By Jordan Lappin

The nonprofit sector is far less cut throat than the for-profit sector, and for obvious reasons. However, even in the dog-eat-dog for-profit world, we hear about companies merging and partnering with one another as a mutually beneficial relationship. In the nonprofit sector, we almost never hear of organizations partnering together to collaborate to better serve their mission. But why? What are nonprofit organizations competing for? 
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When talking to the leadership teams at different nonprofits, one of the most common things I hear is that they are afraid of losing donors and volunteers to other organizations. These organizations maintain what has been termed “The Hunger Games mindset”. The “Hunger Games mindset” is the idea that you shouldn’t collaborate with other organizations because you might lose funding; and it’s tempting to get pulled into a mindset of scarcity because you’re afraid there’s not enough donors or dollars to go around. The truth is that this mindset is causing more harm than good for your nonprofit organization, and it’s destructive to the concept of making the world a better place. 

I would be lying if I said that stepping outside of this “Hunger Games mindset” is easy! You might have different opinions, competing ideas, and varied operational strategies. So how do you break out of the “Hunger Games mindset”? First, you need to be able to see past the competitiveness and see the value in collaboration. Have you ever heard the quote: “alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” The secret to success in the nonprofit sector is to seek collaboration rather than be afraid of losing because of it. Non-profit organizations are all on the mission of making the world a better place. So why not work together? Look for natural opportunities to partner with and share resources for the greater good. 

Once you break out of this “Hunger Games mindset”, you’ll be surprised at what can happen to your funding. First, you’ll realize that donors and philanthropists don’t normally just give to one organization. Most have a number of different nonprofits that they give their time, money, and resources to on an annual basis. Your donors and volunteers might also be inspired by the idea that your organization is partnering with another because you want to see change made in the community. Also, when you work with other organizations, you open yourself up to the potential of their donor base!

By Jordan Lappin

It seems like everyone is having difficulty finding people who want to work these days. And it doesn’t matter which industry you are in - the labor shortage is affecting everyone. Nonprofits in particular seem to be having trouble finding volunteers (that is why Triangle Cares exists!), but more importantly, retaining these volunteers. Oftentimes, people will volunteer once or twice, and then the organization will never hear from them again. Here’s how you can avoid volunteer turnover as a nonprofit organization:

Everyone in the nonprofit sector knows that good volunteers are the backbone behind any successful organization. At Triangle Cares, we believe in a twofold strategy for limiting volunteer turnover. First, we place a heavy emphasis on recruiting the right volunteers. If you prioritize recruiting the right people to serve your mission, you’re more likely to develop a relationship with these individuals and keep them around for a while. And secondarily, we believe that each nonprofit organization needs to prioritize engagement with their volunteers in order to build these relationships. So here’s where you should start…

Step One: Recruit the Right People to Serve as Volunteers. Like any other industry, the ultimate goal of your recruitment strategy should be to find the most qualified people for the job. And don’t forget this or sell yourself short just because volunteers are not paid employees! Here are a few tools to implement into your recruiting strategy:

1. Find individuals who share the same values as you and your organization! 
2. Understand your volunteer - what motivates them? What value do they receive from giving their time to your organization? 
3. Spend time getting to know your volunteers authentically! 
4. Keep on recruiting! You never know when you will meet the perfect volunteer for your organization! Opportunities are everywhere! 

 
Step Two: Increase Volunteer Engagement! After you’ve recruited the right people, the next step is to let these people know that you value their time and effort! Here are a few things you can do to increase engagement with your volunteers:

1. Invest time into teaching and training your volunteers.
2. Get to know your volunteers on a personal level - What drives them? What are their values? 
3. Be accessible to help your volunteers at all times - they should never be chasing you down for help!
4. Respect their time! 

By Jordan Lappin

Within the last five to ten years, social media has become fully integrated into advertising, marketing strategies, and driving sales. If you read our blog from last week, you now understand the value of social media for your nonprofit organization. Social media is a powerful tool that has the capacity to scale your nonprofit to new heights - and the best part about it is that it’s free! Having a strong social media presence has enabled Triangle Cares to reach over 200% more people each month since our rebranding. This now leads to the question: Who should be in charge of social media at your nonprofit organization? 
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The ideal social media manager is multifaceted: creative, a story teller, an excellent writer, video editor, and maybe even a graphic designer. This person also plays an important role as the spokesperson of your nonprofit organization for the digital world. Today, many people use social media as a means of communication through direct messaging. Thus, your social media manager acts as a “facilitator of sales” as they are talking to potential donors and volunteers on your platforms. Your social media manager also acts as a data analyst - this person has to observe social media trends, create content accordingly, and analyze performance data. 
Finding an individual that is capable of all of these characteristics can be daunting. And the truth is - you probably are not going to find this seemingly perfect “unicorn”. 

