Soapbox Engage Blog

It seems that the snow is following me these days. For my first trip of the new year, I headed to the Mountain West, and right upon landing in Denver, boom, snowstorm. Luckily, I made it unscathed to the home of the Chipotle burritos, wearing a jacket that makes me feel like an Arctic explorer.

In case you're somewhere across the vast swath of the US that has been tackled and beat up by this weekend's winter weather like an NFL playoff quarterback, grab a warm, relaxing beverage of your choosing, and join me for a round of Salesforce knowledge.

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In case some snow falls out of your inbox when you read this, you can blame politics and the weather. It seems that the weather decided to raise the ante on the US government shutdown today, blanketing the city with snow and by doing so, forcing the government to completely close in the capital city today.

May our friends further north not laugh too hard at our few inches of snow on the ground.

I held off downhill skiing 20th St NW during this storm (it may have happened in the past), and instead braved it into the office to report on all the goodness our community has shared this week. Also, a nearby coffee shop was giving away free coffee. But really, it was all about my commitment to the community. Here's your latest batch of Salesforce knowledge

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Happy 2019 PUB Crawl friends! If you're reading this, you're probably asking yourself, "wait, why wasn't the world premiere of the Goat Farm Foundation's new thrilling series, NPSP Cribs, not nominated for every Golden Globe award possible?" I know, that's how I felt too. Especially after going out the day after New Year's to buy a whole rack of this obviously perfect penguin dress shirt to wear on the red carpet.

Unfortunately, I've been told that the Golden Globes are only given out to shows that have already premiered, and since the Goat Farm Foundation's NPSP Cribs debuts on January 17 at 3pm ET, there was some silly rule that got in the way. Well, no matter, this show is can't miss TV!

So, while the studio set gets prepped, enjoy the green room beverages and snacks, and take a look at all the knowledge from the PUB!

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All sorts of nonprofit organizations rely on the world’s most popular constituent relationship management platform, Salesforce, for their data and donor management needs. If your organization is already on Salesforce, you have to make sure you’re taking full advantage of this powerful CRM platform.

Plenty of nonprofits recognize the benefits of using a CRM to record, manage, and analyze their data in smarter ways, but fewer realize that using donation apps that integrate with Salesforce can help this flexible platform have an even greater impact on your fundraising and stewardship efforts.

If your organization is in the market for new online donation software, it can be tricky choosing between a Salesforce-integrated donation app and other tools that don’t integrate with Salesforce. There are benefits to each, but donation apps that integrate with Salesforce tend to win out for a few reasons. Let's walk through why, starting with the basics:

As the year comes to an end, I’ll keep this intro short. Mostly because today was one long blur of a day, culminating with the handing over of keys from our Soapbox Engage home of more than a decade in Dupont Circle.

Moving continues to be just as fun as I remembered it...especially on New Year’s Eve.

So, as we bid our old office adieu, from our penguin family to yours, here’s to a healthy and successful 2019! Now, on to the celebration and knowledge sharing!

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Ah, the holiday joy of moving offices. Maybe it's the sounds of packing tape, or realizing our Soapbox Engage offices had way too much stuff on shelves I didn't remember existed. Actually, I think it's the way rediscovering old relics and the good memories that come along for the ride.

That's a photo of the "cloud", circa 2004. I found that server under some softball equipment yesterday (Softballer$ forever!). Back in our early years, we were one of the first companies to build and host websites for US Congress, which we called HouseWeb. You can imagine the fun of government shutdowns back then.

This holiday season, I'm incredibly thankful companies like Salesforce and others are powering the "cloud" (don't forget, it's really still a bunch of servers), giving folks like our team a chance to focus on the needs of fundraisers. And moving.

Here's to wishing you all a happy holiday season, and hopefully, a moving-free end of 2019!

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It's that time of year when I can walk over to the lobby of the Willard Hotel in downtown Washington, DC, listen to Christmas carolers, and then visit the largest gingerbread remake of DCA airport. The only thing they're missing is me frantically running to a gate trying to make a flight.

This week, it's wheels down time with friends and family in the nation's capital, and one heck of a Soapbox Engage holiday party tomorrow night (come one, come all, to Dupont Circle). Before we send off 2018 too quickly, we still have two more PUB Crawls full of community goodness rolling off the assembly line. So, grab your favorite holiday season beverage, and dive into another week of knowledge with me.

