Flyers are a proven way to share details on your nonprofit’s event. An exciting image and engaging text can help spread the word and encourage passersby to learn more. Adding a website URL or QR code can make it easy to find more info or give. In this article, we’ll look at what fundraising flyers are used for and what to include in your next flyer. We’ve also included a few ideas and examples to help you get started.
Using fundraising flyers to promote your fundraising efforts might seem old-fashioned. In fact, it’s one of the oldest marketing tools in use, dating back to the 1400s and the invention of the Gutenberg printing press.
But with the right tips and tricks in mind, this oldie is also a goodie! There’s a reason flyers have had such staying power: they work.
Flyers can be fantastic materials to get the word out about your new fundraising efforts. Whether you’re looking to make a strictly digital flyer or you’re planning to print and distribute one, we have you covered with all the tips you need to make it as compelling as possible.
Note: Use this section as a handy checklist when you’re ready to create your donation flyer. It will help you ensure you have all the necessary info!
Charity Fundraising Flyers are incredibly versatile marketing materials that you can use for a variety of fundraising needs.
Here are some ideas:
Your fundraising flyer can act as the staple of your campaign, where you create a brand for the campaign (some recognizable imagery or colors) and clarify its purpose.
Say why you’re launching this campaign, who it will benefit, and how (as briefly as possible), give people a way to navigate easily to your campaign (a link, QR code, etc.), and mention all the ways you accept donations.
Fundraising Event Flyers are mostly used for this reason—talking about an upcoming event and creating momentum.
Have a gala coming up? A chili cook-off? A fall festival? Whatever the event, crafting the right charity event flyer can help make your event a fundraising success. Be sure to clarify on the flyer that the event has a goal—to help raise money for your important cause.
Your fundraising event flyer should feature catchy images to attract the attention of your readers.
Asking for volunteers is a great way to both get support for your activities and get a group of people interested in your mission. One study found that 2 in 5 volunteers choose to get to know an organization through volunteering before they ever donate, meaning a strong volunteer program is a good way to cultivate life-long donors.
Be sure to clarify what kinds of activities your volunteers are responsible for on your flyer. Make it sound like a dynamic, fulfilling, and fun experience!
You can use your own creativity to find other uses for fundraising flyers. Remember, a flyer is a great starting point for social media posts, in-person outreach, and email.
It can be so easy to get so swept up choosing the design elements of your fundraising flyer that you forget to add all of the important information. Don’t worry—we got you!
First and foremost, you want your donation flyer to be effective. That means someone should be able to glance at it and get all the information they need quickly and easily.
Use this list as a guide to make sure you have all the key components on your fundraising flyer.
As long as you include these key elements, you’ll have a successful fundraising flyer.
This may seem obvious, but the best flyers feature bold, interesting images. After all, you have limited time to capture the attention of your audience—so you have to get them hooked right away!
Stock images are a great way to find images that will intrigue someone glancing at your flyer. Just make sure to find pictures labeled for commercial reuse so you know you can use them. Some great sites to find stock images include Pexels, Freepik, and Shutterstock.
Pro tip: Whether you choose a photo or a clever illustration, make sure the image works for you by conveying some important information about either the event or campaign you’re advertising or your organization in general.
Want a flyer that captures the attention of your audience right away? Then leading with a question (like I just did!) might be right for you!
Leading with a question does a few things:
By posing the right questions, you can make your flyer stand out in the crowd.
Aesthetically, your eye gets drawn to contrast. That’s why it’s important to use bold text to highlight the most important information on your flyer.
Bolding text means:
Remember that you don’t want to overwhelm your reader with too much text, so choosing to bold the most important words can help make a lot of text seem more manageable.
No one wants a boring flyer. Make your fundraising flyer easy to read and great to look at!
Your fundraising flyer should always have a specific goal. When that goal is to generate donations, it’s important to offer as many options for your readers to donate—right then and there—as possible.
Provide a link to your online donation form (see our section on QR codes below!). If you have a text-to-donate capability, like Donorbox’s powerful text-to-give feature, include your campaign ID and the text-to-give number on the flyer so your donors can easily access online giving.
If you accept cash and checks, you can always include a mailing address—but keep in mind people are more likely to give using the path of least resistance. It’s a lot easier for them to donate right when they’re thinking about it than to wait until they get home, write a check, find a stamp, and walk your donation to the mailbox.
Sometimes you only have one chance to connect with a donor via a fundraising flyer. Make it count by providing them with as many options to give as possible.
To get your audience interested in supporting your cause, use statistics to show the value of your organization right from the start.
