How to Become a Savvy Fundraiser

Summary

Podcast Summary: "How to Become a Savvy Fundraiser"

Podcast Information

• Title: Nonprofit Leadership Podcast
• Host: Dr. Rob Harder
• Episode: How to Become a Savvy Fundraiser
• Release Date: June 1, 2025
• Description: This episode delves into effective fundraising strategies for nonprofit leaders, featuring insights from Haley Cooper, a recognized savvy fundraiser.

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Introduction

Dr. Rob Harder opens the episode by emphasizing the critical role of fundraising in nonprofit organizations. He sets the stage by likening fundraising metrics to a car's dashboard, questioning whether a nonprofit is "on empty," "full," or "redlining" (00:01). The primary focus is on addressing the challenges and strategies in fundraising within an ever-changing economic landscape.

Guest Introduction

Haley Cooper, known for her "Savvy Fundraiser" podcast and extensive work in nonprofit consulting, joins Dr. Harder to discuss the nuances of effective fundraising (02:58). Haley expresses her excitement about focusing on the fundraising aspects, highlighting its daily and evolving challenges (05:03).

Key Challenges in Fundraising

Staff Turnover and Talent Retention Haley identifies staff turnover and the difficulty in retaining quality personnel as significant challenges for nonprofit fundraising (03:52). She explains that high turnover leads to increased costs and inefficiency, emphasizing the need for nonprofits to offer more than just competitive salaries—including benefits, professional development, and well-being resources—to retain skilled fundraisers.

“If you're losing people, you're not being good stewards of your money because it costs double the amount that it needs to hire a new person than to retain them in the first place.” — Haley Cooper [03:52]

Competing for Attention in a Noisy Environment With the proliferation of the 24-hour news cycle and social media distractions, nonprofits struggle to keep their missions front and center for donors (05:33). Haley advises utilizing donor surveys to understand preferred communication channels and leveraging a mix of traditional and digital media to maintain visibility.

“Use storytelling in a way that can help resonate, have that emotional connection with your donors.” — Haley Cooper [06:14]

Subscription-Based Giving

Understanding and Implementing Recurring Donations Haley discusses the rising trend of subscription-based giving, or recurring donations, highlighting their significant value compared to one-time donations (09:01). She notes that recurring donors can be over 400% more valuable, providing stable and predictable income for nonprofits.

“Donors typically have that strong appetite for subscription-based donations… It’s a little bit more palatable, to give on a smaller basis, but still know that you're making that impact.” — Haley Cooper [09:01]

Strategies for Success To successfully implement recurring giving:

1. Name Your Donor Group: Create a distinct identity for recurring donors.
2. Optimize Donation Pages: Ensure the donation process is streamlined, encouraging donors to opt for monthly contributions.
3. Create Appeals: Develop compelling narratives around the benefits and impacts of recurring giving.

“Create that community around it. Make it explicit on why someone should sign up and how they can be a part of that community.” — Haley Cooper [12:10]

Generational Differences in Philanthropy

Diverse Approaches Across Generations Rob highlights statistics indicating that donor loyalty and giving patterns vary significantly across generations (12:21). For example, 90% of donors are willing to match giving year over year, and younger generations like Gen Z prioritize value alignment over slick marketing.

Tailored Strategies for Each Generation Haley emphasizes the importance of understanding generational values through donor surveys and tailoring communication accordingly. For instance, young professionals may prefer monthly giving and volunteer opportunities, while baby boomers might be more inclined towards larger, planned donations.

“It's really about creating that community within each of the sector, but also across generations as well because there's benefits there.” — Haley Cooper [13:56]

Effective Use of Social Media for Fundraising

Choosing the Right Platforms With limited budgets, Haley advises nonprofits to focus on one or two social media platforms that align with their goals. For example, LinkedIn is ideal for building thought leadership and connecting with corporations, while Instagram and Facebook serve different purposes.

“Prioritize that quality over quantity. Engage with your audience through comments, messages, and interactive posts.” — Haley Cooper [18:12]

Engagement Over Presence Haley highlights the importance of active engagement rather than merely posting content. Building relationships through genuine interactions, such as commenting on posts and sending personalized messages, can lead to deeper connections and increased support.

