Nonprofits are able to target a diverse audience of volunteers through specific recruitment strategies. Volunteers from a broad base of society bring fresh thoughts and growth to charity organizations. A culture that acts and thinks alike has less room for expansion and creativity. Diverse fundraising teams attract new donors and volunteers.

Recruiting volunteers gives pause for nonprofits to look at who they are targeting. People volunteer for various reasons:

• Some volunteers wish to give something back to their community and make a difference
• For others volunteering provides a chance to gain experience or skills in a new area of interest or for a job market
• Many people enjoy meeting new people or working as part of a team on volunteer projects

5 Strategies to Recruit a Diverse Pool of Volunteers

Volunteerism and Corporate Partnerships

Talented professionals pursue companies who give back to society.  Thus many employers actively engage in socially responsible efforts. Partnerships between businesses and charity organizations in volunteerism set the stage. It is as much about fulfillment as it is dollars for businesses and nonprofits. If nonprofits create a flexible environment and means of engagement, they benefit from the talents of corporate employees. A win is found for corporations by keeping their talent on board and providing a chance for enrichment.

Volunteer partnerships between corporations and nonprofits provide opportunities for corporate teams to learn to function well together and build trust.  Their interactions during volunteer work are more intimate and heartfelt than in the board room. Corporate employees discover improved self esteem as a result of their positive volunteer experiences. Studies thus show improved conflict management and decision making in employees.

Attracting Young Volunteers

Social media platforms, especially Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube, are a great way to attract young volunteers. A visual presentation appeals to a young audience. Young volunteers of the same age range tend to share their photos and stories on social media platforms. A chance for them to meet new friends by working together is a most appealing and alluring incentive. Recruitment in person also works with this audience in visiting universities and alumni institutions as well as youth groups.

Keep young volunteers around by offering incentives such as internships and writing letters of reference. Managing a full fundraising event from start to finish is great work experience. Put the pressure on them to do well by offering job recommendations and extra credit opportunities. A one year internship looks great on a resume. Work in collaboration with nearby universities and high schools.

How you work with young volunteers is a strong consideration in keeping them around. Consider their age in terms of mindset, attention span and interest in technology. Involve them in decisions and learn from them. Find out what roles are best for young adults by asking and listening to them. Assign team leaders who speak their language.

Open Door to Diversity

Perhaps your nonprofit tends to recruit similar kinds of people as those who are already involved as volunteers. This is great if you are building a particular kind of organizational culture, but can be limiting if you want to bring some diversity into your volunteer programs.

Streamlining your recruitment process can make it easier for volunteers from diverse backgrounds to get involved. Consider reducing the amount of forms and paperwork, or include this in the interview process where you can assist the volunteer to fill them out when needed.  This may open the door to volunteers of varying levels of education and language background.

Partnerships with Employment Agencies

Create partnerships with local employment agencies and unemployment offices. Job seekers can find training through volunteering by running special events, outreach to donors and recruiting other volunteers. New connections are made with regard to potential employers and networking with other professionals.

Job seekers are able to step into doorways of companies who have a strong culture of social responsibility with volunteer experience. Volunteers stand out in the job market due to the commitment they’ve shown to giving back. Volunteering found on resumes is a topic of conversation in interviews. Unemployed folks using their time to gain new skills and help nonprofits shows real initiative and proactive thinking.

Virtual Volunteering

Bring diversity in volunteerism to your nonprofit by reaching a global audience through virtual volunteering. Virtual volunteers work by phone or online to help nonprofits with online marketing and non-profit SEO strategies, IT, research projects and more. Virtual volunteering allows employees, in partnership with nonprofits, to work on projects without scheduling confines. Add a section on virtual volunteering to your nonprofit website defining your needs. Make it easy for global volunteers to connect with your organization.

More Volunteer Recruitment Advertising Strategies

If your non-profit is looking for new volunteers, here are some advertising strategies to get you started:

• Host a volunteer day with festivities, food and program information booths. While fundraising events (such as walkathon fundraisers) can bring new volunteers to nonprofits, a day set aside to meet potential volunteers is more focused.
• Ask community leaders to promote volunteer opportunities and the benefits. Teachers at universities may share inspiration to students, parents and other teachers. Doctors and lawyers may wish to keep your marketing materials in their lobby as a way to help you recruit more volunteers. Community leaders may wish to be a part of a lecture series on volunteering held at your nonprofit.
• Contact your local TV and radio stations with interesting stories about a volunteer or your nonprofit projects. Host a call-in to promote your organization and the richness of volunteering. Place short radio and TV ads on the benefits of volunteering and being involved your nonprofit in particular.
• Post stories and photos of volunteers on your nonprofit website homepage. Add a volunteer section to your website. Elaborate on the benefits of volunteering for your nonprofit. Post a volunteer sign-up link to your fundraising websites and organization website.
• Host fundraising events that can be managed by volunteers. Give them opportunities to feel a sense of accomplishment and a desire to manage the next event. Charity galas, golf tournaments and peer-to-peer fundraising events hold many roles for volunteers.
• Advertise in your newsletter, and community, business and school newsletters. Find opportunities to advertise in newsletters with libraries, job programs, vocational training centers and any relevant places to find volunteers. And as always, think outside of the box.
• Place a volunteer recruitment ad in local newspapers. Add openings for volunteers and internships in the jobs section. Create an opportunity for publications to offer their ad space free and grow their business through social consciousness.
• Hold information sessions at community centers and at your nonprofit. Brief sessions allow your nonprofit to cover more ground and find volunteers in places you may not expect.
• Create fliers, posters and postcards and distribute them in key places around your community. High-school students are good volunteers for helping you with distribution. Offer them an opportunity to work with college students and your staff in learning how to create marketing materials.

