Geenees is a social gifting platform based in Vancouver that connects nonprofits and families in need with in-kind donations.
A new generation of donors want to contribute, but they won’t donate cash. How can you innovate and engage them in new ways of giving? In this recorded webinar, you will learn how you can attract and engage donors by offering in-kind donations directly to your nonprofit and the people you serve.
About Genees
Geenees is a social gifting platform based in Vancouver that connects nonprofits and families in need with in-kind donations. Nonprofits choose families to create personal wishlists and donors purchase items that are delivered directly to the family or the organization.
How Geenees Facilitates In-Kind Donations
Step-by-Step
Nonprofits get listed on Geenees
Nonprofits and families invited by nonprofits create wishlists
Donors browse wishlists by location, cause, or nonprofit
Donors purchase items from the wishlist
Items get delivered
Thank yous go out along with tax receipts if applicable
With Geenees, nonprofits can:
Organize wishlists
List specific products
Fundraise for a specific cause
Accept second-hand products
Accept e-gift cards
Watch the webinar recording below to learn more about Geenees and how they facilitate in-kind donations!
About the Presenter: Libi Berenson
Libi Berenson, Geenees’s co-founder and CEO, an immigrant woman from BC on a mission to impact families in the community, is here to share the best practices of how to prepare for the holiday season in a remote, virtual world.
Join the TechSoup Connect British Columbia Community!
TechSoup Connect British Columbia hosts online and in-person tech-for-good events that bring nonprofits together. We help you build communities, share resources, and discover new opportunities for social impact.
We welcome nonprofits, consultants, technologists, funders, and everyone else passionate about using technology for good.
The Volunteer BC & BCACG Conference for non-profits, charities & volunteers is around the corner – October 28 & 29! Check out the full schedule and exceptional line-up of non-profit experts. Plenty of sessions, panels and networking to choose from.
Google Analytics is a household name, but many nonprofits don’t really know what to do with it. This means critical data goes unnoticed, leading to inaccurate (or bad!) decisions.
Does your nonprofit use Google Analytics to its fullest potential?
Google Analytics is a household name, but many nonprofits don’t really know what to do with it. This means critical data goes unnoticed, leading to inaccurate (or bad!) decisions.
In this recorded webinar, web consultant and analytics pro Alison Knott shares the most important parts of Google’s Analytics dashboard that every nonprofit needs to know about.
8 Key Things You’ll Learn in this Video about Google Analytics:
Getting to know the basics of Google Analytics
The best places to start with Google Analytics and where to find key data (such as Audience, Acquisition, and Referrals)
How to set goals and track their success
Key measurements and how to track them (including pageviews, sessions, conversions, and bounces)
Tracking your most popular pages, their referral paths, and what actions (if any) Users take after viewing them
How to export reports and set a recurring schedule for automatic reports
How to use Secondary Dimensions to dive deeper
Setting goals and tracking their success
You’ll also learn:
How to filter out yourself and known spam bots from your traffic reports
How to link your Google Search Console
How to track popular terms Users search for on your site
How to find your site’s most popular landing pages
How to filter results for location-based data
Watch the webinar on the 25% of Google Analytics nonprofits need to know:
Additional resources and notes from the presenter on Google Analytics for Nonprofits:
Alison K (Alison Knott) is an international tech speaker who’s passionate about the intersection of web, creativity and business. A proud woman in tech, Alison produced Atlantic Canada’s first WordPress conference and Meetup, mentors emerging female designers and entertains business owners with nerdy facts. Her main mandate: to raise web literacy for small business and entrepreneurs.
Her presentations are an unusual blend of high-octane enthusiasm and actionable lessons. Boring tech jargon has no place in her talks!
Alison aims to engage audiences at the highest level. Action plans, workshop sessions and giving out candy are just a few examples. Whatever it takes to have people leave inspired, she’s onboard.
In addition to public speaking, Alison has held teaching positions at NSCAD University and NSCC IT Campus, mentoring hundreds of students about design and the web.
Join the TechSoup Connect British Columbia Community!
