Just the Highlights – The Digital Nonprofit 2019 Report

We can’t believe another year has come and passed! We’re so incredibly thankful to all of our sponsors, presenters, and volunteers – we absolutely couldn’t have done it without you.

We can’t believe another year has come and passed! We’re so incredibly thankful to all of our sponsors, presenters, and volunteers – we absolutely couldn’t have done it without you.

With over 250 dedicated nonprofit professionals attending it was our biggest event yet, and we can’t help but look back on this conference with a huge smile (and not just because of the waffles and ice cream! But come on, they were pretty amazing, right?).

We’re humbled by the feedback and gratitude we received, and we wanted to take a few moments to share some of it with you as well. Here are a few highlights from the event, the numbers, the pictures, and the quotes that keep us inspired to do it again, bigger and better next year.

Charts: attendees by work area and role of attendees

With a wide variety of work area types from attendees, we think we really hit our stride with a variety of presentations and topics discussed this year. There was something for everyone, and we hope we can outdo ourselves next year.

The Digital Nonprofit sponsor logos
I love these people and organizations!

Just a Few of Our Favourite Additions to #DNP2019

  • The Workbook – Beautifully designed and integrated to the day, attendees couldn’t help themselves from taking pictures of it, sharing it on social media, and using it to take home insights and notes.
  • The Ice Cream Bar – It was a huge hit, if you missed it, you really missed out. Maybe next year we will save some of those waffles to add as toppings 🙂
  • The New Branding – Our snappy new look has us fired up to keep going, taking this community and this annual conference even further.

What People Told Us Afterward

“Thank you, I very much enjoyed the event! Will be back next year with more staff!”

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A loyal fan with a team

“You guys rock. Thanks for bringing us together, like a big nerdy non-profit family.”

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A nerdy survey respondent

“Really fun event, stellar presenters, snacks, love the food trucks and treats, a nice positive 2 days! Great work!”

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Attendee that went to BOTH days

“I would 100% recommend that people from all sectors come to this conference because the agenda is so well rounded and has amazing  food – seriously, this is probably the best food I’ve ever had at a conference!”

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A hungry friend of the event

“Nonprofits need to be strategic with technology to make more impact – and attending the The Digital Nonprofit is how I discover emerging best practices from my peers.”

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A life-long learner

“I would 100% recommend that people from all sectors come to this conference because the agenda is so well rounded and has amazing  food – seriously, this is probably the best food I’ve ever had at a conference!”

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A friend of The Digital Nonprofit

And now it’s time for you to shine, here are some links to the photo gallery and videos from the conference. Unfortunately our photoshop budget is used up this year, so we might not have been able to fix all the funny faces you made.

Event Photos

The Digital Nonprofit 2019

See the whole photo gallery.

Videos and Slides

Watch the other videos from the conference (slides included!)

Tweets from the Day

https://twitter.com/tractionsm/status/1138484151567302656

Mentions in the Media

Business in Vancouver podcast, June 7 2019.
Conference producer Elijah van der Giessen talked with BIV about Vancouver’s Tech4Good sector.

See You Next Year!

And that’s a wrap! It was a blast and we hope you got as much out of it as we did – learning, new friends, and a good time.

If you’d like to join us as a sponsor or presenter again next year, please do let us know, and we will be sure to reach out with details.

Until next year, keep rocking the sector and doing the important work you do. And if you just can’t wait, come hang out at the monthly Vancouver meetups from NetSquared.

Thanks again for your support,

Eli and The Digital Nonprofit Team

Slides and Video: The Digital Nonprofit 2019 Conference Report

Thanks for being a part of our fifth The Digital Nonprofit conference! Our speakers have kindly permitted us to share their slides and session videos so that you can relive the Tech4Good goodness.

Thanks for being a part of our fifth The Digital Nonprofit conference! Our speakers have kindly permitted us to share their slides and session videos so that you can relive the Tech4Good goodness.