Opportunities and benefits for both volunteers and nonprofits are vast in the arena of volunteerism. Consider how to recruit new energy and faces and listen to your current volunteers. Crowdfunding for nonprofits alone funnels a steady stream of new and diverse volunteers to the scene.  Strategies that reach a cross-section of society create the strongest base and generate creativity and diversity of thought.

Charity organizations recognize more with each day the fundraising impact inclusion of video has. Creating video is not only much more prevalent, but easier and less expensive at present. Animated nonprofit video creation tools such as 30 Seconds or Facebook Live are trending now.

Best Nonprofit Video Fundraising Strategies

Animated Videos

Video animation takes away the limitations of what real people and real life communications convey. Use of graphics in video with animated characters allow you convey your message quickly and effectively. Sharing charts, graphs and photos in motion are effective in teaching concepts.

Explaining your nonprofit programs details and objectives through animated videos help topics come to life through visualization and voice. You may wish to explain to your donors the specifics regarding operating costs and the support you need. Or you may wish to explain how your website donations page works and go through step by step how to make a donation. Animation is clearer than text and is a more personal touch because it’s visual.

Animated video such as 30Seconds is a popular nonprofit video source because:

• They offer 2 styles of videos
• They are super cheap – nonprofits really like this
• The process is very easy:

1. pick your style
2. answer a questionnaire
3. approve the script

Video Planning

In the past, nonprofit video fundraising was thought to be successful through casting stars, great sound and an expert video producer. Yet new evidence shows these attributes to be far less important in nonprofit fundraising. It is all about understanding who your audience is, how you wish to affect them, and offering a clear call to action. Brief, entertaining video that is low cost is drawing more donors to charity organizations.

Video Writing and Scripting

Your nonprofit video will be as good as the writing and content are. Allow for sufficient time for your nonprofit staff to write and discuss the content. Spend time tossing out ideas, and next agree on the message you wish to convey in your nonprofit video. Come to a consensus on the video content and writing, and realize this is the most important aspect.

Video Creation and Production

Competition for getting your video noticed is very high. Think of the number of videos you watch in a day. Yours must compete. If folks like your video on social medial channels, they are more likely to visit your nonprofit website and donate to your cause.

Entertaining videos that are also informative is a good direction for nonprofit videos. This works especially well for animated videos. Your producer or video production partner such as 30Seconds will guide you in the simple steps of putting it together.

Your video production partner should provide a questionnaire to help your group prioritize ideas. For nonprofits and nonprofit video producers alike, keeping your project on time and on budget is easy when proper time has been put into the initial stages. Animated video templates make the process easy.

Video Clear Call-to-Action

Your goal is to drive traffic to your donate now button and educate people about your cause through your nonprofit video. The end of your video gives a clear call to action with the web link to your donation page. Throughout your video you’ll add web links to your projects and your mission statement. Be bold and tell your viewers what you would like them to do. Suggest a donation amount. Offer the benefits and rewards of becoming a donor.

Your Video on Youtube

A great way to get your video seen is on YouTube. Here are some tips:

• Add your video to your YouTube page.  Feature your most current video on the front page.
• Add your own thumbnail. Do a little research on thumbnails by looking at what is available on YouTube. Chose one that is fitting for your nonprofit and draws your audience in particular.
• Choose a short title. You don’t need a title that holds a description. Choose a brief title that draws your nonprofit audience.
• Use Youtube keywords. Think broadly as to what your followers may search for – they may not be searching for a video. Apply the same science of SEO when posting Youtube nonprofit videos.
• Add a video description. Entertaining your audience begins with your nonprofit video description. Your objective is get people to click on the video link.
• Use Youtube nonprofit annotations. Get a jump on your competition by using annotations specifically for Youtube nonprofit users.
• Change your video posts. Attract more viewers to your video by changing the title during the first month of posting it. Post it often to social media platforms.

Nonprofit Video and Donor Retention

Make some personal thank-you videos for new donors using your mobile phone. Thank a donor who has helped you reach a goal or has given extra this year. Create a short video to say thanks for the time a specific donor has given your nonprofit.

Thanking your donors through videos shouldn’t be reserved for your year-end giving campaign. Acknowledging their contributions and donations through thank you videos year-round.  A short video of thanks engages donors and thanks them on social media. Potential donors see this and are attracted to your charity organization.

Consider having the thank you come from those who are helped donations. There are many forms of delivery in thanking donors through short nonprofit video. They will enjoy being thanked by program leaders, CEOs, staff they have worked alongside on projects and programs, and direct recipients of their donations.

Video and your nonprofit website

Embedding links to all videos you create are your website is a great draw for donors. Homepages and pages throughout nonprofit websites containing video offer people a fast way to know what you offer and how they can get involved. Team videos during a crowdfunding event present the live excitement of your fundraising events. Volunteers speaking on video of their work and the benefits of volunteering will draw more volunteers and donors.

