Nonprofit Information

Bryna Dilman

Tips to Futureproof Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Strategies

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Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

While not a new fundraising tactic, Peer-to-Peer (P2P) events – such as walks, runs, rides, push-up challenges, dance-a-thons, and DIY campaigns – are once again picking up steam as nonprofits prepare for the return of in-person events. However, after more than a year of social distancing and online fundraising, savvy nonprofits have realized the benefits of virtual P2P events and want to keep up the momentum they’ve gained through virtual connectivity.  

As nonprofits enhance P2P fundraising strategies to align with today’s new charitable giving landscape, below is a critical list of do’s and don’ts to keep in mind.   

Do: Diversify P2P Fundraising Efforts  

Many nonprofits transitioned signature in-person fundraising events online and are deciding how to incorporate various strategies to engage their online and in-person audience while they prepare for their face-to-face events.  

To maximize fundraising efforts going forward, including diversified fundraising strategies, such as corporate sponsorship, monthly giving and digital engagement plans, as well as an in-person and virtual aspect is critical. An excellent way to expand your network of supporters and maximize donations, in-person P2P events that incorporate multiple ways to connect will quickly emerge as a leading fundraising tactic this year. Plus, let’s not forget the social aspect – when we see our friends taking part in a great cause, we’re inspired to join in, regardless of our physical location.  

Don’t: Communicate with Every Supporter the Same Way  

Treating every P2P event participant, donor, or volunteer the same or reaching out to everyone with the same message is a huge mistake. Unfortunately, it’s also very common. 

To ensure a successful event and to develop deeper relationships with your advocates, nonprofits should group supporters based on their role, age group, and relationship with the organization and personalize outreach accordingly. Example? If a person discloses a personal connection to the cause during event registration, leverage this information to personalize outreach and deepen this relationship. Likewise, if someone participates in your annual event three years in a row, in your outreach, be sure to thank them for their continued support.

Additionally, recent findings indicate that the preferred form of communication varies across different age groups. For instance, Gen X prefer “email” (51%), and Baby Boomers prefer “direct mail” (51%). In this case, leveraging different communication channels to reach different supporters will help maximize donations. 

To expand nonprofits donor base, the best practice would be to identify local leaders and tailor outreach efforts to their interests. Think: community organizers. These individuals are highly influential and can motivate their massive network to join in on the peer-to-peer fun.  

Do: Harness the Power of Social Media  

Speaking of influencers, nonprofits should harness the power of social media and target supporters with large social groups.  Specifically, organizations should leverage social media ads on Facebook and Twitter with a call-to-action to sign-up and fundraise for an event. Additionally, it’s key to encourage all participants to reach out on their own social media channels. By posting about their charitable giving, friends and family will be inclined to match their donations. 

Social media and messaging apps also provide unique opportunities to raise awareness and build a sense of community. For instance, creating a Facebook group allows your supporters to create a community without having to physically gather. In-person participants can share their photos and experiences online in the same group as your virtual audience, bringing them together for the cause. 

Don’t: Forget to Reaffirm Your Nonprofit’s Mission   

It’s easy to focus on the light-hearted, fun elements of P2P events. However, to drive greater engagement, it’s important to share the nonprofit’s mission clearly and consistently and how donations are being used to move this mission forward. To do so, nonprofits should work closely with supporters as well as those with personal ties to the cause and encourage them to share their stories with participants.  

People are motivated by authentic stories, especially first-hand accounts. Marketing emails about a bake-off for cancer patients may not land in the inbox of an expert cookie connoisseur, but it might resonate with the dad of five who beat cancer and motivate him to put on an apron for charity.    

Conclusion 

Peer-to-peer fundraising is an incredibly effective method for nonprofits to engage with current donors and reach untapped groups of givers. With the right strategy, nonprofits can maximize their efforts and continue enacting positive change.   

