b'Scott Holthaus is the partner marketing manager at Virtuous, where he helps nonprofits grow generosity and implement responsive fundraising. Before joining Virtuous, Scott spent more than 15 years working in nonprofits and ministries in a variety of roles, including marketing and communications. Scott lives in the Chicago area with his wife and three kids. Its not only about technology. Its about implementing tools in ways that deepen relationships. fundraising emphasizes listening to signals fromroles based on each volunteers strengths. For donors, whether they clicked a specific link orexample, during a flood-relief effort, a mission showed interest in particular areas. might prioritize volunteers with medical or Signals include online behavior, email engage- construction skills for specific assignments. Its ment, social media interactions, event attendance,not just about having help. Its about having the and survey responses. These signals reveal eachhelp needed in the moment.donors interests, preferred communication chan-nels, and readiness to engage, allowing nonprofitsPreparing your mission for to personalize outreach and deepen relationships.a responsive future Based on these signals, a mission could enrollRescue missions and ministries play a crucial a donor into a nurture sequence that providesrole during crises and disasters, and technology updates on specific programs or shares relevantoffers a variety of tools that make mobilizing stories about impact, keeping them engaged andresources faster and more effective. But its not primed to support future needs.only about technology. Its about implementing tools in ways that deepen relationships.Volunteer management and schedulingThe principles of responsive fundraising for realtime impactlistening, connecting, and suggesting the right When a crisis hits, the demand for supportactionsbuild trust and foster long-term loyalty. escalates, as does the need for volunteers. AWhen adopting new tools like a responsive well-organized volunteer management systemCRM or modern online giving platform, focus streamlines volunteer scheduling, tracks hours,on maintaining a personal connection in every and helps teams respond faster.interaction. During disasters, this might mean immediate outreach or real-time updates, while Coordinating volunteers efficientlyin quieter times, it may mean sharing stories of Volunteer scheduling tools allow ministries toeveryday impact or inviting feedback. Modern coordinate efforts, update volunteers in real time,tools coupled with responsive fundraising doesnt and fill shifts to accomplish essential tasks. Auto- just engage supporters in the moment; it lays the Get a free copy ofmated alerts and reminders can notify volunteersgroundwork for a stronger, more resilient com-the book Responsiveof upcoming commitments and make sure every- munity ready to respond to the next call for help. Fundraising here! one is where they need to be and fully prepared.When ministries invest in these meaningful relationships with supporters, you dont just Matching volunteer skills with needsprepare your mission to meet the needs of today; Tracking skills and interests in a volunteeryou build partnerships that can rise to the management tool makes it simple to assignchallenges of tomorrow. \x03 48 WWW.CITYGATENETWORK.ORG JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2025'