In the wake of COVID-19, virtual fundraising is a strategy worth pursuing. However, it can be a challenge to encourage donations without the usual lures of food, drinks, or services.
Still, there are plenty of ways to get people to champion your cause remotely without picnics or car washes. You also have the opportunity to share your organization with potential benefactors worldwide and expand your support base.
We share ten tips on how to raise money for charity online. From setting up online auctions to interactive games, discover what options you have to put your charity out there and get results.
1. Market Your Charity
Much like any business, your website is often the first introduction prospective donors have to your charity. First impressions count, and you want yours to be memorable.
A stellar website should highlight what your organization is all about, and offer readily accessible options to donate or sign up for newsletters. Similarly, you should get your charity on as many social media platforms you can and keep your pages active.
Remember that professionalism is critical: sloppy posts, a slow website, or poorly-designed graphics could put a visitor off.
2. Incentivize Your Supporters to Fundraise
Persuade loyal and new members alike to invest time in raising money with fun incentives. These can include recognition across your charity’s social accounts or small tokens of appreciation, like a hat or a mug.
Thanks to crowd-funding sites such as Go Fund Me, requesting and acquiring donations is hassle-free. This idea can also significantly spread your organization’s mission, as individuals will involve their relatives, friends, and followers.
Inspire people to get creative with how they raise money—for instance, singing a funny song live on social media when they hit the target amount.
3. Have an Auction
Online auctions are already popular and expected to become even more so in the years to come.
You can set up a live auction on your Facebook or YouTube channel with a volunteer auctioneer. Or, set up a page on your website and share it far and wide to get as much attention as possible.
You don’t need to stick to purchased products: DIY crafts are welcome additions. If your organization emphasizes environmental sustainability, a homemade guide to reducing waste would be in-line with these values.
4. Set a Challenge
Numerous charities have profited from issuing challenges to bring attention to their causes. You never know—your organization might be lucky enough to go viral.
The 2014 Ice Bucket Challenge raised awareness for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in a monumental way. Annual funding skyrocketed by 187 percent after thousands of individuals across the world filmed themselves attempting the challenge.
Come up with something short, amusing, and hashtag-friendly. It can be something physical like No-Shave November, or simply sharing a relevant story.
5. Arrange Game Tournaments
When you’re figuring out how to raise money for charity online, a rule of thumb is to capitalize on trends. Virtual game tournaments can involve a massive base of contributors you may not have thought of: gamers.
Video game players increase in the hundreds of thousands every year. Tournaments have proven effective, with one organization raising over $90,000 with board games.
You can set up virtual tournaments and charge viewers a fee to watch. This one might be a slow-burner, as you’ll likely get more viewers as things progress.
6. Host a Talent Show
There’s a reason why talent shows deliver crowds. For one, it’s always interesting to watch people perform. Next, you have guaranteed attendees in the form of the talents’ friends and family.
Once you have a decent number of participants, advertise your talent show and charge viewers a fee to join in on Zoom or a similar platform.
7. Remote Fun Runs
Discovering how to raise money for charity online is often a question of adapting tried-and-true approaches to work virtually. You can still sell merchandise such as t-shirts and hats, except that runners will have to order them before race-day.
Schedule a date and start time for the race, and share a movement-tracking app for everyone partaking in the run to download beforehand. Participants can submit their report once they finish, with the winner announced once everyone passes the “finish line.”
8. Teach Classes
Enforced quarantine has prompted people to rediscover old hobbies and learn new skills. Make the most of this trend by teaching classes.
You have a range of choices, depending on your budget and organization members. Opt for a single class or a series, whichever makes sense for the resources you have.
You can live stream classes about cooking, home repair, mechanics—anything useful or entertaining someone is willing to teach. Enlist your supporters to share their experience and talents.
9. Offer Resources or Gifts for Donations
The promise of a little knick-knack or coupon can go a long way towards prompting donations. If physical items are tough to manage, you can opt for digital resources instead.
Do you have a retired accountant on your team, or perhaps a master gardener? Ask if they would be willing to prepare a series of videos or an ebook with valuable information.
Reach out to local establishments and ask if they want to join in. You can also help out businesses suffering due to the pandemic—for example, a consultancy call with a hairstylist or cooking tips from a restaurant chef.
10. Organize Online Raffles
Raffles are a charity fundraising staple that can yield big profits despite the low buy-in price. Since you won’t have any overhead costs, you can invest in quality prizes to sell more tickets.
A raffle is ideal for lesser-known or new charities, as you’re not asking for a big commitment money-wise. Raffles are also comfortingly familiar to people of all ages and don’t require that participants be particularly tech-savvy to join in.
Happy Fundraising
Learning how to raise money for charity online is vital in a world that is coming to rely on the Internet of Things for all facets of life. An added advantage is that virtual fundraising efforts allow you to connect with an audience you may never have reached through local events.
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