Implementing donor management software can help nonprofit organizations discover, attract and retain new givers from a variety of demographics. The search for new donors never ends for nonprofits.
According to a recent study funded by Women Moving Millions, an organization that champions the advancement of women and girls for the betterment of society, women in North American countries currently have the ability to donate roughly $230 billion per year. In the next 15 years, Canadian and American women could be able to give $569.5 billion to charitable causes annually.
Changing Our World Inc. presented similar numbers on a more global scale. By 2026, if women across the world donated just 1.7 percent of their earnings to nonprofits and charities of their choosing, they could raise upwards of $1 trillion in one year.
With these new statistics, WMM has developed a report titled “Call to Action: ALL IN FOR HER.” It is geared towards female donors and emphasizes their need to give to charities that support women and girls globally. Jacki Zehner, the chief engagement officer at WMM, asserted that women need to lead the way when it comes to increasing donations to these specific philanthropic organizations. Zehner stated when female donors around the world use their wealth to support women and girls, their rights, quality of life and empowerment will grow. This is the key to solving many of the worst issues – poverty, conflict and abuse – facing the world today.
Women and social media
Along with the power of untapped funding, women also rule the social media realm. FinancesOnline compiled research on social networking sites and who uses them. It turns out women not only use these sites more often, but they interact with each site in a wider variety of ways. Women are more likely than men to connect with their favorite brands online, read news stories and visit social sites several times per day. Men use Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter less than women do. The sole site where male users outnumbered females was LinkedIn; only 19 percent of women are active on that business networking site, compared to 24 percent of men.
Women were most active on Facebook, though they absolutely dominated the visual social media websites. Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram are largely used by females. Only 8 percent of men are active on Pinterest.
Nonprofit organizations need to be incorporating social media into their donor acquisition and retention strategies. Nonprofit Quarterly recently discussed the best ways to do this, advising charities to avoid simply posting eye-catching “click bait.”
Steer the conversation
Beginning a conversation on social media is not enough to build membership. Taking a stance and changing current conversations on the topic to reveal a new perspective is crucial to engaging future donors. Find interesting ways to present information, too. Since women are active on image-based sites, posting graphs or infographics with relevant information to an important cause may have a stronger impact on readers.
Focus on solutions
Instead of pointing out the bleakness presented by a particularly tough issue, titling articles and images with more hopeful words encourages others that a solution is possible. This increases their willingness to get involved and help. Offering a light at the end of the tunnel, even if it’s a very long tunnel, is more inviting than pitch darkness.
Be inclusive
Avoid using social media as simply a platform for self-congratulations. Always incorporate information on how a nonprofit’s success applies to the larger picture. While posting about a speech given by a particular member, invite responses or comments from other constituents.
It’s clear that supporting women and encouraging them to give to causes benefiting girls throughout the world is the future of philanthropy and an important aim. Donor management software helps nonprofit organizations retain new donors acquired through all channels, including social media. The ability for members to create, manage, update and personalize their own profiles with donor software will certainly appeal to a demographic that is familiar with and spends a lot of time on social websites. Being able to store personal information in a secure setting is also a much more attractive option to Internet users than donating through a variety of websites.