“Authenticity… is a way to build that authenticity and build that relationship. That then opens the conversation for people to get curious.” — Haley Cooper [21:01]

Adapting Fundraising Strategies

Embracing Technology and Personalization Haley discusses the necessity for nonprofits to invest in technology to streamline processes and personalize donor interactions. Utilizing CRM systems and tailored communication can enhance donor relationships and improve retention rates.

“When you combine understanding your donor preferences and donor history, you can engage in a more meaningful way, you can raise more revenue.” — Haley Cooper [24:05]

Diversifying Revenue Streams To mitigate reliance on restricted government grants, Haley advises diversifying income sources through individual giving and other channels. This approach not only provides financial stability but also allows nonprofits to be more agile in addressing community needs.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Haley wraps up by reinforcing the importance of building genuine, value-aligned relationships with donors across all generations. She encourages nonprofits to leverage technology, storytelling, and tailored communication strategies to enhance their fundraising efforts.

“Connecting personally, relationally and authentically… is critical.” — Haley Cooper [28:39]

Connecting with Haley Cooper Listeners can engage with Haley through her platforms:

• Website: savvyfundraiser.com
• Podcast: Lead with Heart
• LinkedIn: Haley Cooper
• Instagram: Haley Cooper

Final Remarks by Dr. Rob Harder

Dr. Harder concludes the episode by encouraging listeners to subscribe, share, and engage with the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast community for more resources and insights.

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Notable Quotes:

• “If you're losing people, you're not being good stewards of your money because it costs double the amount that it needs to hire a new person than to retain them in the first place.” — Haley Cooper [03:52]
• “Use storytelling in a way that can help resonate, have that emotional connection with your donors.” — Haley Cooper [06:14]
• “Donors typically have that strong appetite for subscription-based donations… It’s a little bit more palatable, to give on a smaller basis, but still know that you're making that impact.” — Haley Cooper [09:01]
• “Create that community around it. Make it explicit on why someone should sign up and how they can be a part of that community.” — Haley Cooper [12:10]
• “It's really about creating that community within each of the sector, but also across generations as well because there's benefits there.” — Haley Cooper [13:56]
• “Authenticity… is a way to build that authenticity and build that relationship. That then opens the conversation for people to get curious.” — Haley Cooper [21:01]
• “When you combine understanding your donor preferences and donor history, you can engage in a more meaningful way, you can raise more revenue.” — Haley Cooper [24:05]
• “Connecting personally, relationally and authentically… is critical.” — Haley Cooper [28:39]

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights shared by Haley Cooper and Dr. Rob Harder on effective fundraising strategies for nonprofit organizations. By addressing staff retention, adapting to generational preferences, leveraging technology, and enhancing social media engagement, nonprofit leaders can cultivate more sustainable and impactful fundraising practices.

Transcript

[Dr. Rob Harder]

This is Dr. Rob Harder with the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, Making youg World Better. What does it take to be an effective nonprofit leader today? What are the biggest challenges? What are the biggest obstacles? How should nonprofits fundraise in an economy that is constantly changing? All of these reasons combined led me to start this show. And it's my hope that through this series, people can learn not only what it takes to be an effective nonprofit organization, but to hear from effective leaders who are successful successfully making a positive impact in their communities. We hope you enjoy the show as together we hear how they are making their world better. Hello everybody and welcome to the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast. Thanks for joining today's show. You know, I wanted to start today by asking you a question. If you had a computer that mirrors the dashboard on your car and when it came to the display of fundraising, what would it display today? Are you on empty? Are you on full? Are you somewhere in the middle? Are you redlining today? You know, regardless of your position, if you're an executive director, if you're a director of development or you're the program director in any role, actually, I believe on a nonprofit leadership staff, fundraising impacts you in some way. So if you're struggling with fundraising, you don't have enough money to support your programs or if you have a lot of. Either way, you're being impacted by this topic and area of fundraising. And that's the topic today. We're going to really focus our time on. My guest today is Haley Cooper. She is a so called savvy fundraiser. And I love that term, savvy fundraiser. And what we're going to talk about today is a lot of different things around this issue of fundraising. First is just what are those unique challenges that are facing nonprofit leaders today when it comes to funding fundraising? And then what about subscription giving? What's that all about? Is it something you should add to your nonprofit organization as well as looking at different generations and how different generations approach philanthropy differently? And in light of that, how should we change? Maybe how we communicate to different generations that support our nonprofit? And then finally, how do we as nonprofit leaders continue to keep our mission and our vision in front of our donors in the midst of a 24 hour news cycle and all the other competing noise that's out there through websites and social media and just all that's going on in people's lives? How do we make sure we get in front of them so they can hear what we're about, what we're doing, the impact we're having, all those things and more are discussed with my conversation with Haley Cooper. I'm really excited to have you on the show and thank you again for tuning in. Now onto the show. This podcast is sponsored by DonorBox, helping you help others with the best donation forms in the business. Welcome everybody, to the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast.

