Welcome to the Dot Org Blog!
A trusted source of information, trends and advice for nonprofit leaders, fundraisers and marketing professionals
We know your time is valuable. We also know that the nonprofit sector changes quickly. That's why we take great care in preparing our weekly blog based upon industry trends, questions we've been getting from clients and colleagues, and our own research about what we hope will be valuable.
June 1, 2023
As a nonprofit, it is important for people to know who you are and what you do. So, why wouldn’t your organization want...
May 11, 2023
As a nonprofit, having an effective website is a crucial part of attracting and engaging potential donors and...
April 21, 2023
Nonprofits know connecting with constituents is essential to spreading your message and raising funds to further your...
March 23, 2023
You’ve made the decision to do it. Your board has agreed it’s a good idea and now you are headed down the road to...
March 9, 2023
Most people wouldn’t think of strategic planning as a team sport. But if you look at the elements that go into creating...
March 8, 2023
(This blog was updated from the original post in 2018.)
February 16, 2023
Your organization has decided to do a strategic plan and you have been tasked with leading the process, but you’re not...
January 26, 2023
Some nonprofits and their boards may question the need for formal strategic planning every few years. It can be...
January 4, 2023
It can be hard as a fundraiser to plan ahead, especially when you are pulled in a thousand different directions, given...
September 26, 2022
The year-end appeal season is right around the corner. Hopefully, your fundraising and marketing teams have already...
September 15, 2022
People have the best intentions and plan to get the most out of a conference when they go. But the reality is, for many...
August 19, 2022
Many nonprofits want to know how they can establish a connection with their constituents. Luckily, the answer is simple...
July 22, 2022
Not every organization has the luxury of an in-house graphic designer, but with these design resources and an...
June 22, 2022
When it comes to marketing, there’s no shortage of tactics and platforms for spreading the word about your nonprofit to...
May 26, 2022
Coworker relationships can be hard to navigate. Healthy relationships at work can sometimes make or break your career....
April 22, 2022
Offices today include a mixture of coworkers, ranging from Boomer to Gen Z. You’ve likely noticed interoffice dynamics...
December 9, 2021
Throughout the year, our team is regularly researching and watching trends in the nonprofit sector to better support...
September 16, 2021
The general rule of fundraising says that asking the right donor, at the right time, for the right amount will lead to...
August 12, 2021
I am, once again, experiencing the sadness of the end of the Olympics. I am always amazed at the talent, grit and...
August 4, 2021
There are many favorite things I think about when someone mentions summer – grilling out, farmers markets, Ohio sweet...
July 14, 2021
After a rough year in 2020 and a busy beginning to 2021, I think all of us are ready for a (mostly) normal, low-key...
June 24, 2021
For many nonprofits, digital marketing consists of occasional mass emails, an infrequently updated website and posts on...
June 10, 2021
Understanding and using basic digital metrics can help your nonprofit better understand your audience and get more...
May 20, 2021
With all the options available, choosing the best social media platform for your nonprofit may be difficult.
February 25, 2021
It's important to make sure your work relationships are healthy — after all, we spend a considerable amount of time at...
February 4, 2021
It’s never too late to plan. Even if know you can’t implement anything until later this year or you aren’t sure where...
January 21, 2021
Earlier this month, HubSpot released an article about marketing trends to watch in 2021. These kinds of articles are...
January 7, 2021
Strategic planning during uncertain times may seem like the last thing your nonprofit wants to do or should do. But it...
December 10, 2020
While this year has been challenging, there are still some things you can do to take care of you, your team and your...
November 19, 2020
Throughout my career, I have spent a great deal of time studying leadership. Some of that study was from working and...
November 11, 2020
When we get close to the end of the year, there are three different things I think about personally: Thanksgiving (my...
October 22, 2020
The staff at Dot Org Solutions was asked to reminisce on their versatile career paths and describe them in one word.
October 8, 2020
This blog was originally published on September 20, 2019. Like most small agencies and consulting firms, we outsource...
October 1, 2020
Our communities rely on nonprofits to thrive. So, we must provide as many opportunities as possible during this...
