Even with the rise of social media and text messaging, good old-fashioned email remains one of the most effective marketing tools used in the for-profit world—and it continues to play a significant role in nonprofit fundraising, as well. Why? There are many reasons, but arguably the most compelling is cost. In general, it is estimated that it costs about 80 percent less to send a cultivated prospect an email than a printed direct mail package.

For nonprofit organizations, donor acquisition is the necessary foundation for every fundraising program. Two of the most common ways to identify new donors and also to re-engage existing contributors are direct mail and telemarketing.

Perhaps the most effective way to acquire a large number of first-time donors is to solicit their support by mail. Nonprofits use mail solicitation most frequently for annual campaigns. Using direct mail successfully, however, is not easy.

Writing grants is often a critical part of gaining funding for any nonprofit organization's mission. Strategic grant writing aligns the needs of a nonprofit with funding sources, whether foundations, government agencies, corporations, or individuals. The Skye introductory-level course offers a guide to the basics of grant writing.

This week, Skye Learning is spotlighting Debbie Nguyen, a subject matter expert featured in Strategy for Nonprofit Organizations, available now on Skye!

Debbie Nguyen has nearly a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector. Currently, she is Director of Planning & Operations for Foster America, Youth Leadership Program Director for ASPIRE: Asian Sisters Participating in Reaching Excellence, and a grants writer for Positive Tracks. Through ASPIRE, Nguyen helps mentor and tutor Asian-American high school girls. Prior to this, as College Success Director at Let’s Get Ready, Nguyen served hundreds of low-income high school seniors preparing for college.

Nonprofit leaders can employ the strategic planning process to keep the organization focused on its mission and goals. Strategic plans can be helpful in anticipating and responding to changes, building consensus within the organization, and keeping the operations of the nonprofit aligned with its mission. For example, leaders can target spending only on those programs and projects that are identified as vital, and they can link fundraising and applications for grants to the nonprofit's strategic vision.

Successful grant writing offers nonprofits a way to attract outside funding, and it also helps to support the organization's vision and goals. Strategic grant writing looks to align identified needs of the nonprofit (and its clients) with funding sources, whether foundations, government agencies, corporations, or individuals. Check out our latest infographic for ten best practices to help you while writing your next grant.

Starting a nonprofit can be a daunting venture, but don’t let the potential negatives overshadow the positives. There can be many social advantages to starting a nonprofit, including providing a service, protection from personal interests, sustainability, volunteer involvement, and invested employees. There are also financial benefits, including tax exemption, grant support, foundation support, and tax deduction for donors. Check out our latest infographic, which goes into more detail about the social and financial benefits of starting a nonprofit.

Social media is transforming the way America does business, but it may be even more important in the nonprofit world. Nonprofits, after all, rely on personal connections to reach donors, and social media is all about forming personal connections. Janine Jacques – associate professor and Digital Media program chair at New England College of Business, and founder of her own nonprofit – explains it all in our latest Skye Learning video.

Successful grant writing not only offers nonprofits a way to attract outside funding, but it also helps support an organization's vision and goals. Strategic grant writing looks to align identified needs of the nonprofit (and its clients) with funding sources, whether foundations, government agencies, corporations, or individuals. Learn more about the six stages of grant writing in our latest infographic.