TechSoup Connect British Columbia hosts online and in-person tech-for-good events that bring nonprofits together. We help you build communities, share resources, and discover new opportunities for social impact.
We welcome nonprofits, consultants, technologists, funders, and everyone else passionate about using technology for good.
Learn about how your nonprofit can achieve digital transformation and utilize skill-based volunteering to drive deeper impact. In this video you will discover how easy it is to connect with skill-based volunteers that have today’s most in-demand skills to achieve some of your biggest goals and how to build new corporate partnerships & funding avenues through corporate volunteers.
NOTES FROM PRESENTER RAAJ CHATTERJEE
Thank you so much for attending our webinar on Skill-based Volunteering. We’re so excited and honoured to support the incredible impact you are making. As promised the slides are embedded on this page, and I below I share a few of the next steps you can take to develop skill-based volunteer capacity at your org.
Our short nonprofit guide to skill-based volunteering is linked here. For a more comprehensive guide to skill-based volunteering, be sure to go through the modules at www.capacitycommons.org.
To book a custom workshop on topics from EDI to Impact Storytelling for your organization please visit https://www.meaningfulwork.xyz/npo-resources and contact raaj@meaningfultech.ca with any questions!
What is the future of fundraising events? This webinar discusses key trends, insights, and strategies that you need to know.
In this session, we’ll unpack what modern charities are doing with their fundraising events to move forward into the “new normal.”
Rebecca Alfred (from Trellis.org) shares new ideas based on over 200 virtual, hybrid, and in-person events to increase fundraising potential and donor engagement, and discusses what it takes to be an organization that is leading the way with online fundraising.
What You’ll Learn
How to plan successful fundraising events in 2022 and beyond
How to enhance donor engagement with your fundraising events
How to implement a winning annual fundraising strategy for your organization
Watch the webinar on the future of fundraising events:
3 Reasons you should watch this video on the future of fundraising:
64% of nonprofits did not meet their 2020 fundraising goals
92% of those surveyed think virtual events are worth keeping
76% of donors expect to attend at least one virtual event in 2022
The Benefits of Virtual Events
Cost and time savings to organizations and donors
Donors can attend from the comfort of their homes
Increased geographical reach
Ease of execution and less manpower (volunteers/staff) required
Increased fundraising elements (online raffles, silent auctions, online donations and ticket sales, etc)
The Benefits of In-Person Events
Better engagement with attendees
Connecting face-to-face with donors
Networking opportunities
The Future: Hybrid Events
Hybrid events are the future because they allow organizations to get the best of both world.
Here are some examples of hybrid fundraising events and their benefits:
In-person with virtual fundraising options
Silent auction and/or raffle tickets available online ahead of time
Online ticket purchasing and donating
Combining the convenience of online platforms with the engagement of in-person events
In-person with a small livestream audience
Increased geographical reach
Ease of participation leading up to the event through online ticket purchases, donations, raffles, auctions, etc
In-person engagement and connection
Appeal to a wider donor base
Can be made more affordable for live stream audience through reduced ticket prices
Virtual event with a VIP in-person audience
Increased geographical reach
Appeal to a wider donor base
Great donor experience for both in-person VIP attendees and live stream viewers
More affordable for the virtual audience through non-VIP ticket option
Connection and networking opportunities for in-person guests
Key Takeaways for Success:
Create a seamless donor experience
Give donors both virtual and in-person options
Add additional online fundraising elements to your existing fundraising strategy
Additional resources and notes from the presenter:
Trellis is an all-in-one fundraising platform. They help foundations, charities, and nonprofits with their virtual and in-person fundraising.
About the Presenter: Rebecca Alfred
Rebecca is part of the team at Trellis Social Enterprise Inc, supporting charitable organizations, hospital foundations, non-profits, and other organizations to find new online approaches to raising funds for the causes they care about. Coming from a diverse background including tech companies, marketing agencies, and accounting firms, she’s now settled in the social sector. Since starting at Trellis, Rebecca has supported hundreds of organizations as they run fundraisers with specialized expertise in signature fundraising events, and donor experience for virtual and hybrid fundraisers. Beyond working at Trellis, Rebecca has also worked in research for non-profit sustainability and developed social programs to meet complex challenges.
