Muhammad Babangida | Philanthropy

Muhammad Babangida is a committed philanthropist from Nigeria

Tag: Fundraising

How to Handle Donor Fatigue the Right Way

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On June 29, 2020

In Community Engagement, Muhammad Babangida, Philanthropy, Youth Philanthropy

A lot of organizations dread to hear the words donor fatigue. It means that there is a lack of cash flow, which can be intimidating to think about. However, there is are ways to remedy donor fatigue.

 

Host Engaging Events

If people aren’t engaged, they likely will not feel inclined to make donations. It is important to create a comfortable space that promotes socialization. One great way to make the events comfortable for donors is to host events that are not fundraising events. The organization does not have to pour a lot of money into these events. Hosting events that are not meant to bring in donations allows donors to create relationships and learn about the cause in a no-pressure environment.

 

Communication is Key

Donors need to know where their money is going and the impact it is having. If the organization does not have a consistent way to communicate with donors, it needs to get one stat! This can be through a newsletter, social media page, or even text updates. There are plenty of tools available online to help automate this process if the organization has a large number of donors.

 

Find Out Why Donors Leave

It is no surprise that the business will lose some of its donors eventually. Use this opportunity to learn why the donor stopped donating. This information is valuable as the business continues to grow its relationships with donors. Be sure to ask in a courteous and non-obtrusive way in order to keep the relationship with past donors positive.

The Case for Team Fundraising

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On May 24, 2020

In Community Engagement, Muhammad Babangida, Philanthropy, Youth Philanthropy

Usually, when one thinks about fundraising, you picture the efforts of one determined, and probably exhausted, person. But, nowadays, that isn’t usually the case, since many that support a given cause come together to fundraise in the form of a team. These teams consist of family members, friends, neighbors, and colleagues that band together to raise funds for charities.

 

This approach often yields better results than working alone. Here are three reasons why you should give it a try:

 

It Gives Confidence to New Supporters

If you are more of an occasional supporter or you are brand new to fundraising, you may feel more comfortable working within a group. The work will not seem as nerve-wracking if the responsibility of hitting a targeted goal is shared by several people.

 

You Can Appoint a Team Captain to Organize the Effort

Team captains can give everyone the encouragement and motivation they need to keep going. They also make a huge difference because a team campaign can become disjointed with so many “cooks in the kitchen.” 

 

A seasoned leader can set appropriate, realistic goals and, based on every individual team member’s strength, assign tasks that each will excel at.

 

It Allows the Charity to Expand its Reach

Teams, by their very nature, are formed by many people, each with their own friends, families, and professional networks. These individuals each probably have social media, as well, and that means the fundraising pages can be shared many more times than through one person alone.

 

In conclusion, team fundraising is a great way to help others through charitable means while also improving upon and streamlining the process.

Is it Important to Reward Donors?

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On February 19, 2020

In Community Engagement, Muhammad Babangida, Philanthropy, Youth Philanthropy

The short answer is yes, it is extremely important to reward donors! When an organization takes the time to reward its donors, they create a long-lasting healthy relationship where both parties feel valued. What exactly is an appropriate donor reward? Keep reading to find out.

 

When considering a donor reward, it is important that the reward does not make the impression that the organization is wasting the donor’s money. The reward needs to be meaningful. This means that the person or organization giving the gift will have to go a bit deeper than a mug, t-shirt, or magnet.

 

One great way to make a connection through a reward is to show that a lot of time has been put into it. For example, make a journal and make specific entries throughout the year that reflect what the donor’s money is helping to do. This will need to be specific for each donor, so get a plan before getting started! Remember, handwritten is always more meaningful than something that is typed. If the time is available, go ahead and handwrite the journal entries.

 

Remember to show personality through the entries. Act as if you are writing to a friend. This will create a conversational tone to the journal and create a deeper connection with the donor. After the donor explores the journal, they’ll feel great knowing where their money went. They’ll also likely look forward to reading another journal next year! This is a great way to form a long-lasting relationship with donors.

 

If the organization has too many donors to provide each one with a handwritten journal, this idea can easily be taken to a digital level. Create a password protected webpage that can serve as a digital journal. Reward your donors with the password so that they can read the journal entries at their leisure. This will serve as great motivation for the organization to keep the journal updates since donors can be checking it at any time. This is also a great way to provide donors with an exclusive look inside the organization. Plus, it is inexpensive for the organization itself!

 

Understanding Trends in Online Fundraising

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On January 13, 2020

In Community Engagement, Muhammad Babangida, Philanthropy, Youth Philanthropy

Americans are very giving as a culture. As technology evolves, it’s become important to target potential donors online. One example of this is the COVID-19 epidemic. Where traditionally many museums and other non-profits hosted big parties to raise money, many of those events have gone online. Organizations that have been light on their feet and quick to adapt have been able to continue to raise funds in spite of social distancing.

