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How to Fundraise Online – How to Receive Donations Online

February 5, 2020

Are you wondering how to fundraise online? Online fundraising is taking the nonprofit world by a bang, and offering aid to many people out there in need. Indeed, there are incredible fundraising ideas you can embrace and change someone’s life.

How to Fundraise Online

More people are willing these days to make generous contributions towards school fundraisers and/or other causes. With this in mind, here are unparalleled online strategies to embrace and raise funds and awareness for different causes or events.

Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is a strategy for raising money used by individuals and nonprofits, and for events or causes they find worthy to care about. The involved individuals and non-profit organizations can use their networks via the internet to acquire donations. These may include your;

Friends
Family
Supporters
Peers,
Co-workers and
Acquaintances.

You need to set up pages and then share the information on social media platforms or through email. You can use your platform to set up automatic acknowledgments to those who support your charity event. To benefit from your crowdfunding campaign, share your ideas with your supporters and make use of their views. Within no time, you will get instant feedback and enjoy the outcome of your adventures.

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

Through peer-to-peer fundraising approach, you will use events to raise money for your school or nonprofit organization. You need to set goals to accomplish within stipulated deadline and plan your event cautiously. For your crusade to be a success, reach out to as many supporters as you can.

Go on and set up pages to link up with your target supporters and ask for their generous contributions. Donations can be made via your fundraising page to curb any irregularities or uncertainties. To appeal to your target audience, include several images to your fundraising page and describe what goal the contributions will accomplish. Don’t forget to describe your campaign in details to spur more people to make donations

T-Shirt Fundraising

T-shirts are a great product to sell that can help you spread the word of your cause. You need to design t-shirts and use online marketing to sell available t-shirts to your target audience. T-shirt fundraising is a fun-filled way to reach out to reliable donors. When supporters buy and wear these t-shirts, they will have something tangible to show that they have contributed to your charity event. In order for the t-shirt fundraiser to be successful, keep in mind how much you’re charging per shirt.

Online Donation Forms

By use of online donation forms, you will be able to market your charity page and provide specific information to attract more supporters. To maximize on this platform, ensure the forms are mobile-friendly to allow easy access by tech savvy supporters.

To Sum Up

If you don’t know how to go about raising money for a cause, there are impeccable ways on how to fundraise online. Thanks to the internet and inventiveness, it’s easy these days to donate money and help others in need. It’s all about embracing the advent of social media and respecting your networks. You will be in the course of uniting people from all walks of life and different organizations and reach a common transformative goal.

Types of Fundraising Strategies – Boosting Donations

November 19, 2019

Not-for-profit organizations depend on donations to meet their goals. Therefore, it is very critical that they keep appealing to donors so that money will not be a problem. One of the surest ways of making sure of that is by understanding the various types of fundraising strategies. With such knowledge, you will come up with fresh fundraising ideas, and the money will never stop coming.

Types of Fundraising Strategies

There are many different ways you can fundraise for your cause. If you are trying hard to raise money for your not-for-profit organization, this post can help. It will detail fundraising strategies that can open donation floodgates. You will also learn of practical ideas that you can use to raise funds.

End of Year Fund Drive

The end of every year is a perfect time to tap into the generosity of givers. Organize a fund drive with a theme of gifts. You will be rewarding those who have been a big blessing to your organization. As you give the gifts, you will also get donations from those who will be attending the event. Ending the year on a high note will benefit your fundraiser by reaching goals, so that you will not be struggling when the next year begins.

Use the Power of Social Media

You cannot ignore the power of social media. If it has the power to influence political decisions, then it will affect everything else. Find a few channels where you can talk about your organization and what it does. Each day, spend a few minutes sharpening your profile and crafting your stories. Build a network of people who can support you. With a bulk of visitors to your social media channels, raising funds will never be a tall order.

Letting Your Website do Some Bidding

We are living in the age of technology. A lot of people visit the internet daily. You should not forget about tapping into the potential of online traffic. How? Your website should be up to date. You should regularly update its content. Make sure you are in sync with what people would be interested in. Most importantly, ensure that your site is mobile-friendly. More people are accessing the internet with mobile devices. You sure want to let them know about you and your organization.

Organize Special Events

You should not be so obsessed with raising money that you forget to give back to your supporters. Once in a while, give them something to have fun and renew their support to your organization. Go for events like talent shows, school carnivals, field days, or you can do unusual fundraisers such as galas and video game tournaments. Let them have fun in the name of your organization, and they will be loyal supporters forever.

