Bigger isn’t always better when it comes to your nonprofit software. Complex accounting and donation platforms can lead to complicated set-up processes and procedures that might not benefit your organization in the first place. That’s why Software4Nonprofits created two simple programs for their users – a donation platform to keep track of donations and an account platform for basic bookkeeping functionality.

In Use:
Small to mid-sized nonprofits and churches who primarily wish to keep track of donations or utilize basic bookkeeping and fund accounting functionality benefit the most from Software4Nonprofits platforms.

DONATION Program:

Software4Nonprofit’s DONATION platform allows organizations to record donors and donations while also issuing receipts for both Canada and United States donors. Users can access different types of reporting that lets charities track one-time donors, current donors, and all donations by date, name and amount. When speaking to Software4Nonprofits founder Dan Cooperstock, he wanted to make it very clear that this platform was not a full-featured fundraising software program. If you are interested in a fundraising software he recommends a “full-featured and customizable fundraising program.”

In terms of pricing, Software4Nonprofits offer a free Lite version, and free 60-day evaluations of other full-featured versions. Support for the Lite version is $20 a year after the first month, and support and upgrades are included for the first year with the purchase of the other versions. The Lite version allows for up to 100 donors per year. With multiple versions available and a 60-day free trial, charities and churches can find the right version for them.

ACCOUNTS Program:

Like the DONATION program there are different versions of the platform depending on what a charity is looking for. A nonprofit may start with a standard version and then upgrade over the years as their organization grows. “Initial pricing for ACCOUNTS is $130 to $220 depending on the version and again subsequent year support and upgrades costs are half of the initial price,” Cooperstock explained.

With the accounting platform, users can track income and expenses while also having a simple and completely automated fund accounting. Like the DONATION software, users can also take advantage of different reports such as income statements, balance sheets, and detailed transaction reports.

Technology Used:

Every version can only be installed on Windows desktop apart from the ON-DEMAND version. Because this version is controlled by secure remote control, it can also be used on Macs.

While there are no direct integrations, users can export their data and upload it to their CRMs like Constant Contact.

Ease of Use:

Nonprofits can access multiple introductory videos that teach users exactly how to use each program.  There is also an expansive FAQ page that covers everything from problems using the program to installations. Users who are still having issues can email Software4Nonprofits or call them for support.

Recap:

Software4Nonprofits was created as an easy solution for churches, charities, and nonprofits to solve for basic donation and accounting needs. It was important to Cooperstock to create a program that was easily accessible to anybody including volunteers with minimal experience.

Advantages:

• DONATIONS program has a free LITE version that many charities and churches can utilize
• The programs are easy to use and there are a plethora of documents and videos to help an organization learn how to use the programs
• Export documents and upload to your CRM
• Fairly priced

Disadvantages:

• Is not cloud-based
• Only available in Canada and the United States
• If you do not have accounting experience, the ACCOUNTS program may have a learning curve

My Opinion:

The biggest advantage of a platform like Software4Nonprofits is that they know what they are. They are a simple solution for charities and churches to upload donations and track income and expenses. The program doesn’t promise to be the next QuickBooks or fundraising tool – in fact Dan Cooperstock makes it very clear that they’re not. If you need a way to keep track of your spending, donors, and donations – these programs can help. With different versions of each program – small-to-mid nonprofits can pick the best version for their organization to get the most benefit.

If you’re looking for a simple, intuitive way to track your donors and donations – I would recommend trying out the 60-day trial to see how you like it.

Now that the world is slowly opening back up your virtual events may turn into in-person events before you know it. Making sure you’re able to manage them is critical so you don’t waste time or money searching for the perfect venue and vendors that meet your expectations Planning Pod is an automated online event management platform that promises to keep users organized while minimizing busy work.

In Use:

Founded in 2014, Planning Pod attempts to automate the party planning process by consolidating all the event planner’s responsibilities into one dashboard. Planning Pod’s Event Management and Planning Suite includes the ability to manage one’s budget, submit proposals, track invoices, create a to-do list, and manage attendees and registration. A nonprofit can create a landing page within the tool for their event that allows guests to register and purchase tickets.

Planning Pod has four subscriptions that nonprofit organizations can utilize. The Essential Plan is $19 a month and includes two events that can be planned at the same time, unlimited users, the ability to accept payments, order tracking, attendee lists, and chat and email support. The higher priced tiers ($39 and $69 respectively) come with more automated access like email communications, forms and surveys, and phone support. Planning Pod works with numerous charities and is happy to give nonprofits, schools, and universities a 20% discount on their subscription packages.  For large nonprofits like Red Cross or Amnesty International – Planning Pod offers an Enterprise package that is fully customizable.