September 24, 2020
When we decided to temporarily close our office in March and our team started working from home, we had a lot to figure...
August 20, 2020
Even before the pandemic, webinars were an easy way for all of us to do a little professional development, hear some...
July 22, 2020
LinkedIn is a great tool, but many employees of nonprofit organizations and small businesses do not fully understand...
June 18, 2020
Normally when I write a blog for Dot Org, I focus on a topic related to leadership and/or the nonprofit sector. But...
June 4, 2020
There is no question that 2020 has been a year we won’t soon forget. And if you are tasked with managing social media...
April 16, 2020
When life, schedules and unplanned things (COVID-19) happen, it's easy to forge ahead to get things done but sometimes...
March 26, 2020
As many people transition from working in the office to working from home, effective communication becomes increasingly...
March 11, 2020
I’m not an expert in infectious diseases. But I do have more than 25 years of experience in public relations, nonprofit...
March 5, 2020
There is so much discussion in business circles about building a strong workplace culture. There are hashtags devoted...
January 30, 2020
I’ve been a jock my whole life. Some of my earliest memories are playing basketball in my driveway and running...
October 31, 2019
Several months ago, I was having lunch with one of my peers in the fundraising consulting field. And I told him I...
October 17, 2019
As you write your appeal letters, grant narrative or marketing copy, you might be wondering how to properly tell your...
October 10, 2019
Knowing and understanding your audience is extremely important. In a past blog post, I talked about best practices for...
October 2, 2019
You have probably heard the saying “it takes a village” in reference to reaching a goal or accomplishing a big task....
September 20, 2019
Like most small agencies and consulting firms, we outsource certain types of work to outside vendors or contractors and...
September 11, 2019
No, it is not too early to think about your year-end appeal. As a matter of fact, it might be a little late. But, if...
September 5, 2019
A common problem for nonprofits is finding meaningful ways to communicate impact to donors. They might find themselves...
August 29, 2019
This year is more than halfway over – and, as the weather starts to cool down, we are all marking our calendars for...
August 23, 2019
I believe the best way to propel your nonprofit or small business is to look for methods to improve your operations....
August 14, 2019
Every day, we are all impacted by a nonprofit in our community, whether we know it or not. I pass through Zoar, which...
August 8, 2019
If you have worked in the for-profit marketing world, there is a good chance you have heard of the benefits of building...
August 1, 2019
LinkedIn is a great tool, but many employees of nonprofit organizations and small businesses do not fully understand...
July 26, 2019
Note from Amy: There is an endless amount of information available to nonprofits and we know how hard it is to get...
July 18, 2019
Dot Org Solutions has two areas of focus – fundraising consulting and marketing. Last week, Kayleigh Fladung, our...
July 11, 2019
Marketing is an importance piece of any organization’s strategic plan. You need to make sure your target markets are...
July 9, 2019
Every day, we are bombarded with content. We pass billboards, flip through TV ads and scan social media for interesting...
July 2, 2019
Choosing an appropriate an engaging social media photo is important. Every day, we are bombarded with content. We pass...
June 28, 2019
This week’s blog is based on a presentation Amy Wong, president of Dot Org Solutions, gave to a group of fundraising...
June 13, 2019
Last week, our marketing and PR services manager, Kayleigh Fladung, wrote her blog post on a few problems a marketing...
June 7, 2019
Making the decision to hire a marketing consultant can be a daunting task, especially for small businesses and...
May 30, 2019
If you have ever attended an industry conference, networking event or even an extravagant party, you may have been able...
May 16, 2019
This is the final post in a series of three blogs the Dot Org team is writing on grants.
May 9, 2019
This is the second post in a series of three blogs the Dot Org team will be writing on grants.
May 2, 2019
This is the first post in a series of three blogs the Dot Org team will be writing on something all nonprofits should...
April 25, 2019
When discussing a client’s marketing needs, one of the most common requests I receive is for help “telling their...
April 18, 2019
We’ve all had “that kind of week" (or month, year, etc.). I’m sure you know what I am talking about. It’s the kind of...
April 9, 2019
You may occasionally scroll through social media, and think “Wow, there is a day for everything.”