Monthly Giving Campaigns

Create giving events to reward your supporters. Choose the most generous donors and give them a token for their support. Invite other members of the public to take part in the campaign. This is how you can ask them to donate. You will be motivating others to be loyal donors.

To Summarize

If you want to keep your not-for-profit organization afloat, knowing the several types of fundraising strategies will come to your help. Pick a few of them and get the funds coming for your cause and your organization.

How Do You Ask for a Fundraiser Donation

August 28, 2019

Thanks to technology, asking for donations from donors and prospects doesn’t have to be a costly affair. You can send donation appeals with just the click of a button and your email is one of the best ways to go about it. Leveraging technology to seek donations also offers a great way for you to update prospects and donors about your projects (both current and future). So, how do you ask for a fundraiser donation?

How Do You Ask for a Fundraiser Donation

This article highlights some of the tips and tricks you can use to ask for an important fundraiser donation. While most strategies are for email and online donations, some of them can be implemented for other types of donations such as in-person asks.

Create Eye-Catching Subject Lines

Most people receive countless emails every day. While you can’t physically prevent your recipients from moving your emails to the trash folder, you can use an eye-catching subject line to decrease the chances that they’ll do so. Avoid boring, vague headlines and focus on subject lines that tell the recipient what’s being asked of them and what the money will go toward.

Don’t Wait to Ask

When making in-person asks, for example, it helps to be slow and steady. When asking for donations via email, on the other hand, the earlier the better. Get straight to the point and try to make your ask within the first two paragraphs. Make sure the appeal is easy to see and give donors clear action items right off the bat. You want donors to immediately understand that they’re being invited to a fundraising event and being asked to make financial contributions.

Explain and Describe

Bear in mind that, at its core, any communication is an appeal. As such, you’ll need to provide more information for those who are new to your organization. Be sure to include:

Who you serve
The work you do
What specific initiatives or projects their donations will go toward
Any other relevant details or insights

You don’t need to give donors a background history of your organization at this point, rather get to the point and only include information that will encourage recipients to give to your cause.

Keep It Personal

It’s crucial to bear in mind that donors are individuals and you should treat them as such. Avoid generalities and blank statements. Instead, personalize your communications. One of the best ways to personalize emails is to segment your donors. For instance, donors who have given to your organization repeatedly should receive a different email from another who has just started volunteering with you.

Provide Links and Ways to Give

Be sure to give your donors the means to donate somewhere in the email. You could give it as a “Donate Now” button or Link anchored in the body of the email, for example. Alternatively, you can give a number they can call to donate over the phone or an address that they can send a check to. You’re better off if you have more ways for donors to get to your donation page.

Bottom Line

The tips mentioned should help you answer the question: How do you ask for a fundraiser donation. It’s also important to keep in mind that people like to know that their contributions are appreciated. Express your appreciation by saying thank you once you’ve received donations as that helps to ensure you’ll receive donations in the future.

How to Sell Things For a Fundraiser

August 9, 2019

Fundraising is an interesting concept for raising funds to support a charity, cause or for the development of a non-profit organization. The best way to organize a fundraiser is by selling things. But if you are worried about how to sell things for a fundraiser, then do not worry as we have a complete guideline for that. Read on to know more about how to go ahead.

How to Sell Things For a Fundraiser

Before the sale starts you have to:

Make contacts with different groups: You have to be aware of what other schools or organizations are planning for fundraising projects. You may want to stagger the fundraising or you may want to do them with other organizations.
Ensure that everyone is on the same page: You need to call for a brief committee meeting for reviewing the key dates and activities of your project. You have to let everyone know about the expectations regarding other’s involvement.
Decide on the payment methods: There are 3 types of payment methods from which you can choose one. There are – prepayment, pay-on-pickup payment and post-pay methods. You can choose anyone or let the customers choose the best option according to their choice.
Enough selling time: Make sure to plan the sale in such a way that it gets at least two but preferably three weekends. It will help to keep the awareness up during the sale with
the bulletin board, newsletter reminders and audio announcements. To get things started, you need to:

Once your important fundraising sale begins, follow the steps below. How to Sell Things For a Fundraiser

Start off the project in the right mood: You have to start off the project. For this, you have to start the publicity and let the volunteers work for you.
Send the message to everyone: You need to consider that everyone gets the news of the sale as soon as it starts. You can also ask the fundraising company for providing some sample of the products to show to the people.
Make it in writing: You have to send the product catalogue home with all the details about the cover letter attached. You can’t stuff everything inside. You cannot rely on the letter only. You can also customize the cover letter according to your own will.
Include cash donation option: Many will only prefer to make a cash donation rather than buying something. Hence, it is important to include the option of cash donation too. For that you can add a collection box to conveniently deposit the cash they want to donate.