How Design Thinking Can Lead to the More Effective Use of Technology for Social Impact with Michael Johnston

The leadership that Digital Demands with Shoni Field and Ryann Miller

Social Media from the Top with Chris Brandt

3 Keys to Rocking Your Next Integrated Campaign with Kimberly Shearon

The Happy Healthy Nonprofit with Beth Kanter

⚡️⚡️⚡️ LIGHTNING TALKS!!! ⚡️⚡️⚡️

5 Ways to Boost Email Engagement Through Personalization with Megan McCaffery

How to Regularly – and Without a Lot of Extra Effort – Find, Capture and Share Good Stories About Your Organization with Nicole Jones

Why Embark on a Technology Project with Jack Mercer

Small Data for Big Change with Sarah Schulman

Website Best Practices: How to Effectively Engage Your Online Visitors with Tamara Rahmani

The Agile Approach To Creating Better Audience Engagement with Mack Hardy

Best Practices for Collecting Member Feedback with Kathryn Svobodny

Handouts – Beth Kanter’s Nonprofit Digital Marketing Strategy Workshop

Handouts from Beth Kanter’s Nonprofit Digital marketing Strategy workshop at The Digital Nonprofit. This workshop was made possible through the special support of our friends at Harvey McKinnon Associates.

SLIDES

HANDOUTS

PHOTOS

Photos from the workshop, including group photo and worksheets.

Digital Marketing – The Secret Sauce workshop at #DNP2019

RESOURCES

Digital Strategy Links

Social Media Trends and Research for 2019

Care2 Digital Outlook Strategy

http://www.care2services.com/2019-digital-outlook-report

Social Media Research Studies

https://buffer.com/state-of-social-2019

The Bots Are Here: Nonprofits in the Age of Automation

Personas

Nonprofit Guide for Personas
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/a-nonprofits-guide-to-building-audience-personas#sm.00017mih1cka5f1bzqi1gfppa52kb

How To Use Personas

https://www.theguardian.com/voluntary-sector-network/2013/jul/29/marketing-personas-nonprofits-fundraisers

Best Practices to Develop Donor Personas

https://www.classy.org/blog/how-to-develop-donor-personas-for-your-nonprofit/

How To Create Personas

https://www.brandwatch.com/blog/buyer-personas-wrong

Empathy Maps

How To Use Empathy Maps To Make Your Messaging Relevant to Donors
https://www.causevox.com/blog/making-your-message-relevant-empathy-maps/

What is An Empathy Map?

https://www.solutionsiq.com/resource/blog-post/what-is-an-empathy-map/

Storytelling

Fox Valley Humane Association: Example

Nonprofit Storytelling Best Practices

https://www.classy.org/blog/infographic-nonprofit-storytelling/

Transmedia Storytelling

http://www.howtostory.be/transmedia-storytelling-whats-in-a-name

Social Media Strategy

Social Media Plan

https://blog.bufferapp.com/social-media-marketing-plan

Social Media Audit

https://blog.bufferapp.com/social-media-audit

Content

10 Steps to Improve Your Nonprofit’s Content Calendar
https://nptechforgood.com/2019/01/17/10-steps-to-improve-your-nonprofits-social-media-content-calendar-in-2019/

Repurpose Your Content

Content Creation Process

Writing Good Headlines

http://socialmediaslant.com/emotional-marketing-value-headlines

https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/headline-writing-tips#sm.00017mih1cka5f1bzqi1gfppa52kb

https://www.poynter.org/2014/top-8-secrets-of-how-to-write-an-upworthy-headline/255886/

Visual Content Tools

https://blog.bufferapp.com/a-complete-guide-to-creating-awesome-visual-content

http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/visual-content-creation-social-media

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/visual-content-marketing-a-resource-guide-for-marketers/

Social Media Optimization

How To Craft the Perfect Social Media Post

https://blog.bufferapp.com/how-to-craft-the-perfect-post-on-facebook-twitter-and-instagram

Facebook Video

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/facebook-video-for-marketers-strategy-for-future-success-jay-baer/
http://www.bethkanter.org/video-guest-post/