2021 Fundraising Tips to Jumpstart the New Year

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2021 Fundraising Tips

The nonprofit fundraising landscape has changed, and nonprofits are now thinking outside of traditional signature, in-person-only events to stay relevant and widen their audience reach. Those that leveraged technology at the beginning of the pandemic quickly transitioned fundraising efforts online to connect with supporters, drive deeper engagement and maximize donations, while those that didn’t pivot online continue to struggle to move their missions forward.  

Technology investments and adoption of new and innovative trends in 2020 are enabling nonprofits to build greater resiliency in the new year. For those not-so-tech-savvy fundraisers, below are a few easy ways digital technology can be used to jumpstart fundraising efforts. 

Tap into Donor Data to Personalize Engagement

You don’t have to be tech-savvy to understand trends in donor giving. Start with your most loyal supporters and look into how much they gave over the last year, when and how. Tap into this insight to segment and target outreach based on donor engagement and giving habits. Personalized messaging makes donors feel recognized and appreciated, ensuring repeat and recurring giving.

To drive greater donor engagement in 2021, try creating more robust registration pages and post-giving surveys to capture additional donor data. Maybe the donor or someone they love is personally impacted by the cause, or perhaps the donor simply wants to help others. Understanding motivations to give will enable you to develop hyper-personalized messaging that resonates with each audience and creates life-long supporters.

Reduce Costs and Raise More with Donor Covers the Fee Opt-In

Most donors want 100% of their donation to go straight to the cause and data suggests that they would opt-in to cover any fees, such as credit card processing as an extra gift, if the option was available. Simply use your fundraising platform to give donors the option to cover the transaction fees and watch your fundraising dollars grow while inspiring and satisfying your donor base!

Enable Different Types of Giving Options, Including Hybrid Event Options

Technology enables a slew of fundraising options, so make 2021 the year your organization diversifies its efforts. In addition to enabling direct donations, recurring or monthly giving options, try adding a virtual event – such as an online auction, gala or peer-to-peer event – to your next campaign. Providing multiple giving options and hybrid event options enables donors to give the way they prefer as well as the opportunity to participate in multiple events, maximizing donations.

Industry surveys and data indicates that astute fundraisers will incorporate virtual elements to all in-person fundraising efforts in the future, leading to a rise in hybrid fundraising. One of the biggest benefits of hybrid events is that anyone can attend from anywhere. Expand your network of givers by reaching out to all donors, not just past event attendees. Expanding your addressable audience increases your overall network of supporters today and tomorrow.

Maximize Workplace Giving

A lot of companies provide matching giving programs as a benefit to employees. Utilize your fundraising platform and enable a corporate gift matching company search for organizations that participate in employee giving. Encouraging givers to look up their company in a donor matching database can help forge stronger emotional connections with donors and your mission by doubling their donation!

Think Outside Normal Business Hours

If you are targeting corporate donors, it makes sense to stick to traditional office hours for email sends, as you want to connect with those donors when they’re most active. However, if you’re targeting individuals and families, consider breaking out of the norm by sending emails, texts and social media posts during off-hours, including on the weekend. 

Use your fundraising platform to quickly schedule emails during off hours to maximize donations. Social media posts can also be scheduled ahead of time, making outreach a breeze.

The pandemic has severely impacted fundraising efforts for nonprofits around the world. As we settle into our “new normal,” the most successful nonprofits, regardless of size, will learn to adapt quickly and leverage tools to navigate an ever-changing fundraising landscape. From leveraging donor data and automating email outreach to tapping into social media and virtual events, the ability to meet revenue goals and enact positive change is far easier when backed by the right strategies. 

Virtual Fundraising: Tips for Moving In-Person Auctions Online

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Virtual Fundraising Auctions

With the entire world affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent economic fallout, the vital services and resources that nonprofits provide are in historically high demand. To meet this surge and move their mission forward, nonprofits must decide -and decide quickly- the best way to continue their fundraising efforts in a contactless way.  

