know these don’t always tell the whole story, but if you’re not seeing a lot of engagement, figure out why.

Often, it’s because your content isn’t great or it’s too long. Maybe it’s layout and design. You could also be targeting the wrong audience. Summer is a good time to make some changes. Do a marketing audit to see where you’re falling short.

It’s not too late, yet

If you’re falling behind in your goals, you still have time to do better, but you need to make an effort.

Be sure to keep evaluating your progress for the rest of the year. Remember, even if you’re doing okay now, circumstances can change. I would recommend monitoring your progress more frequently (once a month instead of once a quarter) so you can try to stay on track. You don’t want to get caught off guard. 

Keep monitoring your progress to help ensure a successful year.

Event Ideas to Strengthen Donor-Beneficiary Relationships

Ann Green donor engagement, donor relations, events, fundraising, gratitude, stories , , , , ,

Explore top event ideas to strengthen relationships between donors and beneficiaries, enhance engagement, and maximize fundraising success for your nonprofit.

By Jen Wemhoff

Nonprofit fundraising is about more than just dollars—it’s about connections. Strong relationships between donors and beneficiaries can deepen donor engagement, build trust, and generate more meaningful support for your organization’s mission. For smaller nonprofits, these relationships are incredibly powerful. They humanize your work, turn statistics into human-driven stories, and can help transform one-time donors into long-term supporters.

When donors have the opportunity to see and hear the real-world impact of their giving and meet the people whose lives have been changed because of their contributions, it cultivates a deeper sense of purpose. One of the most effective ways to do this is through events that bring donors and beneficiaries together in intentional ways. Here are four event ideas that can help your nonprofit foster deeper connections between donors and the people they’re helping.

1. Charity Golf Tournament

A charity golf tournament offers a relaxed setting centered around an enjoyable event where meaningful conversations and connections happen naturally. Unlike more structured events, golf tournaments provide plenty of downtime between holes and during post-golf activities like a cocktail hour, reception, or banquet, which provides an organic interaction between donors, beneficiaries, volunteers, and staff. 

Why It Works:

  • Participation opportunities for beneficiaries. Invite beneficiaries to join foursomes or serve as event speakers. Their presence adds authenticity and helps donors connect their support to real stories.
  • Informal setting. The laid-back nature of the day encourages casual, authentic conversations that can’t be achieved with a formal program. 
  • Multi-purpose. You can integrate storytelling, donor recognition, and fundraising opportunities into one event.

Golf Tournament Pro Tips:

  • GolfStatus recommends getting creative by adding a theme to your tournament that helps drive home your mission to participants. 
  • Invite a beneficiary to share their story during opening remarks or the awards ceremony. 
  • Set up a casual “Meet and Greet” session over breakfast or lunch before the tournament begins or over drinks and appetizers after the round finishes, where donors and beneficiaries can connect.
  • Add additional fundraising elements like a raffle with items or experiences tied to your mission to spotlight beneficiary needs or milestones.

2. Storytelling Event

Storytelling events, whether hosted in person or online, center on experiences. Beneficiaries share their personal journeys, and donors see the direct results of their support. Both groups get to witness the people behind the mission.

Why It Works:

  • Emotional connection to your nonprofit. Stories humanize your work in ways that data and numbers simply can’t. Hearing someone describe how a program changed their life is more powerful than any campaign report.
  • Clarity and transparency. When donors hear directly from organizational beneficiaries, it reinforces your mission and impact in a tangible, memorable way. 
  • Flexibility. A storytelling event allows you to choose how and when to hold it. You might fold it into another event (like your golf tournament) or host a series of online sessions once a month.

Storytelling Events Pro Tips:

  • Use video, photos, and music to amplify the emotional impact of the beneficiary stories and your mission. 
  • Tie each story to a specific call to action, such as making a donation, volunteering to help with an event or initiative, or participating in an advocacy effort. 
  • To foster meaningful connections, make the event as interactive as possible. Offer live Q&A, breakout rooms, or discussion prompts to allow donors and beneficiaries to talk directly with one another.

3. Community Dinner or Picnic

Want a high-impact way to bring people together? Host a casual community dinner or picnic. These types of relaxed events invite people to gather together in a friendly, informal atmosphere to forge genuine connections and relationships. 

Why It Works:

  • Authenticity. A potluck or BBQ can feel more like a family reunion than a fundraising event. That kind of setting opens the door to real, heartfelt conversations.
  • Accessibility. These events are typically less expensive than a formal gala or corporate gathering, and are easy to host at a local park, community center, or even someone’s backyard.

