Zapier For Nonprofits

In many ways, Zapier is the king of automation. It allows you to seamlessly connect hundreds of different softwares and platforms, making all sorts of manual tasks near instant. However, most of the time you will hear how you can use the tool for private businesses. Have you ever wondered how you can use Zapier for nonprofits?

Today we are giving you a crash course in this exact topic. We will cover why exactly Zapier is so useful for nonprofits. After this we’ll give you a few tips on how you can most effectively implement the tool at your own organization. Let’s dive in!

Three Reasons Zapier Is Important For Nonprofits

While there are numerous reasons Zapier can be so handy at a nonprofit, we’ve narrowed it down to what we think are the most important. Here are three benefits to keep in mind about the tool:

Save Time

Perhaps the most important part of Zapier is how much time it can save you. This is what most businesses use it for; saving time is also its biggest benefit to nonprofits. Think about how many routine (yet important) tasks there are at your organization. Usually, somebody is spending their valuable time to complete them. How could they more valuably use this time if it was freed up? This is exactly what Zapier allows for, and makes your entire organization more efficient as a result.

Improve Donor Engagement

Maintaining strong connections with donors is vital for nonprofits. Fail here and you hurt your donations, overall audience size, and ability to do work that matters. With Zapier, you are able to put donor engagement on autopilot. For example, take the post donation process. When a donation is made, a zap can trigger an automated thank-you email with a number of details. This might include the donor’s name, donation amount, and details on the impact of their contribution. Examples like this ensure that donor engagement and communication is never forgotten.

Streamline Communication

In many ways, running an effective nonprofit is all about communication. Clear communication to your donors, with the people you are helping, and in between your different teams. Fail here, and you’ll find it difficult to get even the best-laid plans off the ground. Thankfully, Zapier can streamline your communication quite easily. Simply connect whichever communication tools you are using, and you will be able to receive automatic notifications whenever important emails are received. This is just one example, but it shows how quickly you can improve your communication with Zapier.

4 Ways to Use Zapier For Nonprofits

Just like any new tool, it’s important to educate yourself on the best uses of Zapier. There will always be something new you can use it for, and simply playing around with it will always give you new ideas. That said, Zapier has some very clear use cases for nonprofits. Here are four of them.

Donor Onboarding

You need to make a new donor feel like their donation was a good one. This immediate “onboarding” is one of the  most important ways to use Zapier for nonprofits. It takes away any doubt that they just wasted their money. It also gives them a great first impression of your organization, and they will likely think you are professional. So – what exactly should you do? When a new donor signs up on your website, the simplest way to use Zapier is to send a personalized welcome email. But don’t stop there. Also add their information to your CRM, and think about notifying somebody on your team so they can be sure to follow up when appropriate.

Event Registrations

Are you running in-person gatherings or conference? Or perhaps you are focusing on improving your virtual events? Either way, registration is a step you have to get right for a professional appearance – and Zapier can help. Try connecting your registration forms with your email marketing platform and calendar. When someone signs up for an event, for example, Zapier can automatically add them to your mailing list and send them a confirmation email. Also consider an invite for them to create an event in their digital calendar so they don’t forget!

Data Enrichment

Like many things, a nonprofits long term success requires data analytics. Who is your audience? Where do they come from? Which traffic sources are your most popular, and which recurring problems do you need to troubleshoot? These are all areas that can be aided with better data collection and analysis. Zapier lets you keep your donor database up-to-date by automating the process of donor profiles. For example, when you receive a new donation, Zapier might cross-reference the donor’s email with social media profiles and add additional information to your CRM. This can have many long-term benefits in how you communicate with this person. 

Donation Acknowledgments

Assuming your lead actually becomes a donor, it’s not enough to simply let them know that you received their donation. This comes across as cold, and doesn’t adequately acknowledge the donor for their financial contribution. Thanks are in order, and Zapier can make the entire process automatic. Set up a great thank you message. Thank them for their contribution, and use the email as an opportunity to tell them what their money will be used for. Also, consider automating a follow-up email to be sent a few months after their donation. This will remind them of what they donated, reassure them of their impact, and with the right message, can encourage them to donate again.

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!