Key Insights with NewportOne's Craig DePole

Q&A: Craig DePole, President of NewportOne Shares Insight & Fascinating Giving Study Results

DonateStock: You work with nonprofits of all sizes. How would you characterize the state of the nonprofit industry?

Craig: I feel the nonprofit industry is in a good state of flux, which is helping drive emerging innovations. Organizations have been flexing and pivoting for the past few years through the pandemic and economic uncertainty and, for many, it has made them better, more resilient, and more innovative. At the same time, technology is changing quickly and, as it does, so do donor expectations, i.e. if companies like Facebook, Netflix, and Amazon have the technological capability to discern my preferences, offer personalized engagement, and simplify my interactions, why can’t you?

I feel nonprofits are beginning to lean into this changing environment and as a result, experimenting with new channels and techniques, utilizing their data in new ways, and being willing to test and try new strategies.

DonateStock: What are the biggest challenges fundraisers face today?

Craig: Fundraisers always face challenges. One of the bigger challenges many fundraisers are facing in this more interconnected, omni-channel environment, is how best to justify the marketing investment mix in their fundraising plans. While not easy or comfortable for us data-driven direct response fundraisers, many of us have to let go of some of our traditional fundraising performance metrics aimed at analyzing a single email or digital/mail ad, and look broader at the overall impact. Donors are rapidly accepting new ways to transact, and that means they are using the tools most convenient to them to make their donations without necessarily connecting it to the last ad, email, tv spot, or direct mail piece they received. Recasting these tried-and-true measures as supportive data rather than the drivers will require fundraisers to look at their programs from a donor’s perspective and not in individual silos.

DonateStock: Where do you see new possibilities for innovation for the above challenges?

Craig: I see new possibilities in nonprofit organizations leveraging individualized and personalized new media like Connect TV. This is also true for mass-market, old-school techniques like insert media and radio spots. Direct mail and email continue to be the workhorses, but visual content is much more accessible for nonprofits to create and use. I see organizations being very innovative with how they tell their story, engage donors, and communicate impact through video.

DonateStock: NewportOne did a recent donor survey titled, “How do you help others?”, this study provided some powerful insight. Can you share some of the findings of this study?

Craig: We partnered with Melissa S. Brown & Associates and Grey Matter to conduct research into America’s charitable giving behavior. The Giving Study asked respondents to allocate a hypothetical $100 to charitable causes of their choice. We found that the majority (53%) opted to support programs to address poverty or homelessness. The desire to help people in poverty or currently homeless was even more pronounced (60%) among younger donors (under age 45). Protecting children from abuse and safeguarding their wellbeing (as in foster care) ranked second among the individuals surveyed at slightly less than half (49%). Health causes (47% of all participants), disaster relief (also 47%), and animal welfare (46%) ranked close behind and rounded out the top five causes supported by all survey participants.

Beyond identifying giving patterns, the Giving Study sought to identify what donors and non-donors want in return from charitable organizations as they consider making charitable gifts. Six personas were identified, and the survey found for each persona a high priority was:

• People valued clear communication about how their gifts would make a difference
• Donors and non-donors sought options to give using mobile devices or computers, with payment forms that include PayPal or similar payment services

You can download the study at newportone.com/givingstudy2020

DonateStock: Can you share how these findings can impact our fundraisers’ efforts?

Craig: One of the most important takeaways from this study for fundraisers is that donors want clear communication about the impact of their giving. This is important all year long, but especially critical as we head into year-end. The study also emphasizes how making it easy for people to donate is a key to garnering success. This is important for nonprofits to be using available technology and platforms that offer seamless transactions for donors.

DonateStock: Is there anything else that you would like to share with the audience?

Craig: Newport ONE is thrilled to be participating in Stocktoberfest. Newport ONE is a full-service, direct response fundraising agency that works exclusively with nonprofit organizations. For nearly 40 years, Newport ONE has been helping nonprofit organizations engage and inspire their donors to change the world. Using data intelligence coupled with creative ideas, Newport ONE is developing innovative strategies that reimagine how direct response fundraising should work.

To subscribe to our email list and receive our blog, you can sign up on our website at newportone.com or send an email to [email protected] and ask to be added to the list.

Our recent blog posts focus on strategies for growing your monthly giving program, navigating the current fundraising environment, and tips for getting ready for year-end fundraising.

Craig brings more than 25 years of fundraising and direct marketing experience in developing innovative, results-driven programs for leading nonprofit organizations. As President of Newport One, Craig works closely with nonprofit clients to help them build effective donor strategies and develop compelling creative to achieve fundraising success. He has helped raise hundreds of millions of dollars over his career for causes in all sectors, and he has helped foster long term relationships with donors through multi-channel, donor-centric, integrated fundraising strategies. Craig is the recipient of numerous awards for excellence and innovation from direct marketing associations, including the recent Big Idea award from the DMAW MAXIs. Craig currently serves as Chair of the ADRFCO Council and serves on the board of The Nonprofit Alliance. He’s a frequent speaker at industry conferences and a regular contributor to industry publications. He is a native of California and lives in Maryland with his wife and rescue pup. They are recent empty-nesters and quickly getting used to a quieter house and smaller grocery bills.