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Sunscreen & Storytelling: Protecting and Amplifying Your Brand in the Summer Sun

Summer can be a strange time for nonprofit communicators. Audiences are distracted. Team members are on vacation. Engagement slows. And yet, the work doesn’t stop. The summer months are often seen as a communications lull, but they offer a unique opportunity to rethink your strategy. Just

Lemonade Stand Fundraising: What Summer Teaches Us About Grassroots Giving

There’s something charming about a child’s lemonade stand. The hand-drawn signs. The uneven table. The sticky pitcher of lemonade that might be a little too sweet or a little too warm. The kids standing proudly, offering you a cup like it’s liquid gold. What’s more remarkable

S’more Than Just an Event: The Campfire Approach to Community Engagement

There’s something magical about a campfire. The smell of smoke on a breezy night. The laughter of friends sharing inside jokes. The warmth that draws people in, even if they started off sitting on the outskirts. The quiet pause between stories when someone throws on another

Gamify the Ordinary

At first glance, it’s just two bins of carpenter pencils. Same price. Same product. But someone added a twist: 👉 “Left Hand” vs. “Right Hand” pencils. There’s no actual difference between them—but now you’ve got a choice. A team. A side. A game. It’s a micro-moment

Level Up Your Impact: Game Design Principles for Nonprofit Success

Imagine if your nonprofit’s programs were as irresistible as your favorite game. Those of you who read The Nonprofit Imagineers book know that (spoiler alert) the happy ending is based largely on gamifying the experience of supporting a nonprofit. If supporters lined up to volunteer like

Gamify Your Giving: 5 Ways to Use Gamification to Supercharge Fundraising

Fundraising is often treated like a serious business. And it is. But that doesn’t mean it can’t also be fun, energizing, and engaging. Gamification — the process of applying game-like elements to non-game contexts — has exploded in everything from fitness apps to workplace training. Why?

What Minecraft Teaches Us About Community: Game Theory for Nonprofits

Some online games don’t come with flashy graphics or complicated rules. Instead, they offer something more powerful: a community you help build yourself. Games like Minecraft, Animal Crossing, and Among Us have captivated millions not because of competition, but because of cooperation. They succeed when players

Marketing Like Mario: 5 Nonprofit Lessons from the World’s Biggest Games

When a new Super Mario game launches, fans around the world line up to buy it, post about it, and share their excitement. Mario isn’t just a character. He’s a brand that consistently hooks audiences, delivers joy, and drives loyalty. Wouldn’t it be nice if your

Have a “Let’s do it” Attitude

It started with a question: “How cool would a teacher inflatable race to kick off field day be?” Instead of shrugging it off, someone said: “Let’s do it.” The result? [watch the video] A joyful, ridiculous, unforgettable moment where elementary school teachers—dressed in full inflatable costumes—raced,

Not Everyone Feels Like They Belong—And That’s Our Problem to Solve

What Nonprofits Must Do to Create True Community We love to talk about how welcoming our organizations are. We say things like “we’re like family,” or “everyone is welcome here.” And for some, that’s true. But here’s the uncomfortable reality: Not everyone feels like they belong.

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