Technology Used:

Planning Pod is available as a SaaS platform, which means it lives on the cloud. At this time Planning Pod does not have any mobile apps or a desktop version.

When it comes to integrations – Planning Pod integrates with Zapier (a software that allows companies to integrate their apps that don’t normally interact with each other) but is only available for the top tier packages. It can also integrate with numerous merchant payment processors including Square and Stripe so nonprofits can easily collect donations and ticket fees.

Ease of Use:

Users really enjoy that all the tasks they need are in one place (aka the dashboard) which allows them to streamline their to-do list and meet their deadlines. They appreciate the ability to create a website, have access to a virtual floor plan and can invoice, submit proposals, and register guests all in one place.

Recap:

Planning Pod is an online event management platform that gives a 20% discount to nonprofits, universities, and schools. Charities can take advantage of their software when planning annual galas or fundraising events. They have multiple subscription packages so a small or large nonprofit organization can take advantage of their offering.

Planning Pod combines all of the tasks that are generally needed to plan an event such as invoicing, budgeting, timelines, and ticketing and combines them into one easy to use dashboard. 

Advantages:

• One dashboard that consolidates budgeting, invoicing, attendee check-in and ticketing into one place so you’re not constantly searching through word docs, excel sheets and emails
• Ability to send emails straight from the platform (is not included in the basic package)
• Users can create a landing page on the software to direct attendees to purchase tickets
• Integrates with Stripe and Square
• Ability to duplicate events

Disadvantages:

• There is no phone support for the bottom tier packaging
• There is no mobile app or desktop version
• Users would like to see more training, a tax tool, and a more easy to use budget tool

My Opinion:

First of all I really appreciate softwares that take nonprofits into an account by offering them discounted services. A nonprofit who does multiple fundraisers or galas a year will definitely benefit from the dashboard that has all of the tools they need to execute an event. The ability to duplicate events is also helpful if nonprofits are replicating the same events year after year. If it’s something that you think would benefit your nonprofit I would suggest taking a free trial to see if Planning Pod is right for you and then pick the package that is best for your nonprofit.

Raise your hand if you felt helpless when Covid-19 devasted the country in March of 2020. We sat at home watching the news - wanting to help but not knowing how to. We knew that hospitals all over the country (and even in our counties) needed PPE; the supply chain industry was crippled; and people all over the country were getting sick from a disease we knew hardly anything about.

That was the fuel that Founder and Program Director Tess Gadwa needed to create Giving Map – an interactive map that showed Covid-19 infections around the country at a county level and subsequently where monetary donations were needed the most.  Since then Giving Map has expanded to include a Hunger Map displaying food insecurity throughout the nation.

In Use:

Giving Map’s statement is simple. It was created to “empower individuals to give whatever they can to the local organizations that will have the most impact.” A user interested in donating can go to Givingmap.org and see which states and counties are getting hit the hardest by Covid-19 and the hunger crisis. On the Covid-19 map, a county in dark green specifies there has been 0-9 new Covid-19 cases per 25,000 residents in the past 14 days. A purple county indicates that they have 500+ new cases per 25,000 residents in the past 14 days and are getting hit incredibly hard by the virus that has to date claimed 2.46 million deaths worldwide. Want to know more about a certain county? If you click on the county itself it will show Covid-19 data within the last 14 days including population; deaths in the past 14 days; new cases within the last two weeks; and how many total confirmed cases.

The hunger map, data indicates the number of people experiencing food insecurities as well as the total number of children experiencing food insecurities over a 14-day period.

While this map is a great way to stay informed about your county – you can also go that extra step and donate to a local organization in your county or another county that has been hit incredibly hard by the pandemic. Giving Map uses Charity Navigator’s interface to help donors find a local nonprofit organization to give to. If a nonprofit is located on Charity Navigator – then a donor can find them using Giving Map.

What started off as a way to help those in need of financial help due to Covid has morphed into an interactive map that can be used to impact all different areas of need from hunger to homelessness, and Civil Rights. Therefore, any nonprofit organization can benefit from Giving Map regardless of their mission.