Choose fundraising websites and nonprofit websites that make it easy to add videos. State-of-the-art platforms present them with precision and clarity and ensure they’ll play well for donors. Test drive nonprofit websites and fundraising websites to make sure your videos will be of the highest standards.

Fundraising Events and Animated Video

Nonprofit crowdfunding events offer ample opportunities to get videos seen and draw donors to your cause. Consider a few different videos during your fundraising campaign. Use an animated video to explain what crowdfunding is and how to donate to your website. Explain where your event is and what your needs are along the lines of volunteer recruitment.  Create animated videos to let potential walkathon participants and donors know what your specific financial needs are for a new library or science lab.

In summary, the current trend is animated video and short videos for nonprofit video fundraising. Longer and more expensive videos are still great. Yet the attention spans of potential donors clicking through websites, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other digital platforms are brief. Statistics are certainly showing the importance of creating nonprofit videos and getting them seen.

Christmas break is a fantastic time of year to manage a successful University fundraising campaign. Hosting the event on your school campus draws donors to the very place you need funds. There are so many opportunities to show off your school and bring its special qualities and offerings to light and inspire donors to give.

One prestigious university, Hofstra University, happens to be holding a crowdfunding event on December 10. They are not simply showcasing their beautiful campus, but are displaying their brilliance, school programming and community service efforts. They are combining their event with another nonprofit they work in partnership with, Community Mainstreaming Associates (CMA), who is committed to providing flexible and innovative services that meet the changing needs of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Their on campus fun run event this December is an opportunity for the university educators and CMA staff to meet donors personally, and inform them of successful past and upcoming programming. This fall Hofstra Univerity Continuing Education in collaboration with Community Mainstreaming Associates (CMA), provided a half-day of classes for young adults with autism and other intellectual/developmental disabilities on the Hofstra campus which was open to the community. It was held in 6 sessions and taught the art of communication through several creative pathways. Sharing the specific details of what these nonprofits actually did with the funding of their donors is a big step in the direction of procuring new top donors at the fun run.

The rich fabrics of partnerships is working for Hofstra University and Community Mainstreaming Associates during their fundraising campaign and provides an opportunity for them to show donors what each nonprofit organization is doing for their community, and share the fruits of their collaboration. The National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University in partnership with the Disability Opportunity Fund, a NY nonprofit, are endeavoring to uncover gaps and identify creative solutions for housing and related services for people with disabilities and their families. “In an effort to explore both the gaps, as well as potential solutions, we are speaking with a range of stakeholders in a series of focus groups, and conducting a population-based survey to assess need and demand, and to give all consumers an opportunity to have their voice heard.

Our goal is to use the data from the Wait No More Survey to spark creative collaborations among policymakers, providers, developers and funders to find a range of safe, affordable, accessible, preferable and sustainable housing options for this underserved, at-risk population.”

University fundraising at Hofstra is also unique because of their beautiful New York campus. While showing their donors with great pride the grounds and buildings of their impressive school, they have a chance to share their one of a kind mission statement. Donors who give to universities are not solely those who are integrated with the school itself, but with society. Education is the future, so sharing with their entire community the primary mission, in person is powerful …”providing quality its students in an environment that encourages, nurtures, and supports learning through the free and open exchange of ideas, for the betterment of humankind. Hofstra University is fully committed to academic freedom and to the transmission, advancement, and preservation of knowledge for its own academic community and for the community at large. Hofstra University offers undergraduate and graduate programs taught by a research-active and professionally engaged faculty.”

The university fundraising team has chosen the easiest way to get the maximum amount of funds raised during the campaign. As donors receive emails about the campaign they are simply a click away from making an online donation. Online fundraising reaches a broader audience than solely the day of the event will draw. They know it is essential to have an online option for donors to give, rather than miss those who may want to donate but can’t take time out of their busy schedules, or travel a long distance to attend the event. The Hofstra crowdfunding website gives donors the option of making a donation in honor of a teacher or student, or someone instrumental to their education.

There are many different types of fundraising initiatives available to universities such as collecting online donations, organizing a sales-drive or planning an exciting event such as the fun run / 5K race non-profit crowdfunding event at Hofstra University. Free online resources are dedicated to helping you choose which type of fundraiser is right for your team, as well as providing guidelines to help you create a successful university fundraising campaign. An alumni fundraising initiative is another popular university direction and may be designed to bring in dollars to support the development of school projects for the University itself, or to help fund programs for school groups they were involved in such as fraternities, sororities, poetry clubs, political groups and sport teams, Targeting alumni for fundraising efforts is an excellent idea.

Fundraising software by DoJiggy is dedicated to helping university students, faculty, teams and nonprofit organizations to better plan, manage and execute fundraising campaigns. With our university fundraising resource center, we strive to provide the best collection of resources to make university fundraising events and initiatives more successful. Whether the fundraiser is sponsored by the university or conducted by a group within, there is often a need to raise dollars for school developmental projects, new technology and materials, as well as to fund extracurricular activities and social organizations. We provide a complete line of online fundraising solutions to help you plan and manage whatever fundraising event or initiative you choose…helping you save time and money, while executing a successful university fundraiser. Our goal is that these fundraising resources, used with our online software tools will save your organization valuable time and allow you to raise more money for your cause.

