Mastering online fundraising: How to overcome the challenges

Thanks to online fundraising platforms, making a donation and raising funds has never been easier. Although online fundraising closes the fundraising gap, nonprofits are facing a set of serious challenges. 

Challenge: Choosing the right platform for your online donation

An online donation tool is definitely important and a nonprofit cannot do away with it. While the market is flooded with online donation platforms, choosing the right one is imperative for a nonprofit’s survival. A donor management software which provides you with all the necessary yet sophisticated application is your go-to place. Look for the following while opting for one.

1. All platforms come with a fee. Look for what fits in your budget and whether it offers all the required features within your budget.
2. A platform that supports you with free resources and detailed guidelines for nonprofit fundraising processes.
3. The world is moving to a “mobile-first” approach. Look for a platform that provides you with a mobile app so that your online giving can successfully turn into a mobile giving as well.
4. Trust and safety are of paramount importance when it comes to making donations. Look for a platform that is secure and safe.

Challenge: Asking for online donations

Donors who are consistent with making gifts are those whom you can directly approach. New donors can be a tough nut to crack but aren’t impossible. Asking is the one and the only way to break the ice. We understand, it can be difficult to execute. But the step is inevitable. While approaching a new prospect donor, apart from approaching directly consider the following: 

1. To communicate your mission and goals to a prospective donor, try conveying your message through a friend, family member, a member of a community the person is part of whom you might have a common connection.
2. Send out personalized emails and make the most out of social media.
3. Move from a “scripted” asking format. Rather engage in an interactive and dynamic giving experience. 
4. Use the insights from your previous campaigns which will speak volumes about the impact of your efforts.

Challenge: Finding new donors 

Finding new donors for online fundraising is way easier than conventional fundraising. Then what is the challenge? 

While scope of finding new donors offline are slim, ways to do so online are plenty. You must be overwhelmed with the options. The challenge lies in effectively choosing and making a strategy out of these umpteen options in hand. So, what can you probably include in your strategy to find new donors? We would suggest you to definitely include the following two.

• Not including social media in your strategy is out of the question. However, there are more than 800+ social media channels. What you need is a compelling social media strategy for fundraising. Choose your options keeping in mind the audience and geographic location you are targeting.
• Include a signup form or newsletter on your website. This will help you collect information such as name and email address of the people visiting your website. Use this information while you run an email campaign. 

Here, we tried to mention some key challenges along with their solutions, thereby facilitating a smooth online giving experience, for both you and your donors.