Ease of Use:

Giving Map is easy to use. By clicking on “Give Now”, a donor can access 501(c)3 organizations across the country through Charity Navigator; a charity assessment organization and search engine that connects donors to nonprofits. Through Charity Navigator, a donor can search by category, size of the nonprofit, and the scope of work (regional, national, international). Charities that have been assessed are given a rating (1-5 stars) so you can feel confident as to who you’re donating to.

Technology Used:

Giving Map is an open source platform that sits on Github. People are free to contribute to it anyway they’d like. Along with being an open source software, Giving Map web site is also carbon neutral stating on their website that they “…strive to be a model for sustainability and integrate earth-friendly practices wherever possible.”

Because Giving Map is essentially a website (although it’s so much more), there is nothing that a user needs to download or install to use it. One only has to go to the website, click on the county they are interested in donating to and find local charities within the county parameters.

Recap:

Giving Map is an open source website that lets donors research local charities that they can donate to within their counties. It started off as a way to track Covid-19 statistics in real time and has grown since then to encompass all local charities around the country regardless of their mission.

Giving Map made headlines last November when the second wave hit around Thanksgiving. Creators used the daily Covid-19 data that they collected from John Hopkins University and created a time-lapse animated gif that showed just how much Covid-19 has spread. At one point almost the entire country turned maroon – indicating that there was anywhere between 100-499 new cases of Covid-19 per 25,000 Residents in a particular county. When asked about it, Erik Amlee, Technical Lead for the Giving Map team, stated that the gif resonated with a lot of people which showed the power that accurate data can have.

Advantages:

• Both the Covid-19 and Hunger maps are great ways for you to help the counties that need assistance the most
• Giving Map can also be used in conjunction with Charity Navigator to find a local charity in your area that you can donate to – regardless of their mission
• Giving Map sits on an open-source platform allowing anyone to contribute on the backend. In this way, contributors can make the map more functional, easier to use, and increase accuracy of the data displayed on the maps.

Disadvantages:

• I would love to see the map expand to include volunteer activities. As it stands right now users are only able to find charities to donate to as opposed to volunteer with.

My Opinion:

Like Erik said in our conversation, data visualization is an extremely powerful tool. I appreciate the steps that the Giving Map team went through to provide an accurate portrayal of the Covid-19 and Hunger crisis that has been gripping the nation at a county level. In my opinion it’s easier to relate to a situation when it’s happening in your backyard. And when you relate to a crisis like hunger or Covid-19 relief, a person is more apt to donate their time and resources.

Donating money is crucial to any nonprofit organization, but I would love to see the Giving Map explore ways to incorporate volunteerism into their maps. Some people don’t have the resources to donate money, but have time to volunteer – or they want to both donate and volunteer. Creating an asset that shows them which nonprofits are looking for volunteers is a way that people can help their community and nonprofits can access volunteers to assist them.

“We are Canva, but more,” explains Visme founder Paymen Taei, founder and CEO of Visme, a design platform for non-designers.  He’s right. Visme is Canva. But on steroids.  Like Canva, Visme is a design platform that allows non-designers (like me) the ability to create vibrant presentations, and videos using pre-existing templates, graphics, and pictures. But unlike Canva, Visme allows users to assemble an entire presentation as opposed to a one-off slide. It’s an accessible software that nonprofits can use without having to hire an outside design agency or hire a freelancer.

In Use:

According to Taei, who began his career as a web designer - Visme was a consolidation of many pain points that his clients were facing. They thought their presentations were ugly and needed him to spruce them up; their knowledge on graphic design was limited and therefore their designs were mediocre; or like many nonprofits – they didn’t have the funds to hire an agency to help them with their brand and creative. From there- Visme was born in 2013.

Like Canva, Visme has a free subscription that includes limited charts, widgets, and templates and up to 100 MB of storage. Users are allowed up to five public projects. Want to create private projects? Need more storage space, or want to access more templates, charts and widgets?  Visme has three other subscriptions that nonprofits can choose from with prices starting at $15 per montn if opting for an annual contract. Visme offers the “Business Plan” subscription to nonprofits at a 25% discount. The Business plan which is normally $29 per month (with an annual contract) comes with a Brand Kit, Analytics, Third-Party Integrations, and the ability to collect and store leads.

Ease of Use:

Visme is great for the non-designer because they have a lot of dynamic pre-existing templates that charities can choose from – whether they’re looking to create an infographic, video, or presentation for donors. They also supply charts and widgets that can be placed within a project. Want to excel beyond the pre-existing templates? Visme offers users educational resources that they can access for free. This includes blog posts, webinars, tutorials, and an online course.

