July 13, 2017
Fundraising can literally be the life or death of your organization. For some folks establishing the cause for their organization, launching and fundraising happens without batting an eye. But for those of you who find fundraising unnatural, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.Beyond having an online donation page with the ability for donors to easily give online, then waiting for donations to roll in. Here are 5 types of fundraisers to get your organization started on the right foot.
Rally your resources and connections to put together a 5k, golf tournament, crab feed or gala to get potential donors together in one space. Gathering people and creating a memorable experience allows you an opportunity to bring awareness to your cause, fundraise and build momentum. Fundraising events are most successful when they are planned with a purpose, include your ideal demographic and you actually ask for donations. Be sure you don’t make the fatal mistake by spending your money and time on an awesome event with numerous potential donors in one space only to be too shy to ask for support!
Now that you have your ideal demographic pumped on your mission, in one space and ready to contribute it’s time to ask for those donations. Sending them to an online donation page is great but what’s even better?! Toss up a number on the big screens, have your donors snag their phones and have them send a quick text to the number on the screens. This easily directs them to the donation page, asking minimal information to get the transaction processed in record time. Text to Give is extremely effective because most people have a mobile device, it is the fastest and most user friendly way to donate, and finally it allows your donors to respond to their impulses. Take advantage of donors feeling pumped on your cause and allow them to respond with the easiest way to donate.
Let your supporters do the heavy lifting for you. With crowdfunding all you have to do is create an organization page set a goal amount and date to create urgency then encourage your supporters to create their own pages to share with friends and family. Crowdfunding fundraisers can stand alone on their own or you can easily pair it with a fundraising event you’ve chosen to host. Either way allowing your supporters to fundraise on your behalf to all of their networks sets you up for great success in your fundraising.
Hosting any ol’ event is a great start to getting donations through the purchase of ticket entry but add a silent auction on top of that and your donations will go through the roof. Hosting a silent auction still requires plenty of preparation and work but it doesn’t require hiring an auctioneer and finding large items. You can have any number of items available to auction off while the rest of your event takes place and it will undoubtedly boost your donations received at the event.
Maybe you have an online donation page to offer an easy way for donors to give or you have an online registration set up for the event you’re hosting. Now add the option to donate as well or even better a donation upgrade. Donation upgrades come in many shapes and sizes. For example, you could have on your donation page, “For donations of $200 or more you will receive this free book”. Or you could state, “Add an additional donation of $10 per month to provide water to a family of 4”.Chose any one or mix of these types of fundraising and you’ll find a boost in the donations and support of your organization.Have you tried any of the fundraisers above? Which have been most successful for you? Comment below!
