As this article gets drafted and published, there continues to be a big cloud of uncertainty that looms above us. Future of fundraising for nonprofits seems bleak but all is not lost as long as organizations do not give up. Events, get-togethers and galas have been a common way of raising funds. Such events are social, fun and known to bring about a positive campaign result.
Given our current situation, there is hope in the fact that nonprofit businesses can be run online, communication can be carried out online, remote donations can be made and accepted. All in all, thank God for the internet.
In this article, we are going to explore different virtual fundraising ideas that are available and feasible. We have shortlisted the most convenient choices which will help your nonprofit thrive even in difficult times.
Documentary watch party
Let us begin this with an example. There is a video series called “Fundamental” which has been launched by The Global Fund for Women. It showcases community leaders and grassroots movements who are taking a stand for fundamental human rights. This set of movies has enabled the organization to involve the community in many ways. Even if your organization does not does not have an available set of series or documentaries, you can always adopt a piece that sits in alignment with the mission of your nonprofit.
In order to drive and encourage engagement, you can channel different points in the movie as your call-to-action, based on a specific scene or topic of concern. Post the watch party, you can design the landing page in such a way that it gives your participants different buttons to make an impact. This could be a button to talk about your mission on social media and also a donation button.
No-Gala Gala
This is a topic that is definitely trending in the industry today. No-gala Gala is all about organizing a program for your participants and donors to watch online. Your virtual attendees will be watching a live telecast of your event from their respective homes. This could include a performance by a local comedian or a talk by a nonprofit influencer. This is one of the best virtual fundraising ideas and it can be made even better by incorporating a musical performance in it, you can request local artists for the same. The attendees can be given the liberty to dress up and upload their photos and videos. Your attendees can dress up and upload photos or videos that you can in turn share via your livestream.
One of the benefits of this idea is that you are able to save money on booking expensive venues while giving the benefit of comfort at home to your participants. Sell the tickets to your virtual event on your website and social media platforms and provide links to your livestream. You can also raise additional money by requesting for donations during the gala. Make use of good management software for all online transactions.
Peer to peer fundraising
We all know what peer to peer fundraising is. It is a very popular method of encouraging others through an individual to donate and become a contributor to a good cause. Known to have the best online donation rate, peer to peer fundraising can be simply defined as a fundraising strategy in which an individual raises money on behalf of a cause through a fundraising page. The individuals then ask their friends and family to donate to the cause. This is more like an elevated form of crowdfunding; it generates engagement as it relies on the relationship of the donors.
The individual can start off by using a peer to peer fundraising tool and then invite supporters through social media and emails. The people who respond will then start working on raising the funds. This can also be presented in the form of a challenge, giving targets and working towards achieving the same.
Matching gifts
This is a fundraising method that starts with communicating with a corporate organization. Your nonprofit will have to research and decide on an organization that believes on the same morals and mission as your nonprofit. Once you partner with the organization, its employees will donate a specific amount to your cause and the employer too will donate the same amount, thus doubling the amount. For example, if an employee decides to donate $150, the corporate organization will also donate another $150, the total then comes upto $300. This is a great way to engage more people and build your network.
All communication with the employer company can be done over the email and phone calls, they will then notify their employees. You can always promote this on your newsletters and social media platforms, tagging the organization and tweeting about them is a great way to make them talk about you too.
Online voting contest
Through this contest, you will be able provide your supporters sitting at home with an opportunity to engage themselves in a fun activity. An online voting contest can be one in which people can compete to win the title of best photograph. All they would need to do is submit their photographs and then your nonprofit uploads it on social media, most preferably facebook and instagram. One vote would mean one donation of a certain amount; when people vote for a picture, they would be redirected to your fundraising page or an online donation form. This way, you will be able to get your funds while your participants get their votes.The contest would require promotions, your nonprofit should talk about it at least 2 or 3 weeks in advance.
Get the participants to post and write about it, also encourage the voters to share about your cause. Your promotions should always include stories regarding the goal of your campaign and how they would be helping somebody in need.
All the virtual fundraising ideas that we have discussed will help you gather the funds that you need; the payments can be processed via online and mobile giving, which also includes text-to-engage. It is ideal to have a versatile donor management system that will help you keep a precise tab on all developments. Make sure that you make use of all your digital platforms to communicate with your supporters. Promotion is key for any campaign, therefore plan it well and execute it even better.
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Last modified: April 23, 2020