Technology Used:

Visme projects live in the cloud and can be accessed anywhere. They can also be downloaded and exported as a Powerpoint, PDF, GIFs, or HTML-5 file. It all depends on what the user is more comfortable with.

Visme also integrates with third party applications such as Jotform, Youtube, Survey Monkey and Wistia. Using software such as Jotform or Survey Monkey, nonprofits can embed a form, survey, or video right into their presentation which allows for a seamless project.

Recap:

Visme is a “cloud-based visual content creation and collaboration platform” aimed at both designers and non-designers. It includes templates, pictures, graphs, and widgets that users can use to create vibrant and professional creative. Whether it’s an infographic, flowchart or animation – nonprofit organizations can skip the freelancer and create content without the expense ultimately saving them time and money.

Advantages:

• Nonprofits receive a 25% off of the “Business Plan” subscription that includes access to a Brand Kit, premium templates and unlimited projects
• Integrates with third parties such as YouTube and Survey Monkey – allowing users to embed a video or survey right into their presentation
• Presentation can be downloaded or live on the cloud
• Numerous pre-made templates to chose from that can be customized

Disadvantages:

• No mobile version yet
• Some users would like to see more pre-existing templates

My Opinion:

As someone who doesn’t have a creative bone in their body I love the fact that Visme has pre-made templates and visuals that nonprofits can use without spending thousands of dollars on an outside agency. Visme works with many nonprofits and I think even the smallest nonprofit can utilize the perks of Visme whether they opt for a free subscription or a Business Plan where they get a 25% discount. To get the most out of Visme, I would take advantage of their offerings whether it’s their blog posts or live webinars.

While Visme does not have a mobile version as of yet – it is in the works so nonprofits can expect to see it soon. It doesn’t mean that they can’t access Visme on their phones or tablets now – it just may be a bit cumbersome for the time being.

The year 2020 was the most challenging in the history of the modern world, perhaps even more than the great depression. It was the year that many changes were brought into our lives. Many pandemic-related measures were implemented to both for-profit and nonprofit organizations to curb the spread of the virus and mitigate the economic impact of the pandemic. The sweeping changes did not leave behind the nonprofits’ aid programs. Although many people have written about the non-pandemic-related changes, many pandemic-related changes will affect charities in 2021. Here are some of these changes. 

• Electronic form filling

Although electronic tax form filling has been there for years, for example, Forms 1099-MISC or 1023-EZ, the nonprofit-specific filling moved online in 2021. It seems the online craze is finally catching with the nonprofit tax filling as well. The new nonprofits are required to file their Form 1023 applications online via www.pay.gov website. This change became mandatory from January 31, 2020, but had a 90-day grace period. The change in filing will likely benefit those applying for tax exemption as stipulated under Section 201 (c)(3) because the shift to online filing should reduce the application processing time. 

Nonprofits seeking exemption under section 501(c) (4) are required to file Form 1024-A. However, from January 5 this year, this form was amended to allow these organizations to file for electronic filing through www.pay.gov. The IRS provided a 90-day grace period to allow paper applications to be filed, but the mandatory electronic payment became effective from April 5, 2021. Apart from the above forms, electronic filing is going to affect many other forms. For instance, the 2019 IRC amendment by the Senate requires a majority of the exempt organizations to file their applicable Form 990 information return and 4720 electronically. 

• Universal charitable deductions

To spur charitable giving, the CARES Act implemented a $300 above-the-line deduction per married couple and non-itemizing individuals for the cash gifts made last year to most nonprofits. This was expanded and enhanced by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 to enable individuals who make cash donations to eligible charities to take as much as $300 above-the-line deduction or a joint $600 per married couple.  

• Unrelated Business Taxable Income (UBTI)

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Section 512(a) (6) added in 2017 to the tax code requires exempt organizations with multiple unrelated trades and businesses to calculate the UBTI separately of each trade or business. The IRC Section 501 tax-exempts various tax-exempt and mutually beneficial organizations, although organizations recognized by this code as tax-exempt such as nonprofits, may be liable for tax if they engage in and derives income from businesses that are not related to their activities. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires nonprofits to identify every separate unrelated trades or businesses using the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code, which accurately describes the trade or business. If the NAICS codes are different, the businesses are considered unrelated for UBTI calculation. The UBI has an adverse consequence for nonprofits. For instance, a nonprofit found to be engaged in unrelated businesses can lose their tax-exempt status. 