The post University Fundraising Challenge appeared first on Online Fundraising Today.

Bring more donors to your fundraising website through social media fundraising channels. Engage in a day to day communication with your global audience with simple Social Media Fundraising Tips. Be consistent with who you are and be an inspiration, and use your posts as a way to connect more intimately with your audience. Draw people to your Donate Now button by sharing the personality of your organization in more depth than your website does.

Social media fundraising it not about the platforms – Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Google + and Instagram. These channels are simply vehicles for you to communicate with donors and volunteers in establishing relationships with them. Social media sites set the stage for you to share your work and build a global network of supporters. Let´s discuss 15 ways to help you in doing so.

1. Add a new photo on Instagram every day of a story you wish to tell about your non-profit. It may be of an individual your organization has helped, or several. Or it may be sharing pictures of a project such as the stages of designing a new school library or embarking upon a school fundraising campaign. Add a few sentences or a caption to each photo and keep your audience captivated with something new every day in building upon each story.
2. Sharing more about the details of your work is what social media in essence can do for you in creating a strong, global donor base. Post the results of your fundraising events on social media pages. This offers donors a chance to celebrate the success that they are a part of. It gives potential donors a concrete example of your successful fundraising. Post on Facebook (and more) not only the money you have raised through an event, but how much fun everyone had and how much networking occurred.
3. Linking social media channels to each of your posts, for example on Facebook, encourages your donors to click and find out what you´re saying on Instagram and Twitter. This method may be used to save time in a pinch if you only post on one channel on a hectic day.
4. Another way to use links to bring more information to donors is to place a link to a video which leads back to your website from your YouTube channel or your Instagram page, and add expanded content around the video. Drive donors on Instagram back to longer content version on your YouTube channel by asking them to click the link in the description of your Instagram page.
5. Brand your non-profit with the photos and graphics you choose to post on social media pages. What will reach your audience and speak to your image and charity work? Customizing your SM pages with the same images across channels is a way to brand your organization. Your about us tab should be brief and quickly describe who you are and what you do for the world articulately.
6. Crowdfunding events are a grand opportunity to encourage participants to re-post and share event information that you have shared. In turn, re-posting their photos, videos, event information and each success along the way is an easy way for you to promote your non-profit by sharing personalized information about your efforts.
7. Add a LinkedIn Company Page and upload the most current information about your non-profit. Your LinkedIn non-profit page should share your mission, current news and stories of success. Make it informational and add heart rendering photos. Keep your associates engaged so they’ll be your ambassadors as well.
8. How can you woo more donors and volunteers? Add hyperlinks to your fundraising appeals for volunteers, event sponsors and donors that lead to the exact page where they can sign up to participate and donate. Make it easy for them to get involved with clear pathways and easy to use fundraising software. Put yourself in their shoes and think of the times you have left a website because it too much work…offer a rewarding experience for your donors from the very beginning.
9. Upload YouTube videos of your fundraising events – show the funny costumes of your themed walk-a-thon or fun run. Create short videos of the families and individuals in the crowd asking them why they contribute and participate in your crowdfunding event. Any fundraising campaign type is a playground for such social media videos; dinners, luncheons, wine tastings and golf tournaments are all opportunities to capture the candid words of donors as to why they are giving to your non-profit.
10. Ask your volunteers to tell everyone why they give of their time to your non-profit through impromptu videos at the office; 20 volunteers make for 20 video posts on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. This strategy shares the very core of your work by those who do it out of sheer commitment to your cause.
11. Video fundraising appeals are perfect for Youtube as well, yet there´s a lot of day to day work to publicize as well. Short videos of the projects you are starting will teach your social media audience about your work, and motivate you to take creative steps each day on projects. Such a process shares your voice and face, tells donors what you do, and helps you to shape and define your projects.
12. On the flip side, your website content or any text you publish such as blog articles can be converted to snippets into images. Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram are image centric, and this method allows to you to gain exposure through the power of such social media networks.
13. Twitter empowers you to send a link across the web with tremendous speed. Ask your followers to join you on Twitter and ask them to retweet your posts. This gets the message out quickly regarding an event or a fundraising campaign roll out.
14. Create a Google + page for your fundraiser to raise awareness. Google + pages work similarly to Facebook and allow you to communicate with people who are interested in your cause, share updates, photos and videos to attract donors. If you ask, what can Google + do that Facebook cannot, the answer is that the more social media exposure you have the more people you´ll reach.
15. Thank your top donors on all social media platforms. Tell a short story them or add brief points about their bio and let your followers know who is contributing to your organization. When people see on Facebook which donors are passionate about a cause, they may want to join a great team in a concerted effort to make an impact. The same is true about thanking your volunteers individually, giving them recognition for their gift of time and brilliance – tell their story too!

The post 15 Social Media Fundraising Tips appeared first on Online Fundraising Today.

Nonprofits are able to target a diverse audience of volunteers through specific recruitment strategies. Volunteers from a broad base of society bring fresh thoughts and growth to charity organizations. A culture that acts and thinks alike has less room for expansion and creativity. Diverse fundraising teams attract new donors and volunteers.

