Impactful Statistics Make an IMPACT

I was having a discussion in my office the other day with a potential new hire. We were having a great conversation and towards the end she asked me why after seven years was I still extremely passionate about my job and Blackbaud. I told her what I usually tell  folks who ask me what I do for a living; I told her we help organizations who are changing the world for the better and to have an opportunity to be just a little a part of that is too good to pass up. I went on to elaborate about some of our different customers, their missions, and how we were able to be a partner and in a lot cases be a real catalyst to their fundraising efforts. I even shared with her some of the recent ROI statistics we’ve published on our eTapestry customer base.





Why I get excited about these statistics isn’t because of the positive and continued impact it is showing (this is fantastic by the way). It’s because when you get down to the actual specifics within an organization you can see and hear firsthand what those additional dollars are going towards. How many additional backpacks filled with toys, games, and a variety of other items for children diagnosed with cancer can they provide with each additional dollar donated? How many additional scholarships are offered to under-privileged youth per dollars raised? How far can a $100 donation go to digging additional wells in Africa to provide clean drinking water?

These are the stories that get me excited. They are also the specific stories, statistics, and impact your constituents want to hear. Unfortunately, a lot of nonprofits forget to have this data in the forefront of their website and within their appeals. Your donors want to know exactly what their contribution will be used for and how the mission will be impacted. Too often when people receive appeal letters or visit nonprofit websites this information is hidden or nonspecific.

In December I received an appeal letter from one of the homeless shelters in downtown Indianapolis. It is an organization that is well known, but not one I have supported previously. Somehow I ended up on their mailing list and received the year-end appeal. At the time of its arrival, my wife and I had already made all of the charitable contributions we were going to make in 2013. However, being curious and a previous fundraiser, I decided to read the letter and examine the appeal’s response slip. Within the contents of the letter and on the reply slip, the organization clearly explained that for every $2.25 contributed, I would feed and care for one homeless person a day. Once I looked at the various ask amounts through that lens, you better believe I went and found the checkbook.

While writing this blog I went ahead and checked-out their website, and sure enough, directly on the “Donate Now” button on their home page it states, “$2.25 feeds one hungry person”. I can honestly say that if the organization didn’t tie the per dollar value directly to their mission, I would not have donated at that time. I challenge all of you who read this, that if you work for a nonprofit, please get these impactful statistics out in the forefront, who knows how many new donors you can acquire when you let them know how far $2.25 will go.

Best of Luck,

Jeremy