Join the TechSoup Connect British Columbia Community!
TechSoup Connect British Columbia hosts online and in-person tech-for-good events that bring nonprofits together. We help you build communities, share resources, and discover new opportunities for social impact.
We welcome nonprofits, consultants, technologists, funders, and everyone else passionate about using technology for good.
Using Google’s free DataStudio tool, you can plug in your website, socials, email, and excel sheets in order to visualize what matters most to you, your boss, your board or any other stakeholders.
Gather insights, share stories, and build trust over the common language of data. Using Google’s free DataStudio tool, you can plug in your website, socials, email, and excel sheets in order to visualize what matters most to you, your boss, your board or any other stakeholders.
What You’ll Learn
How to visualize data in 5 minutes using any DataStudio template
How to make your report/dashboard make sense to “non-techy” people
How to share your data to foster trust and secure relationships with those that matter most
Watch the webinar on Data Storytelling using Google DataStudio:
“You have to contextualize data.”
-Michael Despotovic
Michael offers a step-by-step guide for using Google DataStudio. His demo includes:
Editing text and adding sections
Customizing your theme and layout or using prebuilt templates
Using charts to pull insights
Telling a story with scorecards
Utilizing funnels
Adding filters
Blending data
Creating various charts including line and bar graphs
Creating more complex accumulative charts
Adding and customizing spreadsheet tables
Developing audience charts
Integrating services such as Facebook and Twitter using APIs
Additional resources and notes from the presenter:
Find the 3 dots icon next to the “share” button, click it and click “make a copy”
DataStudio will ask you to pick new data sources, but you can do that later. Just click “copy report”
You’ll be taken to your own, personal copy of this data report, located at datastudio.google.com, similar to a google doc.
Edit your copied report and be sure to add your own data sources into it.
A note from Michael:
I would love for everyone to take 5 minutes and see what my amazing team and I do at A & O. Check out this link: http://bit.ly/aoanalytics. We are eager and interested to help all the nonprofits with whatever digital marketing support they need, whether that’s analysis, strategy, or execution. We’re very affordable!
About the Presenter: Michael Despotovic of Apples & Oranges Analytics and Marketing
Michael Despotovic is the Co-Director of Apples & Oranges Analytics and Marketing (A & O) based out of Vancouver, BC. Learn more about A & O at http://bit.ly/aoanalytics. Michael has a Master’s in Publishing from SFU and is continuously involved in various arts, culture, and faith-based organizations around town. He’s also really into co-operatives!
Join the TechSoup Connect British Columbia Community!
TechSoup Connect British Columbia hosts online and in-person tech-for-good events that bring nonprofits together. We help you build communities, share resources, and discover new opportunities for social impact.
We welcome nonprofits, consultants, technologists, funders, and everyone else passionate about using technology for good.
In this webinar, Maggie Miland uses her skills as a graphic recorder to capture stories and reveal sustainable solutions to our community’s most pressing challenges.
As a community builder, has this past year left you feeling disconnected and Zoomed out? What if there was something that could help us reconnect in a meaningful way? Graphic recording, or visual notetaking, is a powerful tool that puts people and their voices at the center of every conversation.
In this webinar, Maggie Miland uses her skills as a graphic recorder to capture stories and reveal sustainable solutions to our community’s most pressing challenges. She shares her unique approach to community development through her work with refugee youth, women seeking liberation from domestic violence, and communities addressing systemic racism.
Watch the video below to learn how graphic recording enables you to make the people you serve a leading role in the story!
What You’ll Learn
What graphic recording is and why it’s important
How you can use graphic recording within your own organization
Valuable tools to get started
Watch the webinar on building equity and community in a virtual age with graphic recording:
What is Graphic Recording?
When faced with complexity, draw it out. -Maggie Miland
Graphic facilitation (or “Recording”) is the use of large scale imagery to lead groups and individuals towards a goal. The method is used in various processes such as meetings, seminars, workshops and conferences. This visual process is conducted by a graphic facilitator.” (source: Wikipedia)
Why is it Important?