Facebook Live

http://www.johnhaydon.com/facebook-live-ideas-show-impact-nonprofit/
http://www.johnhaydon.com/facebook-live-for-nonprofits-getting-started/

Facebook Messenger Bots

Creative Ways To Share Your Content

http://hi.buffer.com/082E173i3m2i

Best Times to Post on Social Media Channels

https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/best-times-post-pin-tweet-social-media-infographic

Engagement

https://blog.bufferapp.com/engage-quickly-authentically

Twitter Chats
http://www.bethkanter.org/twitter-chat/

Social Media Management

https://blog.bufferapp.com/social-media-management-tools

Champions

Leading on Social Media for Staff/Board

How Your CEO Can Use Social for Thought Leadership

Influencer Strategy

Message Amplification

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2013/08/message-amplification-isnt-linear.html

Measurement

Social Media Metrics and Measurement

https://blog.bufferapp.com/learn-social-media-analytics

AGENDA: The Digital Nonprofit 2019

We can’t wait to see you June 11 at the Roundhouse. If you don’t have your ticket yet go to https://eventchain.io/event-details/156/The_Digital_Nonprofit

8:45 AM: Doors. Coffee and snacks.

9:15 AM: Event starts

9:45 AM: KEYNOTE: Envisioning the Future Charitable Sector with Vu Le

10:50 AM: Coffee break

11:10 AM:
⚡️Talk 1: 5 Ways to Boost Email Engagement Through Personalization with Megan McCaffery
⚡️Talk 2: How to Regularly – and Without a Lot of Extra Effort – Find, Capture and Share Good Stories About Your Organization with Nicole Jones

11:25 AM: How Design Thinking Can Lead to the More Effective Use of Technology for Social Impact with Michael Johnston

12:00 PM: Lunch and partner exhibition

  • Three food trucks: Super Thai, Chickpea, and Mr. Bannock
  • Two espresso coffee carts
  • Sundae stand with Earnest Ice Cream

1:00 PM:
⚡️Talk 3: Why Embark on a Technology Project with Jack Mercer
⚡️Talk 4: Donor Data Strategies with Dino Bassanese

1:20 PM: KEYNOTE: The leadership that Digital Demands with Shoni Field and Ryann Miller

2:15 PM:
⚡️Talk 5: Small Data for Big Change with Sarah Schulman
⚡️Talk 6: Website Best Practices: How to Effectively Engage Your Online Visitors with Tamara Rahmani

2:25 PM: Coffee break

2:45 PM: Social Media from the Top with Chris Brandt

3:15 PM:
⚡️Talk 7: The Agile Approach To Creating Better Audience Engagement with Mack Hardy
⚡️Talk 8: Best Practices for Collecting Member Feedback with Kathryn Svobodny

3:30 PM: 3 Keys to Rocking Your Next Integrated Campaign with Kimberly Shearon

4:00 PM: KEYNOTE: The Happy Healthy Nonprofit with Beth Kanter

5:00 PM – 7:00 PM: Post-event social with open bar and snacks

Keynote – The Leadership That Digital Demands

The Digital Nonprofit keynote: The Leadership That Digital Demands – with Ryann Miller and Shoni Field

The Digital Nonprofit is Vancouver’s premier conference for nonprofit leaders engaged in digital transformation. The event is specifically designed to help nonprofits and charities learn about the models and tools needed to succeed.

The leadership digital demands

The Leadership That Digital Demands

Digital touches every aspect of an organization, so it needs strategic, next-level leadership if its truly going to thrive. Because it’s not just the work itself; it’s also about the best ways to get the work done. You’ll learn how to structure digital teams, and what to ask for and expect from them. You’ll also understand the importance of silo busting, iterative processes, collaboration frameworks and how the customer experience (CX) demands of digital can change organizational culture. From strategic culture through leadership, and talent Shoni and Ryann will walk you through the requirements of a thriving digital environment.