Here are three characteristics we think you should hone in on when hiring your next social media manager:

1. Tech Savvy - First and foremost, you should look for someone that is tech savvy. Technology is constantly evolving, so it is important to find someone that is skilled when it comes to operating on different platforms and devices. You should also look for someone that is proficient in creating digital content on platforms like Canva and Photoshop along with filming and editing videos! 
2. Creative - Creativity is key when it comes to social media. You should look for someone who thinks outside the box. Posts on social media can be very repetitive - find someone that can create content that will give your organization an edge.  
3. Strategic - What most people do not understand about social media is that it is very strategic - there are strategies that you can employ to increase the likelihood of engagement, growth, and positive feedback. Find someone who is clever and tactical! This person will have a shot at mastering the complex algorithm. 

A question that we often get asked is who exactly should you employ as your social media manager - should you tag this role onto the responsibilities of someone already on your team? Or should you hire someone specifically for this role? 

Because most nonprofits operate on a tight budget, many organizations do not have the means to hire someone solely as the social media manager. Tasking the director of outreach or marketing with the role of social media is a great alternative to making sure that you are taking advantage of all that social media has to offer, while also operating within your financial means. (Just make sure that this is not asking too much of them!)  Individuals in these roles typically make out as very successful social media managers. However, if your nonprofit does have the means to employ a full-time social media manager, we think this is ideal.

By Jordan Lappin

As a nonprofit network, our goal at Triangle Cares is to connect volunteers with different organizations throughout the greater Raleigh-Durham area. By now, you probably understand the power of social media within our society, and at Triangle Cares we utilize our social media platforms big time! Social media acts as our main form of connection and communication with our volunteer base. These platforms also give us the ability to showcase the different organizations that we have partnered with to an endless audience of potential volunteers.
At the beginning of this summer, our team decided that we needed to rebrand our social media platforms as they were not performing as well as we would like them to. We hired a new intern that specializes in social media and digital marketing which proved to be an excellent investment for Triangle Cares. Since our rebranding, our following and engagement has increased by nearly 200%, but more importantly, our partnerships have strengthened as we’ve brought a significant amount of exposure, volunteers, and excitement to these organizations. We’ve consolidated our knowledge into a simple Social Media Strategy that you can start using today to boost your online presence. 

1. Post content related to your niche/organization - As simple as this sounds, many organizations are not utilizing social media the “right way”, so-to-speak. Instagram and Facebook are niche based platforms. This means that in order to grow and gain a following, you need to post content that centers around a certain niche. The content that follows a consistent theme or pattern will perform well in the algorithm. The more content you post related to the mission of your nonprofit organization, the more likely your content will be seen by people who are interested in what you’re doing!
2. Be consistent! - Consistency is key when it comes to social media! We recommend posting on social media as much as you can. Organic reach, which is the number of people you reach without paying to boost an advertisement or post, can reach only a certain number of people. Posting each day strategically and consistently maximizes your organic reach and ability to engage new donors and volunteers. 
3. Quality over quantity! - While posting consistently is arguably the most important piece of social media strategy, you want to make sure that the content you are posting is high quality. Pictures are essential to your social media pages so that you can put a face behind your mission, but you should make sure that your photos look professional. Digital content has also become increasingly popular on social media. Apps like Canva and Photoshop are easy to use and are a great way to add a nice flare to your page. 
4. Engage with your followers and other nonprofits  - Don’t simply share your content and hope people will interact with it. After all, it is called ‘social’ media for a reason - comment, like and share related content. When followers comment, respond back to them. If someone messages you, take the time to reply to their message. These small, personal touches can give your nonprofit’s social media platforms an edge.
5. Try new things! - Have you ever heard the phrase “throw things at the wall and see what sticks!” This is a great strategy to use when it comes to social media. The algorithms on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are difficult to understand and extremely unpredictable. If what you are doing now is not working, then try something new! 

