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It’s hard to believe that the holiday season is quickly approaching, isn’t it? The first sighting of snow-covered décor or lit up trees means that giving season is upon us! There is one major event that kicks off holiday giving – Giving Tuesday. Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, Giving Tuesday 2020 takes place on December 1.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused an unprecedented need, and Giving Tuesday Now launched on May 5 as an emergency response. Just take a look at these amazing stats:
The pandemic has already had major effects on the way people give in 2020, and one can surmise it will continue to change the holiday giving season. As awareness of the day continues to grow each year, so do its benefits for charitable organizations. Giving Tuesday has become a global event, but you don’t need to be a national or multi-tiered organization to participate. Here are three steps even a local nonprofit can take to prepare for the main event
Step 1: Set your Giving Tuesday fundraising goals
An important part of preparing for Giving Tuesday is setting your fundraising goals. When setting your goals, you can consider the following:
Remember, the more prepared you are in determining your goals, the easier it will be for you to nail down your message when you’re ready to share your goals and grow community involvement!
Step 2: Fire up your fundraising campaign
You have a million ways these days to approach promoting your donation campaign. You can go the chestnuts-roasting-on-an-open-fire approach, which is kind of a slow burn at first, and then switch to fireworks finale mode, an all-at-once effort, toward the end.
Whatever approach you decide on, take advantage of email and social media – two powerful marketing platforms.
Mobilizing volunteer efforts is another strategy that spreads awareness throughout your local community and celebrate giving. The holiday giving season can mean giving one’s time or donating goods – not just funds. By inviting donors, employees, and members of the local community to your event, you can attract attention to your cause.
Step 3: Make donating easy
In business, a best practice is to make it easy for customers to give you their money. The same applies to your donors. Always give them the options to donate when they want and how they want. By offering the option to donate electronically, your supporters can make secured donations conveniently from a website or mobile device, whenever they want, even if they’re thousands of miles away. You can still accept cash or check, but you’re not limiting your fundraising by only accepting those forms of donations.
Nonprofits that offer online giving also widen the donor net and grow overall fundraising revenue. By setting up a way to process funds electronically, you can also offer donors the option to pay by recurring or installment payments. Recurring payment options are a great fit for those who want to contribute weekly, monthly, or quarterly throughout the year. Installment payments give donors the convenience of breaking up a large sum of money (which they may not have considered giving all at once) into multiple payments of their choosing.
By using these key steps to prep for Giving Tuesday, your organization will not only be a part of a growing movement, it will also give you the chance to celebrate the success that your charitable efforts deliver to your local community. Ready to get started? Log in, create a donation campaign, and choose from multiple templates, including Giving Tuesday and other seasonal occasions.
Updated since original publication on 10/23/17.
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memberplanet is one of the proud sponsors of the 2020 Association Component Exchange (CEX), a forum hosted by Billhighway on October 26-27. This year’s fourth annual conference is virtual, however, we’re still excited to connect with component relations professionals (CRPs) from all types of national associations!
Cassie Braun and Chris O’Meara are thrilled to represent the memberplanet team and support the CRP learning community. About memberplanet memberplanet helps components stay connected with association leaders – our chapter toolkit equips CRPs with the tools they need to manage members, engage constituents, and grow membership. The AMS provides visibility over all chapters with aggregate reporting. Everything – from online fundraising features, to event registration tools, to customizable templates – promotes national-chapter alignment to maintain brand and messaging consistency. Effective PTA leaders have many duties. They have endless parenting obligations, and must commit to becoming a resource to other parents in the community. PTA leaders focus on fundraising because they firmly believe their altruism will help not just their children, but all the children of that school community. As a PTA leader, you might find it challenging to balance these responsibilities. Take the time to understand the online tools at your disposal, and your local PTA will reap many exciting and lucrative benefits.  Social media reaches more people The number of social media users is growing exponentially. According to Hootsuite and We Are Social, there are 3.80 billion social media users in 2020, which was an increase of more than 9 percent in 2019. It makes perfect sense for PTA leaders to consider how using social media can boost fundraising by targeting specific audiences. For example, The Balance Small Business claims that millennials prefer online and social giving. Take a look at how connected to technology your PTA members are. Using smartphones have become a way of life for most. Utilize and mobilize your social media presence to spread the word about fundraising events. Mobile and online payments simplify the process Offering online and/or mobile payment and donation options do more than just help you broaden your reach. They remove the need for donors to have cash and checks on hand. Accepting online payments leverages today’s tech with potential donors - it’s only a few clicks from decision to completion of payment. That’s why online donation campaigns see more overall dollars collected. It’s not just easy, it’s a familiar process that donors feel innately comfortable with. According to a Cone Communications study, 48 percent of American adults are likely to use an app to make a donation. What are you waiting for? You can broaden your reach (and increase your donations) by using mobile and online payment methods. Photos improve engagement
