Unlocking Your Nonprofit’s Unique Reason to Give (URG)
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Lauren Atherton
Don’t you just love that feeling when you’re in the right place at the right time?
I had the pleasure of meeting John Lepp and Jen Love – the creative minds behind Agents of Good – at the Nonprofit Storytelling Conference back in November.
I knew right away that their insights could be huge for the HeartSpark community, so I dove headfirst into John Lepp’s book Creative Deviations over the holiday break.
Here’s one of the key ideas I think you should know about ASAP.
So how do you get your nonprofit back to the beginning and find that URG?
- 24-48 hours before your nonprofit was founded, something happened to make you (or your founder) angry, scared, surprised, or sad.
- What was “just plain wrong” with that situation?
- Typically these statements use “should” or “ought to” to talk about what was just plain wrong with that situation. For example, “Everyone should have access to healthy meals.” or “Girls ought to be able to pursue STEM careers.”
- How were you (or your founder) uniquely equipped to solve that problem?
To support a mission someone cares about (eradicating hunger, animal welfare, developing young minds, etc.): why should they give to your nonprofit – and why right now?
A well-crafted “unique reason to give” isn’t cute or quippy – it’s clear. And that clarity of why and how you solve a problem is what attracts a dedicated group of passionate supporters.
Your URG motivates people to recognize their own values in your organization and offer their support, whether through volunteering, donating, or sharing the mission.
Monthly donors are the perfect way to put your URG in action, and there’s a group of experts ready to help you do it right!
Led by Dana Snyder, the Monthly Giving Mastermind is a 3-month program that helps you create and launch your monthly giving program.
Dana’s put together 3 different packages you can choose from, but I’ll be your dedicated website designer helping to name your program and create a beautiful landing page that will make your URG shine.
Lauren Atherton
Related Resources
For more insights on building a strong nonprofit brand and understanding the essentials, explore these articles:
Needs, Not Wants: 9 Must-Haves for Nonprofit Branding