April 1, 2019
Fundraisers pay attention to a lot of things but often forget to make note of the mistakes they might be making. They...
March 21, 2019
Nonprofit leaders must pay attention to many details – numbers served, outcomes, staffing percentages, budgets and...
February 26, 2019
Fundraisers and nonprofits are always searching for a way to raise more annual donations, and the secret might be...
February 21, 2019
I've frequently come across the topic of transparent leadership and how it relates to building and maintaining a strong...
February 4, 2019
It’s a new year for your fundraising efforts. One of your goals might be to recruit some new donors to your...
January 30, 2019
It's important to always be learning, but we often forget we can learn from another industry. As business owners and...
December 17, 2018
As the holiday season begins, many of us will spend more time with family, participate in holiday activities and...
November 5, 2018
Being asked to be a member of a nonprofit board is an honor. It means that the nonprofit has faith that you will help...
October 22, 2018
It’s that time of year when we start getting bombarded with requests for donations. Whether it’s through the mail,...
October 15, 2018
It's important for your organization's newsletters to stand out. Take a minute to look in your email inbox. There are...
October 8, 2018
Writing and preparing an engaging speech can be daunting. Sure, you could hire someone to help you develop and...
September 24, 2018
If you’re an executive director at a nonprofit, I wouldn’t be surprised if you have heard the following declaration...
September 17, 2018
Social media is not only an important part of any nonprofit’s marketing plan, but it's also important for it to be...
September 17, 2018
Social media is an important part of any organization’s marketing plan and implementation so it's vital to make sure it...
September 11, 2018
I had the opportunity to spend the week in Boston at the HubSpot INBOUND 2018 conference. I had never heard of this...
September 4, 2018
If you are a professional who works for a nonprofit, you have probably attended or worked at an event for your...
August 27, 2018
While it’s important for everyone to continue learning throughout their career, it is especially crucial for young...
August 13, 2018
It’s mid-afternoon at work and we are only four days away from launching a major project for a client. All is going...
July 16, 2018
At Dot Org, we spend a fair amount of time talking with the media, pitching story ideas for clients and responding to...
July 9, 2018
There are nearly 87,000 grant-making foundations in the U.S. and they give more than $60 billion every year. While...
June 19, 2018
It’s summertime here in Ohio. And after a very long winter, I am happily enjoying the warm weather and longer days....
June 11, 2018
There are approximately 73 million millennials in the United States who just might be the next generation of donors....
May 29, 2018
We all know and are familiar with lots of brands, but what exactly does that word mean? How does an organization...
May 22, 2018
My daughter, the oldest of my three kids, recently moved back home after her freshman year of college and I quickly...
May 14, 2018
If you write a few grants or many grants in a year there are some constants to keep in mind: 1. There are no...
May 7, 2018
When a company is hiring new employees, there are some key qualities that typically come to mind to describe an ideal...
April 16, 2018
There are some people that love a good networking event. They work the room, passing out business cards from one person...
March 19, 2018
In the past, nonprofit board members showed up for three or four meetings a year, attended the annual gala, added the...
February 19, 2018
I am a self-identified Olympics fanatic. I spend hours watching sports I don’t completely understand, but that doesn’t...
February 12, 2018
I recently participated as a panelist for a professional development program for our local Association of Fundraising...
January 29, 2018
You rushed around in November to get an annual fund appeal out the door. I’m guessing that the last thing you want to...
December 20, 2017
The end of the year is approaching and we all know what that means! Nervous fundraisers are doing everything they can...
June 25, 2015
Small businesses, start-ups and nonprofit leaders are always balancing big ideas with small budgets. But they must...
May 18, 2015
I recently had a chance to speak to a group of high school students at the National Inventors Hall of Fame Stem School...
January 28, 2013
It's important to nurture the relationship between your board and staff. I hear countless stories from small nonprofits...
January 14, 2013
I am a planner. I don’t do well operating in chaos or uncertainty. But in my line of work, my days are never the same...
September 5, 2012
I presented the topic of making smart charitable decisions to a group of smart, savvy businesswomen who wanted to know...