Conclusion

So, this is all about how to sell things for a fundraiser. You cannot make the announcement and sit back to relax. You have to give constant reminders to the people to get it done successfully. Also, you have to ensure that your volunteers are working perfectly on the roles given to them. You also have to plan for the pickups and for that you have to keep the people informed about it. Appoint a group to handle the money carefully creating all the paper trails, collection and to do the calculations.

Most Effective Fundraising Strategies

July 31, 2019

If you’re raising funds, chances are you’re constantly looking for ways to better your fundraising strategies to raise more money for your cause. After all, strategies can always improve and there’s no better time to think about improving your fundraising strategy than when planning for your next fundraising campaign. Here are some of the most effective fundraising strategies.

Most Effective Fundraising Strategies

Integrating Fundraising Software

Software comes with numerous benefits, but running a fundraiser becomes difficult If your software solutions aren’t integrated. For example, if your marketing software won’t integrate with your event management software, which won’t connect with your CRM, then it becomes difficult to send invitations for your next event to your donors.

The trick, therefore, is to invest in integrated fundraising software. However, it’s important to be discerning about the features you want for your own before making your purchase because you may not need all the features. By implementing a more inclusive software solution, you’ll have an easier time streamlining your fundraising strategy.

Launching Crowdfunding Campaigns

Social media use continues to grow every year. As such, you need to find ways to harness the power of social media. Crowdfunding, for example, is a popular form of fundraising that leverages social media. Here are some of the ways social media and crowdfunding are integrated:

Reach: Rather than a few large donations crowdfunding draws lots of small donations. Social media offers an easy way to get the message out to people, including those you don’t have direct contact information for.
Design: Crowdfunding campaigns are usually hosted on a central website. These sites are well designed with “share now” buttons and videos that make it easy and attractive for social media users.
Content: Social media users love immersive content they can get invested in.

Enable Mobile Giving

Smartphones continue to grow in popularity every year, and that’s a trend that is not slowing down any time soon. They’ve become so widespread that we’re now storing boarding passes, grocery lists and even banking on our mobile devices. By implementing mobile giving, therefore, you can improve your fundraising efforts.

Mobile giving is highly successful for various reasons

It’s logically smart: Mobile fundraising brings your supporters to their phones, no more having to walk to the mailbox.
It boosts event participation: Rarely will everyone who supports your organization attend your events. But by accepting mobile bids or mobile donations for charity auctions, even absent donors can participate.
Leads to information capture: When running a fundraising campaign, you want to collect donor details to make it easier to segment later. Mobile giving gives you an opportunity to gather name, phone number and other useful details.

Making it possible for donors to donate via mobile is an effective way to take advantage of every opportunity for donations and show donors that you care enough to make it easy for them to donate.

Bottom Line

Those are just but some of the most effective fundraising strategies to improve your fundraising campaign. Other fundraising strategies to consider include hiring a fundraising consultant and getting creative with corporate giving. Overall, following the strategies above are sure result in a successful fundraiser.

Different Ways to Fundraise

July 9, 2019

Raising money can be a challenge. Whether you’re a nonprofit or school community, the chances are that you’ve run out of exciting fundraising ideas. The truth is, fundraising doesn’t have to be monotonous. The secret to captivating donors and inspiring them to give is by hosting unique fundraisers. Here are a few tips on different ways to fundraise.

Different Ways to Fundraise

Shoe Drive Fundraisers

Shoe drives are a great way to raise funds for any organization. They’re fun, easy to organize and have no out-of-pocket costs. All you need to do is call on supporters in your community to donate their used, gently worn and new shoes.

Matching Gift Drive

Matching gift drives are an easy way to maximize your donations without asking for another gift from your donors. They are common in corporate philanthropy programs where companies match a portion of the gifts their employees give to nonprofit organizations, for example. Another common approach is to partner with a matching gifts database provider.

T-Shirt Fundraiser

Selling customized t-shirts is not only a great way to raise funds but also an excellent marketing strategy for your organization. Simply customize the t-shirts to showcase your fundraiser in a compelling design. You can then sell the t-shirts to supporters at the events you host. You may also choose to sell the t-shirts using crowdfunding techniques.