[Haley Cooper]

So excited to have Haley Cooper on the show. You may recognize her name and her face from the savvy fundraiser podcast and she's got a lot of different things online. So, Haley, thanks for taking time to be on the show today.

Thank you. I'm so excited to be here with you.

Absolutely. Absolutely.

[Dr. Rob Harder]

Well, I know you and I, it.

[Haley Cooper]

Was fun to be on your show recently and we talked all about, you know, fundraising, nonprofit leadership, and so we'll.

[Dr. Rob Harder]

Dive into a lot of those things.

[Haley Cooper]

But I really wanna focus on the fundraising aspect because I think it is so important to every nonprofit leader out there. That's probably where I get the most engagement and response when we talk about fundraising because it's an everyday, every week, an ever growing challenge, I think, even today. And so let's start with that. Talk to me from your experience and even now you've launched into, you know, doing some consulting and doing this podcast. What do you feel like are the biggest challenges in fundraising that nonprofits are facing today?

Yeah, that's a great question. And you know, one of the most significant challenges I think nonprofit leaders face today when it comes to fundraising is staff turnover and finding quality staff. You know, I think we all hear this, which I think is changing now. But like, nonprofits often operate with limited resources, making it difficult to attract and retain skilled professionals. And that doesn't just mean a paycheck. It could be benefits, it could be professional development, it could be mental health and well being resources, it could be pto, like all of those things that encompass the opportunity for a person to feel supported in their role. And I think high turnover is a challenge for fundraising because as a fundraiser, I am supposed to be effective with donor stewardship and physically responsible for, for the organization's finances. Right. And so if you have high turnover, that means high cost fundraising. And at the end of the day, if you're losing people, if you're not able to retain them, you're not being good stewards of your money because it costs double the amount that it needs that it to hire a new person that costs double their salary than to retain them in the first place. And so I think that is a challenge that a lot of nonprofits are facing. Additionally, I think there's a competition for top talent in the nonprofit sector. And, and organizations have to find innovative ways and it doesn't have to mean money to create appealing work environments and like I said, offer those competitive benefits that attract and retain those staff.

Yeah, well, there's no doubt that keeping one's nonprofit top of mind in front of supporters and donors is so important. Staff retention, so important. When it comes to this challenge of keeping your mission, your nonprofit's mission and all that you're doing in front of donors minds, I think it's becoming more and more difficult. Right. We're in the 24 hour news cycle. We've got social media, which we were talking, you know, before the show, talking about social media, how much it can just suck us in. And all of a sudden, next thing you know, you're scrolling for 30 minutes and so there's so much pulling for our attention. How have you found with the interactions you've had with nonprofit leaders in your own experience, how can nonprofits effectively get their message out to donors in the midst of all these other distractions?