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With the 2018 NPSP Day tour now in the rearview mirror, I've begun to collect the lessons learned and gather great community stories from 2018. Plus, we've got the Soapbox Engage holiday party in DC next week (if you're in town, come join us!), and celebrations to kick off 2019 right around the corner. There's lots to cover before 2018 wraps up!

Which is why I figured, heck, might as well get one more trip in before the year ends. As has been a ridiculous tradition among some friends, I started the year-end with a marathon. Luckily, writing this PUB Crawl requires no leg workout, and I'm hoping a kind "good afternoon!" to the plane's pilot tomorrow will increase the chances of a drop off right in front of my office tomorrow.

This week has been another exciting week in the Power of Us Hub, and with one of the community's final gatherings for the year at the Salesforce World Tour in NY this week, it looks like the community is coming in strong for the final knowledge sharing in 2018. So, grab a seat, and enjoy this week's round of knowledge!

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While the numbers are still being talied, early estimates from last week's #GivingTuesday suggest $400 million was raised in the United States alone. How did it go for your nonprofit? We know you’re probably now in the thick of your end-of-year/holiday fundraising campaign, but we want you to take a minute to think about how you are giving back to your donors, as they continue to give to you. How are you showing gratitude this holiday season for all that your community has done to support your mission?

As with everything else you have done this year to create smart, successful fundraising campaigns, showing thanks and giving back to your donors requires good storytelling and excellent data. Instead of using these two key elements to develop appeals, compelling copy, and determine prospects, you can apply them to showing your donors what they have helped you to achieve this year, and how the important work you’re doing would not be possible without them -- now, and in the future.

Here are a few ideas:

NPSP Day New Delhi is in the books, completing our first event on the Asian continent! It was awesome to see fellow non-profit community members at the event like Shonnah Hughes, other new friends from the US (and in my own city of Washington, DC!), and even Trish Perkins who arrived from Darjeeling. This was the first time an NPSP Day was done in conjunction with a Salesforce community "dreamin'" event, as our friends at India Dreamin' were gracious hosts and encouraged a new generation of contributors to our NPSP open source community.

To be honest, I'm exhausted right now. With bit of travel whiplash, I'm heading back to the US in a few hours, and the travel doesn't stop there. So, before I fall asleep at the Delhi airport, let me pour you a round of knowledge here in the PUB, and run to my gate to catch my flight!

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It might be Cyber Monday on the Internet today, but after watching a show about minimalism and having a chance to be with family this weekend to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday here in the US along the California coastline, it certainly seems that the best bargains are the ones you don't have to buy.

Is that just the most poetic segue to a collection of awesome posts by our very own Salesforce non-profit community? In an effort to increase my mnmlsm (I'm even trying to use less vowels), I'm pleased to present your free round of knowledge. Bottom's up!

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Another week, another home-stretch of NPSP Days for 2018. The NPSP Day movement's march through North America took a quick turn north last week, as Vancouver played host to the 33rd NPSP Day.

Just when you think the batteries might be running low, it's time for me to charge up during the Thanksgiving holiday this week. In just under two weeks, we'll be hosting our first NPSP Day in Asia at NPSP Day New Delhi! In conjunction with the India Dreamin' event, I'm looking forward to heading back to India to help energize a growing community of developers and administrators eager to share their talents to serve our non-profit community around the world.

As we head into the Thanksgiving holiday, thank you for your continued reading of this newsletter. If there's anything I can do to bring more value to your contributions to our community, drop me a line. And now...on to this week's round of Salesforce knowledge.

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It might be some of the worst air quality I've ever seen in the San Francisco Bay Area (and I lived through the smoggy 80's here), but that didn't stop me from spending a little time away from the computer and with family to celebrate a birthday. Just some good quality time staying inside, running air purifiers, and making siblings listen to me talk about NPSP Days and burritos. Ah, family time.

If you're in the Bay Area, be safe, keep that filtering mask on, and join the rest of us for a refreshing round of knowledge from the Salesforce non-profit community!

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Choosing to work in the technology field, especially serving organizations doing incredible, society-changing work, can be a line of work that includes burning the candle at both ends. And on the sides. Every once in a while, taking a moment to enjoy the simple, quiet, slow things can be all we need to recharge our batteries. Thinking about your breathing is a good start (thanks Ashima).

