This issue's "Newsbits" highlihts a study showing digital revenue on the rise, some new positions that might emerge at not-for-profits and a report that sheds some light on employee retention.
Study Shows Digital Revenue on the Rise
In 2016, online not-for-profit revenue grew by 14% and email revenue grew by 15%, according to a new study by not-for-profit consultants M+R Benchmarks. Based on input from 133 not-for-profits, M&R found that web traffic, email list size and Facebook, Twitter and Instagram followers were all on the rise in 2016, while most individual email metrics were declining. For example, the emails opened per number delivered fell 7% overall, for an average just under 15%. For fundraising messages, the response rate was only 0.05%, an 8% drop from 2015. In other words, a not-for-profit had to deliver 2,000 fundraising emails to generate a single donation. For every 1,000 fundraising emails delivered, not-for-profits raised $36. Furthermore, M+R also found that respondents invested more in digital ads last year, increasing their spending, including paid search, display and social media advertising, by 69%. Visit http://mrbenchmarks.com to see full study results.
New Positions Popping Up at NFPs?
Fast Company magazine has identified three "top jobs" that not-for-profits will need in order to fulfill their missions in the future:
- Chief culture officer (CCO);
- Data scientist; and
- User experience (UX) designer.
According to the magazine, a CCO manages an organization's relationships with the community, implements internal wellness initiatives and devises policies to combat employee burnout. Data scientists help not-for-profits identify trends and critical information that can guide their programs and service decisions, whereas UX designers improve the online and offline processes that clients use to access a not-for-profit's programs and services.
Employee Retention Examined
According to The Nonprofit Times "2017 Best Nonprofits To Work For" report, recognition, trust and support — both monetary and otherwise — are critical factors that make not-for-profit employees happy, consequently creating a superior not-for-profit employer. The report ranked DonorsChoose.org as the No. 1 organization. Among the categories considered, the largest disparity overall between organizations that made the "Best Nonprofits" list and those that didn't was found within "pay and benefits" (an 18-point differential) and "leadership and planning" (a 16-point differential). Across the 50 not-for-profits recognized, the key drivers for employees included confidence and trust in the organization's leadership and overall satisfaction with the organization's benefits package. Another statement where the "Best Nonprofits" diverged from others was "this organization gives enough recognition for work that is well done." About 84% of respondents at the recognized organizations responded positively to that statement, compared to only 66% for not-for-profits that did not make the list.
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