As electronic filing continues to gain fame, IRS is considering providing additional electronic form filing services and tools. This includes online determination letters and tax assistance tools. This will impact exempt organizations in the coming years, and more development in taxation will be realized. While these are just but a few changes in the nonprofit taxation scheme, many are likely to come into effect in the coming days as the pandemic persists.

It is now a year since the pandemic began, and many things have changed. Organizations in different industries have been forced to change how they do things, and their plans have been altered significantly. For the nonprofits, fundraising events and how they are organized have been altered, and most of them are now hosting their fundraising remotely. Here are some tips that you should consider when planning your next fundraising event in 2021.

• Plan your fundraising event purposely

Before embarking on anything else, you must always start your fundraising event by identifying its purpose. Ask yourself the purpose of the event, goals, and amount you need at the charity event. Who are you focusing on? Does this kind of event need a large crowd of friends or people who don’t know much about your cause, or does it require a smaller group of supporters and potential donors? Many charitable events mostly have more than one goal. This means that some charitable events might have more than one goal. Finding out the details of your fundraising will therefore depend on knowing the goals you want to achieve.

• Choose a team that resonates with your audience

While people love helping in a given cause, they like attending events that are fun and interesting. Whether the event is virtual or in-person, take time to think about your audience and develop creative ideas that will make the event exciting and appealing to the attendees. Look at the age of your attendees and consider things that they would love. For example, if your attendees are young professionals, host a date auction or wine tasting as an accompanying fundraising activity. For people in tech, you may consider a hackathon event for a good cause. These ideas do not have to be expensive.

• Have a social sharing strategy

Social media is nowadays a lifeline of many nonprofit events. For this reason, you must have a social sharing strategy in your fundraising to let your event be known to as many people as possible. Leverage the presence of many potential donors or target groups on social media platforms such Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and websites by posting relevant content that will ensure your message reaches as many people as possible. By posting different messaging across these social media platforms, you will engage many followers and attract many donors for your cause.

• Think of virtual events

The pandemic has restricted the in-person event. However, this does not mean that you should sulk because you can no longer carry on with your cause. Rather, you need to think of creative ways to host your event virtually because the pandemic has taught us that we can still survive without necessarily meeting physically. Like the in-person events, ensure that your virtual fundraising event is well organized and planned. They should be short but powerful to make them attractive and enjoyable to the audience. From the invitation to registration through event conclusion, make your events user-friendly and straightforward. Always use technology that can easily be used by the elderly and those who are not too conversant with technology. Being a virtual event, make it attractive and give every potential donor a reason to attend by giving attendees an unforgettable experience.

Generally, fundraising events need to conform to the changes in the landscape. With the pandemic that has dealt a blow to in-person meetings, nonprofits must find a way to reach their donors regardless of the challenge. These challenges can be surmounted with the help of technology. Nonprofits who have no experience using technology to host events should find someone to help pull together a successful virtual event.

One thing that I have to deal with as a Black man on a board or in an executive environment is the exhausting exercise of navigating the current of norms and behaviors of the group. Even when boards recruit a “diverse” candidate who looks and thinks differently than the group, it is exhausting for that individual to speak from another mindset. Majority-culture boards tend to isolate the new thoughts of the diverse board member and label them, which is why so many people from diverse backgrounds may choose not to serve on these boards.

This poignant narrative told to me by a highly accomplished executive cuts through the fog to the heart of the issue of implicit bias—acting out prejudices and stereotypes without being conscious of them.

From our earliest years, we learn how to make sense of the world, how to be safe, and how to fit in.  Over time we gradually take on the characteristics and norms and beliefs of the social group with which we identify—many of which are generational. Within these norms are embedded layers of latent prejudices.

Implicit bias is difficult to see in ourselves. It takes courage to listen to others when they call out evidence of it in our lives. But to move forward into a diverse, inclusive, and equitable environment, we all must shine a bright light on our behaviors and make changes when what we do isn’t consistent with what is just; or when we recognize it is hurtful and unfair.

Harvard offers a wonderful online tool to check biases. It is called Project Implicit, https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html. You can take several exercises to gauge whether you are holding unconscious biases that are affecting your judgment. There are exercises to test bias in regard to all sorts of categories: Native American, Transgender, Asian, people with disabilities, older Americans, and more.