Shoni Field

Shoni is Chief Development Officer at the BC SPCA, overseeing a full spectrum fundraising program raising $30+ million annually. She has been fundraising for 21 years, specializing in direct response. She presents on digital fundraising nationally and internationally. When not fundraising she advocates for voting reform and bakes fancy cakes.

Ryann Miller

Hi I’m Ryann Miller, Director of Partnership at Grassriots, a boundaries-pushing global strategic and creative agency based in Toronto, that serves the social profit sector. I help social profits use digital and integrated strategies for fundraising, marketing, advocacy and engagement. I’ve been doing and learning digital for 13 years: most recently at Care2 for 8 years, where I helped to build the Canadian market. I’m big on sector growth, big on building relationships, and big on leveraging digital maturity to help organizations level up. I have two little boys and one big dog, and they’re the focus of much of my non-working hours.

Keynote – The Leadership That Digital Demands

The Digital Nonprofit keynote: The Leadership That Digital Demands – with Ryann Miller and Shoni Field

The Digital Nonprofit is Vancouver’s premier conference for nonprofit leaders engaged in digital transformation. The event is specifically designed to help nonprofits and charities learn about the models and tools needed to succeed.

The leadership digital demands

The Leadership That Digital Demands

Digital touches every aspect of an organization, so it needs strategic, next-level leadership if its truly going to thrive. Because it’s not just the work itself; it’s also about the best ways to get the work done. You’ll learn how to structure digital teams, and what to ask for and expect from them. You’ll also understand the importance of silo busting, iterative processes, collaboration frameworks and how the customer experience (CX) demands of digital can change organizational culture. From strategic culture through leadership, and talent Shoni and Ryann will walk you through the requirements of a thriving digital environment.

Shoni Field

Shoni is Chief Development Officer at the BC SPCA, overseeing a full spectrum fundraising program raising $30+ million annually. She has been fundraising for 21 years, specializing in direct response. She presents on digital fundraising nationally and internationally. When not fundraising she advocates for voting reform and bakes fancy cakes.

Ryann Miller

Hi I’m Ryann Miller, Director of Partnership at Grassriots, a boundaries-pushing global strategic and creative agency based in Toronto, that serves the social profit sector. I help social profits use digital and integrated strategies for fundraising, marketing, advocacy and engagement. I’ve been doing and learning digital for 13 years: most recently at Care2 for 8 years, where I helped to build the Canadian market. I’m big on sector growth, big on building relationships, and big on leveraging digital maturity to help organizations level up. I have two little boys and one big dog, and they’re the focus of much of my non-working hours.

5 Biggest Mistakes Executive Directors Make on Social Media [with Chris Brandt]

“People donate to their friends and people doing great work, not to organizations”

See Chris Brandt at The Digital Nonprofit 2019.

As a founder or executive director of a nonprofit, the decisions you make around social media can be as important as almost any other in your organization.

One flop and the world can come at you with pitchforks. One hit and you’re riding the Lemons for Leukemia all the way to the world record of donor registrations in a day.

But in actuality, the chances of that are slim-to-none, and the biggest mistakes are usually around tactical choices that stifle your chances of growth.

We all hope for online success like the Lemons for Leukemia campaign, or the ice-bucket challenge. Something that goes so viral that my parents can find out about it, and they still txt 2day like ppl did long b4 smartphones.

However, slow, steady growth is often the path of most nonprofit’s social media, that is, unless you’re falling into these 5 biggest mistakes.

I was fortunate to have a conversation with Chris Brandt, founder of Charity Agency and former ED of Music Heals, about his experience with social media, and the mistakes he sees EDs making.

Chris will also be speaking on this very topic at the Digital Nonprofit Conference on June 11, 2019. His talk is titled: Social Media from the Top, and in this interview, we get a brief look into how he sees this space. (Tickets still available, see him and 6 other expert presenters in person).

Oh and I think I forgot to mention that Chris was able to secure a $280,000 donation as a result of activities on Instagram. Still think social media is a nice-to-have afterthought?