Yeah, that's a great question. And you know, it is. We're constantly bombarded with noise, we're constantly bombarded with media. And the funny thing is, is nonprofits say, well, these donors are receiving all these messages. We can't email, we can't send out the message because we don't want to bombard them specifically when it comes at year end, like, you know, they retract from that. But you have to communicate to your donors. And one of the best ways you can learn how they want to be communicated with is, is ask them like we're recording this during this summer and I think sending out a donor survey is a perfect way to understand how they want to be communicated. So come when you are sending out your emails or your appeals, you can learn how your donors want to be communicated. Is it by text message? Is it by social media? They want to follow you and hear about the good work you're doing, the challenges that you're facing. Is it direct mail? We all know direct mail still works. Is it a phone call? If you, is it an email? Like, what ways do your donors actually want to be communicated with? And like how can then you do a mix of traditional and digital media to communicate with your donors? I also think when you're communicating you have to use storytelling and this is a powerful tool to show the impact of your work. You don't just want to like share impacts of like 85% of people were lifted out of poverty. Like, what what does that look like? Like, what work did you do to help uplift that person and realize their full potential and what's their story? And also how did your organization come alongside to support them? And so I think using storytelling in a way that can help resonate, have that emotional connection with your donors, because we all know emotional connection is first and then we make a decision with our rational brain. And, and so I think what. So to wrap it all up, listening to your donors and understanding how they want to be communicated, then utilizing a mix of traditional and digital media to communicate with your donors and utilize storytelling to have that consistent, that consistent story that resonates with your donors.

Well said. And you know, I was thinking about when it comes to philanthropy, there's always seems like new things, new trends, different way people are giving. And so it's an ever changing environment really. And so that makes it a challenge in and of itself, but particularly when it comes to how people are giving. Something that's becoming more and more common is this subscription based giving. Have you run across this in the work you've done? And are you seeing are people doing this more and more and if so, talk about that a little bit. I don't hear a lot of people talking about that, but the ones who are seem to be doing pretty well with it.

So when you emailed me that question, I literally had to Google what subscription based giving is just to be transparent. I had never heard it in that term. Typically I hear it as monthly or recurring donations. But obviously there's multiple ways that you can talk about it. And I looked up a report on classy that, you know, a recurring donor, that subscription based donor can be over 400% more valuable compared to a one time donor because they offer stable, reliable income for nonprofits. And donors typically have that strong appetite for subscription based donations or recurring giving because maybe you can't give $1,000 at one time, but you can give $100 a month. And so it's a little bit more palatable, if that's the word, to give on a smaller basis, but still know that you're making that impact. And so I think there is a huge trend of getting that subscription base giving, specifically with the younger generations that are growing up and just coming into wealth. But maybe they can give a little bit and they want to be a part of a community. And so I think that's the most important piece when you're talking about this idea of recurring giving. Create that community around it. Make it explicit on why someone should sign up and how they can be a part of that community, why it's exclusive. And I think some of the things that you can do is, I mean, the model in itself allows donors to contribute a set amount on a recurring basis. And it offers, like I said, a nonprofit, a steady and predictable stream of income, which is obviously. And it's unrestricted. Right. Like someone was asking me yesterday, well, I'm building out this recurring giving program, should I do $20 that gives books to kids in our community? And I was like, well, if you say it gives books to kids, then that $20 has to be allotted for the books technically. And so you want to make it generalized enough where people understand the impact that they're making, but it's not tied to a specific outcome. Right. Like, yes, it could be part of that program that then donates books, but you don't want to make it so restrictive that then you can't utilize that because at the end of the day, it is about raising those unrestricted funds so that you can be a little bit more agile in the way that you're able to develop your programs and also think to be able to set up a subscription based giving program. 1. Name your recurring donor group. Name it. You want to optimize your donation page. And I think we both share this partnership with Donorbox. But yeah, they have a bunch of opportunities to update your online donation page and set your frequent donation page. So when you're setting it up, you can opt in for when someone goes to give a donation, the first thing it does is click monthly and then obviously they can unclick it if they don't want to give monthly. But make that top of mind. Also create appeals around monthly giving and subscription based giving and talk about what it means and the impact that it has on your organization and those you serve.

Now I like that. That's well said and I'm glad you gave that more background.

[Dr. Rob Harder]

I think you're probably right.

[Haley Cooper]

I'm guessing a lot of people hear subscription giving and they're not sure what is that. But yeah, you pretty much described it very well.

[Dr. Rob Harder]

Well, another thing I thought I would.