Community Dinner Pro Tips:

  • Create a “meet the beneficiary” table or booth where willing beneficiaries can chat with attendees and share their experiences.
  • Include a special “thank you” segment at the dinner where beneficiaries personally express appreciation to donors. This could be as simple as a few brief testimonials or even thank-you cards distributed at tables.

4. Workshop or Educational Panel

Consider hosting a workshop, discussion panel, conference session, or series of open-table conversations where donors and beneficiaries participate. Center the discussions around topics relevant to your nonprofit’s mission and work, allowing both groups to engage with and learn from each other.

Why It Works:

  • Shared learning. These types of sessions position donors and beneficiaries as co-learners, fostering empathy, respect, and shared purpose of your organization’s mission.
  • Dialogue and insight. Donors hear firsthand about lived experiences from those who have benefited from the nonprofit’s services, and beneficiaries gain visibility and confidence by sharing their story and letting their voices be heard.

Discussion Event Pro Tips:

  • Choose discussion topics that matter to both audiences. You might invite representatives from each group to collaborate on designing the agenda and topics.
  • Use a skilled moderator to guide the discussion and ensure equal participation from both donors and beneficiaries. 
  • Consider hands-on workshops where beneficiaries and donors collaborate. For example, you might offer a session on financial literacy or resume writing led by a donor with expertise in those areas, which gives donors the chance to learn more about a beneficiary’s journey. 

Final Thoughts

You don’t need a huge staff or a big budget to pull off events like those mentioned in this guide. Think about strategic ways to stretch your resources, such as:

  • Leveraging partnerships. Tap into community organizations, schools, or local businesses that might donate space, catering, or supplies in exchange for recognition.
  • Securing sponsorships. Local businesses are often willing to sponsor nonprofit fundraising events, especially when they earn positive brand exposure and appreciate the community impact.
  • Aligning with corporate social responsibility goals. Reach out to companies already committed to giving back through corporate social responsibility initiatives.

The key to meaningful donor engagement isn’t just showing impact—it’s creating opportunities for donors to feel it firsthand. When donors and beneficiaries connect, it dissolves the distance between giving and receiving. For smaller nonprofits, these events are more than just good ideas, they can be powerful tools for transformation. So, whether it’s on the golf course, around a picnic table, or inside a community hall, start planning your next event with relationships in mind!

Jen Wemhoff came to GolfStatus in 2020 after 20 years in the nonprofit industry. Her favorite things about golf are its ability to bring people together and its capacity to raise money for important causes, and she is one of the co-founders of the Putt Putt Fore Puppies mini golf tournament. She can be found listening to the Interstellar soundtrack while writing content for GolfStatus’ educational guides, templates, blogs, case studies, webinars, and more. She likes to brag about sinking a 25-foot putt at Victoria National Golf Club during her first round of golf in years. Jen and her husband, Mark, have two daughters, Anna and Elsa (who are not named for the movie Frozen), and love to cheer on the Kansas City Chiefs and Nebraska Cornhuskers. 


Why Your Audience Needs to Understand You

Ann Green Communications, donor engagement, donor relations, donor-centered, writing , , , ,

One of the most important aspects of communication (written and verbal) is to make sure your audience understands you. There are many reasons this doesn’t happen. In nonprofit communication, organizations will overcomplicate things or use jargon and other language donors don’t understand. Some people like to show off their large vocabulary or only think about things from their perspective.

The problem is that if your audience doesn’t understand you, you can’t connect with them. You may have trouble convincing them to take action, such as making a donation.

Remember, you are not your audience and you need to keep them in mind when you communicate with them. Here’s what you need to do to make sure your audience understands you.

Write at a sixth to eighth-grade level

This is not dumbing down. You’re smartening up so you can ensure your donors will understand you.

I find it annoying if I come across a word I don’t understand and have to look it up. I have a pretty good vocabulary but wonder why the writer didn’t use a more understandable word. Some people might not bother to look something up and then won’t know what you’re trying to convey.

Maybe we’re going back to our school days when we were encouraged to use all those big vocabulary words we studied or write lengthy, complex essays.

A readability tool, such as Flesch Kincaid, can help you with this.

Go easy on the jargon

One of the biggest culprits here is using jargon. Over the last several years, we’ve seen many examples of real problems affecting real people. We’ve also seen more authenticity. Yet, some nonprofit organizations still use jargon in their donor communication.

They may be using the same boring templates they’ve used for years or they’re so used to some of these terms that they don’t realize these words fall flat with their donors. I think people use jargon because it’s insider language that makes them feel like they’re “in the know” in their professional community. It’s easy to slip into jargon mode in your work environment. But the danger comes when jargon creeps outside of your insular world and into your donor communication.

