In this episode of the Strategic Nonprofit podcast, Trista sits down with Nejeed Kassam to discuss connecting with donors remotely, the rise of digital donations and remaining financially sustainable in these challenging times. Many, if not all, of the nonprofits, associations and societies have been financially affected by the pandemic. They haven’t been able to run their revenue-generating events, which has created a challenge for many of them.
Nobody gets into the sector to do admin. Nobody wants to like, “Oh, I’m going to go change the world by doing paperwork.” I’ve never heard anyone say that in my life. Hopefully, our tools or any great piece of technology can help to minimize that.
Nejeed Kassam
While we all move to a more digital-focused revenue model, I thought it would be the perfect to time to hear from the CEO and founder of Keela, a platform that helps NPOs manage donors, mobilize volunteers, market their nonprofit and raise more money.
Introducing Keela
Keela is a nonprofit software tool specifically built for small to medium-size nonprofits to help them work better, work more efficiently, empower their decision-making, and make their lives just a little easier. Unsurprisingly, Keela was born through the frustration of being unable to find really great software.
Fundamentally, Keela is a CRM database software to track donors, stakeholders, and volunteers, but it’s also a donation platform and a fundraising platform. Completing all the legal compliance work for organizations around donations, so Keela is CRA and IRS-certified.
At Keela, they have something they like to call ‘Nonprofit intelligence’ which is comparable to analytics and predictive decision-making. Ultimately, Keela helps nonprofits just do their work especially around fundraising and stakeholder management.
Digital Donations During the Pandemic
Generosity is often irrational for the better. However, over the course of 2020, there is no doubt that people’s purse strings have been tightened. Tons of people are out of jobs, and there’s an air of uncertainty that we haven’t really seen for decades. Incomparable to the financial crisis, which was just about the economy – This concerns our health, society, way of life, and work.
This is why it’s crucial to continue to support the nonprofit sector when they’re providing a fundamental service and community for so many groups in need.
Instead of always just asking for money – Focus on reminding, engaging, and checking in on supporters, and you will find that it pays dividends 10x in the future. Stewarding donors is a significant step, especially when people don’t know how and what they can give.
Also read: Nonprofit Fundraising: A Guide To Raising Funds For Your Organisation
Connecting With Remote Donors
At a time when people are feeling isolated, lonely, and are stuck at home, it really pays to pick up the phone and engage with your donors on a more personal level.
However, don’t just ask for money on the phone call; Check how they are, share stories of your work and if they gave money in the past, explain how it’s contributed to your organizations’ continued success.
Donors are people. They’re not just machines that give you a cheque, and they’re also still struggling. Despite this, so many organizations are still operating, empowering communities, and creating solutions to some of these massive problems.
Also read: Follow the R.E.A.L Formula to Nurture Donors
Using Software to Manage Donations
Technology has the ability to level the playing field. It can do things that people with fewer resources can do, so there is a transformative democratizing aspect of technology.
For NPOs to adopt, embrace, engage technology as a mechanism for helping them do better is incredible and it’s so important. Frankly, those who don’t embrace the tech are going to be left behind. Especially now, with the rise of online fundraising.
Considering implementing technology but don’t know where to start? It doesn’t have to be fancy, expensive or even complicated. Howeverbut it can save time, it can automate processes, and it can help you increase – create abundancy, right of time, enough money.
Ultimately, automated technology gives you time to do more work. The more good work you do, the more you can share. The more you share it, the more you’re going to generate more donations.
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