With a solid vacation behind me, I'm ready to dive back into things, starting with another fantastic week of knowledge sharing in the PUB. Also, we'll be hosting another back-to-back week of NPSP Days starting this week in Chicago, and then next week in Vancouver.

Fasten your seat belts, and put your tray in its upright and locked position. Let's kick off the giving season with a strong round of knowledge!

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It. Is. On. There are only 27 days until we reach what has become one of the biggest fundraising days in the year, for nonprofits of all sizes - #GivingTuesday. In 2017, organizations raised $300M+ online in one day, through 2.5M gifts from people in 150 countries around the world. The numbers keep growing every year as this annual giving day has become nearly the official launch of the end-of-year giving season for charities big and small.

Are you ready for it?!

Let’s take a step back though -- this post isn’t just about if you’re ready for #GivingTuesday. What we really want to know is -- what are you doing after November 27? How are you using #GivingTuesday as a jumping off point for your overall EOY fundraising strategy?

If your answers to these questions are “I don’t know” or “I’m not sure,” don’t worry -- we’re here to help. Because we want to make sure that all the work you’re putting into this one day isn’t over at midnight; we want you to reap the benefits through December 31 and beyond. There are a few ways you can take advantage of #GivingTuesday and all the attention it garners and use that goodwill within your community to keep the good going through the end of the year. Here are a few ideas:

In a week that was filled with open source community sprinting in our Salesforce world out in Portland, Oregon, it sure seems like the community was in overdrive this week with tons of great new questions and ideas. To the sprinters with sore muscles this week, thanks for putting in the hard work for the community!

While I try to comprehend the art all around me during my vacation this week (art historian friends needed), allow me to send you a weekly round of knowledge from the PUB Crawl, rapidamente!

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“Do what you can, with what you’ve got, where you are.” An appropriate quote from the president in the background behind these awesome Salesforce non-profit rockstars at last week's NPSP Day Boston. Not only was it a fantastic day of networking and learning, but it marked the 30th NPSP Day in what's been an incredible movement building of our community.

To celebrate three weeks of NPSP Days in a row, thirty of them around the world, and ten years of the NPSP, I think I'm going to take my sailor's cap and Soapbox Engage penguin and head to a little vacation. When I come back, maybe I'll have a pretty epic announcement about an exciting capstone to this incredible year of knowledge sharing. Just maybe.

In the meantime, enjoy another round of knowledge, care of the community.

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Another week, another NPSP Day in the history books. Last week, the NPSP Day community convergence tour stopped in the City of Brotherly Love, where I promptly tried running up the art museum steps only to find I'm totally not prepared for a long run in a few weeks. Luckily, fueled by coffee and Philly soft pretzels, the community pushed us forward through an awesome day.

This week, I'll be extending the tour northwards to Boston for the second annual NPSP Day right in the middle of a little-known university in Cambridge. If you find yourself in Boston as you read this, come join us on Thursday! And if not, well, enjoy this round of Salesforce knowledge and know that somewhere in Boston, I'm likely already on my third cup of Dunkin.

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Last week was the third, and largest, NPSP Day Washington DC, and let me tell you, it was really nice having an event in my own city for a change. A few days without travel meant I was able to catch-up even more on the knowledge shared during Dreamforce.

And that's a good thing, because I'm not sure who put the token in the question asking machine, but geez, the community sure brought a ton inquisitiveness to the table this week.

So without further ado, let's launch right into the largest PUB Crawl in history!

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Last month, we kicked off fall by outlining key segments of your donor list to prioritize in advance of holiday giving and end-of-year (EOY) giving season. Hopefully, you’ve got some of that plan underway, as we are staring EOY in the face, with #GivingTuesday just two months away.

But there’s another important group of supporters that we should not dismiss, and depending on your community, they may make up a considerable portion of it, too -- and that’s the non-donors. These folks aren’t just the ones on your email list who haven’t made a gift; it’s also people who follow you on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, who may have attended an event or volunteered, signed a petition, or taken some other sort of action that places them on the ladder of engagement. So we’re talking hundreds, or more likely, thousands of people that could become donors to your cause.

With the clock ticking, how can we bring these non-donors up another step on the ladder, and convert them into givers? We’ve shared a few ideas below that require all your hats: storyteller/communicator, fundraiser, and data geek/techie.