By Jordan Lappin 

​For years, one of the most effective ways a nonprofit could raise money was through large in-person fundraising events - a fancy gala, a charity luncheon, or a live auction full of desirable memorabilia and a free 7-day trip to the Caribbean. However, fast forward to 2020, when the pandemic literally put the brakes on all large in-person events for nearly a year and a half, many nonprofit organizations had no idea where to turn to raise money when their annual fundraiser was canceled. Today, organizations and institutions across the US are operating business as usual. This now begs the question, are large fundraising events making a comeback? Or are they gone for good? 
A few weeks ago, the nonprofit organization that I work at had its first in-person fundraising event since 2019. It was so awesome to have all of the people who make the organization run on a day to day basis - donors, volunteers, families, and friends - in the same room celebrating our mission.  
In the months prior, the Head of the Organization, the Director of Development, and I met a number of times to plan this event. The two years without our annual gala gave us an opportunity to take a look at the event we put on in previous years and evaluate it with a fresh set of eyes  - do we really like the structure? What about the theme? After some thought, my colleagues and I came to the conclusion that our annual gala was probably dreaded by most of our donors - the classic Friday night event with a subpar chicken dinner and just too much small talk. So we decided to take a new approach and structure an entirely new event. This turned out to be a massive success: we were able to reach our fundraising goal, engage new donors, and reconnect with ones we had lost over the course of the pandemic. The success we had leads me to this conclusion: In person fundraising events are BACK, but now is the time to innovate.
As I mentioned before, most nonprofit fundraising events are strikingly similar, and oftentimes dreaded by donors and volunteers alike who attend out of pure obligation. If you are going to bring back these large in-person fundraising events, you should evaluate your previous events with a fresh set of eyes and innovate. The pandemic revealed to most people that as human beings, it is wired into us that we want to gather, be together, and celebrate. Capitalizing on the opportunity to gather again in person gives your organization an opportunity to celebrate your mission, present your dreams for the future, and raise money. Here are two ideas for a new in-person fundraising event:
SPORTING EVENT - Sports bring people together. Instead of the dreaded chicken dinner and guest speaker combination, what about organizing a golf tournament? Or a kick-ball tournament?
PERFORMANCE - People love entertainment. If you plan on having a gala type event, add some entertainment to the nightly program. Perhaps a comedian, a band, a play, or even a trivia night!
During the pandemic, a number of nonprofit organizations created virtual events to try and make up for the absence of their annual in person gala. As we turn back to these in-person events, you might be wondering - should we do away with all virtual fundraising? At Triangle Cares, we believe that you should utilize all resources to maximize your fundraising abilities. While we value connecting with our donors and volunteers face to face, a virtual fundraising event or a Giving Day is a great way to supplement your annual in-person event and raise even more money for your organization. 

By Jordan Lappin

As summer is winding down, now is a great time to start planning a Giving Day for your nonprofit organization. Around the holiday season, you have likely received an email from a nonprofit organization to remind you that Giving Tuesday is approaching and that you should consider donating to that organization. However, if you are unfamiliar, Giving Tuesday falls each year on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, and the day has become a national Giving Day throughout the United States. The idea of a “Giving Day” is that if a large number of people all give a little, these small donations can make a massive impact. Some organizations have organized their own Giving Days outside of Giving Tuesday. Many universities and academic institutions have adopted this idea and have a day separate from Giving Tuesday dedicated to raising money for the future of their school.

How does this relate to small nonprofits though? On Giving Tuesday, it seems like all the attention is on bigger organizations who have the means of spending a significant amount marketing for this day. This is why you should consider starting your own Giving Day specifically for your organization. A Giving Day for your nonprofit is a great way to shed light on your organization and leverage your local community for fundraising. So how do you set up a Giving Day? 

Choose a date.
When choosing a date for your Giving Day, consider your revenue cycle. Is there a time of year when you are tighter on funds or when you could use more money? Perhaps you should plan your Giving Day in the months prior. Is there a time of year when you are less saturated with work? Maybe then would be a good time. A great strategy for choosing your date is recognizing times of year when you are stretched thin (whether that be financially or with your time) and plan your giving day accordingly. Once you’ve considered a few times of year when you could have a Giving Day, take a look and see if there is already a holiday or significant event that you could tie your mission to. 

Create a goal. 
Create a goal that is realistic and achievable, but not too easy. For example, if $10,000 is easy for your organization to raise, but $25,000 is overzealous, perhaps $18,000 is a goal that is achievable but will certainly take a lot of generosity from a number of donors. When you are thinking about your goal, the amount of money you are raising is certainly a big piece of it, but you can also consider the number of donors you want to have or to engage a matching donor. Having a specific target number of funds or donors gives the community an incentive to come together and collectively reach the goal.