Start a Crowdfunding Campaign

Crowdfunding campaigns are an easy way to collect small donations from a broad audience. You can start by setting up a fundraising page that will explain your mission and allow people to make online donations. This unique fundraising strategy works well if you’re unable to invest a lot of capital in more traditional fundraising campaigns.

Peer-To-Peer Fundraising

Design peer-to-peer fundraising campaign page templates with exciting features, custom branding, and great imagery. Then, reach out to people who support your cause to create personalized fundraising pages. Supporters can use the pages to spread the word about your fundraiser to their followers and online friends.

Text-To-Give Campaign

Text-to-give campaigns simplify the donation process and make it easier for you to collect funds. Through text-giving software, you can set up a special fundraising number and keyword. Whenever your supporter texts your organization, they receive an automated link that directs them to a mobile donation page which they can fill out and get a digital receipt. This unique fundraising idea is ideal for remote fundraising as well as in-person events. Different Ways to Fundraise

Silent Auction

Hosting a silent auction allows you to get local organizations as well as the community involved in your fundraiser. Consider reaching out to local businesses to donate auction items then encourage people to bid on them.

Bottom Line

There are plenty of other different ways to fundraise. For instance, you can decide to host a used book sale, a potluck dinner or a video game tournament. The trick is to choose a fundraising idea that will work for your organization.

How to Spread the Word About a Fundraiser – Successfully

June 28, 2019

There are many different reasons to run a fundraiser and different ways on how to spread the word about a fundraiser. Maybe a startup company needs money to meet their goals, or there is a serious illness in a family that can’t pay for the medical coverage. No matter what the reason, it is more competitive than ever to actually get that money from potential donors.

How to Spread the Word About a Fundraiser

In order to run a successful fundraiser, the right people need to know about it. Here is how to spread the word about a fundraiser, and make it a successful attempt.

Have a plan in place

It is extremely easy to start a fundraiser, but actually getting attention is another thing. In order to set something up online, a person needs to only fill out a few boxes and click submit. While it is easy to set up, actually getting money is the difficult thing.

How to Spread the Word About a Fundraiser

It’s important to have a plan set up, and the objective to be extremely clear. Every single person who comes across the fundraiser needs to clearly know what it is for. Provide a backstory, give all the necessary details and keep things brief.

Have a website or official page

In today’s world, it’s a necessity to have some type of online presence when running any fundraiser. Not only are a lot of people just comfortable reading and learning things online, but making a payment is extremely easy as well. Not everyone carries cash around, but anyone with a smartphone can make a payment in a matter of seconds.

Having a website or social media page also gives the fundraiser so much more exposure. A local fundraiser with no talk online about it is only going to raise so much.

Interact with donors

When people give to a fundraiser, most appreciate even a small gesture. Use the official website or social media to do exactly that. Not only are you praising a donation, but you are also keeping the discussion going. The more times that fundraiser is actually discussed online, the more people will actually see it.

Be creative

In order to stand out from other fundraisers out there, it takes more than just asking for money. Have a contest if it makes sense. Set up a giveaway to involve all the different donors. Post interesting updates when available. The important thing is keeping everyone who is interested in engaged, without overwhelming them with information.

Doing the bare minimum for a fundraiser is not going to really do much in the end. Those who are thinking about giving money will definitely notice.

Reach out to traditional media

A lot of people get caught up in social media these days. While a great social media presence is great, plenty of people still rely on traditional media as well. Reach out to local newspapers, television stations and more. The worst that can happen is that they say no.

Getting exposure on any of those platforms can reach a lot of people. There are a lot of people who simply don’t spend much time online, but hearing about a fundraiser on television or in a paper can intrigue them.

The final word on fundraisers

Fundraising is important and as competitive as ever. There is only so much money that goes around. By putting in the extra effort, many will take notice. This can make the difference between an average fundraiser, and a fundraiser that exceeds all expectations.

Corporate Fundraising Event Ideas

June 18, 2019

Choosing a fundraising idea for your corporate event is sometimes difficult. Whether you plan the event yourself or hire a professional company to do the fundraising, it helps to know the different ways you can raise money. Here are a few corporate fundraising event ideas to bear in mind the next time you’re organizing a fundraiser.

Corporate Fundraising Event Ideas

Fundraisers are important events, therefore it is important to run it properly to ensure success. Below is a list of different corporate fundraising event ideas to hold.