Mistake #1: Not Being On Social Media Yourself

Okay, without being too blatantly obvious, Chris explains that many executive directors feel that having the organization’s voice is enough online. The thing is, social media is about people and as a leader you need to be the face of your organization. Of course, you already know this, but it absolutely extends to social media too.

So you really have two options, you can either be entrenched in your organization’s accounts, or even better, use your own personal brand to spread the message.

“People donate to their friends and people doing great work, not to organizations”

– Chris Brandt

If you can give a very real and transparent look at the work from your perspective, it will go a long way for stewardship and fundraising.

Mistake #2: Thinking You Have Nothing to Say

Just last week a grilled cheese sandwich caught my eye on Instagram and reconnected a relationship that faded away over a year ago. It gave me a reason to message that person again. True story.

I know what you’re thinking, and you’re absolutely right. Posting a picture of your lunch isn’t going to get people to donate to your organization. But showing the real you, and the work you do builds relationships. And again, as Chris said before, “people donate to their friends”.

But let’s say lunch selfies aren’t your thing, the options are truly endless. A meeting you had with a friend, an update from your program, the staff meeting, the new design work you’re doing. These are all part of your story.

The important part here is that if you post once a month, these posts seem insignificant. But if you’re regularly posting with a mixture of content, those small, seemingly mundane events of the day begin to paint the bigger picture. The picture of you out in front leading an organization that’s tackling a mission worthy of support.

Expert Tip

Don’t be afraid to think small, especially with visual content.

Chris gives an example of a music event he did that involved children. Limited by wanting to protect their privacy on social media, he quickly snapped a picture of the ukuleles all lined up and wrote a post about the experience. Small details can mean big stories.

Mistake #3: Focusing on Media Instead of Social in Social Media

I mentioned Chris was able to secure a $280,000 donation from activities on Instagram, which is proof that social media is absolutely a fundraising tool.

BUT, and here’s the big one, it is not simply an advertising platform. Many executive directors get sucked into thinking, “we’re low on donations this month, let’s send a message asking for donations on Facebook” or “we have an event coming up, let’s post about it to get attendees”.

While neither of those is inherently bad, always focusing on broadcasting your organization’s needs is not what social media platforms were designed for.

“80-90% of your social shouldn’t be about selling or asking”, said Chris.

So what else is there you ask? Connect with people. Comment on their posts, or respond to their comments. Share posts that THEY would find value in, not you. Ask questions, listen and respond. That is what being social means.

Mistake #4: Leaving Your Social Media to Someone Else

“Would you put an intern or volunteer in front of a million dollar donor? You just did when you outsourced your social media.”

– Chris Brandt

There’s so much behind this statement. First of all, we could be talking about your organization’s social account, or we could be talking about your personal one as the ED, it doesn’t matter.

While you might think social media is an afterthought, everyone from strangers, to volunteers, to spam accounts, right up to your biggest donors and sponsors could be watching any and all of your posts on social media. This is why it’s critical to have the proper voice behind your accounts, and why your voice as the ED is so valuable.

Expert Tip

If you are going to outsource the management of your accounts to interns, have them take control of the in-between, non-critical content. Have a couple months before your next big event? Get them to share pieces of your newsletter and call-to-actions to subscribe.

Mistake #5: Not Understanding or Targeting Your Audience

This also comes down to the idea of creating value for your audience instead of value for your organization. What posts can you share that your ideal follower would like to engage with?

Chris shared an example of how one of their most engaging posts at Music Heals one year was actually a reposted photo of Adele when she was touring the Vancouver area. They understood their audience, musicians and music fans, and gave them content to engage with without asking for anything in return.

This idea that you should be targeting a specific group of people comes naturally to some organizations and can be a struggle for others. But just know, that targeting a specific audience makes this entire process 10x easier and more impactful for your followers.

Expert Tip

Spend a few minutes and get clear on your target audience, then think about what you could share that’s NOT about your organization, but still provides value to that community.

