Fundraising is an important part of every nonprofit organization’s mission. Yet, there are so many different types of nonprofit fundraising campaigns, it can be difficult to figure out which type of fundraiser is right for your organization. Here are some helpful fundraising tips to help you create a successful nonprofit fundraising campaign.
- Fundraising Theme: Be sure your nonprofit fundraising theme is in-line with your mission and resonates with your audience. For example, if your cause is to raise money to benefit at-risk children, consider hosting a fundraising event that engages children and families within your community. Ideas include: community walk-a-thon, fundraising carnival, mini golf fundraiser or golf-a-thon, etc. Read more creative fundraising ideas to see if you can find the perfect fundraising theme for your cause.
- Fundraising Plan: Once you’ve determined the type of fundraiser you’ll host, be sure to create a thorough fundraising plan that clearly explains your cause, outlines your goals, identifies financial resources and constraints, etc. You’ll want to build a strong team and create specific roles and responsibilities to ensure you accomplish the objectives you’ve outlined in your fundraising plan. (Our partner and friend, Joe Garecht from the Fundraising Authority offers a class to help you create a successful fundraising plan)
- Recruitment: To be successful with your nonprofit fundraising campaign, you’ll need to recruit dedicated participants, volunteers, sponsors and other funding sources. Create a list of local businesses that may be interested in sponsoring the event. Identify potential donors and participants (colleagues, co-workers, friends and family) who may be willing to make financial contributions, donate prizes, or participate in the fundraiser. Remember participants are also funding sources as they help spread awareness of your cause and raise money on the behalf of your organization. Volunteers are also important as they help spread the word, and keep your costs low.
- Organization: The success of your fundraiser not only lies in the planning of your event, but also in the execution. You need strong project management to monitor goals and achieve your objectives. Create a timeline and checklist to be sure you are staying on top of deadlines. Use online fundraising software to help you manage the details for your fundraiser easily and accurately. With online software, you can register participants, sell tickets, manage sponsorships, and safely collect online donations with your preferred payment processor. Your administrative team can also create numerous reports to help you monitor on-going progress and evaluate the success of your fundraiser following the event.
For more useful information, free fundraising templates, planning guidelines and ideas to help you organize a successful nonprofit fundraiser, we invite you to browse our fundraising resources.