Recruiting volunteers gives pause for nonprofits to look at who they are targeting. People volunteer for various reasons:

• Some volunteers wish to give something back to their community and make a difference
• For others volunteering provides a chance to gain experience or skills in a new area of interest or for a job market
• Many people enjoy meeting new people or working as part of a team on volunteer projects

5 Strategies to Recruit a Diverse Pool of Volunteers

Volunteerism and Corporate Partnerships

Talented professionals pursue companies who give back to society. Thus many employers actively engage in socially responsible efforts. Partnerships between businesses and charity organizations in volunteerism set the stage. It is as much about fulfillment as it is dollars for businesses and nonprofits. If nonprofits create a flexible environment and means of engagement, they benefit from the talents of corporate employees. A win is found for corporations by keeping their talent on board and providing a chance for enrichment.

Volunteer partnerships between corporations and nonprofits provide opportunities for corporate teams to learn to function well together and build trust. Their interactions during volunteer work are more intimate and heartfelt than in the board room. Corporate employees discover improved self esteem as a result of their positive volunteer experiences. Studies thus show improved conflict management and decision making in employees.

Attracting Young Volunteers

Social media platforms, especially Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube, are a great way to attract young volunteers. A visual presentation appeals to a young audience. Young volunteers of the same age range tend to share their photos and stories on social media platforms. A chance for them to meet new friends by working together is a most appealing and alluring incentive. Recruitment in person also works with this audience in visiting universities and alumni institutions as well as youth groups.

Keep young volunteers around by offering incentives such as internships and writing letters of reference. Managing a full fundraising event from start to finish is great work experience. Put the pressure on them to do well by offering job recommendations and extra credit opportunities. A one year internship looks great on a resume. Work in collaboration with nearby universities and high schools.

How you work with young volunteers is a strong consideration in keeping them around. Consider their age in terms of mindset, attention span and interest in technology. Involve them in decisions and learn from them. Find out what roles are best for young adults by asking and listening to them. Assign team leaders who speak their language.

Open Door to Diversity

Perhaps your nonprofit tends to recruit similar kinds of people as those who are already involved as volunteers. This is great if you are building a particular kind of organizational culture, but can be limiting if you want to bring some diversity into your volunteer programs.

Streamlining your recruitment process can make it easier for volunteers from diverse backgrounds to get involved. Consider reducing the amount of forms and paperwork, or include this in the interview process where you can assist the volunteer to fill them out when needed. This may open the door to volunteers of varying levels of education and language background.

Partnerships with Employment Agencies

Create partnerships with local employment agencies and unemployment offices. Job seekers can find training through volunteering by running special events, outreach to donors and recruiting other volunteers. New connections are made with regard to potential employers and networking with other professionals.

Job seekers are able to step into doorways of companies who have a strong culture of social responsibility with volunteer experience. Volunteers stand out in the job market due to the commitment they’ve shown to giving back. Volunteering found on resumes is a topic of conversation in interviews. Unemployed folks using their time to gain new skills and help nonprofits shows real initiative and proactive thinking.

Virtual Volunteering

Bring diversity in volunteerism to your nonprofit by reaching a global audience through virtual volunteering. Virtual volunteers work by phone or online to help nonprofits with online marketing and non-profit SEO strategies, IT, research projects and more. Virtual volunteering allows employees, in partnership with nonprofits, to work on projects without scheduling confines. Add a section on virtual volunteering to your nonprofit website defining your needs. Make it easy for global volunteers to connect with your organization.

More Volunteer Recruitment Advertising Strategies

If your non-profit is looking for new volunteers, here are some advertising strategies to get you started:

• Host a volunteer day with festivities, food and program information booths. While fundraising events (such as walkathon fundraisers) can bring new volunteers to nonprofits, a day set aside to meet potential volunteers is more focused.
• Ask community leaders to promote volunteer opportunities and the benefits. Teachers at universities may share inspiration to students, parents and other teachers. Doctors and lawyers may wish to keep your marketing materials in their lobby as a way to help you recruit more volunteers. Community leaders may wish to be a part of a lecture series on volunteering held at your nonprofit.
• Contact your local TV and radio stations with interesting stories about a volunteer or your nonprofit projects. Host a call-in to promote your organization and the richness of volunteering. Place short radio and TV ads on the benefits of volunteering and being involved your nonprofit in particular.
• Post stories and photos of volunteers on your nonprofit website homepage. Add a volunteer section to your website. Elaborate on the benefits of volunteering for your nonprofit. Post a volunteer sign-up link to your fundraising websites and organization website.
• Host fundraising events that can be managed by volunteers. Give them opportunities to feel a sense of accomplishment and a desire to manage the next event. Charity galas, golf tournaments and peer-to-peer fundraising events hold many roles for volunteers.
• Advertise in your newsletter, and community, business and school newsletters. Find opportunities to advertise in newsletters with libraries, job programs, vocational training centers and any relevant places to find volunteers. And as always, think outside of the box.
• Place a volunteer recruitment ad in local newspapers. Add openings for volunteers and internships in the jobs section. Create an opportunity for publications to offer their ad space free and grow their business through social consciousness.
• Hold information sessions at community centers and at your nonprofit. Brief sessions allow your nonprofit to cover more ground and find volunteers in places you may not expect.
• Create fliers, posters and postcards and distribute them in key places around your community. High-school students are good volunteers for helping you with distribution. Offer them an opportunity to work with college students and your staff in learning how to create marketing materials.