Email drives donations Email is a powerful tool for driving PTA social media presence and donations. Just ask the people behind the M&R Benchmarks Study who found that for every 1,000 fundraising emails delivered, a nonprofit organization raises $44. When you make emails engaging and fun, you might even pick up some email subscribers. Keeping your email contacts organized in an online platform makes it seamless to communicate with your whole audience and track their responses. You can test and target your messages to specific recipients, and optimize your fundraising efforts to meet your goals every time. Beyond emails, organizing your contacts on the platform into customized distribution lists drives engagement in a specific way most suited to your needs. Set them up to send thank-you messages anytime someone donates, or send donation campaign details to any new contacts. Your options aren’t limitless, they’re better: They’re specifics built exactly for you and your local PTA. By making the most of online tools such as social media, electronic payment options, photo sharing, and email, you can be more successful in your fundraising efforts. memberplanet's integrated platform makes it easy to use these tools, and offers local PTAs an edge that will make managing fundraising events more effective and engaging. Learn more about fundraising. PTA Simplified is a series of tips for PTA and PTO leaders to get the most out of a powerful association management system – to manage, engage, and grow their membership all year long. Updated since original publication on 9/22/2017.
When a new school year approaches, back-to-school time is without a doubt one of the busiest times for a PTA. There's the stress of adjusting to early mornings, new routines since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the withdrawals of summer. On the flip side, it's rewarding to see PTA efforts in full swing, and it can be a ton of fun when they're effectively orchestrated. To help you get a head start, we’ve put together the three best ways to organize your fall fundraiser, the first major event for many PTAs. Learning your 1, 2, 3’s has never been so easy.
1. PTA member with a plan: plan ahead
Organization is your golden ticket to running a virtual event smoothly, and you not pulling your hair out. Create a checklist with basic items (budget, timeline, materials, etc.). Your fellow PTA members will look to your leadership to steer the planning process and keep them in the loop of what their roles are. Using online surveys to gather feedback, consolidate detailed information that’s pertinent to your event, and ask for volunteer signups can help cut down time on the back-and-forth correspondence between you and your members.
2. Keep it inviting: Send event invites
The sooner you get the word out about your event the more likely it is you’ll see a high turnout. We suggest sending invitations six to eight weeks before the event (or right at the beginning of the school year) so attendees can add your event to their calendars. It's also a best practice to send a second round of invitations a couple weeks later to those who have not RSVP'd yet. Our event module allows you to create an event site and send invitations. (You can even add your own PTA logos and images!) We recommend using our Smart List feature to target people on your guest list. Smart Lists let you generate email lists for a specific set of people based on platform data. For example, if you sent out an invite to get RSVPs, your next email can target those who replied “Maybe” or those who didn't reply yet. As your event date draws near, you can use the event site to post updates and answer any questions guests have. Increasing your engagement efforts beforehand is a great way to build anticipation so everyone is as excited about the online event as you are!
3. Sharing is caring
Social media is one of the best marketing tools around, and best of all, it's free! After you've created your event page, use the social sharing icons available to share your event directly from the platform. Ask your PTA members to share on their social pages as well. Each member has a personal and varied network that will increase awareness of the event, and likely boost attendance. The more people share, the more free publicity you get for your event and your PTA efforts. Along with social media, make sure to ramp up your marketing efforts and spread the word via email flyers, text messages (when appropriate), and announcements on your school or group's website.
Remember to make a plan, send your invites, and spread the word. Most importantly, have fun. The hallmark of a successful event is being able to enjoy yourself alongside your guests.
Our event functionality, donation and email campaign features, and online payment options make it easy to plan for your entire year. So, what are you waiting for? Happy planning!
PTA Simplified is a series of tips for PTA and PTO leaders to get the most out of a powerful association management system – to manage, engage, and grow their membership all year long.
Updated since original publication on 10/12/17.
Engagement. While the term means different things to different organizations (we have our own definition, too), you’re probably reading this because you understand how essential it is, especially during an economic crisis. Broadly defined, engagement is activity, and for your association, the activity between your organization and the member, as well as the member-to-member interaction your association provides that drives membership value.
When it’s time for a member to renew, engagement can mean the difference between leaving and staying. An engaged member is an active member, and the effort to keep members active is ongoing and ever evolving. Every organization is unique, so we’ve put together six different tactics any organization can try to ensure members don’t become stagnant, even in the midst of a pandemic. 
