Solutions
As a nonprofit professional, you’ve likely got your hands full. Between managing donor relationships, keeping up with new technology, and of course, fundraising, there’s so much that needs to be done in service of your organization’s mission.
When strategizing your next fundraising campaign, it can be difficult to develop fresh, innovative ideas that will encourage contributions to your cause. That’s why we’ve come up with a list of four cost-effective fundraisers to save you time and help you succeed.
In this article, we’ll cover these four fundraising methods:
These fundraising ideas will help you level up your current fundraising strategy and reach your fundraising goals. Let’s get started!
The best types of fundraisers create value for both your organization and your supporters. That’s why online product fundraisers are so impactful. They’re easy to participate in and provide supporters with something in return for their donation.
To start an online product fundraiser, you'll first want to partner with a product fundraising company with an online fundraiser option. That way, they can set up your online store for you, and all you’ll have to worry about is how to promote it.
Once you’ve found a product fundraising company, it’s time to think about which types of products your supporters would actually purchase. For inspiration, here are some of the most popular products for these types of fundraisers:
When you move your product fundraisers online, the sharing potential is endless. Supporters can send the link to their friends and family and watch the impact multiply.
Promoting matching gifts is a great way to encourage donations from your supporters. When they see that their employer will match their contribution to your cause, they’ll be all the more incentivized to give back.
A matching gift campaign would entail asking your supporters to investigate their employers’ matching gift programs and encouraging them to have their donations matched if eligible. Some organizations even implement matching gift software that can help donors easily find if their employers participate in matching gifts.
Another way to support a matching gifts campaign is to add donor data to your database. For example, with employer data appends, you can more easily figure out which of your donors’ employers have matching gift programs and reach out to them directly, removing one of the steps you’d otherwise have to ask them to complete.
Not only is this fundraiser easy to execute, but it also has the potential to double or even triple the amount of donations your organization receives.
Most people think of Google Ad Grants as more of a marketing tool, but if used correctly, it can drive donations and support your fundraising efforts. If you’re unfamiliar, the Google Ad Grant provides $10,000 in monthly ad credits to eligible nonprofits. Organizations can use this money to promote important landing pages on their website and encourage conversions.
To promote a fundraiser with Google Ad Grants, simply create or choose a target fundraising page on your website. You can even use your online product fundraising store’s landing page. Just be sure that this target landing page is well-designed and accessible to ensure all of your new visitors will want (and be able) to engage with it.
Next, set up ads using your Google Ad Grant that target your fundraising page. Include clear calls to action that illustrate how you’d like your supporters to contribute and how their gifts will drive an impact.
Lastly, you’ll track your success using Google Analytics. If any part of this process seems overwhelming to you, Getting Attention recommends partnering with a Google Grant agency that can help you unleash the fundraising power of the Google Ad Grant.
At no cost to your organization, you can use the Google Ad Grant as a tool to promote your fundraisers and spread your mission online.
Encourage holiday season giving with a seasonal campaign. Many nonprofits participate in GivingTuesday, an opportunity to encourage generosity and contributions to worthy causes following Thanksgiving. It’s easy to join the movement since there’s no registration required, and you can continue your regular fundraising methods with some added GivingTuesday messaging.
While GivingTuesday is a great seasonal campaign option, you can also create your own initiatives that are specific to your organization. For example, animal shelters may lean into National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day as an opportunity to encourage pet adoptions and donations. These organization-specific campaigns can ramp up fundraising outside of the donation-heavy holiday season.
When you plan a seasonal campaign, make sure to include the name and branding of your campaign on all marketing materials and send donors thank you letters once the campaign is over.
It can be difficult to find fundraisers that are both cost-effective and easy to implement. With the help of these four fundraising ideas, you can increase your organization’s revenue and engage with your supporters in new and exciting ways.
Written By Debbie Salat | Director of Fundraising Activities | ABC Fundraising
Debbie Salat is the director of fundraising activities and product development at ABC Fundraising(r) - Debbie joined ABC Fundraising(r) in 2010 and is responsible for launching over 6500 fundraising campaigns for schools, churches, youth sports teams and non-profit organizations all across the USA. With over 20 years of fundraising experience, Debbie knows the path to success for fundraisers which she shares with groups on a daily basis so they can achieve their fundraising goals.
