As nonprofit fundraisers, we can often get stuck in a rut. While sometimes it’s good to stick to the tried and true, adding fun promotions can help bring in new donors and energize current ones.
Create a giving society to foster a sense of exclusivity for upper level donors.
A giving society creates a sense of belonging for your dedicated donors and strengthens their connection to your mission. For major donors that enjoy public recognition, it can provide recognition and affirmation. As a donor’s commitment to your mission increases, so should the recognition, benefits, and interaction with your staff.
Make donation cards so donors can know their impact.
Donors want to know the impact that their donation will have – how it can change lives and make a difference in the world. By creating cards with examples of how much their donation will help, donors will be more motivated to give, because they will see clear examples what each dollar achieves. These are helpful at fundraising events, in direct mail, or even online.
Host a gathering at a supporter’s home
Do you have a committed supporter who wants to involve more people in your mission? Ask them to host an event in their home for their family, friends and colleagues. Your organization can handle the details, while leaving the guest list to the donor. The event will give you the opportunity to talk one on one with potential supporters and provide the host with a way to show off their favorite charity!
Raffles
Raffles give supporters the opportunity to give to your organization while getting a chance to win something big. Approach businesses for items to donate or sell at a reduced price, then sell tickets at a reasonable rate to encourage wide participation. Although in many cases a raffle won’t raise a significant amount of funds, it will build excitement and allow people to become involved with your charity in a way that provides a benefit to you and them.
Awareness challenges
Create a social media challenge to bring awareness of your organization without requiring a monetary commitment. Great examples of this are the ice bucket challenge and the recent police lip sync challenge. These provided a fun opportunity to increase your visibility and indirectly generate new supporters. It can be difficult to make a challenge go viral, but if nothing else, it gives your supporters the opportunity to share the challenge via their social channels, opening up new audiences for your charity.
Have you tried any of these or other fundraising methods? Tell us what has been successful for your organization.