Engage their brains
Discovering ways to engage your members in the electrical synapses of their brains isn’t as challenging as you might think. Members are already interested in going beyond their day-to-day activities since they’ve been moved to join your association. 1. Host an online video chat An “online video chat” can be interpreted in different ways, and you have a lot of flexibility to do what works for your organization. This type of activity is great for sparking inspiration and thought-provoking ideas among your members. It can mean hosting a virtual Ted Talk-like event, or an informal video chat, or something in between. Whatever you choose to do, keep these pointers in mind:
2. Partner up for an online campaign Another way to engage your members’ brains is to host an online campaign where your association and a partner or like-minded organization combine efforts. This can be a way to spread awareness for a variety of issues, celebrate an anniversary, promote a recent launch, or fundraise for a cause. Here are a few ideas:
Engage their hearts
Speaking to the core values of your members is a tactic for engagement that can work wonders. 3. Organize philanthropic activities Volunteer opportunities can increase member interaction on several levels, even with safe social/physical distancing measures in place. Make sure to follow county guidelines for any gatherings and ensure members have the proper protective gear. Association leaders can utilize heavily involved volunteers with the opportunity to organize an event. Taking on a leadership role deepens their connection to the association. Organizing shifts for a trash cleanup at a park or a care package drive for those in need are excellent examples of philanthropy that bring members together for a cause larger than any single person. 4. Let members host a social media takeover On a more direct level, each of your members has a personal journey and perhaps a strong reason for connecting with and joining your association. Increasing interaction by allowing them to share and promote those personal stories through a social media takeover for a day. This provides them with a way to feel the impact of their role within the association, as well as simply having fun controlling the messaging. Human interest stories are the most compelling, and there may be members who are unaware of each other’s story. Creating more natural bonds within your membership provides value in letting members connect with each other. 
Engage their fun side
Everyone wants time to kick back and relax. That may mean something different for each of your members, but there’s almost always fun angle. Create some icebreaker activities that make it easy for members to interact in a group setting and let the good times roll. 5. Host a book club or virtual game night Book clubs are often successful among members because they create a goal and a deadline while building itself into the routine of the participants. They also offer the added benefit of creating an online discussion. Members can interact via a forum or discussion board about each book. You can facilitate book selection using online polls. It’s an activity with multiple opportunities for engaging members. If books aren’t a good fit and you’re dealing with a more tech savvy audience, try a virtual game night (or day). Members can vote on a game – the selection can range from Animal Crossing to pictionary via Zoom (we’ve tried it and made a few tweaks to make it work)! Check out games on Jackboxgames.com for more ideas. Note: If you plan on doing a game night using webinar software, we recommend doing a practice run with a small group and picking a game that doesn’t require a lot of rules-learning time. 6. Offer members-only giveaways or awards Spice up those virtual game nights or any other event by including members-only giveaways and contests. Association leaders can gamify initiatives with awards and friendly competition. For example, a member is awarded for being the first to reach a goal for volunteer hours. If you really want to do something special, host a virtual awards show with customized award names to speak to your membership. You can choose to announce awards for all membership activities during an annual or quarterly meeting to highlight the period. We know there are many more tactics that lead to improved member engagement. Read more: Tips to Engage Members in Uncertain Times.
Updated since original publication on 10/7/19.
In light of recent events that have caused civil unrest, organization leaders must take the initiative to ensure there’s a better tomorrow, not just for their organizations, members, and communities they serve, but also for the generations to come. As a leader of your organization, whether it’s a professional association, club, or any other type of group, you have the responsibility to uphold high ethical standards.
As the world bands together to fight injustice, there are ways to contribute to the cause. So how can organization leaders help? Briana McDaniel, a member of our success team, is also an active member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., a historically African American sorority. She offers these tips: 
Keep the dialogue open. Don’t stay silent. We must speak up about injustice. Keep the conversation going about how we can all do our part. Many of us have platforms that we can utilize to promote change for the better, and we should do so responsibly. Send emails and texts – not just to members, but to city officials – create posts on social media, publish content on your websites. Getting out there and peacefully protesting is one way to make voices heard, but it’s not the only way. Use the communication channels and tools you have available, including tools on memberplanet.