Maggie cites a study that found users retain only 10-20% of written or spoken information compared to 65% retention if the information is visual. Moreover, it’s estimated that 6 out of 10 people identify as visual thinkers.
Four reasons graphic recording is a powerful tool:
It prioritizes accessibility
It fosters trust
It builds collective ownership
It promotes a deeper understanding resulting in long-lasting change
6 Ways You Can Use Graphic Recording
1. Impact reports: Create a graphic that shares the story of what you do and how you did.
2. Feedback sessions: Involve more people by sharing visuals and allowing interactive engagement in developing the graphics.
3. Workshops: Create a graphic that recaps the highlights of an event. You can even share your screen or a time-lapse recording so viewers can see the progression of the graphic being made!
4. Strategic planning sessions: Create a visual that brings up statistics, feedback, representation, etc and shows people what you’re working towards.
5. Grant applications: Use graphics in your grant applications to bring them to life.
6. Stakeholder recognition: Use graphics for stakeholder recognition by combining them with impact reports or by showcasing your appreciation for their support.
Join the TechSoup Connect British Columbia Community!
TechSoup Connect British Columbia hosts online and in-person tech-for-good events that bring nonprofits together. We help you build communities, share resources, and discover new opportunities for social impact.
We welcome nonprofits, consultants, technologists, funders, and everyone else passionate about using technology for good.
Using best practices and learning from past virtual and live Galas, this webinar provides info nonprofits can use for virtual gala planning.
Using best practices and learning from past virtual and live galas, this webinar hosted by Sara Hoshooley (Charity Shift Consulting) with special guest Ine Van Aken (One Girl Can) provides tangible takeaways nonprofits can implement within their 2021 virtual gala planning.
Learn from a recent case study where a charity raised 230% over their fundraising goal and had more attendees than ever before! In addition, hear from the Executive Director of an organization that was one of the first Lower Mainland organizations to successfully move their in-person gala to a virtual one in April 2020.
What You’ll Learn
How to prepare for your Gala
How to ensure the maximum number of attendees and donors
How to create an effective, fun, and engaging event that your guests will love!
Watch the webinar on engaging more people and raising more money with virtual galas:
Introduction
Virtual galas are not the “new” normal, according to Sara Hoshooley, they’re the “next” normal. She predicts virtual galas will continue through 2021 and beyond.
Key Takeaways
“Virtual” does not equal “boring.” Find ways to engage your audience and keep your event short (one-hour maximum) and story-driven.
Opportunities for sponsorships are larger for virtual events than in-person events. Find creative ways to feature your event’s sponsor(s) and even get your audience involved (example shared: virtual wine and cheese tasting).
Maximize your fundraising by having donors pre-commit to donations before the event, coordinating donation matching, providing multiple ways for donors to give, and having tangible asks.
Pro Tips:
Help people navigate your online platform and give a tech how-to (don’t forget to show attendees how to connect their laptop to their TV for better viewing!)
Host a pre-event to help attendees sort out technical issues before the event officially starts. Make sure you have IT support available.
Make your audience feel like they’re “part of the show” and not just disengaged spectators.
Don’t just think about who has attended in the past; think about who could attend now and in the future.
Consider tiered ticketing options (or by minimum donation), to make the event more accessible.
Keep your event short. Share your most important content in the first 35-40 minutes and have everything finished in an hour.
At the end, of the virtual event (before attendees sign off), announce your donations raised so far and choose an end date for online donations so donors know they can continue giving after the event.
Remind donors that donations are still being accepted until your chosen end date
Debrief with your team
Don’t forget to have fun!
About the Presenter: Sara Hoshooley of Charity Shift Consulting
Charity Shift helps charities and non-profit organizations raise more money using best practices and proven fundraising strategies. Based in Vancouver BC, Charity Shift is led by Sara Hoshooley who has helped organizations raise millions of dollars to further their programs and causes.
