What Nonprofits Risk When Focusing Only on Short-Term ROI (with Jaclyn Jones)
“I don't think there’s a generosity crisis. What I think we're seeing is less about the heart of people and more about the struggles people are going through right now.” –Jaclyn Jones
Ongoing retention decline has nonprofits chasing quick wins and short-term ROI. But when you believe without question that humans are generous like Jaclyn Jones, you play the long game.
As the Chief Philanthropic Economist at Masterworks, Jaclyn is exposed daily to the economic trends behind giving. But in the face of downward trends, she doesn’t panic. She pivots.
Jaclyn believes that sustainable giving is hidden behind short-term ROI numbers. And as nonprofits, it's our job to create the conditions, and build the relationships, that reveal it.
In this episode, Jaclyn shares:
- How to look beyond immediate ROI numbers when analyzing retention and other success metrics
- Why she thinks today’s economic trends actually disprove a “generosity crisis” in nonprofit giving
- How to innovate your channel strategy to connect with donors in ways that are actually meaningful to them
Links
Key Takeaways
Rethink how you measure success. Focusing on quick wins alone leaves you vulnerable to missing the full story. Long-term donor value often comes from relationship-building beyond one-for-one financial gifts.
Use data to build more personal connections. People give to causes they feel a genuine connection to. To start, gather as much intel as you can about your current donors’ motivations, values, and behaviors to understand how to connect meaningfully with future ones. Use that data to shape your messaging, storytelling, and channel strategy.
Hold your primary communication channels, and how you use them, loosely. Jaclyn argues that direct mail is not outdated, but its role is different than it used to be. By considering the changes in direct mail outreach or the shift Jaclyn highlighted of her kids communicating with their Grandma via text message, you can meet your audience where they are today. Then innovate to determine how to best meet them tomorrow.
Meet the Guest
Jaclyn Jones is the Chief Philanthropic Economist at Masterworks, an industry-leading marketing and fundraising agency helping faith-based organizations multiply their impact. For over 20 years, she’s honed her unique approach to data strategy in the nonprofit space, leveraging economic trends to push the boundaries of innovation and meet donors where they are today—and where they’ll be tomorrow. Jaclyn is originally from Portland, OR and holds a degree in Philosophy from Seattle Pacific University.
