Asking for funding is hard for anyone. But if your masjid or Islamic organization is hoping to raise more with any given campaign, it’s crucial to craft the perfect Islamic fundraising message. In this article, we’ll walk you through proven steps to write a fundraising message that will encourage your Islamic audience to give – and give more.
The right Islamic fundraising message can feel like a balancing act. You want to convey urgency without overwhelming your readers and speak to their charitable side in a way that will inspire them to take action.
If you’re trying to craft a fundraising message for your masjid or Islamic charity and aren’t sure where to start, don’t worry – we have you covered! We’ll share seven steps to creating the perfect Islamic fundraising message to encourage more donations when you need them most. Plus, we’ll share some examples to inspire you!
Personalization is the key to a perfect fundraising message no matter the audience. This type of communication builds trust and makes your potential donors feel important – which encourages them to give.
Sending communication tailored for each donor is more than just changing the name field on an email! Segment your audience by demographics like age, location, and prior interest in your organization to send fundraising messages that are more likely to stick.
Donorbox donor management makes segmentation easy! Sort your supporters by a variety of filters to pull just the list you need. You can also record communication with each supporter, so you don’t reach out too often or too infrequently.
Be very specific with your ask, both in the type of gift you’re seeking and the amount.
Are you asking for Zakat or Sadaqah gifts? Is Ramadan getting close, and are you encouraging those who cannot or will not fast to give Kaffarah or Fidya?
The more specific you are, the more your donors will understand what you want them to give.
Getting specific about the donation amount you’re hoping to receive will help them feel confident in their gift, too. You can do this by explicitly asking for a certain amount. Add donation amounts to your giving form to better illustrate the levels that will help you the most.
We love how specific Link Outside gets about what each donation amount provides to the people they help.
Compelling and relevant hadiths are a great way to help people connect with your Islamic fundraising message.
There are plenty that discuss the importance of charity. Choose one you think will resonate with your campaign’s goal and fit it into your messaging. The key here is the fit – don’t stick a hadith in just for the sake of it! Make sure the meaning fits with your messaging.
Lead time is crucial for a fundraising message to be effective. There’s no room for procrastination in fundraising, so plan out your fundraising messages far in advance.
For example, if you want to ask for donations during the last 10 nights of Ramadan, it’s best to reach out before Ramadan even starts to encourage donors to give during that holy time.
Often, reaching out just once isn’t enough. Schedule regular outreach throughout your campaign to ensure your fundraising message gets heard by busy supporters.
The most important part of your fundraising message? Providing an easy and clear way to take action through a seamless giving experience!
Whether you’re sharing your message in person or online, Donorbox has the tools and features you need to swiftly collect gifts.
When it comes to fundraising online, Donorbox has everything you need for a successful campaign!
And more!
Check out how the Association of Muslim Chaplains raised over $15,000 on their Donorbox Crowdfunding page! They make it easy to give and share their campaign through social media sharing buttons.
Donorbox has several tools built so organizations never miss out on an in-person donation just because their supporter doesn’t have any cash.
These options expand your fundraising opportunities so your fundraising message can have more impact both in person and online.
What will donations to your masjid or Islamic charity do for the greater good? Donors want to understand the urgency behind their giving – and that your organization will do something to truly make a difference with their hard-earned money.
Demonstrating impact can be as simple as being transparent about how you will spend the funds. You can also use storytelling to convey how you’ve used funds in the past – and why those activities were so important.
This seems obvious, but you’d be surprised! Fundraising messages without a clear call to action are significantly less effective. You may be demonstrating impact, connecting your message to a meaningful hadith, including a specific need…but if you don’t explicitly outline what action you’d like your audience to take, your message won’t land.
Keep it short and sweet, with clear instructions. For example, you might say something like:
Visit our donation form to give $25 today and help us provide Iftar meals to neighbors in need.
Someone who reads this message knows where to give, how much to give, and why they should follow through.
We love how this masjid includes verses from the Quran to compel their supporters to give. They share good information about their offerings and history, so it’s easy for anyone who isn’t familiar with them to get to know them right away. Plus, they tell supporters exactly what their donations will support.
UKeff appeals to donors on both a logical and emotional level. We love how they explain the reasoning behind giving Zakat and a compelling call to keep Zakat donations local. They published an update to their campaign encouraging donors to set up a recurring giving plan for easy, continued giving.
Talk about demonstrating impact! We love how MACA outlines how much their project costs so donors know exactly how much of an impact their donation can make. The clear call to action helps donors feel empowered to get involved! Plus, they enabled peer-to-peer fundraising, making it easy for their top supporters to raise funds on their behalf.
The right Islamic fundraising message isn’t a mystery! The steps outlined in this blog will help you craft an effective, compelling fundraising message that brings in more donations for your organization.
As you get started, don’t forget the most important step: write a draft and get feedback from someone else. Fresh eyes will help you catch anything missing from your message and ensure you’re striking the right balance of urgency and transparency.
For more Islamic fundraising ideas, check out the rest of our Nonprofit Blog. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive blogs to your inbox every month!
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