Marketing Strategy:
Making sure that your donor base knows that you are having a Giving Day is key success. You should utilize and prioritize your email communication and social media in order to do so. Here is an effective communication strategy you can use: 

• 3 to 6 months out: Let your donor/volunteer base know that it is happening! You should send an email laying out the date of your Giving Day, what your goal is, and how the money will be used to make an impact in your community. 
• 1 month out: Send a similar email laying out the date of your Giving Day, your goal, and how the donations will help your mission.  
• 2 weeks out: Send a casual reminder that your Giving Day is 2 weeks away!
• The night before: Send an email that your Giving Day is tomorrow and the goal you are aiming for. 
• It is important to have communication with your donor base the morning of  your Giving Day as one final reminder. You should also send a follow up email to thank everyone and let them know how much money was raised and if you hit your goal!

In addition to email communication, you should definitely utilize  your social media platforms! All of the communication that you make via email can be reconfigured in a creative digital way. Using social media is a great way to remind your donor/volunteer base without flooding their inbox. You also might grab the attention of people in your community that you might not have on your email list. 

By Jordan Hannan

It can be tough to accept the fact that you might not be the perfect candidate for a leadership position or volunteering opportunity, and long-term volunteers and permanent employees at nonprofits experience the same gravity; though appreciative of the efforts of everyone who has contributed to the cause, lasting and talented volunteers are truly the heart of a charity’s mission. They define and spread the culture of your organization, and their connections with those they serve are the defining factor in the success of the nonprofit. For this reason, it is vital that every organization seeks out passionate volunteers and creates an environment for them to succeed in. We’ve designed the most effective way:

Expand your promotional projects. Get the word out about your latest events and movements. Not only is this essential to the expansion and future funding of your organization, it will also attract new volunteers. We tend to disregard the fact that nonprofits require marketing, but it will positively impact every aspect of your charity, most importantly being the quantity and demographic of your volunteers. For example, depending on how you market, you can reach younger or older age groups (such as through the use of social media as opposed to traditional ads or word of mouth). By working with a variety of different people and groups, you gain a better understanding of who can best represent your charity. 

Consider your organization’s mission. With a newly broadened web of connections to enthusiastic volunteers, find whose passions align most effortlessly with that of your nonprofit. Your advertisements will have attracted the attention of a variety of people for endless reasons--interest in your work, a need for service hours, parental or peer pressure, or a personal connection to the cause. By getting to know your volunteers as you work, it will become clear who would benefit your project through a long-term or paid position. 

Take a look at the daily tasks you need filled. Not every nonprofit needs the same roles filled, but each charity has a variety of moving pieces, and many of these positions go unnoticed. For the Food Bank or Diaper Bank of NC, an organized and task-oriented person is essential, but empathetic and extroverted volunteers would thrive best at Durham Nativity School and Miracle League. However, even within these organizations, there are endless opportunities for your volunteers to immerse themselves in the project, no matter what their skillset is--accountants, coordinators, and managers to name a few . 

Finding the “perfect volunteer” sounds like an impossible task, but it’s actually just finding the perfect position for your passionate and caring volunteers. 

By Jordan Hannan

On October 16th, 2002, my sister was born three months premature. Kaitlyn weighed in at two pounds and twelve ounces, small enough to be held in the palm of our dad’s hand and wear his wedding ring past her elbow. For two months, she awaited the daily visits from our parents to her incubator at Duke’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit before she could finally come home that winter. 

Kaitlyn’s next trip to the Duke NICU took place more than fifteen years later; she began visiting babies and families during the Christmas season. Kaitlyn provided the hope parents needed during the holiday season, proving their ability to leave the hospital with a healthy, complete family. It was clear how greatly she impacted the parents she interacted with, but I doubt they realized just how much they affected her, too. She consistently returned with a new perspective: gratitude for the doctors, staff, and benefactors of Duke Children’s and compassion for every family that’s walked those floors. 

Every time you volunteer, you have the chance to leave with a new perspective, and all it takes is a willingness to participate and an openness to learn from those around you. But how exactly can service change your mindset? 

• You are able to view your own life with a heightened sense of gratitude. Getting caught up in a routine, especially as the new academic year is starting, tends to keep high school students thinking only of themselves. Due dates, athletics, and part-time jobs take up the majority of your brain space, leading you to get caught up in your own world. However, by spending an extended period of time helping others, especially in a place where work and other commitments are inaccessible, you can take a moment to notice all of the overlooked blessings in your life. 
• You build a connection with a particular cause. Whether you are already involved in a given charity or not, every service event has the potential to become your new passion. By exposing yourself to various causes, you just might find your new go-to service opportunity or donation location. 
• You interact with a variety of other volunteers. An often overlooked aspect of service is the interaction and later connection with the volunteers themselves. Just by asking why they chose to serve at that particular nonprofit can spark personal conversations, opening your eyes to the variant beliefs and backgrounds of the people you work with, enabling you to be a more compassionate person in the future. 