[Haley Cooper]

Like to get your take on is they have done some studies on this and it does seem like that generations, the way they look at fundraising, how they approach fundraising is a bit different. Here's just a couple of stats I'll just give to you that are based on, you know, people, how they respond based on the generation group they're in. 90% of donors are willing to match giving year over year for Example, so that's just across the board, loyal donors within that, the impact of loyal donors basically kind of going back to your point, if they give on a regular basis is four times higher than, than just passive donors. So if you're part of a, you know, subscription based giving, you're going to give more often. So there's a 4 time, 4x impact in your giving. Now 59% of passive donors are searching for the next nonprofit that match their values. And so we have, I've read that particularly generation, this next generation that's coming up is really looking at a nonprofit and the values they support. And that's what's going to draw them in more than slick marketing even, or even if there's a personal connection. But if they connect with, with the values they're going to give to that organization. And then if that's the case, if you're a passive donor, you are much more likely to give if those values match your own. And then of course we've had a lot of economic uncertainty. Now there is some optimistic, you know, some views on giving because a lot of nonprofits now are starting to create personal connections with their donors. So when it comes to this, have you seen trends where depending on the generation of the donor that you're working with, they respond differently to how you approach them and if so, what are some of those differences that you've seen?

Yeah, I think that's a great question. And I think there is a shift and a difference in the generations from like baby boomers to Gen Z. And I think like you mentioned, Gen Z really wants to be part of social impact causes, whether that's through the corporation they're working for or, or looking for a nonprofit. So I think it's again, the nonprofits can utilize a donor survey to understand the different generations values and then get to know their passions and interests and then how their mission aligns with those values and then creating copy and content around that value alignment. So I think that's really important. I also think it's important specifically for like young professionals want to volunteer, they want to be part, they want to get involved in an organization and they have more capacity to give monthly giving. Whereas maybe the baby boomers are sunsetting their careers, they're going into retirement, maybe they have more opportunity for planned giving and bigger giving. And so I think it's just a different way of how you approach each generation. But at the end of the day, I think inherently how, you know, donors across the board, it is about that value alignment and making sure. No matter what the generation is, it's just how you engage them and the different opportunities that you offer, whether it's events or young professional events or volunteer opportunities for families, it's really about creating that community within each of the sector, but also across generations as well because there's benefits there. And so yeah, at the end of the day, I think it's really getting clear on your values, value alignment. And then how do you communicate about that to the generations to see, help them realize their generosity through your organization.

That's good. And I like that idea of doing a survey. Essential just to ask your nonprofit donors now, like what, what do they prefer? And that could be some great data. If you're listening and you haven't done a survey of your donors, I think it's a great suggestion. And then they'll give some good insight on that.

[Dr. Rob Harder]

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[Haley Cooper]

I know this is not necessarily one of your primary focus areas, but yet you are involved in a regular basis. We talked about LinkedIn for both of us is a great place for engagement. What have you found when, particularly for nonprofits, say that have a limited budget for spending and or hiring for, for the area of social media and website development, specifically for fundraising, what is the best approach from your experience? Is it, you know, a multi channel approach? Is it really leaning into one like say LinkedIn or Instagram or TikTok even like, what have you found to be the most effective way to utilize social media for one's nonprofit?

Yeah, like we said offline, I'm a savvy fundraiser, not a savvy marketer. So before I share my experience, I just want to say I am not an expert, but obviously fundraising and marketing go hand in hand. There are distinctions between the two, but most of my career I've been tagged as a marketer because people think fundraising anyways. I think when it comes to social media and the limited resources that nonprofits have, you have to choose one or two platforms. I would probably say one and start there. So again, get to know where and there's different purposes for each. Like LinkedIn is a great place to build your thought leadership and connect with corporations and foundations. Instagram and Facebook have a whole nother purpose. And so I think it's getting clear on what your goals and strategies are for your organization and then choosing one or two platforms that you can do really well. Because if you don't have the capacity to record videos and post them on TikTok, like if you post content sporadically, like there's no point in that, right? People are going to see that you don't have the energy to be able to do it because it's not going to reflect in your content. So I would get really clear on what your strategies and goals are and then how social media can align with elevating that or building those connections. I also think social media is more than just posting. It's about engaging with your community and offering engagement opportunities. So whether, you know, we were talking about, obviously I'm a consultant, but I've used LinkedIn. I had a coach, Tanya Bhattacharya from Lumos Marketing, who taught me about this idea of social media, social impact selling, where, you know, it's not just about people liking my content, it's about engaging with them on social media, sending them a dm, telling them I'm here, I'm cheering them on and I've really been able to build that community on LinkedIn. That then leads to other opportunities. And I think non profits can do the same because people are not just looking for likes anymore. I think it's more that the value is with that engagement. And I think I get that's across the board with fundraising. Right. But I think it's to again, prioritize that quality over quantity. And you know, when you're utilizing these platforms, there's a bunch of free tools and resources. It doesn't have to be expensive. And you can use social media scheduling platforms to streamline your efforts and make sure that your message is consistent across all platforms. And again, engage with your audience through comments, messages and interactive posts. You could do polls on LinkedIn. I just did one today that can enhance your presence. And then I also think you can collaborate with influencers or other organizations or if you're partnering with corporations to really build that brand awareness.

