Regardless of whether you want to raise money for a charity you love, or simply help the family across the street, if you know how to effectively raise funds, the results will be very different. If you're interested in helping a non-profit organization achieve their goals, there may be some red tape to be cut, but at least you'll be better able to focus your efforts on running the most successful fundraiser you've ever experienced.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Getting Ready to Fundraise
Making Plans
Step 1. Study and review the local ordinances where you live
Each region has specific rules and regulations regarding fundraising activities. There are many forms to fill out from region to region, not to mention the taxes to be paid, depending on the purpose or location of the fundraising. Before starting to plan a fundraiser, first study the rules and guidelines for playing the local area on the government website. If you have questions, ask your local non-profit organization and ask for their advice and input.
Step 2. Know your audience
Knowing your audience is a key factor in running a successful fundraiser. Try to find out what types of donor groups are coming to what fundraisers. This will give you an idea of your own type of fundraising.
- Review visitor records and donations to the cause for which they are raised. Look at the demographics. Is the visitor older, younger, liberal, conservative? You'll know what kind of fundraisers are likely to be successful based on this data.
- If the visitor is elderly, move on to a more traditional fundraiser. Things like cake sales and charity auctions might be more successful. For younger visitors, they might be more interested in lighter and more fun events, such as karaoke contests, for example. Young people also tend to be more tech-savvy, so online fundraising campaigns can also be more interesting.
Step 3. Find the best donors, if possible
Some donor agencies are more effective than others. In addition, you should make sure the money you donate is spent in the best possible way. Consider seeking information from donor review sites and community testimonials.
Some donor agencies are considered unhelpful by the communities they claim to be. For example, there are many breast cancer campaigns that spend more on advertising than helping people with this disease, or the Autism Speaks agency that exploits people with autism. So, research first and choose a donor agency that does not have a bad reputation
Step 4. Gather like-minded people
If you want to organize a fundraiser, it's hard to do it alone. Put together a team of like-minded people and believe in the cause you want to raise. Work together to make the event a success.
- In many areas, there are groups dedicated to various purposes. Look for relevant groups in your area, attend their meetings and see if anyone is interested in helping with your fundraiser.
- The church also likes to raise funds. If you attend church, try to get help.
- You can advertise on websites like Facebook and Craig's List that you're looking for volunteers to help raise funds.
Part 2 of 3: Fishing for Fundraising Ideas
Step 1. Stick with classic ideas
If you're dealing with an older audience, try to stick to classic events. Fundraising in the form of selling cakes and gifts has been held for a long time, because it is good and successful.
- Do fundraising through activities selling cakes or crafts. The sale of cakes and handicrafts allows the community to participate by donating their own handcrafted items. If it is held on a holiday, there are usually more people present because people are busy looking for Christmas gifts.
- Have a party. This is great if you want to raise funds locally, or are targeting your own friends but don't want to force them to donate. Host a party with a clear message and tell guests about the opportunity to donate. Give a brief presentation of the fundraising objectives during the meeting, if possible.
- Have a car wash. Another classic way to raise funds is to run a car wash. This is still an effective technique, especially in the hot summer months.
- Have a dinner. If you're hosting a fundraiser for a larger organization, try a dinner party. You'll have to set up the venue and the menu, but you can also set a price for each plate, which in turn will result in a lot of donations.
- Hold a raffle or lottery event. If you can give a good prize, hold a raffle or lottery. Make sure to check the local regulations regarding the holding of the lottery, because it may be considered gambling and for that you need a special permit.
- Consider giving gifts if the fundraiser is close to Christmas. You can charge a small fee per patron if you want their item to be gift wrapped, for charitable purposes.
Step 2. Network with others
If you're interested in hosting a larger fundraiser, consider networking with local businesses. This can be a fun way to persuade people to participate.
- Contact local businesses and ask if anyone is willing to donate a gift. This can often be done by being willing to advertise the business through the prizes they provide, when discussing sweepstakes prizes. Also ask if they would be willing to host a fundraiser and set aside some of the profits for charitable causes.
- Hold an auction. Auctions can be an effective way to raise a lot of money, especially if you can get local businesses to contribute to give away great prizes. A silent auction is a great way to complement other events, as guests can watch during the activity.
- Set up special counters for specific events. Fairs or fairs, carnivals, sports and other public events can be a good place to set up a tent or counter and raise public awareness of your charity event, while attracting donations. Of course it will take materials and materials to set up, but you can reuse the same counter every time you need to raise funds at another event.
Step 3. Start a public donation or crowdfunding campaign
In recent years, this method has emerged as a potential way to raise funds for personal needs. There are various websites on the Internet that will allow you to do this for any personal purpose. Everyone can visit your website and donate money sincerely. Many crowdfunding sites allow you to unlock layers of donations based on tiers, with the expectation that the higher the donation level, the rewarded in some way.