Practice your code of conduct/ethics/bylaws. Your organization should have a one, or create one, if you don’t. Review it and update if necessary. Remind your members and officers to put it into practice so that your entire organization can stand in solidarity for the values it upholds. This is especially important if you and your members publicly represent your organization or are seen in public, wearing apparel that bears your organization’s logo. During tumultuous times, we must remember the reason we are part of an organization to begin with - whether it’s to be part of that community or to stand behind something that’s greater than oneself. Stay informed and get educated. Modern technology has made a lot of information publicly available. We must be aware that a lot of misinformation, unbased claims, and rumors are also easy to access. It’s critical that you continually review where information is coming from, as well as how stats and data are being used, especially if you’re relaying resources and information to members. Encourage others to get educated as well. Read books, watch shows and films, subscribe to podcasts, and learn about racial equality and justice. Take action. Every one of us has a responsibility to do our part. Racism and social injustice should have no place in our communities, organizations, and nation. Aside from what’s mentioned above, there is so much we can do to start:
As a member of an organization with rich history and high ethical standards, I’m reminded of how important it is to not lose sight of the principles that served as guiding flames to lead us to combat for causes that are bigger than us as individuals.
You may or may not be leading an organization that advocates for social change. Regardless, the way your organization addresses racism (which includes doing nothing to address it) will have an impact on future societies as a whole.
The movement taking place right now is more than a social media campaign or a hashtag, and we have the power to sustain its momentum. In this long-term fight against racism, let’s be committed to leading our organizations to be the change we want to see. About memberplanetWe, as a company, stand in solidarity against racism and support the individuals and organizations who work tirelessly to promote equality, diversity, and community. memberplanet helps leaders manage, engage, and grow their organizations - and it is also our hope that these tools will be used to do what is right.
Contactless payments are now the norm as they can be done online and in one’s own home, reducing virus spread during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now whenever someone submits a payment form, administrators can be alerted immediately by setting up a notification via SMS text message. While memberplanet has always had online payment forms for contactless payments, text message notifications make it easier to facilitate curbside, contactless pickup. (View payment form templates and other COVID-19 templates.)
Organizations using memberplanet have set up grab-and-go services with these features and have kept their restaurants, clubs, and operations going. Below are some specific examples:
View full support documentation to learn more about managing payment form alerts.
These are just a few of the ways organizations are utilizing memberplanet. Learn more about the ways fraternities, nonprofits, PTAs, and other groups are using the platform in response to COVID-19.
With COVID-19 disrupting almost every aspect of the way we live – from working to socializing to buying disinfectant wipes – it’s evident that organizations must reinvent the way they engage members and constituents to adapt to the new normal. They’re trying, too, along with schools, companies, and everyone else who’s social distancing. With worldwide lockdowns in place, video-conferencing app Zoom reported a surge in users from 10 million to 200 million in March. Despite the best intentions and increase in virtual activities, we’re witnessing online fatigue – users are complaining about lackluster online events, monotone webinars, mediocre content, and the like. Here’s how you can break the mold and keep your members engaged whether you run an association, chapter, or any other type of membership-based organization.
1. Take them off autopilot It doesn’t matter what you do, but if you do it over and over again, people will get tired of it. 
To keep a 45-minute weekly phone call from getting mundane, change up the format. At the beginning, try asking a question that everyone (if time allows) needs to answer. Some examples: Who was your favorite teacher? What’s your favorite movie? What was the best concert you went to? If you have a video conference or webinar with more than 20 people, you can try doing online polls (preferably related to your webinar’s topic) every couple of slides to keep your audience on their toes. Doing what’s unexpected jolts people’s brains from autopilot to actively being engaged. Strive to infuse everyday activities, online meetings, and webinars with things to make them different. Don’t give your members a chance to think this: If you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all.