Opportunities and benefits for both volunteers and nonprofits are vast in the arena of volunteerism. Consider how to recruit new energy and faces and listen to your current volunteers. Crowdfunding for nonprofits alone funnels a steady stream of new and diverse volunteers to the scene. Strategies that reach a cross-section of society create the strongest base and generate creativity and diversity of thought.

The post Winning Volunteer Recruitment Strategies for Non-profits appeared first on Online Fundraising Today.

Get your spirits up because it’s that time of year! With the fall and Homecoming season in play, it’s the perfect time to brainstorm some ideas for cheerleading fundraisers. Here are five different ways to approach cheer fundraisers, with some ideas to hit the ground running and achieve all of your cheerleading fundraising goals.

5 Great Cheerleading Fundraising Ideas

1. Peer-to-Peer Crowdfunding

Peer-to-peer fundraising events (P2P) that work great for cheer and dance groups include: Fun Run and Walk-a-thon fundraisers, Community Service projects, and Spin-a-thons. We’ve seen the power of peer-to-peer fundraising and how effective fundraising can be when leveraging personal relationships for cheerleading fundraisers. It begins with finding a particular goal or mission to revolve the campaign around, such as new uniforms or an annual trip. Assign each cheerleader a goal of a certain amount to fundraise. Then the cheerleading team contacts their friends, families and community to help support their cause and help them reach their goals. It is also essential to work with the cheerleaders to show them how to communicate the goal and the importance of support from their friends, family and community. See more on encouraging your peer-to-peer participants to fundraise.

2. Sweets, Treats and Goods Cheer Fundraisers

Cheerleaders are outgoing and connected members of the school and community. For that reason, product sales are always a good idea for cheer fundraising.

• Sell School Paraphernalia: Get the crowd ready to shout and cheer with all of the right school paraphernalia. These can include mascot stuffed animals, temporary tattoos, foam hands, pom-poms, jerseys, shirts, caps and more, which are great sources of funds towards the cheerleading fundraisers.
• Sweets: Shop around for the highest profits for selling such sweets and goodies like flavored popcorn, cookies, candy, pretzels and snacks.
• Seasonal Catalog Goods: The holidays always find people looking for unique gift ideas, ready to spend a little more than usual. Another great option is a catalog with seasonal or holiday goods, which often include treats, gift wrap and home goods.
• Natural Specialty Goods: For more healthy goods, consider looking at catalogs that offer specialty items, such as coffee, flower bulbs, candles, and natural soap fundraisers.
• Sell Gift Certificates: Work with local business to sell gift certificates that can give a certain percentage of the certificates sold towards the cause.

3. Raffle Fundraising Ideas

Raffle ticket sales are another great fundraising idea for cheerleading groups. Try these ideas:

• 50/50: An appealing way to raise funds is with a 50/50 fundraiser. The concept of a 50/50 is that people buy tickets for a chance to win 50% of the funds raised. Be sure to take the extra step to research local laws and statutes to confirm that a 50/50 fundraiser is allowed and is not considered gambling – before you start.
• Fundraising Raffles: With strong sponsors on board to donate in-kind services and goods as prizes, sell raffle tickets at a sports or school event for a chance for ticket-holders to win great prizes. The prize can also be as simple as reserving the best seat in the house at the school games.

4. Event-Based Cheer Fundraisers

Get the school and the community excited with these event fundraising ideas. Utilize event management software to make it easy to register participants and sponsors for your cheerleading event fundraisers. Give your donors an easy website to make donations with a secure payment processor.

Local businesses love participating with school events because it provides the benefit of building their brand and reputation within the community. Oftentimes, their employees and their families are students or alumni of the local school, so it is only natural to extend their support. Here are some great ways that benefit both local businesses and help with cheerleading fundraisers:

• Pep Rally Pie Time: Take advantage of the high spirits of the pep rally and host a “We’re Going to Cream the Other Team” theme, which can involve cream pie-related games. One game can be a pie-eating contest where contestants pay to play. Another game option involves attendees dropping money into a bucket or pitcher in front of the teachers, coaches, principals and other school staff they want to see pied in the face.
• Special Night Out: Host a Spirit Night with a local business, in that a percentage of the profits from patronizing on a certain date goes towards the cheerleading fundraisers. These events work well at local diners, pizza joints and any popular family restaurants near the school. Cheerleaders should help staff the event and sell raffle tickets during the evening.

5. Selling Your Own Services & Stuff

Sometimes the best kind of fundraisers are the ones that come from the team’s own hard work.

• Car Washes: Great for the summertime, host a car wash that involves the cheerleading team, sports team, coaches and more to chip-in on the cleaning efforts. Utilize a place that has a lot of space for cars to circulate and hookups to hoses, such as the school parking lot on a free weekend. Include box lunches and cold drinks to earn more.
• Holiday Gift Wrapping: Tis’ the season for gift giving once the days get chilly, and it’s the perfect time for a gift wrapping fundraiser. Inquire with the local mall, stores, church or other businesses if they can host a space for the gift wrapping fundraiser for a given weekend. A great holiday fundraising idea!
• Bake Sale/Food Sale: For a classic cheer fundraiser, have the team get busy in the kitchen and prepare some brownies, cookies and cakes to sell at school or sporting events. Be sure to include gluten-free and low sugar options, so everyone can participate. For a twist on the bake sale, there can also be a food sale, such as a gourmet pancake or waffle breakfast on a Saturday or Sunday morning at school.
• Garage Sale: Got plenty of junk in the closet that you’re looking to get rid of? Why not put it towards a good use and host a community garage sale? Utilize the gym or lunchroom as a place to display all the goods for sale.