Ine Van Aken is the Executive Director of One Girl Can – a Canadian and Kenyan registered charitable organization on a mission to break the cycle of poverty and achieve gender equality through education and mentorship. Their unique holistic model empowers girls from the time they leave primary school until they gain meaningful employment. They do this through three pillars: building and renovating school structures, providing educational scholarships, and mentorship for long-term success in their chosen field of study.
Join the TechSoup Connect British Columbia Community!
TechSoup Connect British Columbia hosts online and in-person tech-for-good events that bring nonprofits together. We help you build communities, share resources, and discover new opportunities for social impact.
We welcome nonprofits, consultants, technologists, funders, and everyone else passionate about using technology for good.
In this webinar, web and brand consultant Alison Knott shares tips and resources for nonprofits wanting to grow their website traffic.
In this webinar, web and brand consultant Alison Knott shares tips and resources for nonprofits wanting to grow their website traffic.
Alison covers eight steps to website traffic growth, conducts live keyword searches based on audience suggestions, goes through a simple SEO checklist, and shares four steps to measuring your website traffic success.
Alison also shares valuable tools that can help your nonprofit increase website traffic, which you will find at the bottom of this post.
Watch the Webinar on Website Traffic Growth for Nonprofits with Alison Knott
The 8 Step Website Traffic Growth Approach for Nonprofits by Alison Knott
Choose a Topic
Perform an SEO Checklist
Create a Newsletter Opt-In
Create a Newsletter Sequence
Create Newsletter Sign-up Locations
Promote on Social Media
Grow an Online Community
Measure Success
Download the 8 step worksheet with more information and tips here: bit.ly/net2vn
Tools and Resources Mentioned in the Webinar
DripScripts: email sequence templates you can drag and drop into your mailing list platform of choice
Join the TechSoup Connect British Columbia Community!
TechSoup Connect British Columbia hosts online and in-person tech-for-good events that bring nonprofits together. We help you build communities, share resources, and discover new opportunities for social impact.
We welcome nonprofits, consultants, technologists, funders, and everyone else passionate about using technology for good.
With this busy season and a year like no other, it is an understatement to say that non-profit organizations have been one of the industries that have been hit the hardest.
Non-profit organizations are running into more issues now.
They are more busy than ever, as demands for aid clash with fewer numbers of staff physically present at the workplace.
Staff members already have much to do within the limited hours of a work day.
Limited staff means that there is little capacity to coordinate volunteers, and organizing events right now is challenging.
As a non-profit organization themselves, the HOPE Initiative understands these challenges and has sought to present a solution. The number of volunteers and events that non-profit organizations are able to gain are crucial to the growth of programs and services of each organization.
All smiles at a successful HOPE Initiative mentorship workshop.
The Solution
The HOPE Initiative is an organization experienced in mentoring high school students and providing countless opportunities for university students. In collaboration with these efforts, HOPE has designed a new program called HOPE for Community.
HOPE for Community will leverage the skills of university and high school students to make meaningful change in the community. These students are often also seeking out new opportunities for growth.
HOPE’s mentorship program, HOPE for Success, serves over a thousand high school students each year during the processes of applying to post-secondary institutions and exploring different career paths.
The organization aims to connect mentorship participants to the HOPE for Community program. They anticipate membership to grow as new cohorts of dedicated student leaders join each year.
Connecting students from their program will increase volunteering capacity for non-profit and charity partners who are struggling especially during the current pandemic.
Partnership benefits
In order to help partnered non-profit organizations, the HOPE Initiative seeks to facilitate the application process for volunteers in the following ways:
The HOPE Initiative will recruit and filter student candidates through applications and a personality testing system.
Volunteer opportunities from partnered non-profit organizations will be added onto the HOPE’s website for students from the program to view and apply.
HOPE will review student applications and other required documents before submitting them to partnered organizations for final review.
Student volunteers will be provided a skill-based orientation workshop to attend prior to starting their new role.
As this is the first year of HOPE for Community’s launch, new partners will receive 50% off the service fee until the end of 2021.
Please contact the HOPE Initiative at hopeinitiativefoundation@outlook.com for more information and to set up a time to further discuss this partnership opportunity!
