Nonprofit work is hard. (Okay, end of the post!) No, but seriously. The work of changing the world, one community at a time, is some of the most critical work worldwide. 

And, for those in the trenches, it can feel daunting to do it all well. Budgets are slim, great employees leave, volunteers drop off, and board members - well, that’s a whole other post! 

As you head into 2022, evaluating your mission, defining goals, and making plans, here is a list of valuable tools to help you do the work without letting it break you. 

(P.S. You’re brilliant and probably already know this, but I use affiliate links to earn a small commission at no cost to you if you subscribe to a product I love or use. I never recommend tools that I don’t use personally or use for a client). 

Creating content

There is always content to create to share your message and educate your audience. 

If you need writing help

I recommend Grammarly to help with basic grammar, context, and readability. There are extensions for browsers, or you can copy and paste your content right into their website. The website gives you a score, and you can watch the score improve as you make edits. 

If you need design help

Do you feel like you’re always creating something? A flyer, social media posts, brochures, and more? I’ve ditched Canva for most projects and switched to Visme whenever possible. Their template library is extensive, the designs are fresh and unique, and the customization options are numerous. 

There can be a slight learning curve at first, but once you’ve got a handle on it, it’s great. Of course, Canva will always be an option (and I create many of my shop templates in Canva), but Visme is a great alternative. 

If you need great photos

Searching for stock photos online is exhausting. Do you have to give credit? Is it truly free? Does it make sense for your nonprofit? I gave up using all the individual stock photo sites over a year ago and joined the Styled Stock Society membership.

Not only do they give you access to thousands of stock images, but they also have great Canva templates, videos, and a free Instagram caption guide every month. At just $25/month, it’s a steal. 

Managing donors, gifts, and operations

Did you resolve to do better with managing your donors in 2022? Unfortunately, a very small percentage of nonprofits are using the proper donor database for their size, staff, and expertise level. Here are two I always recommend:

Little Green Light - Little Green Light is flexible, grows with you, and is a real all-in-one solution. Whether you’re brand new to needing a database or looking to switch, check this one out before you go anywhere else. 

Bloomerang - Bloomerang is a little more robust than Little Green Light and a great solution for medium-to-large nonprofits. I love that it combines a CRM with online giving, email marketing, and donor recognition all in one easy-to-use platform. 

Nonprofit consultants constantly recommend it, and it has won several awards for its accessibility and interface. 

If operations are on your mind

Evaluating in-kind donations of property – Having the property appraised using the services here can help you estimate its value, as well as how to manage the real estate as an essential asset of your nonprofit’s portfolio. 

Appraising a property can also notify you of any issues in valuation that you may not have considered and give you a plan for making use of this asset in the future. While appraisals do not tell you what to do with a property, they give you the hard data to make choices. These one-off donations are fabulous but require a little extra research! 

Digital Marketing

Doing the work of fulfilling your mission is exciting and energizing. However, marketing the work is a different story. If marketing is your hang-up, these tools should help.

If you need a new website

If you’re embarrassed about your current website or it’s just not getting the job done, Squarespace is ideal for nonprofits. It’s an all-in-one platform that doesn’t require a hosting plan somewhere else (read: easier to manage), and it’s straightforward to learn and manage yourself. 

If 2022 is your year to stop paying someone to manage and update your website and the time to get your message and impact in front of the right people, a Squarespace website is a great first step. (I’m accepting a limited number of nonprofit clients in 2022, so be sure to reach out soon if you’re interested). 

If online giving is high on your list

Online giving used to be a nice perk to offer donors. Today, it’s a mandatory part of the nonprofit experience. It doesn’t have to be expensive or cumbersome to set up, either. If you’re brand-new to online giving and your website platform or CRM doesn’t already incorporate this option, here are two good choices:

PayPal - set up a PayPal Business account and then watch (or read) this PayPal tutorial to create your PayPal donate button and customize your giving form. Most people can complete this process in just an hour or two. 

Snowball - This is a complete nonprofit fundraising platform with text-to-give capabilities, auction software, online giving, and more. If you’re not ready for a complete CRM, it’s an excellent first step in that direction. 

Plus, their setup instructions are straightforward to understand, and the support is excellent too. 

If this is your year for email marketing

Will 2022 be the year you start a consistent email marketing campaign? I hope so! Email is highly undervalued in the nonprofit space, yet it has one of the highest returns on investment of all digital marketing activities. 

If you’re ready to get a basic email list started, use segmentation to send targeted emails, or maybe just transition your print newsletter to email, MailerLite is the go-to solution for nonprofits. For lists under 1,000, it’s just $84 per year. 

MailerLite isn’t “lite” at all – it incorporates forms, automation, campaigns, and analytics into one powerful email tool. 

Planning and Efficiency

Finding the right tools is magic when you’ve already done the work of planning and have the strategy in place to use those tools effectively. Planning is essential whether you love your iCal or Outlook or prefer the old-school pen and paper. 

I use a combination of paper and digital planning. I’m an Apple lover, so everything (and I mean everything) goes into my iCalendar app. Then, once a week (usually Sunday nights), I transfer all appointments and reminders to my Simplified Planner.

Throughout the week, I rely on my Simplified Planner at all times. This planner is where my to-do list lives, and I make notes on my daily pages about ideas or plans.

Bonus: My promo code/link for the Simplified Planner will save you $10, and the options for 2022 are incredible! 

Templates make it all easier

If you don’t change anything else in 2022, make this the year you stop reinventing the wheel and start from scratch every time you need to create a new document, report, or graphic. You are far better off spending that time on cultivating donors and raising money for your mission. 

Here are a few planning templates to help you:

Nonprofit Marketing Strategy Guide & Template - Nonprofits can audit and plan your entire digital marketing strategy with this easy-to-customize template and guide. Evaluate what worked, track ideas and goals, and use the built-in marketing calendar to prepare for the upcoming year. This nonprofit marketing plan guide and template gives you an easy-to-follow example, sample goals, and a format to easily share your plan with your board and stakeholders. 

Sponsorship Proposal Template - Stop blindly asking the same companies to sponsor your event or nonprofit and start getting strategic! This template and Guidebook provide a framework for the process - start to finish! First, customize the partnership package proposal for each company quickly (using Canva) and then use the Guidebook for sample emails that include exactly what to say before, during, and after your pitch. Plus, use the free Google Form template to allow companies to commit online, upload their logo and messaging, and select payment preferences. 

Or, grab the new Nonprofit Marketing Bundle to get five essential marketing templates and tools at 30% off. 

Which tools are you thinking about using? What’s working well for you already? Leave a comment below and let me know what you’d add to the list. 

Until next time,

Andrea