Sometimes we get lazy and use jargon when we can’t think of anything fresh and original. Instead, you see appeal letters, thank you letters, newsletter articles, and impact reports laced with cringeworthy terms such as food insecurity, at-risk youth, and underserved communities. While your donors may know what some of these terms mean, they’re vague, impersonal, and can come across as demeaning.

How to break free from your jargon

You may know you need to freshen up some of your messages but aren’t sure how to start. 

Sometimes you need to give a little more information. Let’s look at these problem terms and what you can say instead. You may use some of these terms internally and they might be in your mission statement, but please try to limit them when you communicate with your donors.

  • Food insecurity The USDA defines it as “a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food.” Wow, that’s a mouthful! I’ve never liked the term food insecurity because it’s so impersonal. We hear this term often because it continues to be a problem and is likely to get worse. Let’s go a step further and put it in human terms by describing a situation where a single mother has to choose between buying groceries and paying the heating bill.
  • At-risk means there’s a possibility something bad will happen. Instead of just saying at-risk students or youth, tell a story or give specific examples of something bad that could happen or has happened. Our tutoring program works with high school students who are more likely to fail their classes, be held back, and drop out of school. Remote learning didn’t work for many of the students in our community and they’re still struggling to catch up. 
  • Underserved means not receiving adequate help or services. Instead of saying we work with underserved communities, explain what types of services these residents don’t receive. Maybe it’s healthcare, affordable housing, decent preschool education, or all of the above. Tell a story or give a specific example. Tina has to take two buses to see a doctor for her diabetes because there isn’t a good healthcare facility in her community. She often feels depleted after these trips, so sometimes she skips her appointments.

Another way to help you transition from jargon to understandable language is to stop using it in your work environment. That means at staff meetings and in interoffice written communication. Maybe you go so far as to rewrite your mission statement to make it more conversational. And telling staff and board members to recite your mission statement as an elevator pitch is a bad idea unless you can make it conversational.

It’s important for you to take time to break free from your jargon to ensure your donors will understand you. Write as if you’re having a conversation with a friend.

Tell a story

This is why stories are so important. You can get beyond that vague, impersonal language and jargon to let your donors see firsthand how they’re helping you make a difference for your clients/community.

Visualize your reader 

Donor or audience personas can be useful on many levels. How much do you know about your donors? The average age of a donor is 64. That’s something to take into account. So is what drew them to your organization.

I always like to use this analogy. Imagine you’re at a family gathering and you’re explaining what your organization does to your 75-year-old Aunt Shirley, or maybe it’s Uncle Ted. Does she look confused and uninterested when you use terms like underserved and at-risk, or does he perk up and want you to tell him more when you mention you’ve been able to help homeless families move out of shelters and into their own homes?

You can go one step further and ask a friend or family member (maybe Aunt Shirley) to look at some of your messages. Remember, what’s clear to you may not be clear to others.

Always take into account who’s reading your fundraising letter or other type of communication. Most likely, your donors don’t have a medical or social services background. They also don’t have a lot of time to look up something they don’t understand. 

What they do want is a personal connection and to be able to understand you.

Connect With Your Donors by Sending Them a Postcard

Ann Green Communications, direct mail, donor engagement, donor relations, donor-centered, gratitude, impact report , , , , , ,

Some of you may remember when people sent postcards when they went on vacation, especially back in the days before email and social media. Now people are more likely to post pictures on social media, sometimes posting more than you want to see. 

We don’t use postal mail as much anymore and many nonprofits are a part of that group. This is a mistake. Direct mail is more personal and your donors are more likely to see something they receive in the mail, as opposed to any type of electronic message you send. Plus, people never get nearly as much mail as they do email and social media messages. Electronic communication is good, but communicating by mail is better.

I’m a big fan of communicating by mail and believe nonprofits should communicate by mail more often than they do. Now you might say – “But mail is too expensive. So is printing something. We have a small staff and barely have time to get anything done.” I understand all that. I know direct mail can be expensive and putting together a mailing takes more time, but it’s an investment that can help you raise more money.

One way to mail that shouldn’t cost too much is to use postcards. First, you can probably do them in house. Also, if you do it well, it’s a quick, easy way to capture your donor’s attention right away. Creating a postcard will be less expensive than something like a four-page newsletter or impact report. Donors have a lot going on and don’t want to be bombarded with too much information. 

