Nonprofit Tech for Good offers two low-cost certificate programs for nonprofit professionals worldwide. The curriculum covers digital marketing, social media marketing, and online fundraising. To begin, make of list of potential matching gift donors and sponsors and begin traditional one-on-one stewardship i.e., a phone call, a personal email, a letter in the mail. That said, also experiment with actively seeking matching gift sponsors online. Create a page on your website that lists the benefits of becoming a matching gifts sponsor [see Nonprofit Tech for Good’s Sponsorship & Benefits page – it works! ] and promote the page in your email newsletter and on social media.
Especially when you’re not together, like during virtual or hybrid schooling, or just over the summer break, Facebook fundraisers and Challenges offer a more connected way to fundraise together. With Bonfire, you can create custom t-shirts that you can sell in a fundraiser through their platform. This kind of fundraiser allows your supporters to receive something in return for donating and the custom t-shirt helps bring awareness to your school and your fundraiser. According to EquityNet, it’s the “largest marketplace for private marketplace deals.” This platform helps match start-up businesses with accredited investors via equity funding, debt funding, or both.
Donors can manage their monthly recurring donations, and you can give them the option to cover processing fees so your nonprofit sees more of each donation. Your donors can even donate from their text messages with Donorbox’s Text-to-Give feature. A versatile platform that’s helped individuals raise funds for everything from personal healthcare expenses to keeping local businesses alive, GoFundMe is a clear pick for personal fundraising needs. Its track record of success includes bringing in more than $17 billion in funds from over 200 million donors. Best of all, it’s completely free to launch a campaign on Experiment’s fundraising site.
Instagram has also started helping nonprofits collect donations. People can make donations directly from your profile, or you can add a “Donate” sticker to your Instagram stories or link directly to your donate page from the story. Before you start posting, be sure to come up with a social media strategy.
Use simple, smart fundraising software from Network for Good to get everything you need to raise money at your fingertips. Network for Good was one of the first online giving sites, and one of the first organizations to provide donation services to nonprofits. It is still popular with smaller charities because of its experience, its easy-to-use platform, and low cost. This service allows anyone to raise funds through Facebook, email, or with a mobile app.
Every fundraiser can be built to suit your learning institution, individual teams, or solo fundraisers from your student body. Complete a form and connect your bank account with built-in fraud protection in less than 5 minutes and you’re all set! EdCo allows parents, teachers, coaches, and students to set up fundraisers for their favorite school programs.
We’ve seen this work so well in our CoMoGives campaign, our year-end, month long online giving campaign. We have a peer-to-peer component where the participating organizations reach out to their volunteers and ask if they would put on a fundraiser on their behalf. Whether it’s a run, gala or simply a recurring donation, raisin offers the tools you need to stand out, and the support you need to reach your goals.
If Best Fundraiser Ideas are going to donate money directly to recipients, stick with campaigns in your area and immediate circle. Can you find a legitimate Facebook page (not one made only a few weeks ago!) for the organizers? Can you verify their story and do you see evidence of it in your community or neighborhood? Also, you may want to avoid using digital or mobile payment platforms to donate, as these don’t offer the opportunity for refunds in the event of a mistake. One notable change that organizations shouldn’t overlook is the 30% increase in online giving we’ve seen in the past year or so. Online crowdfunding campaigns and fundraisers are at an all-time high, generating much-needed funds for charities, student groups, start-ups, and even individuals in need.
Donors love to know that their money has the most impact possible, and with matching gifts, they’re essentially giving two gifts for the “price” of one. Choose which platform you will focus on (by understanding where your audience spends most of their time) and then create compelling content for each of those channels. People are spending more time and more money than ever before on social media, so it’s essential that your nonprofit makes good use of these channels. Finally, when your supporters spread the word and share your story, this will carry your message and mission to new audiences in one of the most effective forms of marketing—word of mouth.