Yeah, I like what you're sharing here. And maybe you can go a little bit more into this double click on that idea of engaging with your followers, so to speak. You've DM them, you reach out to them. So maybe talk more about that. Is it simply just reaching out to them separately? Is it when you post something and someone likes it or whatever, you immediately respond to them. Talk a little bit more about what has been most effective for you to really move from just posting content, hoping for a like, like you said, to engaging with them. I think there's a big difference. And so tell me more what you've learned along those lines.

Yeah, so I've done a few things. So one, I've been following people that I really aspire to be or I like and I want in my sphere of influence. And then I engage with their posts I comment I like. And that leads to a relationship where we get curious about each other because now we have this mutual following. So if you have like a donor or someone or a corporation on LinkedIn that you want in your sphere of influence, I would start interacting with them, commenting, liking. And also I will post something. If someone likes it, or let's say they voted on my poll, I will send them a dm again saying, thank you for liking my post. I look forward to supporting, thank you for being in my network. I look forward to seeing how we can support one another. And it's not just like a, you know, I get these emails all the time on LinkedIn, like the ones in my DM where it's like they've literally read my profile once and they've sent like, here's what I can offer you. And you know those sales ones and it's just icky, right? It's not relationship based. And I'm like, why do you Think I need, like, based on me being a young professional, why do you think I need, like, wealth management services? Right? Like, that's not, like, what I'm thinking about, like, really building that unique, I think authenticity. While social media, you know, can feel inauthentic, there is a way to build that authenticity and build that relationship. That then opens the conversation for people to get curious, to learn more about you, to learn more about your organization. And once you start to, you know, engage with each other through comments, through interactive posts, through DMing them, that can lead to sending them a link to sending them, hey, we're having this opportunity. We're having this event. I would love for you to attend. You seem like the perfect fit. You know, I've got to know your values, and so that's how it can lead to further engagement now.

Well said. Okay, thank you for explaining that a little bit more for my listeners and for me, even. That's just a great thing to learn, what you have really found to be effective in that area, because I do think you're absolutely right. People are moving and shifting in the way they use social media and the way they consume social media. So some great insights there. Okay, fundraising, again, just in general, kind of in the big picture here. In your opinion, with all that you've been doing, all your experience when it comes to fundraising today, do nonprofits need to fundamentally just change the way they're doing fundraising? And if so, what are the biggest and most important changes that nonprofit leaders should make?

