Over the years I’ve watched online fundraising campaigns unfold. I’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly. In the past few weeks I’ve been the recipient of awesome support from Charity: Water for the campaign I launched to support their September fundraising effort. Today I’m using six examples from their campaign to highlight ways to compel YOUR supporters to help you raise money. The main thing: Make it easy for your supporters to raise money for you.
1. Give a compelling reason to help. Include both startling facts and compelling video. I was moved enough by what I learned on the Charity: Water home page to participate. After you watch their short, compelling video, be sure to scroll down on the page to see the startling stats that help make the case for why they need help.
2. Use a simple portal for online fundraising. Allow your supporters to create their own fundraising campaign. And make it easy & fun to use it.
If you are a nonprofit in Minnesota you can use the GiveMN online tool to allow your supporters to create an event or fundraiser to support you.
3. Educate supporters so they know how their fundraising dollar will make a difference. Check out this helpful email (click the text in new window to make it larger) I received shortly after setting up my birthday campaign. The information included was clear and let me know how gifts from my community would be of help.
4. Keep supporters engaged and informed about your goal. Charity: Water sends me weekly updates about the campaign. One of them included a short, interesting, warm message from their CEO and founder: Scott Harrison. Take a look.
After viewing this short video I was even more proud to be a part of the September birthday campaign and Scott’s message made me feel like I was part of a community that is truly making a difference.
5. Share the news. Good and not so good. All of the September fundraising is in support of the Bayaka people in the Central Republic of Africa. In case I wasn’t sure who they are or why they need clean drinking water the “back story” was shared on one of the email updates that can be read here.
But on the actual day the drilling was to happen, live on the internet, supporters received a message to let us know the drilling didn’t work. Very disappointing but truthful information was shared. How the situation will be resolved was also shared. Real-time updates have kept me feeling connected and wanting to continue to support this effort.
6. Continue to follow up. I eagerly wait for the Charity: Water weekly updates to learn the status of the goal and what new news is going to be shared. Do YOUR supporters get excited to hear from you about fundraising?
Your online fundraising effort doesn’t need to be this extensive to be successful. I do recommend you use some or all of these suggestions to more deeply engage your community so your fundraising can exponentially grow. There are plenty of free and low cost tools to support your online fundraising presence and to keep your financial investors engaged. Email and short videos are some of the easiest and most economical ways to stay connected to your community and to keep them doing good work on your behalf.
My special fundraising campaign will end on September 30. I’m very grateful to all who have supported it so far. We’ve helped over 100 people receive clean drinking water for the next 20 years. Wow.
Feel free to join us. YOU can make a difference too.
Good luck with your own fall fundraising campaigns!
This is fantastic advice! It’s so great to see charities building these kinds of relationships with their donors!
Thanks for the post, Sherry!