Tips for Successful Cheerleading Fundraisers

Plan the Goals for the Year: Start off the year with a clear fundraising goal. How many funds are needed to successfully reach your goal? From there, decide how many cheer fundraisers and events are needed to achieve your goal, with enough room in between each event to gather all of the resources to execute the event.

Gather All the Man Power to Succeed: Not only do the cheerleaders participate, but get the parents, coaches and community involved. Parents and coaches may have established relationships with businesses within the community, which are essential in gaining sponsorship support for in-kind and monetary donations.

Have All the Right Tools: Many of the ideas above require a lot of organization in both assigning the volunteers for each event and accurately accounting of the funds raised. Make sure to have good fundraising software that can ease your planning and cheerleading fundraising efforts. Another benefit of having good fundraising software is to assure that your cheerleading fundraising goals stay on track as you progress through the school year, especially for peer-to-peer cheerleading fundraising campaigns.

Evaluate the Event’s Success: Event evaluation and recap is an important part of the process of planning fundraising events. Your team needs to learn what worked well and what can be done better the next time around. Be sure to get together and discuss the event within a week, when everyone’s memories are fresh.

Thank the Supporters, Sponsors and Team: Also important after a successful cheerleading fundraiser, always remember to thank the supporters, sponsors and team for their efforts towards achieving the cheerleading fundraising goal. Communication is the key to receiving continuous support and donor loyalty. Keeping your supporters in the loop on how you’ve progressed is vital to maintaining their support to future events and causes. Go team!

The post 5 Winning Cheerleading Fundraisers appeared first on Online Fundraising Today.

Is your organization looking for a unique fundraising event to set your group apart? Have you considered beer fundraiser ideas? Since many people like to unwind and enjoy themselves with a glass of beer, why not incorporate beer into your fundraising campaigns.

Beer fundraiser ideas for nonprofits have the biggest bang when partnerships are formed. This can be accomplished by connecting with producers, distributors or a local restaurateur who cares about your cause. Sometimes it’s as simple as their wanting to share their beer with a new audience. Once a partnership is formed, there are many ways beer can be incorporated. Beer fundraising ideas may be on front, center or back stage behind the scene. The lasting value in a good partnership formed is as important as the events themselves.

Beer Fundraiser Ideas in the Fore Stage

Fundraiser ideas that bring beer into the fore stage give credit to breweries as sponsors. Beer is a growing and competitive business. Craft beers and more creative takes on traditional beers continue to be popular, and competition between them is increasing. Producers have a desire to brand themselves. Giving the funds needed for a fundraising event does just that.

Ideas for reaching out to producers include:

• Researching large beer producers who have a history of giving to charity is primary. Present them with a well thought corporate sponsor proposal. Who to ask and what you can offer are the main aspects in attracting corporate sponsors. Beer producers know giving reflects well on them. Their customers decide to buy their beer and merchandise based in part on their social responsibility.
• Invite several local craft beer companies to attend a presentation of your work. By having them attend together you have an opportunity to inspire them to unify for your cause. This creates a little health competition. Shine in your presentation and invite key staff members to sell your nonprofit.
• Since producers sell products to brand themselves, elicit in-kind donations for prizes, party favors and raffles. There is a wide range of merchandise that many sell on their websites and in their breweries. Present them with your event fundraising plan and let them know how you’d use items.

Beer Fundraiser Ideas Front Stage

Events in which beer is one of the main focal points have become popular. They parallel wine tasting events in popularity. Producers and their customers enjoy more variety in their beer options more than ever. Discussions and beer tastings are getting heady.

A beer-tasting fundraiser places importance on building strong relationships with donors. Tasting interesting beers and enjoying appetizers provides a casual atmosphere in which donors can interact with nonprofit staff, volunteers and board members.

A few ideas for a 2 hour beer-tasting fundraiser are:

• Ask brewers of craft beer to sponsor the event as a vendor
• Invite experts from each vendor to impress your guests
• Hire a live guitarist or pianist to play instrumentals – keep the focus on mingling
• Add a silent auction to your fundraising website and announce the winners mid evening
• Serve passed hors d’oeuvres vs a buffet to keep folks mingling
• Consider a tasting held at a local brewery or restaurant

Beer Fundraiser Ideas Center Stage

Crowdfunding events are social and ideal for parties before and after the main event where there is beer. Start with contributions from board members and donors. Thus as you launch your crowdfunding website you’ll show potential donors your initial success. Hold a launch party to start the crowdfunding momentum.

Discover how to keep it fun:

• Add a barbecue to the party which is a summertime favorite.
• Sell beer-related products from each craft brewery for extra funds. Their graphics are pretty rad.
• Invite a crowd rousing band to perform such as country or rock.
• Encourage crowdfunding participants to plan gatherings before the event such as a back yard barbecue or happy hour.
• Market your after party as a benefit concert. Crowdfunding participants are known to join events because of their desire to party and see their favorite band. Bring the following of a good band to your event. Sell tickets to the concert everywhere.