Direct mail is a proven way to communicate and engage. I encourage you to give postcards a try. Landscaping companies, realtors, and political candidates all use postcards, and so should you. With summer coming up (yea!), it’s a great way to stay in touch, and maybe even brighten your donor’s day. Here are a few ways you can engage with your donors by using postcards.

Say thank you

Never miss an opportunity to thank your donors and a quick, easy way to show gratitude is with a postcard.

Create a postcard with a thank you photo, image, or word cloud. The best option is to create a card with enough space so you can include a handwritten note. If that’s not possible, then create one with a pre-printed message.

Let your donors know how their gifts are helping you make a difference for your clients/community and that you can’t do your work without them. 

Send a thank you postcard between one of your fundraising campaigns, so your donors know you’re thinking about them. Another idea is to send one as a warm-up before a campaign.

Ideally, you should be thanking your donors at least once a month. Many organizations don’t mail any type of thank you card, so you’ll stand out if you do.

Share an update

A postcard can be a good way to share an update with your donors. You could make an infographic to give them a quick glance at some of your progress. Some organizations use oversized postcards for their impact/annual report. 

Some infographics just show a bunch of numbers, and numbers don’t mean that much without knowing why something is important. For example, instead of just listing the number of people visiting your food pantry, let your donors know you’re seeing higher numbers because families are having trouble making ends meet since groceries are so expensive.

Other ways to use postcards

You could send a postcard wishing your donors a Happy Thanksgiving or Happy Holidays. Another option is a donor’s anniversary or their birthday, if you keep track of that.

You can also use a postcard for fundraising. While not as effective as a direct mail package (letter, reply envelope, etc.), it can be used as a heads-up for a campaign or a reminder. You could include a QR code and a website link so your donors can easily make a gift or get more information.

Postcards are good for a Save the Date for an event. You could also use one for an informal event.

What to keep in mind

Your postcard needs to capture your donor’s attention right away. It needs to be visual and not include a lot of text (but not just numbers). The text you do include needs to be engaging, conversational, and donor-centered. Examples could include Thank You, Because of you, or Look what you helped us do. Don’t be afraid to get a little creative by using shaped printing. 

Yes, communicating by mail costs more, but it can pay off if you create something more personal that your donors will see. Whether you’re saying thank you, sharing an update, or a combination of both, connect with your donors by sending them a postcard.

How to Use Your Website to Promote Your Nonprofit Online

Ann Green donor engagement, donor retention, marketing, planning, website , , , ,

Whether you’re setting up your website or improving an existing one, explore best practices for promoting your nonprofit online effectively in this guide.

By Carl Diesing

Your website is an essential tool in your online marketing kit. It serves as the foundation of your digital strategy by providing a place for any individual to find the information they seek about your nonprofit, whether that’s your mission statement, impact on beneficiaries, how to donate, or volunteer sign-up forms.

As a small nonprofit, you may have created a website but not had the bandwidth to flesh it out and optimize it fully. Or, you may not have dedicated marketing professionals on your staff, leading to confusion over how best to handle your website marketing efforts.

Whether you’re just setting up your website or wanting to improve your existing one, here are four best practices to implement on your website to effectively promote your nonprofit online.

1. Create all the important pages you need.

If you’re just starting your website, you might feel overwhelmed with how many pages you need to set up. However, it all boils down to the essential information that web visitors might want when they land on your website.

To meet those needs, start with these key pages:

  • About
  • Mission/Values
  • Donate
  • Volunteer

If you’ve already created these pages, start your website refresh with some spring cleaning. Look through your existing website and check that all your pages are updated and accurate. As nonprofits grow and change, their missions and audiences evolve, requiring adjustments to marketing materials like your website to ensure you deliver a consistent message to your supporters.

Later on, when your nonprofit has the time and resources, you can expand your website by adding other important pages like the ones below:

  • History
  • Our Team
  • Financials
  • Events/Calendar
  • Resources/Blog
  • Online Shop

Your cause may also impact the additional pages you should add or build. For example, a food bank might create a dedicated in-kind donation page listing all the specific food items they’re running low on and what they would like donated. Or, a nonprofit aquarium might have a page highlighting its standout exhibits and animals.