Want More? The Digital Nonprofit 2019 is Coming Up

To dive deep into this topic on how you, as an executive director, can lead your organization online, consider attending NetSquared’s all-day conference in June.

Join over 200 other nonprofit professionals, executive directors, and industry influencers to watch Chris present, as well as keynotes from Beth Kanter and Vu Le.

This conference sells out fast every year, so be sure to get your tickets early!


WORKSHOP with Beth Kanter – Nonprofit Digital Marketing Strategy: The Secret Sauce

This interactive workshop will help nonprofit markers boost their digital strategy using a simple canvas, “Ready, Set, Go,” that will allow them to quickly develop and test a strategy that connects with your audience.

The Digital Nonprofit is Vancouver’s premier conference for nonprofit leaders engaged in digital transformation. The event is specifically designed to help nonprofits and charities learn about the models and tools needed to succeed.

  • When: Wednesday, June 12. 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM
  • Where: Creekside Community Centre
  • Price: $50 / $25 with a ticket to The Digital Nonprofit
WORKSHOP with Beth Kanter – Nonprofit Digital Marketing Strategy: The Secret Sauce

WORKSHOP: Nonprofit Digital Marketing Strategy – The Secret Sauce

Beth Kanter will be hosting a workshop for organizations wanting to invest in improving their digital strategy. This hands-on workshop will be limited to 75 attendees.

Social media, mobile phone adoption, new digital payment methods, bots … there are so many digital channels for nonprofit marketers to engage and connect with people, and convert them to live long supporters. But with so many free and low-cost tools out there, how do you decide where to invest your time and resources for the most impact? How do you quickly and easily test those decisions to improve results?

This interactive workshop will help nonprofit marketers boost their digital strategy using a simple canvas, “Ready, Set, Go,” that will allow them to quickly develop and test a strategy that connects with your audience. This workshop is highly participatory, using hands-on methods and will draw from design thinking methods. It will focus on strategy, not tactics.

Beth Kanter

Master Trainer, Speaker, Author, and Blogger

Beth is internationally recognized thought leader in networks, social media, philanthropy, wellbeing in the workplace and training. Beth has over 35 years working in the nonprofit sector in capacity building and has facilitated trainings for thousands of social change activists and nonprofits on every continent in the world. She is an in-demand keynote speaker and workshop leader.

Named one of the most influential women in technology by Fast Company and one of the BusinessWeek’s “Voices of Innovation for Social Media,” Beth was Visiting Scholar at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation 2009-2013. She author of the award winning Networked Nonprofit Books and The Happy Healthy Nonprofit: Strategies for Impact without Burnout (http://bit.ly/happyhealthynpbook) published by J.Wiley. She writes “Beth’s Blog,” one of the first nonprofit blogs. Her clients include foundations, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations.

Kimberly Shearon – 3 Keys to Rocking Your Next Integrated Campaign

Kimberly Shearon – The Tao of Integrated Campaigns

The Digital Nonprofit is Vancouver’s premier conference for nonprofit leaders engaged in digital transformation. The event is specifically designed to help nonprofits and charities learn about the models and tools needed to succeed.

Kimberly Shearon – The Tao of Integrated Campaigns

3 Keys to Rocking Your Next Integrated Campaign

It seems that integrated campaigns are all the buzz these days. But what does “integration” even mean, how do you do it, and why bother with it? Ecojustice’s Kimberly Shearon shares three big lessons her team learned (the hard way) from its foray into the world of integrated campaigns. Also, pop culture references.

Kimberly Shearon, Ecojustice

Kimberly is Director of Strategic Communications at Ecojustice, Canada’s largest environmental law charity. She was born and raised on Vancouver’s North Shore, where she dreamed of becoming a journalist and changing the world. After a five-year foray out east for university and bouncing around some of the country’s top newsrooms, she turned in her media pass and joined the Ecojustice team. It has proven to be the perfect home for her and her love of em dashes, bicycles and wandering through the woods.