What are other nonprofits doing to stay competitive?
The year 2020 was a very challenging year that caused changes in the economy of the world. Apple lost $435 billion in market value in about five weeks, and many of its retail outlets were locked due to the pandemic. A reported issue by the National Bureau for statistics in March found that 2% of small businesses had shut down permanently.
The year 2020 was also a year that made remote working the new normal of working. The consequence of which are deserted office buildings, empty restaurants, and sparsely-populated gyms. And as few people traveled, the airline industry needed billions of dollars in aid from the government and is still threatening to lay off workers. Although some businesses were able to reinvent, strategize and come out with better profit stories than others.
A new survey from Nonprofit HR shows that 38% of the U.S. nonprofits have experienced a decrease in headcount due to the coronavirus pandemic. Many programs were canceled, and some were rescheduled to the online program during the spring due to the pandemic. Nonprofits with the same missions merge to provide better services. However, there is just greater demand for social services as people become unemployed and families have needs. The most affected of the nonprofits are the small nonprofits whose services are perceived to be less of the essence. Donors now directly assist by helping families eat and pay the rent and less on supporting programs. It means that the third sector of the economy was affected by the challenges of the prior year.
Other Nonprofits Go Online
Global trends in giving reports for 2020 shows people are moving towards tech-based giving. Other Nonprofits are investing their financial resources into digital communications to stay relevant in these uncertain times. They are also using the right tools to stay ahead of the competition. More than ever before, your nonprofit needs to be online and have the necessary tools that will enable them to share their impact stories well. There are many online tools available for nonprofits. The five major ones used by other nonprofits include:
1. Constituent & Data Management Software (CDMS) - Quantibly
A proper Constituent & Data Management has an inbuilt reporting system, which can also be customized based on individual priorities. Frequently used custom reporting format by nonprofits includes; Annual Reports, Impact Report, and Donor Reports. It also helps in forecasting and managing results better.
Another feature of a CDMS includes the ability to collect and manage data. It is to have all the contact information of staff, volunteers, donors, beneficiaries, and other contacts to form a database. The database should be easily accessible and regularly updated. It should also manage data, which is key to understanding how to use it for Fundraising, Volunteer recruitment, and Programs/Campaigns.
Quantibly is a SaaS that offers cloud-based data management services to nonprofits and social enterprises. It is a scalable solution for the global sector with a flexible pricing model for organizations. It combines a logical model based on the theory of change to measure social impact. Quantibly also offers a 30-day free trial for your nonprofit. A cloud-based CDMS will also allow all team members to access information in real-time from anywhere. It makes team collaboration easy and works faster. It offers security and saves time.
2. Email Marketing Software - MailChimp
Email marketing is one of the most effective ways for nonprofits to build awareness, acquire leads, convert prospects, and retain current customers. There is so much email software out there. With Mailchimp, your nonprofit can easily customize and brand emails. They also provide analytics about each email sent. Email automation is also possible with mail chimp.
3. Donation software - DonorBox
DonorBox is a powerful fundraising software that is very simple and fast to set up. You can start fundraising with a fast, optimized donation payment system in 15 minutes. Over 35,000 organizations from 40 countries use the Donor box fundraising software. Organizations can seamlessly embed a custom form to their website or use a pop-up widget.
4. Social Media Management - Hootsuite
With Hootsuite, you can create and schedule content when you have time, and on your behalf, it will be posted according to the schedule you set. It allows you to manage all of your accounts in one place and saves time. Hootsuite comes with a lot of analytic tools that help to track key engagement metrics. The report can also be used to know the best possible times to share your content.
5. Design - Canva
Nonprofits that can not afford to employ professional designers or want to be cost-effective use Canva. Canva offers a great solution to nonprofits who wish to create great visual content anyway. The creation of visual content for social media platforms comes easy with Canva. It includes templates and a lot of information on how to use it. Its premium version, Canva Work, offers even more tools to try out.
Nevertheless, when deciding on an online tool for your nonprofit, weigh the costs and benefits. Sometimes the best tool isn’t the most expensive one. You can always sign up for the trial period, if available, to test whether the online tool is right for your nonprofit. Another nonprofit is becoming digital-savvy. Technology is transforming how nonprofit professionals engage with donors and supporters across all online platforms.
