Donors, sponsors, grantmakers, lend me your ears! Are you ready to give a rousing fundraising speech that results in more dollars for your cause? We’ve got you covered with inspiring tips and best practices, along with some examples to inspire you. Read on!
Let’s face it: public speaking isn’t easy. It’s especially difficult when you aren’t sure how to give the best possible speech you can. When it comes to fundraising speeches, a lot can be on the line. Reaching your fundraising goal, supporting your important work… It’s easy to feel the pressure.
We’re here to help you understand how a fundraising speech works, what it should include, and how you can give the best one possible. We’ll also share some examples you can use to get started.
It’s time to raise more with the power of your voice!
A fundraising speech is one you give at an event or public gathering that both educates your audience about your organization’s mission and encourages them to step up and give. Ultimately, the goal of a fundraising speech is to convert audience members into donors – preferably long-term or recurring donors.
Whereas an elevator pitch is a short and direct speech detailing your organization’s work, a fundraising speech is typically longer and more focused on the event or campaign. Usually, your audience for a fundraising speech knows at least a little about what you do – but they may not feel compelled to give yet.
An effective fundraising speech entertains, connects, and ultimately encourages donations.
Let’s look at some key elements for a fundraising speech that brings in significant donations for your cause.
First and foremost, the person giving the speech matters. Effective fundraising speeches are typically given by the following:
What do all of these speakers have in common? They have a certain level of credibility because of their familiarity with the organization. Speakers who are well-known to the audience, such as celebrity endorsers or local corporate partners, have an additional level of credibility.
Credibility can also be built by things like:
A credible speaker is a powerful one – and a powerful one can help you receive more donations.
Pro tip: Want to increase your organization’s credibility? Increase your transparency! Learn how in this blog.
Aristotle defined rhetoric as the “available means of persuasion.” When it comes to fundraising, pathos, or an appeal to emotions, is a crucial part of persuading someone to donate to your cause.
An effective fundraising speech connects with the emotions of the audience, inspiring sympathy and empathy. But… how does one accomplish this?
Storytelling is an excellent way to connect with your audience’s emotions. Humans are hardwired to connect with characters in stories, which will inspire them to put themselves in the shoes of the people your organization helps.
Pro tip: Gathering stories ethically is an important step in creating a successful fundraising speech. Read this blog to learn the best way to get compelling stories while protecting any vulnerable participants.
An emotional connection won’t be everything for some potential donors. Quantitative data – how many people you’ve helped, what percentage of your activities are successful, etc. – will appeal to logic and convince even the stiffest donors that your cause is worthy.
Appealing to your audience’s logic can also include:
Including clear logic in your speech will make it even more moving.
You’ve captured the attention of your audience and got them fired up about your cause. Now what?
This is where your call to action comes in. What steps should they take to help you achieve your mission?
This is where in-person fundraising comes in.
For example, if you have a text-to-give campaign, you might end your speech by asking your audience to give $20 by texting your unique keyword to the text-to-give number. This is an easy way to encourage quick donations using a tool everyone has in their pocket – a smartphone!
A donation kiosk helps you capture spontaneous, on-site donations. The Donorbox Live™ Kiosk app allows you to turn a tablet and card reader into a donation magnet. Donors can give using cards, smartphones, and smartwatches.
Learn more about the Donorbox Live™ Kiosk app in this short video!
Get Started With DonorboxBeing specific about what you expect from your audience will ensure your speech is successful in actually generating donations.
A fundraising speech should complement the event at which it’s being given. For example, you wouldn’t want to get too gloomy at a fun, family golf tournament. Similarly, you wouldn’t want to crack jokes shortly after a slideshow demonstrating your work with victims of natural disasters.
Hitting the right tone will ensure your speech is heard and appreciated. It also helps make the speech fit into the event smoothly, so your attendees have a seamless experience.
Here are some tips to make your fundraising speech successful.
Fundraising speeches sound sincere when they avoid cliche phrases and ways of speaking. For example, which of the sentences below is more compelling?
The second one resonates more, right? Notice that we also slipped a little bit of storytelling in there by sharing the process for building a team. This allows audience members to see more of your story and is more personal than a cliche everyone has heard before.
A great fundraising speech should be practiced enough for the speaker to know all the beats and feel comfortable with the content, but it should never be memorized.
Memorized speeches come off as rote and robotic. When you know the beats of your speech but fill in the rest with honest thoughts, your audience is more likely to connect with you – and give up their hard-earned dollars.
Knowing who your audience is should guide you as you create the perfect fundraising speech. For example, will your audience appreciate humor? Will they understand a reference? Do they agree with your ideology?
Write for your audience to ensure your fundraising speech connects with those listening.
Here are some brief fundraising speech examples to inspire you.
Welcome, everyone! Thank you for joining us at our 5th annual Spring Fling Gala. We have an evening of live music, dancing, and fabulous auction items ahead of us. I just want to take a few minutes to talk about what this evening is all about – our mission of bringing the arts to underserved children.
Our programs have introduced over 30,000 children to the arts, whether that’s through music, painting, dancing, or acting. Children who experience the arts in elementary school are ten times more likely to graduate high school. They’re also more likely to develop crucial skills, like communication, creative problem-solving, and collaboration. Some of these children have never been able to express themselves – until now.
But we can’t do this alone. This evening, I want you to dig deep and give all you can to help us bring magic to these children. The smiles on their faces bring me so much joy – and I know you feel the same way. You can give at any of the kiosks stationed around the room. And don’t forget to bid on your favorite silent auction items!
Together, we can change the lives of these children and build a better future for us all.
Tonight is all about gratitude. We’re so grateful to you for supporting our work housing our unhoused neighbors with dignity and style.
I want to tell you a quick story about Kyle. Kyle and his dog Samson were on the street for nine months. Let that sink in – nine months of sleeping on cardboard in an alley, scavenging for food, being treated like a second-class citizen. That wore down both his physical and mental health. Samson was in desperate need of care that Kyle couldn’t afford to give.
Your support allowed our team of experts to intervene. We found an apartment for Kyle and furnished it with donations, adding every touch of comfort that we could to ensure it was a home and not just a house. Our partner animal shelter took Samson in and treated him so he was back on his feet and wagging his tail right away. Kyle now has a job at a local coffee shop, where he greets the community every day with a big smile.
But our work isn’t finished. There are many more people like Kyle who need help to get back on their feet. Who want to be active members of our society, but have been downtrodden because no one has offered them that hand up.
If everyone in this room donated just $20 tonight, we would have $3,000 to put toward our next case. To give, text “Home” to [phone number] and donate through our online donation form.
Thank you so much for helping us create stronger, healthier communities.
Ultimately, a great speech is all about connecting with your audience. A great fundraising speech takes that a step further – you connect with your audience in a way that inspires them to give.
Getting the speech right can feel intimidating! But it doesn’t have to. Use the tips and best practices outlined above to craft a moving speech that adequately represents your organization and encourages audience members to be generous. Check out the example speeches to get inspired. Most importantly, don’t stress about it. The perfect fundraising speech will come to you!
Once you get your audience excited about giving to your cause, you must have an easy way for them to do so. Donorbox has comprehensive tools to collect donations online and in person. Whether you’re launching a crowdfunding campaign, selling tickets to your next event, collecting on-site donations with the Donorbox Live™ Kiosk app, or using text-to-give to collect spontaneous gifts, we have you covered. Learn more about all of our features and sign up today!
For more fundraising tips, check out the rest of our Nonprofit Blog. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to receive the best of the blog in your inbox.
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