People like to see statistics because statistics can take something abstract and make it more understandable. For example, someone might know that there is food insecurity in America—but they might not know that it’s as dire as 35 million people experiencing hunger in 2019 alone.
You can get creative with how you include statistics and facts. Here are some options to consider:
Pro tip: Make sure your facts are relevant, recent, and dependable. One way for your flyer to fail majorly is to share false information (even if your intention is good!).
Depending on the type of fundraising flyer you’re trying to produce, it might make sense to include strong testimonials.
You can use testimonials from:
Pro tip: Remember that you don’t have a lot of room to work with. Testimonials should be short and sweet. For bonus points, include a photo of the person speaking!
You know what doesn’t look great on a flyer? A lengthy URL.
Using QR code technology on your fundraising flyer means you can quickly, easily, and efficiently connect your readers with your online resources. All you do is use a free website to generate your unique code. Donorbox lets you have free a QR code for every campaign you create on it. Just download the code and paste it on your flyer. When someone views your flyer, they can use the camera app on their smartphone to access the link.
Consider using a QR code for the following purposes:
QR codes are great, easy to produce, and don’t take up too much visual space.
Anyone can print their flyer on a standard piece of paper. To make your flyer stand out, consider printing it on a uniquely shaped piece of paper!
Try to think of something relevant to your mission or even the theme of the event you’re throwing. For example, if you’re hosting a picnic, you might make your flyer in the shape of a basket.
You’re only limited by the bounds of your creativity (and printing capabilities). Don’t be afraid to try something new to make your flyer the one people gravitate towards on the bulletin board.
Need some inspiration to get you started? Here are 5 examples of excellent fundraising flyers.
In addition to this flyer being designed well with bright, eye-catching colors, the fundraising flyer by Central Valley Habitat for Humanity features all the key information readers need to understand how to participate in the event.
Check out the way they use images to both inspire readers and show a little bit about what the environment of the event will be like.
This flyer by American Red Cross is another great example of excellent use of images and clear, information-centric design. The cost for participation is clear, as is the next steps to participate.
Also notable here is the inclusion of sponsors. If your event has sponsors, including them on your flyer both thanks them for their generosity and shows readers that you have support to make the event as fun and meaningful as possible.
This flyer from UMBC UNICEF is a little more streamlined, but the clean and crisp look is effective for getting across important information. Note the focus on the logo so there’s no doubt which organization this raffle is for.
There are clear instructions for what the raffle costs and what you could possibly win. These are in bold text, which makes them stand out. It’s important to note that this poster is lacking contact information, but if this flyer was used in an email, that information might be included elsewhere.
Working with a restaurant for a special fundraising opportunity is a great way to both bring in new donations and reach an audience you otherwise wouldn’t. This flyer from the Boys and Girls Club of Cleveland is, hence, the perfect example of a restaurant fundraising flyer.
This flyer was actually made by the restaurant themselves to very clearly outline the fundraising program including what items count towards the fundraising efforts and how much of each purchase is donated.
After looking at this flyer, do you have any questions about how to get involved? Nope! This flyer gives readers information both on how to use text-to-give to donate (and become a hero!) and how to use the QR code to learn more. They also include their website and phone number.
The statistics included are gripping and work to effectively convince the reader to donate. The image is specific to the area—featuring the Los Angeles Kings hockey team—and thus effective for viewers from that area.
Whatever kind of flyer you’re looking to make, these examples show you how easy it is to put together an eye-catching, thought-provoking fundraising flyer with all the key information.
Just because flyers have been around since before Shakespeare doesn’t mean you have to make yours complicated. In fact, streamlined is better for this golden marketing tool.
Don’t forget to use technology to your advantage, too! One thing Gutenberg and Shakespeare definitely didn’t have was QR codes with quick, easy-to-use links to an organization’s online donation form.
The more focused you make your fundraising flyer, the easier it will be for your readers to get the information they need to participate. After all, that’s the goal—to inspire your audience to reach out, donate, or attend an event.
Use these tips and tricks to make your fundraising flyer amazing, and be sure to check out the rest of our nonprofit blog to make all of your marketing materials shine.
Donorbox is a fundraising tool that also doubles as a donor management solution offering nonprofits powerful features for raising the most funds through online giving. Know more about us here.
Lindsey spent years wearing many hats in the nonprofit world. Whether she was helping arts nonprofits with their messaging and content, planning a fundraising gala, writing an NEA grant proposal, or running a membership program with over 400 members, she learned how to navigate – and appreciate! – the fast-paced world of fundraising. Now, she loves sharing those hard-earned lessons with the Donorbox community.
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Lindsey Baker Bower