Find your next opportunity for growth at Triangle Cares.

By Jordan Hannan

With the continuously rising pressures of honors and AP classes, standardized testing, and college applications, the academic life of a high school student can be quite isolating, filled with solitary study and individual results. The adolescent mindset is stuck in this self-serving culture, and high schools are looking for impactful ways to connect students and form a supportive community. Sporting events, school dances, class celebrations, and team dinners might feel like the right addition, but the perpetuation of this dilemma, despite this common conclusion, proves its fruitlessness. Our solution? An emphasized student outreach program.

The difference between the effects of a class picnic and a team volunteering day might seem negligible at first glance: a group of students doing something unique to their normal activities while having fun as a community. However, serving others has lasting positive effects, while the memories of a luncheon are already fading. 

• Service builds connections. Whether it is a group of freshmen who have never met or a close-knit soccer team, working together to help others will spark new connections. Combining teamwork, communication, and trying new things, outreach programs allow students to strengthen their interpersonal and problem-solving skills, which are difficult to teach in a classroom setting but intrinsic for life. 
• Service spreads social awareness. While many educators discuss current events in class, these issues feel far away if not acted upon. When fully immersed in the solution to poverty and hunger in the area, students get a better understanding of just how real these situations are, and they are better educated on how to continue combating them. Similarly, when exposed to a variety of nonprofits, teens are given the opportunity to find a new passion or continue working at and donating to similar charities. 
• Service gives your life purpose. During the busiest times of the school year, high school students can get caught up in the cycle of their overscheduled lives. While the reward of an A on an assignment eventually loses its meaning, the visible impact of volunteering continues to affect others far longer. By incorporating community service into your life, you also add fulfillment and gratitude.

But how can high schools implement student outreach programs? 

• Encourage each organization within the school to have a service day. Clubs, athletics, student government, and academic teams could all use new and engaging team building exercises. By finding a nonprofit related to your activity, more genuine and valuable connections are formed between the students, service, and the impacted community. 
• Provide student leadership opportunities. High school students are always looking for things to add to their college resumes, and leading service projects would be a great inclusion.
• Switch up your charities regularly. Add variety to the volunteer opportunities by continuously finding new partners. Not only will this engage the students, it will also expand the high school’s impact by diversifying and increasing the communities they reach. 

Let us help you get started! Triangle Cares connects volunteers and nonprofit organizations; check out our website to find charities to partner with for your student outreach program. 

By Jordan Hannan

Yes: Undoubtedly. Easily. Immediately. 

We are surrounded by innumerable, seemingly insignificant chances to create a better world. Unfortunately, these situations are usually overlooked or blatantly ignored. If we collectively decided to consistently hold the door for the person behind us, skip on disposable plastics, and warmly greet strangers, we would all feel more supported, appreciated, and a little less of the effects of global warming. But how can we volunteer our time, talent, and treasure in the same manner? 

As I have mentioned previously, you don’t necessarily need to free up more time in order to volunteer, and the same goes for donating: no matter your financial standing, there are opportunities for your treasure to benefit the lives of others, and it will only change 1% of your routine:

1. Find charities that are in most need of your donations. After cleaning out your closet (an easy and effective way to help others without spending any extra money), you may be tempted to bring your donations to the largest and most well-known thrift store. However, these stores are so overwhelmed with donations that much of it is wasted, disposed of, or donated a second time. Instead, find smaller nonprofits that truly need and appreciate your support, where you can better impact the lives of others. 
2. Notice who is profiting off your weekly purchases. Buying anything, whether it be gifts or groceries, has the potential to make a difference. Look for brands or products whose proceeds support different causes: if you need new socks, check out Bombas as opposed to the generic brand. Support the Pura Vida charity collection or 4Ocean next time you’re buying a birthday gift. There are endless opportunities to make subtle swaps for the benefit of your favorite causes. 
3. Fully utilize your influence. While donating seven cans of tomato sauce will not end hunger and poverty, multiplying that initiative by your school, corporation, or neighborhood can jumpstart that motion for the rest of your city, state, and country. Therefore, invite and inspire your friends, family, and peers to join you in your fundraisers and clothing drives; it takes no extra effort on your part, but it completely magnifies how you positively affect others. 

Visit Triangle Cares next week to discover why it is so important to implement service among schools.