In these times, wherein we struggle to achieve diversity, inclusion, and equity, I recommend these exercises for every nonprofit executive. When you get your results, assume the answers are a true reflection—even if you feel uncomfortable. Then ask yourself, what might be influencing my way of thinking? Where might I have blind spots? What might I do differently or better? Self-assessment is challenging and, maybe even a bit painful, but when we engage in it honestly, we become better people.

If we are going to eradicate implicit bias from our nonprofits, we cannot stop with just personal reflection. Make this a topic for deep, engaged discussion throughout your organization. Bringing these issues into the daylight of open, honest, and receptive conversation offers the greatest promise for change. Reach out to professionals who can help carry the conversation further. There are a number of professionals well-versed in this issue who can guide such a discussion.

The courage to hold yourself accountable will make you a better leader, and equip your nonprofit to do the greatest good for the diverse community you serve.

James Mueller is a nationally recognized nonprofit authority, President of James Mueller & Associates, and author of the new book Onboarding Champions: The Seven Recruiting Principles of Highly Effective Nonprofit Boards.

The rising number of challenges today means that there is a big room for nonprofits to step in and offer their help to alleviate human suffering. However, this does not mean you just enter the charity industry and start without proper planning. Rather, you have to do research and identify a cause just like for-profits do their market research. You must always know that nonprofits must offer a return on investment. Therefore, in addition to your calling and commitment, you must have a clear objective, mission, and business plan to present to your donor base. Here are five nonprofit business ideas and opportunities that might interest you.

• Improving the quality of life for the disabled

Disabled individuals go through a lot of challenges in their daily endeavors. From disabled-unfriendly walkways to poor housing, these individuals always go through stress and difficulties. Owing to this, starting a nonprofit that will improve their quality of life means caring for the underprivileged in society. Perhaps the best way to start is to refit their houses. Since housing needs and requirements for the disabled are different from those with no disabilities, you should consider starting a nonprofit to refit their homes. This may involve fitting doors that are wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs, customizing kitchens, and installing ramps for safety and comfort. Starting this type of nonprofit is fulfilling because you get to help people live a better life.

• Green living

The earth is going through a serious challenge as far as the environment is concerned. For this reason, there has been a big discussion on how to reverse the damage caused by human activities such as deforestation and industrialization. One of the proposed mitigation measures is going green. With the increasing realization of the gravity of challenges we face due to global warming, there is a growing need to teach people about climate change matters. You can start a nonprofit that advocates for green living by training people on how to avoid activities that are harmful to the environment. 

• Launch tree planting and forest preservation initiative

This is another environmentally friendly cause that can save humanity and promote healthy living in the long term. With the increased natural disasters such as landslides, hurricanes, and soil erosion, deforestation has been the leading culprit of most natural calamities. Planting trees and discouraging deforestation are some of the ways of saving the environment. By doing this, you are improving the environment and protecting people from the adverse effects of natural disasters.

• First-aid training

 If you have a passion and skills to help people, there is no better chance to do this than training others to help other people that need first aid. You can start an instruction program that focuses on teaching people about first-aid. You can even sell the instruction for a small amount on sites such as Coursera.org. As small as the amount might look, it can reach up to $100,000 per year. This is enough to pay some costs and keep you going. You can get clients from schools, construction companies, and other organizations that would like to make their operations safe.

• Taking care of the elderly

Older people face many challenges, and most of them end up lonely during their most vulnerable ages. As an individual passionate about helping people, you can set up events or visits to the elderly care homes. Since they are unable to do everything by themselves, your services will come in handy. Start a nonprofit in your locality to take care of them and make the elderly comfortable.

You can now say “Alexa make a donation to_____” and have Alexa use your Amazon pay account to make a donation up to $5,000.  Currently, this program is only available to select charities that have been invited by Amazon. However, it is likely that this program will be a hit with both donors and nonprofits, so it is something that you should have on your radar for the upcoming year. 

Another high tech trend to watch for 2020 is the rise in giving via a blockchain platform. A blockchain platform is  a public ledger relying on globally distributed historical transactions to prevent tampering and fraud. 

Blockchain was designed to offer a higher level of transparency for transactions. Many donors wish to know that their donations are going directly to the charity that they have selected for the express purpose of funding a certain project. A blockchain giving platform can give them that piece of mind. 