- A successful public donation campaign requires compelling and compelling statements and descriptions, to stand out among thousands of other active campaigns you'll also need to advertise heavily on social media.
- Since this method of public donation campaigns is still relatively new, it may be best if your target audience is young people.
Step 4. Hold a competition or match
People tend to like it when they get the chance to take part in the competition. Consider holding some kind of contest with an entry fee or entry fee, to further your charitable cause.
- Try holding a cooking contest or baking a cake. Let people compete to make the best dishes, while showing off their cooking and baking skills. Events like this can be a lot of fun and invite a lot of people.
- Try hosting some kind of sporting event. Charity marathons are often a lively and popular event. Hold a hockey or basketball tournament, with a donation in the form of a ticket. You can also sell concession items during matches. The money raised is used for your charitable purposes.
- Consider holding a karaoke contest. It's a lot of fun and it's easy to catch a lot of people. Talk to the owner of a local bar that offers karaoke and ask if they are willing to host.
Executing the Plan
Step 1. Contact the organization you are fundraising
If you're raising funds for a specific organization, get in touch before the plan starts. Many organizations are bound by special regulations in order to legally raise funds. They may also have their own way of getting the funds raised to be used by the organization. Contact the public relations department of the organization you want to work with and make sure you act according to their policies.
Step 2. Advertise
After you are sure about the campaign you want to do, you have to advertise. Do it properly and effectively.
- The advertising technique used depends on the audience. The older demographic tends to prefer traditional forms of advertising, such as flyers and radio ads. While the younger ones will prefer to plan through social media.
- Send out invitations, if you're hosting a dinner-like event. A classy invitation can lure people to come. If the invitations are heavy in cost, consider using the e-vites method or electronic invitations.
Step 3. Consider opening a bank account, specifically for fundraising
Many local banks are willing to work with you to set up accounts to accept your donors' donations. This is especially useful if you are trying to raise funds for a family in the area or for a specific renovation project. Go to the nearest bank and ask them to open a special account for your event.
Step 4. Think about logistics
One of the biggest problems in fundraising efforts is at the planning stage. Make sure you have cleared all the logistical issues in your event planning.
- Assign different tasks to each person. Separate the tasks into categories and form multiple teams from those categories. One group or team is responsible for managing the money, another assigns locations, and so on.
- Double-check all the information you receive. Make sure you follow all the rules regarding fundraising before holding the event. Do not let the success of the event be damaged because of fines due to negligence about local regulations.
Part 3 of 3: Fundraising Effectively
Step 1. Build a strong presence on social media
This is the key to successful fundraising. Be active on Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, and other social media.
- Ask a friend who is good at social media for help if you are unfamiliar with all this. Having a strong presence on fan pages on Facebook and Twitter can be a great way to spread the word about your event to multiple people at once.
- Reach out to the right people. Don't invite people blindly just because they're on your Facebook friends list. This method will only make people feel annoyed, especially if they are not interested in your Charity cause. Keep inviting only people who are known to share your views and live close enough to want to come.
Step 2. Break down the costs
People are more likely to donate if they know what and where their money is going. You have to know exactly where the money is going and be open with donors about this. If people know that--say, their IDR 50,000 is used to buy vaccinations for children in need in a third world country, they will be more motivated to give.
Step 3. Keep all transaction records
Since you will later be audited for taxation, keep all transaction records as complete as possible. All records of who donated what, how much, and where the donation went.
Step 4. Have faith in your charitable cause
The key to getting people to donate is your strong belief in the cause of the charity you are trying to achieve. Dig deep into your charitable cause to be absolutely sure that it's worth doing.
- If you know a lot about your charitable cause, you will certainly be more enthusiastic about it. When sending out donation request emails, your description will be more convincing. This can encourage people to donate.
- People like to have the opportunity to donate to something worthy, as it makes them feel positive about themselves and feel involved in the community. The more strongly you believe in the cause of charity, the more motivated people will be to help.
Step 5. Make donations as easy as possible
The easier it is for passersby to donate, the more that can be collected. It also makes it easier for potential donors to contribute. If you have a fundraising website, make sure it's easy to navigate. If you open an account at a local bank, make sure the deposit instructions are simple and easy to follow.
A low minimum donation limit will make people feel capable of doing
Step 6. Thank each donor
Everyone who donates should receive a message from you or your organization, thanking you and an explanation of what the money was used for. Make donors feel meritorious with the money donated. Thanking donors will also make it easier for you to contact them again at other fundraisers.
- For large organizations, thank you messages must be delivered within 48 hours of receiving the donation.
- At a fundraiser for personal use, you should try to say thank you as soon as they make a donation, and again after the fundraiser is over.
Tips
- You can make your own event planner or use a computer program.
- Write down the home addresses or email addresses of all those who have donated, so you can send messages later.
