Canada Post’s recent strike during the holiday fundraising period cost charities approximately $266 million in donations. While the strike has ended, ongoing negotiations suggest the union could be in a strike position again by May. To prepare for potential postal disruptions, charities should act now to safeguard their revenue.

1. Adjust Your Mail Strategy

   Charities should spread mailings throughout the year to reduce the risk of disruption during critical fundraising periods.
   • Send spring appeals early to avoid delays.
   • Encourage monthly giving to create reliable revenue streams.
   • Include QR codes in mail to drive digital donations.
   • If you lost revenue during past disruptions, consider adding an extra appeal.
   • Communicate strike messaging across all channels, providing clear instructions for alternative giving methods.

2. Leverage Phone and Face-to-Face Communications

   Phone calls, SMS, and face-to-face interactions are great ways to amplify fundraising efforts.
   • Collect cell phone numbers from donors at every opportunity to expand outreach.
   • Educate donors on the potential strike and offer alternative giving options.

3. Accelerate Digital Fundraising

   With the possibility of mail disruptions, focus on online revenue.
   • Update your website with strike alerts and optimize donation pages.
   • Use email and digital ads to target direct mail donors, encouraging online gifts.
   • Launch digital ad campaigns and peer-to-peer initiatives to keep fundraising momentum.
   • Expand your digital channels, including social media and paid ads, to reach donors in various ways.

4. Integrate Your Fundraising Channels

   Diversify your fundraising efforts across multiple platforms—don’t rely on one channel.
   • Coordinate direct mail, digital, and phone campaigns to reinforce your messaging.
   • Ensure your messaging is consistent across all touchpoints to strengthen donor relationships.

5. Keep Calm and Fundraise On

   Even with external challenges, continue engaging with your donors.
   • Stay proactive and adjust strategies to keep fundraising efforts on track.

Final Thoughts

While postal strikes may disrupt fundraising, charities that prepare ahead and integrate digital solutions will minimize these impacts. By diversifying your channels and keeping donors informed, you’ll be better positioned to maintain strong fundraising efforts and secure the vital funding your organization needs. Thank you to Hilborn Charity e-News for publishing a longer version of this article here:
https://hilborn-charityenews.ca/articles/fundraising-postal-strike-alert-how-nonprofits-can

The digital fundraising landscape is undergoing a seismic shift, and Giving Tuesday is a prime opportunity to leverage these changes. As a global day of giving back, it's a moment to inspire generosity and make a significant impact. ST’s digital fundraising division, STella! is helping not-for-profit clients embrace a digital-first mindset to grow their revenue faster and make the most of opportunities like Giving Tuesday. Recent industry data proves it: Digital-first organizations are outpacing the average nonprofit by 12.7%. And online donors are 48% more valuable and more likely to give a second gift than offline donors. This shift to digital-first as the primary form of donor engagement presents a unique growth opportunity, especially when timed with a movement like Giving Tuesday. With a balanced strategy, it can enhance the efficacy of your offline channels, too. Here are 5 ways you can accelerate your digital revenue just in time for Giving Tuesday:

1. Start with your digital funnel In every donor fundraising journey, the higher a donor is in the acquisition funnel, the more expensive it is to convert them. That’s why it’s so important for you to drive donors down the funnel, with a focus on bottom-of-funnel conversion (into loyal recurring supporters) before investing heavily in lead generation. For Giving Tuesday, using tools like Google Analytics and attribution models can help you maximize your impact by efficiently targeting the most engaged donors.
2. Optimize your analytics On Giving Tuesday, every dollar counts, and optimization is key to maximizing your “Return On Advertising Spend” (ROAS). Tools like Google Analytics are invaluable in understanding which channels are driving traffic and conversions. By analyzing this data, you can allocate resources more effectively, focusing on the channels that deliver the highest ROAS when it matters most—on a high-volume day like Giving Tuesday.
3. Integrate for better results Email is a staple of fundraising, especially during campaigns like Giving Tuesday. However, many nonprofits over-rely on it. STella! recommends a more intentional approach. Diversify your communications across multiple channels to balance how you connect with donors over the long term. For Giving Tuesday, coordinate email with social media and mobile efforts to create a comprehensive donor experience.
4. Go mobile and social Younger donors, especially on Giving Tuesday, are digital natives and mobile-first. Text message campaigns with engaging offers and surveys can directly connect with them on their devices. Social media platforms, like Facebook and Instagram, also help drive engagement and revenue during Giving Tuesday while fostering community spirit.
5. Supercharge your strategy with AI AI tools like Performance Max leverage data to create focused ads across platforms, maximizing your return on investment. With Giving Tuesday’s tight window of opportunity, using AI to target potential donors with pinpoint accuracy ensures your messages reach the right people at the right time, amplifying your impact on this special day.

Giving Tuesday is an important moment in the annual fundraising calendar. And STella! is here, at the forefront of the digital revolution, to support it. It’s time to harness the power of digital strategies and tools to make this Giving Tuesday your most successful ever. Happy holidays!

Canada Post and CUPW Negotiations Update: Full Strike Announced As of 12:01 am on November 15, 55,000 Canada Post workers have officially gone on strike. This development follows ongoing negotiations between the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) and Canada Post, which had previously issued a 72-hour strike notice. The strike includes both urban and rural bargaining units, potentially causing significant disruptions—especially during this critical holiday fundraising season. We understand the pressure this places on non-profits and businesses that rely on direct mail to reach donors and customers. While efforts continue to resolve the situation, rotating strikes or back-to-work legislation may be considered in the coming days. We remain committed to keeping you informed and are here to support your digital fundraising needs with email campaigns, website updates, and other online strategies during this challenging time. Please read on for more.

  For some non-profit organizations, as much as 75% of their annual revenue comes in the last quarter of the calendar year. That revenue cannot be at risk. We must be prepared. Here are ST’s Five Top Tips for maintaining your fundraising through a postal strike:

1. Include an informational insert in all mailings
   • Encourage donors to give online or by phone.
   • Remind donors that they can still use the mail to give. All mail will eventually reach its destination – especially if it’s a rotating strike.
2. Use SMS to connect with your donors
   • Donors are getting increasingly comfortable sending and receiving text.
   • Include a link to your donation page in your text messages
3. Enhance your email solicitation
   • Email more frequently.
   • Include information about the postal strike.
   • Tell donors why it’s important they give, and if it’s truly urgent, say so.
4. Update your homepage
   • Include a pop-up with information.
   • Encourage gifts online or by phone.
   • Ensure your phones are being answered and ensure a smooth online donor experience. And, right this minute, call your organization, and make a test gift online. There’s nothing as revealing as checking the donor experience first-hand.
5. As always, be sure to keep calm and fundraise on

Lastly, it’s worth noting that we have weathered CPC strikes many times in the past, including as recently as 2018. At that time, CUPW challenged the use of back to work (BTW) legislation in court. The courts determined that BTW legislation was indeed appropriate, at least in the run up to the holiday season. If there is a strike, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that our “posties” will be forced back to work.

Want to dive deeper into Digital Fundraising?

If the looming postal strike has you wanting to dive deeper into your digital fundraising strategy, check out Philip King’s PRO TIPS | 5 Ways to Accelerate Your Digital Fundraising Now - Information, research and resources for fundraisers and their leaders (hilborn-charityenews.ca). Philip is Managing Director of STella!, ST’s digital fundraising division. You can also call or drop me a line. I love speaking with fellow fundraisers.