BitGive’s GiveTrack is an example of one such platform. BitGive shares detailed real time information about the financial and project status of the charities that they work with that are accepting donations via GiveTrack.

Global Giving is a crowdfunding platform designed to help small nonprofits raise awareness and money. Global Giving is also a nonprofit, which means it understands what nonprofits need to run a successful fundraising campaign. 

Global Giving also understands that small nonprofits don’t have a large budget, so there is no application fee to join the  Global Giving platform. There is no monthly subscription fee, however Global Givings has a 3% transaction fee along with a sliding scale support fee of 5-12% of collected donations. 

The site offers a host of training and support options for nonprofits that join the platform. There are webinars, training libraries, workshops, one on one phone consultations or site visits.  The platform has tools like gamification and incentives to increase donations. 

The platform offers all the standard fundraising campaign tools, including metrics, donor engagement, social media integration. What it also offers is opportunities to partner with large companies for matching grants, or specific giving programs with the company.

know your audience in order to determine if live streaming is right for your nonprofit. The people you want to engage through a live stream have to be savvy enough to access your video feed so that they aren’t overwhelmed or frustrated by the experience. Beyond this point, your decision should come down to value—both to the viewer and to your organization.

If your organization is exploring adding a livestream to your next event there are a few things that you should consider. First, is your event the type of event that makes for a good livestream. 

The purpose of the livestream is to generate enthusiasm and excitement from those who are unable to attend in person. The event you are live streaming has to be visually interesting enough to keep your online viewer engaged. The most successful live streams are based on events that have an element of excitement to them. Is your event a fashion show? Will there be cute animals?--you can never go wrong livestreaming cute animals.  Also, if your event includes a celebrity guest that you know people who were unable to attend in person would love to see, 

After determining if your event is right for a livestream, it’s time to consider if your intended audience is right for a livestream. If your audience is comfortable using Twitch, YouTube or social media, if you chose to livestream via Facebook than live streaming is a good idea. If your audience is not comfortable with those platforms it doesn’t mean that you can’t do a livestream it just means that you may not get a huge return from the event. 

Next, it’s time to plan your livestream events content. Think of your live stream as the modern equivalent to a charity telethon-except instead of broadcasting on TV your using the internet. A telethon doesn’t consist of a single still shot of the action and neither should your livestream. 

Create a content script. If your are doing a fashion show consider doing interviews with the models or designers (or stores that donated the fashion). Have a host roving the audience,anything to spice up the broadcast. Remember you want to keep the excitement going. 

Many livestream apps allow your organization to collect donations directly from the livestream platform, so make sure your call to action is clear. 

EveryAction wants to be everything to every nonprofit. This cloud based platform offers fundraising, advocacy, organizing and digital all in one package. 

For fundraising, you can use the platform to create a simple donation page for your website. You can also use the platform to track major gifts, pledges and other donations. And, you can run an online auction with it as well. 

Get all your advocacy done with social matching and listening which lets you monitor and track influential supporters and it has an advocacy module that makes it easy for you to turn your advocates into donors. 

Organize your supporters with the built in tools to manage your volunteers and coordinate your canvassing or phone bank events. 

The digital portion lets you build multi channel ad campaigns. The platform includes data visualization tools so you can make use of all the various data sets that your organization accumulates. 

Nonprofits can make the most out the remaining giving days in the year, reports The Nonprofit Times. 

You’ve survived Giving Tuesday – and hopefully come out of it with a nice boost of donation revenue for your nonprofit.

Read article on The Nonprofit Times

New Story, a nonprofit that focuses on using tech to build affordable housing, plans on having 50 new homes erected a Mexico community by the end of 2020. 

A giant 3D printer built two houses in an impoverished, rural part of Mexico last week, breaking ground on what will be the first 3D-printed neighborhood in the world.

Read article on Fox 2 Now

According to the Biz Tech Magazine, integrated giving is one of several technology trends that will impact nonprofits in 2020. 

Nonprofits have a lot on their plates. Charitable giving took a hit last year, declining for the first time since the Great Recession, forcing organizations to do more with less.

Read article on Biz Tech Magazine

Mobile friendly devices help contribute to the success of #GivingTuesday, reports Biz Tech Magazine.  

Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday are all behind us, but the long Thanksgiving weekend isn’t over yet. Many will be digging deep into their pockets again today, but not for themselves—this time, it’s for Giving Tuesday. 

Read article on BizTech Magazine