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Use a theory of change
2
Choose relevant and meaningful data
3
Use visuals to tell a story
4
Balance numbers and emotions
5
Be transparent and accountable
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You want to inspire your donors to support your cause and show them how their contributions make a difference. But how do you communicate your impact effectively and convincingly? In this article, we'll share some tips and examples on how to use data and visuals to showcase your impact to donors in the context of fundraising.
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- Rebekah Doyle Grant and Project Manager | Providing Twin Cities School Districts, Non-Profits, and Governments with Planning… 6
- Elissa Myers 5
- Howard Lake Working to grow giving on a massive scale for all charities. Digital fundraising entrepreneur. AI for good obsessive… 4
1 Use a theory of change
A theory of change is a framework that explains how your activities lead to your desired outcomes and impact. It helps you clarify your goals, assumptions, and indicators of success. By using a theory of change, you can show your donors how their donations contribute to a specific change in the world. For example, if you are a health organization, you can show how your interventions improve the health and well-being of your beneficiaries. You can use a logic model, a diagram, or a narrative to present your theory of change to your donors.
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- Rebekah Doyle Grant and Project Manager | Providing Twin Cities School Districts, Non-Profits, and Governments with Planning, Management and Communications Services.
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Starting a project with a Logic Model or Theory of Change is so valuable. It provides a succinct overview of the inputs, processes/activities and outputs/outcomes of a project. You will know if you're creeping off-course or where a new opportunity can (should?) fit in at a glance. Always plan the work, then work the plan, and then report on what happened.
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2 Choose relevant and meaningful data
Data is essential to demonstrate your impact, but not all data is equally useful or persuasive. You need to choose data that is relevant to your theory of change, meaningful to your donors, and accurate and reliable. You also need to consider the context and the source of your data, and how you collect, analyze, and report it. For example, if you are an education organization, you can use data on the enrollment, attendance, and performance of your students, as well as feedback from teachers, parents, and community members.
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- Elissa Myers
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Three essential elements of bringing about change are these:1. Remember -- "it's all about the money..." If you can monetize the impact that your change can bring, it can be a powerful argument. In seeking to increase funding for a serious mental illness, AED developed the following: "eating disorders cost the economy nearly $65 billion a year, including $48.6 billion loss in productivity." 2. Work to understand your audience. Listen. Ask Questions. Use resources like Linked In to identify typical players and study who they are...where they came from... what they care about.3. And finally, don't "we we we" all over your marketing/persuading comments. Frame your requests in terms of what the person/people reading it care about.
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3 Use visuals to tell a story
Visuals can help you present your data in a more engaging and memorable way. They can also help you tell a story that connects your donors to your impact. You can use different types of visuals, such as graphs, charts, maps, photos, videos, or infographics, depending on your purpose and audience. For example, if you are an environmental organization, you can use visuals to show the changes in the landscape, the biodiversity, or the carbon footprint of your projects.
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- Howard Lake Working to grow giving on a massive scale for all charities. Digital fundraising entrepreneur. AI for good obsessive. Founded UK Fundraising in 1994 and sold it in 2022. Co-founded GoodJobs.
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Ensuring that most data is conveyed as personal stories and quotes by service users or clients (and not the charity or nonprofit) is one way of being effective. Step back to allow others to tell your story.Mostly we give based on an emotion, not a rational analysis or response to data. We rationalise our giving after the event. You’ll often hear donors say that the charities they support are trustworthy and effective, it’s some of the other charities that aren’t…If you must convey data be creative. I still remember the Romanian women’s NGO that put key gender data (gender pay gap, MPs ratio etc) as pie charts on the top of delicious cream cakes. Key message, eye-catching, food-related so Insta-friendly, and cake sales income!
Like Like Celebrate Support Love Insightful Funny 4 - Amelia Capsuto Passionate and strategic fundraising professional | Social Justice
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Leveraging infographics to show the impact donors make on the whole process shows how they make a difference as an important piece of the puzzle. I’m my experience videos on donation pages like Classy really help donors feel connected to the mission and showcase unique aspects and needs of your organization and the communities you serve.
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4 Balance numbers and emotions
While data and visuals are powerful tools to communicate your impact, they are not enough to motivate your donors to take action. You also need to appeal to their emotions and values, and show them how their donations make a difference in the lives of real people. You can use stories, testimonials, quotes, or case studies to illustrate your impact and create a personal connection with your donors. For example, if you are a humanitarian organization, you can use stories to show the challenges and the achievements of your beneficiaries, and how your donors helped them overcome adversity.
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- Ziyaan Virji Global Keynote Speaker and Founder 🎤
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In my experience, storytelling has been an important tool to seek donor funding. An example of the above is how I managed to set up a sponsorship deal with one of Kenya's largest banks as a 17 year old non-profit founder. Despite the perks of the sponsorship deal being a no brainer, what truly inspired them was my story as a young founder passionate about making a difference in the menstrual health space despite being a non-menstruator. Actually data suggests that when facts are presented in a form of story, the human mind is approximately 22 times more likely to remember those facts. When presented with merely statistics, people only remember 5% to 10% of the information.
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5 Be transparent and accountable
Finally, you need to be transparent and accountable to your donors and show them how you use their donations efficiently and effectively. You need to report on your results, challenges, and learnings, and acknowledge your limitations and gaps. You also need to invite feedback and input from your donors and other stakeholders, and show them how you incorporate their suggestions and improve your practices. For example, if you are a social justice organization, you can use reports, newsletters, or webinars to share your progress and challenges, and how you adapt to changing contexts and needs.
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