Mid-Pandemic Fundraising for Nonprofits Strategies Checklist: 13 Items to Move off the Back Burner

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Mid-Pandemic Fundraising for Nonprofits Strategies Checklist: 13 Items to Move off the Back Burner

As a nonprofit, there are always a few activities that get pushed to the back. However, your fundraising strategies during the pandemic should include activating all the plans that you have put in the back burner. The point here is to leave no stone unturned. A huge part of fundraising for nonprofits includes staying in touch with your supporters, therefore it is also important to have a communication plan in place. In this article, we’ll be looking into several strategies that you may now bring to the forefront. 

Ask and ask again

It is okay to ask your audience for their support as your job as a nonprofit is to offer a direct opportunity for donors to create an impact in the lives of many. Unless you communicate the requirements of your cause, the money of your donors will never become donation money. Ask politely and have a schedule of outreach; weekly or biweekly. Make sure that you treat your donors like your partners, reasserting the message that you are in this together. 

Keep in touch

Given the situation we’re now in, no communication is ever too much. The more you stay in touch with your donors, the stronger your bond will get. Plan out wellness emails twice or even thrice in a month, ask about the wellbeing of your donors and send them your best wishes. 

Website Homepage

Your website primarily represents your nonprofit, it is your main marketing tool. When your supporters land on your home page, the content of your page should be welcoming. Display a summary of your organization’s story and include your latest efforts and results of your latest campaigns. 

Donation Landing pages

Auditing your landing pages and optimizing your website for more donor conversions is one strategy that needs to be adopted by nonprofits. Even for donor management, get a management software that will help you with donor records and execution of fundraising campaigns.

Know your donors

Donor research is important, your donors love it when they know that your nonprofit knows them. Although it may seem upfront, the best way to do this is to ask them. Ask about their likes and dislikes, the causes that they feel connected to and their feedback on the functioning of your organization.

Locate your donors

Meet your donors where they are. With most of the world’s population working from home, the use of social media and other online platforms as a socializing tool has only become larger. It is a great idea for your nonprofit to go digital and also make your website landing pages mobile-friendly. Focus on your email designs and content, while making use of your social media handles. Making use of multiple communication channels will help in driving more responses and engagement.

Giving days

Fundraising for nonprofits also requires planning ahead. Optimize on major giving days and weave your story around the same. Days such as #GivingTuesday on the 1st of December and Social Media Giving Day on the 15th of July will come again in 2021. The ideal step is to plan ahead and start preparing for your campaign at least 3 months in advance. GiveCentral’s 2020 #GivingTuesday campaign in partnership with the Archdiocese of Cincinnati helped raise more than $1.4 million, you can read about the campaign here

 Diverse giving options

Your call to action button should lead to a page that offers options to be a one time donor or a recurring donor and so on. Some donors prefer to donate monthly, some yearly and even weekly, it is crucial to address that your donors have different donation habits. When it comes to causes, your landing page can also show the different kinds of projects that they can donate to.

Third party events

Also known as DIY fundraising, third party events are when you ask your supporters to raise funds on behalf of your nonprofit. Your organization will not be in charge of these individual fundraisers but you can still brief them on following rules related to the pandemic. You can promote different virtual fundraising ideas such as virtual game night and birthday fundraiser. 

Peer-to-peer fundraising

Promoting peer-to-peer fundraising is a great way to build excitement among your supporters. A simple way is to opt for Facebook’s charitable giving tools that also includes peer-to-peer fundraising; this provides donors with a fast and easy way to donate. 

Connect with your board members

It isn’t necessary to meet in person in order to connect with your board members, hold virtual meetings and discuss plans for your nonprofit’s future. Be transparent about your current situation and the requirements, figure out solutions in groups. 

Bond with your staff

Needless to say, it takes a team to run a nonprofit; rather, it is a team sport. Therefore, it is very important to bond with your staff. You can hold virtual bonding sessions via video conferencing platforms and also brainstorm different ways to keep your nonprofit thriving. 

Relevant messaging

A lot of times, simply editing and tweaking last appeal seems to be the easy way out. That being said, the best way to communicate effectively starts with drafting new communication materials keeping in mind the occasion and situation. Do not sugar coat your messaging, lay it out as it is, be clear on the nature of your cause and how you would like your supporters to help you. 

Much like 2020, fundraising for nonprofits in 2021 is likely to get nonprofits out of their comfort zone. Our road to survival tales may be of interest to you as you plan for the new year.  Do not be afraid to experiment with different strategies, all the very best!

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