Balloon Pop Off

This involves putting a slip in each balloon that states the prize to be won for popping that balloon. You can use the company hall or cafeteria for this event. Purchase fun items at wholesale stores or ask employees to donate prizes ahead of time. Charge a participation fee that allows participants to pop as many balloons as they can or a small fee per balloon that someone wants to pop.

Bingo Night

Bingo can be a great way to raise funds. Set up bingo night for employees and charge a small donation at the entrance for each bingo card received. Make things interesting by offering fun prizes for the winners.

Bowling Tournament

Contact your local bowling alley to set up a date and time for a corporate fundraising bowling tournament. Ask employees to compete in teams and set pledges for pins knocked down, winning teams strikes made, and so forth. Employees can make pledges based on how you’ve set up the event or ask volunteers to simply make a one-time Corporate Fundraising Event Ideas donation. Offer a fun prize for the winning team and collect pledges and donation afterward or on a specific day at work.

Company Picnic and Raffle

Hold a company picnic where employees and families can buy raffle tickets. Ask people who will be attending to create a great meal which everyone can partake. You can also spice things up with fun events like pie-eating contests, races or other activities to make it a great time for everyone and increase participation. This unusual event will draw quite the donations.

Competitive Events

Create an event in which different departments of the company compete against one another. There are countless variations you can use. See what types of sports or events interest most people and decide what will work best for an exciting competition. Consider asking for pledges or donations before the event.

Employee Dance

You can hold a company dance at an appropriate location and charge a small ticket fee at the door. Ask employees to invite their friends and family to attend. Consider offering drinks and snacks that attendants can purchase while they’re at the dance.

Karaoke Night

Host fun karaoke competitions and charge employees and/or family members a small admission fee to compete. You can also serve drinks and snacks. Publicize the event by inviting local stars and celebrities to compete and make the event more interesting.

Bottom Line

Choosing a fundraising idea largely depends on what you’re attempting to accomplish. The trick is to choose corporate fundraising event ideas that will align with your fundraising goals and expectations. For instance, some fundraising ideas need more planning than others so you’ll have to start planning earlier.

How to Have a Successful Fundraiser

March 19, 2019

Planning an event that spreads awareness and raises money requires a lot of diligence and attention to detail. Between communicating with other advocates and creating an impact with your supporters, sometimes it can be easy to get lost in the small detail rather than the ultimate goal. Here you will learn the ins and outs of how to have a successful fundraiser.

The Big Picture is Priority

Before planning any of the minute details, know what you’re intending to overall accomplish. The main focus is how to make enough of an impact that your supporters will donate and continue to spread awareness. Once you’ve figured that out, build outward onto who to approach and what kind of event is most appropriate for your cause.

Who is the Audience?

Getting in touch with people who are passionate about what the brand represents will most benefit the success of your fundraiser. Understanding your following allows you to pinpoint how to better draw them in. Think about what businesses or companies will be eager to associate their name with your cause and be a sponsor.

Get the Word Out

In this day and age, there are many platforms available just a finger tap away, it would seem impossible to not circulate information on an event. Passionate people will pass the information. An avid audience will help tremendously increase your following through word of mouth, personal blogs and social media. It is equally as important to grab the attention of various grades of sponsors – small local shops and larger corporations – will help branch your brand out to their supportive clientele also.

Be Creative

Not every fundraiser needs to be a black-tie affair with cocktail hour and slide shows. Think outside of the box when it comes to creating an experience for your guests and sponsors. Do something that really shows the impact of your actions towards your cause and how others can be just as involved. During (or perhaps in place of) cocktail hour, engage guests with a showcase or campaign video that represents the brand and mission in a poignant way.

Have Incentives

Typically when contributing to a prominent, long running foundation, the donor may be gifted or even given information for what their donation can provide for the cause. For example, on the website for the World Wildlife Foundation, the donor can choose the dollar amount as well as what rewards are available for that donation. If you’re on a budget and can’t provide a gift for every donation, try emailing an infographic of how the donors money will be put to use. When people know where their money is going, they feel better about providing a larger donation.

Create a Website (or a Website Widget)

If you or anyone on your team knows how to work/create a website, this option will really benefit you. Rather than using a third party website for all of your donations, create a website that’s personal to your cause and can showcase the story behind your fundraiser. For the companies who sponsor you, either have a link to your foundations website or you can create a widget so that their patrons can donate without exiting a web page.

Bottom Line

Even though it can be easy to get lost in all the details of planning, remember what the main intentions are. Following these tips on how to run a successful fundraiser will help increase your audience, improve the quality of your event and make for a successful profit for the cause that you’re supporting.