As nonprofits navigate a new fundraising landscape that has completely changed in just a few short months, one tactic that is gaining momentum is hosting an online auction.  

To maximize efforts and drive greater donations, below are some critical steps to keep in mind before jumping on this emerging trend in online fundraising.  

Get your auction list in check:  

Although it sounds like a simple task, creating and refining an auction list is easier said than done. As resources may be limited, it’s best to target items that won’t take a lot of phone calls or research to request. If possible, focus on items that are easily transported to the winners (i.e. electronically or via regular mail). Additionally, with many businesses and services temporarily closed due to COVID-19, make sure to check on any restrictions on the donated item. For instance, if a local Italian restaurant donated a gift card but it’s only open for delivery, disclose this in the item restrictions field.  

When finding new items, keep in mind that most businesses donate to auctions in order to convert new customers. Therefore, find out which businesses have the capacity to contribute and present the auction as an opportunity to support a great cause and reach a new customer base. This will be an easier selling point for a business that ties into your mission. For example, if you work at an animal shelter, ask local pet stores or boutiques for grooming gift certificates, dog and cat toys or pet sitting services. By teaming up with a like-minded business, you create an ally to promote your mission to customers that fall squarely in your target demographic.  

Select a site to host your auction:  

Selecting a reputable online fundraising platform that enables you to connect with your donors in a meaningful way is critical. Do your research to find a site that reaches a large bidding community and streamlines promotion efforts by choosing a platform with email and communication tools. Also, for any initiative that requires individuals to disclose sensitive information like credit card numbers, opt for a site that makes data privacy a top priority.   

Polish your communication plan:  

Once you’ve selected your donor destination site of choice, create a foolproof communication plan to reach your desired audience. As mentioned, if you choose a site that has email capabilities, it’s easier to create targeted campaigns to attract new supporters and reengage previous donors. 

While it’s important to target your usual guest list, do not forget to contact participants from all past fundraising events and campaigns. For previous supporters, thank them for their continued commitment and illustrate how the online auction differs from past events. To personalize outreach, auction organizers should consider calling donors that are historically very loyal or generous.  

Don’t forget to tie in your organization’s mission with the event. Include photos and examples of the impact supporters’ donations will have. If you have a recent major accomplishment- like a breakthrough in research or reaching a fundraising milestone- be sure to mention that too.  

Urge your contacts to register as bidders for the auction but understand that this is not the only call to action you should include. It’s also vital to encourage registrants to share the auction with friends and family or post on their personal social media profiles. Once you have some registered bidders, be sure to send them emails about new items you’ve listed or highlight items with no bids (or ones with the most bids!). 

Don’t be shy in your outreach efforts. While it’s certainly a sensitive time to ask for donations, a lot of people still want to support your event and cause.  

Say thank you and stay engaged: 

Before the auction even closes, continue to engage supporters. Say “thank you” early and as often as possible. To foster long standing relationships, send acknowledgement letters to all individuals and businesses that donate items as you receive them.  

As soon as the auction closes, send each winner a tax receipt that includes a description of the item purchased, its fair market value and the amount of purchase. Some auction hosting sites will automatically send these out, but you can always follow up with a personalized thank you note and a receipt as needed.  

Don’t stop there, once the auction closes, keep checking in with your supporters and members. When applicable, share relevant resources with your community. If you’re calling your supporters, for their records, always send a follow up email after with a note highlighting the auction’s success. 

 Additionally, always remember to keep the momentum. You do not always need a concrete reason to reach out but providing new resources or mission updates are great ways to keep your community engaged. 

Ready your virtual gavel!  

While accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual fundraising is here to stay due to its ability to drive greater donations, attract new supporters and reduce operational costs.  

By following the tips above and embracing this emerging trend in fundraising, nonprofits can quickly recoup some of the revenue that might otherwise be lost and show their supporters that they’re still here to help.    

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