So, you want to raise money for your nonprofit organization but knowing where to start can be a challenge. Thankfully, fundraisers are a simple and easy way to raise money for your cause. Before you jump in and plan your fundraising events, let’s explore the fundamentals of starting a fundraiser in 7 easy-to-follow steps.
Realizing your nonprofit’s mission requires support and champions, and while finding champions for your cause isn’t always difficult, securing the funds you need to support your work can be. Starting a fundraiser can be time-consuming and costly. But if you consider the planning stage carefully and do due diligence in advance, your event can be a huge success.
There are many options to explore for nonprofit fundraising, from galas and auctions to specific campaigns and appeals, as well as grant applications and partnerships with other organizations. Let’s look at the seven steps your organization should take when starting a fundraiser.
Before you start planning your fundraiser, define your goal. It’s important to establish what your organizational needs are. Be as specific as possible. The following questions can help:
Your goal plays a big role in determining the outcome of your fundraiser. Remember to be flexible, because as your fundraiser evolves, you may need to adapt these goals to changing circumstances.
If your goals are too nebulous, you run the risk of confusing your donors, and your staff, and ultimately, creating campaigns that don’t deliver results.
Need some help? Download our free SMART Goal Setting Worksheet to help you set realistic, attainable fundraising goals.
It may be tempting to target as many people as possible. After all, the more people you can access, the better, right? Not quite. Take a look at your own inbox and consider how many marketing messages you receive each day. With our busy schedules, it can be time-consuming to get to them all.
One of the challenges with fundraising is getting your great idea seen and heard by the right people – those who are most likely to support it. Segmenting your audience can help with this!
With Donorbox CRM, the Groups feature Groups allows you to easily organize your donors based on their unique qualities. For example, let’s say you have a donor who is related to one of your board members. He also works for a well-known firm in your area. You can add him to both a family and company Group so he’s included when you pull reports and mailing lists related to both Groups.
You can also create Groups for more basic segments, like major donors, annual fund supporters, event attendees, and more. The ability to do both means you have the utmost control of your donor data at all times!
Once you understand how your donors give, split them into subgroups and start crafting tailored emails, appeal letters, or social media posts.
Then, adapt your storytelling to each of these groups and communication platforms. For example, videos tend to do really well on social media, while donor letters and cards have more of a personal touch. Emails, on the other hand, are quick and easy ways to connect your donors to online donation forms.
Where you host your donation page is important. It should be secure, up-to-date, and on-brand – but it shouldn’t require a lot of work on your end.
To make the process hassle-free, Donorbox Donation pages is considered an all-in-one donation page solution and support.
It takes just four simple steps to get started with Donorbox – sign up for free, create your donation form, customize your Donorbox-hosted donation page to add branding, and connect your payment processor (Stripe or PayPal).
Think of the viral videos that make you laugh, the social media posts that touch your heart, that one article that moved you enough to forward it to friends… chances are they all involved a compelling story or narrative. People love stories that inspire hope.
Whatever your story is, share it! Include an anecdote in the marketing message or as the anchor of your campaign. Give people something to invest in.
Remember, when you gather beneficiary stories, it’s important that you prioritize ethical storytelling. Be transparent, authentic, and center consent.
One of the best places to share your beneficiaries’ stories is directly on your campaign page. This placement underscores not only your mission but the impact of each donation. Check out this live example from Black Girls Code, which perfectly highlights how effective storytelling on your donation pages can be.
Not sure where and how to start? Check out this blog for some inspiration on creating empathetic narratives for your fundraiser.
Marketing your fundraiser is an essential part of the fundraising process. No matter how big or small the campaign, people can only give to what they see, hear, or feel. Your campaign’s success relies on its ability to capture attention, encourage support, and resonate with your target audience. So, it’s about crafting that impactful message to bring in those supporters.
It’s important to plan your marketing initiatives ahead of time, especially if your campaign is time-sensitive.
This will apply to something like an event to which you are selling tickets for attendance. For example, when planning an event, you will need a timeline to take you from start to finish – the day of the event itself. A checklist is a practical tool to help you ensure that everything has its place and time, from ensuring all tickets are sold, to marketing and promotions.
There are many channels to consider when it comes to marketing your fundraiser. Here are a few options:
Your fundraiser doesn’t need to end immediately after the event. It’s a good idea to explore ways of keeping that engagement going. Keeping supporters apprised with further follow-up communications can play a vital role in your long-term fundraising efforts. By keeping the conversation going, you can appeal to donors to continue support with recurring donations, smartly turning one-time donors into loyal supporters. You could set up a Monthly Giving Program that will toil in the background to bring in funds consistently.
Don’t forget to keep your donors up to date with the organization’s milestones! Send thank-you notes for their support and acknowledge their efforts on social media – all great ways to involve your supporters for the long term.
A seamless experience – that’s what you need in a platform that empowers more giving.
There are various fundraising platforms available, but the one you choose should align with your organization’s specific needs. Always ensure your fundraising platform has:
For a detailed comparison of fundraising platforms and to find out more about Donorbox’s advantages, read more here.
Understandably, we all get busy at times and tend to put things off to the last minute. Yet, the power of a ticking clock can work in your favor. Successful campaigns include a limited time to give. Gentle nudges to remind donors that there’s a limited time left can help drive donations. This will also help you plan your outreach schedule – and you can always extend the deadline to get more of those last-minute donations.
Starting a fundraiser for your nonprofit takes good planning, goal-setting, a smart platform to manage donations and donors – and of course, lots of energy and enthusiasm!
Make giving as easy as possible for donors so it doesn’t feel like hard work for them to donate. For example – being able to text to give. Take the time to create your donation page, enhance your platform, and include tools that are simple to use.
Remember, be transparent with your message and fundraising goals. Share with your donors exactly how their donation is helping your organization with thank-you messages and follow-up communications.
Raising money and managing fundraisers for your nonprofit isn’t a one-and-done deal. Invest in the long-term success of your organization with the right tools for your fundraising journey. Visit our Nonprofit Blog for more fundraising tips and tools to help you on your journey!
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charlene naidoo