 

 Text-to-donate has also grown as a way to reach donors, particularly younger ones. People today are increasingly attached to their mobile phones. Smartphones have become the main place people organize their lives in many ways. And donors are willing to give via text in many cases. Organizations like the Red Cross have utilized this model with great success. Donors text a specific number, usually a 5-digit code. Donors are also willing to give to smaller, local charities they feel personally connected to with this model. Of course, it’s important to make sure donors are aware an organization is able to accept funds this way. Messaging via email or postal mail is a great way to make them aware of this. There are different software programs available to set this up. 

 

 Peer-to-peer fundraising is also a wonderful way for charities to increase online donations. Peer-to-peer means that people from the community ask their friends and family for donations. This is often done as a birthday fundraiser on platforms like Facebook. It’s a great way to keep giving at the forefront of a donor’s minds.

Fundraising Topics to Master

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On October 25, 2017

In Community Engagement, Muhammad Babangida, Philanthropy

Once the need for huge sums of money arises, a quick solution is to organize a fundraising activity. Fundraising has been a useful tool from time immemorial. However, traditional methods of raising funds are presently under turbulent waters, and this is something that has never been witnessed before. To raise money in the modern times, you do not need to hold a fundraiser since new means of raising money have cropped up. Nonetheless, fundraising is still being utilized even in this new millennium, and it has played a significant part in supporting causes through online platforms as depicted below.

1. Crowdfunding and Social Media

Many established organizations today, an excellent example being our universities, are raising money through crowdfunding. This means of sourcing money has become so prominent that most corporations have incorporated it into their development operations. The new millennium has seen the development of online social forums that have a huge following. Facebook, for example, it has over 160 million American users who, if mobilized, can raise money for charity.

2. Donor-Advised Funds

It is on record that Fidelity Charitable, a donor-advised fund, is offering more support for private courses. For instance, in America, it is on top of the list of not-for-profit organizations that support private programs. Hence, if you are considering conducting a fundraiser in 2017, these firms are an excellent target through which you can tap into their deep financial reserves. They are responsible for having reshaped America’s charity environment. However, to succeed in this, you must be proficient in the art of seeking gifts from them and also know how to draw their interest into your noble cause.

3. Major Gifts and Big Donors

The secret to reaping more benefits from any market is identifying a target and then going a step further to prove its needs. Wealthy donors are always willing to give, but the only way to source gifts from them is by learning what they want first. You must have a competitive edge over other charities to help you to acquire their contributions and also ensure that you have what it takes to get more donors knocking at your door.

4. Year-End Fundraising

If you choose to go with this selection, early preparations and planning are necessary. Making plans and reviewing previous events to obtain helpful lessons come in handy. Moreover, operating on strict timeline for such an occasion ensures that your fundraiser runs smoothly and entirely achieves its set objective.

5. Creative Ideas On Fundraising

The same old notion and theme of fundraisers no longer work as expected. Hence, coming up with something new that will spice up the process is crucial to draw more support for your cause.

Giving is receiving. Unfortunately, the American people are still adamant about this saying, and they derive pleasure and satisfaction in helping others. Hence, if you have a noble cause that warrants financial intervention, it is high time to familiarize yourself with the above fundraising topics for a successful event.

Fundraising Topics to Know

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On May 12, 2017

In Muhammad Babangida, Philanthropy

The fundraising landscape is changing rapidly. Some of those changes make raising funds more challenging, but there are new tools to use and resources to access too. Based on media coverage from the past year, let’s look at the five fundraising topics you’ll need to master to have success this year.

Donor-Advised Funds

Donor-advised funds, which are vehicles used by corporations and other groups to distribute charitable donations, account for a significant portion of all donations, and that amount is only trending upward. Even individuals and families are participating in these funds now as a means of helping others in a safe, productive and simple way. These funds often have application processes and other requirements, and learning how to request money through these channels successfully is crucial moving forward.

Sizable Donations from Major Donors

A large percentage of all donations are made by a very small group. This group comprises the biggest donors, and the competition for their gifts is fierce. Just as you must learn to navigate the channels of donor-advised funds, you must learn what big donors want, how to compete for those gifts and how to retain that charity once you have it.

Crowdfunding

In the opener, we mentioned the changing landscape of fundraising, and social media on the Internet, and in particular crowdfunding, is the leading cause of that change. This platform provides you access to more financial resources and a wider audience, and when a crowdfunding effort is successful, it can go viral and grow at a rapid pace. The environment is also quite different than from traditional fundraising, and it often requires rethinking our approach.

Fundraising at Year-End

The key to fundraising successfully on a consistent basis is having a strong push to end the year. The final quarter of the calendar year is when the majority of donations happen. This is when organizations and even individuals know how much financial flexibility they have before reaching the write-off cap. Year-end fundraising is so important that you should begin planning for the next one now.

Fundraising Outside the Box

A consistent them here is competition. Competition is fierce. You need to distinguish your organization, and you need to engage donors in new and interesting ways. This is more than just putting a clever spin on a bake sale. Nonprofit professionals must analyze their markets and create business strategies just as for-profit professionals do.

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