It all started twenty years ago when esteemed members of the Lincoln chapter of the American Marketing Association created a community project in 2001. The association offered a half-day seminar, “Marketing 101”, to nonprofit groups throughout the state of Nebraska. Featuring Lincoln AMA members as speakers, the seminar focused on topics such as Marketing Planning, Understanding Your Target Market, and Branding on a Budget.

After that, similar events called Brand Camp were held on and off annually through 2009. These were typically half-day events that covered various marketing concepts like what “Marketing 101” started. However, the name caused some confusion, and leaders sought to make a change.

A Rebrand

In 2010, the event had a transformation. A rebrand was conducted, and the new event name became “Cause Camp.” This change sought to clear up some confusion surrounding the meaning of the event, according to the creative brief:

“At this time, there is much confusion as to what Brand Camp is, when seeing the name alone. A better name and brand identity would enable the audience to ‘get it’ on sight and not need much further explanation. Ultimately, it will drive better attendance.”

Additionally, the change would help clarify the purpose and intention of what Brand Camp was meant to be and how it could help nonprofits. “The event is seen as a low-cost, high-value training and we wish to keep that reputation,” the creative brief instructed. “Most nonprofits don’t do traditional marketing/branding to sell a product but to gain financial donations or recruit volunteers.”

The rebrand featured a new logo, and a campfire icon and forest graphics were used in the marketing collateral. The marketing copy leaned into the word “camp,” mentioning that bug spray would not be needed for this kind of camp. That year, under the new name, the event also became an all-day affair. The agenda included speakers from the region as well as some outside the state of Nebraska for the first time. Sponsor booths were a new addition, and attendees could win prizes by visiting all the booths.

For the first time, scholarships were offered to individuals whose nonprofit employers couldn’t afford to send them to the training. Fifteen sponsors (both cash and in-kind) made the event possible. Nine scholarships for attendees were awarded.

The Conference “Curse”

While so much good was happening with Cause Camp, the first instance suggesting a “Cause Camp Curse” happened in 2010. For the first time, a national speaker was scheduled to give a keynote. The speaker—who came from a nonprofit advertising firm—canceled a few days before the event after an earthquake hit Haiti. One of their clients was an orphanage effected by the destruction.

Understanding the need for the speaker to cancel, event organizers acted quickly. They pulled together a panel of local marketers doing innovative things with social media. Attendees were impressed with the last-minute change, and surveys indicated the panel was valuable. (Future Cause Camps experiencing last-minute speaker cancelations used the “when all else fails, form a panel” plan, learned from 2010.)

Coming off that success, Cause Camp moved to a larger venue in Lincoln in 2011. The goal was to increase the number of attendees and help grow the conference. Again, the team scheduled a national keynote speaker: John Haydon*, a social media strategist specializing in nonprofits.

Was Cause Camp Really Cursed?

The second indication that Cause Camp had a curse happened with an early morning phone call from Haydon. Unfortunately, there was a huge storm preventing him from leaving his home in Massachusetts. Additionally, he had a cold.

Pivoting before pivoting was made popular by COVID, organizers found a way to bring Haydon to attendees virtually. This was long before Zoom, and Skype was still relatively new. The technology wasn’t nearly as sophisticated as it is today but Haydon was able to present via Skype with a microphone set next to the laptop’s speaker to project his voice to the room. Randy Hawthorne, an AMA member with emcee skills who later became the executive director of Nonprofit Hub and leader of Cause Camp, took questions from the audience and repeated them into the microphone so Haydon could address them.

In 2012, the keynote speaker made it in time, in-person and was a crowd-pleaser! Marc Pitman, fundraising coach and author of Ask Without Fear, instilled confidence to the 200+ attendees at the Center for People in Need’s Conference Center in Lincoln. The first 100 people to register received his book, which is still a popular read for those new to fundraising. Other than a little snow that morning, the event went off without a hitch.

In 2013, the snow made a bigger impact. Due to a blizzard that shut down schools, the event was postponed and it even snowed a bit on the postponed day. While the event had been held in the winter because there are fewer nonprofit fundraising events to compete with, the weather caused too many issues with travel, so Cause Camp eventually moved to spring.

The Cause Camp Conference Today

As speakers became more well known, the event continued to grow in popularity. Eventually, Nonprofit Hub began curating the content of Cause Camp in 2015, in partnership with Lincoln AMA as the founding sponsor. That year, Cause Camp was one of the first events ever to be held on Nebraska Innovation Campus.

Over the next 5 years, Nonprofit Hub would reinvent the conference over and over again, adding national speakers, entertaining emcees, diverse topics and speakers, attracting attendees from several states and live-streaming the event throughout the country.