So I think, you know, like I said, I posted a poll today on LinkedIn about what is the biggest thing that is keeping people from individual giving? Because those are the conversations that I have all the time with nonprofits that somehow now, 30 years in, they want to start engaging individuals, and they haven't yet. And it's a lack of education and a lack of resources. And so I think for nonprofit leaders, yes, you might have limited resources, but there's opportunities to utilize technology for good and streamline your processes while still making it personalized to your community. So we all know that you could say, hey, Healy, I. I'm so glad you're here in my network, on an email, and it makes. Or like, in a text message, right? Like, hey, Hayley, thank you for giving. Like, I still feel personalized, rather than like, hey, nonprofit supporter. Or even in your appeals, like, you can streamline technology and let's say I gave $50, and you can then ask in the next donation appeal for me to give 100 or ask based on what My giving history is. And so I think when you think of limited resources like invest in technology and then learn how to utilize it, well, you learn how to utilize your CRM like we talked about donor box. Utilize how you utilize your donor donation pages and then you can streamline it so that it takes the load off of you. Yes, there might be an investment in the front end, but I promise you it is worth it. Because when your donors feel connected, when they feel like they're communicated, when you understand your donor preferences and donor history, you can engage in a more meaningful way, you can raise more revenue. And so I think if you have not done it, like you need to invest in technology, you also, when you're, like I said, investing in technology, tailor your communications and engagement efforts, talk to your people. Like, you know, there's, I mean, in nonprofits there's a 40% retention rate, right? And only 20, 19% for first time donors and 40%. So you're doing all this work to acquire new donors and only 19% are going to give again. And so the main reasons why people don't give is because they don't. They're not asked and they're not thanked and they're not communicated the impact. And so you have to send out emails, whether it is monthly, quarterly, whatever it is, don't wait until year end to start asking people for money because come June, January 1st, you're going to have to start the cycle again. And so again, there's so many email marketing platforms that you can utilize. I also think again with that impact piece, transparency and accountability, when it comes to fundraising and also foundations, a lot of nonprofits have to report on outcomes, right? And maybe we didn't deliver on our outcomes, but that transparency and accountability piece is so important because if you think about 2020, 2021, we all went into 2020 with this great strategic plan, these goals that we thought we were going to carry out. And then the pandemic hit and our worlds shifted. Everything shifted. And maybe we didn't meet our goals that year because the changes in our community shifted, but that's an, that's an opportunity to invite people into that conversation and say, hey, we might not have met these goals, but this is why, and this is how you can invest in us in the future to actually meet those goals. And it's okay to fail. Obviously, we want to be able to meet those goals, but that's an opportunity, like I said, to invite people into that conversation and see how then you can pivot, how you can be more Agile and how people can invest in that future to really meet the community needs. And lastly, I will just say, like I said, a lot of nonprofits that I talk to have never done individual giving. But like we were talking about subscription based giving. It's really important to diversify your revenue streams because if you have heavily relied on government grants, those are so restricted and you can't really listen. Like if you're listening to the community needs from my own experience, like you have to stick with with what the government grant says. And even if the community's changing, you can't really change your programs. And so diversifying your revenue streams helps more reliable income, but also allow you to opportunities to scale and grow in ways that are actually meeting your community needs.

Yeah, I really like the idea of inviting people into a conversation. I think that is well said. I think it's so critical connecting personally, relationally and authentically. Okay, so you've got your podcast, Savvy Fundraiser and you've had a lot of experience. You've got own organization. So for people that are listening first time they've heard of Hayley Cooper, how.

[Dr. Rob Harder]

Can they connect with you and how.

[Haley Cooper]

Can they find out more about all that you provide?

Yeah, so my business is a savvy fundraiser. My podcast is Lead with Heart, but they go hand in hand. So obviously like we Talked about on LinkedIn, you can find me LinkedIn. I'm wearing this coat, blond hair. You can't miss me, Haley Cooper. And that's where I like to engage. I have an Instagram. I'm not, it's more sporadic. So you can join me there if you like. Instagram again, I kind of utilize the same strategy and really like building relationships. The savvy fundraiser.com and then also check out the Lead with Heart podcast. Perfect.

Well, again, Haley, you've got a lot.

[Dr. Rob Harder]

Going on, but thanks so much for.

[Haley Cooper]

Joining us on the show and thanks for all the insights you share when it comes to how you can get more effective and fundraising for your nonprofit. Thanks again for being on the show.

Thank you so much, Rob.

[Dr. Rob Harder]

Hey, friends. Well, I wanted you to know that this podcast can be found on itunes, Spotify, Amazon, Google podcasts and wherever you listen to other podcasts. I also want to encourage you to like subscribe and share this podcast with others. This will actually help us get this great content out to more nonprofit leaders just like you. You can also join the nonprofit leadership podcast community, find out other resources and interviews of past guests, all on my website, nonprofit leadershippodcast.org. well, thanks again for listening. And until next time, keep making your world better. And don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel, the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast. Go to YouTube and look up Nonprofit Leadership Podcast. We'll see you there. This podcast is sponsored by DonorBox Donor Box, helping you help others with the best donation forms in the business.