Help the nonprofits that are nearest and dearest to you with these valuable fundraising tips.
1. Bring the mission of your organization to life with a short, heartfelt story, article or video that demonstrates its impact.
2. Prove that money is efficiently spent.
Donors want to fund the mission, not additional fundraising. Use Charity Navigator‘s efficiency ratio to illustrate how many cents of each dollar raised are spent on the mission.
3. Develop an easy-to-attend annual fundraising event that is also FUN-raising.
Choose a date, time, venue and theme that is likely to appeal to your nonprofit’s core supporters and their friends. If successful, plan to repeat the event annually, as reinventing events takes substantial time and effort.
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4. Let your passion show to grow a virtuous circle of support from sponsors, donors, volunteers and guests.
Nothing attracts support better than authentic enthusiasm. Let it show when you ask for help using the most personal and polite means available (face-to-face conversations, personalized letters, phone calls, etc.).
5. Use your social network—online, in print and in person.
Post updates on Facebook or search for others with an interest in your cause through LinkedIn. Grow links to and from your nonprofit’s website.
Invite likely future supporters to come as your guests; they will give in the future if they enjoy themselves and you bring the nonprofit’s mission to life well.
6. Treat sponsors and donors well, and thank them profusely.
Make sponsors and donors feel like stars. They give in order to gain visibility with your nonprofit’s audience. Use sponsor logos prominently on your invitations, website, programs and event signage. Link to their websites and ask them to link back to yours.
Thank sponsors and donors profusely, both when they first donate and at the event. Afterward, follow up with a final thank you letter that includes tax donation information and a description of how their brand was promoted (detail their exposure to potential new customers).
7. Have fun!
If you have fun with your volunteer efforts, others will join you at your event and afterward to further help your nonprofit.
8. Use Make It Better as your media sponsor.
Amplify your volunteer efforts and value to donors with as many media sponsorships for your event as possible, including one by Make It Better. Please submit any requests at least six months before the event to maximize our benefit to you.