In 2020, like most events, Cause Camp went entirely online. Thanks to a new partnership with Do More Good, Cause Camp will be held twice! The fall conference will take place October 13-15 in Grand Rapids, Michigan—the first time ever being held outside of Lincoln, Nebraska. In the spring, Cause Camp is set to come back to Lincoln.

What started out with humble roots as an act of altruism by a small chapter of marketing professionals has become THE go-to conference for people who love their causes.

Tickets for Cause Camp in Grand Rapids this fall are on sale now! You don’t want to miss the top-of-the-industry speakers, breakout sessions, networking opportunities and so much more. With in-person or virtual options available, your team will find the best value. Buy tickets here!

*Sadly, John Haydon passed away in 2020 from cancer. He made a huge impact on the national nonprofit scene during this lifetime.

About the Author

Clover Frederick is a consultant specializing in nonprofit fundraising, marketing, board development and strategic planning. In her spare time, she loves to do yoga, learn to be cool from her teenage daughters, travel with her husband and let her black lab take her on long walks. Check out Clover’s website for more info.

The post Cause Camp: From Humble Roots to Must-Attend Conference appeared first on Nonprofit Hub.

Engaged!

After a donor has given a first-time gift, here are some ways to keep them engaged and encourage another gift.

Messages that work: 

• Ask them to consider joining a giving circle or scheduling a monthly gift.

• Tell stories of the impact of their gift
• Use the words “you” and “yours” instead of “us” and “we”

Tactics:

• Encourage a first-time donor to follow your social media. Then share stories illustrating the impact their gift is creating.

• Don’t forget your website. Share impact stories and ensure the donate button is easy to find.

• Consider setting up an email series that is triggered with a first-time gift. These emails help educate the donor on your mission and should show them how their gift is put to good use while thanking them for their support.

• Never forget a thank-you note and receipt! Consider a hand-written note or even a phone call to give it a personal touch. 

• Regular e-newsletters are a great way to share stories. Make sure the subject line is an intriguing headline, not “April Newsletter from Our Charity.”
• Invite them to attend your fundraising events

Happily Married!

Now that a donor has given a second or third time, they’ve shown commitment. Work to keep the relationship happy.

Messages that work: 

• Continue to tell stories of the impact of their gifts and use the word “you” 

• Illustrate additional annual opportunities to support your cause, such as giving days or end-of-year appeals
• Find out what speaks to these donors individually, or what is their love language? Do they want to hear how special they are? Or meet with you personally? Receive gifts? Or visit your organization to see the mission in action?

Tactics:

• Continue providing regular communication via e-newsletters, social media, website and direct mail. 

• Segment your mailing lists so that loyal donors receive exclusive content.

• In your thank you notes, remind them it is “you” that makes the mission happen.

• Thank your donors in your annual report

• Invite them to meet in person to get to know them. This is a great way for boards to get involved.

• Learn their giving patterns and ask accordingly.
• If the donor is approaching retirement age and mentions it, respond to that cue by asking if you can send information about legacy planning.

Retired Together!

Donors that have given consistently each year for 5 years are likely to stay loyal to your organization. The easiest way to lose that relationship is for the organization to ignore the donor. The love must continue!

Messages that work: 

• Create family-oriented volunteer opportunities

• Honor them by asking them to serve on the board or on a committee to plan or host an event
• Approach them about lead gift opportunities for a Capital Campaign

Tactics:

• Continue the tactics used early in the relationship such as regular communication and events

• Invite them to behind-the-scenes tours of your organization

• Consider hosting exclusive events for high net worth donors and their friends 

• For very involved donors, create a photo book featuring both your mission and the way their family supported it (for example, photos from galas, volunteering or a named space in your building.)  
• Never, ever forget a thank-you note. Handwritten thank-you notes and phone calls are a nice extra touch.

´Til Death Do Us Part!

Long-time donors are likely to give a legacy gift to their favorite organizations. With continued love, your organization could be one of them.

Messages that work: 

• Ask them: how can we help your passion live on through our mission?

• Could there be a naming opportunity available?
• Might they contribute to your endowment or set up an endowed gift that will benefit your organization in perpetuity?

Tactics:

• Just because a donor has shown so much commitment doesn’t mean you can stop regular communication. Respect their communication wishes but be sure to call them occasionally or meet with them in person. 

• Educate yourself on the many ways people can leave a legacy gift. 

• Get to know the donor’s family. 

• Meet with estate attorneys and financial advisors.   

• Remember, you may not know about the gift until after the donor passes away so treat every donor accordingly. 
• Be sure to thank and steward the family after the death of the donor, even if they didn’t leave a legacy gift. 

Relationships are key to fundraising and with the right messages and tactics, your organization will find true love!

For more on boosting donor retention, check out this blog!

The post Romancing Your Donors: Showing the Love to Donors of all Levels appeared first on Nonprofit Hub.