2. Ask yourself whether your content is valuable When you look at your own content, do you find that it’s worth your time? Is your content the result of a well-planned strategy? Did you benefit from producing and consuming your content? If you didn’t answer a confident “yes” to those questions, you’re missing the point of creating content in the first place. Maybe you threw something together last minute for the sake of meeting a deadline. It happens, but it shouldn’t be the norm, especially now when people are even pickier with how they spend their limited time. They could be working from home with kids or might be caring for someone who’s ill. One way organizations have delivered valuable content is to survey their members – ask them what they want and need during this time. Then, for the next newsletter, they deliver on the topics members have requested, which beats the guesswork. 3. Find a balance in engaging the heart and mind Right now, many people are still in survival mode. While your organization’s strategy might incorporate producing educational content and networking opportunities, make sure you find that balance of appealing to people’s minds and hearts. Don’t shy away from telling someone’s inspiring story or create a forum for your members to share encouragement someone else needs to hear. One organization paired mentors with new grads (who didn’t get a ceremonial sendoff into post-grad life) – to equip them with advice and ideas to navigate our brave new world. Another invited its members to share stories of resiliency. And many more have launched fundraisers to help communities in need. Those are just a few examples, and here you can find many more real examples of organizations engaging their members with the right balance. 4. Pay attention to the delivery As you take a look at the ways you’re engaging your members, don’t discount how you’re doing it. You could have the best content, but if it’s delivered in a boring webinar with a speaker who’s reading from a script in a monotone voice, your audience is going to zone out. Or worse, leave. Whatever format (blog, newsletter, video, infographic) it needs to be done well. Practice using your tech platform – so you don’t spend the first 10 minutes asking if everyone can hear – and rehearse your webinars. Have a friend or colleague you trust give honest feedback on how effective your speakers are. For slides and graphics, use eye-catching imagery and gifs. There are too many free resources available, such as Canva, to skimp out on this. For emails, blogs, e-books, and other longform content, remember to check that they’re mobile friendly. 5. Boost your social presence The pandemic has ushered in an era of physical distancing, better known as social distancing. With many of us cooped up at home most of the day, we’re spending more time on social media to stay connected. Adults in the United States average 82 minutes a day, Statista estimates. This doesn’t mean, obviously, that your organization should post random videos on TikTok. Do what makes sense for your strategy and the value you’re striving to offer, then take into account the social platforms your target audience is using the most. The data so far points to Youtube and Facebook as the most popular social media platforms among adults. Using social platforms to connect with your audience and promote your content can be very effective when done properly.
Engaging with your members can take on many forms and now is a good time to get creative and brainstorm with your staff volunteers. We hope these tips provoke new ideas and ways to effectively connect with your members.
If you need a quick way to launch an online fundraiser, survey, or payment form in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve got templates you can use! You can customize them and publish in just a few minutes. For real examples, check out How Organizations Use memberplanet in Response to COVID-19.
Donation campaigns: Ideas:
Templates images (click to view a larger image): 
Survey forms:
Ideas:
Template (click to view a larger image): 
Payment forms:
Ideas:
Pro Tip: If you are selling items that need to be picked up, set up a payment notification via SMS text. That way, you will be alerted as soon as someone makes a payment. This is especially helpful for organizations that promote contactless pickup or have other situations wherein time is of the essence. Template image (click to view a larger image): 
Note: Collecting funds on the memberplanet platform incurs a platform fee and payment processing fee. Please see Pricing for details.
One of the bigger questions that leaders of membership-based organizations are asking themselves during the COVID-19 pandemic is, “How can we continue to support and serve our members during this time?” Even as government leaders announce plans to reopen, the fact remains that there are many crippling circumstances complicating each organization’s situation.
Regardless of the hurdles faced, we’ve seen many adapt – and continue to thrive! Organizations have converted their in-person events and fundraisers to virtual ones, they’ve continued to foster meaningful connections through online channels, and they’re resilient and resourceful even amidst constant chaos. Here are some examples of organizations using memberplanet who’ve gone above and beyond to serve their members – what they’ve done can be replicated for almost any organization. Fraternal organizations keep members connected using surveys and email campaigns
The Madison Area Alumnae Association also created an email campaign to pair alumnae with sisters who are graduating; it’s a concerted effort to provide mentorship, career advice, and remote interviewing tips to those who are graduating during these uncertain times.
And its Oklahoma City Alumnae Chapter organized a team to make DIY fabric masks for healthcare providers, teachers, and other vulnerable populations in their community!
Organizations utilize event sites to go virtual
Organizations raise funds in response to and in spite of COVID-19
(Read More: Giving in Response to the Coronavirus Crisis)
Brownsville Elementary PTSA turned its annual jog-a-thon, which funds more than 50% of its annual budget, into a virtual exercise-a-thon! And Viewlands PTSA continues to raise funds for its Grocery Gift Card Drive to help provide grocery gift cards for families in need. 
The Alpha Omicron Chapter at Miami University launched a successful Anchor Bowl campaign to support the Delta Gamma Foundation. The Beta Epsilon Chapter at American University is holding its Cycle for Sight campaign to positively impact the lives of people who are blind or visually impaired. And the Eta Rho Chapter at the University of California, Merced, had to cancel its Puppies and Pizza fundraising event, but still promoted an online fundraising campaign to benefit the Delta Gamma Foundation and the Center of Visual Enhancement. As you strive to continue making a positive impact on your members and constituents, memberplanet is here to help. We have a library of templates available on the platform to help organizational leaders in the work they do. If you need assistance with our features, please visit our Support Center.
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