Category: Fundraising

Raising funds is essential for any nonprofit organization–but how do you go about doing so, especially if your budget is limited? Keep Doing Good has put together a few quick, easy, and cheap ways you can go about boosting your funds!

Develop a Strong Social Media Presence

Social media posts are an indispensable resource in getting people talking about your organization–so much so that making your social media posts as interactive/engaging as possible should be a priority. Throughout your fundraising campaigns, highlight your organization’s mission and accomplishments. Showing the impact you’ve made and continue to make will get people interested and excited to volunteer for your organization.

Create a Variety of Ways for Showing Support

Creating different types of resources and opportunities for people to show their support helps to keep you relevant, influential, and accessible. Featuring a variety of these opportunities (from the vast amount available) is a great way to motivate your supporters and boost engagement from the community. Here are just a few different types of fundraising methods:

• T-shirt Fundraiser : Supporters can purchase t-shirts with your logo on it!
• Volunteer Opportunities : Non-financial method of giving back to your mission
• Host a 5K : A great way for your community to come together 
• Volunteer Opportunities: Give your supporters a non-financial way of giving to your mission.
• Host a 5k: A great (and healthy!) way for the community to spend the day, with plenty of opportunities for sponsorship and involvement from local businesses.
• Photo Contest: A fun and engaging way to strengthen your social media presence, boost your interaction with followers, and reward your volunteers!

Segment Your Email Campaigns 

The emails you send to your followers are vital–this is an obvious truth, but an especially important one leading up to a fundraising event. You should emphasize sending your supporters emails leading up to events with helpful information about your cause, how they can participate, and links to where they can find out more.

Since you likely have an already-overstuffed list of follower email addresses, you’ll want to make sure the right messages are getting to the right people. One way you can make sure this happens is to segment your email campaign for specific audiences. For example, you could:

• Offer current monthly donors the opportunity to upgrade their gifts.
• Encourage lapsed donors to give again.
• Ask volunteers who have never donated to contribute.

Sending follow-up emails after events or donations is also extremely important. You should always follow up with donors and thank them for their contributions! Sending personalized messages like this will make donors feel appreciated and encouraged to continue donating to your organization.

When it comes to boosting donations for your fundraiser, get creative! There are so many fun tweaks and variations you can add to your outreach and events, and your volunteers will love the variety of ways to show their support. These tips are a great place to start!

It’s a universal truth for all nonprofits: fundraising is likely going to be the most important AND challenging aspect of keeping your organization running. Fundraisers are at their best when inextricably connected to the donor’s interests and goals–just like the organization that puts the fundraiser on. Below, we’ve compiled a list of ways to build trust and maintain relationships with both new and existing donors. Use these tips to keep them coming back, so that you can Keep Doing Good.

Know Your Audience

Depending on the organization and the cause they serve, audiences will vary. Knowing who you’re serving, as well as who’s paying attention to your cause, is vital in running your organization to its full potential. Identify your most engaged and involved demographics, then develop campaigns that are target their interests and language.

Show the Outcomes of Donations

There’s a saying in writing–show, don’t tell. For organizations looking to build relationships with new and potential donors, it’s a good idea to apply this advice to yourself as well. Showing what your organization can accomplish (and has accomplished) is essential. Previous donors want to know their money went towards something meaningful, and new donors need to believe they’re contributing to something that will make a difference. Additionally, taking an opportunity to recognize the good that’s been done is a reward for your organization, your volunteers, and your donors.

Make Sure Donor Interactions are Positive

There’s a reason our parents, grandparents, and teachers stressed it to us so much as kids: it’s good to be kind. This is especially true if your organization is dependent on donations to accomplish their mission! Remember that the way you communicate and present yourself to potential donors is a reflection of your organization, its employees and volunteers, and the cause overall. Strive to provide people with a positive view of your organization. Furthermore, nobody likes to feel pressured to donate–so it’s best to keep things light.

Create and Keep Long-Term Donors

Being able to count on repeat donations is a huge boon for any nonprofit, and considering that repeat donors are also more likely to make larger donations, you’ll want to focus on retaining your new and existing donors. Treat your relationship with them as just that–a relationship. Provide them with plenty of positive interactions, answers to any questions they have, and evidence of the good your organization is doing with their help.

Communication is Key

As previously mentioned, donors want to feel like they’re involved and valued when it comes to the work you do with their donations. Send them emails and thank you notes, answer their questions, and listen to their feedback. If they feel there’s a genuine relationship with regular communication, it’s much more likely they’ll continue to support your organization and your cause.

Keep these things in mind when building relationships with your donors, and build practices that enforce these tenets–the fundraising will come naturally!

Knowing that you want to volunteer is great (seriously, you’re already appreciated!)…but where do you start? That’s what we’re here for–to help you find the best ways to serve your community. Listed below are some of the very best volunteering resources on the internet, all in one place. With the variety of opportunities you can search for and apply to, you can be confident you’ll find the perfect opportunity to Keep Doing Good.

Volunteer.gov

• Features a collection of volunteer opportunities relating to nature, animals, conservation efforts, and more.
• Users can search by location, date, project, or experience level.

Americorps

• Allows users to search for various kinds of volunteer opportunities.
• Features a “Find an Opportunity” search to assist in finding nearby volunteer opportunities.
• Projects can range from short-term to long-term.

United Way

• Probably the most well-known volunteer organization, with opportunities in many local communities.
• Allows users to filter results by activity, category, and skill.

Taproot Foundation

• The ideal choice for volunteers with professional skill sets.
• Skill sets of particular help for this opportunity are technology services, planning and management, and social media/marketing.

VolunteerMatch

• Connected 15.2 million volunteers with opportunities across the world.
• Users can post or search for opportunities.
• Organizations of all kinds are encouraged to advertise their needs.

Idealist

• Not only connects users to volunteer opportunities, but to work/internship opportunities as well.
• If no available roles match your exact criteria, you will still have the opportunity to find a nearby organization that needs your help for a similar cause or project.

All For Good

• Connects users with local opportunities–unlike others, though, All For Good allows users to start their own projects to advertise for collaborators or volunteers.

Catchafire

• Like Idealist, Catchafire is aimed at connecting people with professional skills to nonprofits.
• The majority of listed opportunities are remote, making it a great place to find an opportunity that meets your exact needs and wants without leaving your house.

Jumpstart

• Nonprofit aimed at connecting volunteers with students in need.
• Volunteers are especially needed in helping teach reading skills.
• Volunteers with a background or interest in education are encouraged to search for opportunities here.

Create the Good by AARP

• The AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) offers a database full of volunteer opportunities of ALL kinds.
• In addition to AARP’s mission, users can find opportunities to serve practically any mission.

These websites are excellent resources once you’ve identified your needs, goals, and purpose–simply pick the one that works best for you and find your perfect volunteer opportunity!