2. Make navigation simple and intuitive.

It’s not enough to simply create the pages web visitors are looking for—you must make it easy for supporters to explore those pages. To do that, prioritize simple and intuitive navigation that boosts the user experience. You can achieve that with the following strategies:

  • Keep menu structure simple: Limit the items in your navigation menu by only adding essential pages. Make sure that each page is labeled in an easy-to-understand and concise way.
  • Organize information logically: If your navigation menu has many items in it, you may benefit from grouping pages into subcategories to minimize the number of clicks needed to find information. For example, you might create a “Support” category for your donation, volunteer, and events pages.
  • Implement a sticky navigation bar: Ideally, web visitors should be able to access your menu on every page through a navigation header or footer. Take that principle a step further by adding a sticky navigation bar, which keeps your menu visible as users scroll down your pages.
  • Incorporate clear calls-to-action (CTAs): Encourage visitors to take the desired next action by adding clear CTAs in strategic areas of your site. Nonprofits usually add a large button-style CTA to their navigation bar leading to their donation page, but you can also add buttons to other pages in other relevant areas.
  • Add a search feature: At times, visitors may be looking for a page or piece of content that’s not readily available through your navigation headers. In those cases, having a dedicated search feature is extremely helpful and enhances the overall user experience.

Generally, the first few versions of any website, nonprofit or not, leave much to be desired. That’s completely normal—after all, when you first launch your website, you’re also busy with plenty of other responsibilities associated with starting a nonprofit.

Once your organization has achieved some stability and is ready to reinvent its website to supercharge its marketing potential, implement an accessible design and incorporate your nonprofit’s branding for better user experience and brand visibility.

3. Implement SEO best practices.

Part of what makes a website such a useful tool for nonprofit marketing is its ability to be discovered organically through search engines. However, you can’t rely on people Googling your nonprofit’s name to discover your website. Ideally, it should be discoverable through other relevant keywords.

That’s where search engine optimization (SEO) comes in. To ensure your nonprofit gets noticed online, leverage the following SEO best practices:

  • Use clean URLs: Short and concise URLs help search engine crawlers index your page and easily understand what it’s about, resulting in better search engine results.
  • Incorporate keywords naturally in content: Gone are the days of adding SEO keywords to web content as many times as possible. Now, search engines prioritize authoritative, comprehensive content. Create high-quality content with natural keyword incorporation to provide value to readers and signal to search engines what your content is about.
  • Add alt text to visual elements: Not only is this a great accessibility practice, but this also helps search engines understand what your visuals are about. Since search engines have dedicated image and video search sections, adding alt text enables your images and videos to show up for related queries.

Use analytics from Google Search Console and other SEO tools to assess whether your new practices are working. Taking a data-driven approach ensures that you know which changes are most impactful for your nonprofit’s visibility, allowing you to refine your SEO strategy for the future.

4. Create engaging content.

To maximize your nonprofit’s chances of leading web visitors to a desired action, you want visitors to stay on your site for as long as possible. Once your nonprofit can dedicate the time to do so, create a resource hub and blog and populate these pages with engaging content that captivates your audiences and keeps them on your site.

Here are a few tips for boosting engagement with content:

  • Create content regularly: When your community knows they can expect content from your organization regularly, they’ll be more likely to visit your site and see what new resources or insights you’ve posted. Increased interaction with your site may lead them to make a donation, sign up to volunteer, or register to attend one of your events.
  • Add visual elements: Visual elements help visitors digest your content by breaking up large blocks of text. Plus, they can be used to summarize key information. For example, if you publish a quick summary of your nonprofit’s annual impact report, you might also create an image that summarizes your key accomplishments.
  • Incorporate interactive content: Interactive content is generally more engaging to web visitors than content that they simply read or watch. Polls, quizzes, slideshows, social media feeds, and other elements can draw visitors’ attention and keep them on your website.

To ensure your content is truly engaging, ask yourself one core question: what would your audience be interested in? For instance, if you run a community church and you want to attract new congregants, you might highlight ministry games played at Sunday School, reflections on scripture, and practical guidance on how faith relates to daily life.

Depending on your audience, you can get creative or playful with your content. For example, the Atlanta Humane Society, an animal shelter that helps homeless animals find loving homes, posted a fun blog post from the perspective of a cat holding the website hostage.

Getting your nonprofit noticed through your website is only the first step to a robust marketing strategy. Afterward, focus on how your website delivers an experience that leads visitors to interact further with your mission and get involved in the long term. Then, consider how your marketing channels support donor retention to nurture relationships and build a base of loyal supporters who are passionate about your cause.

Carl Diesing is the Managing Director of DNL OmniMedia, which he co-founded in 2006, and has grown the team to accommodate clients with ongoing web development projects. Together, DNL OmniMedia has worked with over 100 organizations to assist them with accomplishing their online goals. As Managing Director of DNL OmniMedia, Carl works with nonprofits and their technology to foster fundraising, create awareness, cure disease, and solve social issues. Carl lives in the Hudson Valley with his wife Sarah and their two children, Charlie and Evelyn.