Beer Fundraiser Ideas Back Stage

As your partnership grows with beer producers, discover ways to make it long-term. Invite leaders in the industry to join your board for their business, finance and marketing acumen.

Another beer fundraising idea that deepens a long term relationship is a charity beer made specifically for your nonprofit. A percentage of the proceeds go to your charity organization. When customers are deciding which delicious beer to buy, one that gives to a nonprofit has the potential to win.

Conclusion

Nonprofit fundraising strategies include the need to hold fundraising events, and beer fundraising ideas serve to build lasting partnerships to boot. Seek partnerships rather than just asking for money. Educate potential donors and sponsors as to how their donation makes an impact. Inspire beer producers to join you as a partner in accomplishing your shared mission of success.

As with any fundraising initiative, be sure that beer fundraising works with your organization’s mission. Remember that you can discourage your donors and supporters by hosting fundraising events that may seem at odds or in opposition to your cause. You certainly don’t want to do this!

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Christmas break is a fantastic time of year to manage a successful University fundraising campaign. Hosting the event on your school campus draws donors to the very place you need funds. There are so many opportunities to show off your school and bring its special qualities and offerings to light and inspire donors to give.

One prestigious university, Hofstra University, happens to be holding a crowdfunding event on December 10. They are not simply showcasing their beautiful campus, but are displaying their brilliance, school programming and community service efforts. They are combining their event with another nonprofit they work in partnership with, Community Mainstreaming Associates (CMA), who is committed to providing flexible and innovative services that meet the changing needs of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Their on campus fun run event this December is an opportunity for the university educators and CMA staff to meet donors personally, and inform them of successful past and upcoming programming. This fall Hofstra Univerity Continuing Education in collaboration with Community Mainstreaming Associates (CMA), provided a half-day of classes for young adults with autism and other intellectual/developmental disabilities on the Hofstra campus which was open to the community. It was held in 6 sessions and taught the art of communication through several creative pathways. Sharing the specific details of what these nonprofits actually did with the funding of their donors is a big step in the direction of procuring new top donors at the fun run.

The rich fabrics of partnerships is working for Hofstra University and Community Mainstreaming Associates during their fundraising campaign and provides an opportunity for them to show donors what each nonprofit organization is doing for their community, and share the fruits of their collaboration. The National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University in partnership with the Disability Opportunity Fund, a NY nonprofit, are endeavoring to uncover gaps and identify creative solutions for housing and related services for people with disabilities and their families. “In an effort to explore both the gaps, as well as potential solutions, we are speaking with a range of stakeholders in a series of focus groups, and conducting a population-based survey to assess need and demand, and to give all consumers an opportunity to have their voice heard.

Our goal is to use the data from the Wait No More Survey to spark creative collaborations among policymakers, providers, developers and funders to find a range of safe, affordable, accessible, preferable and sustainable housing options for this underserved, at-risk population.”

University fundraising at Hofstra is also unique because of their beautiful New York campus. While showing their donors with great pride the grounds and buildings of their impressive school, they have a chance to share their one of a kind mission statement. Donors who give to universities are not solely those who are integrated with the school itself, but with society. Education is the future, so sharing with their entire community the primary mission, in person is powerful …”providing quality its students in an environment that encourages, nurtures, and supports learning through the free and open exchange of ideas, for the betterment of humankind. Hofstra University is fully committed to academic freedom and to the transmission, advancement, and preservation of knowledge for its own academic community and for the community at large. Hofstra University offers undergraduate and graduate programs taught by a research-active and professionally engaged faculty.”

The university fundraising team has chosen the easiest way to get the maximum amount of funds raised during the campaign. As donors receive emails about the campaign they are simply a click away from making an online donation. Online fundraising reaches a broader audience than solely the day of the event will draw. They know it is essential to have an online option for donors to give, rather than miss those who may want to donate but can’t take time out of their busy schedules, or travel a long distance to attend the event. The Hofstra crowdfunding website gives donors the option of making a donation in honor of a teacher or student, or someone instrumental to their education.

There are many different types of fundraising initiatives available to universities such as collecting online donations, organizing a sales-drive or planning an exciting event such as the fun run / 5K race non-profit crowdfunding event at Hofstra University. Free online resources are dedicated to helping you choose which type of fundraiser is right for your team, as well as providing guidelines to help you create a successful university fundraising campaign. An alumni fundraising initiative is another popular university direction and may be designed to bring in dollars to support the development of school projects for the University itself, or to help fund programs for school groups they were involved in such as fraternities, sororities, poetry clubs, political groups and sport teams, Targeting alumni for fundraising efforts is an excellent idea.

Fundraising software by DoJiggy is dedicated to helping university students, faculty, teams and nonprofit organizations to better plan, manage and execute fundraising campaigns. With our university fundraising resource center, we strive to provide the best collection of resources to make university fundraising events and initiatives more successful. Whether the fundraiser is sponsored by the university or conducted by a group within, there is often a need to raise dollars for school developmental projects, new technology and materials, as well as to fund extracurricular activities and social organizations. We provide a complete line of online fundraising solutions to help you plan and manage whatever fundraising event or initiative you choose…helping you save time and money, while executing a successful university fundraiser. Our goal is that these fundraising resources, used with our online software tools will save your organization valuable time and allow you to raise more money for your cause.

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